Artsy Fartsy

Yeah, I have to get honest again. 

My life prior to BSW was artsy fartsy. I took a lot of art classes like printmaking and photography and got my first BA in theater. As of 2002, I have been a practicing massage therapist as well. I turned my creative energy into a comprehensive massage therapy practice, it was easier as a single mom to make my own hours than lugging my kids to auditions and late night rehearsals (sometimes into the a.m.). So I put all that art on the back burner and went about my life as a massaging mom thinking about other routes of economic improvement while continuing to do what I love. I started in xray at SMCC thinking it would be kind of artsy by taking photo's and placing people in position for them, and there would be stability in the medical field, the whole aspect of helping people too. I was wait listed for about two years to get in that program. First week of classes we were told "good luck finding a job when you are done in 2 years, there aren't any." Well I'm not a quitter, nor do I let myself be shaken too hard normally so I kept on. First semester you are shooting people with radiation. Half-way through it I knew it wasn't the job I would be happy in and feel like I was really doing something giving. Xray is one of the biggest money makers for hospitals, a lot of unnecessary exposure happens. You see people for 5 minutes at a time for the most part, barely get a sentence in with them and they are gone. It's too removed, I'm a feeler and I needed a little more substance in my work. I knew that changing my route was the best thing. 

I enjoy doing hospice massage, my eldest client (101 at passing) thus far dubbed me "massage artist." One day I was in one room of this hospice clients house massaging her, and in the next room was her son in law who was now dying. The social worker was there and they were discussing his own funeral plans etc, the worker was checking in on the family one last time. I went home and started researching what job that was. I enjoy helping people feel good as they are making their way out, I could spin it for a career in social work. To get that job I needed another degree, so here I am. This semester my artsy got massaged again. I can see now that my theater and art classes and all of it can be utilized to do good. Full circle, I have come full circle and it might have taken me longer to do that had I not had the opportunity to learn in this style. 

So here we go, all hopeful and scared and excited~