Erin's Pics
Sometimes I write. Especially when I can't think.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Celestial Massage

Janey Bell is a certified and licensed massage therapist rejuvenating her clients at Celestial Massage, a small business located in Denver. Having finished the 670-hour certification program from the Colorado School of Healing Arts in Lakewood, she now spends her time helping others find a balance in their lives through massage therapy. Bell was a former lawyer who decided it was too much stress saying, “I’ve always wanted to help others. Massage was and is a way to reduce others’ stress, as well as my own.”
Bell has found serenity in her new career and seeing her clients benefit from their sessions only reinforces her decision of the new path she’s taken. “Reduction of stress is one of the main benefits for me,” she says. “I also get an opportunity to serve others in a nurturing, yet therapeutic way; reduce their stress, help with chronic pain and conditions and help them get to a more balanced state.”
Her typical clients come from all walks of life. Bell creates a custom massage for each client varying the pressure, intensity and technique depending on their needs. “We’ve worked with athletes, those suffering from chronic pain and fibromyalgia, people with cancer, elderly folks and those that just need to relax and rejuvenate,” she says.
Bell has at least five days of scheduled massages a week, “so it’s a big part of my life,” she says. “But it also allows me to have a flexible schedule, so I have time to train for triathlons and to do yoga and just have downtime.” Not to worry, she also receives massages with other therapists whom she trades services with. “I end up getting a massage about once a week, which helps keep me feeling good, centered and balanced.”
She’s been practicing massage therapy for more than seven years and runs the business out of her home with her husband, who’s also a massage therapist. They have two treatment spaces so they can do two separate sessions simultaneously. Looking to the future, Bell’s wish is to see Celestial Massage and her clientele grow, “which will allow us to keep our prices low and offer excellent service to our clients.”
Her services include a 60 minute massage for $55, 90 minutes for $75, LaStone therapy for $75, Ear candling for $40 and also pet massage which prices vary depending on travel time and length of the session. Types of massages and services offered are Swedish, Deep Tissue, Sports, Neuromuscular Therapy, Reiki/Healing Touch, Applied Kinesiology, Aromatherapy, and Myofascial Release. Massage by appointment only, Celestial Massage, (303)-477-2780, celestialmassage.com.
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
I'm losing my mind
Most of you already know how much school is stressing me out lately. Well, this entry will prove just how nutty I am. I have been walking around in a foggy haze for the last few months...just going through the motions of school, internship, life in general without even thinking about what's happening around me....until now. Today at a red light, I turned off my engine. I don't know what I was doing! But when I stopped, I just shut everything down and didn't realize it until the light turned green and I couldn't understand why my car wouldn't budge when I pushed the gas.
My friend Karla and I exchange a lot of e-mails throughout the week. Tonight she e-mailed me about Friday night plans....here's our exchange which she requested go into my blog:
I WROTE:
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From: Claire154@aol.com
To: karlaindenver@hotmail.com
Subject: friday
Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2006 00:59:11 EDT
hey chickee,
laurie will be in town from steamboat, and we were talking about doing something. come with! i don't know what we're doing......maybe drinks downtown...who knows. neither of us could think of anything tonight. she wants to go see that bodyworld exhibit at the museum, but i think i would throw up looking at that stuff. she's a little disappointed in me... :(
i'm no fun lately, because i have no money and because i am in the "final semester, i'm graduating and don't really give a shit about anything" mood. i've been pigging out on junk food, too. a lot of it! i can't wait until school is done. it's sucking the life out of me. i can watch like 7 hours of straight tv, and not even realize i've been sitting that long! i didn't do ANYTHING on saturday or sunday. i didn't take a shower until like 1:45am on sat night/sun morning. i didn't even leave my damn apt! i ate a whole box of crunch 'n munch in the last 24 hours! what the hell is wrong with me!!!???!!!!???
alright, nuff said.
so yeah.....friday night. whatever. i'm totally in the mood for sitting at a bonfire and drinking a beer or four. man...i wish i knew people that had bonfires. actually, i want to go camping.
okay...i need to end this, before i ramble on about other jankity topics. i hope you're laughing at my craziness, not thinking that i am insane. this too shall pass!
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KARLA'S REPLY:
ok, i want you to add that last email to your blog and go back and read it in a few days. cracked me up. yeah, you're a little nuts, but that's why i love ya. it's totally ok to be freaking out about your last weeks at school. no worries. keep smokin the wookie rock sista!
we can do whatever you want on friday night. we should do something that'll get your mind off of school. we could sit at barnes and noble and read gossip magazines or go have drinks or see another movie? whudeva...
i'll be thinking about you... crazy lady.
Sunday, April 09, 2006
Friends
I have a video camera that has seen recorded a few adventures with me and my friends. One particular video that has gotten a lot of publicity is the "camping video". My friends Matt, Tom, Jill and I took a little excursion to Aspen a few summers ago and the video camera provided much entertainment.
Well, a few weeks ago Laurie and Jill were over at my apartment and somehow the "camping video" came up in conversation. So of course, we HAVE to watch it AGAIN. Laurie never had the privilege of seeing this visual delight, so Jill and I amused her (but mostly ourselves).
There is nothing scandalous about the video. Clothing is worn at all times and there are no drunken charades that will continue to haunt any of us. Mainly, it's us acting like idiots...telling stupid campfire jokes, the occasional story and plenty of wise cracks and dirty looks between us. There is even a long segment of Tom sneaking into Jill's tent to capture just how loud she snores! It may not sound (or look) the least bit funny to those who weren't there, but every time the four of us see it, it's the most hilarious thing.
So after Laurie, Jill and I finished with the camping video, I popped in a few miscellaneous videos that were in the video bag. I was amazed to find out that I still had videos of my first trip to Colorado with Andy (Aug. 2001), our first Thanksgiving out here that we spent with friends whom I no longer have contact with and a birthday video that I made for Andy with all his friends and family from Wisconsin giving him their best wishes.
Seeing these tapes sparked random memories and feelings that I had completely forgot about. Jill turned to me and said "Isn't it weird to think that those people played an important role in your life at that time, and now you don't even know where they are?"
This question has constantly been on my mind for the last month. My initial response to her was "Yes", and then the wheels in my head started to turn.
Jill's question has made me think of the friendships and relationships I've had over the last 4 years (since I've moved to Colorado). Since I have no family that I spend any quality time with out here (a great uncle and some older cousins whom I'm not close to), my friends have been my family. So why is it that certain people who had meant so much to me 3 years ago, aren't active in my life now?
We have friends that fulfill certain needs at specific moments in our life. "Friends are the family you make", so there's no absolute commitment to them. Some people come into our life to teach us something, and I believe that once we are done learning from them, we move on and someone new enters our world.
I am saddened at times thinking about the people in my life whom I considered to be a huge influence on me at some point in my life and realizing that we will (most likely) never speak again. But even through all the bad times, I still emerge learning a valuable lesson from them. After a while, I tend to forget about the bad times and only remember the good, because that's what friendship is all about--having some laughs, sharing some great stories and making memories, regardless of how long you remain friends.


