Day 186 - Immersion (20 Days Left)

A little over 11 years ago, I was baptized by my Southern Baptist pastor, which means that I was fully immersed in the water, as that's what Baptists do.

When he pulled me up out of the water, there wasn't any part of me that was dry.
When somebody goes to a foreign country where they speak a different language, the visitor is immersed in the language and picks up at least a few new phrases in a new language. They don't have much choice if they want to eat, sleep, or go to the restroom.
This week, having anatomy three days in a row, I feel like I've been immersed in the anatomy of the lower limbs. The newbies don't have much choice other than to pick up something from this experience!
I suppose this whole program is like an immersion into massage, too.
We had a quiz tonight (10/10) and lecture.

Day 185 - Can I Get a Cawfie? (21 Days Left)

In anatomy class tonight, we studied the deep hip rotator muscles and the gluteal muscles. We got to learn about piriformis, which can cause sciatic pain, quadratus femoris, and the tensor fasciae latae, which I kinda thought was something I could order at Starbucks.
We discussed about eight - or so - muscles, where they start, where they end, and what they do - all of which we will need to know for quizzes, the final exam, and probably the national exam, too. It's a good thing I found a geeky website called www.getbodysmart.com that has all the anatomy I ever wanted to know - and then some.
I feel badly for the newbies. They have all sorts of anatomical terms being thrown at them, superior, ventral, dorsal, and the like. All the while, they're having to learn the boney landmarks and muscles just like we are. I look at the newbies and think to myself, "Whew! I'm glad I'm almost done and not in their shoes!"
The class that graduated when we started probably thought the same thing about us.

Day 179 - Newbie Central (30 Days Left)

The evening I started school last year, we were marched into a room of an established class who had already had one five week session consisting of a Core class, an anatomy class, and a sports massage class. Last week, the remaining students from that established group finished their program and are ready to graduate.
Tonight, after being in the program for 11 months, we had about 11 newbies begin the program in our class. They had about the same look on their faces that we had on ours last year - stunned. Wondering what just hit them.
For the next five weeks, we'll have the three classes mentioned together and then about 20 or so of us will graduate, leaving the 11 newbies alone.
Actually, they will probably have a new class start with them after we're no longer there. I guess that's the way it works.
I found myself wanting to help the newbies tonight...teaching them the ways of the force. I mean...uh...basic massage. (I was watching Star Wars last night)

We had Core class tonight with our instructor, the Drill Sergeant (DS) - whom we haven't seen for awhile. It was like throwing the newbies to the wolves. They had to sit through a couple hours of learning some real basics (hearing the same stuff again for us - ugh!) through lecture and then a brief demo, and then actual hands-on stuff. DS had the "senior" classmates partner up with the "junior" classmates to facilitate quicker learning for them.
My partner was very complimentary saying that I'll be a great massage therapist. (like I didn't know that - wiggles eyebrows) But then, it's her first night.
Those poor newbies. Do they really know what they've gotten themselves into?