The Benefits of Massage Therapy

I've been a massage therapist for a little over ten years, and I can happily say that as the years pass on, i grow fonder of my learned skill. I am able to help people deal with their stress, aches and pains, and it's one of the professions that truly makes you feel as though you've made a difference in someones life. I've treated thousands of people, from big to small, old to young, almost all kinds of people. Being a licensed massage therapist allows me to be as creative as I want, to work at my own pace and to make me want to exceed at it every time I work on someone new. Although, it's without saying, that being a massage therapist is not the easiest profession, but in the end it is wonderful. And despite the fact that I a now a Spanish teacher, i do intend to continue the art of massage, its flexible in such a way that I will be able to do so. So for all of you who might feel a little stressed, or achy or have some pain...try having a massage today!

Massage therapy helps you relax, re-align and rejuvenate. There are many positive aspects to receiving massage therapy on an ongoing basis, and with the busy lives we lead, we can all benefit from a little stress-management.

• Relieves Stress
• Encourages Relaxation
• Improves Posture
• Improves Circulation
• Lowers Blood Pressure
• Helps Manage Pain
• And Much More

Vocabulary

fonder: having a strong affection for something or someone

treat: to provide medical aid or attention

licensed: authorized or permitted by law

exceed: to go beyond expectation

profession: what you do for a living

wonderful: that causes wonder, amazing

intend: to plan to or design for

Vocabulary Exercise

Create synonym for each word on top. A synonym is a word or expression that has nearly the same meaning as another word or expression. Synonyms tend to be adjectives, adverbs and verbs, with relatively few nouns qualifying as true synonyms. For example “big” (an adjective), “slowly” (an adverb) and “talk” (a verb) all have synonyms, while “sock” (a noun) does not.

Grammar Point

Contractions: A contraction is a shortened form of one or two words, one of which is usually a verb. In a contraction, an apostrophe almost always takes the place of the missing letter(s), for example “don’t” is the contraction for “do not”

Grammar Exercise

Fill in the blanks with the correct contraction:

1. ___________ been waiting here for an hour!

2. The teacher said that ___________ not having homework!

3. ____________ like to play baseball after lunch.

4. ______________ going on the field trip, aren’t you?

5. He said that ____________ already had lunch, Mom.

6. Mom said that ___________ buy me a new dress.

7. _____________ coming to my birthday party.

8. ________________ seen that movie, too.

Word Bank

he’d she’d you’re I’d

they’re we’ve they’ve we’re

For more information or examples log on to:

http://www.carlscorner.us.com/Contractions.htm

Got Humor?

A sense of humor... is needed armor. Joy in one's heart and some laughter on one's lips is a sign that the person down deep has a pretty good grasp of life.
Hugh Sidey

Readmore:http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/laughter.html#ixzz1oCJX62Oo

According to Help Guide.com laughter is good for several things:

Laughter is good for your health

• Laughter relaxes the whole body. A good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after.
• Laughter boosts the immune system. Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease.
• Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.
• Laughter protects the heart. Laughter improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow, which can help protect you against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.

To read more click on:http://helpguide.org/life/humor_laughter_health.htm

So if this is true, then we should all be laughing much more! I try to keep this in mind when I'm teaching. In high school, or any school for that matter it should be deemed necessary for all teachers to possess this quality! The ability to not only laugh at funny things, or at jokes that students might say, but to also laugh at ones self. I'm glad to say that I laugh at myself all the time. Of course, I tend to be very clumsy, so that truly helps, I can't tell you how many times I've fallen and laughed ridiculously at myself! Silly of me to do so? Perhaps, but I don't mind, it keeps me sane, especially while teaching at school and when I have two little girls at home! So, keep laughing it helps!!! :)

Vocabulary

deemed: to think, believe or judge

possess: to own, or have

clumsy: describes someone or something that moves awkwardly

ridiculously: something that is silly or foolish

especially: particularly or to a greater degree

Vocabulary Exercise

• Create a dialog with the vocabulary words above, it can be between you and someone else (be creative: Choose a famous person).

Example:

Me: I'm afraid I cannot accept your _(ridiculous)_ invitation.

Brad Pitt: Oh, that's a pity! I'm so sorry. I just thought I would let you know that you’re the most beautiful woman on the face of this earth and that Angelina means nothing to me!

Grammar Point

Future tense:

Simple Future has two different forms in English: "will" and "be going to." Although the two forms can sometimes be used interchangeably, they often express two very different meanings. These different meanings might seem too abstract at first, but with time and practice, the differences will become clear. Both "will" and "be going to" refer to a specific time in the future.

FORM Will

Examples:

[will + verb]

Example:

• You will help him later.

FORM Be Going To

[am/is/are + going to + verb]

Example:

• You are going to meet Jane tonight.

Now you try, fill in the blanks with the future tense of will/go.

1. A: I'm about to fall asleep. I need to wake up!
B: I (get) you a cup of coffee. That will wake you up.

2. A: I can't hear the television!
B: I (turn) it up so you can hear it.

3. We are so excited about our trip next month to France. We (visit) Paris, Nice and Grenoble.

4. Sarah (come) to the party. Oliver (be) there as well.

5. Ted: It is so hot in here!
Sarah: I (turn) the air-conditioning on.

For more examples or information log on to:

http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs18.htm

Hot Java...Not So Bad For You?

Ever since I was a little girl, I remember drinking coffee. My mother would prepare an evening java for my father, just the way he liked it light and sweet. She would ask me to bring it to him, but right before I did, I would sneak a sip or two, and that was it...the beginning of my life long, loving relationship with coffee.

As the years went on, I would go to coffee houses with my friends and chat about school, boys, well mostly boys. But, I recall always having a nice hot cup of java in my hand. The true test of my love for coffee came when I was pregnant with my first daughter. People advised me to stay away from my long love. That it was harmful, it could damage not only me, but worst my unborn child! Well, that was it! I left it...oh what bitter pain I felt. The start off of my days were horrible to say the least, instead of enjoying a nice cup of coffee, I was plagued by morning sickness! I could no longer enjoy, cold, crisp mornings. I could no longer cuddle up in bed next to the TV to watch my favorite shows at night, I had left it for good (or at least until I had my baby)! I drank chamomile tea with milk and sugar instead...So NOT the same! Finally, the nine long, cranky months were over.

Oh I can almost remember it, my first taste, after I had my daughter. I had to make it special of course, I went to the best coffee house; The Witches Brew in West Hempstead and I enjoyed a delightful hot, coffee; with caramel and whipped cream...oh it was splendid!

After all that, I read a post last week that confirmed that coffee was not so bad for you, that in fact it was proven that people who drank it had fewer cases of type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's and dementia! Go figure! Well to that I hold a nice, hot, yummy latte up and give salutes to all my other coffee drinkers out there and say Salud!!!

You can read more on the health benefits of coffee here:

• http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/coffee-new-health-foodl

Vocabulary

java: any kind of coffee

sneak: to move around or do something in quiet

coffee house: a place where one goes to drink coffee

advised: to offer a suggestion

bitter: a harsh taste/ something that is hard to bear

plagued: anything that afflicts or troubles

cuddle: to lie close and snug

delightful: giving delight, very pleasing

splendid: something wonderful

Type 2 diabetes: increased levels of sugar in the body that is not matched by sufficient insulin

Parkinson's: a disorder in the brain that leads to tremors

dementia: a loss of brain function; memory loss

Vocabulary Exercise

unscramble the following words:

duegpla denlidps aimetden retibt lugledhtif kaens

Grammar Point

Use:

1. Events in the past that are now finished
2. Situation in the past
3. A series of actions in the past

• Simple Form: Although most past tense verbs end in -ed, certain verbs have irregular past tense forms that do not follow this rule.
• Past Progressive Form: Use was/were with the verb form ending in -ing.
• Past Perfect Form: Use had with the past participle of the verb.
• Past Perfect Progressive Form: This tense is most often created by using had been and the present perfect of the verb (most often the verb form ending in -ing).

For more exercises or information click on:

http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/parts-of-speech/verbs/Past-Tense-Verbs.html

http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verb-tenses_past_quiz.ht

Grammar Exercise

1	My brother seen saw sees a bear an hour ago.	Click for answer saw
2	Did Are Does Mike visit his grandmother last night?	Click for answer Did
3	Alex did not work worked working last weekend.	Click for answer work
4	Was Were Are Judy and Liz at last month's meeting?	Click for answer Were
5	We were was did not happy after the sad ending.	Click for answer were