First Hand Experience Professional Massage Studio

12/11/2022

Tonight's the night!

Silent Auctions Made Easy

10/28/2022

Can you guess what this brush is used for in the context of massage? Make your best guess in the comments below

10/27/2022

National Certification renewed!

10/26/2022

Who is ready for flannel sheet weather?

08/25/2022

Greetings from the AMTA National Convention

07/22/2022

The Silent Auction for Backpack in the Park 2022 is now open!

Gift certificates for 60-minute massage have been donated to For The Kid In All of Us' signature summertime event: Backpack in the Park. You can bid on this silent auction item from the comfort of your home by following the link below:
https://events.handbid.com/auctions/backpack-in-the-park-2022/item/60-min-professional-massage-by-ray-blount-1-1366908

06/30/2022

After a solid six months of traffic congestion, things are starting to look up! Piedmont Ave into Piedmont Rd has a fresh and smooth coat of asphalt, the traffic circle at Monroe Dr and Armour Dr is complete, AND earth moving equipment has been delivered to the space on Cheshire Bridge Rd where a bridge used to be situated.

I am grateful for progress!

06/28/2022

A lot has changed in Piedmont Heights when First Hand Experience was the new kid on the block back in 2008.
Who could forget The Anchor Bar with their tattoo themed mural. Situated in a long vacant bank space, it was a strange combination of bar, tattoo parlor, and hair salon. When it moved further north on Piedmont Rd, the space was filled by celebrity chef-owned Little Rey Chicken Al Carbon.
At the intersection of Piedmont Cir and Piedmont Rd, Brake-O gave way to European and Domestic Auto care and Franco's Pizza & Grill yielded to Gino's New York Pizza Bar.
The images below demonstrate the evolution of the east side of Piedmont Ave. The upper photo, captured by Google Street View, reminds us of the places where small businesses made a go of it. Distinctive Appliances, Sheik Burritos, Artlite, Pot n Pan, ED's Gourmet Records, and many others got their start here.
The lower picture shows the five-story work or live space that dominates the site currently. Along with the new Shell, Dunkin, and Starbucks, you know gentrification of this part of the neighborhood is nearly complete.
Did I miss mentioning one of your favorite places? Leave a comment below.

06/16/2022

TLDR: Inflation coupled with a recent real estate pricing correction have increased expenses in every category. To compensate for these changes, rates will increase July 1.

For weeks, I have wrestled with making this decision. I have examined all of the variables under my control and evaluated the possible outcomes of various changes. Here are my findings.
As rent is the largest monthly expense, I examined this category first. First Hand Experience Professional Massage Studio (FHEPMS) been situated at the same address for 14 years. During that time, the neighborhood has witnessed significant gentrification. The demise of single story businesses and homes have made way for the appearance of multi-story apartments and a gas station. As the surrounding real estate becomes more valuable, so does the amount of rent the commercial real estate market can command.
During lease renewal time, I’ve come to expect an annual increase of 2 – 3 %. In the coming cycle, rent will increase 50%. It seems like a huge increase all at once. And it is. Then I started looking around. I looked at every commercially available space that was suitable for massage therapy within two miles of the current studio. Of the twenty plus establishments considered, Piedmont Pointe remained the least expensive price per square foot per month.
For the rest of this article, head over to https://www.firsthandexp.com/home/
and complete the Subscribe to Our Newsletter form.

06/07/2022

I'm going to ask a favor of you at the end of this post. But first, let's discuss the cognitive (and sometimes emotional or physical) act of reflection.
Setting aside time to intentionally think about our experiences affords us the opportunity to document, relive, consider, and integrate those experiences into the broader tapestry of our lives. We can challenge our values, beliefs, and previous experiences using the new information gathered through reflection. By paying attention to our experiences, loose associations can be formed and emerging patterns can be detected.
While there are many models for reflections, each follows a general formula. Experience an event. Observe the event through your unique set of lenses. Question how the event made you feel or think differently about a topic. In light of this new information, describe the significance of the event and consciously assign meaning to the various aspects of the event. Consider alternative outcomes, formulate future plans, and apply what you have discovered. Communicate the results.
Please set aside a few minutes to use this process to reflect on your last three massages. There is no need to communicate the results. If you'd like to share publicly, feel free to leave a comment below. If you are inclined to send a direct message, that is also welcomed.
Thank you for participating!

Ray

PS. The image is of the Radiant Yellow Icicle Tower, a new Chihuly sculpture, at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

Source:https://brightonschoolofmassage.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/27.-Aromatherapy-Massage-Lessons-final-v4-pages-242-253.pdf

06/06/2022

During June, First Hand Experience will be accepting expired gift certificates at full value. Did you earn or win a gift certificate in the last 15 years from First Hand Experience Professional Massage Studio? Perhaps that certificate landed in a sock drawer, junk collection space, or with your coupons. Until the end of the month, we'll honor it as if you got it yesterday.

Redeeming your gift certificate is easy (once you locate it).
First, register your gift certificate at https://www.firsthandexp.com/register-gift-certificate

Go to the website (https://www.firsthandexp.com/home/ ) and find an available time that is convenient for you. Fill out the request form and we will email a confirmation back to you.

Thank you for supporting the non-profit institutions in our community.

06/02/2022

Head on over to https://morningsidemassage.com to schedule your next appointment. Be aware that we will be unavailable on the following days:
June 9 - 12
July 13 - 19
August 23-28
September 15-20