Sunday, December 27, 2009
For the 1st Day of Christmas
(symbolically speaking)
12/26/2009
Here I go again. It's Christmastide and I am going to gift 12 folk with a Flammia Touch session symbolizing the 12 days of Christmas. In the past, I have failed in this mission because of just not having enough time in the 12 days of Christmas to do it. With work and play, life is overwhelming.
This year will be different. Rather than worrying about doing my giving in 12 days, I am going to take the time allowed for Christmastide and complete my gift giving by Candlemas, in February.
Making a gift of my work is nothing new. I have done it a number of times. I have donated massage sessions as door prizes, items for silent auctions and given to organizations for them to use as rewards for their best employees or volunteers. I have volunteered my labors for many a good cause.
As the letter I wrote, in 1988, indicates, I will also donate a massage to someone I may be politically aligned with. That occurs long and far between because sometimes gifts are not received in the spirit the gift was given. The letter written, in 1988, got me into trouble.
Because this is the beginning of the 20th year of 'The Flammia Touch', the first recipient of a gift of a session is Donald Anderson. If not for Donald Anderson, The Flammia Touch would never have come into being.
Donald Anderson was the director of the Berkeley YMCA, in 1986. Donald was the person that gave me permission to start the massage concession for men. If not for the turn key opportunity, I would, probably, not have made the effort to enter the realm of massage.
It was Don Anderson that called me into his office one day, in 1988, and advised me to lay low when Michael Dukakis came to San Francisco because he had been approached by Secret Service folk investigating me because of my offering Presidential Candidate/Governor Dukakis a free massage. I was told I was being watched. Who knew?
I have heard Don is retired and living, in Hawaii. Hopefully, I will hear from him on one of his trips to the mainland asking to collect his gift.
For what it is worth, I did get a response from the DNC. The response can be found here.
