demographics

[Guest guest]

Hi Dr. Andrea!

 

On its way, let me know when you get it.

 

Regards,

 

Pete

 

wrote:

> Hi Pete,

>

> I'd like to see your promo piece.

>

>

> Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine

> 753 N. Main Street, Suite C-1

> Cottonwood, AZ 86326

> (928) 274-1373

>

> Pete Theisen <petet wrote:

> Linda Gruber wrote:

>

>>Pete,

>>I just read a book titled Happiness is a Serious Problem.

[Guest guest]

Pete Theisen wrote:

 

> Well, don't think me a saint or a philosopher, I am a religious

> conservative myself and the homophobic problem would follow me anywhere.

> Everyone thinks I am gay as it is, the last thing I want to do is move

> to somewhere where there are even more homos than there are in Sarasota,

> it would seem to be jumping out of the pan into the fire.

 

 

Pete and All,

 

I must say, the mind reels at the above paragraph. I'm not even sure

where to begin. Let me at least say (in case you somehow didn't know)

that using the word " homos " is generally considered extremely rude,

especially when disparagingly paired with " even more. " I would think

this kind of disrespect was unacceptable on this list.

 

Homosexually yours,

Nora

[Guest guest]

Thank you, Pete. I look forward to seeing it.

 

Andrea Beth

 

Pete Theisen <petet wrote:

Hi Dr. Andrea!

 

On its way, let me know when you get it.

 

Regards,

 

Pete

 

wrote:

> Hi Pete,

>

> I'd like to see your promo piece.

>

>

> Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine

> 753 N. Main Street, Suite C-1

> Cottonwood, AZ 86326

> (928) 274-1373

>

> Pete Theisen <petet wrote:

> Linda Gruber wrote:

>

>>Pete,

>>I just read a book titled Happiness is a Serious Problem.

 

 

 

http://babel.altavista.com/

 

 

and adjust

accordingly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Hi Pete

 

I think I've read all your posts over the last several months on this

issue, but please forgive me if I've missed something.

 

I'm willing to take your word for it that your area is a nightmare.

 

Clearly this is a major problem for you as you have invested

countless 10s of thousands of $s in your training as well as your

life-blood & youth

 

It is also (with respect) clear to me that you are deeply dispirited,

maybe even bitter, about the advantages others have over you in this

mission to get the practice going. Again I am willing to believe what

you say about rich spouces etc.

 

Others on this forum have at times made serious attempts to persuade

you that your problems might be due to your negative attitude - I

*think* I'm right in saying that you have so far rebutted all these

claims.

 

I have one sincere question and one sincere suggestion.

 

My question is: Do you not think that, even though everything you

state about your area and your promotion attempts is true, still your

current pessimism might be (to some degree) dysfunctional and adding

to your problems? At least *partly*?

 

My (serious) suggestion is this. Bearing in mind the huge investment

you have made and your obvious commitment to Chinese medicine, why

not consider:-

a) moving to a completely different location; and

b) getting some sort of help with the negativity/pessimism issue.

 

Moving should be comparatively easy for you as (I think) you said you

are single? But I think that you are so dispirited that even moving

to the ideal location for you might not be enough unless you get

enthused - hence my suggestion b).

 

What do you think?

 

All the best, David

 

 

Chinese Medicine , Pete Theisen

<petet@a...> wrote:

>

> Linda Gruber wrote:

> <snip>

> > his negativity has hit the end of a rope I think. Lets see what

he

> > does with it.

>

> Hi Linda!

>

> What I do with it. I looked it up. <http://tinyurl.com/aez2l>

>

> " 84 used & new available from $3.99

> Other Editions List Price Price Other Offers

> Hardcover (1st ed) $23.00 34 used & new from $2.99 "

>

> So the people who read it think it is worth $2.99 in the original

first

> edition hard cover and $3.99 in soft cover.

>

> I hope you never go through what I have gone through. I told the

> original poster to have fifty times the money the experts would

tell her

> to have not because I am negative, but because I did not wish her to

> inadvertently repeat my experience. If that makes me at the end of

some

> rope, well, I guess you are the expert.

>

> Regards,

>

> Pete

>

[Guest guest]

On Friday 28 October 2005 01:45, David Gordon wrote:

<snip>

> pessimism might be (to some degree) dysfunctional and adding

> to your problems? At least *partly*?

>

> My (serious) suggestion is this. Bearing in mind the huge investment

> you have made and your obvious commitment to Chinese medicine, why

> not consider:-

> a) moving to a completely different location; and

> b) getting some sort of help with the negativity/pessimism issue.

 

Hi David!

 

Recently, I posted what I posted so that Karen wouldn't get all starry eyed

that she was going to get out of school four years from now and become an

instant success. If she hasn't got a lot of money she would be better off

pursuing an education that would qualify her for a *job*, not an increasingly

iffy with every graduating class self-employment profession. Of course, that

is my opinion.

 

On previous threads I have posted what I have posted for a similar reason, and

also to drum up some interest in the Medicare problem. My experience here is

shared by a number of people I have met at seminars and the like, that they

can't get any insurance money because Medicare doesn't cover acupuncture.

 

Moving is out of the question - I don't have the money. My next move will be

to a nursing home, as a destitute resident, not as the acupuncturist! I have

already spent all of my money, all of it, trying to get my practice started.

 

I wonder how much time I have to put in with a shrink, having done quite a lot

of this in my teens and again in my forties? Nowadays it is out of the

question cost wise, and the previous two shrinks *declared*me*sane* anyway,

strange as this may seem to those who in their great wisdom think I'm nuts.

 

I am tired of going to shrinks because people who aren't shrinks think I need

to. Shrinks themselves, on the other hand, think *everyone* who has either

money or good insurance needs them, at least, needs them until the

money/insurance runs out. Since my money is gone, I would look very, very

sane to most shrinks.

 

I am not trying to be flip with you, but somehow, people think I haven't taken

some necessary step and if I just took it everything would magically be

honkey-dory with me.

 

Folks, believe me, I have done a *lot* of homework, everything I could have

reasonably done, I have done. Including every kind of counseling you can

think of, including shrinks. The only thing I haven't done was go into it

with a lot of money.

 

Regards,

 

Pete

[Guest guest]

Thanks for your reply Pete.

 

Hmm. Are you really sure that it is too expensive to move? Are you

buying or renting your dwelling? If you're buying it should be

possible (with some effort of course) to buy and sell in a way that

releases some capital for moving etc costs.

 

Regarding the 'shrinks', okay, maybe they're not an option for you.

Have you ever meditated deeply? I find it a great way to help me see

my life in balance and percieve what my real goals are - they tend to

get clouded by the excess yang and distractions that beset us in

Western civilized life. I personally use Mantak Chia's method; it's

dead simple and I found I was getting quite deep within about 1 hour

of reading his book " Awaken Healing Energy Through the Tao " - there

are many other approaches to meditation of course.

 

But if all else fails, you could quit Chinese medicine for a few

years and focus your energy on something else. You might be able to

generate more funds and might grow your life in other areas. It's

something to consider. In fact, if you have truly exhausted all

options then it is the only option left, isn't it.

 

Being in a negative state long term is bad for your health.

 

I hope you sort something out.

 

All the best, David

[Guest guest]

To Whom It May concern,

 

I can relate to what Pete is saying and it brings up a very important issue

that our profession needs to start addressing and that is employment options

for graduates (as well as payment options like insurance which looks to

Medicare). We have an extremely high rate of self-employment and on a cash

basis mostly. The current nature of the direction of movement away from

cash will put us into a difficult position for our incomes.

 

As more than 1.1million new people in 04' joined the ranks of the lower

class, we need to make an important realization, that if we want to see a

better country we need to get more politically involved. We need to be

aware that corporate America is a sign of the times and things need to move

into a different direction but we need to make sure that they do. Fear of

involvement seems to a big area here as our profession likes to have others

do it and we benefit from it. Hmmh, sounds kind of like some words used

against poor old Pete.

 

Anyway, just my observations.

 

Mike W. Bowser, L Ac

 

 

 

 

>Pete Theisen <petet

>Chinese Medicine

>Chinese Medicine

>Re: demographics

>Fri, 28 Oct 2005 10:59:20 -0400

>

>On Friday 28 October 2005 01:45, David Gordon wrote:

><snip>

> > pessimism might be (to some degree) dysfunctional and adding

> > to your problems? At least *partly*?

> >

> > My (serious) suggestion is this. Bearing in mind the huge investment

> > you have made and your obvious commitment to Chinese medicine, why

> > not consider:-

> > a) moving to a completely different location; and

> > b) getting some sort of help with the negativity/pessimism issue.

>

>Hi David!

>

>Recently, I posted what I posted so that Karen wouldn't get all starry eyed

>that she was going to get out of school four years from now and become an

>instant success. If she hasn't got a lot of money she would be better off

>pursuing an education that would qualify her for a *job*, not an

>increasingly

>iffy with every graduating class self-employment profession. Of course,

>that

>is my opinion.

>

>On previous threads I have posted what I have posted for a similar reason,

>and

>also to drum up some interest in the Medicare problem. My experience here

>is

>shared by a number of people I have met at seminars and the like, that they

>can't get any insurance money because Medicare doesn't cover acupuncture.

>

>Moving is out of the question - I don't have the money. My next move will

>be

>to a nursing home, as a destitute resident, not as the acupuncturist! I

>have

>already spent all of my money, all of it, trying to get my practice

>started.

>

>I wonder how much time I have to put in with a shrink, having done quite a

>lot

>of this in my teens and again in my forties? Nowadays it is out of the

>question cost wise, and the previous two shrinks *declared*me*sane* anyway,

>strange as this may seem to those who in their great wisdom think I'm nuts.

>

>I am tired of going to shrinks because people who aren't shrinks think I

>need

>to. Shrinks themselves, on the other hand, think *everyone* who has either

>money or good insurance needs them, at least, needs them until the

>money/insurance runs out. Since my money is gone, I would look very, very

>sane to most shrinks.

>

>I am not trying to be flip with you, but somehow, people think I haven't

>taken

>some necessary step and if I just took it everything would magically be

>honkey-dory with me.

>

>Folks, believe me, I have done a *lot* of homework, everything I could have

>reasonably done, I have done. Including every kind of counseling you can

>think of, including shrinks. The only thing I haven't done was go into it

>with a lot of money.

>

>Regards,

>

>Pete

>

>

[Guest guest]

I truly love practicing this medicine.

 

But had I known how difficult it would be to subsist let alone make

a living that would provide a middle class income I would never have

applied to school. The only reason I'm still practicing is that

after seven years I was offered an employee position. I'm not

telling where I work because you might send a resume.

 

I've watched more than half of the graduates of the two schools here

(I taught at both) fall out of practice within two years of

graduation. Many acupuncturists have moved here and left within 2-3

years to find greener pastures. Less than half of my graduating

class is practicing. Several never did go into practice. At a CE

seminar I attended recently I overheard several folks discussing

their hopes of letting loose of their full time jobs. These were

mature people who have been out of school for several years.

 

If you doubt that this is the fate of most grads ask the schools for

data about their graduates. You'll either be told they don't

collect such data or you'll get reports that spin the data they did

collect.

 

When prospective students ask me about making a living in this field

I tell them the truth. No matter what business you go into, having

the skills which are offered to the public is the least of making a

profit. The ability to attract customers is what makes profit. And

if you have a product with a small market you need to be really good

at it.

 

I " ve been sustained for 10 years by two things - my love of

practicing and incurable stubborness. BTW, I was assured by my

business consultant that the latter is the biggest factor in the

success of any business venture.

 

JOE

[Guest guest]

On Friday 28 October 2005 18:12, mike Bowser wrote:

> To Whom It May concern,

>

> I can relate to what Pete is saying and it brings up a very important issue

> that our profession needs to start addressing and that is employment options

> for graduates (as well as payment options like insurance which looks to

> Medicare). We have an extremely high rate of self-employment and on a cash

> basis mostly. The current nature of the direction of movement away from

> cash will put us into a difficult position for our incomes.

>

> As more than 1.1million new people in 04' joined the ranks of the lower

> class, we need to make an important realization, that if we want to see a

> better country we need to get more politically involved. We need to be

> aware that corporate America is a sign of the times and things need to move

> into a different direction but we need to make sure that they do. Fear of

> involvement seems to a big area here as our profession likes to have others

> do it and we benefit from it. Hmmh, sounds kind of like some words used

> against poor old Pete.

 

Hi Mike!

 

The schools *want* to crank out more and more grads with no accountability,

educators at *all* levels positively *hate* accountability. After all, if you

have to justify what you cost your students or their parents that " erodes

academic freedom " and other high-sounding phrases. <g>

 

The politicians have their fund-raising base in the western medicine (rich)

class, but their voting base is in the more numerous classes. Not to worry,

electoral politics is not about issues, it is about name recognition.

 

It takes nothing but money to build name recognition. If the politician wants

to stay in office he/she has to raise money. The people with money set the

legislative agenda. Sure, write letters, make sure you sent a *big* check to

his/her campaign office before you do.

 

What political involvement really means is raising so much money that *we* can

set the legislative agenda. Since our profession is very fragmented, there is

little chance of doing this. Only if we *all* become political fanatics in

the same direction.

--

Regards,

 

Pete