random thoughts – Day 2,352 (Sunday) – plans and gentle peaks

Woke up to clouds and rain and no plans for the day, which was perfect because I have books to read. Before I had finished knocking out the last couple chapters of the book I was too tired to finish last night, there was an incoming message about going to the movies today. Yes, please! That is also a perfect wet weather activity. The plan was set – 4:00, chick flick (Spa Weekend).

The time between making and executing the plan was spent on details for a Boston trip on Friday, doing laundry, telling Miss Kiki how wonderful she is, and eating leftover brew pub quesadilla for lunch. The rain stopped and the sun broke through sometime around 1:30 or so.

There was a test run of the “Sharper Image Acupressure Mat and Pillow” with “over 7,000 gentle peaks” (very pointy plastic bits) to stimulate muscles. I bought it Saturday at Ollie’s Bargain Outlet right before meeting friends at Thirsty Robot. I wasn’t looking for such a product, but it found me. It was the only one on the shelf.

Feet activated.

I set the new acupressure mat on the living room floor and laid down with it under my back and the pillow under my head. It didn’t really feel like anything anywhere. I moved the bulk of my hair so the pillow’s “gentle peaks” had more direct contact with my head. I pulled my knees to my chest so my back had more direct contact with the mat. It was neither pleasant nor unpleasant. I wondered if anything was even happening and also if my clothing was too thick as the model on the box was wearing Lycra leggings and a cropped sport bra top and I was wearing cotton twill pants and a long sleeve tee shirt.

When I stood up, my back felt pretty good, as in, not horrible. I stepped on the mat and the soles of my sock-clad feet felt stimulated, activated and ready for action. Kind of tingly and suddenly, immediately alive. Wow. That, right there, was worth the $12.99 bargain outlet price tag.

The movie was good, as in, it was a brief distraction from the ongoing stress and strain of real life – BS politics, war, increasing prices for food that will either sicken us or kill us (salmonella jalapenos, salmonella eggs, cyclospora lettuce, E. coli alfalfa sprouts, E. Coli blueberries, etc.). Luckily, movie popcorn is not on the list (yet) and a large bucket of it was had and called supper.

There were some decent laughs in the movie and my friend and I now want a spa weekend, just not as screwy as in the movie. My body always hurts and my skin is developing all the issues I was spared as a teenager. I want soothing music as I sit around in a fluffy robe sipping cucumber water between a massage a facial and to feel relaxed even if it takes money for someone else’s skill and training to make it happen. Lord knows, I don’t know how to make it happen on my own.

Unfortunately, neither my friend nor I know of a single day or weekend spa in our region. I went a couple times to a lovely place in Clarksville, TN, but that was a million years and 1,100+ miles ago. I detect a research project on the horizon.