things i have learned...in bullet form

• i am not a spa person.  i love the idea of a massage...but i don't like to be touched...and i don't like having to take my clothes off.  i booked a "hot stone massage" envisioning that a) only my back would have to be bare and b) they would lay a large flat heated stone on my back.  i was so wrong.  i was a little stressed out before i got to the spa but when i was taken to a small room and asked to "remove all my clothes" and put on the white robe....i almost left.  i seriously did not know what to do...i knew that this was totally out of my comfort zone and was NOT going to be the relaxing scenario i had pictured in my head.  and...just so you know...i left my underwear on. total removal of all clothing was NOT going to happen.  then i had to go sit in the lounge again...naked! well...under a robe...but still...some poor woman came in and sat down.  i randomly blurted out (without making eye contact with her) (or saying hello) "GETTING A MASSAGE HAS TURNED OUT TO BE THE MOST STRESSFUL THING I HAVE ENDURED!".  she also did not make eye contact.  {now...i should tell you here that once i resigned myself to the fact that i was there and on the table and this was happening and i may as well let myself enjoy it...i did....especially when i realized that key parts of my anatomy remained covered by the blanket for the duration...that helped as well}  but still...not a spa girl.  too stressful.
• i had also booked a manicure (it was a package).  God help that poor girl that got assigned for both my massage & manicure.  first i was a bundle of stressed out frayed nerves during the massage...and then the manicure ruined me.  i am not a person that is good with making choices under pressure (and by pressure, i mean being asked by someone i don't know...)  this is why i avoid places like Subway...so many questions!  what kind of sub do you want, what kind of bread do you want, do you want cheese, do you want it heated, what veggies, what condiments, are you getting the cookie...jesus christ...i am a stressed out ball of sweat by the time i get to the end of that line and not even hungry anymore.  the manicure turned out to be a similar situation...starting with choosing the color...so many choices!  all pretty!  and someone standing next to me waiting for me to make a decision which totally derails me.  Plus I overthink things.  So I am standing there trying to make a quick decision so this girl can move on with her life and stop having to deal with me and i start thinking well...what if I don't like getting a manicure and don't want to do it again (which is likely) maybe i should get a color that requires little to no maintenance...but i like the pink!...but what do i normally wear for clothes...and is pink too young...is red too old...what is going to show less chips...ohmygod make a decision...and the poor young girl is trying to help me...by asking me more questions which is only stressing me out more...finally i pick some beige skin colored polish and i realize as soon as we start the manicure that i hate it (no offense to the girl doing it or to anyone that likes them...they are just not for me)  i hate sitting that long, i hate someone touching my hands that long, i hate the waiting, i hate the drying, i hate that i have to be careful after....i think i kind of suck at being a girl...:)
• today i took a long drive looking at the fall colors, drinking a maple mocha and eating gingersnaps, listening to radiohead, singing at the top of my lungs, stopping to take photos with my cell phone whenever i felt like it.  and i came home more relaxed than ever.  :)