Benefits

Most of the time when you are considering a job the benefits are a major weighing factor. Unfortunately that is not something you think of as much when you are single and don't have a family, and that is usually when you are "deciding what to do with the rest of you life" Well if benefits had been a major weighing factor (or even a factor at all for that matter) I may have thought twice about becoming a Massage Therapist. Which maybe makes me grateful I was none the wiser at the ripe old age of 21 when I started massage school! I love the knowledge I've gained and experiences I've had as a Massage Therapist. BUT Massage Therapy is not exactly known for it's incredible benefits. Neither is being a Nanny! Which is what I spend my time doing, nannying and massaging! Traditional benefits of a job usually include, medical, dental, vision, paid time off, holidays, etc. I feel very luck that Brent has a job with amazing benefits so that I can feel perfectly justified in enjoying the benefits of my job, which really don't help him out at all, unlike the many time's I've offered a prayer of gratitude for Brent's amazing benefits! Though not traditional I've come up with a good list of benefits from my current employment, and self employment, here's the list

Food: Random right but regularly during the summer I would get a call from Angie "I'm at Bahama Bucks, what do you want?" It is also common to hear, "I'm getting ______for lunch what do you want?" Brent and I get Free pizza or Panda Express every Thursday night of baby sitting. And I often hear "I've cooked too much _______ for dinner do you want to take some home with you," or "I have leftovers do you want some?" Love hearing that when I have no idea what I'm going to fix for dinner.

Free hand me down odds & ends: I love that I hear, I've got such and such I don't want/use any more do you think you guys can use it? My dogs have been grateful for hand me down dogie beds, our couch has been grateful for new throw pillows. And many other things!

Life Lessons: It has been my philosophy for years that if I can learn from others mistakes then maybe, just maybe I can learn some valuable lessons with out having to go through all the hard knocks! Which is a great philosophy much easier spoken then applied! But I try! So one of the great benefits of massage is the life lessons I learn from such a broad range of people from a multitude of backgrounds and life experiences. I've gotten wonderful advice and learned so much from conversations with people about, finance, investing, business, motherhood, children, parents, family relationships, religion/spirituality, marriage, self, and the list could go on and on! It's amazing the things that will come out of peoples mouths when the feel safe and relaxed! Many valuable gems of wisdom can be gathered when you really listen to what people say and not just the words that come out of their mouths! Or when you take a moment to ask a thoughtful question.

Quiet Moments of Introspection: Massage clients often like to chat but just as often they just want to relax and "zone out." It is in those moments of quite I have had some of the best quality time with myself! A Dark, quiet, atmosphere with gentle music, is perfect place to ponder life's mysteries! I've done some good soul searching while giving a good massage!

Restored Youthfulness: As we age we loose the carefree feeling that is childhood. It is my firm belief that if we can hold on to at least an aspect of that life will be less stressful, more enjoyable, and a whole lot more fun! Being around children reminds me to appreciate the little things. Like a seed pod on the ground (McKinley would pick one up in the drive way of her preschool every day before getting in the car to go home, thought it was the greatest thing in the world!). They also remind you to laugh! Laughter is abounding in little children! It's contagious so it's inevitable that being around them will make you smile at the least! Kids also realize there is no time like the present! They take advantage of every moment of life as the treasure it is! Relishing even 5 minutes of swinging on the swing or playing out side before nap time calls! Why is it I can grump about only having 5 minutes to do something I love and they can be ecstatic they even get the chance to play?!?! Children are also extremely resilient! They can be crying because the end of their world just came on SECOND and the next be laughing! If only I could move on so quickly and easily!!!

Entertainment: Children and massage clients will say and do the funniest things! A lot of those life lessons are shared in very funny antidotes! And kids! My goodness the things they come up with to say are never ending! McKinley's new favorite hair do is Hippo hair?!?!?!? Just a pony tail done in any way, one, two, doesn't matter, that's hippo hair and she loves it! Oh and massage client thank you for sharing how your mother in law walked in on you naked after a shower when she was visiting!!! The stories are never ending!!!

Practice: I get to practice being a parent on someone else's children! Observe what they do and what works and doesn't. Hopefully that way my oldest child will not end up being too much of a guinny pig!!! I get to practice listening and compassion as people share intimate details of their life with me. Tragedy knows no race, social status, religion, or finical position. A persons true character is revealed as their spirit is being tested. Most of the time I've found a beautiful person come shining through! With that tragedy comes great forgiveness. It amazes me then things people are able to forgive! Just as Christ has taught us to be like little children if we can be as forgiving we will truly be more Christ like! They hold no grudges!!!

Lust for Knowledge: Kids have an intense desire for knowledge. I love how learning is fun! Gavin has been working on adding numbers. He successfully conquered 1+any number up to 20 so I thought 2 is not that much harder. He was afraid it might be too hard for him but with a little persuasion quickly grasped the concept f 2+__ He said to me, "this is fun can we do it some more!" How much wiser would I be if I was as excited and anxious to learn! On then other end massage allows me the opportunity to gain knowledge about human instinct. I love meeting new people, learning their stories, and finding out what makes them tick! I love learning how we as humans are all the same, and all uniquely different. Massage has allowed me to do this much more then I ever did before!

So although I do not have any of the traditional benefits of employment I feel the ones I do have make up for it!!

This is Why We Live in The Great Phoenix Area

That's what I keep telling myself. This is why I endure 110+ degree weather in the summer. For 77 in January. But here's the sad part. I'm not really enjoying it! It's beautiful don't get me wrong. But I have so many cute scarves and gloves and hats and a love affair with outer wear! So rather then relishing the glorious weather I'm lamenting not being able to bundle up, see my breath and barely feel my nose. I was especially bitter when I had to turn on the AC last night to be able to sleep. It was 80 degrees in our house. Right now current temp 82 this is after putting a fan in the window to suck in some cool air from out side! It was 83. Makes me want to cry a little bit!

One Missed Call

Let me start out this blog by saying that I am a very imaginative person. I can get completely taken away in stories. I get lost in books, transported to different places, eras, a different life (saved me as a teenager!) Same thing with movies, I fall in love with them, I hurt with them, I get terrified with them! Having a shining imagination can be a great thing, life is interesting and fun. But on occasion, getting caught up in fiction and carried away to another place can get me in trouble. A TV show that I watch can keep me lying awake in bed wondering about their lives. So silly I know! Well this comes in especially detrimental to me when watching scary movies! My heart pounds, I get completely freaked out! Even after the movie is over all the lights have to stay on till I'm safely in bed, and I keep Brent with in arms length! To protect me from what ever evil I just got engrossed in.

Well over the weekend we watch One Missed Call. It was a really good scary movie. Not too gory, not too freaky, and it had a semi decent ending (the ending is always where scary movies fall apart!). In case you haven't seen the movie the premise is you get a missed call and a voicemail. The voicemail is your voice and it is dated in the future. The date it is set for is when you die and the voicemail is your final words (or screams). The movie is over, Brent and I go up stairs to get ready for bed and I decide I need a drink of water. I go down stairs turning on every light on my way. I get some water just as the home phone rings. It only rings once, which is quite odd because not very many people have our home number and the ones who do know not to call us late, and it was 10:30. Late! At least for us anyway. So if someone was calling late it should be for something important, not to hang up after one ring. I come back upstairs to check the phone. Brent is laying in bed right where I left him. I pick up the phone and check the Caller ID, and is says 1 MISSED CALL FROM TERINA!!!!! I had a missed call from myself! I'm sure I'm going to die in a day or two (not really but my heart did drop and I got really freaked out!) I say "Oh my gosh you have got to be freaking kidding me!!!" I'm wondering how did I call myself! I never called myself! What!?!?! Then Brent busts up laughing. Yes my wonderful loving husband was a jerk and called the home phone from my cell phone while I was getting a drink of water! He thinks he's hilarious! The past few days he's just started laughing for no reason. I'd ask what's so funny? Oh just remembering the other night! Laugh it up chuckles, laugh it up! Just watch your back Brent! Your next!

Retail Ridiculousness

The following post is a little lengthy but funny and worth the read, as least I think so.

So all I hear on the news is how horrible the economy is, which I know and feel (in my bank account) to be true! Mentioned with this is how retailers are desperate to get customers and make deals. They are slashing prices and offering huge discounts in attempt to get people in the door. Which is why the following situations baffled me.

The Exchange

I got a gift for Christmas which was perfectly fine. I did like it. It was a gift set of body sprays from Victoria's Secret. Although I liked it I'm overly frugal and practical. Brent had gotten me some perfume (stiletto musk yum) for Christmas so I thought "I don't really need a half dozen body sprays, but I could return it and use it toward a Valentines Day gift *wink wink* I figured this would be no problem since the receipt was in the bag. (I never did figure out if this was intentional or accidental) Total purchase price $13.45. Not enough to get a V day present but that combined with the Semi Annual Sale should make for an affordable gift from VS. I get to VS and see that all 3 registers are open! Yea! I am encouraged this will be quick! I also see one lady who already has a bag, and is handing cash to the cashier. Perfect! I hop in line behind her, only to realize she's starting over, handing the cashier new product! She then got rung up, and paid, then pulled out MORE product to purchase! I stood in line, at least 10 minutes while she repeated this process over and over! The whole time I'm standing there thinking THIS has got to be the last time, but it just continued. In the mean time I'm getting more and more irritated by the second! I start mumbling to myself about how stupid is VS that they don't have one main line that then flows to the next ava. register?!?! That way I could have been done ages ago!! I finally hop lines to the one next to crazy million transactions lady, as soon as I do some girls, (who by the way looked to be maybe 10 years old! WHAT are they doing in VS,) hopped in line behind crazy lady? Anyway I was tempted to tell them you don't want to be in that line, but then I noticed the Coach bags hanging off their arms and decided, nah I'll just let them figure it out, at least they have each other! HA Also right after I hopped lines the lady pulled out more cash and I though so help me if she is done!!!! But no she was not, process repeated again! FINALLY my turn. I get to the cashier and hand her my gift set and receipt.
Me: I'd like to return this, cash back would be great but if not store credit is fine.
Cashier: Do you have the card it was purchased on?
Me: No it was a gift. So she pulls out a VS gift card fiddles with the register and hands me the card.
Cashier: Here you go, you have $3.45.
Me: What? $3.45 (I'm sure I must have heard her wrong, or she misspoke)
Cashier: Yeah that's what you get back.
Me (I'm confused!!!!) Well it said on the receipt it was $13.45.
Cashier: Oh well when she purchased it she used a coupon for $10 off so you only get $3.45 back.
Ok well there goes all frugality. Clearly the gift set is worth well more then $3.45
Me: Well never mind then. If that's all I get back then I don't want to return it.
Cashier: Well it's already been returned so you'll have to repurchase it......at full price.
Me: Excuse me!?!?!?! All I want is just to take it back and not return it any more.
Cashier: Well you've already returned it so if you still want it you'll have to repurchase it, and it's full price.
Me: No, sorry but that's not happening!
Cashier: Sorry there is nothing I can do.
At this point it is taking great control to not be completely rude, I was already irritated about crazy lady and bad line set up now this. Ok remain calm, remind myself to not take it out on cashier.
Me: Ok well then can you call your manager and we can see if they can take care of this.
Cashier: Calls manager....................awkward silence
Me: (I feel a little bad that I was a little short with her) I'm sorry I didn't realize I would only get $3.45 back, if I'd know that I wouldn't have ever returned it.
Cashier: NOTHING.........she says nothing!!! She then after standing there with a disgusted look on her face for quite a while does something with the register, hands me the gift set with a receipt. "Here"
Me: So we're all squared away?
Cashier: Yes (very grumpy tone)
Me: Well thank you so much have a great day!
Cashier: No words, just a dirty look!
Ok for retailers wanting customers so badly, that was some awful customer service. And who in their right mind would just process an exchange like that and not at least mention......You do realized you'll only get $3.45 back right? A little thoughtfulness on her part and this whole situation could have been avoided! Ridiculous! Oh and in case you were wondering, crazy lady was still repeating the process when I left!

Reservations

For Christmas we got a gift certificate for The Melting Pot. Very excited about this! We've heard nothing but good things and it sounds like great food and a great environment. The Melting Pot is pretty pricey though, a dinner for 2 can easily go over $100, so we have always thought it would have to be a special occasion! So we decided to go for Valentines Day, even with a gift certificate it's got to be a special occasion! With the gift certificate we also got a couple coupons, which is awesome, we could probably squeeze out two nights out if we are frugal, which as previously mentioned I am. But one of the coupons says it's not valid on weekends, or holidays. Well Valentines day is on Sat. and for sure a holiday. So we thought we'll just go the Thurs before. I don't think we've ever gone out on Valentines day anyway. It always end up being the weekend before or after. Which is fine with me, the whole point of V day is to remember the ones you love so to us the exact day does not matter. So I call to make reservations, yes I called in December but this place is really popular and I didn't want to miss out because I waited to long to call. I encounter a very rude hostess on the other end of the phone. Who tells me that they are not accepting reservations for V day till the 2nd week in Jan. Also the entire week before V day is considered a holiday. Again a very rude tone and she did not end with a so please call back then, or any other salutation of good customer service. So again, why such bad customer service if places are hurting so badly??

The good news: I have a wonderful gift set from VS that smells delicious! And we will celebrate V day early, over a week early. More time to celebrate our love right!!?!! Also, maybe we should celebrate holidays like the Melting Pot, for a whole week!!