More Than I Bargained For

Our apartment building runs monthly promotions with area businesses. This month's promotion is with a salon. I got a flyer detailing the discounted services and massages are 50% off. I have not admitted this yet, but I am a sucker for coupons and rewards programs. Every time I get emailed a Borders Rewards coupon I feel the need to buy a book. If Express mails me a coupon I find something to buy at the store. I am the reason why marketing companies come up with these promotions. Instead of thinking logically and economically, I think that it would be such a waste to not use the coupon. No wonder credit card companies love me.

I brought the salon flyer to work with me and looked at it on my desk for at least a week. I debated between taking advantage of the great massage discount and between being smart about saving money for my wedding. After putting in 42 hours of work in 4 days, I caved. The voice inside my head trying to tell me to use the coupon started screaming at me to book an appointment. I called and got a massage appointment for Friday after work.

I love being pampered, so I was looking forward to my massage all day at work. I was totally spaced out during the massage, so I was not fully coherent when the therapist asked me a question. I thought he asked me if I wanted him to work on my heels. I was a bit confused and managed to blurt out an um, yeah. Imagine my surprise when he hiked the sheet up higher on my leg and started massaging my hips. This was a bit too close to persona areas for comfort. I guess he really asked me if I wanted him to work on my hips, not heels. I really need to improve my listening skills. Despite the few uncomfortable moments, the overall experience was fabulous. I am going to try to convince Joe that I need to budget for one massage per month. The therapist did tell me my ligaments surrounding my need were very tight and they needed to be releases. Maybe this explains the knee pain I experience during my workouts.

I got kind of annoyed when I was trying to pay for my massage. All I wanted to do was head home, make some dinner and enjoy a glass of vino. The salon employee was really testing my patience when a man walked in and he struck up a conversation with this man instead of finishing my sale. Next thing you know I am shaking the man's hand and he is inviting me to happy hour at the hotel bar (the salon is in a hotel downtown). I weighed my options and decided that a glass of wine with strangers was a heck of a lot better than going home and drinking a glass of wine alone. It might have been one of the most random things I have ever done.

The night got even more interesting when I joined the happy hour group. I met some really important people in LA. (I still need to verify their importance. While consuming adult beverages, everyone claims to be someone big and important. I plan to research their companies on their business cards.) I walked away from that happy hour with an invite to a wedding, an invite to USC tailgates and an invite to lunch at a famous steakhouse. Either this group was very friendly or they were very tipsy. I am betting on the latter. None the less it made for an interesting evening. There is never a dull moment in this city!