I actually "bought" my massage a long time ago. Around the time I wrote my bucket list, I had just bought a brand new iphone, and one of the first applications I downloaded was Groupon. The truth is, I'm really poor, so I can't afford to buy anything on it, but I really like looking through it to see if maybe I'll find a good deal on something that I "need." Which doesn't really happen that often-- it's Groupon. Most of the coupons are on there to try to entice people to pay for things that they normally wouldn't-- luxuries. But I literally check it every day, anyway.
A massage, however, was something I knew I would need to buy eventually, since it was on my bucket list. So I checked it every day until I saw the best deal-- which was a one hour massage for $30 in Minneapolis. And I bought it. In July.
But in July, I knew that a massage would just feel like a luxury. And I wanted to use it when I NEEDED it, when I was so stressed that a massage would be a much needed remedy. And that usually tends to happen around the time winter starts. I couldn't tell you why exactly. I used to think that it was because of finals, since that was the case for 5 straight years of my life. But now that I'm out of college, I've found that around this time of year things just start getting to me more. Maybe it's because it's cold. But my best guess is it has something to do with mild seasonal depression. It's so much easier to deal with your problems when you're taking a long walk on a summer night or sunbathing by the pool. In the winter, I'm usually stuck inside at work during the brief time the sun is out, but I'd be too cold to enjoy spending much time outside anyway, even if I wasn't. Sunlight and activity both help make you healthier and happier, and during this time of year I feel like I am lacking both of those things. There are probably better ways to remedy the situation, like working out more (which I plan to do), but I figured a massage would feel amazing.
And so I decided I would "wait" until I needed it. And my prediction in July was right. By mid-November, I was starting to feel overwhelmed and overworked. I was also in the middle of my caffeine-detox. So, like I said in my previous post, I took a brief vacation. And I scheduled my massage to be on my first day off.
The Groupon was for a place called "Gentle Illumination." I didn't actually look into the place, aside from the address, until November. And for a while, I was honestly afraid it didn't exist anymore. The Groupon said that you had to register online, so I went to the website on my work computer to schedule the appointment-- and the site didn't work. I tried to access it a few different ways, and it still wasn't working. So I tried calling them, but nobody answered and the voicemail just said "you have to schedule online." I checked their facebook page and the last activity was around the time I bought the Groupon. As I said before, I've never used Groupon before, so I wasn't sure if it could be a scam, and what I would even do if it was a scam. I almost called Groupon to tell them. I mean, if I couldn't access the website and I couldn't call them, how was I supposed to schedule my pre-purchased appointment? Eventually, I tried to access the website on another computer... and it did work. Thank God.
When I visited the place, I understood why they only took online appointments. The business is really small. The masseuse showed up the same time I did (about 12:00 pm) and it seemed as if I was her only appointment for the day. She asked me when I walked in if I found it okay (I had found it by plugging the address in to my phone's GPS, and it usually doesn't give me problems.) The business was a part of a small strip mall kind of building in North Minneapolis. She explained that she used to have a big sign in front of the building, but a couple of people had thrown a brick through it. "But don't worry," she said, "we're not IN the bad part of town, we're just NEXT to the bad part of town." I reassured her that I wasn't worried, but it was probably a story she didn't need to tell me. Especially when I was there for a massage so I could relax.
But, as a whole, I would give the place a good review. The masseuse was a really sweet person and the massage was really amazing and much needed. If I was a rich person, I would probably get a massage on a regular basis. It not only feels good, but it's actually somewhat therapeutic, especially when you are constantly stressed, have a dog that likes to take up half your bed when you're sleeping, and you work at a desk job. That was my second massage ever and I'm just beginning to realize they are more than just a luxury. I never thought they were worth the money before, but I really think they are worth every penny. Then again, I'm not a rich person, and food is probably a higher priority. :) But it's definitely worth putting a little extra money in my vacation fund for now.
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