A Lady Never Tells

You know what they say about men and women...

2009-12-06T02:07:02Z

My friend linked me this:

Received from an English professor

You know that book "Men are from Mars, Women from Venus"?
Well, here's a prime example of that.

http://www.funny-haha.co.uk/Joke.asp?J=404

Tree At Night

2009-12-03T22:02:13Z

Five Things

2009-11-30T05:26:36Z

5 Things You Can Grab From Where You're Sitting
1. Pencils
2. Tissues
3. My ID holder/keys
4. iPod
5. Pink skull earrings

5 Things That Terrify You
1. Spiders
2. Ghosts
3. Psycho clowns
4. Ummmm.... uhhh... failing?
5. ...being... vulnerable?

Shuffle: What Are the First 5 Songs to Come Up?
1. "Knife Vs. Face Round 1"~ Drop Dead, Gorgeous
2. "Waking The Fallen"~ Avenged Sevenfold
3. "Pretty Penny"~ Stone Temple Pilots
4. "Insatiable One"~ ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead
5. "Half Right"~ Jimmy Eat World

5 Things to Put in a Trap if You Wanted to Catch Yourself
1. Deep dish veggie pizza
2. Onion rings
3. Cheese enchiladas
4. A puppy
5. Macaroni and cheese

Last Things You Did: Ate/Drank/Listened To/Watched/Bought
1. Grits
2. Diet Mountain Dew
3. "The Set Up (You Need This)"~ Reel Big Fish
4. 2 seconds of some TV show that played while I ejected a DVD
5. Deep fried french toast at Spragues

Favorite Movies of All Time
1. Braveheart
2. Into The Wild
3. Casablanca
4. The Princess Bride
5. Big Fish

Best TV Shows
1. Bones
2. It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia
3. Family Guy
4. South Park
5. NCIS

What You're Wearing Right Now
1. Red track and field hoodie
2. Green BUZZ T-shirt
3. dark blue jeans
4. socks
5. underpinnings

Random Things Starting With the Same Letter as Your Name
1. Bums
2. Boots
3. Bunnies
4. Burgers
5. Brains

Objects in Your Room You'd Use to Defend Yourself
1. Scissors
2. Fan
3. Full-length mirror
4. Remote
5. My limbs

5 Things You're Addicted To
1. Diet Dew
2. Music
3. Coffee
4. Iced mocha lattes
5. Any combination of sex, drugs and rock 'n roll.

5 Things You Want Right Now
1. A puppy
2. Homemade macaroni and cheese.
3. Christmas break
4. Dr. Lambert to cancel class
5. My cat

5 Things That Remind You of Your Best/Closest Friend
1. Paint
2. Cloves
3. Baggy sweaters
4. Man Man
5. Tea

5 Things You Love That Everyone Else Seems To Hate
1. Tofu
2. Gollum
3. Kafka
4. Writing prompts
5. Coyotes

5 Things You Hate That Everyone Else Seems To Love
1. Ham
2. Acorn squash
3. Chick singers
4. John Mayer
5. Taylor Swift

It's been a long time since I rock and rolled...

2009-11-16T22:04:23Z

I’ve got the urge.

The urge for what? you ask.

I’ve got the urge to… *yells* ROCK! (ROCK.)

It’s been too long since I’ve rocked and rolled. Too long since I’ve been crammed in a room with hundreds of sweaty, long-haired, tight-jean-clad kids—angst thicker in the air than the heat. Too long since I’ve skanked at a ska show. Too long since I’ve moshed at a punk show. Too long since I’ve stood in the sidelines at a hardcore show, fists held out in protection as kids threw down like champs in front of the stage.

Sure, Bona’s has shows, but no one moves at them. I twitch around as much as I possibly can, but the music is just too mellow to do much else to. No, I need shows like I went to in high school. Take me back to the open mics my friends’ band played at. Take me back to the Battle of the Bands they won, where girls would try to stab me with their eyes when my friend (the flippy-haired, tattooed, gauged-eared, lip-pierced guitarist dating my best friend) played to me and not them. Take me back to those horrible hardcore shows where only one or two bands could actually play music and the girls were all shorter than I was and all sported horrendous “scene girl mullets.” (Do you remember them? The thought of them even now makes me cringe, but it’s better than no shows.)

When I wasn’t at shows, I was in my room listening to music. My mother would poke her head in and see me bobbing my head while my CD player whirred.

“Are you listening to your ‘screaming boy bands’ again?” she’d ask.

“Yes, Mom. I am”

New or old, metal, screamo, grindcore, deathcore, metalcore, corecore… you name it, and if it rocks, I listen to it.

Why?

Because I’ve got to rock, folks. It’s part of who I am. I came out of the womb making the sign of the horns with my pudgy baby hand and, now, sitting in my dorm room, listening “screaming boy bands,” I raise my slightly less pudgy hand in salute to you all. Rock on, my friends. Rock on.

The squirrels are chasing me...

2009-11-10T22:00:45Z

Today, I experienced the best moment of my almost-20 years. I know you're all curious as to what could possibly make me so jubilant, but, hey, I'll get to that. First, I must give you some background.

When I'm restless I walk by the river and in the woods. A lot. When the weather's nice I walk by the river and in the woods. A lot. These past couple weeks have seen both restless midgets and beautiful days, so I've been walking. A lot.

Last Friday I was walking down the trail, listening to my iPod and enjoying the fall weather. I saw squirrels gathering food about every five minutes. This was enough to make me smile, but when I came within about a foot of the fattest squirrel I'd ever seen, I couldn't stop giggling. He stood in the middle of the river trail, clutching a nut in two minuscule, chubby fists. He looked at me with bulbous black eyes, as if expecting me to make acorns fall from my fingers and into his cheeks. When he realized I had no food to give, he slowly floated away like a fat, furry balloon. I smiled for the rest of my walk.

Today saw me once more wandering the river trail. As I made my way down the path, my eyes scanned the river and fading foliage around me. A sudden movement in front of me pulled my eyes straight. A squirrel was running toward me. Not to the side of me. Not out of my way or in the opposite direction. Straight. Toward. Me.

"Fatty!" I thought.

It was the squirrel from my last walk, bounding towards me eagerly. He stopped right near my feet and looked up at me once more. I crouched down to chat, feeling a little guilty about not having any seeds to give him.

Another walker approached and my squirrel buddy waddled away, leaving me feeling undeniably happy.

I really should come up with a name other than "Fatty" for him, though. I feel that's not the nicest nickname, true as it is.

Poem of the Day

2009-11-03T22:51:23Z

Charles Bukowski

I'm In Love

she's young, she said,

but look at me,

I have pretty ankles,

and look at my wrists, I have pretty

wrists

o my god,

I thought it was all working,

and now it's her again,

every time she phones you go crazy,

you told me it was over

you told me it was finished,

listen, I've lived long enough to become a

good woman,

why do you need a bad woman?

you need to be tortured, don't you?

you think life is rotten if somebody treats you

rotten it all fits,

doesn't it?

tell me, is that it? do you want to be treated like a

piece of shit?

and my son, my son was going to meet you.

I told my son

and I dropped all my lovers.

I stood up in a cafe and screamed

I'M IN LOVE,

and now you've made a fool of me. . .

I'm sorry, I said, I'm really sorry.

hold me, she said, will you please hold me?

I've never been in one of these things before, I said,

these triangles. . .

she got up and lit a cigarette, she was trembling all

over.she paced up and down,wild and crazy.she had

a small body.her arms were thin,very thin and when

she screamed and started beating me I held her

wrists and then I got it through the eyes:hatred,

centuries deep and true.I was wrong and graceless and

sick.all the things I had learned had been wasted.

there was no creature living as foul as I

and all my poems were

false.

Flutter

2009-10-19T03:07:52Z

Took this outside Dev today.

Poor Taste.

2009-10-12T03:34:01Z

http://sports.yahoo.com/fantasy/blog/roto_arcade/post/Sunday-Scene-Week-5-Denver-please-throw-it-ba?urn=fantasy,195226

Well, I kinda like them.

Hiatus

2009-10-08T20:10:17Z

I won't be posting Squirrel A Day photos today through Sunday, as I will be in DC. I'm bringing my little digital camera and will try to get some squirrel shots to post when I get back.

Until then...

Adios amigos.

Color Me Amused.

2009-10-08T05:46:11Z

Tonight is going to be a long night. No, not as long as the nights of my fellow BVers--but long for me, the editor who gets to go to sleep "early" on Wednesdays.

My BV work is, for the most part, done. What isn't done is the second of two essays for my Native American Lit and Film class. The professor emailed us two essay questions to complete and email back to him by the end of the day Friday. Well, that's all well and dandy, except I will be exploring DC for the first time Friday. I'll be in no mood to write essays. So I'm writing them now.

I finished the first (on the importance of interacting with spiritual beings in Native American literature and film) before my 10 floor meeting--errr... "house" meeting-- and my 10:30-1:00 stint at the BV (hello, all you BVers reading this at 3 a.m.!).

Now I have to write the other one. There's no time to write it tomorrow (well, today) as I'll be in class until 3:45, the BV until lord knows when and on the way to DC around 5:30. No. The time is now.

To prepare myself for the task, I stopped by the cafe after the BV. I received a coupon for a free drink by completing a dining survey earlier today. Might as well use it as delicious, delicious essay fuel.

About 10 other students also needed said fuel. As I waited in line, I lazily listened to an Argentinian tennis player tell his American friend about drinking and partying in his home land.

After placing my order, I sat down to wait at a table next to their's. I zoned out until a sudden burst of laughter snapped my brain to attention.

"You mean 'bootylicious.'" the American said.
"Bootylicious." the Argentinian repeated, with an appropriate thrusting out of his backside.
"Yeah, but you can't just go up to a girl and tell her she's bootylicious."
"Why not? It's worked before."
"Well, girls here think it's creepy if a guy they don't know comes up to them and calls them bootylicious."

Thankfully the barista shouted my order before I could dissolve into a giggly mess.

Free iced mocha (with a shot of coconut) in hand, I left the cafe, vowing to eavesdrop more often.

I've realized...

2009-10-07T04:40:27Z

I can't focus on school work when "DARE" by Gorillaz is playing in the background.

I guess I should go back to that "brain concentration" music. Boooooooooo.

How Becky's feeling, courtesy of Mr. Elliott Smith

2009-10-05T19:01:55Z

I'm waiting for the train
The subway that only goes one way
The stupid thing that will come to pull us apart
And make everybody late
You spent everything you had
Wanted everything to stop that bad
And now I'm a crushed credit card registered to Smith
Not the name that you call me with
You turned white like a saint
I'm tired of dancing on a pot of gold flake paint
Oh, we're so very precious, you and I
And everything that you do makes me want to die
Oh, I just told the biggest lie
I just told the biggest lie
The biggest lie

Did I st-st-st-stutter?

2009-10-03T19:56:44Z

I don't fear change, but I tend to be a creature of habit. I'm not afraid to try new things, but I know what I like and, often, I stick to it.
Take the RC Cafe, for example. It has a few choices for vegetarians and my favorite is the veggie quesadilla. I've ordered said quesadilla enough times to know I like everything but onions on it.

When the worker behind the counter asks me "What can I get you?" I answer "I'll have a veggie quesadilla with everything but onions."
Simple enough request, right?

Apparently not.

Every time I place that order, the worker gives me a confused look and says, "So, you want lettuce, tomato..."
"Yes. I want everything but onions."

What is so hard to grasp about "everything but onions"?
Do you see the vegetables in front of you? Good. Put all of them BUT THE ONIONS on my quesadilla. It is not that hard. I will go back there and do it myself, if need be.

One day last year, I decided I would just order a veggie quesadilla and let the worker go through the list of veggies, since they'd just do it anyway.
When she was done listing all the vegetables and I was done saying "yes" to every one of them but onions, the worker said, "Next time just tell us you want everything but onions."

I wanted to scream "I DO SAY THAT AND EVERY TIME, WITHOUT FAIL, YOU GUYS GO THROUGH THE FREAKIN LIST OF VEGETABLES ANYWAY."

But I did not say that, as it is not a good idea to mess with the people preparing your food. Instead, I smiled and said a very polite "OK."

People, man...

Underage

2009-10-03T04:43:08Z

I was carded tonight during a friend's birthday celebration.

Were we at a bar? Casino?

No.

We were at the movie theater, seeing an R rated movie.

I sometimes forget I don't look 17, much less almost 20.

I couldn't sleep...

2009-09-28T06:13:15Z

So, I made terrariums!

It's a good thing no one saw me when I was gathering materials.

I'm guessing walking around at 1:30 a.m. with a plastic bag full of dirt, rocks, moss and a plastic spoon probably seems rather sketchy...

Oh, well. I have pretty desk decorations. Weeee!

Squirrel A Day 14

2009-09-27T20:54:42Z

Welcome to the "Squirrels Gone Wild" edition of Squirrel A Day. Haha. Sorry. I couldn't resist.

Anywho, I'm back on campus. The wedding was dreadfully boring, as most weddings are. But, I digress.

I took this photo about 10 minutes ago. It's been raining all day, so, once it stopped, I stalked the first squirrel I saw. I didn't spend a lot of time on today's mission, because while I like rain, my camera does not.

This photo's not the best, but it's funny and every one needs a laugh once in a while.

Dear Federalist Paper # 51,

2009-09-22T23:48:00Z

I don't care how important you are. I still don't want to write 1,000 words about you.

XOXO,

Becky

The Trees Are Alive

2009-09-21T01:49:45Z

Some of you may remember when I posted a link to a song made from an image of birds on a wire: http://callioperato.livejournal.com/75557.html

Well, this guy actually plays a tree.

Check it:
http://www.behance.net/Gallery/Music-from-a-Tree/263872

Music Madness

2009-09-20T04:45:29Z

DIRECTIONS: Hit shuffle on your music player and answer the questions.

Song 1: Baby Girl - Saosin
Is this your favorite song by that band/artist? I like it, but I wouldn't say it's my favorite.
Is there a certain part of the song that you absolutely love? I like the repetition in the last 45 seconds of the song and how the music slowly dies out.
Which lyric is your favorite? "Two years later, I still I feel like a child."
Is this song more happy or sad? It's sad if you listen to the lyrics, but the music doesn't sound sad.
How long have you liked this song? Year or two?
Do you sing along to this song often? It actually doesn't come up on my shuffle often.

Song 2: 3rd and Long- New Found Glory
How long is this song? 2:46
Does this song relate to your life at all? Yeah, a bit.
Did you find this song on your own and did someone else introduce it to you? You know, I actually have no idea where I got this song from. My itunes just uploaded a crap ton of random music once. It was odd...
Is it like most of the other music you listen to or is it completely different? Eh, I guess it could fall under "Screaming Boy Band," though NFG is more poppy than I usually listen to.
Are you embarrassed to like this song? Who am I trying to impress?
Do you listen to this song when you're doing certain things or is it a song you can listen to anytime? I don't listen to it much, but it's catchy enough to listen to whenever.

Song 3: Lua - Bright Eyes
What album is this song from? "I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning"
Is this the only song you like by this band/artist? Nopes.
What's your favorite aspect of the song (lyrics, the beat, etc)? I think the lyrics are rather beautiful.
Do you know what this song is about? Addiction to drugs, alcohol and bad relationships.
Is this song on any movie soundtracks? Not that I know of
What year did this song come out? 2005, I believe...

Song 4: Take Me Away - Blue Öyster Cult
Have you seen this band/artist in concert? I wish.
Do you know anyone else who likes this song? I would hope so. It's frickin badass.
Do you have any other versions of this song? Nope.
Is the singer male or female? Male.
How does this song make you feel? Awesome.
Is this band/artist very popular? Used to be.

Song 5: The Way Things Used To Be - Badly Drawn Boy
What's your favorite song by this band/artist? I honestly haven't listened to them enough to have a favorite.
Do you have any of their merchandise? I don't
Does this song have good lyrics? They seem pretty well written.
Is this song special to you in any way? No.
Do you know who wrote it? Nope.
Can you remember when you first heard this song? Yeah. Right now.

Song 6: Countdown - Rufio
Do your parents know this song? Doubtful.
Is this song longer than 6 minutes? Nope.
Does this song have lyrics or is it instrumental? It has lyrics.
Do think you this is the best song the band/artist has ever done? No, but I dig it a lot.
Do you get sick of this song quickly or can you listen to it over and over again? I can listen to it over and over without getting sick of it, but I can do that with most songs I like.
What's your favorite lyric? "Every single breath I take is spitting out your name."

Song 7: Xerces - Deftones
Is this song by your favorite band? Nopes, but it's a good one.
Would you ever pay to see the band/artist in concert? Yeah, I would.
Is this song older than you? Nopes.
Can you head bang to this song? Slowly.
What genre would you classify this song as? Alternative metal.
Does this song remind you of a certain time in your life? Not really.

Song 8: Under Pressure- Queen and David Bowie
Do you listen to this song often? I haven't recently.
Do you own the CD this song is on? Mhhmm
What's the longest song you have by this band/artist? Welp, for Queen it's "Bohemian Rhapsody." For Bowie, it's "Let's Dance."
Is this song fast or slow? In the middle
Has this song ever been a theme for a TV show? Probably.
Do most people know about this song? I'm pretty sure everyone does.

Song 9: "Jesus Christ" - Brand New
What's this song about? Dying all alone. Getting through the night with nobody in your bed. Turning hate out in factories. Jesus. Being depressed, etc, etc.
Are there any cuss words in this song? Hmmmm... I don't think so.
Has this song ever been covered by any bands/artists? Probably by every depressed kid with a guitar.
Do you know all the words to this song? Of course.
What's your favorite song by this band/artist? This was it for a while. Honestly, it changes every day. Today, I shall say "Luca."
How long is this song? 5:18

Song 10: You Don't Know Me - Ben Fold featuring Regina Spektor
Does this song make you sad? Nope. Ben Folds never makes me sad.
Does this song have any odd instruments in it? Not really. It's got violins, but they aren't weird.
Do you think anyone in this band is attractive? Regina's kinda pretty in an odd way.
Have you ever heard this song live? I haven't.
Can you dance to this song? Not really.
Can you relate to this song at all? I guess I could.

Song 11: Don't Say Goodbye - Goldfinger
Why do you like this song? It's catchy.
Is this song by one of your favorite bands/artists? No.
How did you find out about this song? When I listened to the album.
Is this a love song? Could be. Or it could be about friendship.
Have you liked this song for a long time? I guesso.
Is this song older or newer? Older.

Song 12: Dragula - Rob Zombie
Is this song special to you? Well, I love it lots...
Is this band/artist known for anything? Known for being kickass, yeah.
What's your favorite lyric in this song? "Dead, I am the dog. 'Hound of hell,' you cry. Devil on your back. I can never die."
Do you like this song or the song from #6 more? Ooooo, sorry Rufio, gonna hafta go with Rob for this one.
Do you know all the words to this song? Oh, yeah.
Where is this band/artist from? The depths of Hell.

Song 13: Electrolite - R.E.M.
Does this song have good lyrics? I like them.
Does anyone in your family like this song also? They probably would if they heard it.
What country is this band/artist from? America
Do you have any of their merchandise? Just their CDs.
What's the chorus of this song? "You are the star tonight.
You shine electric outta sight.
You light eclipsed the moon tonight.
Elecrolite. You're outta sight."
Did you find this song on your own? Mhhmm.

Song 14: I Can See Clearly Now - Johnny Nash
How many times have you listened to this song? Quite a few
What album is this song on? I don't know the original. I have it off a "Singers/Songwriters" compilation.
What does the album cover look like? I don't know.
Have you seen the video for this song, if there is one? It doesn't have one
Did you download this song illegally? Nope. My grandpa bought the CD it's on.
What genre would you say this song is? Oldies/soft rock

Song 15: Mix Tape - Brand New
Is this one of your favorite songs? No, but I like it a lot.
Does this band/artist happen to be from your state/province? Yeah, they're from New York.
What year was this song released? 2001
Do you have any posters of this band/artist? Sadly, no.
Is the lead singer of this band attractive? He's not bad looking.
Is this song more upbeat or mellow? It's upbeat in an angsty, indie-kid way.

New Project-- Squirrel A Day

2009-09-12T19:52:00Z

THE MISSION:

Take (at least) one squirrel photo every day.

WHO:

Becky M.--college junior and friend of squirrels.

TIME:

One month starting September 13. After October 13, I'll decide whether or not to continue with the project.

WHY IN THE WORLD THIS PROJECT IS BEING DONE:

There are tons of squirrels running around campus and every time I see one, I think how adorable and beautiful they are. I also want to start this project because I'm the photo editor for the BV. I have no technical training in photography--I only know what I've discovered through trial and error. I want to become a better photographer and see how my skills grow and change as I take photos of one set thing for a whole month.

I'll be posting the photos on this LJ, so I apologize for cluttering up your friends' pages. I'll post the photo above the cut and any of my writing on the photo/process, etc after the cut.

Wooaaah, listen to the music...

2009-09-11T01:41:21Z

I love listening to the Schulmerich Novabell #3.

If you don't know what that is, it's what produces the music you hear coming from the Dev bell tower in the evenings. Today, I plunked down on my bed, closed my eyes and hummed along as the Novabell played "Fly Me To The Moon." Yesterday, I stopped reading for class to enjoy a lovely rendition of "Sunrise, Sunset."

Ahh... bliss.

On another (musical) note, my friend linked me to this lovely bit of "found" music created from an image of birds on a telephone wire: http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2009/09/this-clip-is-proof-that-birds-are-secretly-composers/

That's quite honestly the coolest thing I've come across in a while.

Quote of the Semester

2009-08-29T02:28:37Z

"I must not fear.

Fear is the mind-killer.

Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.

I will face my fear.

I will permit it to pass over me and through me.

And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.

Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.

Only I will remain."

Summer Skin

2009-08-21T18:26:43Z

I actually don't listen to a lot of Death Cab, but I love this song. The lyrics are beautiful and appropriate for the time of year it is, so I'm posting them.

"Summer Skin"~ Death Cab For Cutie

Squeaky swings and tall grass
The longest shadows ever cast
The water's warm and children swim
And we frolicked about in our summer skin

I don't recall a single care
Just greenery and humid air
Then Labor Day came and went
And we shed what was left of our summer skin

On the night you left, I came over
And we peeled the freckles from our shoulders
Our brand new coats so flushed and pink
And I knew your heart I couldn't win
Cause the season's change was a conduit
And we'd left our love in our summer skin

Spa Day

2009-08-14T20:03:17Z

I had my first spa experience this morning.

As some of you may know, I won a raffle for a free day at a local spa.

The spa is part of a mansion-turned-bed-and-breakfast where in addition to spa treatments, yoga classes and various "natural" healing treatments are offered. The white house is surrounded by beautiful gardens and gravel paths. It's the perfect setting for a day of relaxations.

As I entered, I was greeted by Molly, a girl I used to run cross-country with in middle and high school (she's some years older than I am). I'm not sure if she remembered me from those days, though. I followed Molly upstairs to the opulent "Radiance Room," where I was asked to fill out some paper work. Guests can enjoy tea and snack while they fill out the paperwork, but I was too overwhelmed to have anything.

After the paperwork was complete, I changed into a fluffy white robe and stashed my clothing and purse into a locker. The first part of my spa day was 30 minutes in the sauna. I had never been in a sauna and wasn't sure how well I'd like sweating in a chamber. The sauna I was taken to was actually rather cozy. It was a small wooden chamber inside a room with a massage bed. A glass and pitcher of water were on a table by the sauna, in case I needed to take a break from the heat.

Molly pointed out the fluffy brown towels next to the water and left, saying she'd be back in 30 minutes to take me to the hydrotherapy tub. I wrapped up in one of the towels and stepped into the sauna. The bench to the left had a towel on it, as well as one on the floor beneath it. I sat down there and stared at the light wood walls, unsure of what to do. There were magazines in a basket in the outer room, but I wasn't sure if they were intended to be taken into the sauna or read only during breaks. I decided to leave them outside.

I only took one quick water break during the half-hour sauna treatment. The rest of the time I tried to shut my mind down and meditate. It didn't work too well, as I often can't find my mind's "off" switch, but, still, the treatment was enjoyable and, yes, relaxing. It's hard to see the relaxation in sweating profusely after, say, a workout. You're too focused on how out of shape you are, how hard it is to breathe, how sore you are, how many miles you just ran/biked/walked, etc. to really feel how marvelous it is to sweat.

When you're in a little room, sitting there doing nothing but sweating, you realize it. You gain a better sense of yourself--a new "wholeness," if you will. You're acutely aware of every single bead of sweat forming on your body. You're conscious of each the beads rolling down your body. Simply, with nothing else to focus on, you focus on yourself.

And, man, do you sweat.

After my 30 minutes were up, I followed Molly down the hall to the "Lotus Room," where the copper hydrotherapy Jacuzzi was. As soon as she was gone, I turned on the jets and hopped in. While the sauna made me feel more in tune with my body, the copper Jacuzzi was just fun and luxurious. The water was lavender scented and bubbly. The tub was huge and made of gleaming copper (one of my favorite metals) and had gold-tone swans for the water spout and temperature adjustors. The room itself was painted in swirling pastels, and, of course, lotuses.

I sat back, placed a scented cloth over my face and enjoyed the hour allotted to me. The jets made me keep floating to the tub's top and they felt harsh on my side after a while, but as soon as I turned them down, it was fine.

I left the spa smelling girly and feeling rejuvenated.

My hour-and-a-half spa experience was pretty darn great. I had fun, I relaxed and was pampered. Even so, I'm not sure I'd pay money to go to a spa. I feel like there are plenty of other ways for me to relax, without having to pay hundreds of dollars. My experience, had I not won it, would have cost me about $65--not bad, but keep in mind I only had two treatments. Most people go to the spa for the whole shebang. (The copper tub was $55. The sauna is complementary to spa guests and $10 for non spa guests.) But still, I wouldn't say no to another free spa day. That's for sure.

Oh happy day!

2009-08-06T01:29:40Z

I've stumbled across the most amusing site. http://www.marvelvc.com.br/Hero/

On it, you can make snazzy/ridiculous characters like these:

Look at that kilt! And that majestic wolf companion! And those wings! And swords! ZOMG!! Will the amusment ever stop?

Man... I love the internet.