What’s on your mind?

[Scepticalscribe]

Just a couple of days ago it occured to me that I've never gotten a real, professional massage. Considering I'm, mostly because of work, starting to resemble a walking question mark I think the time to get one is nigh.

So thanks for bringing it up, I need to start doing some research.

My massage therapist is Swedish and trained in the eastern methods; she is excellent.

Seven years ago, when my mother was formally diagnosed with dementia, (and had been going downhill for a few years prior to that), I was under a lot of stress and strain, and this particular person was recommended to me (and I to her - she only took clients by word of mouth - this is not her actual formal occupation, more an interest, she was a postgraduate student in fine arts when I first met her); ever since, whenever I have been home - and she was available - we would meet and she would give me an amazing massage.

However, I hadn't seen her for the best part of five months; she had moved away, and my mother's condition had become terminal before Christmas, so other matters took priority for us both.

 

[arkitect]

My massage therapist is Swedish and trained in the eastern methods; she is excellent.

Seven years ago, when my mother was formally diagnosed with dementia, (and had been going downhill for a few years prior to that), I was under a lot of stress and strain, and this particular person was recommended to me (and I to her - she only took clients by word of mouth - this is not her actual formal occupation, more an interest, she was a postgraduate student in fine arts when I first met her); ever since, whenever I have been home - and she was available - we would meet and she would give me an amazing massage.

However, I hadn't seen her for the best part of five months; she had moved away, and my mother's condition had become terminal before Christmas, so other matters took priority for us both.

That is wonderful. We are animals after all and respond to touch…

A pity that in the West massage has become such a loaded term… the associated sordidness that so many snigger and chuckle about. Especially if you are a man — you can't mention massage without "ooh matron" remarks.

When I lived out in the Far East I would have a monthly massage and a foot reflexology as well.

As therapy, my husband's mom suffered from Alzheimers (she died a couple years ago) and one of the things he arranged for her was a massage therapist. Even just a shoulder massage, rubbing cream into her hands… those small things… a better quality of life.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

That is wonderful. We are animals after all and respond to touch…

A pity that in the West massage has become such a loaded term… the associated sordidness that so many snigger and chuckle about. Especially if you are a man — you can't mention massage without "ooh matron" remarks.

When I lived out in the Far East I would have a monthly massage and a foot reflexology as well.

As therapy, my husband's mom suffered from Alzheimers (she died a couple years ago) and one of the things he arranged for her was a massage therapist. Even just a shoulder massage, rubbing cream into her hands… those small things… a better quality of life.

Agree about touch, and the benefits of soothing cream into and on one's hands, feet and body for people who suffer from dementia.

I have written here (and in other threads) about the wonderful Filipina carer who tended to my mother for six years until mum passed away just before Christmas. We used to buy (I still buy the stuff for myself) wonderful entirely organic and natural face creams, hand creams, calendula cream, made (exactingly) by an impressive French woman who has a stall in the local farmers' market and supplies a few of the local health stores with her products.

The carer would massage these entirely natural creams and oils onto my mother's body and hands; needless to say, mum loved it.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

The past, the present, and the future.

 

[Gutwrench]

I’ve never had a massage either. It’s my own fault because my former wife and daughter would go every week, sometimes twice.

It’s all in my head but it’s uncomfortable being the focus of something like that. Yet I’m certain I’d enjoy it. Not so much the shoulders or back that’s never felt nice...but the lower legs. (Nothing disgusting or joking.) I mean knees and calves. Maybe the feet if they weren’t so darned ticklish and hideous.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I’ve never had a massage either. It’s my own fault because my former wife and daughter would go every week, sometimes twice.

It’s all in my head but it’s uncomfortable being the focus of something like that. Yet I’m certain I’d enjoy it. Not so much the shoulders or back that’s never felt nice...but the lower legs. (Nothing disgusting or joking.) I mean knees and calves. Maybe the feet if they weren’t so darned ticklish and hideous.

Seriously: I had never had a massage either until just under twenty years ago, when observing/monitoring three consecutive elections on Croatia, a colleague suggested that I consider it, while attending briefings - between periods in the field - in Zagreb.

A back and shoulder massage; for stress relief (in the hands - quite literally - of someone trained and experienced and qualified) - it is simply exquisitely wonderful, and eases the stresses and strains of life (granted, temporarily, this is not a cure, merely sublime relief).

 

[0388631]

When I was younger I found hot stone massage to be the best cure for knotted muscles and minor pain. You get used to the pain of the hot stones and it does wonders.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

When I was younger I found hot stone massage to be the best cure for knotted muscles and minor pain. You get used to the pain of the hot stones and it does wonders.

I have never had a hot stone massage though I have heard about them, and some speak highly of them.

 

[chown33]

How one person's fiction is another's fact.

How easy it is to argue about what's fiction or fact, without recognizing irreconcilable world views. In short, that argument is futile.

How "fiction", "fact", and "futile" are all F-words. (Eff'ing 'ell, no wonder compromise and conciliation are so often absent. (Oops, I just used C-words.))

 

[Scepticalscribe]

How one person's fiction is another's fact.

How easy it is to argue about what's fiction or fact, without recognizing irreconcilable world views. In short, that argument is futile.

How "fiction", "fact", and "futile" are all F-words. (Eff'ing 'ell, no wonder compromise and conciliation are so often absent. (Oops, I just used C-words.))

Well, as an historian by training, I have to say that respect for facts is absolutely to the study of this subject.

This is because something either happened or it didn't, and there is rarely too much by way of dispute or disagreement over a few of the words you use to determine matters - those words that begin with the letter "w".

Thus, the "who", the "where" the "when" are rarely a matter of dispute in history; debates and disagreement and dissent tend to occur over the questions "why" and "how".

 

[Gutwrench]

How one person's fiction is another's fact.

How easy it is to argue about what's fiction or fact, without recognizing irreconcilable world views. In short, that argument is futile.

How "fiction", "fact", and "futile" are all F-words. (Eff'ing 'ell, no wonder compromise and conciliation are so often absent. (Oops, I just used C-words.))

My favorite f-words are fodka, fin, and fhiskey.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

My favorite f-words are fodka, fin, and fhiskey.

(For now), mine are fascinating, fantastic and fabulous.

After all, Fear and Fine might be misunderstood in this context.

 

[Apple fanboy]

F words?
F-stop
Flavour
Football!

 

[Scepticalscribe]

F words?
F-stop
Flavour
Football!

F-stop and Football, yes.

Flavour in Fear, or Fsthella?

 

[Apple fanboy]

F-stop and Football, yes.

Flavour in Fear, or Fsthella?

As in something better for dinner than the pasta we just had!

 

[Scepticalscribe]

As in something better for dinner than the pasta we just had!

Understood.

Pasta needs flavours, - sometimes robust favours - for sure.

 

[AngerDanger]

Listening to my playlist songs added to iTunes in 2008 (the year I joined MR) and feeling vague nostalgia. I remember joining because a friend I had a crush on wanted me to respond to a user he found abrasive.

I found the original very annoying avatar I made back when my user name was FreshPie. It was a reference to a desktop background I drew in MS Paint on our school computers.

The program I used at the time, Macromedia Flash 4, was one I'd first seen when I was four-years-old, sitting on my mom's lap as she completed a tutorial for a college course. I didn't know I'd be going to the same college to get the same degree 14 years later.

Flash 4 was released the same year I was born, so it was… a bit long in the tooth by the time I tried to export animations as GIFs in 2008, but it was better than the camera I used, a tiny pink quick shot that I got for a dollar at a yard sale. it shot at 320x240 and couldn't actually record video when disconnected from a computer.

There's a PowerMac G3 (some fraction of the way through disassembly) underneath the table that monitor is sitting on, and the laptop on the futon was a trash-picked and had WiFi (if you connected a dongle). It came in handy for making animations, using Movie Maker, and creating the stupid little graphic I made the day I joined this site:

tl;dr: I spend too much time here.

 

[Gutwrench]

I miss posts by @citizenzen.

I also miss posts by the psychology/psychiatrist guy....“shrink” maybe? I don’t recall his name. (Yikes, I’m not sure of their gender actually.)

They were both razor sharp with words and logic...and wittiness.

 

[Apple fanboy]

I miss posts by @citizenzen.

I also miss posts by the psychology/psychiatrist guy....“shrink” maybe? I don’t recall his name. (Yikes, I’m not sure of their gender actually.)

They were both razor sharp with words and logic...and wittiness.

Yes @Shrink is a man. I used to enjoy his posts as well.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I miss posts by @citizenzen.

I also miss posts by the psychology/psychiatrist guy....“shrink” maybe? I don’t recall his name. (Yikes, I’m not sure of their gender actually.)

They were both razor sharp with words and logic...and wittiness.

Agreed. I believe that @Shrink may have had health issues, while @citizenzen was sent on vacation (I think).

Yes @Shrink is a man. I used to enjoy his posts as well.

His posts were excellent, articulate and insightful. And often very witty, as well.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Agreed. I believe that @Shrink may have had health issues, while @citizenzen was sent on vacation (I think).



His posts were excellent, articulate and insightful. And often very witty, as well.

Agreed.

 

[Gutwrench]

I don’t recall having many exchanges with them, but they were two people I’d read and carefully consider what they wrote. ( Like EF Hutton. )

 

[0388631]

My only exchanges with Shrink were in the espresso thread. Smart chap. I remember Citizenzen. Used to be confusing in PRSI when people referred to without quotes to anyone called "Zen." I know of only two forums I'd been posting on since the late 90s/early 00s where I know I've been missed, as in various threads. I still read those sites, I simply refuse to sign in and post. Sometimes it's best to stop and walk away. Another site I stopped posting on out of boredom for the topic was the same. I'd developed a small following and an odd reputation/history which made no sense but I went along with it.

I will, however, remember all the good times and individuals as best as I can.

And now back to topic...

Craving some decadent chocolate cookies but not in the mood to make them. I wish magic were real.



For what it's worth, chocolate dough with knife chipped dark chocolate, splash of rum or brandy, unsweetened dessicated coconut, roast finely chopped pistachios, muscavado sugar, pinch of blackstrap, etc.

 

[Gutwrench]

I’m not too happy with this.

 

[Apple fanboy]

I’m not too happy with this.

View attachment 822823

Low res photos or tyre treads?

It's been lovely and warm here in the UK this winter. Only scraped the windscreen a handful of times. Feels like spring already.

As I've been working this evening, that's very much on my mind.