Massage

[clevermanka]

After work today I am getting my first professional massage ever. I'm very excited. The woman (Erin, at Kinections on Mass) comes highly recommended by one of our grad students. She's of the "dig in my elbow while you breathe through the pain" school, and since this is usually what I ask friends to do when I get a particularly bad shoulder cramp, I think it'll be a good time. A question, though: How much do I tip? I assume I tip, yes? I shoulda bought some epsom salts for a soak after the massage--I'll get those on the way home.

I didn't realize that one of my favorite artists has a very extensive Cafe Press store. lillianleitzel, if you have a moment, check out her variations on las sirenas.

Note to self: If the grocery store is sold out of the 1% milkfat cottage cheese, just skip it and eat the blueberries by themselves. Fat-free cottage cheese is boring. And I don't like to eat boring food. I'm unsure what to do with the rest of the quart. Because seriously: Bleh. "How bad could it be?" I thought. Well, it's not bad. It's not...anything. What a horrible food. Is this how regular (not non-fat) cottage cheese tastes to other people? No wonder it has such a bad reputation as a noxious diet food. I had no idea.

Comments

[rowangolightly.livejournal.com]

On the tipping, I'm not sure. One additional thing, though. You'll want to drink LOTS of water after the massage; flush out those toxins that the massage will release into your body and have them be gone as opposed to letting them remain in your colon.

And yes, fat-free cottage cheese is worthless. Nasty stuff; won't have anything to do with it.

Whee

[otterdancing.livejournal.com]

I can't believe you have never had one before. I love them so much that if I was rich or royalty I would have one every day. I think they are like lovers. Each one is different and has different skills and things that I love when they touch me. I find it interesting to stay with one in particular and then occasionally go to someone else to get a different feel.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I can't believe you have never had one before.

I'm cheap and not easily parted with my money. =/

But my shoulders have been screaming at me for two weeks. Time to do something about it.

hmmm

[otterdancing.livejournal.com]

I suspect you might get addicted now. I have begun to consider it very worth the money...more of a personal health care expense than a luxury because of the immense relief my body gets. I am not sure I could do all I do without them

[pamelonian.livejournal.com]

I'm cheap and not easily parted with my money. =/

I have never had a pro massage for the same reason! I did buy one as a gift once. The massage was $40, I think, so I included an extra $10 for the tip. I think the standards should be the same as hair services.

No-fat ANYTHING, ew!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I like non-fat yogurt. Granted, full-fat is amazing stuff, but the non-fat is edible. I figured how bad could non-fat cottage cheese be, right?

Wrong.

[cskippy2000.livejournal.com]

I'd like to know the answer to that tip question too. I was blown away when I heard you had to tip your hair stylist. Not like I need one, but still. That stuff is already spendy, you know? So what is one to do?

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I usually tip my stylist 15%, or 25% if she waxes my eyebrows for free (which she can sometimes get away with if nobody's in the room with us). I don't go to a very expensive salon, though, and I have...well, had, an easy haircut to maintain. Maybe people who are getting perms or color treatments tip higher.

[cskippy2000.livejournal.com]

I see a color treatment in my very near future. This is good to know!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

o_O

[indigodreamer.livejournal.com]

I usually tip a massage therapist about 20%.

[auroraceleste.livejournal.com]

This. I try to be a generous tipper, though. I think the rule is 15% standard, 20% for good service.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

That's about what I figured. Good to have it confirmed. Thank you!

[poincaraux.livejournal.com]

Ditto. I happen to have a friend who is a massage therapist in Lawrence, though. I'll ask her and write back. Bug me if you haven't heard from me in a few hours.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Awesome! Thanks.

[poincaraux.livejournal.com]

No response from her yet. Perhaps she's not around today.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

No problem. It sounds like 15% is the accepted minimum and 20% the standard going rate.

Thanks for trying!

[razorart.livejournal.com]

I remember the days of eating non fat cottage cheese. EW!! I'd rather eat nothing, personally. It's night and day from regular cottage cheese (though I don't think I would like that anymore. Haven't had it since before I went vegan. I always associate it with dieting!)

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I never even tried non-fat cottage cheese before. And I can tell you, I won't do it again. I amazed the stuff is even stocked in stores. I mean, really. Why???

I like the middle-fat cottage cheese, and 4% just tastes wonderful, IMO. But this stuff...*shudder*

[kalimeg.livejournal.com]

Because it tastes just fine and fulfills my protein requirement without adding fat thank-you-very-much.

I use it to extend dressing on a salad, and it works very well.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

You want mine? =D

[kalimeg.livejournal.com]

I'll bet the cat would eat it.

[kalimeg.livejournal.com]

the personal service amount is usually 20%. I actually asked the receptionist at the gym in the Anaheim Hilton.

:)

[theoneinblue.livejournal.com]

Aaaaaah, massage. Seriously, my once-a-week elbow-abuse appointment is what keeps me from using more than my daily ibuprofen and stops the muscle spasms. It's not a luxury, it's a medical necessity, kind of physical therapy. I hope you enjoy it!

Because I'm a regular, and because my therapist is one of the sweetest people I've ever met, she won't let me tip her. I've received massage elsewhere, but it was generally through a chiropractor's office and considered physical therapy, so tipping wasn't encouraged there, either. I think if you get one from a spa, it's more like a hair appointment, and you would tip. If it's from a doctor's office (or you have a deal worked out for regular appointments), then tipping isn't so much part of the equation. I do, however, take her homemade jam when I have it, and a little Christmas gift...tipping of a kind, I guess. ;)

By the way, I was reading the other day, and came across some information about trigger points in the sternocleidomastoid muscles (they make the V in the front of your neck) causing vertigo and dizziness; if you get a massage again, you might ask your masseuse to work on those especially.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Interesting about the trigger points and vertigo. Hm!