I got a mall massage last night. It was amazing. Thirty minutes of pure bliss. The Chinese workers must all be taught the same methods because its all very similar before they come over to America. Not sure why I felt like I needed to sneak into the store, but I gingerly made my way inside to get the table massage. I started having flashbacks to my first massage experience at 10,000 Waves in Santa Fe, NM. It was a Japanese inspired pergola adorned spa. Lets just cut to the chase and say it was a nudist-skewed awkward, "we're serious take your clothes off and get into a robe now while we're standing here" kind of place. The massage was decent, but I was still deer-in-headlights concerning what or what I wasn't wearing. Not exactly a nice transition for a first-timer getting a massage who is 20.
Oddly enough, this is not the weirdest place I have gotten a massage. There is an indoor flea market at the Tulsa Fairgrounds and about once a month, I'll make my way over there to see Tony, who sells jewelry at his table and gives massages....sometimes simultaneously. He is really good, and his slots fill up quickly, so I have to get over there early on a Saturday to sign up for a time. The dull murmurings of the older-skewing crowd at the flea market make it a soothing sound as Tony works on several areas of issue. Once he is done, I want to melt off the table....so soothing and refreshing. Occasionally, I will head over to Dr. Peace, a chiropractor who has massage at his practice. They have this great table that is like a half-sized twin bed and they wrap you tightly in sheets like a cocoon. Its so cozy I would almost pay just to sleep on that bed without the massage. Alas, its back to the grind. Maybe some day soon I'll tackle the infamous Chinese Foot Massage place that several of my friends have frequented. Its in south Tulsa, so it may be a while before I can get down there.
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Catching up....
Hello!
Its been exactly one year since I last posted in this blog. I can't decide why its difficult to blog more, but after much procrastination, I'm back in 2015. I haven't seen any flying cars, nor hoverboards to my dismay, but I'm still hoping the Cubbies and Florida play in the World Series (people who haven't seen Back to the Future are not getting this...).
I'd say 2014 was a success in reflecting over the past year.
Things I'm thankful for:
1) Trips to glorious places ( a New year's cruise in the Carribean, Washington DC for Cherry Blossom Festivals, Las Vegas 5 times (yes that's not a typo), Colorado for the 4th with the wonderful Miss Kelly, Kevin, and Suzy, the UK with Baylor friends, Switzerland with Kyle, and even a bowl game in Phoenix with Wes and several friends.
2) Spending time with Kelly- we have had so many fun times and eaten at so many wonderful places around Tulsa (its kind of our thing we like to do). Some of my favorite things we have done include art night at the Philbrook Museum, pulled pork taco night, scrabble, Red Rock, Los Cabos, trips to Vegas in February, and Breckenridge hiking, fireworks and the roadtrip to Denver. Cafe Ole, Keo, Shades, Brookside, are just some of our favorite places! We just know how to have a good time!
3) Meeting new friends and sustaining and growing closer to established friends. New ones like Evan and Jessica Myers who I met early last year through the Wilsons. They are cherished people. I took a memorable trip to Vegas to celebrate Mocky's 30th birthday. What a blast to get to experience Cirque du Soleil, breakfast outside the fountains of Bellagio, hiking etc. The Vegas 7 as I call them are all friends I feel very comfortable around and can be in my own skin. Chet and I continue to work out and laugh (make fools of ourselves) at the gym as we try every gym in Tulsa. Sharing time with the Stevenson's and their kids has given me great joy as well. I love knowing I'm"Uncle Mossman" to sweet Eden. We have started to take a traditional picture at Ole every year on my birthday. Jay and I get to hang out many a coffee shop to catch up and talk about politics, football, or whatever else is germane to the situation.
4)Time with my family over Thanksgiving and Christmas. It was one of my favorites this year. We spent time at Grand Lake with my dad's family, and had so much fun playing table games, croquet, and sitting by the outdoor fireplace. Christmas Eve was lovely with a shrimp dinner after a great church service. We watched a ton of Christmas movies. Overall, just a very cozy and relaxing break.
5) Work.... I acheived my quota for the 3rd year in a row at IBM! I started the year off painfully slow, but I didn't give up. I had an amazing 4Q due to our investment in accounts earlier in the year. I'm very proud to overachieve, and hope that IBM gives us some travel points to take a fun 100% club trip. I am so thankful I get to visit so many cool places through work. Last year, I got to go to Vegas, Austin (played TopGolf which was awesome!), Alabama, Kansas City, St. Louis, Chicago for a week at the Palmer House, and Washington DC in August with a night trip to the monuments).
6) Fitness- got to work out quite a bit in 2014 and also ran in a couple of half marathons. I set a personal record for a half marathon at the Irving Marathon with a time of 1:46:54. That beat my previous record by over 5 minutes. I also was consistent in lifting weights and making some small gains.
7) Investing in the Kingdom- was able to help support 3 ministries in addition to my church home in Tulsa in 2014. I also made a commitment to help with some fundraising for a building in which The Gathering is trying to buy at some point. I felt God leading me to do that in August. Malachi 3:16 is right on target by the way. When you are obidient to God in how he leads us to use his money he gives us, great and mighty things happen.
8) In general, in 2014 I was able to reflect and be thankful for all that I have and to be thankful for a house, a car that has been a consistent, no issue friend for 100,000 miles now, an ability to have some margin to take trips, invest in others, etc.
These things and many more I am thankful for in 2014. So many times we sit and sulk thinking about things not going our way. I have to remind myself of the wonderful things God has blessed me with and it really puts things in perspective.
Make it a great day!
Jeff
-
Its been exactly one year since I last posted in this blog. I can't decide why its difficult to blog more, but after much procrastination, I'm back in 2015. I haven't seen any flying cars, nor hoverboards to my dismay, but I'm still hoping the Cubbies and Florida play in the World Series (people who haven't seen Back to the Future are not getting this...).
I'd say 2014 was a success in reflecting over the past year.
Things I'm thankful for:
1) Trips to glorious places ( a New year's cruise in the Carribean, Washington DC for Cherry Blossom Festivals, Las Vegas 5 times (yes that's not a typo), Colorado for the 4th with the wonderful Miss Kelly, Kevin, and Suzy, the UK with Baylor friends, Switzerland with Kyle, and even a bowl game in Phoenix with Wes and several friends.
2) Spending time with Kelly- we have had so many fun times and eaten at so many wonderful places around Tulsa (its kind of our thing we like to do). Some of my favorite things we have done include art night at the Philbrook Museum, pulled pork taco night, scrabble, Red Rock, Los Cabos, trips to Vegas in February, and Breckenridge hiking, fireworks and the roadtrip to Denver. Cafe Ole, Keo, Shades, Brookside, are just some of our favorite places! We just know how to have a good time!
3) Meeting new friends and sustaining and growing closer to established friends. New ones like Evan and Jessica Myers who I met early last year through the Wilsons. They are cherished people. I took a memorable trip to Vegas to celebrate Mocky's 30th birthday. What a blast to get to experience Cirque du Soleil, breakfast outside the fountains of Bellagio, hiking etc. The Vegas 7 as I call them are all friends I feel very comfortable around and can be in my own skin. Chet and I continue to work out and laugh (make fools of ourselves) at the gym as we try every gym in Tulsa. Sharing time with the Stevenson's and their kids has given me great joy as well. I love knowing I'm"Uncle Mossman" to sweet Eden. We have started to take a traditional picture at Ole every year on my birthday. Jay and I get to hang out many a coffee shop to catch up and talk about politics, football, or whatever else is germane to the situation.
4)Time with my family over Thanksgiving and Christmas. It was one of my favorites this year. We spent time at Grand Lake with my dad's family, and had so much fun playing table games, croquet, and sitting by the outdoor fireplace. Christmas Eve was lovely with a shrimp dinner after a great church service. We watched a ton of Christmas movies. Overall, just a very cozy and relaxing break.
5) Work.... I acheived my quota for the 3rd year in a row at IBM! I started the year off painfully slow, but I didn't give up. I had an amazing 4Q due to our investment in accounts earlier in the year. I'm very proud to overachieve, and hope that IBM gives us some travel points to take a fun 100% club trip. I am so thankful I get to visit so many cool places through work. Last year, I got to go to Vegas, Austin (played TopGolf which was awesome!), Alabama, Kansas City, St. Louis, Chicago for a week at the Palmer House, and Washington DC in August with a night trip to the monuments).
6) Fitness- got to work out quite a bit in 2014 and also ran in a couple of half marathons. I set a personal record for a half marathon at the Irving Marathon with a time of 1:46:54. That beat my previous record by over 5 minutes. I also was consistent in lifting weights and making some small gains.
7) Investing in the Kingdom- was able to help support 3 ministries in addition to my church home in Tulsa in 2014. I also made a commitment to help with some fundraising for a building in which The Gathering is trying to buy at some point. I felt God leading me to do that in August. Malachi 3:16 is right on target by the way. When you are obidient to God in how he leads us to use his money he gives us, great and mighty things happen.
8) In general, in 2014 I was able to reflect and be thankful for all that I have and to be thankful for a house, a car that has been a consistent, no issue friend for 100,000 miles now, an ability to have some margin to take trips, invest in others, etc.
These things and many more I am thankful for in 2014. So many times we sit and sulk thinking about things not going our way. I have to remind myself of the wonderful things God has blessed me with and it really puts things in perspective.
Make it a great day!
Jeff
-
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