Nicole Tasker Woods

After having a massage membership at Massage Heights for the past two years, I finally decided to cancel.

You would think one would enjoy a monthly massage, but I found that once I missed one massage, a snowball effect took place. One massage turned into two, which turned into six – and now I have to pay an extra $49.99 per month in order to keep those pre-paid massages on my account. Ryan paid for my membership in full at the beginning of each year, so it turned into the Christmas gift that keeps on giving throughout the year. I loved it when I was pregnant because my back needed some extra time and attention. But now that the Big A is in my life, my Saturdays (the only day I usually have available for massages) is now spent with him. And you might say, “You can’t make time for a 1-hour massage?” It actually takes two hours out of my day. One hour for the massage and then another hour when you factor in the transportation, showering at home and getting all cleaned up after an oily rub-down.

I got a call from Massage Heights last week to tell me the credit card on my file had expired. I was confused – why did they need a credit card on file? My massages were all paid in full at the beginning of the year. They asked if I wanted to cancel my membership and I was still confused. Why would I have to cancel? Apparently, after the year on your membership is up, your account defaults to bill you the monthly rate of $49.99. This is in fact a good deal because non-membership pricing gives you a 1-hour massage for $99.99 – but it’s just not something I find value in any longer.

So I confirmed that yes, I wanted to cancel my membership. What does that mean for my six pre-paid massages? If I don’t use them in the next 30 days, they go away – POOF!

I was livid. “Are you kidding me?!” I exclaimed. I know I shouldn’t take it out on them, but seriously – that’s just absurd. I refuse to watch that money go down the drain, so I am combining my six massages into three 2-hour sessions and booked the next three Saturdays. I’ll end up using them all just under the 30-day mark.

So my advice on massage memberships is this: if you are a baller, can afford to pay for it monthly, and find time for the 1-2 hour escape each month from your every day life – by all means, sign up.

Ryan & I are headed to the Staples Center tonight to see the Lakers play – and we’ll be sitting in my company’s box suite, woot woot!

My boss gave us tickets for my birthday and you know how much I love a night out on the town!  After dinner at Fleming’s last night, it’s nice to change the pace and go to a sporting event – especially one with fabulous seats where the food and drinks are comped.

Ryan’s a huge Laker fan so when I told him about the tickets, he was stoked. After I get off work, I’m going to swing by Ryan’s work (which is only 3 miles from my office) and pick him up so we can head into downtown together.

Yay!

Even though I live 3,000 miles away from my mother, she still asks that I text her whenever I travel just to let her know I got to my destination safely. It seems silly when I say it out loud, but I understand why she wants to know and I’m glad she cares about me and my safety.

I asked the same thing of her before she left for Aruba and it took her 96 hours to drop me a line.

Nice mom.

There’s just one week left until my 31st birthday – that’s so insane! I can’t believe I’m going to be turning 31 and that 1 year ago, I was partying it up like a 21 year old in Vegas. That was some good times.

I know a lot of people who opt out of being at work on their birthdays, but I like to be showered with birthday wishes so I choose to go to work. Besides, it’s no fun when your birthday doesn’t fall on a Friday or Saturday. Any other day of the week and celebrating isn’t really an option. At least not Vegas-style!

Ryan & I have our plans all set for next Thursday night, the 24th. We are going to Fleming’s for a nice steak dinner and I’ll indulge in a glass or two of wine. We’ll definitely get dessert! I requested that they seat us in the private, quiet wine-cellar-type room – so we’ll see if that comes through.

My birthday is so close to Christmas and after getting showered with some pretty stellar stuff less than a month ago, I am never really that excited about birthday gifts. Well, not these days anyway. I was when I was younger, I mean – as a kid, who isn’t thrilled to celebrate THEIR day?! But now that I’m older and I have everything I could ever need or want, there isn’t much else I could tell you to get me when you ask what I want for my 31st birthday.

But if you are stumped, shoot me a quick text–I’m sure I can think of something 😉

My car seems to think 37 degrees calls for the ICY alert to pop up on my dash at 7am on a chilly January morning.

I’ve seen icy and 37 degrees does not mean ice.

I am more comfortable driving my car in a white out while not wearing any glasses or contacts – as opposed to driving in California in the rain with all those crazy Angelinos. It’s like their bodies turn to rubber and they can’t keep a steady foot on the pedal or their hands on the wheel. They are ALL OVER THE PLACE!

I am such a defensive driver on the driest of days that when it starts to sprinkle, I turn into a very easily offended person behind the wheel. Because, in reality, everyone’s out to get me, right?! Especially in the rain…

I was at work for 2 days, then they sent us home again.

They gave us today off, can you believe it!?

I don’t know what to do with myself with an unexpected 3-day weekend.

I think the movies is in order. What better way to spend an indulgent, relaxing day then in a movie theatre? I haven’t been to the movies in such a long time, despite working in the film industry. I think I will see Django Unchained. Ryan already saw it so the only way I’ll see it myself is if I go to the theatre myself. The more I talk about it, the more excited I get. I might even splurge on popcorn and some candy do, why the heck not? I was able to get to the gym 1 out of 7 days this week, that means I get popcorn right?

I have been off from work since Friday afternoon, December 21st! Just insane. I don’t know how I am going to function back on the freeway as I join the masses going back to work. I will admit, I got A LOT accomplished in my 11 days away from the office. I managed to hit up the spa for a few hours, go to the mall for some indulgent clothes shopping (though I was unable to find anything just yet to splurge on), and then got some doctor’s visits out of the way.

But today I will get into the office, click OFF my out-of-office messages on my email & voicemail, spend an hour filing my emails and stock-up my bottles of water from our department shared stash down the hall.

As much as I may bitch, moan, complain and whine about it – I really do love my job. I have a lot of responsibility and my superiors even seek my opinion on big decisions. I like being a part of this all-women department – even though I do dislike the amount of gift-giving and thank-you-card writing. If I worked in a group with a bunch of men, there would be no gifts, maybe just flowers on our special day – and definitely no thank-you cards.

But as I mentioned a few days ago, my birthday is just around the corner, so that’s the next big “thing” to look forward to.

Is anyone else worried about entering the year 2013? It looks like 365 unlucky days if you ask me. Ok, so I may be feeling a little pessimistic at the moment. The only thing keeping me from going off the ledge is my 31st birthday is in 25 days and I do love a good celebrate-me-day. And, since it is on a Thursday, I can surely stretch it until Monday morning. You just wait and see.

I can not believe I made it to December 14th with all my hair!

I can not believe I didn’t gain a million pounds from eating at my desk and working through lunch for 6 weeks straight!

I can not believe I have time to hold my son!

I really don’t like to talk about my work on my blog because this site is my own personal bubble where I can be silly (or try to be funny) and post videos and pictures of my son and dog without being judged. Because if you all don’t like it, what do I care?!

Well, I will say this about my job – it’s been a bear for the last two months and I can not believe that movie about a short guy with furry feet is finally out there in the world.

Since Monday of this week, I actually get home at a decent hour every night and don’t have to sit with eyes glued on my phone checking on emails, holding my breath against the next issue that’s bound to rise up. I finally have extra time to spend with the Big A – I forgot how good it feels to hold him and feel his wonderful baby weight on my shoulder.

I’m also choosing to not talk about the tragedy that happened in Connecticut last week. In our house, with our wonderful 18 month old son running around with a smile on his face, that tragedy is something we push from our minds and avoid discussing. All I can do is look at my perfect little family and be so grateful.

Miss you Sophie – XOXOX