Last night I finally went to get a massage at Yates (our gym), which I have been talking about doing since October. They have student rates, so although it's still not cheap, it's a relatively good deal. And my back's been awful sore, and Paul still owes me 9,998 backrubs from over christmas break. So anyways, I went. The guy was pretty nice, and he says first he's just going to check out my muscles and see how they are to find the areas he needs to work on most. He puts his finger on my neck/shoulder and just gets this shocked/slightly disgusted look on his face, stops in mid-sentence and says, "OH". And that wasn't even the muscle I came in about! Haha.

So basically as we continue I find out that I am in entirely appalling condition and a half-hour massage won't even BEGIN to treat me. I'm still very sore. But he said that my muscles are beginning to calcify, or something, and I will soon be like Quasimodo and have to move to Paris. Well, actually the National Cathedral out here is pretty nice, and they serve tea there lots of afternoons, so I don't think I would really mind hanging out in there if I had to pick a Cathedral to live in. Plus they've got that space-exploration stained glass window, which I kinda liked. And the nice gardens. Are you allowed on the cathedral grounds if you're a hunchback? Or just inside the cathedral? And does it have to be a Catholic cathedral, cause this one is Episcopalian. (Oh, and the Catholics!! There are a million swarming all over campus today (well as usual, but more today) for this pro-life rally with Sen. Santorum as the guest speaker. Ugh. I stole their food, it was a pretty good lunch.)

But back to my massage. Apparently I am in such bad condition that he implored me to come back for continuing treatment, and if I couldn't afford it, to come back anyways, because I am in such poor shape that he will work with me for free. Now I just felt embarrassed to come to a massage therapist in such condition (like I should come only if I don't need a massage, or something. I don't know.)

I worked most of the day, because as usual at the last minute last night I got suckered into it. I mean, I could have said no...but also I feel like if I may not be here then I ought to get as many hours in as I can before I go. So I'm working tomorrow and Friday too. I worked with Alex, which meant it was really fun because we make it a point of being rude to customers and neither of us care, so we have a good time together. And I laugh at her a lot. It's good stuff.

R and I made a list of things that I can do at home if I have to go back. (Well, mainly I made the list and kept reading it to her asking if she had anything to add while she tried to ignore me and work on her thesis.) I'll post it later. People can add to it, please. Olga wants to make me a list of books to read, but I have a feeling it's all goign to be Dostoevsky and Tolstoy. She and Sarah came up with the 'brilliant' plan for me to learn Russian...I said I don't think so. Sarah said she would email me a Russian lesson every day and call me to practice pronunciation, and Olga said she can't wait for me to come to her Russian class and be so brilliant and get an A because I've been practicing so much. Ummm...yeah right guys.

I have my dean's meeting in an hour. I kinda feel at this point it's almost pointless to go, but maybe he'll say something that will make me feel better. I feel like this decision is being made without me. Which I guess is what I kept saying I wanted...but it still feels kinda weird. And yeah, ultimately it IS my decision, but sometimes things just decide themselves it seems.

But Paul called me yesterday, so I'm still happy.