Helter Skelter

Word of the day:
Skelton (noun): definition TBD

So today, Sunday, I am up early. It's 9:30(am)! Since leaving New York on Tuesday evening, I have had one main objective: sleep. To date, my sleep count is 62 hours in 5 nights. This is awesome.

So back to today, up early, and I find myself in a quiet house. My parents are off to Lancaster, to drop my Grandmother off with my Uncle, and I am here, undisturbed for at least another hour. After making a pot of coffee, burning some bacon, and smoking up the house - I have decided to sit down and work on my final projects for grad school.

But, not until I check Facebook. And it so happens that, today, I needed to ace one of those word puzzles to get in, which is either a sign from above that I should just call it quits or a precautionary measure from the site, some level of security that I don't really attempt to understand.

I needed to enter the following words: Skelton and Column. Column is easy, I've been spelling that since the third grade. Skelton is... not a word. Now, most people might not care but, being the scholar that I am, I stopped to think twice about why these people who make up these puzzles actually choose "words" that aren't really words. They definitely wouldn't win Scrabble. Do they want to keep people on their toes? Or just confuse them? Or play a joke on some poor innocent facebooker and make them feel helpless and brainless? (I know I am hinging on the slightly scary/pathetic conspiracy theory here, and no, I won't go there.)

So I looked it up. (Thanks Google.) And "Skelton" really does actually exist:
- Skelton is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of the City of York, in North Yorkshire England
- Representative Ike Skelton (D - MO)
- Burges High School standout quarterback, John Skelton
- The world's greatest clown, Red Skelton

There we go. Mystery solved.

Spa Spotlight on Mexico

Thought I might share the recent writing I did for SpaFinder.com, after my trip to the beautiful Grand Velas Resort & Spa in Riviera Maya...

SpaFinder ClubSpa Blog

Spa Spotlight: Spa at Grand Velas All Suites & Spa Resort
By Dulcy Gregory November 23, 2010

Not your average water park…

Visiting the Spa at Grand Velas All Suites & Spa Resort in Cancun was like stepping into a spa amusement park — 89,000 square feet of pure spa bliss. After checking in, the group I was traveling with quickly changed into our bathing suits and headed to the hydrotherapy area for an hour-long Water Journey. With so many steps to this aqua circuit, it can be confusing: “Wait, is the steam first? Or the sauna? And what do I do in the ice room?”

Well, the attendants at Spa Grand Velas had it all figured out, as they led me from sauna…to experience shower…to steam room…to shower…to ice room…to mud room…and shower in one fluid sequence. The best parts were the little extras: the Evian mist bottles and cucumbers given before I entered the sauna, or the fact that I never once worried where to hang my bathrobe (it was always ready and waiting for me when I stepped out of a treatment room.) At the end of the circuit, I was led to the larger pool area, where I traveled through alternative hot and cold water currents (Kneipp therapy), snoozed on a bed of bubbles, and started working out those shoulder kinks in a jet stream or two. After I emerged from the large “vitality” pool, I was ushered into a warm whirlpool and served an invigorating lemon tea and dried fruits. Did I mention that I was minutes away from a four-hand massage?

Four hands are better than two…

After having one of the best hydrotherapy experiences of my spa days, I settled into the waiting area to prep for my Yaxche Mayan Experience Massage, a four-hand massage inspired by ancient Mayan traditions. My therapists led me to a beautiful treatment room, accented with earthy tones and golden light, with a floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the jungle foliage of the outer spa area. I settled into a corner chair, and was given the customary foot ritual to begin my treatment. Following the footbath, one of the therapists asked me to choose from several oils indigenous to the Yucatan Peninsula… all earthy, lush aromas — I wanted to sample all three! As I stretched out onto the massage table, I was given a tiny chime to ring once I was ready for my treatment (a lovely touch). My therapists first blessed the room and asked for permission from the Mayan Gods to give this sacred treatment. As the Yaxche Mayan Experience Massage began, I noticed that the two therapists started from my feet and worked up my body; previous massages I’ve indulged in had always started from the neck down. The choreographed movements mimicked beings of the jungle: the serpent (long sweeping strokes), jaguar (a kneading motion), and eagle (light fluttering touches with fingertips). The use of special instruments, in tandem with the aromatherapy, filled my senses and enhanced my appreciation with this unique and historic tradition. The therapists’ hands moved in such synchronization, with such balanced pressure, that I wasn’t hyper aware as if there were two therapists working different sides of my body — all was in perfect harmony.

Dearest Blog...

I have neglected thee lately. While I progress, somewhat sparingly, on my final essay for workshop, which may or may not be a brilliant commentary on tourism and tourists, I have come across so many things to share!

...Like, for example, the prevalence of cheese in the news. The government now supports more cheese consumption (via dominos) and one lady's relationship with a piece of 150 year old generational triangle of cheese that she nows keeps in her freezer was a spotlight in Harpers. Which reminds me also of an experiment on a McDonald's happy meal, in which one woman left it "out in the open air" for 168 days only to find it relatively unchanged. This brings me to my question of what, exactly, is our society eating?

Also of note is my adventure to Mexico, which was relatively tame as far as gang war goes, except for a momentary panic at the airport where a few dudes tried to usher my sister and I into unnamed vans that were "definitely going to our resort." Rest assured we found our van, which was actually a Navigator, and once settled into our room at the property made many a flip video utilizing the unique features of the room. Who knew electronic blinds could be so entertaining!

And shall I close with a local adventure, which promised to be a genuine gender-balanced singles night at MOMA but proved instead to be a middle-aged-single-women's social hour? Followed by mechanical bull riding? Let's just say I counted myself out of that one.
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