There are few things better than a massage. Don't get me wrong, sex and chocolate rank high on the list. Except, that is, when you have arthritis. Then massage therapy tops the list. Especially when it's a yucky day outside and your body feels like crap. That's when 90 minutes of deep tissue massage can make all of the difference in the world.

I was lucky enough to experience this in real time the other day. In layman's terms, I was "man handled" by a massage therapist named Todd who was 6'5" and looked like he could break me in two pieces. I loved it. I had been traveling all week, on and off of airplanes, and managed to find an hour and a half to get a massage and it absolutely changed my life. So to speak. I walked out of the place feeling like a brand new person -- suddenly my neck worked, my lower back didn't ache as much, and I had a calming, relaxed feeling about me that I haven't experienced in a long time.

Really, massage therapy is the best. It ain't cheap, which kind of sucks, but it's money REALLY well spent. I liken it to a nice dinner -- we've all spent more money than we should have at a fancy restaurant and, in a matter of 6 to 12 hours, that food has "left the building." With a massage, you can feel the lasting effects well into the work week and beyond.

Maybe I ought to find a girlfriend in massage therapy school?