Of reader's digest, memorable interviews and snake massages

Reading has never been one of my hobbies. Well, not reading books anyway. I read books that are more commonly known as magazines aka FUN books!

Besides movie magazines, my other favorite item has always been Reader's Digest. Back in the early days, the first few things that drew my interest was its collection of "All in a Day's Work" jokes and also those footnotes jokes. Then, over the years, I came to love the real life stories which often centers on courage, hardship, perseverance and love. These stories are so heart-warming that I often find myself reading them with tears in my eyes.

The February 2009 edition I picked up while on the move the other day turned out to be one of the most enjoyable one yet! It has President Obama on its cover with that same, consistent smile of his (seriously, I think every photos of him smiling looks like it's a print out from the same master copy. It's that consistent!). I thoroughly enjoyed reading his interview. He came across as this antonym to what some people think America stands for.

Several pages before that, however, was an article that I definitely did not enjoy reading. The article's title read SNAKE MASSAGES. What the??!!!!! There were only few sentences in that article but its photo was more than enough to illustrate its point - 3 average size (which, by all means, could mean deadly!) snakes; one with black n white stripes, one with orange and red prints and one with long greenish brownish stripes that runs along its body, slithering on a person's body.

You call that a snake massage? I call it a death wish!

The article states the following:

".....a service designed to make your tensions slither away"

"The treatment consists of non-venomous snakes wriggling and hissing across the client's aching muscles and joints......"

"...many people find the snakes have a soothing effect"

Let me get this straight. Snakes wriggling and hissing across your body = a soothing feeling?

I would just die.

Okay, okay...you should know by now that I am not exactly fond of snakes. And no amount of Animal Planet's snakes-are-the-most-wonderful-misunderstood-creature-in-the-world programmes are gonna change my views.

I am obviously aware that they're loved by many in this world. It's just that for someone with a love for massages and fears of snakes, this article really do combine the best and worst of both worlds.

Definitely something to hiss about. Anaconda massage anyone?