when google-fu fails

I went to see Marcy to get the ol' chi adjusted today instead of on my usual Tuesday--she's been away for a few days. I had planned to couple this with giving M2 the massage I owe her afterwards but, alas, M2 ended up having to work. So, instead, I asked Mr Indemnity whether he wanted to have lunch while I was in town. He said sure, but he had to take a trip to the Registry. I agreed to come with. (Isn't that the mark of a really good friend? That they'll go to the RMV with you just for the pleasure of your company? I thought so! I'm so awesome.) And thus it came to pass that fortified with Middle Eastern food, off we hied to the Watertown Mall.

The wait time was only--I dunno?--twelve minutes? Apparently not so many other people were renewing their registrations in the middle of a Wednesday afternoon. But then again, not everyone works for a major institute of higher learning where you can just take off in the middle of the workday to do your own personal little errands! (Oh, just kidding, Mr Indemnity, I know you work very hard. Sometimes.) But while we did our 12 minute wait time on the semi-comfortable benches the Commonwealth provided for us, I was observing my veins under the harsh fluorescent lighting. "Look at this," I said. There is now a vein visible on the medial side of my forearm more than halfway to my elbow. I was very proud of this, because it comes from lifting. (And I've just started!) Mr Indemnity was unaware of this phenomenon and asked me why that happens. I didn't know. I know it happens, but I couldn't explain why.

So I figured I would be a wiseass and use my amazing google-fu when I got home to find an article that explains it and send the link along. Can you believe it? My google-fu has failed me. I found a wiki answer that confirmed it's supposed to happen. I found lots of questions from would-be Ahnolds asking other gym rats how to increase their vascularity. But I could not find a clear cut explanation of the physiology behind this. It distresses me that I, Princess of the Correct Search Term, have not come up with the magic combination of words that will make google tell me what I wanna know.

Maybe all the blood that's usually in my brain has been re-routed to my medial forearms!

xoxo

Addendum: And in a highly appropriate and hilarious coincidence, I give you today's discussion of how Madonna's veiny arms needed to be photoshopped away:
http://jezebel.com/5650974/madonnas-dolce--gabbana-ads-before-the-photoshop/gallery/