Ketchup

I've got a to do list that I've been trying to get at for a while now. I've taken bits and pieces off and I'm left with some major chunks. So that is what has taken up my time lately...along with a lot of photo shoots.

So if you're checking the Daily Photos...they are currently lacking. I am in front of my computer a lot and don't want to just take pics of my monitor...zzzzzzz.

I've been iritated (or irritated) lately. At pretty much everything. Not angry, not peaceful, just irritated. And by everything I mean everything that doesn't have anything to do with photography. Just the performing side. There are a couple things I'm in that are great and really trying to be the best we can be. There are a couple things that have that spoken drive but it doesn't feel like everyone is up to the challenge. There are a couple things that have a twinge of hopelessness. All of the shows I'm in belong in one or more of those categories.

I'm pretty much "glass half empty, and too warm, and a coaster would be nice" about things now. Whereas some of you might remember this summer I was "glass half empty, but I have a cool cup!"

I'm worried I'm turning into "John" from Lindberg's post. I am not sure who John is for sure, but I know some people who fit the bill and I don't want to turn into that guy.

It snowed again but it is probably not going to much longer. Although the first time I came to Chicago was in April and it was snowing...so...who knows.

So...there's a little tid bit. I have an office to clean, a promo DVD (for photography) to make for agents, Flier displays to create, a newsletter to make and send, and other random stuff.

Get busy! The me is coming!

Teeth: an introspective

So, like I said...I broke a tooth. More on that in a while.

I grew up with perfect teeth. The stuff you suckers who had braces dreamt of while changing your rubberbands and hoping to eat just one salt water taffy. They came in straight and stayed that way. Everyone said how great they were and it gave me a "tooth-immortality" complex. It didn't help that I maybe brushed once a day (in the morning I think...or maybe just at night) and would always come back from the dentist with no cavaties. And I never flossed.

Well, enough years of that went by to make it stick that my teeth ruled. In addition my wisdom teeth didn't really come in. And they didn't hurt. The dentist said I should get them out, but they didn't hurt and that is why most people get them removed...for crowding.

Fast forward to me moving out and not having insurance of my own. I went about 3-5years with no dental exams whatsoever, and yet a steady increase of Pepsi intake. I finally got insurance through Kaiser and went to see the dentist. I think my cavaties were in the teens if not twenties. This was the day I learned about quadratic dentistry. They were going to do my fillings one quadrant at a time because it would take to long to do them in one day (not to mention I would have a mouthful of throbbing fillings). I got all the fillings done. I was brushing twice a day at that point but still not flossing.

Basically, I never floss...still...and I really should.

I had a molar break a while ago and got a crown. Back when I was still in Portland. About a year ago my perfect teeth starting getting crowded by those wisdom teeth that weren't bothering me. Thus making it harder to floss when I would make the attempt. It hurt enough for me to get dental insurance, but not frequent enough for me to look for a dentist. I quit drinking soda...not for the caffeine this time, but for the high fructose corn syrup. Since I have been avoiding non-natural sugars my teeth haven't hurt at all.

About a week ago I started flossing. Determined to make it a habit. Then two days ago my tooth breaks off in a subway sandwich. And now we're up to date...almost.

Important lesson: people without perfect teeth...the ones who get braces and all that...learn how to better take care of their teeth. People with perfect teeth end up asking strangers to help them "start an apple" (thanks, Dave Attel!).

So...the tooth story, continued.

I was doing a video shoot for seven8nine.net and we took a sandwich break and my tooth breaks. It didn't hurt, but I left to hunt down a dentist. Found one who had taken Friday off, and was working Saturday to make up for it. I had a 7:45am appointment.

Got there and he was the only one there. We got started. He looked at it and said "You lost a pretty big chunk." I agreed.

Dentist: Well, we're going to numb that up. I'm going to take an xray, and then we'll get started. You're going to need a cap for sure.

He starts working on cleaning the area. I'm good and numb and can't feel anything.

Dentist: You may have lucked out. There was some decay, and according to the xray and you not feeling any pain after the break...you came as close to exposing the nerve as you could have without actually exposing it. I'm going to give you a temporary cap, then you'll come back for the permanent one.

He starts grinding the tooth away. Anytime water is used it sprays all over my face. At one point he says "you're a real challenge on a day when no one else is here. That's ok though. I like a challenge."

If you've ever gone to the dentist they usually have the assistant working the water and vacuum. I found it hilarious that water was spraying everywhere because I could only imagine what it looked like with him trying to hold a drill, a mirror, and a water sprayer all at the same time.

He gets closer to finishing.

Dentist: Like I said, it's pretty close to the nerve. I'm going to put some medicine on it and put on the temporary. There is still a chance that you'll have to do a root canal.

He finishes everything.

Dentist: For the next 24-48 hours you'll feel some dull, achy, throbbing pain...which is normal. If you feel that PAST the 48 hours, call me right away...because we'll have to do a root canal.

So here it is nearing the 36 hour mark. I went and bought a big bottle of advil before feeling returned to my face. He said I could take up to 4 advil every 6 hours if the pain was bad, so I wanted to stock up. As time progressed and my face denumbed I had no pain. Cold beverages, hot beverages...no pain.

So, it looks like I'll have another fake tooth in my face with extremely minor chance of a root canal.

I have to wait a week for the permanent tooth to be ready.

Easy...EASY!!!

Wow...the relatives get restless! If you don't know what I'm talking about, you don't read the comments.

I've been pretty busy this month with photo shoots and what nots. Same ole same ole. Johnny Roast Beef (iO team) has been put on Wednesday night shows and I hope we stay there for a while. We're doing some of our best work ever. Very fun and free.

on 2/1/06 I decided to get health and dental insurance. My teeth were starting to hurt like my wisdom teeth were crowding them. Then the pain went away. The dental insurance I got started with minimal benefits for the first month, better benefits after 6 months, and the best benefits after a year.

Here it is a year and 15 days after the start date!!!...I had a tooth break while eating a subway sandwich. Didn't hurt. Just kind of hurts here and there now. It was one of those situations where I bit into something hard in the sandwich and pulled it out of my mouth...recognized it was a tooth...and actually hoped that it was just someone elses tooth in my sandwich. Nope. It was mine.

I managed to find a dentist who was closed today, but is open tomorrow because he was closed today. I have an appointment at 7:45am. YIKES!

So there's your news.

Oh, also, it snowed about 6 inches and is supposed to snow tonight. I still love snow.