Dental visits

Cullen and I were at the dentist again today. He was getting work done and I was taking a nap. Obviously I got the better end of that deal. We go back again tomorrow morning. We're trying to get his work done before he goes back to school next week. Chris comes to town and goes to the dentist on Friday. We're definitely doing our share to enrich her child's college fund.

I'm super busy trying to watch a bunch of movies before I cast my SAG Awards vote tomorrow. I watched both An Education and Julie and Julia today. I think I've got one left to go; Up in the Air, which I hear good things about. It will have to be amazing to beat Precious, which is a powerhouse that engaged just about every emotion known to man.

Then I'll have time to dive back into M.T. Anderson's Thirst, which is engrossing and hilarious.

Still no word on the house. Waiting to hear if the seller is going to fix the mold in the basement AND put the basement back together after.

Two Important Questions for the Day

Number one - if you have a cavity filled in your canine do you automatically become disqualified from becoming a vampire? Only those teeth are pretty important for biting and drinking, if you follow me.

The other question, which I had to answer today, is would you pay about eighty bucks for laughing gas? Pros - laughing gas helps me get through the dentist visit without throwing up or fainting (both things that happen when I'm stressed since my brain swelled up). It also really allows me to relax. I've actually fallen asleep while getting work done in the past, even with all that equipment jammed in my mouth. Because I have an easily triggered gag reflex I can spend a lot of time worrying about gagging and choking while I've got the dam and such in my mouth. With the laughing gas the more nervous I get the deeper I breathe and the better I feel.

Con - eighty bucks is a lot of money. Esp with me owing almost five hundred dollars for my cat, who didn't even survive his illness. It's all kind of depressing.

I opted to try to get my filling without the gas, with the option of using it if I got panicky. It was a pretty quick job with very little drilling and I made it sans gas, barfing or fainting. My dentist is made of awesome.

Looking for a career that combines science and art? Dentistry might be for you. Building fillings, crowns and whatnot is actually quite artistic. My dentist got to blend two different colors of filling to match my tooth today. Good times.

My new career

Someone on Craigslist is giving away a dental chair, circa 1968.

Here's my plan. Get the chair and set up an office. But I won't offer dental services, I'll start people down the road to freedom from dental phobias.

Afraid of the dentist? Hyperventilate as soon as you walk into the office? Faint at the sight of the chair? Then come on over to my new office where you get to relax and play video games in my comfy dentist chair.

Once you feel completely comfortable in the chair you'll get to listen to the drill, in a safe environment. Just listen, that's all, while you play Nintendogs or Big Brain Academy or some other soothing game.

Eventually you'll be able to walk into even a root canal with no worries at all.