tuesdays can be better than expected

I did my usual attempt to propose to my dentist--I think my platonic ideal of a husband is a dentist with a degree in programming who likes role-play. Which probably tells you more about me than anyone wants to know.

He narrates, which is one of my favorite things about him, to be honest--the drilling and smell don't bother me, but the quiet *does* when it involves poking, so he always shows me the tiny needle like things covered in pink goo he uses to do whatever goes on in the tooth after. I know it's the cleaning and antibiotic stuff, but he is all about reviewing his education via dialogue, which is why I love him a lot. It's going to be a three part procedure, with the first part today, the second with the final build up and measurements for the crown, and the third crown installation, at which time I get to start what I've been wanting to do for years--to wit, cosmetic work. It's basically one of the big reasons my promotion was such a huge deal for me--I've really wanted to do several things that aren't necessary for the functional use of my teeth, including some work straightening the front ones and hell, I'll go crazy and do whitening.

This actually vaguely relates to the bridesmaid dress thing--it hit me for the first time I make about enough to do several unnecessary things for the sake of vanity. I've never been particularly interested in doing anything with my face, but there's some skin things I *would* like to do. I still have some stretch marks from puberty (seriously, anyone else have those? I do. It's weird). I checked prices with the hospital who also handle my insurance, and if I lose my mind, I could completely fix that softness around my waist that I hate. It's terrifying and heady.

Then I keep coming back to look at this Alienware laptop from Dell that has a solid state hard drive and blu ray and possibly eight G RAM and kind of forget vanity, though. There's nothing about my body I care about that much, other than wishing there were community dance classes around, because I did my best exercising when I was in jazz dance and I might not have been good, but it was so much fun. Plus, it was to Britney Spears back then and I wonder what they'd use now.

Special note to synecdochic - I bought ballet flat with soft leatherish soles and yes, it makes a difference. Hugely. Interestingly, it also really points out how badly I walk normally.

I was a sprinter in high school and ran on the edges of the balls of my feet (toward the pinkie), which is why I was a very good sprinter for a high school student, but I *walk* that way too, which explains why I unbalance so much when I'm not running or running up stairs (at which time that's very useful but hell on the calves). And explains why the wear on my shoes is always on the outside of my shoes, not the big toe area. Odd, yet true. I'm practicing walking flat, which is weird as hell--my feet don't *get* using the entire ball yet. It's very hard to do in heels right now, so sadly, all my heels are in waiting. Tragic.

Currently Reading - Due South

Unguarded Protectorate by Bone and Aristide. This is like, the best antidote for tooth pain ever. It's also not in the style I'm used to for either one of them, and I can't put my finger on exactly why, nor is the characterization. The focus is ultranarrow and fascinatingly complex in Ray, and I liked the slow build. Also, hot. Dear God.

Unassuming by Miriam Heddy - also excellent for tooth pain. I think my favorite part was the bit about retirement to Canada. I like reversal--first decide to retire together, then move in together, then have sex, then feelings. Especially if you're not even aware you're doing it. Plus, there just isn't enough seduction in fanfic, and this was--uh, wow. Yeah. That was good for me.

Twilight Zone by pir8fancier - I laughed myself into black dots in front of my eyes and pasted it to everyone I know. Then I really, really wanted a drunk threesome, just once because really. Really. They should have one. Just to be sure. I am not even going to tell you the premise--I went in blind and trust me, it's funnier that way.

I've been reading too fast to do recs, so expect a few to pop up. Possibly dating back to 1999. Dear God. I love this fandom.

Comments

[omglawdork.livejournal.com]

Not to be a total stalker, but who's your dentist (if you don't mind me asking)? Mine is about to retire, and yours sounds lovely.

[seperis.livejournal.com]

Rose Dental in Round Rock--about a twenty minute drive from North Austin. Hold on, I'll link you the website.

http://www.rosedental.net/

There are also two branches in Austin itself, but when I started, I still lived outside Austin, so it was easier to get to them, and I love my dentist so I never changed. He's also my son's.

His name is Dr. Brian Kistenmacher. They're really excellent and he's the only dentist I've had who really pays attention to what I tell him. He's also a genuinely nice guy and takes the time to look at my record so he knows who I am even when he's got like, ten patients going on there so it never feels impersonal. Kristina, the assistant (I think?) is fantastic. So it's not something I ever dread. I really can't give a higher recommendation than that.

[swanswan.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the recs! I bet I've read em all, but I bet I'll like reading them all again!

And I'm pretty sure they're still playing Britney Spears in gyms. You could turn off the ghetto blaster and the walls would ooze "Hit Me Baby One More Time"

[seperis.livejournal.com]

I'm so enslaved. I finally took a breath to go back and re-read a bit before seeking out more new ones. They're still excellent.

[lillian13.livejournal.com]

I roll out pretty badly too, and I've discovered what makes my feet happy: orthotic insoles from a good podiatrist. (I actually roll out so much that X-rays showed I had grown extra bones in my toes to support the strain.) My feet and knees are much happier with me now.

They cost about $200, but if you have decent insurance, they're often covered.

[seperis.livejournal.com]

Roll out? Is that what it's called?

I'm checking up on those insoles. OMG you grew *new bones*? Awesome!

[lillian13.livejournal.com]

The technical term is supination. My knee surgeon says technically, I'm bow-legged. :-) More people roll in, or pronate. I buy New Balance tennies, and look at the soles before I buy--shoes with extra arch support or a squishy area on the outer edge of the foot are immediate put-aways.

Yeah, the outer toes grew extra little bones to help support my weight, since I had been so supinated for so long. Now my feet are getting used to being correctly aligned. :-)

[eleveninches.livejournal.com]

I was a sprinter in high school and ran on the edges of the balls of my feet (toward the pinkie), which is why I was a very good sprinter for a high school student, but I *walk* that way too, which explains why I unbalance so much when I'm not running or running up stairs (at which time that's very useful but hell on the calves).

ME TOO. I'm so much more comfortable walking on my tip toes than on flat feet. It's gotten to be a problem now because when I'm on my feet all day it starts to make my lower back hurt.

[seperis.livejournal.com]

Yep. I'm actually happiest in heels, where I'm always on the balls of my feet, but the unbalanced thing was *seriously* becoming a problem except when I'm either running or moving fast.

My calves start killing me. I never connected my lower back to it, though that explains *that*. *frowns* See, exercise is *bad*! Look at what it's done to us!

[beadattitude.livejournal.com]

I also pronate terribly, and really, love, the best solution is a good orthotic. They don't have to be terribly bulky. Take a look at footsmart.com.

[seperis.livejournal.com]

Huh. I'll remember that.

[loriel-eris.livejournal.com]

I'd totally go for tech over cosmetic! ;)

[seperis.livejournal.com]

Esp solid state hard drive. I drool every time I read about them.

[out-there.livejournal.com]

I still have some stretch marks from puberty (seriously, anyone else have those? I do. It's weird)

Thighs, hips and bust. Long white stretches of skin that always leave me with the urge to claim I suffered some really interesting burns.

[seperis.livejournal.com]

*nods* Yep, my butt and hips. I think I have some on my thighs, or did, but they must have faded. OTOH, I'm so pale they could be just hiding until I tan. *sighs*

[thisisbone.livejournal.com]

Aww, thanks for the rec!

In terms of the different writing style, that's definitely due to working with the Mairead half of the Mairead/Aristide equation. Aristide's more willing to write what she calls "Pop-Tarts"; Mairead wants someone to suffer. I fear I may have diluted her vision, since suffering's nowhere near the top of my list, but we worked it out.

Could I ask you to switch to a different link for "Unguarded Protectorate"? It has a more up-to-date e-mail addy attached (meaning one up-to-date instead of two non-functioning).

Here: http://www.bone.mrks.org/duesouth/aristide/unguarded.html (http://www.bone.mrks.org/duesouth/aristide/unguarded.html)

I'm glad you finally got in to see your dentist, and I'm tickled that M and I played the part of Novocaine.

[seperis.livejournal.com]

Fixed the link. And thank *you*--I love that story unduly. It's marvelous.

[thisisbone.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

[heygirlie.livejournal.com]

I still have some stretch marks from puberty (seriously, anyone else have those? I do. It's weird).

Yes, and I would rather have the cellulite. :(

Also, uh, I recommend not ever looking up 'stretch marks' on Google Images. You might feel better about your own, but only long after the 'my eyes!' reaction goes away.

[pir8fancier.livejournal.com]

Meep! Thanks for the rec!

[seperis.livejournal.com]

It was so awesome and so funny. *happy place*

[epj.livejournal.com]

I totally have stretch marks on my hips, and I've never labeled them before today (except to myself) because I always thought I was *cray-zeeee* and a person could only get stretch marks from pregnancy! Thanks for normalizing me! Yay!

[seperis.livejournal.com]

Me too! Until someone mentioned them a while back and I was like, oooh. So this is *normal*.

[northern]

Yep, my breasts grew way too fast - got stretchmarks.

[lovelokest.livejournal.com]

I had a great dentist, then he fell on a stepladder and had a stroke (or the other way around, I can never remember) and died. Then I had a very strange dentist whose wife died of cancer. One more and I am the black widow of dentists. Must schedule a cleaning soon (with either someone very young and unlikely to die or very old, when hey, their time is coming up anyway ;)).

I was a sprinter in high school and ran on the edges of the balls of my feet (toward the pinkie), which is why I was a very good sprinter for a high school student, but I *walk* that way too, which explains why I unbalance so much when I'm not running or running up stairs (at which time that's very useful but hell on the calves).

Oh god, me too! I wear Docs and you can see the wear pattern on the soles. I broke the insole of my last pair right around the outside edges from walking hard on them. I'm sure that my walking issues are related to my knees, which are lovely, especially since they are off kilter (ohgod, I am so not a runner, I have a deep, dark fear that I will partially dislocate my knee cap while running).

due South is so amazingly awesome. I love that there are two archives (double redundancy possiblity! (for slash anyway *g*). I'm working my way back on the podfic archive, mmmm, slashy audio goodness!)

[seperis.livejournal.com]

TWO ARCHIVES ARE JOY! Yes they are.

[simplystars.livejournal.com]

Oh, Unguarded Protectorate! That has to be my favorite Ray-POV fic ever. *hugs it* &hearts

Umm. I have nothing more profound to say. Sorry?

[seperis.livejournal.com]

I loev it too. *happy*

[simplystars.livejournal.com]

Also, I have just now read the platonic blanket-stealing scene from your earlier entry, and I LOL'd. \o/

:D

[fyrdrakken]

Some months ago, when I was making a point of doing some extra walking to prepare for my trip and was starting to worry about the funny pain I was getting on the outside bottoms of my feet, I did some research and discovered I was apparently having some issues with peroneal tendonitis, because I have the opposite problem of flat feet -- arches so high they don't flatten out properly when I walk. (When I leave bare footprints, say on the concrete coming out of a pool, there's a thin line of the outer edge of the foot connecting the ball to the heel, no wider than an inch.) So for a while there I was making a special point of putting as much weight as possible on the insides of my feet (too cheap broke for insoles, orthotic or otherwise, plus they'd do no good on the flip-flops I usually wear) and cutting back on the walking to rest my feet. (And found out too late I really should have gotten back onto the walking, and gotten cushy insoles besides, because I pretty much killed my feet on tour, between the blisters and the muscle aches.)