Confidence is Key!

Kiran thinks I should post more often. Fine. But first Kiran must settle something. I pronounce your name so that the -an sounds like -in. My friend who reads your blog says Kir-AN. She also emphasizes the 'ish' in aircondITioner. Well??

Word to the wise: Despite being petrified of all things medical in Korea (needle in the bum? no thank you!) you should still go to the dentist for a cleaning sometime during your year. It only costs something like 50,000 won and it's well worth it.

This Saturday I went to the dentist for the first time since more than a year ago. I was really excited to have clean teeth, especially since sometime during my stay in Korea I developed stains on the insides of my teeth along the gum line. I'd never had anything like this before and it freaked me out but not enough to go to a dentist in Korea.

Did I ever tell the story of D'Arcy having a cavity dealt with in Korea without any freezing?

Anyway.

I have a very rigid plan of action for visiting the dentist which includes thorough brushing the night before, thorough brushing the morning of, no eating that night or day, and thorough brushing immediately prior. The goal is to spend as little time in the chair under the chit-chatting wrath of the hygenist as possible. I don't know what's worse, hair dresser chit chat or dental hygenist chit chat. This plan usually works well and I'm in an out in no time with compliments about how clean my teeth are and how it looks like I haven't eaten anything in days. Whoo!

This time, thanks to the amount of time it's been and my stains, I was subjected to the chit chat for a longer than usual time. Not only that but she was talking to me about politically charged things like North Korea and Arabs and who should bomb/kill who. I was pissed! It is totally inappropriate to have that kind of conversation with someone who has their mouth agape and is unable to respond. Man! Just when I thought I couldn't take any more she started singing Fiddler on the Roof.

And then the dentist came by for his ritual bare hand, guaze on the tongue inspection after cleaning. This time, though, he casually mentioned a word I've never heard before: cavity. No!

I cried a little.

I have never had a cavity! Oral pain is something that really scares me. The thought of a needle in my gums is... something I can't find a good word for, even.

Once in highschool I had a dream that my music teacher, Mr. Chan, gave me a low grade. In the dream I was yelling, "I am an A student!!"

Once in first year university D'Arcy and I had a party in our residence room (that we shared - this is where we met). Another friend came by and ended up making out with a guy who had been hitting on me earlier in the night. I still can't live down the line, "Randi doesn't get action! I get action!"

I don't get cavities!!!

Phewf. On Saturday I will face my cavity filling doom. Ooh hoo hoo.