"And you with youth on your side..."

I was talking to a student today who was wearing bright blue eyeshadow and vibrant pink highlights. Ah, to be a teenager...

I took a big step towards emotional adulthood today (and far away from teenager-land). I made an appointment with the dentist. I hate going to the dentist because in all of my 27 years, a dentist's visit has brought me nothing but pain and disappointment. There is always bad news. The most recent bad experience (almost a year ago) with the dentist included two root canals. Root canals are horrible procedures no matter what, but these root canals were even more evil because I paid the full cost for them. I have no dental insurance, hell, I have insurance to speak of (it keeps me up at night, I just know an errant tennis ball will do me in), so I paid, I paid big.

Calling up the dentist shouldn't be scary (duh), but with this kind of history and my penchant for drama, I put it off. I endure G.'s nagging and the uneasy sensitivity of a tooth in a childish attempt to escape the reality of a dentist's visit. So calling for an appointment so soon after feeling something is a big step for me. And as if that wasn't grown-up enough, I am not going to obsess with what might happen at the dentist, I'm not going to moan and groan about paying for another root canal before even stepping foot in the office itself because that type of stinkin' thinkin' only causes unnecessary stress and upset. Hm, excuse me while I pat myself on the back.