Morning Edition - 8/26/08

…and Back To Reality
Seven full days of fun and sun have me refreshed and feeling full – both physically and emotionally. Grand Cayman, Belize, Roatan (Honduras), Cozumel and Cancun (Mexico) were absolutely amazing. The splendor of the planet’s natural beauty in all its color and warmth were represented. Whether I was gazing upon the expanse of ocean around our cruise ship or taking-in the crystal-clear waters in Roatan, I was filled with an overwhelming sense of how small a speck we are in this world and yet each time I stared into the faces of the children in some of these third-world countries begging for a morsel of our undeserved riches, I felt ashamed at how much our privileged asses complain. This vacation was by far my best ever for so many reasons - not the least of which was the opportunity to appreciate my life TODAY. If I can leave each of you with a piece of advice, it would be to take some time to see the world outside of the U.S. and understand how truly blessed each of us are.

Oops, There Goes My Tooth…Oh My!
I chipped a molar and figured I’d wait to return from my cruise to get it fixed. Thanks to Cas I got an emergency appointment with her dentist. A few x-rays later and I was laying flat on my back with my anxiety-ridden fingernails boring holes into the sides of the dentist chair. Three Novacaine shots into the deal and the good doc was drilling in my mouth as he skillfully performed a root canal; patching it up until I return from my second vacation this Friday to Disney. I left his office with a grateful goodbye and the promise to see him after the Labor Day holiday. It was another two hours before I stared into my bathroom mirror in disbelief to realize that the good doc actually gave me a root canal on a molar at the back of my mouth, instead of the jagged molar that drove me to his office. I left a voice mail on his service explaining the ungodly mix-up and am waiting to hear what will be done to correct this freak show of a story. In all my years, I’ve yet to experience such a medical error. As I told Cas last night, “I feel like I went in to have my tonsils removed and got castrated!”

BD and Me
Following the untimely break-up of me and BD I suffered some serious depression. I wasn’t hungry, couldn’t sleep, but was sure I did the right thing by ending our relationship. More than anything, I miss my best friend. We were more than just lovers, we were the closest of confidants and not having him there to bounce anything off of was devastating. This Friday, BD, the Minnie and I set-out for our second Disney vacation. We’ve discussed the basics – including sleeping arrangements and my renting a separate car. Last night as BD and I talked about my recent cruise and our prep for Florida, there was a sigh of relief on both our parts that maybe – just maybe – our friendship may weather the storm and we can redirect our love into a connection that outweighs romantic entanglements.

On Blast
My tooth story is one that strikes panic. How can a mistake have such serious implication? Tell of a mistake you suffered that, to this day, makes you shiver in horror.

Keep passin’ the open windows….