HEY, DO YOU SMELL SOMETHING BURNING?

Oops, it was me.

Yesterday's dental visit really sucked ass.  First I had my teeth cleaned.  No big deal there.  Then I was going to get the last two teeth that needed crowns done because 1) it would only be a matter of time before it HAD to be done and 2) you can see those two teeth and the fillings if I smile really big and I'm self conscious about it.  There was only one problem.  My gums in that area were too far down and there wasn't much of either tooth exposed, which made them look like they were much shorter than every other tooth.

So instead of being fitted for crowns, the dentist used a small concentrated laser and cut (by burning) some of the excess gum off each tooth.  My face was numb so I didn't feel it, of course, and I had no idea that was what he was doing at first.  But the smell was horrible and I'm sure those who have smelled human flesh burning can relate to that.  Also because it was in my mouth, I could also 'taste' that lovely smell.  Then he had to show me in the mirror what he had done and how I was going to have to use this really soft brush and some rinse that he gave me to brush upward on the gums to help them heal faster.  Also the gums can sometimes grow back and that helps prevent that.  I really did not want to see what he had done.  It's one of those things where you could see it on someone else and it just makes you hurt looking at it.  Plus I was still tasting and smelling burning flesh.  Yuck.

I have to wait on this to heal before I get fitted for the crowns, which will be late next week.  Anyhow, I'm not feeling too good because it does hurt, even with the prescription pain killers.  Pain from burns seems to linger for a while, plus it also feels like pain from a cut along with it.  I suppose that makes sense since that is basically what they did.  It sort of reminded me of a scene in that movie "Logan's Run" with the lasers.

I'm at work today, but of course I'm somewhat dopey on pain killers right now.  I'm trying to figure out what I can eat.  There's no way to really know except to try something and see if it makes it hurt worse or not.

I wanted to get some video edited and posted of some fun we had at the bar and a concert and party, but I doubt I'll feel like messing with it much tonight.  I might play some poker, though, depending on how I feel.  Actually tonight I'm supposed to go out and I'm going to try to make it if I can.

I still have a ton of stuff to do before I leave town.  I need to find some luggage for sure.  I have one really huge bag with no wheels, and a small overnight bag with wheels.  Go figure.  So I need to buy either one really large bag with wheels or a couple of bags with wheels to make it easier going through the airports.  It never fails that whatever plane I'm on will arrive at the farthest gate possible so that I have to walk miles to either the baggage claim or to the gate.  Therefore I tend to check whatever baggage I can check and have only one carry-on bag.  Since I'm taking my laptop, that will be my carry-on bag.  I have a nice laptop case except it doesn't have wheels and it enables me to pack a lot of stuff in it, which I tend to use to its maximum capacity and then I end up having to cart this one heavy carry-on bag all over the place.  I really need to get one that has wheels because of this or buy a luggage carrier, which would probably be the cheaper route, but then I've got two things to deal with.  Hopefully I can fit my tennis racquet in one of the bags I check.  I want to see if I can rustle up a tennis game while I'm there for something fun to do.

Plus my Mom isn't going to be able to pick me up at the airport, since she's legally blind (and doesn't live in Florida), so I have to find my way there.  She may rent me a car for the week.  I don't have a 'real' credit card in my name, so it's almost impossible for me to rent a car myself because most places won't take debit or prepaid credit cards.  I also run into trouble with hotels because of that.  I don't understand why places won't take the debit cards.  Hell, I usually had more in the checking account than I did for a credit limit when I did have credit cards.

Oh, and I need to come up with a team name for my fantasy football team.  I decided I'm going to try fantasy football this year and I'm drawing a blank on a team name.  I want something catchy and original, but it may end up being something lame if I can't think of something really soon. 

All for now...