Bored at work, and it's lunchtime
So I'm writing. I actually haven't updated in longer than I would like to have updated and I feel like this sentence is already way too long but I realize I could continue writing it with connections from various conjunctions that make it seem like the entire construct of the sentence makes sense but in reality is simply ridiculous.

And I think I'll start a new paragraph. So one big thing that happened was my dentist appointment. I have a new dentist. I went in for the initial checkup, x-rays, etc. For starters, most dentists do a few x-rays. You know, maybe up to 6 or even 8. But this dentist is a perfectionist, so he took something in the neighborhood of, oh... 18. And I had a filling from my last dentist, but the new one didn't like it, so he said he wanted to redo it. And that's what my last appointment was. It was definitely a story. And this... is that story.

I went in, like any normal appointment. There were some delays, some issues with a medical concern and a pregnant individual. But I finally went in, they sat me down. I was given topical ointment to numb the gums initially. That was a new experience for me. And then she asked me if I wanted to listen to some music, and I looked at her with a little confusion. That had never been an option for me before. She saw my look, and said, "Oh yes, we can give you an iPod to listen to." So I said sure, why not. And there was a full variety of music on their iPod Mini. The latest Evanescence album, a bit of Collective Soul, random pieces from Mozart, a bit of country, a bit of R&B. I think I finally ended up with Collective Soul, good classic stuff. So they wait a little while to let it set in. Then he comes in, they take a look, he gets all the equipment ready, then they do the injection. And he's apologizing for the sting, and how he knows it doesn't feel good. But it's not really all that bad. So I end up talking to the dental assistant for a little while, about various things. And how they had all been treating me very nicely, and everything was so much more than what I had received in previous treatments from my other dentist (which was true). And she looked at me and said, "Oh, and I didn't even offer you the virtual reality glasses." I figured she was kidding. And then I thought about it, and asked... "You're kidding, right?" She laughed and said, "No, actually, we do have them." Apparently you can get these video glasses that connect to a video iPod and they'll hook you up with a movie or a TV show of your choice, if your treatment is long enough to watch one. And they have some pads they can use to keep your mouth open comfortably, so you don't even have to open your own mouth.

They did have to inject me again, because apparently if you're fit (which I guess I kind of am) your higher metabolism makes it harder for the injection to set in. But once it was good (which took a while), he went to work. It was rather easy, and he did comment that it was a good thing I had come in. The previous filling was very rough and had jagged edges, so it had been irritating my gumline a bit. That, and there was one big edge were it was supposed to be in line with the tooth and was not, so every time I flossed it would catch the filling edge and tear. He finished it and said that I wouldn't be able to appreciate it fully, but it was 1000 times better. After getting home and finally checking it out, I can say I have to agree. His filling looks impeccable - as though it's just my tooth. I can't even see the filling (it blends in perfectly), and it feels identical to the same tooth on the mirror side of my mouth. It's quite lovely. Best dentist EVAR.

Beyond that, it's been work and play, much more work than play. Lots of kung fu. Buck Sam Kong came to town this last weekend. So, of course, I was up being chosen by him to do instruction with. Which means he'd have me punch at him while he'd smile and do a counter attack at faster-than-normal-human speeds. It was a lot of fun. I got some good techniques, and mainly it helped me realize I've actually learned a lot, because these techniques were all familiar to me. I simply need to practice them enough to make them automatic. There were a lot of people in the workshops, and I got to play kung fu with Shannon. Shannon is leaving this next week, which makes me sad. Justin is gone to the Marines, Shannon's heading to Colorado to open his own school. That leaves me as Sihing number one. No pressure. I think I can handle it now, though. After about eight years of training, you tend to learn some things. Oh! And I found a video. On YouTube, of course. This looks like it was recent, so you can see Buck Sam Kong as he looks today. A few caveats - he's not in the same shape he used to be, but it doesn't matter. He's 70 and looks potentially like a weak old man... to those who don't know him. Even as he is now, he's probably more able and faster than anyone I know, for anything related to martial arts. Here you can get an idea what it's like to be his test dummy, with a little bit of Chin Na technique. Basic techniques, nothing too fancy. And the guy he's practicing with is pretty funny. I think I'm masochistic, as every time he gets me with something particularly painful, I just smile, and say, "Ooh, that's good." Good kung fu!

Oh, and bonus bonus. Buck Sam Kong may be 70, but HIS sifu is still around. Well, around Hong Kong, anyway. He doesn't leave that city. His name is Lum Jo, sometimes spelled Lam Cho. I had the honor of actually being able to shake this legend's hand. And I have a few pictures of him, with our group with him, as well. But in this video, he's 96. Tell me if you don't think kung fu is good for health after seeing this.

And last bit, I picked up a new game. And it is sweet. It is called Assassin's Creed. If you've never heard of it, I highly recommend you go and check out the trailers on that site. In particular, the second trailer, although the first and third are also very good. Yes, it really looks that good. My quick review on it is this - if you play to just try to accomplish the end results in a hurry, it's not for you. Don't play to try to win as fast as possible. If you can play and just emulate how you would do it in real-time, it's much more rewarding. Something about the time it takes to properly set up your mission and to hit your target, if done slowly, properly, deliberately - it's quite fun. That, and the fact that he does free running (AKA Parkour), martial arts, and weapon fighting with a badass outfit - yeah, of course I love it. Running across the rooftops is particularly enjoyable. It does take a while, and the way the story is set up is unique. There's a bit of a twist in the way they introduce everything, and some people don't like it, but I actually really enjoyed how they did it. Very nice.

So I should probably get back to work. And I've given you a ton of links. But they've all been relevant. Oh, and I'm still stressing out about the ex, it's something that'll take time to get over. So here's a little bit of logic for you:


And the random link! I can never get enough Top Gear. Even when they don't get it quite right.
- posted by Pootenheimer @ 11:55 AM | 2 comments