Christmas Coming

December is tomorrow (wait, what?!!) and with it the final countdown towards Christmas arrives. Notice how I emphasised 'final' in that previous sentence there, the countdown towards Christmas started the day Halloween was over. At least in Europe. In the US they had Thanksgiving in between. But that came last Thursday - happy Thanksgiving US friends - and it's over now as well. Hence, my initial point: 

December = Christmas

Although my childhood days are way - way, way, way - gone (read my "On the Verge" post for reference), I admit that I still get that childlike grin in my face when I go out and see all of the colourful decorations, twinkling lights, Christmas trees... Ah, Christmas... Needless to say that I really like this time of the year. I love spending time with my family and seeing the look in their faces when they open their presents. 

Unfortunately, the fact that I'm no longer a kid, allows me to see the other side of the festive days: the Preparation. Yes, it deserves a capital letter. And it's own part in the previously shared equation, or otherwise I would be lying to all of you. Dear friends, it is with great concern that I open your eyes to reality:

December = Christmas = chaos + queues + panic + entangled Christmas lights + to do lists + to buy lists + Christmas carols infinitely following you everywhere you go + dreadful social engagements + unimaginable expenses + claustrophobically crowded shopping centres + you name it...

So, my humble suggestion to all of you, who like me, have your child days behind, is to hold your braces and pull through this month with a big smile on your face and a huge sleigh full of patience.

Ho, ho, ho!

Teeth Matters

I walked out yesterday from my emergency visit to the dentist with a prescription (I could have kissed the guy), a wounded bank account (I *should* marry the guy) and a number of thoughts around teeth...

We are born with no teeth and die with a few (if any). In between, a bit of everything tainted with a mix of emotions.  

The number of visits to the dentist is directly proportional to the growth in your vocabulary. The more you know, the less you like (sometimes referred to growing up - and it's not pretty).  One learns the hard way that crowns are not exclusively reserved for royal family members; that there are more fillings than the ones you get to choose for your sandwich; or that wisdom is not carried only in your brain. Losing a tooth has a totally new significance when the tooth fairy isn't involved and having holes in your smile is considered creepy rather than cute.

An open door to a painful world of unpronounceable words (orthodontists, bruxism...) and utterly humiliating moments - even visits to the gynecologist aren't as embarrassing as having a person dedicated exclusively to moving a plastic tube around your mouth for 30 minutes to suck your saliva in. This is probably why we neglect our teeth until we are paralised by acute toothache impeding us from eating, sleeping, talking, thinking, living.

My final words to you: take care of your teeth.