Root canal? I hope not.

I have a dental appointment tomorrow morning. It's for my regularly scheduled 6-month cleaning.

Up until about a week ago, I thought it would be just another typical cleaning with my cute hygienist. Now I'm not so sure.

A week ago, my lower right gums started to be sensitive. They hurt a little. Almost like they got scratched by sharp toast or something. Know what I mean?

It started to feel like it might be getting better, but I just noticed that it's not. In fact, if I put my finger in my mouth and press hard on that area, it hurts quite a bit. More than it has up to now.

I'm no dentist, but I suspect that there's an infection lurking somewhere under the nearby tooth. I'm dreading that something is going to show up on an x-ray, and that the dentist will tell me that I need a root canal.

I've had at least two root canals in the past. They weren't too bad, but they're so freakin' expensive and my insurance plan doesn't cover the entire cost.

Ugh.

Meow?

Our cat, Sam, was acting really strange last night.

She usually keeps to herself, unless I'm sitting on the couch watching TV. Then she'll hop onto the arm of the couch and lie down. Last night I was at the computer and she wouldn't stop coming into the den and meowing. Or standing on her hind legs and rubbing her face against the arm of my chair.

I checked to see if she had food. She did. I emptied the bowl and gave her some fresh food and water. That occupied her for about 5 minutes before she returned.

I went looking for her toys in the living room, found 3 of them, and tossed them out into the middle of the room for her to play with. She walked over to them, batted one around for a few seconds and then followed me back into the den.

She eventually hopped onto my lap and draped herself over one of my arms and purred away contentedly. After 10 minutes of that, she hopped down and left.

I'm guessing that she just wanted some attention, but it's not very often that she acts that way. It was rather strange.

40 Things You'd Love to Say Out Loud at Work

I didn't make this list. Someone sent it to me. I could have used a couple of these today. :)

1. I can see your point, but I still think you're full of it.
2. I don't know what your problem is, but I'll bet it's hard to pronounce.
3. How about never? Is never good for you?
4. I see you've set aside this special time to publicly humiliate yourself.
5. I'm really easy to get along with once you people learn to see it my way.
6. Who lit your fuse.
7. I'm out of my mind at the moment, but feel free to leave a message.
8. I don't work here - I'm a consultant.
9. It sounds like English, but I don't understand a damn word you're saying.
10. Ahhh. I see the screw-up fairy has visited us again.
11. I like you. You remind me of myself when I was young and stupid.
12. You are validating my inherent mistrust of strangers.
13. I have plenty of talent and vision - I just don't give a damn.
14. I'm already visualizing the duct tape over your mouth.
15. I will always cherish the initial misconceptions I had about you.
16. Thank you. We're all refreshed and challenged by your unique point of view.
17. The fact that no one understands you doesn't mean you're an artist.
18. Any connection between your reality and mine is purely coincidental.
19. What am I? Flypaper for freaks?
20. I'm not being rude. You're just insignificant.
21. It's a thankless job, but I've got a lot of karma to burn
22. Yes, I am an agent of Satan, but my duties are largely ceremonial.
23. And your cry-baby whiny butt opinion would be?
24. Do I look like a fucking people person to you?
25. This isn't an office. It's Hell with fluorescent lighting.
26. I started out with nothing and I still have most of it left
27. Sarcasm is just one more service we offer.
28. If I throw a stick, will you leave?
29. Errors have been made. Others will be blamed.
30. Whatever kind of look you were going for, you missed.
31. Oh, I get it. Like humor. Only different.
32. A cubicle is just a padded cell without the door.
33. Can I trade this job for what's behind door number 1?
34. Too many freaks, not enough circuses.
35. Nice perfume, but must you marinate in it?
36. Chaos, panic and disorder - my work here is finally done.
37. How do I set a laser printer to k!ll.
38. I thought I wanted a career; turns out I just wanted a salary
39. I'll try being nicer if you try being smarter.
40. Wait a minute - I'm just trying to imagine you with a personality

Bugatti Veyron @ Top Speed

This is insane. 407 km/h.

Bugatti Veyron at top speed
Uploaded by Flabber

Imagine having an accident at that speed? I doubt there'd be much left of the driver or the car.

Here's one that crashed at 160 km/h.

Korean Sushi

I'm not too keen on the thought of ever trying sushi. Up to now, I thought that sushi was always dead. If I were to try sushi, it would have to be dead.

It seems that I was wrong.

No Mouse

We checked the trap this morning and it was empty, except for the small piece of paper with the peanut butter on it. I'm not sure what I would have done if we had found a mouse in it. It's damn cold outside today. I would have felt guilty releasing it.

There's a mouse in the house!

Maybe.

My wife found a plastic basket had been chewed on. The small chewed pieces of plastic were inside the basket. Nothing else in that cupboard was chewed though. We don't know how long it's been like that either. No signs of mouse droppings.

At the last house we lived in, we had two mice over the years that we were there. We caught them both. Unfortunately, one of them died in the trap. We use live traps, but I had baited the trap for weeks, and checked it daily with no sign. I forgot about it for a few days and when I went back, it had a dead mouse in it.

The first one we caught about a year before was still alive. It was a much larger trap too. Click on the picture to see the little trapped critter.

I baited the trap with peanut butter and left it in the cupboard where the plastic basket was. These little critters amaze me how they manage to climb up into the cupboards, and navigate from one to another without any obvious access.

If there is in fact a mouse in the house, I hope we catch it soon.