Judgement
I've been thinking a lot about my life lately. I guess you can say that I'm quite a judgmental person.
I made the decision to be less judgmental and quickly realized that I judge people all the time, and sometimes perhaps way too harshly.
Am making a conscious effort to be more understanding and less cold. Therefore I've decided to forgive:
1. My ex-housemate. It's likely she was having a shittier time than me to behave the way she did.
2. My youth group instructor. So what if she told me off in front of a whole roomful of people for something which I thought was absurdly trivial. In her view, perhaps it was not trivial and she didn't know that telling a teenager off in front of everybody had negative effects.
3. My ex-teachers. Their numerous snide comments over the years were probably things that they didn't even think were hurtful.
Dental Girl has chosen to be less of a drama queen.
Labels: Ramblings
Blue Basketweave Scarf
I have to apologize for my lack of updates. I've just been too busy knitting to have anything much happen in my life or time to actually post up posts.
Here's the first scarf that I've made this year for my housemate with her yarn.
If there are any knitters, the pattern is a simple basketweave pattern. I made it with 5.5mm needles using merino wool. Pattern is as follows:
Cast on 20 stitches.
Garter stitch 6 rows.
Row 1: Knit 2, purl 2, repeat until the end.
Row 2: Same as Row 1.
Row 3: Purl 2, knit 2, repeat until the end.
Row 4: Same as Row 3.
Repeat until scarf is the desired length. Garter stitch 6 rows.
Add fringe.
Labels: Knitting
Furry Teeth
Some people describe teeth covered with plaque as 'furry' - supposedly because that's what it feels like.
Well, today I met the furriest teeth I've seen to date.
After vigorous scaling with the EMS (during which plaque came off in strange rubberish strands) I discovered several cavities under the thick layer of 'fur'. It was already starting to collect several unidentified green specks as well.
Me: How often do you brush your teeth?
Patient: Well...I
used to brush once a day but I've moved recently...and during the move I lost my toothbrush. So I haven't brushed since.
Me: ...Okay...so when did you move?
Patient: Oh...about a month ago?
Anyone considering to get into dentistry should treat a few patients like this first before deciding it is their career of choice.
Labels: Dental School
Renewed Knowledge
1. Sticky wax is yellow, green stick is green.
2. Block out undercuts before taking a PVS impression, especially if your patient has periodontal problems i.e. recession.
3. It's better to read up the subject of a tute before going to avoid getting shot down.
4. Knitting is therapeutic.
Labels: Dental School
10 Things Dental Girl Wants To Learn
1. How to knit Argylle.
2. How to bake the best chocolate chip cookies in the world.
3. How to arrange books on bookshelves to achieve the
perfect look.
4. How to decide if
all the caries has been removed from the cavity I'm cutting.
5. How to stop being lazy and exercise more.
6. How to
enjoy studying.
7. How to arrange flowers.
8. How to be less judgmental and more merciful.
9. How to make a gingerbread house.
10. How to stop procrastinating.
Labels: Lists
Absolutely Anybody
It's Saturday night and I'm at home knitting a scarf.
Mom: What are you doing now?
Me: Knitting.
Mom: Why aren't you out on a Saturday night?
Me: Because there's nothing to do?
Mom: You know, you shouldn't be too picky about the guys you meet. I mean, as long as the guy cares about you and takes care of you, what more do you want? Qualifications isn't that big of a deal.
Me: Oh,
really? So if I bring home a random non-graduate who loves me with every fiber of his being he's going to be good enough?
Mom: Don't be ridiculous... there are graduates everywhere!
Me: You just said qualifications weren't a big deal!
Mom: I meant that he doesn't have to be a dentist or a doctor....
I'm sick and tired of this.
Everyone is saying the same thing to Dental Girl - stop looking for killer whales and start settling for guppies. After all, there are millions of guppies out there, isn't it? Why persist on a killer whale?
I just don't think it's worth wasting my time on someone that is just
okay, i.e. yeah-he's-alright-if-you-don't-count-his-disgusting-pet-lizard. Even if that means that I stay at home on Saturday night, knitting scarves and learning how to do cable stitch.
Besides, don't I at least deserve an atlantic salmon?
To Work Or Not To Work
I've been getting increasingly bored lately. There's only so much rearranging of a room that you can do before you realize there's absolutely nothing left to do.
Cooking is a dangerous hobby. It's been leading to weight gain.
I've been thinking about getting a job again. Some of you may know that I used to work in a gelati shop, but I've quit after
1. I discovered that it was creating callouses on certain parts of my hand.
2. I discovered you can get wrist problems from scooping ice cream daily.
3. I got sick and tired of working there.
I don't mind working in the service industry again should the opportunity crops up.
Or do I?
The truth is, I just want to have something to
do with myself without getting fat.
Maybe I should knit a bedspread for my bed. That should keep me occupied for months.
Labels: Life
Phone Charms
I used to be one of those practical people who hang nothing off their phones. What's the point of increasing the bulk of the phone? The purpose is to be functional.
All that has passed. I now hang 2-3 charms off my phone, my favourite ones being these:
A friend gave me the charm with the bags (very appropriate gift, I must add) and my housemate helped me make the other beaded charm from scratch.
Knowing that I can custom make my phone charms kind of scares me. It's like waking up the evil within me who wants to amass as many charms as possible.
Superficial Dental Girl.
Labels: Obsessions
Stuffed
I've been feeling like I have nothing beter to do with myself lately. Thanks to that feeling, I've taken to cooking elaborate things to eat, resulting in me gaining weight.
After much delay, I've finally made a chocolate souffle. Turned out very well - only mistake I made was not to make a paper collar around the souffle to make it rise upwards instead of mushrooming out. Was very yummy nonetheless.
Made mushroom soup with garlic bread as well.
Made mashed potatoes for the first time using a mixer instead of traditionally mashing it. The mixer whips in air, resulting in a light, fluffy mash. Also mixes the add-ins like butter and cream more evenly. Served the mash together with garlic bread and crumbed parmesan chicken.
I'm so full. *hiccup*
Labels: Food
Up Clothes
My mandarin is atrocious.
I remember going into a fish shop because of my unquenchable desire to get a bowl of fish to put into my room. At that point in time, it was just
the thing to complete my room.
I ended up pointing out everything that I wanted because I didn't know what aquariums, guppies, seaweed, pebbles and fish food were called in mandarin.
Anyway, after shopping in my hometown for a couple of weeks I learnt the basics. Now I know what phone charms, tops, skirts, dresses and pants are called.
That's when I learnt that tops are called "
shang yi" (if this is absolutely shocking mandarin spelling please forgive me) which literally translated means up clothes.
I went up clothes shopping and came home with these:
Top from some random shop that was closing down - I love it!
Pilgrim - Threw away the tag so I don't remember what it's called. Got it for AUD21, down from AUD150. I love sales!!
Lolita - Saw this top before sale and was too fat at that time to buy it. Finally bought it this time, with a 30% discount! Loved it so much I bought the pink version of it as well.
Must. Stop. Spending.
Labels: Shopping
Denture Power
I was assigned a patient who was a young male who had a missing central incisor.
Before DentureHim: Are you going to be my dentist?
Me: Yes, I'll be the one to make you a denture to fill that gap you have there.
Him: Ohh, that would be so good. I'm always embarassed to go out because of that gap. I've been smiling without showing my teeth for a few months now. Like this *flashes closed-mouth smile*
Me: *sympathetic* Well, I'm sure after you get your dentures you'll be a happy person.
Him: I sure would!
He always seemed to have such low self esteem. That was until I gave him his brand new dentures and sent him off to the big bad superficial world. He came back 2 weeks later for a small readjustment.
After DentureHim: Hello Dental Girl! *wide toothy grin accompanied by a distinct strut in his walk*
Me: Hi there. I'll be readjusting yout denture today.
Him: I really missed you! How've you been?
Me: Fine. Now let me just go polish this and we're done!
What the hell is wrong with this patient?!Him: That's it? So quick?
Me: Yes.
Him: Aww, so I won't be seeing you again?
Me: Nnnnnope. There, all done. You can go now. *Practically kicking him out of the dental chair*
Him: Oh? That's so sad! I'll really miss you. So..what are you doing today? *not budging*
Me: I have 5 more patients to see. And you don't want to see me. Everytime you see me, it just means you have a new dental problem
One that I would treat with no local anaesthetic.Him: Oh..really? *reluctantly gets out of chair and starts looking around the bay*
Me: You can go now.
Him: Ohh...I'm just looking to see if I left anything behind.
Me: Nope, you didn't
When is he going to leave??Him; Oh...okay then. I'll see you around! *walking away veeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyyyyy sloowwwwwwwwllllllyyyyyyyy*
Me: *pointedly turns to the computer and starts writing up patient notes*
Conclusion: Never underestimate the power of a piece of plastic.
Have I created a monster?
Labels: Dental School
Are You Googleable?
I had purposely not put my name up in this blog so that I couldn't be traced.
Right? Wrong.
I was looking at the stats to my blog and realized that someone wandered into my blog by typing in my name. I then Googled myself up and found that I was the 5th hit - without even having my name on my blog. How is that?
Google is spooky.
Labels: Life
It's A Small World...
When I was about 12 I was obsessed about writing letters to people around the world to learn about their lives and interests. Which was why I decided to get a few pen pals.
At the height of my craze I would receive around 2-3 letters a day and happily write replies immediately. I spent a fortune on stamps. However, eventually the number dwindled and I was left with a few regular pen pals, including a girl from Penang.
We actually met up when I was around 15 when I visited Penang but lost contact after I came over to Australia.
About a week ago, I was aimlessly surfing and clicked on a blog link which led me
straight to her blog.
It's a small world after all.
Labels: Life
Health Woes
I've been getting a lot of mouth ulcers lately.
On my cheeks, on my lips, on my tongue, on the floor of the mouth, on the gums, in the sulcus...you name it.
My dentist thinks I'm stressed. I don't really feel that I'm 'stressed', per se. Sure, I spend copious amounts of time in the dental hospital seeing people with very bad teeth and sit in the lab doing pros work but in all, I wouldn't say I'm stressed compared to last year.
I'm thinking it's probably my eating habits. Ate cake for dinner yesterday as well as lunch for today.
Perhaps I should go on a non-cariogenic diet plan and see how I survive.
Labels: Health
The Non-Cariogenic Diet
I went to observe a specialist give dietary advice to a patient who had severe erosion and hyposalivation.
Specialist: I'm looking at your dietary report and I see you drink lots of juice.
Patient: Yes, I like a little juice between meals to get a bit of a sugar kick.
Specialist: Well, it's bad for your teeth. You should drink water. Or milk.
Patient: *sigh* Okay...
Specialist: I see you like to eat dried fruit too.
Patient: Yes, I didn't think about it then I realized that it was very sugary too.
Specialist: That's right. Dried fruit is not a good option for you either. You should eat cheese instead.
Patient: I don't really like dairy.
Specialist: You must at least
try...
Patient: Okay....*double sigh*
Specialist: I see you like to eat fruit straps, jam, ice cream, chocolate, sugary cereals and
chewable vitamin C.
Patient: Yes, very sugary aren't they?
Specialist: Well, they all have to
go.
Especially the chewable vitamin C. Very bad for your teeth!
Patient: *triple sigh* Okay...
After trimming down her entire dietary record, the patient was sent off to eat raw fruit and vegetables, rice/wheat crackers with cottage cheese, carrot/cucumber sticks, plain Weetbix and meat.
Dental Girl is grateful she is not hyposalivating.
Labels: Dental School
ABC
Amazing Burberry Cashmere.
My friend called me up a couple of days ago informing me that my precious cashmere cargo had arrived along with her.
I walked down to her apartment the very next day and got these:
I got lost twice along the way. Firstly, I couldn't find the 'Plumber' which apparently is very obvious (yes, it was. I was just too blind to see the sign). Then when I stood
right at her doorstep I looked everywhere but the very obvious door and wondered where it was.
Anyway, I'm really happy with the scarves. Only thing is that the white one is so perfectly white that I'm scared to use it.
I guess it doesn't help that my previous Burberry scarf led a very short life with me.
Courage, Dental Girl, courage!!
Labels: Shopping
Flower Power
Been buying flowers weekly to spruce up the house.
I think after the traumatic year that I had last year, all I'm seeking for is peace and quiet. Thus the fixation on flowers, candles and obsessive rearrangement of all the things in my room and in the house to make everything 'nice and peaceful'.
My mom loves Dental Girl, version After Psycho Housemate a lot. Apparently Psycho Housemate managed to do what she never could - make me make my bed with painful precision daily the second I get out of bed.
I guess I just don't want to be anything like Psycho Housemate. Even now when I think about what I went through, I have no idea how I managed to survive.
I rather be hit by a truck again than to live with another Psycho.
Labels: Life
Cookbook Frenzy
Went to Borders with my housemate today and went slightly crazy with cookbooks.
My housemate noted that all the cookbooks I own were related to desserts and everything related to sweet things, leaving us with no ideas for main meals.
Came home from Borders with these:
Armed with cookbooks, hopefully I'll break out of my Indo Mee with fishcake and sweet chilli sauce cycle.
Labels: Food
Candlelight
I'm obsessed about candles.
It started with a small pillar, but now my collection has extended into multiple pillars, votive candles and tealights.
I've been obsessively reading up how to arrange candles in the most effective way, how to burn candles correctly, basically all the candle literature out there.
I'm insane.
Labels: Obsessions
Sheepskin
I've concluded that I'm not really a friend of animals.
I mean, let's face it. I love cashmere, angora and any form of luxury fibre. I love luxury leather goods, particularly ostrich leather. And I love sheepskin rugs.
Bought this for my room. Been spending my time digging my toes into its warm fuzzy fluffiness.
Did I mention I love eating meat as well?
Labels: Shopping
Restorations
I'm starting to get the hang of things in the hospital.
Get the instrument kits, set everything up, sit the patient down, call the demonstrator, do your cavity prep, call the demonstrator, do your filling, polish and check for occlusion, call the demonstrator, clean up, write notes, charge the patient and drag myself home.
I've done 5 restorations in 2 sessions and I think I'm developing back pain.
Real world dentistry scares me.
Labels: Dental School
