False Fangs

So went to the dentist today to check out my broken crown prior to going to Greece for two weeks. Good and bad news.

First the bad news. I have at least two cavities, both on either side of the tooth with the crown. And they are not tiny either.
And my teeth have shifted considerably from when they were straight with invisalign. I kinda feel like I wasted two years and three thousand dollars.

Now the good news. I have a dentist here. I only broke of a large portion of the porcelain crown, the metal structure underneath is intact. So I can go to Greece with my "broken" crown on and just keep gluing it back on as needed. When I return it will be temp crown, new crown and getting fillings filled.

I hate my teeth and my mouth.

4th of July ten years ago....

4th of July, 2007. The day I got home to San Diego from Iraq.

I slept. I shaved my beard off. I drove a regular car in traffic with real traffic rules. I hiked to the top of Cowles Mnt. I was startled by fireworks noises for a while. I had amoebic dysentery and a week later would be hospitalized with a fever of unknown origin.

But I was home. In a free country, fresh from a war.

I loved 4th of July before, it's in my top three holidays. (Thanksgiving is #1, then my birthday and then Independence Day!)But now I feel it and love it even more. I've seen the ups and downs of the US, its people and its perception around the world.

I'll be eternally thankful for the sacrifices and strength to follow their convictions of those Revolutionaries.

Pic, me July 4th, within hours of arriving home.

Today was the type of day....

where I considered quitting shooting and taking up tennis. It is soo hard and sooo frustrating to get perfect technique for some things and then be able to do them perfectly, at full speed. It's both maddening and disheartening.

I've been googling country and racquet club memberships for the past hour.

Satire

Beards. You know who has them?
1. Terrorists. Whether they are Chechens, ISIS, followers of Che, ultra right wing Jewish settlers, the Uni Bomber, Black Panthers, Hamas and so on. People who instill terror in other people for a political motive. That's who has beards.

2. Lazy people. They have a beard simply because it is easier than shaving. These people also never make their bed or wash their truck.

3. People without access to hot water, razors, soap and a mirror. People who've been kidnapped for a long time, certain other prisoners, people with jobs in remote places for extended time periods. Basically forced upon them by hardship and circumstance.

4. Closely related to some of the other categories, but religious figures or even religious nut jobs, depending upon your adherence to their teachings. Pick your historical, mythological or other poisoned stereotype and put it here.

5. The cruelest and in my observation most prominent, the compensatory beard. A beard is a push up bra for masculinity. A symbol or proof of manhood and testosterone because your actions and other outward appereance does nothing to convince strangers or family that you have a surfeit of masculinity. Rather than having to have surgery and change your shirt size you just skip some of your grooming for 2 months and voila, you're suddenly thinking that other people are thinking you're more virile, handy around the house, lift more at the gym or whatever other "beastly" activity you want to think of.

And of course your beard figures prominently in your Instagram posts. Look at it. Look at it.

Pocket Change

So I do some private firearms teaching, via word of mouth. I have a competitive rate at $25 per hour, per person. So I teach a lot of 1's and 2's. Which is fine by me as I like giving individual attention rather than running a line of shooters.

I spent the morning today teaching a doctor mostly how to change his grip and better determine where his focal plane should be during various actions. A good morning as he adapted to the changes and there was visible results on the target in a positive direction. Success!

With that bit of cash from spending a morning teaching I was then able to buy today:
-2 mag pouches for IDPA for my 1911 $30
-Kershaw pocket knife $40
-3 shot package of B-12 injections $50

All little things I wanted to do for a while but was able to do without showing any $120 effect on the bank account. And that makes me smile as well.

That thing they say about real estate.

Looking at the next long term move, at least in the discussion phase these are the towns that get brought up and why or why not they'd be acceptable. The basic requirements are that 1. It be a larger town for that particular state. 2. It have an international airport in less than an hours drive. 3. It have all the religious buildings less than an hours drive. 4. The presence of family within a two hours drive. 5. Acceptable venues for food, entertainment, outdoors, shopping and hobbies. 6. Consideration given to the natural and cultural environment of the greater area. 7. Presence of universities and higher education.

So in no particular order:

A. Las Vegas, Henderson, Summerlin area. Not on the list but definite plus of the area are the housing prices and taxes. It would also be easy to reconnect with San Diego friends. One of the things missing is proximity to family by car, though the airport and number of flights from that location could help offset that.

B. Austin, Georgetown, Round Rock. This is probably the primary area for search efforts. It would really click a lot of the family stuff off the list at an appropriate time. But church stuff is far. And a big airport is a drive as well.

C. Rockwall or other nice suburbs of Dallas. Sometimes you have to go where the work is, and this might be that kind of option. It just doesn't have family within the parameters of an ideal spot. Also not sure how I'd feel about it being a 'this could be the last place you live' kind of thing. I do miss the West and feel more at home there.

D. Denver and surroundings. Family super close. Church stuff super close. Big airport. Lots to do. Back in the West. House prices are higher than other places and the winters are the only negatives. Other than that on paper is really looks good and I feel good inside about it. Also, other family might relocate there as well which makes it a stronger consideration.

E. Boise. I don't know why, but this does come up as a location. It would need an in person visit to figure out before any serious consideration was given to it.

F. Random places of chance or opportunity. Bend Oregon. Mesa Arizona. Places that don't meet maybe half the things on the list but present something else soooo strongly they have to be considered. Professional life and quality of life bonuses could make something like this happen.

Another sign I'm "old"

I had a good Father's day but I think it was also another sign I'm getting old. Super D gave me a gift early. I didn't receive a card from anyone. Only J texted me, no calls or any contact from M or K. I chit chatted with my dad for a bit on the phone. I had a simple dinner that I wanted.

No formalities, no extra communication, no special lovin'. Just simple, brief acknowledgement. I think the fact none of that bothered me in the moment is a sign of getting older. Accepting things more quickly and easily comes more readily as one matures I guess.

I now have a sweet Yeti cooler for matches and stuff now.

So Happy Father's Day!