Wo-man. Woah-man!

My wife is nice. She got her hair cut short just because I asked her to. . . well, not really. Either way, I think it looks great and thought it would be nice to post a photo of her new look. This is beneficial to both of us--she gets to be seen, etc., and I get brownie points that can be used to buy things!!! Well, this post is already long enough. Enjoy! . . . but not too much!

Tool Time!

These past few weeks I've had several opportunities to use my power tools. I have always been a bit hesitant about starting a big project, especially those involving large saws. It's not that I'm afraid of the tools themselves, but that I may very well make something worse instead of better. I'm finally starting to feel as though I can jump in and try things. The best part is that they seem to always work out one way or another.

The most difficult project I've done involved the installation of a pull down attic ladder in our garage. I figured it would be a semi-quick project, since the ladder mechanism comes assembled--I was WRONG! It took me and a friend an entire saturday. The majority of the time was spent building a "box" or frame in the ceiling, so that the ceiling could support the weight. We also installed lighting in the attic and put down some basic floor support to store stuff. The only big stitch we ran across was when I accidentally put my foot through the ceiling. . . another project for another day.

For our anniversary in January, my neighbor helped me design and build a pantry door rack. It turned out quite nice, and provides additional storage space. Kristen was more than a little skeptical about this mystery project, but she really liked it once it was installed. I still sense that Kristen isn't wholly confident in my "skillz" with my new found hobby. . . it'll come with time I'm sure.

Projects for the near future include installing crown molding, building a deck, planting a vegetable garden, reseeding the back lawn, and others that Kristen is thinking up. It's funny to see her talking to the wives of my buddies, and then turn and say "I want that. You can make that, right?" It is pretty amazing to see what can be done/made at a much lower cost that you'd ever think.

I'm hoping to get the crown molding done by the end of next week. I have several friends coming over to help--none of which has any experience installing crown molding. Hopefully I can get through this project without kicking in the ceiling. . .

HOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAA!!!!! Holla back!

I promised Kristen that I would post a new topic if she bought me an XBox 360. . . she did, so I'm here. How sweet is that!? I am going nuts waiting for the mailman to drop off my new toy--and what a toy it is! The new XBox features better graphics, better games, better control and handling (all in wireless!), faster speed, media play (DVD, MP3, etc.), more online options, internal hard-drive game storage, compatability w/ existing games, and it comes w/ a super cool chrome faceplate.

Don't lie! You know you're jealous. No worries, though. For a price I'll let you play. . . unless you're one of those weird "blog-surfers" that goes around reading random people's blogs in hopes of finding new friends--ain't interested!

The only stitch is that I don't really have any new games to play on it. :( You see, they cost around $60, and there really aren't any cheap, used ones to purchase because the system is so new. My system actually comes with a basketball game, but I think I may sell it on Ebay and buy one that I actually want--namely a "shooting" game, as Kristen likes to call them.

You may be thinking that I'm a complete idiot for buying a $400 system and having no games for it, but you fail to realize the best feature of the XBox 360. . . full compatability with original XBox games. I got's me plenty o' thems! So, I'll be tied over for a few months, until the next holiday wherein gifts are given, i.e. birthday, Father's Day.

Well, there it is. My promise is fulfilled. Who knows how long it'll be till my next posting. . . maybe tomorrow. If you need me, I'll probably be playing games. . . sorry kristen.

Turkeys and stuff(ing)!

Yay! Look who's back, and just in time for my favorite holiday of the year--atleast for eating good food. Thanksgiving is officially less than a week away and I'm getting in the mood for some turkey and stuffin'.

School's been really busy, and it still is. . . sometimes I wonder what is going through the minds of those in charge of putting together our schedule. Today, for instance, is supposed to be a day off, atleast for everyone but the first year dental students. :( We have been granted the wonderful opportunity of having a full day of class. . . not exactly my idea of fun. Another scheduling flaw is the fact that we have a huge final the day before Thanksgiving, and then another the day we get back. I honestly wonder. . .

Anyway, in addition to the company of family, great, heaping portions of food, and relaxation, I'm really excited to be able to participate in the Turkey Bowl again. The past 3 years I've had to organize last minute pickup games on Thanksgiving Day, because those dang Utahns don't know good football. "What's a Turkey Bowl? When's it on, and what channel?" You'd think that a people proffessing to have descended from the LDS greats would have heard of one of their most enjoyable and popular Thanksgiving pasttimes ever. . . whatever.

The only problem now is deciding which of the many Turkey Bowls to attend. I heard our ward had way too many people last year, and more injuries than touch downs--no thank you. I'll probably head over to my brother, Josh's Turkey Bowl, as they have a more organized 4-team "Turkey Tourney". I really hope that I can get atleast one TD. I still remember running back a touch down after intercepting a pass on the last play of the game several years back. . . I felt like a hero. While this was years ago, I doubt I will ever be able to top it. Who knows? This may be the year.

In addition to football fun, we are all preparing to go to a Spurs game. They're playing the Bulls, so it should be good. Well, I wish everyone the best on this, the "funnest" of holidays. May your activities be entertaining, your naps long, your company great, your gravy plentiful, and your turkey moist. Happy Thanksgiving!

A little runaway pride. . .

So, I got my first graded "carve-up" back yesterday, from my Dental Anatomy class. Ever since I first began "carving" (wax) teeth, I have always felt I have somewhat of a natural talent in such things. While I've found myself struggling more than once in other subjects, tooth carving was never hard for me; in fact, people looked to me to give them tips and help them with their own work. That's how I felt when I walked in to the lab last Tuesday for our timed practical carving, anyway.

As I just said, I got it back yesterday and didn't get the grade I had anticipated. While I didn't feel it was my best work, I didn't really feel it merited such a low score. So I spent the entire afternoon venting my frustration on anyone willing to listen. . . unfortunately for her, Kristen was around me the most. Reevaluating my crappy experience, I realize that I greatly overreacted and probably left some of my friends thinking me somewhat of a jerk.

While I still question my professors' analyses of my tooth, I now see little reason to be upset over it. The hardest bit to swallow though, is that I'll have to start working at improving my skills, and no longer bank solely on my inherent talent. I guess now I have plenty of room to improve. . .

Of fish and money. . .

Last night we gathered together for yet another Sunday barbecue at Josh and Jenni's. While there we talked about plans for our Smith boy's trip this upcoming summer. We all agreed that none of us had much expendable income, as poor dental students, but we all wanted to do something just as exciting as past years. The cheapest option would be for us to stay here in Texas and have the rest of the family come down here, but Josh argued that there is nothing that's very fun in this area. I personally think it would be fun to head down to the coast and do a deep sea charter. In addition to saving money in travel, we could possibly stay at our uncle's lake house in Corpus Christi for free! I personally hate losing vacation days traveling from home to where ever I'm going and then back again. This way we could play longer for less money.



If not here, it would probably take place in Utah (where it's been two times already) or Arizona. I think AZ would be plenty fun, seeing as there's good hiking and great fishing. If it takes place in the summer, though, the heat will probably kill us. . .

Whatever happens it is certain to be a memorable trip--someone will pack too much, another won't pack enough, 1-2 fishing poles will break, a reel will be lost, someone will fall in, a day's worth of fish will be swept down stream, all the good food will be eaten during the first two meals, leaving us no choice but to eat a poached fish, a treble hook will get lodged into a float tube, and the truck will get stuck in the only patch of snow on the mountain. In the end, we'll all be glad to get home, and once there will begin talking about past trips and the planning of the next one.



If you have never been a part of excursions like these, I'd highly recommend it. When else do you have an opportunity to run around naked in the woods, fish from sun-up to sun-down, eat an endless supply of granola bars and trail mix, and hear from across the lake the enthusiastic cheer "FISH ON!"

A whole bunch of nothing. . .

As the title I've chosen for this post implies, I can't really think of anything important to write about. I find myself, yet again, in an unbearable biochemistry lecture; and since I have nothing better to do, I have decided to force myself to write something. . .

I'm in week 4 of 11 straight weeks of testing here in my first year of dental school--a little burned out to say the least. Each afternoon I force-feed myself with another 2-4 hours of studying, so as to keep up. Everything has gone fine so far, offering me a small glimpse of what just might turn out to be a silver lining. All in all, dental school isn't as bad as everyone has made it out to be.

In an attempt to not lose you, the reader, as my audience, I will quickly change the subject to more interesting matters. I, like a growing number of middle-schoolers, thoroughly enjoy playing video games. I'm not into the kind that require the "gamer" to sit alone in a dark room, removed from reality, though. I personally like the games where a group of "gamers" gather together, all with the common desire to beat, outperform, and/or kill their opponents. Sure, this may sound "bad" to those not familiar with such forms of entertainment, but I believe that this form of gaming makes me a nicer, less-stressed, and understanding _________ (feel free to plug in your own descriptor: friend, husband, father, lover, etc.).

For the longest time my wife had me convinced that I was one of a strange breed of men, that had missed their "growing-up" stage, and was stuck doing childish things. Little did I know, there are a whole lot of people that share my "childish" impulsion. I have to admit the shame I felt in using Scout outings as an opportunity to recruit fellow gamers. Since leaving the "bubble" of BYU, however, I have had little need of recruiting, because people with my taste in entertainment (and closer to my age) are more abundant. To be honest, I have found myself (more than once) turning down opportunities that I would have jumped at in the past.

While I miss my old gaming friends from the Slate Canyon teacher's quorum, I am glad to be among my gaming equals here in SA, TX. Besides, there'll always be X-box Live. . .

My least favorite stuff.

Alright, I understand this whole favorites thing is getting played out, but I'm struggling to find anything else to write about. While I've already done a favorites list, I have created this little spin-off:

Color: Probably purple and teal, mixed.
Food: Vegetarian dishes, Slim-Fast shakes, granola bars (ever since our Smith boy's trip)
TV Channels: Lifetime, HSN, KBYU
Sport to watch: Soccer, Nascar (unless it's just the crash highlights)
Sports to play: None really. Just being outside is fun.
Ice Cream Flavor: Probably that black licorice "nast" that Erin says she likes.
Junk Food: Red apples (who likes the red ones, anyway?)
Movie: A tie between Strange Brew and The Book of Mormon Movie.
TV Show: Any show having to do with decorating, and pretty much anything with Mr. Bean in it. (sorry Ben)
Vacation spot: Probably somewhere in New mexico, or maybe Mississippi. . . yeah Mississippi is worse.
Drink: Wow! I can imagine a lot that would be nasty--like rotten milk, raw eggs, backwashed water, raw sewage, etc. But in the realm of normal drinks, I dislike just about anything with the word "red" in it.
Restaurants: I don't like expensive restaurants; especially the ones that give you sides like julienne carrots or polenta sculptures.
Author: I don't know. . . I really don't like the Ziggy comics; whoever writes those is my least favorite.
Holiday: I like to think of holidays as a business investment, a cost vs. reward situation. In that case, Valentine's day--I imagine it could be pretty fun, if it weren't for me getting in trouble all the time. Sticking with my theory, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Halloween would be the best.
Season: Winter (in Alaska) and Summer (pretty much anywhere else)
Hobby: I'm not sure if this category really fits in my "least favorites"; that is unless doing the dishes is a hobby--I'm sure it is to some people.
Things to do with Friends: Going to a ballet or wedding. Both boring, but atleast some weddings have food.
Dessert: Dry cake with nasty icing, or cheap cheesecake with jam on it (you know the ones).
Idea for the future: Uh. . . maybe a Lazy-boy toilet--that sounds like a pretty bad combination.
Thing to do on a date: For a girl or a guy? For instance, I would have fun going to an arcade, but I would probably have an angry date; therefore, bad date. On the other hand, doing something she likes could be pretty crappy, too. (i.e. hair salon)
Thing to get in the mail: I could be cliche and say "bills", but I won't. Besides, I would have to say receiving our tax audit was much worse! :(
Things to be surprised with: Exams, poopy diapers, and door-dings.
Room in my house: That little closet where the A/C unit is kept. I think there are spiders in there.
Subject: Chemistry; don't argue, you know it's true.
Music Artist: William Shatner. Though I haven't really heard much from him, I can't imagine it being any good.
Memory of dating Kristen: Being over at Kristen's house for dinner, when my girlfriend called her for advice about our relationship.
Smith Family moment: Being stuck in the brown van for days straight on our annual summer vacations; especially after a country style buffet.

My favorite stuff.

Hey, check this out! I just came up with the best idea--I'd like to share a few of my favorite things. Alright, so it wasn't my idea, but I couldn't think of anything better to write about.

Favorite....
Color: blue and orange
Food: Cheap Mexican, Mid-priced Italian, and High-dollar steaks!
TV Channels: Discovery, Food Network, ESPN, Animal Planet, and GSN
Sport to watch: Basketball (Spurs. . . of course)
Sports to play: Basketball, Softball, Football
Ice Cream Flavor: Baskin-Robbins' New York Cheesecake (I once bought an entire "tub" of it!)
Junk Food: Corn Nuts and Snicker's Ice Cream bars (Where do they grow corn that big?)
Movie: Lord of the Rings trilogy, X-men, and the Shrek's
TV Show: American Chopper, Good Eats!, Myth Buster's
Vacation spot: backwoods Alaska (anywhere there's a salmon run)
Drink: Rootbeer and Chocolate milk
Jewelry I own: Uhhh. . . I ain't queer!
Restaurants: TACO CABANA!, Carrabba's, and Outback (for lack of ever having gone to a really expensive steakhouse)
Author: J. R. R. Tolkien
Holiday: Thanksgiving and Christmas (Halloween used to be my favorite, but Kristen won't let me "trick-or-treat" any more.)
Season: Fall--basketball and football start up, the weather cools off, and the big holidays are on the way!
Hobby: Reading, watching movies, playing games, and gardening (NEW!)
Things to do with Friends: Movies, gaming, and/or eating (preferably all three)
Guilty Pleasures: I've watched "Smallville" on more than one occasion, and kinda enjoyed it. . .
Dessert: homemade Magic Cake!
Goal I reached: I got into dental school, AND passed my first major exam!
Idea for the future: Online Dental Care!
Thing to do on a date: Sirloin Marsala at Carrabba's and go to the Go-Kart "slick track".
Website to visit: www.ricksbear.com
Thing to get in the mail: Packages of any type!
Thing to be surprised with: Cars!
Room in my house: Living room (where my favorite seat is!)
Subject: Animal Biology
Music Artist: Kenny Chesney
Memory of dating Kristen: Going to Fiesta Texas nearly every day of the summer--the rainy days were best!
Smith Family moment: "RV"ing around Alaska, and fishing at Seward
Lily moment: Growling, sniffing, "wiggles", hugs, chasing me around the sofa, getting her out of her crib in the morning, and all the genious things she does.

Lily dumps.

This being a "Smith-boy" website, noone should be surprised by the title of this entry. She did in fact dump; this is not just a ploy intended to attract readers. In addition, this experience was more memorable than the average scooting "b. m." (for those of you not directly affiliated with my family, or particularly my mother, that means "bowel movement"; those not acquainted with such scientific terminology, are probably more familiar using such expressions as "pooing", "pinching a loaf", "dropping the kids off at the pool", "seeing a man about a horse", etc.).

I apologize for the crude intro to this entry, but I couldn't help myself. It makes me laugh thinking about how Kristen told me the other day that our children (and there children after them) will greatly treasure the opportunity of reading my blog, much like a journal or biography of my life. . . hmm. . . maybe they'll be like me and enjoy this kind of stuff.

Anyway, back to the story--just after having her wet daiper removed the other day, Lillian was able to scramble away from us in the raw. We found it quite "cute" that she bear-crawled over to the toy basket with her little bum pointing straight up in the air. Against our better judgement, we allowed her to remain unclothed for a little while. She kept standing up and looking at us, pulling herself up on our laps and growling. . . all the cutie stuff she normally does.

After a few moments, I looked over to where Lily was climbing over some boxes in the office and noticed something strange (yet startlingly familiar) caught between her cheeks. I gasped, jumped up, and ran down the hall, hoping I wouldn't be too late. I wasn't. I caught it--and much like a star receiver successfully pulling in a low toss from the QB, I cheered. Only for a split second, though. . . maybe even less. You see, it didn't take me long to recall that I had a warm, brown log in my enclosed hand. I rushed off to take care of said matters, while Kristen hauled Lillian off to the tub, laughing so hard she could scarcely remain standing.

So, yeah. I have held a poop in my hand. Strangley enough, I don't feel much different. Kinda like when you turn 20 and it feels no different than being 19. . . weird.

PARTY TIME!

While Lillian is still a week and a half from her first birthday, we went ahead and had her party yesterday. She didn't even see it coming. . . you shoulda seen it. . . "it was a good one!" Kind of a joke--even though it wasn't much of a surprise party, Lily was just stoked to stay up 2 hours past her bedtime. She also had some of her friends over (Caden, Kaylie, Colton, and some old people that she doesn't seem to mind), and really scored in the gift department. I think she got just what she wanted--or atleast what I wanted when I was her age--toys, toys and more toys. None of that clothing crap.

Kristen planned the whole event, with cutie invitations, streamers, an icecream cake, a balloon artist (not a very good one, might I add), punch (well, actually lemonade), and other party stuff all in pink. The birthday girl was the center of attention, sharing her graces with each of her guests in turn. She had a chocolate cake all to herself; though she did share quite a bit with the carpet.

As I just mentioned, she got some fun stuff: stuffed animals (Tigger and Piglet); Care Bears cellphone; phone and fax center; puzzles (the really cool, old-school, wooden ones); stacking ring; crayons and sketch pad; a bunch of other noisy electronic toys; and her favorite-- BOOKS!

I'm pretty sure there was more than that, but I can't really remember. We had a great time, and I'm sure Lillian did, too. We're really sad that everyone couldn't make it, but we're glad that we've got some great friends and family here in San Antonio. Oh yeah. . . Lillian wants to say thank you--snhdjkwsjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj fffffffffffffffffffffffffjjjjjjjehy

Lily's treasure

I'm sure everyone thinks that their child is a genious, and I am no exception. I like to point out each and every "accidental", yet praiseworthy, feat that she pulls off. This was so with most recent acomplishment as well--that is until I realized it was more than just sheer luck, as I and others had previously believed.

Ever since I can remember, Lillian has had a thing for remote controls (among other things). Anyway, she enjoys turning them hand-over-hand, while examining every button and light. Recently she has taken to removing the back from the remote, and looking at the batteries. One day she was fortunate enough to discover the wonderful, and apparently addictive, flavor of batteries; this was most likely due to the rewarding amusement she gleans from chucking things on the floor.

One evening I found myself amused by Lily's attempts to reach for the remote. After some effort, she acquired it and began her usual routine of looking it over. Before I knew it, she had ripped off the back and had begun her attempts at acquiring the cylindrical treasures. It didn't take long before she realized that her small fingers were inadequate to the task, so she decided to call upon greater forces. The remote came crashing down, and to Lily's utter delight one of the batteries came flying out. She quickly snatched it up and popped it into her mouth. While this wonderful series of events would have appeased the "everday", "normal" baby, Lillian was only half way to her goal.

She seized the remote yet again; this time not wasting a moment examining it, and quickly threw it onto the floor again. . . nothing happened. . . again. . . nothing. . . and again. Finally, the remote gave up its prize, and the final battery came hurtling across the carpet. She rushed over, popped it into her mouth, and headed toward the VCR remote. . .

Now, I can see how some of you may still be unbelievers, attributing such an occurrence to mere chance. Ashamedly, I, too, doubted what I had seen. . . at first. I decided to set up the experiment again. . . and again. . .and again (sound familiar). Each time she repeated the task, and each time she ended up with two batteries in her mouth! Belie' dat!

Additionally, when she tried replicating the result with the VCR remote, each of her attempts failed. Why? Because the back of the remote is taped on. Since these initial attempts, she has yet to try it with this remote. Stick with what works, I guess.

I have to admit, it has become quite annoying having a remote that works only half the time, and digging between cushions and toys in search of Lily's treasure. . .

Good times.

As I sit here in Biochemistry, listening to the constant droning of my professor, my mind tends to wander to memories of better times. I found myself, just minutes ago, perusing the archived photos on Ben's website (salmoneggs.net), and ran across the pics from our Alaska trip last summer. As I thought back, I began to laugh inside at some of the experiences, good and bad, that we had.

Let me just say, this trip was the coolest trip a person with my common interests can quite possibly imagine. We had planned one fishing trip after another, after another, and so on. Our 1st stop was at the Russian River (noted for its spectacular red salmon runs). The first day, we caught our limit of 2 keepers per person with little difficulty after about 8 hours. Shortly thereafter, we took turns posing with the massive load. Someone (embarassingly enough, it may have been me), however, did not scurely fasten the full stringer to the bank. Moments later, we realized that our long day of work (& fun) had been washed down the river. Josh, Boon and myself went running down the river in search of our lost catch(es), all to no avail. Worried about what the others would say, we then proceeded to recatch our limit (allbeit ilegally). With some amazing luck, we caught about five fish in that hour, but we realized that there was absolutely no chance of recovering them all, so we headed back to the RV and received much ridicule. By the end of our Russian trip, we had more salmon than we would've ever wanted, so it wasn't that big of a deal.

The next stop of our trip took us to the secluded Indian River (well-known for king salmon runs). Armed with bear spray, a pistol-grip shotgun and a .44 Mag, we dove into the wild. Near our campsite, we found a sweet "fishing hole" filled with overweight, overripened king salmon. This is where Josh hooked into the infamous monster shown in the picture to the left. Funny how Josh's fish has a remarkable resemblance to the one Ben is holding in the picture hanging on his office wall. As beautiful and seemingly perfect as this spot was, I was unsuccessful in landing even one of the little guys. In fact, while everyone was admiring Josh's giant (did I mention that it was his 5th or 6th fish?), I was forced to attempt a "netless" landing of the one fish I hooked--you can actually see my struggle in the background of this picture. . .

Had this been the end of our trip, I may have been mildly disappointed. Thankfully, it did not end there, but in the open waters off the port in Seward. With an early start (too early, in my opinion), we arrived at our private charter excited to meet the challenge of the deep blue. We started off fishing for halibut--kinda dull as far as fishing goes, were it not for the reasonable prospect of landing the big one. After a few hours, our hopes dwindled as reality sunk in. . . not to mention our arms were worn to mush. We moved on to salmon (silver) fishing, excited for the change of pace--you know, catch a fish that actually fights back. The fishing was excellent, quite possibly the best I'd ever experienced. Everyone was tearing it up (by "everyone", I mean everyone but Ben), and we were having so much success that the larger charters began to close in around us. Our luck continued while the other charters failed to catch a thing. As you can, I'm sure, imagine, this greatly angered them. We were quite amused by the snarling looks and crabby comments directed at us from those fishing on the boats around us. The tension seemed to increase exponentially whenever one of us would get excited and yell "fish on!" every five minutes or so.

Nearing the end of our excursion, Ben had yet to land a salmon. He was understandably upset, especially since he had ironically planned the whole trip. When we were looking for our last few fish to fill our limit, we hit a large school of salmon; one after another, we began to hook in. Ben, sick of watching everyone else hauling 'em in, "horsed" his line in an attempt to snag one of the schooling fish. Miraculously, it worked. We ended the day one fish over our limit (the excess having been illegally snagged), without anyone getting skunked. Oh, yeah! We also saw whales. . .Wow! Biochem is already over. It's a good thing I've got something to do in here.

Ripped off!

Imagine our excitement when Kristen was offered a "cake" temporary job, babysitting for one of her mom's friends. The woman has a well-paying job as the second at a pretty large company here in San Antonio; so when she asked Kristen what her going rate was, Kristen just told her to pay whatever she was used to paying (thinking that she was going to get hooked up). WRONG!
She said, "How does $40 a day sound." I woulda said that sounds pretty freakin' cheap; but seeing as Kristen is afraid of confrontation, she said it was fine. Anyway, I feel like this woman is completely taking advantage of Kristen, because she's only paying her $4/hr! Oftentimes she's at work even longer than 10 hours without compensating Kristen for the extra time.
I guess I have a difficult time understanding people that take advantage of others in this way. Hey! I'm a student and I don't stiff the waitress or cheap out on the babysitter--what's this woman's problem?! I don't know; maybe I just don't understand how this nanny thing works. . .

Wagon jumper. . .

Alright, alright, alright! So I'm jumping on the "you-know-what". The truth is, I am in desperate need of finding something new to do on my laptop during class. While writing doesn't come to me as easily as it does to others, I hope my comments might entertain some.
I'm not even going to explain where I got my blog's name from; the story's not a good one, and I'm not creative enough to invent one that is. I cringe to think what effect the stories of my goings-on at dental school might have on my audience--what with the horrible smell wafting out of the gross anatomy lab and back-to-back hours of lectures from a man bearing a scary resemblance to Heber J. Grant, it's a wonder I find the will to get up in the morning.
The truth is, dental school's supposed to be horrible and near-unbearable the first few years. . . how else are they gonna weed out the shallow career-seekers. Well, atleast that's what I keep telling myself. . . Who knows, maybe years from now it can be me leaning over the shoulder of a trembling firstyear asking him/her to locate some nerve, artery, or other such meaningless business, which, by the looks of it, has disappeared or never existed in the first place.