I had the day off today, though not because my job honors presidents or their holidays. No, I had the day off because I’d had to work yesterday. Ah well. It was still a day off.

I couldn’t sleep in, though, because I had an early acupuncture appointment (at which I learned that I “look more alive,” which is exactly how I feel), but I’m kind of glad I didn’t get to sleep late because then I didn’t get the chance to fritter away a perfectly beautiful day. I got up and out and got my day going. And when I got back I washed a pile of used ziplock bags (my least favorite chore), swept and mopped the kitchen and got it truly clean for the first time in longer than I’ll ever admit, took care of the trash and the kitty litter, curry combed the cat, and didn’t collapse on the couch in utter exhaustion afterwards! You know what that means? Three days of good energy levels in a row! Oh Frabjous day!!! I can’t tell you how ecstatic I am. I randomly smile during the day just because I’ll realize that whatever-it-is that I just did would have been Work even a week ago, and now it’s just part of living, as it should be.

Unfortunately, the day had one unpleasant interruption: a trip to the dentist. I have one filling that seems to need replacing more often than any filling really has a right to be replaced. I think it got replaced 4 times in one year, once. It had behaved pretty well for the last couple of years, but today it felt like a change. Unfortunately, I have “a-typical anatomy” and am therefore “special.” Yes, those are my dentist’s words. He also used the phrase “I guess we’ll have to improvise,” which is never something I want to hear a dentist say. Ever.

What makes me so special? Well, apparently when you try to numb my lower jaw, you end up numbing my ear and temple instead. Sitting here right now, 2 hours after my appointment, I still have absolutely no feeling in that upper region of my face, but my jaw, lip, and tongue never got the least bit numb. My nerves must be crossed.

Luckily, his improvisation worked out just fine and the rest of the appointment wasn’t the least bit traumatic. I just wish I weren’t quite so special.