155 - Makin' Money

I sure hope it's not a federal offense to make photocopies of money... Okay technically I didn't make photocopies of the money -- I used images that I pulled from the internet and I printed those off on a black and white laser printer, and then I made black and white copies of them, and they're only the front images of the bills... so really, unless someone out there is incredibly stupid, they would realize that I'm not intending to put this money into ciculation. Right? Which is why I'm worried. Because there are a lot of incredibly stupid people out there. =))) (that's a wicked grin in case you were wondering) *sigh* So now that I have 'money' I need to figure out how this system to track my 'disposable income' spending is going to work... maybe putting the 'money' in envelopes, and taking it out when it's 'spent'. I like the jar concept, but I don't want jars cluttering up my countertop... counter space is precious, and they'd have to be awfully cute to warrant a spot. Yeah. Envelopes.

Today I researched Invisalign braces. It's not that I'm vain and have to have perfect teeth or anything, it's just that as my wisdom teeth continue to grow, the rest of my teeth are getting shuffled around... meaning that it's getting awfully crowded in there. Now -- my dentist told me (when I was a teenager) that I have plenty of room for my wisdom teeth, and they're growing more or less in the right direction, so I'm not planning on having them pulled. Ever. No matter what. I even bought a smaller toothbrush so I can get waaaaaaaaay back there and keep them clean... I will find ways to make it work so long as there is no pain involved. And therein lies the beauty of Invisalign -- you don't have to pull teeth to use Invisalign. They claim to work regardless.

So anyway, my already crooked front teeth are getting even more crooked... one of them is crossing diagonally over the front of the other one, and it's difficult to keep the 'space' between the two clean. My teeth don't line up and frankly it's a little uncomfortable... but it didn't used to be so I can only assume it's gotten worse and will continue to do so. My teeth are also beginning to slant inward, or maybe they always have, but I'm beginning to notice it more when my mouth is closed (wait... does that mean I'm keeping my mouth shut more often??? nah.). I've been dealing with it, because I didn't want braces and it wasn't an urgent matter (no pain, no cavities). Mostly because I'm a little scared of the dentist. And by 'a little' I actually mean 'a lot'. But it's time to put on my big girl pants and get it taken care of.

So... for all my financial goals next year, I'm also trying to take better care of myself, and I'm honestly worried about my teeth. Conundrum. I don't want them to get cavities or rot, and I know that there is something going on because in a couple of spots when I floss (as I so rarely do) there is a noticable smell (which I hope is not noticable otherwise, but it's hard to tell when it's your own breath). So... I've scheduled an appointment to see what an orthodontist says, and to get a cost estimate, and then we'll see. I don't think it'll set me back too much... amazing how that term is relative and seems to have become much more flexible as I age... I'm sure I'm not going to like it, but at the same time I'm flexible about paying the car off, it's a want, not a need... so that allows me to do this if I decide to make it my top priority.

But once I decide on 'the plan', I'm going to stick to it... I'm such a mess.

So... engagements should be happy things, should they not? What if you loathe the person your best friend is going to marry? What if he's such a despicable human being that you know her life is going to be miserable FOREVER if she marries this schmuck? (I'm not the only one who thinks he's a schmuck in case you're wondering) And what if you've told her, and she agrees with you... but she said yes anyway? (see?) How do you come to grips with that? I can't figure it out. It makes no sense to me, and when something doesn't make sense it eats at me. It's got me a little down, which is why yesterday's blog was so blah and today's isn't much better. I see a bleak future for my best friend when I know she deserves so much more. But it's her life. I've said my piece, her friends have said their piece, I think my grandmother may have even said her piece... but she's not listening. So I'm sitting her shaking my head and praying that something happens to prevent it from coming to fruition, because it will be a tragedy, and I hope that isn't literal, but the kind of person he is, it may very well be.