I just had to post this picture, taken not thirty minutes ago.

In case anyone wonders if I ever listen to anything but the Beatles I thought I'd share the track list for the CD I'm burning right now to take with me in the van. It is as follows:

Memphis, Tennessee -- Johnny Rivers

Always -- Bon Jovi

I Want You Back -- The Jackson 5

Hello, Dolly! -- Louis Armstrong

My Girl -- The Jackson 5

A Patrick Swayze Christmas -- from the t.v. show Mystery Science Theater 3000

Love & Affection -- Nelson (shaddup)

Drift Away -- Ringo Starr with Tom Petty and Alanis Morissette

I Just Called to Say I Love You -- Stevie Wonder

Positively 4th Street -- Bob Dylan

It's My Life -- Bon Jovi

See? Only one Beatle-y track on the entire CD. The rest is a bit of an odd mishmash.....not unlike myself, I suppose.

A follow-up, in regards to this entry -- and it's actually good news!

Today was Madalyn's appointment with Dentist C. First off, both the dentist and the nurse were just lovely. They had Madalyn almost totally at ease, which is a major feat in and of itself. I am much happier with their bedside (chairside?) manner with her. Not that the other people weren't nice, they just didn't have that extra something I saw today.

Secondly, all this balderdash about having to sedate her to do the work? Not necessary, just as I thought. We have to get a very low-dose Valium and give her that right before the appointment and the dentist feels that and the gas will be plenty and Mad will do just fine. Yes, I do realize Valium is technically "sedation" but she'll be functional. To hear the other bunch tell it she would have to be knocked out completely using a method that would cost us a lot of extra money.

And, finally, speaking of money: the previous office had quoted us a price in excess of $875 for all the work. Not only that but they wouldn't even entertain the notion of doing the work in two separate visits to break up the cost for us (I asked). One of their parting bits of wisdom for me when we left there was that this new dentist would probably charge even more, what with knocking my kid out and all. Well, I requested an estimate today, with some trepidation. The total price?

$445.

Additionally they WILL be doing the work over two separate visits, as a matter of course. I didn't even request it. So the first visit, the crown, will cost us $200-something and the second, the filling, will be just $185. Unbelievable. Leave it to me to have picked the most ridiculously expensive dentist in town to start with.

Oh, and it turns out my fears of her teeth turning black and falling out were unfounded. Apparently cavities are not that fast-growing. Her first appointment isn't even until March 8th -- another perk, as it puts us past the holidays and all the expenses therein.

So there you have it. Once again things have worked out for the best even though it was impossible to see what was so good about the situation when it first occurred. And you guys were so upset about it! I tried to tell you it would be okay!

Heh.

I just heard the worst version ever of "Winter Wonderland", performed by Paul Anka. Apparently, on the day of recording, Paul received a crushing blow to the head and woke up suffering under the delusion that he was Sammy Davis, Jr. The resulting record is quite tragic. Poor Paul! I do hope he hasn't had any lasting effects from the accident.

The song was followed immediately by a breathy, angst-ridden track by some unidentified emo chick who was boohooing about existential pain and why'd you leave me in the wintertime and blah blah blah. Hey, here's a thought -- perhaps because spending more than sixty seconds in the same room as you would make even the most easygoing guy want to slit his wrists. Ease up a little on the ennui and try to grab some Christmas spirit, Whiny McBummerpants. I hear Prozac has come out in candy cane form this season. Try one (or several)!