Apartment Therapy

I picked up the book "Apartment Therapy" a few weeks ago, and I've devoured it in its entirety multiple times already. It calls itself the 8-week home cure, so I'm putting it into therapy for a few months and will hope for the best.

I've lived in my apartment for nearly 7 years and I feel like much of that time has been spent waiting. Waiting for what? I have no idea. The right time? Enough money? The perfect apartment somewhere else? When I'm no longer renting?

I think my apartment is cute on occasion...when the lights are dimmed, a few candles are lit, but all in all, what I've realized from reading this book, is that it lacks vision. It also lacks proper investment by me--investment in both time and money.

(On a side note, with the way the economy is going, I know Suze Orman would tell me that I can't afford to invest any money right now in my rental apartment!)

I'm excited to start working on my home, which goes far beyond picking out paint color.

"When you work on your home, you are working on yourself, and when you change your home, you are changing yourself." -Apartment Therapy, Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan

I made it!

This post has been a long time coming! I'm not sure why I haven't written in so long. Everytime I decided to post something, I just couldn't find anything interesting to say. The "newness" of braces wore off, I suppose.

I think I also knew that it was all going to end shortly. That I wouldn't have an excuse anymore. I couldn't say, "I'll do that as soon as these darn braces come off!" And, yes, I think that frightened me. It meant that if I didn't do whatever I set out to do, it wouldn't be my crooked teeth or braces that would be holding me back. It would be ME. That frightens me. A lot!

Today marks the two-week mark without braces. Woo-hoo! Yes, it is a fabulous feeling. It's that feeling that you dream about--like going to your high school reunion and turning heads. I believe I've turned a few these last few weeks.

I'm also learning how to deal with some of my habits that I've acquired over the, oh, say, 15 years. Like, um, well, not smiling! I can smile now. I don't have to hide my teeth. I don't have to look down and talk to the floor. I don't have to close my mouth for a photo. I can release all that tension. But, man, it does take concerted effort to RELEASE. It's like gaining a new habit, one smile at a time.

I'll leave you with this photo, but I hope to come back to visit this blog for a few more posts. What is holding you back? Let go.

Rubberbands are in the mouth!

Are you as tired of looking at Scott Baio as I am?

Yeah, sorry about that! For the past two months I've been wearing my rubberbands (finally). We are really in the homestretch now. According to Dr. Newman, I should wear them 24 hours a day. In reality, I only wear them while sleeping, so let's say about 7-8 hours a day. I just can't bear wearing them to work, even though I know the process would go so much faster. But these rubber bands don't allow for much movement.

Dr. Newman was very impressed last month as my bite is so much better now. I have one more week until my next appointment and I feel like I need to step up my game a little bit in terms of wearing these rubber bands more. It's just that I'm afraid of becoming that weird dorky girl at work, you know? Or, that weird dorky girl walking down the street. Or, that weird dorky girl ordering a chai. Okay, you get my drift. But for now, I am totally comfortable being a dork in bed at night with the lights off!

Scott Baio is 45 and Single!

So, I was flipping through the channels and came across yet another celebrity reality show on VH1. Scott Baio. Remember Charles in Charge? Wow, what a hunk! Well, I guess he's looking for a wife or something and the bit that I caught was him describing his ideal woman. A 5'4" redhead with braces!

Um, okay, just kidding.

I think he mentioned "blond" in there somewhere, and maybe just a touch of "great body". But what got my attention was that he said he liked imperfect teeth. Scott Baio, what does that mean? And how come I didn't know this before I got braces?

But, seriously, I've got Cab--Scott Baio's got nothing on him!

I think in general lots of people are into imperfection...in other people. It's what makes a person unique. Embracing that imperfection in yourself is what's difficult, but when you do, you scream confident, sexy and attractive. What could be better than that?

The Case of the Missing Blue Dot

What a whirlwind week in terms of braces progress! And it was completely unexpected, which made it whirl even more!

After a several months hiatus without Dr. Newman, we were brought back together.

The first thing he said to me: "Have you been wearing your rubber bands?"

"Um, no, I never got rubber bands," I said.

"Well, let's take a look. Okay, bite down. Bite again. Bite on your back teeth. Hmmm..."

I lie there with my mouth wide open while he's investigating and squinting and poking. My teeth are pretty much there in terms of being "straight." It's just that my "bite" hasn't been cooperating. As Dr. Newman peered into my near-gorgeous mouth, he solved the mystery of Brandy's Imperfect Bite. You see, I have this oddly-shaped tooth that's been interfering with everything and makes my jaw shift to compensate. Therefore, Dr. Newman pulled out this fancy whirring and whizzing tool and shaved a little bit off the sucker and now my bite is SO MUCH better. So much.

He pulled Dr. M over to take a look. They did some ortho speak, but all I could hear was, "and then we can take these off, young lady." Whoa. Butterflies. I got a little nervous.

I still say that when you're in that chair and all these metal utensils are looming, it's hard to ask lots of questions--like "why did you just pop a bracket off my front tooth and put a new one on?" Which is precisely what Dr. Newman did. It looks pretty much the same as my old bracket, just shinier. After he strung the wires through and sent me on my way, I was still reeling with anticipation. I headed for the bathroom like I always do just to make sure I don't look like a total disaster. I smiled big and there was this big blue dot on my new front bracket. I stared at myself in horror.

By now, if you've been reading this blog regularly, or if you know me, you know that I did not go back to Dr. Newman and demand he fix the blue-dotted bracket. I just made my next appointment and went on my way. Stopped for Chai. Met up with a friend and told her the good news and then pointed out my blue dot. "What blue dot? I don't see a blue dot." I thought she was just being nice and said, "Oh, it's there."

When I got home, looked at myself in the mirror, I was convinced of the magical powers of Chai. It had erased my blue dot.

Troublemaker

Another orthodontist's appointment down this week...and not that much closer to knowing when these things are coming off. I'm soooo close, but just not there yet. This marked the fifth week since my last visit and it's amazing what an extra week can do to you! I walked in and everything seemed a little foreign to me, like I hadn't been there in years.


When it was my turn to get in the "chair," the very nice and funny assistant asked me if I wouldn't mind a silver tie (instead of clear) on my "problem child" tooth. I just looked at her and said, "No, I can't do silver." She looked at me with wide eyes. "I'm just kidding!" I said. For some reason I was in a goofy mood that day. "You know, you scared me for a second," she said. I'm usually such a good and quiet patient. I don't cause a ruckus. I let them do crazy things to me and I just sit back with a smile.


She added some new ties and sent me on my way. When I went to make my next appointment (4 weeks, thankfully!), the woman at the front desk said, "There's my Brandy! Such a sweetheart!" The assistant piped up with, "If you could have heard her today!" Uh-oh, I don't want to start getting a reputation. I kept saying, "No, no, really, I was just kidding!" "Right! Sure you were!" she said. At least I livened things up a bit!

The interesting thing is that my teeth are still shifting, even they look really darn straight. But my bite is ever changing and I think that's what we're all waiting on. I've also noticed the appearance of cheekbones lately. I'm not sure if it's possible for someone's jaw to narrow, but if it is, then that's what mine seems to be doing. And, as a result, I am constantly surprised by this shadow that shows up on my face highlighting my cheekbones. This combined with the fact that last week a stranger told me I had amazingly high cheekbones has me convinced.

Till next time...

Well...

I was hoping that this post would reveal my fresh new smile. And, so, I waited and waited...and waited until I could deliver the big news, but, alas, I'm still not ready to deliver. There was no more mention of the rubber bands either, and I've been back to the orthodontist twice since then. Each time I sat in the chair I told myself to speak up and ask, "So, what's the ETA on these suckers?" And everytime I chickened out, afraid that Dr. M would say, "6 months" or even "a year." I go back in again for another appointment in 1 1/2 weeks and I've promised myself (again) that I'll ask!

If you've been a regular around here, you might remember the very stylish "French but really Polish" girl I met with braces last Fall--one of Cab's friends. Well, Cab ran into her last week at an art gallery and she, too, still had braces. It turns out that her orthodontist told her the same thing--it'll only take a year, but now it's been a year and a half!

For months now Girl Ray has been trying to get me to watch this interview of Liv Tyler on Conan O'Brien. So...she finally wrangled me into her apartment last week and sat me down in front of the TV. She said that Liv Tyler reminded her of me. It had never really occurred to me that I might have Liv Tyler's "essence," but within a few minutes, I was convinced. I mean, we already both have dads who are rock stars! And, of course, why would I be writing about this on Tinsel Teeth if it didn't have something to do with braces, right? Yes, Liv Tyler had/has braces. Well, Invisalign to be exact. And, she, too said that the orthodontist told her it would take a year, and two years later...well, you get the picture! (By the way, it was very hard to find a photo of Liv Tyler with an open mouth smile!)

So, it's official--there's some kind of conspiracy amongst orthodontists. They convince all us adults that "it's only a year" and we snatch up the bait, get these big metal wires on our teeth and we're stuck! I'm actually secretly thankful for the conspiracy--sometimes you need someone to pull the wool over your eyes in order to get things done!

On the Fast Track

This past Tuesday was my one-year marker with braces. So, yes, soon! This week Dr. Newman asked if I could come back in two weeks and when I made my appointment, the assistant said, "Oh, he's got you on the fast track!" I knew that had to be a good sign. Dr. Newman also mentioned that next time I would be getting rubber bands. I've been able to deal with nearly everything with a smile on my face, but rubber bands? I'm not so sure about that. I did a little research about them and at least one source said that rubber bands come at the end of treatment and help to align the teeth in a way that braces alone can't. Even if it's not my cup of tea, I'm still going to have to wear them so I might as well get over it! I wasn't confident enough to ask him for an estimate on getting these things off, though. The closer it gets, the more nervous I get!

Quote of the Day

Give someone your smile. Regardless of how many they've received today, they need yours.

- from Life's Little Instructions

Updates

I'm embarrassed that I haven't posted in so long. I'm embarrassed because it's not like I didn't have anything to write about. I just didn't write. I was afraid I had forgotten my password. But, I didn't, so here we are.

• The one year marker is coming up very soon--like 3 weeks soon. One year. This is when I was promised perfect teeth, right? Today I had an orthodontist appointment and my plan was to ask, "how much longer?" But I chickened out. I was afraid he'd say something outrageous like "3 more months." I just didn't want to think that way. What Dr. Newman did say is, "Brandy, how about coming back in 3 weeks? Let's try to move this along a little quicker." Now that's what I like to hear! I'm almost there. Just a few more nudges.
  
• All in the Family: My brother got his wisdom teeth taken out last week. Al l four at once. It was the first time he'd been to the dentist in at least 5 years. Probably 10. We are not a family known for regular dentist's visits. So, in addition to a teeth cleaning and wisdom teeth extraction, there is the possibility that my bro might be getting braces as well. I think he saw mine and thought, that's not so bad. Yay, yay, yay! I hope he does. It just so happens that braces are also about half the price in the South.
  
• Speaking of price, I officially paid off my braces today. Really. Totally. Finished. No braces debt. Wow, that feels good!
  
• I've already started planning my "Smile Party" in my mind. Start practicing your smile--I am!