Life, Tater Tots

Screw It, I’m Eating Tater Tots- Episode 31

Writer McWriterson

If you’re new to my blog, welcome! Here is an explanation of the tater tot post.

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com

Random

Why are there no door in dentist’s offices? Every dentist I’ve ever visited does not have a door to the examination room. Why? Is there a reason for this? I even looked it up on the internet, and no one is asking that question. We just go to the dentist and never think about why there aren’t any doors on the exam rooms.

Then it made me question if I live in an alternate reality where only I go to dentists with no doors on their examination rooms. Or I’m simply being obtuse and missing a major point.

Sorry

Last month I read Stephen Levine’s book A Year to Live. After finishing the book, I went online and discovered that he died in 2016. I stumbled onto his wife’s website and found an incredible page full of apologies. People writing anonymous apologies to loved ones they never got the chance to tell, or perhaps someone they loved died too soon. In any case, it was this lovely online portal full of remorse, love and release. I couldn’t wait to share with all of you.

Anyone is welcome to leave an apology. You don’t need to be a member or have to sign up. Here is the link:

Levine Talks – Stephen and Ondrea Levine

Car(a)

My friend River said on her blog that she owns a seven-year-old car named Ethel. I, too, have a seven-year-old car, but I’ve never given her a name.

So I want to enlist your help in naming my car. I’m open to all suggestions.

I read a very tragic story about a family who died while hiking in California in August. Their deaths were a result of heat stress and dehydration, which could’ve been avoided.

The above graphic was shared on Twitter as part of a conversation about the deceased family, and it is sound advice for anyone, experienced or inexperienced.

So I’m sharing this with all of you in hopes that you’ll share it with those you care about that hike or enjoy being outside.

*I accept no responsibility for the spelling of the word you’re mentioned in the tweet above. It’s still good advice.

What I’m Reading

The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer

I Don’t Want to Be An Empath Anymore by Ora North

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Dummies by Rhena Branch and Rob Willson, PhD

Wake Up to the Joy of You: 52 Meditations and Practices for a Calmer, Happier Life by Agapi Stassinopoulos (Thank you for the recommendation, Ally Bean)

I wrote about my TBR list a while ago, but I’m reading the books you recommended out of order. Long story, that I plan to discuss on this week’s podcast.

What I’m listening to

I used to love this song, but after hearing it in Nine Perfect Strangers, I fell in love with it all over again. It’s taken me this long to discover, after listening to the words, that this song is about meditation.

What I’m watching

Last week, I introduced Ella to Fried Green Tomatoes. She loved it. Idgie in particular. 🙂

What I’m clicking on

The Dark Side of Mother Teresa. Mother Teresa, A Saint or a Fraud? | by Sal Writes | Lessons from History | Medium

Feel the Music—Literally—With Some Help From New Synesthesia Research | Science | Smithsonian Magazine

Burning Bay Leaves Safely for Manifesting a Wish

Who Is the Bad Art Friend? – The New York Times

Stephen King and Matt Groening Retire Their Rock Band After Learning Almost Four Chords | Vanity Fair

Creative Ways to Start Your Morning on a Good Note | Wit & Delight

How to Calm a Panic Attack: Try Sucking Sour Candy, Therapist Says

What I’m quoting

Happy November.

69 thoughts on “Screw It, I’m Eating Tater Tots- Episode 31”

      1. My dad was a dentist. I’m remembering his office and the operatories (that’s what they call the examination rooms) didn’t have doors. At least I don’t remember them. I’ll ask him.

        Liked by 2 people

      3. I called my dad tonight. His first words were “Why do you need doors?” He explained that unlike doctor’s offices people aren’t undressed. There is no need for privacy. He said It makes it easier for assistants, hygienists to move in and out with sterilized instruments. He also said at dental schools and in the Navy when he was a dental tech there was an open room with chairs and no doors. So it was how they learned to set up an office.

        Liked by 1 person

  4. One reason for the no-doors might be this…patient safety (and also to protect the dentist) from improprieties or accusations thereof, while performing procedures. Although my ex-dentist did subtly cop a feel by leaning his arm on my breast while he was working on me…fucking lech. And this was with a tech across from him, and in a doorless treatment area. I was helpless as he had sharp instruments in my mouth. Yuck. Since him, I have never had to deal with a dentist who felt the need to press on any part of my body with their arms while working in my mouth. Go figure.

    Deb

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    1. You’ve got it!
      Female.
      She’s been through a lot with me (my perimenopause, a teenager who learned to drive her, numerous trips to Tennessee and back while my parents lived there).
      She consumes gasoline like I consume chocolate. That’s code for going through a lot in a short amount of time.

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  7. Our dentist’s office is in an old house so we have doors on MOST exam rooms (a large rooms with x-ray machine is in what would be the entryway). I have never named a car that I’ve owned… I always think it’s cute when others have creative names but I just don’t think of names.

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    1. I get what you mean. My former dental practice was in an old house with doorways, but they were removed.

      I can’t always come up with original names for stuff like that, which is why I asked for help, LOL.

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      1. Our offices kept the doors on and they hand the lead aprons and things on the backs of the doors. They’re always opened as far as I can remember but the rooms do have doors.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. My dentist office IS an old house with the doors removed from the rooms. What?! They just put on a huge addition so it no longer looks like the tiny house that it once was. Stupid progress and expansion. Also, for a fun tidbit my dentist is a man whose kids I once babysat for and now one of his sons has joined the practice. I’m like HI, I CHANGED YOUR DIAPERS, PLEASE BE KIND TO MY SENSITIVE GUMS.

        Liked by 1 person

      4. Years ago, our former dentist’s son joined his practice as well. It was funny because I remember him in college, and then all of a sudden he’s doing my filling. What?? 😉

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  8. I think dentist offices without doors is how it just is. Right? Nothing funny can happen behind THE OPEN area. Or at least I hope so.

    I’ve never named a car before. I just call it My Car. Maybe you should name yours Suzanne’s Car.

    Totally loving the new Billy Idol song. I love Chris Stapleton and Joy of my Life is my favorite right now.

    The quotes are great and I can totally relate to Worrying.
    Also, loved seeing Maddie’s quote in there. 🙂

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    1. That’s the general idea I’m getting from most people. So, why do all other doctors’ examination rooms have doors?

      I should name mine Suzanne? That sounds legit. I was calling her Titty Bang Bang, so…

      I’ve been listening to Joy of My life most of the afternoon. Thank you for the suggestion. 🙂

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  9. Never named an appliance/car/anything other than my son so I am no help here. My theory on the door-less operatories is in regards to the x-rays. I just had those God awful bitewing x-rays on my last visit. The hygienist tortured me by shoving those little cards in and RUNNING back to hit the start button right outside the room – I assume a door would hinder that and result in a patient choking to death on an x-ray film.

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      1. It really is, and I’d never read a book on that topic which is why it struck such a chord. Definitely requires pauses to absorb. In fact I’m thinking I should revisit it again soon, because I’m sure I didn’t grasp it all the first time!!

        Liked by 1 person

  12. I used to have a GPS named Calpurnia, but I’ve never named a vehicle. I don’t know why, because it seems like the kind of thing I would do.
    The dentist thing, my guess would be better hygiene? No one touching a knob before they stick their hands in your mouth?
    I took my old body out into the woods today but I didn’t sing and I’m still kind of worried. Anxiety is stupid that way. The woods was nice, though. Also, now I want tater tots.

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    1. I am laughing out loud because you named your GPS rather than your car. That’s something I’d do. Let’s be friends.

      Go see the comment from Elizabeth (E.A. Wickham). Her father, who was a dentist, explained why.

      Anxiety IS stupid. The woods occasionally help mine, but tater tots always help. 🙂

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  14. I love, love, LOVE Mary Oliver and also Wake Up To The Joy In You! I read a chapter of the latter every week, and at least one Mary Oliver poem weekly too.

    I have a minivan, and I call her Vanna White. My mom says it’s not a good name because it’s charcoal, not white, but I stand by my decisions.

    I hike a lot and another good point is to not go too late in the day – people can get lost in the dark on the way back! Yikes. Good thing I’m an early bird 🙂

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    1. I recently finished Mary Oliver’s book Devotions. SO good!
      I read Wake Up to the Joy in You every morning, and I just finished reading the chapter Allow Your Timing, and I almost want to read the whole chapter on my podcast.

      VANna White! I love it! It’s even better because your van is charcoal, LOL.

      That’s another good tip!

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  15. Oh how I love Fried Green Tomatoes. I haven’t seen it in forever. Might be time to re-watch.

    I had not heard of a family dying while in the wilderness. The heartbreak.

    I’ve always been in a dentist with no doors. I never thought about it, but it is probably to eliminate any accusations of foul play behind closed doors.

    You’ve reminded me that Nicole recommended that I read Wake Up to The Joy of You book and I still haven’t started it.

    I love the Ralph Waldo quote. So wise.

    Our family’s 1976 Chevy Impala station wagon was Betsy. It suited her. Still driving The Great White over here. Replacing a big van is impossible right now. She is still chugging . . . barely.

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    1. It’s one of my favorite movies of all-time. Throughout the movie, Ella and I were both in tears.

      It was a one-year-old infant, as well as a dog. It’s heartbreaking.

      That was my friend’s theory, but a friend in the comments asked her father, who used to be a dentist, and he stated something completely different.

      You’d like that book, Ernie. It’s quickly becoming one of my favorite books of the year. Even if you don’t meditate, the stories at the start of each chapter are worth reading.

      That quote is also one of my favorites. Everyday, Gratefulness.org sends me quotes to my email inbox, and they have the best quotes to start my day. That was one of them.

      I thought of Great White as I wrote this post. 🙂

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  16. I’ve been going to the same dentist for years; he has a small practice in an older building, nothing fancy or high tech, but yep, the three exam rooms are wide open! The only thing I don’t like about that is when you’re sitting in the waiting room, if they leave the door open to the hallway that has the exam rooms, you can hear everything he or the hygienists are saying to the patients!

    I’ve never named my cars. I have a cousin who names his cars and I always thought that was funny. So I shouldn’t say never…at one time, I called my Honda Accord (which I still have as a back up car…it’s 20 years old!), “Henrietta Honda” a few times, but it never stuck. Guess it wasn’t meant to be.

    xoxo

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    1. I’m sure you can hear the drills as well! Another suggestion I have is to provide patients with music-playing headphones while they work on their teeth. The dentist can then periodically pipe in their voice to ensure that the patient is doing well. If it hasn’t already, I’m sure it will happen in the future. I love my dentists office, but the noises make me nervous.

      Henrietta Honda is a sweet name. 20 years old! That’s amazing!

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      1. I know you can listen to music via headphones while at the dentist, but then I wondered how you’d communicate with the dentist or hygienist working on your teeth! So I like your idea much better. I hate the noises, too. Plus the smells.

        Hondas (and sometimes, Toyotas) last forever! 😉

        Liked by 1 person

  17. I’ve only ever named one car. It was an 82 Ford Ranger pick up that burned oil horribly. Her name was was Sylvie and was named by a good friend. She died two blocks from my house when I was coming back home from a summer job and before I left for college and couldn’t be brought back to life. I’m not really a namer of objects – it’s one of the reasons Marie Kondo weirded me out. I definitely believe things have and hold energy, I just feel weird anthropomorphizing them.

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  18. You had me at the Tater Tots! The best title ever.

    Much of this post resonates with me, but the Levine book and apologies most deeply. A family estrangement is occupying my mind. I fear it will be a long one. It also contributed to my ending my blog, which I would have paused rather than end if this wasn’t going on.

    Time to slow down, reflect, and do some “interior work” that I tend to put off. Your list of books looks intriguing. And music is downright therapeutic. I listen to my favorites a lot, especially the Eagles and Don Henley’s solo work. Good for the soul.

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    1. I’m glad you think so! They’re delicious.

      Oh, Sally, I’m very sorry you’re having to go through this. But I’m glad I shared the link in this post, and I hope you can use it to work through your thoughts, either online or with pen and paper at home. I’m sending you a lot of love since I know how important my blog is to me. I’m sure this was not an easy decision.

      All of these things are beneficial to the soul. I hope you will keep reading your favorite blogs and that we will continue to inspire you.

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  19. Kari you lovely person! You quoted my zany quote! Eeeep! And right when crappy real world events in my life were robbing me of my words. Very surreal. I’m still kinda wordless, so I apologize for my stilted comment. But know that your blog continues to inspire me (maybe now more than ever?) and I thought it was a hoot to see my random self in your marvelous blog. I don’t really feel worthy though! But I do love how the quote is like some bit o’ conversation you overhear while standing in line for an Orange Julius at The Mall. And then the conversationalists (two besties of indeterminate age) move off and you’re left thinking… well there’s a story *there* by gum.

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