what do dental cleanings and manicures have in common?

In the U.S. the answer would be nothing. You get your teeth cleaned (ideally) ever six months - manicures require more frequent upkeep. Dental cleanings cost more then manicures. Dentists go through more schooling then manicurists. However, in Brasil, they do have something in common - they both hurt, ALOT! Brasilians, perhaps as a result of valuing beauty so highly, must have one of the worlds highest tolerances for pain. I say this because I´ve experienced more pain here in the last 3 months then probably the past 3 years in the states. Between waxings of places that don´t see the light of day, ruthless removal of cuticles, and bleeding gums I´m suprised I am still standing.

Speaking of health (kind of)....I have a sore throat. I can´t believe it. If I get sick again it will be the third time in 3 months. Every time I get a great workout routine established - bam - sick again. WHY me?!? I eat well, drink lots of water, and sleep tons. How can this be happening? Granted the weather here is crap - it changes radically every 6-8 hours. And I´m fragile, as my aunt lovingly says. What does that mean? I´m easy prey for the germs of others. I´ve started volunteering at Gotas de Flor com Amor again and those beloved children that live in squalor and have no health insurance carry what seems to be a near cousin of the 1919 flu epidemic - I sometimes worry it is TB when they cough (and they smile and play right through it). Also, when I get stressed I get sick. I´ve been stressed lately. Not even in a bad way - just in a "learning a new language, culture, family" kind of way. That´s not to say I don´t have a GREAT, blessed, life.

My friend Leah blogs on her myspace page and I love it. Recently she posted about feeling down and out. She made a great point that I just have to borrow: "Sometimes stuff just sucks....... Granted, I am not incapacitated or starving or dying of the Bubonic plague, so some may say that I should always be happy since I have never experienced those things, but I don't feel so happy. " I too realize that my problems - in comparisons with others - are trivial. I don´t worry about where I will get my next meal, on the contrary - I worry about stopping myself from eating all the goodies in the fridge. I don´t worry about living in a war zone, I worry about whether the taxi driver will rip me off. I don´t worry seeing my loved ones unfairly imprisoned or tortured, I worry that their next elective plastic surgery will look bad. But my pops once told me that comparison is the source of most suffering. I agree. I clearly keep in perspective all my blessings and that my stresses are relatively minor, but they are still stresses for me and as a result I have a sore throat.

I just want to briefly mention that I had the best wedding food I´ve ever had in my LIFE at my biodad´s wedding on Saturday (hopefully his last). They prepared a vegan mushroom risotto just for me and I´ve never tasted anything more divine. I think the key is that they prepared it just for one - he was adamant about having food for me. When I first became vegetarian at age 15 he was very unsupportive - the exact opposite is true now. It fueled me through an after party of karaokê with friends, in the dress I had worn to the wedding. I turned a few heads - because a floor length, bright green, evening gown stands out, even in the midst of a hot, sweaty, plastic floral decorated, neon light, karaokê bar. I had fun - but I only made it until 3 or so. With this sore throat it will be no more 6am curfews for a while.


Okay - I just ate a large bowl of yummy veggie soup and am off to watch Harry Potter. It just arrived here. Cheers!