In any case, today’s picture is of the lovely Angela and my mad-doctor dad. I put it up because it’s a good picture that I took, but also because I have teeth problems these days.

When I was a kid, I was one of the lucky few that never had to have braces because I had great teeth. But lately, my gums have been receding even more than my hair, and I’m not sure why. I asked a few dentists, and some said it was from not flossing enough, and others said it was from flossing too much. The dentist here in Costa Rica said that it wasn’t a problem. Many people have blamed all the coffee I drink, but they don’t realize that coffee is delicious. This has been going on for a while now, and when I was a Teaching Assistant for the Scandinavian Department, my boss even gave me the Viking name of “Ryan Battle Tooth.”

Anyhow, who knows what’s going on, but my teeth sting sometimes when I eat…well, almost anything. As I said, I’ve talked to a dentist here in Costa Rica, but I don’t trust her much. She’s Angela’s dentist, so that should be a bit comforting, but Angela also comes from a culture where “dentalwork” can mean throwing the baby out with the bathwater; many people around Berlín and in her family simply had all their teeth pulled and replaced with dentures. Plus, the dentist’s office here is less clean-looking than my dad’s dental clinic in Colorado…and he’s a veterinarian.

So dad, can you book me for some gum grafting when I come home for Christmas?