Kari's Trip to the Dentist

I was prompted to write this entry after sharing this story. So here is my entry. I will call it "Kari's Trip to the Dentist."

I am 23 years old. I am pretty fun, I love to laugh, I don't like to be touched, and I have a huge crush on Bruce Willis. Don't worry--I'm not writing a personal add. If I was, I wouldn't intimidate future hopefuls with the fact that they will never (ever, in a million years) be as handsome, hilarious, witty, and balding as my man Bruce. It's okay, it happens. This is why it's not a personal ad.
So anyway, that little personal information about myself leads up to this fact: I am not ticklish. I pretty much have never been. In fact--most of the time, if people try to tickle me I end up with bruises because for some reason there is this idea that if I don't laugh they the perpetrator is obviously not squeezing or pressing hard enough. [FYI: that is a total rumor. If you ever find your tickling skills brought into question, don't press harder. That in fact is probably the exact reason you are a horrible tickler: you are hurting instead of tickling] So anyway, I am not ticklish. Not on my feet, not on my back, my "love handles" (as I so UNaffectionately call them), my legs or my neck. Not in my armpits, not on my belly. I'm just not ticklish.
Except. . .
on my lips.
What!? Your lips? How is that possible? What do you mean?
I mean that I can not hum for prolonged periods of time.
I can not play any sort of reeded or blowy instrument.
I can't do that amazing elephant sound with my lips.
I can't play kazoos
because my lips tickle way too badly I can't bear it.

So that being said, I went to the densist today. I LOVE going to the densist--oral hygine is pretty much my favorite type of cleanliness. I will probably judge you based on the cleanliness of your mouth, in fact--so watch that. Okay, I haven't actually done that to anyone before, but there's always the chance.
Anyway, so the dentist went well. I got my teeth brushed and cleaned, and then out came the floss. The hygenist was threading the floss through my braces, and it was brushing up against my lip and I sat calmly in the chair.
Each pass of the floss over my lip, the tickle is welling up inside of me and my eyes start to water. I grab the arms of the chair, keep my mouth open, and she continues to floss. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I had to take a break. My lips were so out of control with tingley ticklishness I could not stand it. I told her I needed a second to collect myself.
I wiggled my nose, and turned my lips in so I could use my braces to scratch them. It was a little embarassing. But once I calmed down, I assumed the position and she continued flossing.
For someone who loves to laugh as much as I do, the unbearable feeling of my lips being tickled is something that is not funny to me. Unless it causes awkwardness, and an ability for me to share it with others.
I hope my humiliation and uncomfortableness was able to bring a smile to your normal and UNticklish lips. :)

Happy flossing!

On Having, Giving, and Showing Respect

We have all been told that we are to show respect.
To our parents, our teachers, authority, among other things.
And we are told to give our respect to speakers, our leaders. . .
In fact, one might say that a good life motto might be to always be respectful.
It seems like a reasonable endeavor: to be full of respect, that we might give it when necessary and show it with our actions.
But what about just having respect?
If we are to be full of respect, where does it come from? Is it just there? Do we already possess it? If we give it, does it come from the overflow of have?
Think hard about the people you know. Is there anyone in there you just don't respect? Anyone who makes you roll your eyes when you think about him? I've got one or two. People who I just have no admiration for on any level. I have no respect for them and I don't know where to get it.
This is confusing to me because I give respect even when I don't have it, and I show it even when it's not there. So where does it come from, and how do I get it? Is faking having respect as good as showing respect? Or is it not really "real" respect?
I've got plenty of respect for many people--surely it carries over, right?
Am I required to have respect for everyone, or just to be respectful of everyone?
Maybe I should just stay away from those who I don't respect.
That's respectable, right?

Some Things in Life Don't Come Naturally

David Hazard taught me to brush the roof of my mouth when I brush my teeth
Kyle Martin taught me how to pretend my car is a stick, when indeed it is automatic
Eric Sharp taught me that chickens don't have lips and worms are asexual
Andy Mascaro taught me proper concert stance
Jennifer Lair taught me how to slide on icy surfaces without falling
Beth Manoogian taught me how to do a cherry-drop off of the monkey bars
Julia Siciliano taught me how to sing in key
Mike Lefler taught me how to do a front flip on a trampoline
My dad taught me to appreciate coconut
Justin and Erin Cornell taught me to appreciate (and play) soccer
Meschelle Wagner taught me how to put a gentle leader on a dog
Gordon Shetler taught me the art of mixing the perfect slurpee
Kara Nulty taught me to be more outgoing
Kara Tipton taught me that kissing is solely for the purpose of looking for an extra taste of food
Kali Herron taught me how to make my hair big
Drew Herron taught me how to use a straw to make fart sounds come from my armpit
Grandma Merilynn taught me how to make thanksgiving stuffing
Stephen Kellat taught me how to be a better listener
Niki Herron taught me how to stay cool and collected when something goes terribly wrong
My mom taught me to always rinse dishes before putting them in the dishwasher
Kelly Mouchet taught me how to play piano based on what note was which key
Claire Sparkman taught me how to sew
Grandma Ellen taught me how to crochet
Nicole Kasper taught me how to swim
Lindsay Gould taught me I could run, even when I'm tired, and still be okay
Ms. Buda taught me that math can make sense, and that doing your homework is important
Mark Phelps taught me that it's okay to fight with God
Rosemary Mittlestat taught me the importance of bringing joy to others
Laurie MacKenzie taught me how to raise the pitch of my voice when I get really excited

Among other very important life lessons, these people and the lessons I have learned from them have played an important role in my growth and development.