Things you'll miss when you have braces

I'll admit it, I wasn't born with good genes. I don't have that perfect smile that would awe mankind or start world peace. My parents couldn't afford braces when I was in high school and they left when I was in college. So when I started working, right after receiving my very first 13th month pay, I immediately surveyed my friends for an Ortho and, voila, metal mouth.

Well, it wasn't exactly living happily ever after once I had my braces. It had some cons - a lot of it.

Here I've listed things I missed doing when I had my braces. (And I promise to be wholesome, dirty head)

1. Biting with your front teeth - your teeth aren't exactly choppers of steel just because you have those stainless steel brackets on your teeth. Your teeth moves for a micro-inch each time you have your braces adjusted for tightening. It moves also when you speak or even when you yawn and all this moving requires your teeth to be loose thus, making it weak. You'll feel this mostly on your front teeth. You can no longer bite into an apple or corn on the cob. Though you can bite into a muffin or bread, but that's just what you can do so be careful munching.
2. Brushing with the up-down motion - Although it is strongly recommended by DOH and the Philippine Dental Association to brush your teeth on an up-down motion, it's hard when you already have those metal brackets on your teeth. And you couldn't just use a flat toothbrush. You either have to use the special ortho brush, or use an uneven brush to clean off the stuff that gets stuck on your teeth. That leads me to my number 3.
3. Eating and get back to work - This is a big no, no. You can't just get back to your normal life after munching on kare-kare or even a cheeseburger. Right after eating, you are left with half of what you've just eaten stuck in between your teeth and those darn metal brackets and wire. You either have to brush right away or use a toothpick for 15 mins. Ignore this step or you'll risk embarrassment when you go talk to your crush with Bagoong stuck on your front teeth.
4. Flossing - here's a visual of what you'll get: each teeth (at least most of it, they usually leave the wisdom teeth) gets a bracket held by ortho cement (the first molar either gets a bracket with tube or a molar band), and then the brackets will hold the wire which will define how your teeth should line up. The wire keeps your floss from reaching in between your teeth. But there's another way to get in between, a bracket brush. It's like a very small brush version of the brush used to clean baby bottles. Or if you try good enough, you'll find a way to get that floos in between your teeth.
5. Smiling - your lips will be dry because they'll be on a different position because of the braces. I suggest petroleum jelly (they're far better than lip balm, never use lip gloss). It's better to use small amounts because a little goes far enough to moisturize your lips. Practice smiling in front of a mirror because you'll look like a dog smiling with your braces. Promise.

These are only a few of the things I remember missing when I had my braces. Next, I'll be giving you some of the things you have to go through before your dentist places those brackets on your teeth.

For now, if you just have your braces "installed". Good luck. But hold on, coz in the end, you'll be rewarded with a nice set of munchers.

Again this is MD and...

Thank you so much.

The Adventures of Utoy: The drunken Kindergarten

DISCLAIMER: I'm reposting this from my multiply page since nobody seems to go there anymore. It kinda looks like the first scene on one of Bob Ong's book, but I definitely wrote this one before the book got published - To say the least.

Now where was I? Oh yeah, Utoy woke up one morning with a huge hang-over and definitely puked his entire body weight while his mother prepares breakfast.
Little did he know that he had just began the greatest adventure of his life.
Let's go back first a few hours..
(shimmering... shimmering...)
Scene: Utoy's mother left him alone in the house to go to the local market.
"Hmmmn, ano kaya ang gagawin ko habang wala si nanay?" Utoy said in his tiny little voice while sitting by the porch where his mother left him.
Minutes passed but Utoy is still surprisingly seated, still wondering what to do. Then he saw one of his playmates, Bugoy pass by their front yard. "Bugoy... Bugoy", Utoy beckokned for Bugoy.
"Uy, Utoy! Bakit parang tanghali na eh hindi ka pa rin nanggigitata sa libag?", teased Bugoy.
"Eh, si nanay, umalis. Sabi wag daw ako aalis ng bahay... bantayan ko daw si nene." Bugoy's eyes lightened up. He always had this crush with Utoy's younger sister. He could've made her moves with her if not only for Utoy.
"Ito, kay bata-bata pa ng kapatid ko! Di pa nga nakakapagsalita ng diretso, mamanyakin mo na!" Utoy hit Bugoy in the head when he tried to peep through the door to see Nene lying down the sofa.
"Uy, Bugoy, may tinda sa kabilang Ice Candy. Manlibre ka naman!"
"Teka, may nakita ata akong barya sa may TV. Dun naman lagi nilalagay yung mga sukli sa pinamili nya. Saglit lang." Utoy stood up and slammed the door shut behind him when Bugoy tried to steal another peep of Utoy's younger sister.
Not a minute passed, the door opened and Utoy went back with coins in his hand then gave it to Bugoy.
"Dalawang piso? Isa lang mabibili ko dito." Bugoy scratched his head in disappointment.
"Hatian na lang tayo, yan lang nakita kong barya eh."
The two kid walked to the house next door and knocked.
"Pagbilhaaaaan!" They shouted as they both each used the coins to knock on the door.
"Pagbilhaaaaaan!" They shouted in synch just to make sure their tiny voice will be heard.
"PAGBIL...", then the door opened just before they shouted in full blast!
A fat lady in her "Daster" and rollers in her hair and smoking a cigarette greeted them. It's Aling Bebang. Although they've known her longer than they knew each other, they were still as surprised as one seeing an ogre. Well, everyone in the neighborhood is.
"Ilan?" Aling Bebang asked as she puff her cigarette.
"Isa p-p-p-p-o" both stuttered.
"Isa lang pala, ang ingay-ingay niyo pa!"
Aling Bebang walked back into her house and returned with two popsicles in her hand.
"O, ayan tig-isa na kayo para matahimik lang kayo."
"Salamat po!"
The two kids ran back to Utoy's house, very happy of the double treats they had. When they came to the house, they both looked at the popsicles - it looks funny. It looks a little to pale for an iced tea or coffee flavored popsicle. But as the kids that they are, they wouldn't care any more. So after biting into the plastic casing, they engulfed the whole content.
One more thing. The popsicle tasted funny. Bitter, but not like the ampalaya they both hated much. It's a bit sweet, but not like the tooth-rotting candies they enjoy.
A few moments more, they feel a little dizzy. But they couldn't pin-point what they feel very much - it's something new.
They tried to talk about it but they were interrupted by a scream from not very far.
"SUNOOOOOG!"
"DUN SA PALEEENGKEEEE!"
Then someone from the crowd asked, "Saan?"
"DUN SA PALEEENGKEEE - diretso ka ng konti tapos kakanan dun sa sakayan ng tricycle. yun ang palengke."
Then the same voice who asked answered, "Salamat informative na kapitbahay na maingay."
Utoy froze in horror. Bugoy looked at him. They both ran to the market.
When they get there, Utoy said, "Ang nanay ko baka nasa loob pa."
Bugoy wasn't listening. He is holding his little pee-pee.
"Utoy, pare, naiihi ako." Bugoy said in a funny accent. Like he's very sleepy.
"Ano ka ba, pare? Shabe ko nasha loob yata nanay ko!" Utoy sounded the same.
Utoy tried to walk around and look for his mother amongst the crowd. But his second step missed an angle so he tripped on the concrete.
"Ayan na pala ang bumbero. Ang bilis naman nila!"
He got up and looked for Bugoy.
He saw him pee-ing...
Pee-ing a lot!
In fact, he pee-ed so much that it looked like a fireman's hose.
He couldn't hold down how he feels. You know when you hear water flowing or when someone mentions something about pee-ing and you feel like pee-ing too?
So he dropped his shorts and let his little pee-pee out and pee-ed too...
A lot.
Soon enough the fire went out.
Everyone cheered!
Then Utoy heared a familiar voice somewhere in the crowd by his left.
"Utoy!"
It was his mother. He was relieved - not only because he pee-ed a thousand gallon.
But then his relief was replaced by sheer horror.
"Sira ulo ka talagang bata ka, hindi ba't sinabi ko na wag kang aalis ng bahay?" His mother was steaming with anger as she hurried to go to Utoy.
Bugoy fainted.
So did Utoy.
Well at least, the town is saved...
and smelled like pee for a week and a half...
Thanks to...
Utoy, the Kindergarten Drunkard... and Bugoy of course!

This is my first blog

This is my first blog, at least in this blog site. I've decided to make this blog to avoid being idle while waiting to get started with my new job. As they say, idleness is the devil's workshop (or something like that).

Now all about me first. I'm MD, as they started calling me when after getting promoted. My real name's a very usual one so if I use either of my first and second names, my team name will be like other team's that's why, after having suggested by one of my QAs, to take the name MD. Also it would sound like: "MD Press!" - a usual expression when trying to prove that what you are saying is true (Mother Die - from the usual phrase we use when we were younger "Mamatay man nanay mo?")

I'd like to make this into a gossip girl-type blog but that idea's already a cliche. I rummaged the house for some things that I could take on for what my blog should be all about when there it was, my retainers, my PSP and that countless idle time I have while waiting for work. I've always wanted to talk about tips on how to survive the 2 years plus of teeth being trapped in metal brackets.

I've also been into Monster Hunter Freedom Unite (PSP), thanks to Bam, James, Janses, Che and everyone at work who helped me reach HR 2 (thanks). I'm still addicted to it. There's something about having to endlessly slay and hunt monsters that gets you hooked on it. Here, I will post what tips I've found helpful and most probably as you all readers to help me on certain quests.

Lastly, I'd like to focus on my daily encounters while I go through these few days of waiting and the things I go through at my new job.

I'll have this blog registered in Pinoy Top Blogs, and hopefully I'll get some followers and make it to the top.

Thank you so much