"Please DO NOT call me CUPCAKE!"...by Jim Terry

From my understanding and in watching the news, it has been quite an end to the winter weather-wise. Warm today, gone tomorrow. Rain one day, snow tomorrow. Even in the south, where people may complain when they reach temps into the upper forties, we saw, what appeared to be, a setting more clearly suited for polar bears and penguins. Is this a sign of what is yet to come weather-wise for the rest of the year?

Spring, as you know, is just around the corner. Actually, it is today. And with spring comes the joys of seeing warmer weather and the ability to get out and take in a little vitamin D. Funny how a hike outdoors in the warm sun, even if it is only fifty degrees, can make a world of difference in one’s attitude. I tried this myself the other day before work and went in with a renewed sense of self, positivity, and attitude.

And with my newfound attitude, there was NOTHING that was going to get me down on that day. The patients were great. The doctor I work with is great and the coworkers I have are also great. That day, all things considered, could easily be classified as a "great day!" There was only one little thing that may have obstructed me from having the good day that I experienced.

With the pandemic comes new protocols and safety concerns for us in the medical field. What was once a single level 2 mask in dentistry is now an N95 mask covered with a level 2 or level 3 mask dependent upon the procedure completed. We also now wear a splash guard or face shield over those masks and talking to patients without a mask, even at a distance, is now gone. Also what was once an uncovered head now requires a surgical cap to help with splatter from the procedures. This also makes it much more uncomfortable for the would-be provider because of all of the retained heat. All I can say is, “Thank goodness for fans!”

So as I got to work and was “suiting up” for the day, I looked around for the last item I just spoke of…my pale blue surgical cap. I purchased this in order to stay compliant with the protocols set forth by the doctor and of course to be safe in the current pandemic we are in. Generally, she, the doctor who shall remain nameless😁, takes care of the laundering of the laundry at the end of the week and has it ready to go for the employees the following week. I looked high and low in the area where it was supposed to be located and to my dismay, I did not find it.

I am not trying to be chauvinistic when I said this next statement, but the book by John Gray “Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus” really is true. We are worlds apart, most of the time, when it comes to what movies we may want to watch, what cars we may want to purchase, and definitely in what we may wear.

T-shirts and denim are always a good choice for us men that live on Mars. Women however like to spruce it up with paisleys, flowers, lace, makeup and may finish things up with an “eau de parfume” of some kind that smells like a field of flowers, a gently tumbling waterfall, or a fresh gentle spring rain. I also found out on this day that the décor for women does not stop with paisleys, flowers, or lace. It also encompasses food items.

Now I am not going to say much more on this topic so I do not get in trouble, but I do want to point out I went along with and wore the given surgical cap available for that day. I knew that I was secure enough in my manhood that I could wear what I did, but, if the truth be known, I also wanted witnesses from my patients so they could observe the “cruel and unusual” punishment I had to endure. Needless to say, laughs abounded throughout the office that day…from the staff, from the patients and yes even I chuckled at myself a time or two. As they say, "When you can laugh at yourself, no one can make a fool of you." Just one favor I ask of all of you…"Please DO NOT call me CUPCAKE!” 😊 😂

HAPPY SPRING!

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