Thursday Thoughts #7
Uncouth.
according to my thesaurus, the word uncouth means strange; odd in appearance; awkward; crude; vulgar; bizarre; loutish; impolite; uncultured...the list goes on
So, uncouth. UN-couth.
For this word UN-couth, should there not be a "Couth" eqivalent?
We have opposites such as necessary-unnecessary; fulfilled-unfulfilled; cultured-uncultured and so on.
Yet there is no "Couth" to sit opposite UN-couth.
We never hear of anyone saying of another "he's so couth"
***************
I've been back to the dentist again, this time for the permanent filling to replace the temporary one on my latest root canal work.
Last year my preferred dentist had to take time off for shoulder surgery and then therapy and recovery time; I wasn't at all happy about having to break in a new dentist, even though the clinic is the same one and all my notes and x-rays are there.
You get used to the person who has been caring for your teeth and knows them and your reactions to pain; who knows that for certain procedures extra anesthetic is required for a wimp such as me.
Well, the time came when I needed something done, so I bit the bullet (not literally) and made the necessary appointment.
And was pleasantly surprised. My new dentist is a woman, soft spoken, very gentle with her work and keen to discuss my previous problems and what I would like done in the future. Today's visit, (I'm writing this on a Monday evening, to be scheduled for Thursday), was so easy I almost fell asleep in the chair.
Having a lot of antihistamine might have had something to do with that, but really, the most discomfort I felt was from the band put around the tooth to isolate it while the work was being done. The band scraped against my tongue a bit and I mentioned that to her after the work was completed.
***************
On the TV news, swine flu cases are skyrocketing again and people are being urged to get their flu shots.
Well, have you? Had your flu shots I mean? I've never had one and I'm not keen on getting one. I've never had the flu. I think that may be because I so often cover my nose and mouth with a hanky or tissue (whatever is in my pocket) when travelling on public transport because so many people wear overpowering perfumes or other products that I'm allergic to. I'd rather look silly than have a migraine or sinus headache.
And I wash my hands a lot, especially after being on a bus or in a supermarket. It's the number one recommended method of reducing your risk of catching anything.
***************
I used to buy a lotto ticket or three every week. Then the price went up. No big deal, I was working, but I did reduce the number of tickets I bought. I want to win, (who doesn't?) but I also like to eat.
After a few months, I decided I'd just buy two tickets whenever there was a mega draw on. A $20 million draw. These happened roughly every 13 weeks, four times a year, on a Saturday night.
Then lotto draws were introduced for Monday nights, Tuesday nights, Wednesday nights, Thursday nights (the powerball one) and now all of them have their own mega draws, or jackpot draws, that happen when the first division prize hasn't been won, so increases for the next week. And the week after, then the next week again if no one has won that first division prize.
This means that now, there is a mega draw going on several times a week until the money is won.
What's a girl to do?
Spend all of her money on tickets for all those jackpots?
Well, no. Remember, I do like to eat and you can't eat a losing paper ticket. (you could, but there's not enough nutrition in them, no matter how many you eat)
So I gave myself a stern talking to. Forget the Powerball draws. To win any decent amount of cash, you must have the number that matches the "powerball", a very iffy prospect. Forget all the weekday draws, unless they've jackpotted so high you'd be a fool not to take a chance.
Stick with just a single ticket (or two) on the Saturday mega draws.
Okay, decision made.
Now, the cost of buying a ticket has gone up again.
Oh Phooey! I'm back to buying a single ticket.
(^_^)
according to my thesaurus, the word uncouth means strange; odd in appearance; awkward; crude; vulgar; bizarre; loutish; impolite; uncultured...the list goes on
So, uncouth. UN-couth.
For this word UN-couth, should there not be a "Couth" eqivalent?
We have opposites such as necessary-unnecessary; fulfilled-unfulfilled; cultured-uncultured and so on.
Yet there is no "Couth" to sit opposite UN-couth.
We never hear of anyone saying of another "he's so couth"
***************
I've been back to the dentist again, this time for the permanent filling to replace the temporary one on my latest root canal work.
Last year my preferred dentist had to take time off for shoulder surgery and then therapy and recovery time; I wasn't at all happy about having to break in a new dentist, even though the clinic is the same one and all my notes and x-rays are there.
You get used to the person who has been caring for your teeth and knows them and your reactions to pain; who knows that for certain procedures extra anesthetic is required for a wimp such as me.
Well, the time came when I needed something done, so I bit the bullet (not literally) and made the necessary appointment.
And was pleasantly surprised. My new dentist is a woman, soft spoken, very gentle with her work and keen to discuss my previous problems and what I would like done in the future. Today's visit, (I'm writing this on a Monday evening, to be scheduled for Thursday), was so easy I almost fell asleep in the chair.
Having a lot of antihistamine might have had something to do with that, but really, the most discomfort I felt was from the band put around the tooth to isolate it while the work was being done. The band scraped against my tongue a bit and I mentioned that to her after the work was completed.
***************
On the TV news, swine flu cases are skyrocketing again and people are being urged to get their flu shots.
Well, have you? Had your flu shots I mean? I've never had one and I'm not keen on getting one. I've never had the flu. I think that may be because I so often cover my nose and mouth with a hanky or tissue (whatever is in my pocket) when travelling on public transport because so many people wear overpowering perfumes or other products that I'm allergic to. I'd rather look silly than have a migraine or sinus headache.
And I wash my hands a lot, especially after being on a bus or in a supermarket. It's the number one recommended method of reducing your risk of catching anything.
***************
I used to buy a lotto ticket or three every week. Then the price went up. No big deal, I was working, but I did reduce the number of tickets I bought. I want to win, (who doesn't?) but I also like to eat.
After a few months, I decided I'd just buy two tickets whenever there was a mega draw on. A $20 million draw. These happened roughly every 13 weeks, four times a year, on a Saturday night.
Then lotto draws were introduced for Monday nights, Tuesday nights, Wednesday nights, Thursday nights (the powerball one) and now all of them have their own mega draws, or jackpot draws, that happen when the first division prize hasn't been won, so increases for the next week. And the week after, then the next week again if no one has won that first division prize.
This means that now, there is a mega draw going on several times a week until the money is won.
What's a girl to do?
Spend all of her money on tickets for all those jackpots?
Well, no. Remember, I do like to eat and you can't eat a losing paper ticket. (you could, but there's not enough nutrition in them, no matter how many you eat)
So I gave myself a stern talking to. Forget the Powerball draws. To win any decent amount of cash, you must have the number that matches the "powerball", a very iffy prospect. Forget all the weekday draws, unless they've jackpotted so high you'd be a fool not to take a chance.
Stick with just a single ticket (or two) on the Saturday mega draws.
Okay, decision made.
Now, the cost of buying a ticket has gone up again.
Oh Phooey! I'm back to buying a single ticket.
(^_^)
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A lady dentist how wonderful! and a good experience is even better!
ReplyDeleteI gave up years ago with the lotto, I like to eat too! :)
And I would love to don a proper mask many times out in public but particularly when flying!
I spat a few chips, too, when I discovered a few weeks ago that the costs of entering Lotto went up. Very sneaky of them to do so. Surely to goodness they make enough money out of us poor suckers without having to increase prices!! I do have an entry in for tonight's $50m Powerball, though. I always life in hope....one day....
ReplyDeleteBut one has to be in it to win it...or even a little of it!
Glad all went well for you at the dentist. :)
My experience with lady dentists is they have a much gentler touch, and believe it or not they talk less!
ReplyDeleteWe have intermittent rain - but it never becomes mittent.
ReplyDeleteMy current dentist is a woman - and she is wonderful. The dentist from hell (who slapped my much younger self when a tear formed, but didn't fall) was also a woman.
Lotto? I don't play. The skinny one does.
We often say 'we should buy a ticket' when the jackpot gets big but we never remember to do it.
ReplyDeleteI haven't had a flu shot in, oh, four or five years, after routinely getting one for twenty or more. Then I started coming up sort of allergic. "What do you mean, sort of?" my doctor asked. Well, for two years in a row I stayed in bed, asleep, for three days. She didn't see a connection, but ever since no flu shot. Haven't stayed in bed, asleep for three days, either.
ReplyDeleteI had a women dentist when I was 14 or so that was not the best experience but that was a long time ago, things have improved since then.
ReplyDeleteI buy a lotto ticket with my son and daughter in law every week, we never win anything but it got to happen some day if I live long enough.
I think of myself as very couth in the future.
Merle.................
I don't go the dentist often - it's too expensive. A few years ago, I needed canal work. New to this state, I didn't know who to ask to refer a "good" dentist. I took a punt and luckily found a female dentist who is very good. I much prefer female dentists - but that's just me.
ReplyDeleteShe also knows to give me extra anesthetic, when I told her, "I can still feel it - you need to give me enough to tranq' a horse".
I once had the same Q about uncouth. Apparently, "couth" was an old English term for familiar. But like many words, the meaning has been lost or distorted over time.
I've never had a flu shot. And don't ever intend to. I ply myself and my family with home made, medicinal herbs and tinctures whenever even a hint of a cold comes on, or if I've been in the company of those who've been ill with the flu.
None of us have had the usual seasonal flu for the past four or five years. Touch wood it stays that way :)
I know what you mean about Lotto. I don't often buy a ticket because of the cost - there always seems to be something else I need to buy with the money instead.
Perhaps, as this is your "lucky number month", you could hit jackpot... fingers crossed :)
Rose~from OZ; I don't have any masks, but always a hanky or tissue in a pocket, (thanks mum)so I just cover my nose and mouth to filter the air. Flying is out of the question.
ReplyDeleteLee; I spat a few chips myself when our SA Lotteries got sold off to Victoria. When I check the winners online most are from Vic and QLD.
Not giving up though, you've got to be in it to win it. Even my one lonely ticket has a chance.
joeh; I've never met a dentist who didn't talk my ears off. This one doesn't talk to me except to ask if I'm okay now and then, but she talks to her assistant non-stop. They're both planning weddings.
Elephant's Child; now I'm wondering what mittent rain is, full on rain or no rain at all?
Slapped by a dentist?? Pity you didn't sue her, that sort of thing wasn't done back then. Nowadays everybody sues everybody else for any damn thing.
Delores; you need to buy at least one ticket in this lifetime.
Joanne; asleep for three days? I'd be avoiding that shot too. I've never had the flu at all.
Merle; most dentist experiences from long ago are horror stories, but things have improved about 500% since then.
Vicki; this is my ninth root canal and there'll be more in my future.
I get the numbing gel, then a tiny shot of anesthetic and the rest when the gum is numb so I don't feel it.
So there was originally a 'couth' word, I did not know that.
I avoid people with the flu, the real flu that is, the one that keeps you in bed for several days, not that fake flu which is just a heavy cold and people go around saying "I've got the flu" and I tell them to go away and not breathe on me. I'm very unsympathetic.
I usually get my bills paid and grocery shopping done before I buy any lotto tickets. If I don't have enough money left over, then I don't get one that week.
I'm sure I could be couth if only I were ept!!
ReplyDeletefishducky; I couldn't be couth, never ever; I'm too much a loner to be familiar with people. Friendly, but not familiar.
ReplyDeleteDentistry has definitely come a long way. The dentist I had as a child was actually rough, if memory serves, and saw me, I felt, like some sort of car he was tinkering with.
ReplyDeleteMy father once bit a dentist.
As for the flu, I had the swine flu the last time it ripped through Minnesota, and it was extremely painful, one of those illnesses where, if you live alone, you can imagine dying, your body found when the mailman reported a strange smell to the authorities. I was sick/unable to work for almost two solid weeks, including weekends. It was horrible.
Hmm. Maybe I should get a shot...
Pearl
Pearl; the dentist I had as a child was rather keen on removing decayed teeth instead of fixing them. Usually because kids didn't go regularly, but only when the pain got too fierce, so the teeth were probably beyond saving.
ReplyDeleteYes, please, get that flu shot! We'd like to read your stories for many more years yet.
Couth is actually an old word - means civilised, opp of uncouth of course. It is in the oxford dictionary, Merriam-Webster.
ReplyDeleteIt is making a comeback.