This week my patients sent me a picture of themselves shopping at Costco.  It was their outing for the day after seeing me, of course.  They come from the East Bay so venturing to San Jose is a treat.  She had the appointment, he just tagged along for the fun.  They're retired so getting out of the house is fun.  They asked us which Costco was big so they can experience the shopping since the one in Fremont was small.  I don't know if there is such a thing as a small Costco but I've never been there so....
They remind me of people who think going through a drive thru to order food was exciting.  I still have yet to do that.  But it's refreshing to see the excitement in the simplest of things.  We used to take Costco shopping as a chore, now it's a trip.  The kids used to hate going to school but now can't wait to get back in.  Even the teachers who wanted to stay home and teach realized how great it is to be with their students.
As a dentist, I've been working since June 2020 and my world has somewhat returned to "normal".  I don't think normal can be described for this office but you get the idea.  Our patients are returning and trying to retrieve what was once in 2019 as 2020 was lost.  Now we need to challenge ourselves and do some things differently in 2021.   Our past lives were great but our future lives can be better.  Maybe now is the time to start learning something new.  For me, it was solving the Rubik cube.   I spent time learning it from my 12 y.o. son, who is a whiz at it.  I fired and reinstated him so many times as my coach throughout the 3 weekends that we spent together.  It is now my office party trick.  So if I can learn a new trick, so can you.  Try something new, don't give up.  Stay with it and maybe you will love it.
 

Some days we just need to stop and appreciate the beautiful environment we are in and realize how lucky we are.  As time decay most things and beings, what we have now is precious, almost sacred.  Scientists have been saying climate change is real.  Yet, there are some people denying it.  In CA, we see wildfires taking tens of thousands of acres annually.  Soon, there won't be much left of our mountains and hills.
Let's just say it: climate change is real.  There are more humans on this planet now than ever before.  India alone has 1.7 billion residents...and counting.  You don't have to be a tree-hugger or eat plant-based food.  All you need to do is decrease your own waste in as many ways as you can.  Some ideas are: don't litter anywhere, don't waste food/water, don't drive so much everywhere, take a walk instead...easy steps.
I love being able to go outside and smell the fresh air in the morning because cars are not out yet.  I love being able to see the natural beauty of rocks, bodies of water, trees, etc.  They give me peace of mind.  It's a great stress reliever.  I hope future generations can see what I see now and have that place of sanctity for them as well.

The majestic Bryce Canyon.  It really does take your breath away.

As our world turns,  I get so tired of hearing the news.  There are so many crazy narratives that people want to believe, even against science.  Teachers refusing to go back into the classroom in CA because they're afraid of getting COVID.  Not that science has proven otherwise, but the rest of the country are back in school and they are doing fine.  They're afraid of COVID yet still go on vacation and grocery shopping.  The irony in valuing the teachers for their sacrifices.
I'm baffled by the state's vaccine rollout.  Pharmacists can give the shots but dentists cannot.  Even medical assistants can give the vaccine before dentists can.  Only until  recently are dentists able to give the vaccine.   We have to complete a 3 hour self-study and exam.  I guess it's because we don't know how to hold a syringe.  Okay, maybe some don't but the majority does, like 99.99%.  
With the recent increase in violence against Asian Americans...I just have to ask, "Why?"  If you're going with the stereotype, aren't you afraid your doctors, lawyers and engineers are Asians?  When you are faced with an Asian doctor in the hospital, dental office or anywhere else for emergencies, please request for another provider.  I had a friend who was told, "I don't want no Ch*nk working on me!"  He happily walked away but was forced to come back by his superiors because he was the only one that could perform the type of surgery needed that day at the Stanford Medical Center.  The irony?  The patient was an elderly Jewish male.
I hope for the sake of our younger generations, common sense and human decency return to society.  We should have our differences.  It's how we learn to be better humans.  But we should also respect those differences.  I know it's hard to be nice to mean people.  Trust me, I know.  But I grin and know that the hour will pass.   Then I vent to my support system.  Even then, my support system and I don't always agree.
Please be nice to others.  You just don't know what someone is dealing with at the moment.  Have empathy and kindness ready to share.  Don't hate someone based on their colorings.  It says more about you than the other person.
​

Flowers from a patient who was appreciative of our work and time to listen to her life issues at the moment.

This Friday was Lunar New Year.  It is the year of the Ox, the second animal to finish in the divine race.  It helped the rat cross the water and then the rat took off to win the race.  That's why they said people born in the year of the ox is "kind-hearted".  I know a few oxen and that is true.  But they're also stubborn people.
Friday was also my second COVID vaccine shot.  I wanted to show how easy it was until she poked me.  My smile quickly turned into pain.  You can see the picture on our FB page.  My arm is still sore after 2 days.  But I can't complain, I'll take a sore arm over chills and fever any day.  Nonetheless,  it could mean I'll be jabbed all year long as anything that happens on New Year will be repeated throughout the rest of the year.  Of course, that would happen to me (and Bob as she was poked on the same day, too.)  Double whammy.
Saturday, Trump is acquitted again on his second impeachment trial.  Only 7 Republicans have strength to stand up for their morals.  Funny how they all preach the bible and upholding the Constitution but failed to deliver on the simplest duty.  I wonder when divine intervention will intervene and justice be served.  Self-preservation above all else.  Or, fear of one man overwhelmed their rationale.
Sunday, Valentine's day.  Bob and I texted each other throughout the weekend to see how the other is doing.  We're both fine.  Lots of naps for sure.  Her mother gave me the shoulder massager for Christmas.  It was so useful this weekend as my shoulders were sore.   So you see, love comes in from all direction.  😘😉😉

​This week we heard that Los Gatos Union School District (LGUSD) superintendent, Paul Johnson, emailed his teachers and staff telling them to sign up as healthcare workers to get their COVID vaccine from Good Samaritan Hospital because Good Sam’s COO told him they could do that.  Now for those not familiar with Los Gatos, it is an affluent small city in the Bay Area.  But they have not returned to in-person learning yet.  So, why skip the line when those who qualified didn’t even get their shots yet?  Nonetheless, a lot of teachers signed up and got their shots under the pretense of being a “healthcare worker”.  One person’s conscience got to him and exposed the email to the public.  ONE. I guess the rest forgot about their ethics.  
Earlier this month, a mob descended in DC to disrupt the confirmation of President Biden’s election win.  Los Gatos downtown had a “Stop the Steal” rally as well that very same day.  On my drive home from work, I see trucks with the American and Confederate flags flying proudly in the back.  Funny how Trump can win with 3+ millions less votes but he can’t possibly lose with 7+ millions less votes than his opponents.  The answer: Electoral college.  We have this old Constitution that may need to be improvised to better serve our modern-day population because there are so many ways to interpret it.  
In CA, our own governor dined at the French Laundry restaurant indoors when he told restaurants they have to shut down or more mildly, operate with outdoors dining only.  The very next day, the SF mayor, London Breed, dined at the same 3-star Michelin restaurant, then gave a speech forcing most small businesses to close.  Our state open and closes based on ICU beds capacity, county by county.  Why?  Some hospitals have like 12 ICU beds for thousands of people.  So, let’s kill 20% of small businesses so maybe the 1 bed of the 12 occupied can live another day.  There is a 98% + recovery rate for COVID-19 infection.  Small businesses are the livelihoods for thousands of families.  People lose their jobs by four digits monthly.  The educational gap between low-income students and wealthier ones are widening, as is the gap between rich and poor.  But this is not news.  It’s just getting worse.
I wonder when things are going to change.  What will it take for good people to run for office?  Once there, stay decent.  With such a divided country, regardless of outcome, about half will be upset.  We are definitely not all in this together.