I just bought a new toothbrush tonight. Nothing special. Just an average Oral-B CrossAction CrissCross bristles full-medium $3 toothbrush from Target. It looks fancy and colorful and advanced enough to offer maximum damage to any sort of plaque or gingivitis that may be lurking, threatening to take me one step closer to that symbol of really old age: dentures. And as I was staring at my new toothbrush, I thought of 3 things:
Thing #1: (waxing poetical)
It made me think of a poem that was read in my HS Seniors English class: The Red Wheelbarrow -
so much depends
upon
a red wheel
barrow
glazed with rain
water
beside the white
chickens
In class, many interpretations of this poem were given. But the way I answered in class, as to it's interpretation was: something of importance to our daily work was used and, when the work was completed, we just put aside in a place where it seems that we really don't think twice about it's importance. Used and abused, if you will. Without the red wheel barrow, our work would be harder and would take longer to do. But with the red wheel barrow, we can accomplish our work more efficiently. It's something that eases the burden of our lives. Yet, when the work is done, we don't think twice about caring for that tool/object that makes us better and our lives easier.
Much like the Red Wheel Barrow, our toothbrushes are used everyday. Sometimes without much thought give to their existence in our lives, except when we have to buy a new one. But everyday, we use them, put them in our respective Spiderman cups (that's where I keep mine) and then continue on our merry way. Poor toothbrushes of the world. One of the unsung heroes of our everyday existence.
Thing #2: (waxing scientific)
Toothbrush technology has come along way in the past 100 years. Even in the past 20 years, the design, structure, and cost of the toothbrush as changed dramatically. Handles have become shapelier. Bristles have taken to numerous and odd angles. And some have even adopted a simple motor in the handle. Some appeal to children with their favorite cartoon on a sticker on the back of the head or even physically shaped with Hulk or Iron Man on the handle.
But with all this aesthetic & bristle design changes and new features, most still rely on simple friction to remove the bad stuff from teeth, gums, and tongues. Dragging the bristles across your mouth rubs the bad stuff from their hidden places, and toothpaste create the micelles necessary to entrap that bad stuff and sweep them away to the nearest drain. The more vigorously the toothbrush is used, the cleaner teeth become. But all-in-all, Friction is the force used. A relatively few number of toothbrushes claim to use harmonic resonance to clean one's teeth, but ultimately, they subscribe to Friction in the removal of bad stuff from teeth.
If another 100 years are to pass, I wonder want new developments in toothbrush technology will be developed. Roomba for teeth??? Laser-cleaning mouth guards??? Binaca tooth-safe acid for those hard to reach places ??? Or are we still gonna be scrubbing away with even fancier toothbrushes, but still rely on Friction to keep our chompers clean and healthy???
Who knows?
Thing #3: (waxing realistic)
I need a new hobby. Something that keeps me occupied so I don't think about my toothbrush and write a blog about it. This is where my mild case of ADD takes my mind and I start thinking of random crap during a normal day.
There. Those are the 3 things that passed through my head as I stared at my new toothbrush. When I was in 1st grade, I played the lead role in a play about Captain Toothbrush and fighting a Gingivitis monster and protecting my enamel-covered friends. I got to wear a cape and carry around an over-sized red toothbrush. I can even partially hear the song that was sung when I defeated that Gingivitis monster and got to strike my 'Captain Morgan pose' over then monster at the play's end. My big and only stage performance where I was the lead role. I still smile every time I think about it.
Well, it's close to midnight. I end my rant so I can use my newly acquired purchase and have that minty taste that I've grown to know and love
April 11, 2009
I Hate Peeps
It is a well known fact that I despise everything about Peeps. The way they taste, the way they smell, the way they...taste. Everything about them i hate. But I think at this time I would have to add ONE thing about Peeps that I do have to respect. And that would be: the various ways that people come up with cooking/preparing a peep. It's not just limited to mere microwaving anymore. Cooking/preparing a peep is now a sudo art form.
A few of my favorites include: the peep salad, the Peepjito & Peeparitas, and the Peppers and Peeps Stir Fry. Granted I will never, ever, ever consume any of these, but just the mere fact that someone was creative (and brave) enough to think up and continue testing till the recipe was 'just right' is deserving of a little bit of admiration and maybe even some Propers.
I look forward to the day when Peeps make their way to Iron Chef.
I'm sure more and more skin-crawling concoctions will emerge in the coming years, but I, for one, am at least a little bit excited now for the Easter season. Who cares about some demented rabbit with a hoarding disorder? It's high time we got Elmer Fudd on his kleptomanic tail. Chickens everywhere will thank him for it.
Until then, I guess we'll have to let the Peeps finish themselves off:
