Private and confidential

I am actually quite a private person and the main attraction of blogging to me is that it allows me to publish my writing, without revealing who I am. The charm of saying whatever you want without serious consequences is alluring. So far, it seems that I don't have many readers and I haven't inspired or provoked anyone to comment. Perhaps, someone as private as me is better off writing a meaningful journal blog..but not sharing it publicly.

But, I wish to give this blogging thing a go. Partially, because I feel I am growing too anti-social. Too anti-social? LOL! I believe there are degrees of anti-social behaviour, and I am going further up the scale. I don't feel like socialising with anyone except my friends. I am not interested in meeting new people anymore. At work, I have stopped making an effort. I feel I have become a better judge of the sort of people I can maintain a real friendship with and if I feel you are not that person I don't bother with the small talk am only polite. This seems to be perfectly fine because Arab women aren't in the habit of initiating conversation it seems. Especially, as they will have to make a special effort and speak to me in English. Oh well, I am not too interested in listening to the latest tiff you had with your husband or the recent disciplining problem you had with your teenage daughter. I guess the age gap adds to my reluctance to socialise with people closer to mom's age than mine.

The younger crowd is either not my type or not English speaking, and actually I'm quite content with the way things are. I wouldn't mind having one or two more friends though, especially since one of my close friends is getting married and leaving the country. The Expat lifestyle: lose a friend every year, except before you gained one as well. I feel my close circle of friends is shrinking. Blogging may be a way to gain like-minded new friends albeit maybe only virtual ones.

Yet another trip to the dentist

Ok so I have finally been dragged to the dentist kicking and screaming,well, not literally, but inside I was kicking and screaming. You don't see many young women being dragged kicking and screaming with their abayas flying, makeup streaming down their faces. No, we are required to put on a brave face, in my case it was one without a stitch of makeup.. with the colour completely drained from it, attempting a resigned look, which would every now and then crease up in memory of the pain that was sure to come. But inside I wanted to slap the dentist and run out of there as fast as I could. Another problem- no getaway car. You don't see young women running from hospitals or driving away from them either! There was no escape I was trapped.

And yes, it was painful, despite the anesthesia, the fact that my jaw was stretched open at an inhuman angle, lips ready to tear, with long needles being poked down my root canal. The dentist kept saying 'íftahi' (open). Open! What do you mean open? I 'have opened it as much as I can without dislocating it!

I have to keep my eyes closed throughout the whole procedure-not just because the needles freak me out, but because every now and then the dentist would launch into a discussion with her assistant and in typical Egyptian style wave her hands-scary instruments and all millimeters from my face. She doesn't have what is called in Arabic 'soft hands'. After the anesthesia wore off my tooth, jaw, inside cheek, were throbbing in pain. With sudden jabs of pain as if the dental surgery was still underway.

It still hurts and I am on an insanely high does of antibiotic (Augmentin 1g twice a day) which isn't exactly helping my stomach.

The only time I can stand doctors is on TV, like Grey's Anatomy, and even then sometimes its gets a bit too much for me and I wish it was show about lawyers or something with the same characters.

Oh well, I am waiting for the next dental appointment with dread.That's another thing the whole dentist appointments thing makes the procedure drag out for weeks, like we have nothing better to do then hang out at the hospital!