The Hazard Chronicles

I have just finished what was, hands-down, the single most educational week of my career as a dental student. For those who didn’t read Rachel’s post earlier this week (a wonderful post, by the way), I was in Utah all week receiving training to place dental implants. And it was awesome! I’ll spare you the excruciating details here on the blog, but just know that I could talk for hours about how cool dentistry is. Don’t test me- I really could. For now I’ll just provide you with a short list about why dentistry is the coolest job ever:

-You get to use critical thinking and problem solving skills on a daily basis
-No two days are exactly the same
-There will always be something more to learn
-You develop extraordinary hand skills and are routinely working with a system which is calibrated in tenths, or even hundredths, of millimeters.
-You work closely with people, forming unique relationships with them, and always helping them
-Sometimes you dramatically change people’s lives for the better- this is intoxicating
-You can be your own boss and work according to your own philosophies and ideals
-You can be a business owner. This “business side” of dentistry can be taken to any level you want
-You are generally able to make a good living for your family, on a single income, and still have time to be with them

Am I a dental nerd? Absolutely.
Is it an obsession? You’ll have to ask Rachel. She, unlike you, has to endure my ramblings. I could go on and on…But I won’t. Instead, I’ll tell you why else this was a wonderful week for me.

After class every day I was able to drive down and see family who I usually don’t get a chance to be with. Out of all the time I was here, there was only one day that I actually got to bed by midnight. This was cool, because it meant that the rest of the time I was hanging out with some of the coolest people in the world. I spent time with Rachel’s whole family, talking long hours into the night with Wendy and Brandon. I got to help Donny inflate two 16 foot rafts and hang out with him and Alyssa long into the night. And I got to play Scrabble with Grandma Hill (I actually won- this is a momentous occasion) and talk with her long into the night.

The only problem is this: Out of all the time I was here, there was only one day that I slept past 3:30. You see, I have this natural ability/disability in which I will wake up between the hours of 5:30 and 6:30 every morning despite my bed time. Seriously, I could go to bet at 4:00 and wake up at 6:00. It is ridiculous, made even more so by the fact that I was already three hours behind my body’s natural schedule due to time zone changes and daylight savings. So I am pretty tired and excited to be home.

When I got home I found that Rachel is amazing and our house was cleaner than it has been in a really long time. She organized every cupboard, every shelf, and even scrubbed the walls. Wow! I love my wife.

I have no pictures of this week. Rachel might get on a little later and post some- I don’t know. Check back and maybe you’ll be surprised.