eggwards | That Funny Feeling

Well, apparently I've been nominated for that "8 Hunks of Hanukkah" contest (No Judaism required!). While I don't believe I'll win, or even get close to the Big 8 finalists (because I don't want to spend the whole day voting for myself), it would be very, very appreciative of your vote and ego-stroke.

Vote Now!

____________________________________________________

Otherwise, today I ended up back in the dentist's chair again today. It was a regular cleaning, but my dentist likes those cleanings to happen often. He's scheduled me for every four months when most dentists wait six.

so cleaning starts and is underway. the dental assistant, the one I always get, worked on my teeth, scraping and poking and putting on junk. When she's through with that, she polishes my teeth with that swirling little thing and the gritty, funky tasting stuff. As the swirling little thing came around to the place where my teeth are reversed, suddenly I got a strong tickling sensation that was driving me crazy.

Now, just to explain, my orthodontist many years ago did something strange when I used to have braces. As he was working to straighten my teeth, the last of my permanent teeth were coming in, and my bicuspid on the top right side of my mouth was coming in on top of my canine tooth. In his effort to fix it, he placed the braces in a way that moved the bicuspid forward in my mouth, so my canine tooth is actually next in line, in front of my molars. It gives me a little valley in my row of teeth on the inside, one apparently that can be tickled.

This was an interesting revelation as I squirmed in the dentist's chair. The dental assistant at first thought I was in pain, but after I explained what had happened, she said that other people have had the same reaction.

The problem was, when I get ticklish, everything moves. I tense up and curl up. I get rather embarrassed by being ticklish, and unfortunately for me it's not hard to get me going. A part of it goes back to childhood, where my Dad would pretty much tackle me and hold me down, tickling until I couldn't breathe. While it sounded like I was having fun, in a way it was a little bit of torture, when you can't control it.

Of course a few of my friends now would think that's fantastic, as tickle torture is a part of their play. Me, not so much. I think that may be a part of why I can be a little shy about people touching me, and I may have a little larger personal space area that I defend at times. It makes me a little skittish at times.

Of course, you'd think this would also make me very sensitive, sensitive body parts and such, but it's not the case. i think mentally to try to prevent being tickled, I turn off a few things. It's odd how it works.

Of course, Chris (

f__k) quickly found my weakness and likes to get me here and there, causing me to clench up and laugh hysterically. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to work in reverse, as I haven't found his ticklish points - if he has them. Then again as often the tickle-ee, I never really learned the art of the tickle.

Of course I'm a bit scared that I've made this public, so if any kind soul would send me a shield to push off potential ticklers, I'd be most grateful.