U is for Unmotivated

 Not a very uplifting post title, huh? But, as I sit here at 10:30 at night, contemplating the day that is drawing to a close and the days that lay ahead, I'm grateful, but tired.

The thing is, the day started well. I woke up before the alarm I'd set to make sure I'd get a few things (some fun, some necessary) done before my impending dentist appointment. I worked a bit on the jigsaw puzzle I started on Sunday, graded enough papers to polish off one entire assignment, and took care of some necessary personal and household items.

Grateful.

Then I went to the dentist.

A couple of months ago, a tooth destined for a crown broke before I got the appointment on the books. Not only did it break on a weekend, but it happened on a weekend when we had a family wedding. Not only did I talk more than on any normal day, I had to talk loudly to be heard over the music.

For hours.

Ouch.

Luckily, the dentist got me in early the next week for a temporary fix. Today was the day for the permanent solution. 

It's not my first trip to the dental chair, so I packed a bag with stuff to do. I was ready. Motivated, even.

Then, my mouth refused to cooperate. It took three shots of novocaine to numb me. The partial crown turned into a full crown (thanks to the tooth breaking) and, by the time I arrived home hours later, I'd used up all of my bravery, optimism and motivation and I was done for the day.

Without writing a post. 

The dental assistant (who was wonderful, as was the dentist) asked me what I'd packed in the bag I'd brought with me to keep me occupied while the crown was being made. I had a few papers to grade, but also my idea book, hoping to cook up a blog post.

I did, indeed, cook one up but, given how the day went, decided to go with her suggestion, made while we were waiting for the novocaine to do its thing.

Sometimes, things don't go according to plan.

Next week, when all of my papers are graded and my mouth is back to normal, I'll type up that other post and share it here. Till then, I'm going to call it a day -- one in which things both did and did not go as planned.