To my eternal shame, I bite my nails.

I have quit many times -- sometimes for years at a time. I remember the first time I actually bought nail clippers, and thought, at last this is licked! Oh ho ho. I do empathize with smokers on this.

So, I went to the dentist last week, and filled out one of those questionnaires about injuries and allergies and so on, and one of the questions was:

Are you under an unusual amount of stress?  Y / N 

My gut reaction was, hell yes! My job makes me crazy. Especially lately! But then I reconsidered, because, this nightclub has always made me crazy and I've been at this, and stressed, for quite a few years now. But before that? Well, my previous job sure stressed me the fuck out. And the one before that, etc. so I guess I've been stressed since I became employed full time, so, age 17? Oh wait, high school! Fucking hated that, let me tell you. And middle school was no walk in the park, and elementary school was even worse...

So, an unusual level of stress? What would be my basis for comparison? When I was five years old?

I circled N.

Anyway, I passed my dental visit with flying colors (my mouth is awesome, thanks) with the one caveat, "This tooth right here, right up front: you grind your teeth. Knock it off."

Yesterday I chipped that tooth. While biting my nails.

So now every time my tongue finds that chip, it's a very vivid reminder to keep my fucking hands out of my fucking mouth.

I have not bit my nails in almost 24 hours. Go me. This time for sure.