A Good old fashioned Book Store by Tony Green

Image of a book store opening its gates

I used to get promotional emails from Borders advertising discounts for members of their rewards club before they closed many their stores after filing for bankruptcy.

More often than not, I would get the coupon on my Blackberry and head to my nearest Borders and purchase my newest reading material.  I read books online but sometimes I enjoy reading a book the old fashioned way.

After all of the Borders in my area had closed I was walking in downtown Pleasanton, California on a break from work. By the way, this works wonders for clearing my head and I stumbled upon this traditional book store.

I had forgotten these places existed. Many small, family operated books stores fund themselves unable to stay in business due to not being able to be competitive with the large mega book chains and on line sales.

Then I recalled while I was at Borders children and their parents were relaxing, reading or otherwise killing time in spite of the fact most people with Internet capability can purchase books online and have them shipped directly to their doorstep. I bet if you measured the amount of time to walk into a brick and mortar book store and pay for a book versus the time folks spent browsing it would be much longer. Could the act of going to the bookstore have more importance than a place to purchase your latest reading material?

In my view, these smaller local family run bookstores may be making a comeback. Think about how relaxing it is reading a book occasionally over a tall latte?

A visit to my orthodontist by Tony Green

child with braces

I dropped off my new dental insurance card for my children's braces soon after I started my new job.  Braces, if you are not aware, are expensive. However, I cannot fault the children for that. Their crooked smiles are not their mistake, their mother’s smile is perfect and since I had major orthodontic work done as a child and my father had problems with his teeth I am sure my children get any trouble with their teeth from their father. 

The investment, in my view, is well worth the money. Having an engaging smile and a positive image of oneself can be an enormous aid to leading a successful and productive life. 

I remember hearing the statement a person can make a good first impression within five seconds to when meeting someone for the first time. For example, on most job interviews making a solid initial introduction is vital in convincing a prospective employer you are somebody they might want to hire. Throughout the course of my life I recall numerous instances where folks have looked upon me favorably as result of sporting a nice smile.

The path to a solid smile has not been easy one. I endured nearly 10 years of braces and several of my permanent teeth missing as a consequence of the major orthodontic work completed while I was a child. 

Twenty years ago when I had braces orthodontics was definitely not as user friendly as they are today.  In those days, the wires which adjusted the position of the teeth needed to be re-adjusted on monthly basis which made chewing anything harder than applesauce uncomfortable for a few days. Also, there were many occasions where the metal would rub up against the inside of you gums causing irritation. In the end, the discomfort was much worth the pride of being able to flash a beautiful smile.

I recalled a conversation I had with my children’s orthodontist prior to his retirement who seemed surprised I remembered my orthodontist’s name 30 years after my final checkup. For those of us with major issues what would the alternative be if trained professionals did not exist to provide beautiful smiles?  If you had braces as a child and you are now an adult do you remember who my orthodontist was? I do.