Suburban Panic!

Showing posts with label bad breath. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bad breath. Show all posts

27 May 2008

Caffiend 5/27/2008

  My primary caffeine delivery system is soda. I only resort to coffee very occasionally, when I'm particularly exhausted and I have to resort to drastic measures.

  Coffee is obviously more efficient, since it's richer in the hyperactive ingredient. Unfortunately, I'm unnaturally sensitive to hot liquids. Freshly brewed coffee has to sit for a long time before I can drink it. Iced coffee is fine, but it winds up being so diluted by water that it's mostly useless. Also, coffee breath is perhaps the foulest oral stank that one can achieve short of a gangrenous tongue.

  The problem with soda is, of course, the metric buttload of empty calories in each serving. As I fall rapidly into my mid 30s, my metabolism has finally started to fail me. My midsection is turning into honky pudding, and there's a slab of flesh under my jaw that's threatening to envelop my chin.

  For the sake of my health, my wife's visual environment, and my dwindling supply of pants that fit, it's time for me to cut out some of the gratuitous high fructose corn syrup. And don't talk to me about diet soda. If sugar cane could urinate, it would taste exactly like diet soda, and it probably wouldn't linger on the tongue for quite as long.

  Difficulty: I'm still in law school. When I was only working full time, I'd almost completely cut out caffeine, but the pressure of law school reawakened my jitterbug in a big way. I'm working over the summer, but classes start again in late August. I can't predict what will happen once I'm back to that grind.

  Because you're no doubt curious it's my blog and I'll write about whatever stupid, solipsistic topic I want, I'm going to start tracking my progress as I try to wean myself from the caffeine habit. I'm sure it will be riveting slightly less boring than trimming your own nose hair. Stay tuned.

22 April 2008

Question #125: Bad Breathiquette

Dear Little Bald Bastard,
  Have you ever given somebody a piece of gum because they had nasty breath? What do you do if they say no?
- Mjr. Halitosis

Dear Mjr. Halitosis,
  Wow, awkward city. I've only ever been in that situation once. The unfortunate stank dragon didn't take the hint, but he wasn't in my space for very long, so my discomfort was short lived. If you're stuck in close proximity to the freshness-challenged individual, you could be in for a long, gross day/evening/sexual encounter.

  If the breath offender is someone you're close to, breath shallowly and tell the truth. If you say it nicely, you'll likely get a better smelling environment without suffering through too much indignation.

  If you're not comfortable saying it straight, it's time for some passive-aggressive escalation. Repeat the offer of gum, then offer mints, mouthwash and (for good measure) gum again.

  If all of these hints fail to bring the message home, just announce loudly that you're going to brush your teeth. You'll either get your point across, or create an opportunity to wriggle out the bathroom window. Either way, your poor, offended nose will thank you.