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my teeth feel minty fresh, which is a thankful change from the plaquey stale of ten minutes ago. i brushed, then flossed, then mouthwashed - all because my health coverage from school does not SEEM to have dental coverage included. i'm slowly learning that graduate students at u of t, at least lowly master's students in the history program, are the scum of the earth. we get no financial aids or guarantees, one year to get in and out, no carels at the library to lock away our books (we get some sort of a lockbox upstairs from the history department. WOW. remind me to leave a stick of dynamite in it.)...and then as far as i could tell, this very sparse health coverage that would only send me to the dentist if i was unwittingly struck in the mouth. so i'm trying to actually take care of my stupid useless ugly yellow teeth now.

(all i hear in my head these days is "dental plan...lisa needs braces! dental plan...lisa needs braces! dental plan...lisa needs braces!")

but apparently if i work enough hours at my soon-to-be kick-ass job, i can get some sort of coverage. got bless the unions and their dental plan....lisa needs braces! ack! there it is again!

i met with my landlady yesterday, suspicious lee, and she's agreed to:

* pay for all the costs of the peeling, reptilian bathroom paint job, plus give me $100 for my labour

* fix a cracked tile in the kitchen, some water damage/floor damage in the back room, including replacing those tiles (which won't make too much of a difference to me as i'm thinking "opium den" as the theme, and a lush persian rug will cover said light blue linoleum)

* pay for the sandpaper for the trims, door/window frames - my friend has an electric sander that would hopefully make short work of this)

* give me some varnish or oil or whatever for the wood floor, but i'll see if i can convince her to refinish it herself

* pay for half the paint costs for re-painting the rest of the apartment

* NOT raise the rent next year should i choose to stay

i was particularly worried about her reluctance to pay for any of the additional paint, as she had first said she wouldn't pay for it at all, and technically, she doesn't have to. i didn't want to push her too hard on that issue; most landlords do it as a courtesy, and it's part of the rental agreement, but they really have no legal obligation. so i think i scored alright. and she nods conspiritorially and says "i like you. i do you favour. not downstairs. i no pay for paint downstairs. i NEVER pay for paint. but i like you."

so i think i scored nicely there. although i'm going to be renovating an apartment i don't own. hm. waaaaaait a minute....!

but i need a place to throw wonderful lavish parties - rockin' parties! i was explaining this to lil' i., my new roommate, and i said "but not parties so rocking that people puke..."

he said, "or at least puke discreetly!"

ABSOLUTELY. like a dinner party. someone should dab the corners of their beer-soaked mouth with a napkin, get up from their seat, excuse themselves, and then go puke quietly and comfortably. perhaps i will have my mouthwash in a fancy stainless steel decanter for just such occassions.