Aww, that's rough for D!

Andy Dick, looking good... [link]

Is this from work done today, Sara? If not, I'd get it looked at.

I got novacaine in what felt like the joint at the back of my mouth (the tooth they needed to work on was backmost bottom) and again along the lower jaw.

Okay, this sounds like what's happened to me before. There's a special bundle of nerves near the hinge of your jaw. Dentists like to inject there because it's very effective at numbing most of your mouth. But sometimes, if you hit that area in a certain way, you get soreness and stiffness.

The first time it happened to me, it was so painful that I didn't want to open my mouth too much. (I was also having other issues related to the root canal from hell.) This caused my jaw to get stuck in an almost closed position. (The eventual solution for this problem was my oral surgeon grabbing my upper and lower jaws and forcing them apart. That was beyond hell.)

When it happened to me the second time, I made a point of monitoring my ability to open and close my mouth (you should be able to fit three fingers between your upper and lower front teeth) and stretching my jaw to ensure that my mouth didn't heal itself shut again.

I would take some advil and see how it progresses. (Soreness, stiffness, etc.) If it's not shooting or stabbing pain, it's most likely related to the procedure itself and not a botched root canal. If it gets worse, definitely call your dentist.

A hate crime is twofold - the assault on the specific victim and the threat to the community s/he represents to the assaulter.

technically, I don't believe that there is requirement to threaten the community to which the victim belongs.

Burning a cross on someone's lawn though... is it just property damage? Or is it a larger threat to a community?

Although technically, burning a cross on a random christian white person's lawn may not be considered a hate crime, burning a cross is inherently a hate crime based on its history. I mean, why else would someone burn a cross?

for warmth?

Just kidding!!

technically, I don't believe that there is requirement to threaten the community to which the victim belongs.

I meant the threat is implicit. If a person beats up Random Gay Dude because they hate gay people, there's a level of intimidation towards all gay people that's not there if a person beats up Random Gay Dude just to steal his car.

Andy Dick, looking good...

Ok, I thought you were serious for a moment there!

I have nothing to add to the hate crime discussion. It is one of those things that may not be easy to define, but you know it when you see it.

Kristen, that's very reassuring. THANK YOU! (for shrinking the paranoia.) Not throbbing just new pressure when weird pressure is applied.

I'm sorry you had more trauma with the jaw stuck. That's scary! I don't have that. Shots did knock out half my tongue and most of up & down, but the ouch just made wide opening avoidable. Tonight's dinner was grape tomatoes, roti with hummus and yogurt to avoid twinging.

Three fingers barely keeps my mouth open. Under the best of circumstances. One of the reasons that, despite my earlier protests, I might be sticking with this dentist despite the fact she's no longer PDP and costs more. She has small hands!

I'm all about the new knowledge, though. Back when I had all my previous dental work, it seemed rather barbaric. I didn't have a dentist who said "if it hurts, tell me and I'll shoot you up more" or tells me to fill to vicodin scrip and lets me know that despite the street value, I should use it first. It used to be all about Buck Up and Deal. Fuck, when I had the WT out, they didn't give me anything stronger than liquid tylenol, and that wasn't the codeine stuff. Just tylenol. Which never worked for me. I still am mad at that dentist.

The stiffness is already easing. Hopefully that nerve will too (I know exactly how it is wired. Hits forward edge of backmost tooth and then jumps to the space between teeth 3 forward. It's kinda weird.) The root canal needing before ? Manifested itself in that unrelated spot first. Except now that spot is quiet.

I mean, why else would someone burn a cross?

for warmth?

Hahahah! I would love to see that defense. "No sir! This is MY OWN lawn! I'm just REALLYCOLD!!!"

If a person beats up Random Gay Dude because they hate gay people, there's a level of intimidation towards all gay people that's not there if a person beats up Random Gay Dude just to steal his car.

Yeah, and the problem comes when sometimes, people try and be like "No, see, he stole my car, and called me a fag when he punched me while he was stealing my car! So tack on a hate crime sentence!" And I'm torn on cases like that. Cause, yeah, the guy probably did punch you extra cause he thought you were a fag, regardless of whether you really were. And that sucks. And, for instance, there may be a lot of tension in the neighborhood (as seen in several neighborhoods in DC) and the guy may, in face, BE sending an intimidating extra message (besides just stealing the car) about the presence of gentrifying gay men in a neighborhood, attempting to intimidate an entire class, etc etc. On the other hand, how much extra jail time is an extra punch and a slur, whilst in the middle of stealing a car worth? What if it was a whole beat down? What if it's a broken jaw? A concussion? What if it was just words? What if it leaves you with PTSD? What if just having your car stolen would've done that anyway? It's....a tricky situation.

Andy Dick, looking good

It looks like he's working on his "Joker face" imitation. Sadly, he doesn't look as bad as he did in the last couple interviews I saw.