In Spanish, an inverted question mark precedes its upright counterpart. I wish the English language had this – if it did, well then, sentences with question marks would not be so lopsided. The above title for example, it definitely needs an inverted question mark. “¿” I’ll bet if I worked at it, I’d find this particular form of punctuation on my computer. For now, I will let the matter rest so that I can rest.

It did seem like an ideas day this morning, but I didn’t have time to pursue the matter. I had to get to the senior center, for reading group, this at 10:00 a.m. So I had to postpone working on Shelf Life until this evening.

One thought I had was that there is something called a social conscience – it’s thinking about more than just yourself. It’s thinking about others and about community betterment. (I feel in writing this that I am having a late night ideas day.) I did not have a social conscience before I began this project. I was far more self-centered. But I have acquired this in being around many, many people who by example are showing me the way.

Toni, who runs the senior group, is one such individual. She works hard to keep conflict from arising in terms of people’s values. And for this reason, everyone respects her.

Cathy, the artist in residence, is another. She’s thinking hard these days about her future, and the future of seniors, and about the future of the world.

Oh, and there’s Vicki, who is the newest BLBP board member. I told her this morning about my implant issue, and she later came over to the hotel and gave me some herbal remedies and instructions on how to use them. This was just what I needed. Now I will not fear going to the dentist tomorrow because I have an alternative treatment.

The gum infection does seem to have subsided. She said that yes, the chlorohexidine and fluoride treatments may have taken out the harmful bacteria – and that it might now be a good time to go with the herbal treatments.

She spent considerable time writing her directives on a notecard. I thought I’d lost the card, which is amazingly detailed, but tonight I found it in the kit that she gave me for my apothecaries. I have put it on the mirror in the bathroom.

What she’s suggesting – starting in a few days by treating the gums with myrrh feels very right to me. My question is, how does one go about thanking people when they do something that betters your life? I suspect that helping people is its own reward, but I still feel as though I should reciprocate.

Vicki’s input today – it definitely falls into the social consciousness category since she was giving of her time and a rather hapless and ignorant individual who benefitted from her services.

I am doing good to others indirectly, by providing books, and soon, making the book/literacy connection. But this is indirect. At this point in time I’m so stressed because there’s so much to do that I am not doing anyone any good. I guess I am doing my dentist some good because I’m a good patient who shows up on time and pays my bill.

I have not questioned what the dentist has directed me to do, not yet. But, okay, tomorrow I am going into his office with a plan, and I am going to go out of his office with a plan, and it is not going to involve yanking out implants.

Amen and goodnight.

Next: 210. 8/6/25: This is what I want to write about