#Canadian dental hygienist

[dentimatch]

Dental Jobs in Toronto - Permanent & Temp Dental Jobs

Looking for Dental Jobs in Toronto? DentiMatch is Ontario’s leading dental staffing agency, connecting professionals with top clinics across the city. Whether you're searching for permanent or temporary positions, our platform makes job hunting easy and hassle-free. From dental assistants to hygienists and dentists, we help you find the perfect opportunity.

Start your career with DentiMatch today and explore the best Dental Jobs throughout Ontario!

Visit our website or call us at 647-800-1299 for dental job opportunities in Toronto, Ontario.

[smileupdental]

Fast and Reliable Emergency Dental Services in Markham – Smile Up Dental Clinic

Smile Up Dental Clinic offers expert care for dental emergencies in Markham. From cracked teeth to abscesses, our skilled team provides quick relief. Count on the best emergency dental clinic in Markham for professional, compassionate care. Book your appointment immediately!

[allthecanadianpolitics]

The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) is set to start providing coverage next month — but it's not clear that enough dentists will enrol to provide care to the 1.6 million seniors that have signed up already. Health Canada would not provide CBC News with a figure for how many oral health care providers have registered for the CDCP since applications opened on March 11. The department will only say "thousands" have signed on. According to their national associations, there are approximately 26,500 dentists, 1,700 independent hygienists and 2,400 denturists practising in Canada — 30,500 in total. "I'm hearing that the sign-up is slow," said Dr. Heather Carr, president of the Canadian Dental Association. "I do not think it's as high as we would hope in order for this plan to be successful."

Continue Reading.

Tagging: @politicsofcanada

[deepak-kansal]

How Sugar Silently Destroys Your Teeth

Sugar isn’t just a sweet indulgence—it’s a silent destroyer of your oral health. Many of your favorite foods and drinks contain hidden sugars that contribute to tooth decay and other dental problems. But how exactly does sugar damage your teeth? Let’s explore this topic in detail and learn practical tips to protect your smile.

What Happens to Your Teeth When You Eat Sugar?

When sugar interacts with the bacteria in your mouth, it creates an acidic environment. Over time, this acid erodes your tooth enamel—the hard, protective layer of your teeth. This process can lead to cavities, tooth sensitivity, and other serious dental issues.

Here’s a step-by-step breakdown:

Sugar Feeds Bacteria: Harmful bacteria in your mouth thrive on sugar, producing acids as a byproduct.

Acid Weakens Enamel: The acids demineralize and break down the enamel, leaving your teeth vulnerable.

Cavities Form: Over time, weakened enamel leads to tiny holes or cavities in your teeth.

Common Sources of Hidden Sugars

Sugar hides in more than just desserts. Be mindful of these common culprits:

Soft Drinks: Even "diet" sodas contain acids that harm your teeth.

Processed Snacks: Chips, crackers, and cereals often have added sugars.

Sauces and Dressings: Ketchup, barbecue sauce, and salad dressings are sugar-laden.

Energy Drinks: Packed with sugar, these beverages can be worse than soda.

Signs Sugar Is Damaging Your Teeth

Look out for these warning signs:

Increased tooth sensitivity

Visible discoloration or spots on your teeth

Persistent bad breath (halitosis)

Pain while eating or drinking something hot, cold, or sweet

If you notice these symptoms, schedule a visit with a dental professional immediately.

How to Minimize Sugar Damage

You can protect your teeth from sugar’s harmful effects with these tips:

Brush and Floss Regularly: Use fluoride toothpaste to strengthen enamel.

Drink Water: Rinse your mouth after consuming sugary foods or drinks.

Chew Sugar-Free Gum: This stimulates saliva production, which neutralizes acids.

Eat a Balanced Diet: Include more fibrous fruits and vegetables to clean teeth naturally.

Visit a Dental Hygienist: Regular cleanings and checkups are essential.

Deepak Kansal, Dental Hygienist, recommends making dental hygiene a priority to protect your smile. Learn more at www.deepakkansal.com.

Helpful Resources for Better Oral Health

Expand your knowledge with reliable sources:

Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA)

Dental Hygiene Canada

World Health Organization (WHO)

National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)

Final Thoughts

Sugar may seem harmless, but its effects on your teeth are far-reaching. By being mindful of your diet and oral hygiene routine, you can keep your smile healthy and bright.

Disclaimer

The information provided is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Readers should consult with a qualified healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment.

Call to Action

Love what you read? Share your thoughts in the comments or reblog this post to spread awareness about oral health! For expert dental hygiene tips, visit Deepak Kansal’s website.

[prapasara]

Tooth fairy

Tooth fairy

The tooth fairy is a folkloric figure of early childhood in Western and Western-influenced cultures.  The folklore states that when children lose one of their baby teeth, they should place it underneath their pillow or on their bedside table; the Tooth Fairy will visit while they sleep, replacing the lost tooth with a small payment.

Origins

During the Middle Ages, other superstitions arose surrounding children's teeth. Children in England were instructed to burn their baby teeth, on pain of spending eternity searching for the baby teeth in the afterlife. Fear of witches was another reason to bury or burn teeth. In medieval Europe, it was thought that a witch could assume total power over someone if they were to obtain one of their teeth. 

Another modern incarnation of these traditions into an actual Tooth Fairy has been traced to a 1908 "Household Hints" item in the Chicago Daily Tribune:

Tooth Fairy. Many a refractory child will allow a loose tooth to be removed if he knows about the Tooth Fairy. If he takes his little tooth and puts it under the pillow when he goes to bed the Tooth Fairy will come in the night and take it away, and in its place will leave some little gift. It is a nice plan for mothers to visit the 5-cent counter and lay in a supply of articles to be used on such occasions. 

Appearance

Unlike Father Christmas and, to a lesser extent, the Easter Bunny, there are few details of the Tooth Fairy's appearance that are consistent in various versions of the myth. A 1984 study conducted by Rosemary Wells revealed that most, 74 percent of those surveyed, believed the Tooth Fairy to be female, while 12 percent believed the Tooth Fairy to be neither male nor female, and 8 percent believed the Tooth Fairy could be either male or female.  When asked about her findings regarding the Tooth Fairy's appearance, Wells explained: "You've got your basic Tinkerbell-type Tooth Fairy with the wings, wand, a little older and whatnot. Then you have some people who think of the tooth fairy as a man, a bunny rabbit, or a mouse."  One review of published children's books and popular artwork found the Tooth Fairy to be depicted in many different forms, including as a child with wings, a pixie, a dragon, a blue mother-figure, a flying ballerina, two little older men, a dental hygienist, occasionally a female dentist, a potbellied flying man smoking a cigar, a bat, a bear, and others. Unlike the well-established imagining of Santa Claus, differences in renderings of the Tooth Fairy are not as upsetting to children. 

Depiction on coins and currency 

Starting in 2011, the Royal Canadian Mint began selling special sets for newborn babies, birthdays, wedding anniversaries, "Oh Canada", and the Tooth Fairy. The Tooth Fairy quarters, which were issued only in 2011 and 2012, were packaged separately. 

In 2020, the Royal Australian Mint began issuing "Tooth Fairy kits" that included commemorative $2 coins.

Reward

The reward left varies by country, the family's economic status, amounts the child's peers report receiving, and other factors.  A 2013 survey by Visa Inc. found that American children receive $3.70 per tooth on average.  According to the same survey, only 3% of children find a dollar or less and 8% find a five-dollar bill or more under their pillow. 

The reward is affected by inflation.  According to data gathered by the American dental insurance company Delta Dental, the average payout per tooth in the United States rose from $1.30 in 1998 to $6.23 in 2023.  According to Delta Dental, the payout's trends typically mirror macroeconomic conditions and the S&P 500 stock index. 

Delta Dental found that the first tooth lost gets a higher reward than other teeth on average in the United States.

Belief

Belief in the Tooth Fairy is viewed in two very different ways. On the one hand, children's beliefs are seen as part of the trusting nature of childhood. Conversely, belief in the Tooth Fairy is frequently used to label adults as being too trusting and ready to believe anything. 

Parents tend to view the myth as providing comfort for children in losing a tooth.  Research finds that belief in the Tooth Fairy may comfort a child experiencing fear or pain from losing a tooth.  Mothers especially seem to value a child's belief as a sign that their "baby" is still a child and is not "growing up too soon".  By encouraging belief in a fictional character, parents allow themselves to be comforted that their child still believes in fantasy and is not yet "grown up". 

Children often discover the Tooth Fairy is imaginary as part of the age 5- to 7-year shift, often connecting this to other gift-bearing imaginary figures (such as Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny). 

Author Vicki Lansky advises parents to tell their children early that the tooth fairy pays much more for a perfect tooth than a decayed one. According to Lansky, some families leave a note with the payment, praising the child for good dental habits. 

Research findings suggest a possible relationship between a child's continued belief in the Tooth Fairy (and other fictional characters) and false memory syndrome

Related myths

El Ratón Pérez (Spain and Latin America) 

In Spain and Hispanic America, El Ratoncito Pérez or Ratón Pérez (lit. transl. Perez the Little Mouse or Perez Mouse) is equivalent to the Tooth Fairy. He first appeared in an 1894 tale written by Luis Coloma for King Alfonso XIII, who had just lost a milk tooth at the age of eight.  As is traditional in other cultures, when a child loses a tooth it is customary for the child to place it under the pillow so that El Ratoncito Pérez will exchange it for a small payment or gift. The tradition is almost universal in Spanish cultures, with some slight differences.

He is generally known as "El Ratoncito Pérez",  except for some regions of Mexico, Peru, and Chile, where he is called "El Ratón de los Dientes" (transl. The Tooth Mouse), and in Argentina, Venezuela, Uruguay, and Colombia, where he is known simply as "El Ratón Pérez". He was used by Colgate marketing in Venezuela  and Spain.

Elsewhere in Europe 

In Italy, the Tooth Fairy (Fatina dei denti) is also often replaced by a tiny mouse named Topolino. In some areas the same role is held by Saint Apollonia, known as Santa Polonia in Veneto.  (Saint Apollonia's legendary martyrdom involved having her teeth broken; she is frequently depicted artistically holding a tooth and is considered the patron saint of dentistry and those with toothache and dental problems.)

In France and French-speaking Belgium, this character is called La Petite Souris (The Little Mouse). From parts of Lowland Scotland comes a tradition similar to the fairy mouse: a white fairy rat who purchases children's teeth with coins.

In Catalonia, the most popular would be Els Angelets (little angels) and also "Les animetes" (little souls) and as in the other countries, the tooth is placed under the pillow in exchange of a coin or a little token.

In the Basque Country, and especially in Biscay, there is Mari Teilatukoa ("Mary from the roof"), who lives in the roof of the baserri and catches the teeth thrown by the children. In Cantabria, he is known as L'Esquilu de los dientis ("the tooth squirrel). 

Asia and Africa

In Japan, a different variation calls for lost upper teeth to be thrown straight down to the ground and lower teeth straight up into the air; the idea is that incoming teeth will grow in straight. 

In Korea, throwing both upper and lower teeth on the roof was common.  The practice is rooted around the Korean national bird, the magpie. It is said that if the magpie finds a tooth on the roof, it will bring good luck.  Some scholars think the myth derived from the word 까치(Ka-chi) which was a middle Korean word for magpies that sounds similar to "new teeth", or because of the significance of magpies in Korean mythology as a messenger between gods and humans. 

In Middle Eastern countries

 (including Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, and Sudan), there is a tradition of throwing a baby tooth up into the sky to the sun or to Allah. This tradition may originate in a pre-Islamic offering dating back to the 13th century. It was also mentioned by Izz bin Hibat Allah Al Hadid in the 13th century. 

In Mali, children throw baby teeth into the chicken coop to receive a chicken the following day. 

In Afrikaans speaking families in South Africa, children leave their teeth in a shoe so that the Tandemuis (Tooth Mouse) can replace the teeth with money.

In popular culture

In 1927, a children's playwright, Esther Watkins Arnold, brought to life an extraordinary, elf-like creature, in an 8-page playlet. She playfully christened it as the "Tooth fairy", and this mythical creature had the power to fly around visiting young children, to collect their fallen (milk) teeth.

See also

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark – A film featuring an early version of the creatures

Fairy

Ratoncito Pérez – Spanish tooth mouse

Hammaspeikko – Finnish tooth troll

Hogfather – Discworld novel featuring their version of the Tooth Fairy

CR   ::      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tooth_fairy

[petoskeystones]

alex lyon on red & white authority is so endearing. that’s my emotional support minnesotan basically canadian yale graduate overly analytical goalie who wants to be a dental hygienist so he can hang out with his girlfriend more

[internationaldentistcanada]

Advanced Dental Admission Test (ADAT)

Everything you need to know about Advanced Dental Admission Test (ADAT).

About Internationally trained Dentists interested in applying to advance dental education or post-graduate training programs in USA and Canada, need to take Advance Dental Admission Test (ADAT). ADAT along with other selection criteria helps you to secure admission into more than 400 advanced dental programs across American and Canadian dental schools. Recently from the 2021 University of Toronto and McGill University started accepting ADAT result for admission to their International Dentists Advanced Placement Program (IDAPP) and DMD Advanced Sanding for Foreign-Trained Dentist pathway respectively instead of Assessment of Fundamental Knowledge (AFK).

ADAT is Governed by American Dental Association’s (ADA) Council on Dental Education and Licensure (CDEL) and administered by Pearson VUE (Virtual University Enterprises) across USA and Canada only. Pearson VUE is the deliverer of computer-based tests. ADAT test assesses an applicant’s relative potential in success of various advance dental programs. The duration of the test is 4 hours and 30 minutes.

Who should take ADAT? ADAT is a test of choice for – a. Dental students in their final year interested in specialty programs in USA and Canada, b. Practicing Dentists in Canada And USA interested in specialty programs, c. Internationally trained dentists (Apart from USA and Canada) applying to advanced dental education programs like Degree completion programs in the University of Toronto and McGill University.

Structure ADAT consists of three sections 1. Biomedical Sciences (80 items) – anatomic sciences (20 items), biochemistry and physiology (20 items), microbiology and pathology (20 items), dental anatomy, and occlusion (20 items). 2. Clinical sciences (80 stand alone and Case-based items) include endodontics, operative dentistry, oral and maxillofacial surgery, periodontics, oral diagnosis, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, prosthodontics, pharmacology, principles of ethics, and patient management. 3. Data, Research interpretation, and Evidence-based dentistry (40 items).

Eligibility and Registration Candidates from the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) and the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC) accredited programs and non-accredited programs can be eligible to take ADAT. Before registering for ADAT candidates need to have their DENTPIN.

DENTPIN DENTal Personal Identifier Number (DENTPIN) helps protect your personal identification number like Social Security Number (USA) and Canada Social Insurance Number (SIN) by replacing it with unique eight-digit number. Apart from ADAT, candidates can use DENTPIN number to apply for various American Dental Association (ADA) examinations like the Dental Admission Test (DAT), Admission Test for Dental Hygienists (ATDH), National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE), National Board Dental Examination (NBDE II), Integrated National Board Dental Examination (INBDE), and DLOSCE. Please note while registering for DENTPIN you must enter your name exactly mentioned in your official IDs and educational credentials. You can use link to register for DENTPIN.

Dental students from CODA and CDAC Accredited Dental Schools  The dean of the school should confirm that the student is in good standing and is in process of actively applying to the advance dental education program.

Dental Students from Non-accredited Dental Schools Dental students who are studying in non-accredited dental schools need to submit a Certification of Eligibility Form (not for graduated dentists). The form should be signed by the Dean or Registrar of the university where they are studying. Dental students and Dentists who have obtained degree from non-accredited schools need to verify their educational credentials (transcripts) by Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc (ECE). Candidates should request ECE to send the report directly to ADAT program.

Practicing Dentists Graduated from CODA and CDAC Accredited Dental Schools Dentist who has graduated from CODA or CDAC accredited dental schools should submit verification that he or she is a Dentist. This verification should be in the form of a Letter of Recommendation from one of the following:

The secretary of a board of dentistry of a United States licensing jurisdiction in which the individual is licensed or eligible for licensure as a dentist.

The dean or registrar of an accredited dental school from which the dentist graduated.

The dean, director, or registrar of a CODA-accredited advanced dental education program in which the dentist studied or is studying at the postgraduate level.

The dean of an accredited advanced dental education program to which the dentist is applying for admission with advanced standing.

The letter must state the name of the school that granted the D.D.S. or D.M.D. degree, the exact degree granted, and when it was granted.

[visagurukul012]

Dental Hygienist Course Fee in Canada for International Students

Canada is renowned for its high-quality education system and welcoming environment for international students. One of the sought-after healthcare professions in Canada is dental hygiene, which offers a promising career path and competitive salaries. However, before embarking on this journey, it’s essential to understand the costs associated with pursuing a Dental Hygienist Course Fee In Canada For International Students.

Overview of Dental Hygienist Programs

Dental hygienists play a crucial role in promoting oral health and preventing dental diseases. They work closely with dentists to provide dental care services to patients. To become a dental hygienist in Canada, you must complete a recognized dental hygiene program and obtain licensure from the provincial regulatory body.

Program Duration

Dental hygiene programs in Canada typically span two to three years, depending on the institution and province. These programs are offered by colleges and universities across the country, with varying curriculum structures and tuition fees.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees for international students in Canada vary widely depending on the province, institution, and program. Dental hygienist programs are often offered as diploma or degree programs, and the costs can differ significantly between the two. On average, international students can expect to pay between CAD 15,000 to CAD 40,000 per year for their dental hygienist education in Canada.

Here is a breakdown of the approximate tuition fees for dental hygiene programs in different provinces:

Ontario: In Ontario, international students can expect to pay around CAD 15,000 to CAD 30,000 per year for dental hygiene programs at various colleges.

British Columbia: Tuition fees in British Columbia for international students range from CAD 18,000 to CAD 35,000 per year.

Alberta: In Alberta, international students may pay approximately CAD 15,000 to CAD 30,000 per year for dental hygiene programs.

Quebec: Quebec is known for its affordable tuition fees, and international students can find dental hygiene programs costing around CAD 10,000 to CAD 20,000 per year.

Other Provinces: Tuition fees in other provinces like Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and the Atlantic provinces fall within the above-mentioned range.

It’s essential to check with individual institutions for the most up-to-date tuition fee information as prices may have changed since my last update in September 2021.

Make sure check this link:- Study abroad

Additional Costs

In addition to tuition fees, international students should consider other expenses, such as textbooks, dental hygiene kits, uniforms, and living expenses. The cost of living can vary greatly depending on the city or town where you choose to study. Major cities like Toronto and Vancouver may have higher living costs than smaller towns and cities.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Many Canadian institutions offer scholarships, bursaries, and financial aid opportunities to international students. It’s advisable to research and apply for these opportunities to help offset the cost of your dental hygiene education.

Work Opportunities

International students in Canada are generally allowed to work part-time (up to 20 hours per week) during their studies and full-time during scheduled breaks. This can help you cover living expenses and gain valuable work experience in the field.

Conclusion

Pursuing a Dental Hygienist Course Fee In Canada For International Students can be a rewarding investment in your future career. While the tuition fees can vary, the quality of education and opportunities for growth in the field are significant advantages. To make an informed decision, it’s crucial to research specific programs, institutions, and funding options to determine the overall cost of your dental hygienist course in Canada. With the right planning and financial support, you can embark on a successful journey towards becoming a licensed dental hygienist in Canada.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the role of a dental hygienist in Canada?

Dental hygienists in Canada play a vital role in oral health care. They work alongside dentists to provide preventive dental care, clean teeth, and educate patients on maintaining good oral hygiene.

How long does it take to become a dental hygienist in Canada?

The duration of dental hygienist programs in Canada typically ranges from two to three years, depending on the institution and the province.

What are the tuition fees for international students pursuing a dental hygienist course in Canada?

Tuition fees for international students can vary significantly depending on the province, institution, and program. On average, international students can expect to pay between CAD 15,000 to CAD 40,000 per year for their dental hygiene education in Canada.

Are there any scholarships or financial aid options available for international students?

Yes, many Canadian institutions offer scholarships, bursaries, and financial aid opportunities to international students. It’s advisable to research and apply for these opportunities to help offset the cost of your education.

Can international students work while studying dental hygiene in Canada?

Yes, international students in Canada are generally allowed to work part-time (up to 20 hours per week) during their studies and full-time during scheduled breaks. This can help cover living expenses and gain work experience.

[eltoncurtis]

Fluoride Treatments for Different Age Groups: Insights from Triton Dental

Fluoride is a mineral that helps to strengthen teeth and prevent cavities. It is naturally found in water but it can also be added to toothpaste, mouthwash, and other oral care products. Fluoride for teeth treatments can also be applied to teeth by a dentist or dental hygienist.

The Canadian Dental Association (CDA) recommends that everyone get fluoride treatments, regardless of age. However, fluoride treatments are especially important for children and adolescents who are at a higher risk for cavities.

Here are some of the benefits of fluoride treatments for different age groups:

Children: Fluoride treatments can help to prevent cavities in children's teeth. They can also help to repair early signs of tooth decay.

Adolescents: Fluoride treatments can help to strengthen adolescents' teeth and prevent cavities. They can also help to tame early signs of tooth decay.

Adults: Fluoride treatments can help to prevent cavities in adults' teeth. They can also help to repair minor tooth decay.

If you are interested in learning more about fluoride for teeth treatments, please schedule a consultation with your dentist or Triton Dental. They can help you to determine if fluoride treatments are right for you and your child.

Triton Dental: Your One-Stop Shop for Fluoride Treatments

Triton Dental is a leading provider of dental care in Surrey, BC. They offer a wide range of fluoride treatments for children and adults of all ages. Their dentists and dental hygienists are highly skilled and experienced in providing fluoride for teeth.

They are dedicated to providing their patients with optimal dental care. They offer a variety of convenient appointment times to fit your schedule. Triton Dental also offers a variety of financing options to make your dental care affordable.

If you are looking for fluoride for teeth for your child or yourself, please contact Triton Dental today. Their team would be happy to answer any dental questions you may have.

[atlanticcanada]

Trudeau in Moncton area Friday for three events

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in the Greater Moncton area Friday for three separate events.

Trudeau’s itinerary shows he will meet with dental hygienist students and patients at 10:45 a.m. to discuss high quality and affordable dental care for Canadians.

An announcement on dental care is expected at 11 a.m.

After lunch, Trudeau will visit a health-care research institute and meet with health-care workers and researchers.

At 3 p.m., the prime minister will take part in a town hall discussion in Dieppe, N.B.

Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, Dominic LeBlanc, and the minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Ginette Petitpas Taylor, are scheduled to appear with Trudeau at all three events.

This is a developing story. More to come...  

from CTV News - Atlantic https://ift.tt/38hlbFx

[smileupdental]

Top-Quality Dental Care by Skilled Dentist in Richmond Hill

Discover expert care from a trusted dentist in Richmond Hill at Smile Up Dental Clinic. Our professional team focuses on delivering top-tier dental services, from preventive care to restorative solutions. Achieve a confident, healthy smile in a relaxed and friendly setting.

[the-fall-of-armie-hammer]

New Details On Armie Hammer's Alleged Cayman Islands Lover Revealed

They actually name the clinic she works for. We all know his fans hounded Gloria Allred's office. Imagine how overrun with lunatics this place will be now. Jfc.

ETA the article copy, since it is only accessible in the US?

Months after Armie Hammer was accused of rape and faced shocking allegations of cannibalism, it seems he has found a new love in the Cayman Islands — where he's currently residing while the LAPD conducts an investigation into the sexual assault claims surrounding the actor.

According to Radar, his new flame is named Lisa Perejma, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed Canadian who lives on the west side of Grand Cayman Island in the British West Indies. 

An insider close to the Call Me By Your Name star revealed he had been "spending some time" with a local dental hygienist on the island. And while it has not been confirmed that Perejma is the new woman on Hammer's arm, she has worked as a hygienist at Seven Mile Beach Dental Clinic, according to the company's Instagram page.

In March, the account also shared a video of Perejma flossing in what appears to be her home kitchen. "Who said they didn’t have time to floss?! Check out our very own #flossboss. No more excuses! @lis.perejma," the caption read.

Hammer and his new flame have reportedly been hanging out for months. "They were recently on a 'staycation' out East, the other side of the island from where they live," said the source, per Radar, adding that they "seem happy" with each other. According to the insider, the two share multiple mutual friends and the blonde babe "introduces him to any friends who haven't met him before when they are out."

Hammer's alleged new flame keeps a very low-profile on social media, with both her Instagram and Facebook accounts on private. The only information given on both platforms is that she resides in West Bay, Cayman Islands. 

However, OK! can confirm that Hammer has liked multiple photos Perejma posted to her Instagram page, including a sultry booty snap of her on the beach. And while the actor is not seen in any of her photos, and neither one follows each other on the platform, Hammer has been liking her Instagram photos dating back to September 25, 2019, Radar reported. (He and his estranged wife, Elizabeth Chambers, publicly separated in July 2020.)

News of Hammer's alleged new girlfriend comes after photos of him in the Cayman Islands were "leaked" last week, marking the first time he's been seen since LAPD confirmed its investigation. In the snaps, the 34-year-old was seen relaxing on the beach with a group of friends.

In light of the sexual assault investigation, Hammer decided to leave Los Angeles. He was also let go of a multitude of projects he had lined up after the disturbing allegations were made against him. 

He and his estranged wife previously stayed on the island, along with their two kids – daughter Harper Grace, 6, and son Ford Armand Douglas, 4 – during the lockdown. According to Radar, Chambers and their children have also been staying on the island.

Hammer's fall from grace began in January when Instagram account House of Effie leaked messages (that have not been verified), discussing violent fantasies and cannibalism, that were allegedly between the Hollywood star and an unnamed woman. Following the initial claim, multiple women came forward to speak out against his apparent violent sexual predilections. 

And in March, the woman behind the Instagram account, Effie Angelova, came forward, accusing the father-of-two of rape and physical abuse in an incident that she claimed occurred in 2017. Angelova, whom he reportedly had an on-and-off four-year relationship with, detailed the alleged horrible abuse, claiming she "thought he was going to kill [her]."

"He beat my feet with a crop so they would hurt with every step I took for the next week," Angelova insisted. "During those four hours, I tried to get away but he wouldn't let me."

Angelova and Hammer's alleged affair took place while he was married to his estranged wife, who reportedly filed for divorce last summer after 13 years together. Hours after Angelova made the rape claims during a press conference on Thursday, March 18, the LAPD confirmed that Hammer is being probed for an investigation opened on February 3.

[fructuyeux]

CANADA-20 (xxx) COVID-19

3/13/2020 - 3/22/2020

By: Rayce R. Rayos

This undertaking was planned as a daringly creative escape from mounting internally & externally placed workloads, & was slated to take place during the UNLV 2020 Spring Break.  In concurrence with the vacation was the ever-increasing, ever-diversifying socioeconomic fallout, mandates, & obstacles associated with the first global pandemic that I have experienced in my lifetime.  I’d be remiss to not admit that the cheapened airline, lodging, & transportation prices were viewed as a silver lining in an otherwise hysteric & strange time in human history. The following account of the trip is intended to recount the experiences & knowledge gained (from what is remembered), and aid in the recollection of the associated photo-documentation conducted during.

DAY 1 - 3/14 - 7.5 miles

The outgoing flight 1224 from McCarran International Airport to the eventual destination of Niagara Falls, New York was delayed, unbeknownst to me, & so the trip began with a frantic drive to the airport with a hastened goodbye to my roommate & lovely daughter (who wanted dearly to join her father in Canada).  The flight was delayed by an hour, & I made it on the plane.

A quick stop in Denver, CO was followed by a landing in Fort Lauderdale, FL.  Upon landing, the Spirit Airlines attendant notified me that my flight to Niagara Falls had already left (to the complete fault of their flight coordination), & that I’d have to spend the night & following day in Broward County, 15 miles North of Miami.  I was frazzled & upset to have started my trip with such a complication, but after the airline was able to change my ticket free of charge, I decided to extend my trip an extra day. So, I asked them to book my returning flight for a day later (3/20 → 3/21), to which they agreed to do for free, utilizing a COVID-19 flight disruption program.  I booked a room at the Vacation Inn in the middle of the night, & recalibrated my trip schedule.

The following morning was a beautiful sunny day in South Florida, & after resting my luggage at the motel for the day (for a fee), I skateboarded to SE 17th Street, hung a right, & breezed through a few miles of million-dollar homes & yachts, over the Causeway Bridge, to what would eventually become Fort Lauderdale Beach Park.  Full of families & largely free of fear, the beach was warm, sunlit, & vivacious.  The locals were out in near-full effect, & I spent the entire day with the rays on my back, the water at my waist, & a respite of relaxation before ensuing madness. I even struck up a conversation with some fellow beachgoers as a result of my Kobe Bryant tattoo, & learned a good deal about quotidian life down there.  I got a workout in on the beach equipment, & some peaceful serenity as I stared down the horizon beyond the Atlantic.  I returned to my motel to acquire my bags & make my way to the airport en route to New York… Little did I know that a bar, Bimini Bay to be exact, neighbored my motel.  I found myself entrenched in an environment eerily similar to that of the Huntridge Tavern, although this spot was half the size with raunchy anal porn playing on multiple screens throughout all of the 5 walls.  Throwing brews back & chain-smoking with the locals to country music was a familiar feeling, & instilled in me further the universal nature of letting loose.  That being said, I lost track of time & had to hightail it out of there via a gentleman’s Uber to the airport.  Another flight ran after & barely boarded in the nick of time… My time in South Florida was as serendipitous as flight disruptions can be.  The most lingering aspect of my time spent there was, indubitably, the sunburn that would come to stick with/on me for the remainder of the vacation. Perhaps the worst case of the sun’s kiss I’ve come to bare.  Before fully coming to this realization, I’m on a plane to New York.

DAY 2 - 3/15 - 10.47 miles

Upon being alive on arrival in New York state at 2 AM in the morning, I resolved to sleep in the IAG airport for the night, especially considering my phone charger at the time had been severely out of whack.  There I lay, curled on an airport bench in Niagara Falls for the night with blistering skin & a scent of fresh tobacco smoke (& ass).  I distinctly recall wrestling with the time I should render myself awake, eventually settling upon 9:30 AM. It was at this time that I found myself the only visible individual in the airport terminal; no staff, no bags, no patrons, nothing.  The unexpected isolation harkened memories of the film 28 Days Later.  Once the drool was free from my chin, I hailed a Lyft to the American-Canadian border, specifically the entrance to the Rainbow Bridge; it was along this ride that my driver informed me that the American dollar was fairly strong against the Canadian dollar to the tune of 1 USD = 1.33 CAD (roughly). This would come to be an extremely welcomed caveat to the remainder of the trip, as most every purchase converted to about 75% of all prices quoted in Canada.

When the border was reached, there I stood as a man with his spirit & belongings intact, & began my trek over the bridge to a foreign land.  With frequent pause, the majesty of the falling water on a brisk Spring day will play in my mind for years to come.  Pictures were taken, deep thought was attempted, & it was a stark moment of gratefulness for the life I have been given.  Next was passing through Canadian Customs at the north end of the bridge, & after being grilled for a moment as to my intentions for entering, the officer pointed me in the direction of the bus stop from which my Greyhound was leaving in less than an hour.  From the Rainbow Bridge to the Whistleblower bridge 2.5 miles north, I was blessed with a walk of forced clarity as I hugged Niagara’s riverway with 75+ pounds of much needed possessions.  I found myself doubting my ability to invite others with me on trips in the future out of a fear for unintentionally inflicting similar tasks upon them.  Nevertheless, I made it to my Greyhound in time and rested on the ride to Toronto.

The recuperation was much needed.  When I awoke I found myself in Canada’s largest city (& the 9th-largest in North America), Toronto, Ontario.  Excitement coursed through my capillaries & once departing from the bus on foot, it was straight to my ‘Chinatown Guest House’ to set down my things & get on the go… this was not the case.  A whole fiasco followed where I was unable to contact the host, thereby unable to access the place I had paid to stay for the night (& the night before, despite Spirit having different plans on DAY 1). The first two Torontonian hours were spent in a Chinatown chicken spot (Gdou’s) where I struggled to gain the cellular abilities necessary to overcome this debacle; I bought a new charger & charger port at the market center across Spadina.  I grappled with frustration in a very real sense, but was utterly appeased to find that I had been sent an email containing the entry instructions from Booking.com.  Relief rushed over me. I grabbed my bags, & hunkered down in a room with a wooden balcony & stunning view of Downtown Toronto to boot.  I showered, shat, & escaped into the city heading South on Spadina.  A brief stop at the famed ‘Graffiti Alley’ along with a trip to the marijuana grocer located me in the heart of the Fashion District, a sector largely reminiscent of Williamsburg, BK (as hip, although much smaller).  After a lovely skate to the harbourfront I was able to catch the sun set behind a vast array of monolithic condos & headquarters. The sun was able to get quite low, however, after having nestled between two skyscrapers, & that shared scene on the pier between myself & just a handful of individuals was quite a sight.  Heading south afterwards, I rolled by the Toronto Music Gardens, through Coronation Park, & through a series of railway tracks amidst arenas (BMO Arena), Centennial Park, Lakeshore Boulevard, & an array educational campuses.  Once Dufferin Street was reached, I headed toward Little Portugal.  On the way there I stopped short (per the advice of a local) & turned north up King Street. Halfway home I stopped at the restaurant Thai Place Too & enjoyed some steaming seafood Tom Yum fit with stimulating conversation from the waitress.  I paid my bill, thanked those there, & pushed onward on King Street traversing a barrage of tunnels, city folk, & shopping centers.  At this juncture I recall being bummed by the lack of nighttime activities, & decided to stop at a bar near my place for the night called Wide Open.

What was to begin & end as a night of the all-evasive ‘one brew’ quickly accelerated into a merry time of mutual drunkenness & fun.  A couple dental hygienists befriended me at the bar, & not far to follow were a West Indian techy working for Google & an Irishwoman on her way out of town.  My memories of what exactly transpired are quite shaky, but an unflinching enjoyment of that particular night at the bar lasts.  I got home at an ungodly hour & crash-land in my bed.

DAY 3 - 3/16 - 7.53 miles

Similar to popping out of bed due to a frightening nightmare, “Where’s my fucking board?!” was the thought & simultaneous phrase that opened my eyes that morning.  I was still drunk, so a hangover wasn’t an issue, but discovered a damn large lump on my right posterior parietal bone & a pool of blood in the sheets where I slumbered. I racked what was left of my brain as to where/how/why this injury came to be sustained, but to no avail.  In hindsight, it’s consistent with braceless backwards fall, & vaguely recall attempting to ride my skateboard back home equipped with a BAC of full-blown ‘no bueno’.  Nevertheless, the pain wasn’t of serious concern (although I had plenty of time to reflect on the very real possibility of me now having to operate in a concussed state). What was of concern was my skateboard, my iPod, & my eighth of weed that I had yet to dip into.  I began retracing my steps and was welcomed with open arms by my beautiful black, four-wheeled bride waiting for me at the front doorstep- Check 1.  I scooped up my board, got dressed & readied for the (likely music-less) day ahead, had a solid conversation with my father, & cleared my stuff from the house just in time to be 4 hours late for checkout.

In one of the more daring tactics employed on the trip, I stashed my big purple duffle bag (containing clothes & other non-essentials) & my backpack (containing my laptop, passport & other very-essentials) in the empty garbage bin to the side of the front door.  This was a huge gamble, & one that would weigh somewhat on my conscience for the coming hours, despite heavy medication- re-upped on weed, Check 2.  During my second trip to Graffiti Alley I encountered a bum in mid-tweak repeatedly pulling his pants up & down amidst a backdrop of beautiful art, & naturally this struck me as microcosmic of the whole of Toronto.  The bar I had chanced upon the night prior didn’t resume service until 4 in the evening, & so I had a few hours to kill which were spent speaking with various loved ones & contemplating last night’s events as I bobbed & weaved a hangover.  4 o’clock rolls around & I walk into the bar greeted by a smiling bartender with an unclaimed red iPod.  THIS WAS A PERSONAL WIN OF GREAT PROPORTIONS, & solidified my successful navigation through mindless debauchery abroad- Check 3.  I felt the proverbial wind was once again behind my back, & opted to knock out the city’s landmarks North of Spadina Avenue, largely via Adelaide & King Streets until Yonge.

Post-modern magnificence a la architecture kept my chin up as I managed to dodge pedestrian after pothole after Porsche.  Sundown was not far off & the gleaming beams reflected softly off the mirrored panels some seventy-five plus stories on all sides.  A real embodiment of the term ‘hustle & bustle’ was laid out in front of me, complete with a citizenry whose diversity mimicked that of my own home a world away.  The gritty attitude that I’ve come to associate with East coast cities (specifically the colder ones) was alive & well here, evidenced in reluctance to help guide tourists or even tell the time of day. I loved it, & judged it as genuine more so than anything else.  It should also be noted that the music playing in my ears throughout my time in the ‘Six’ was exclusive to the stylings of Drake, a rapper native of the city with references to its contents (streets, sides of town where the pretty girls sleep, subpopulations, parks, etc.) found abundantly in his lyrics.

When Yonge was reached, I peered west to a ton of things going on, but elected to go east.  This turned out to be a wise decision. After a few blocks I was greeted by the area of town most closely associated with the Toronto skyline & its historical foundations on the illustrious Front Street. Here is where I stood mouth agape with the enormity & incomprehensible complexity of the city on full view.  I touched the base of the CN tower & spent a good amount of time in awe as it registered (despite the Stratosphere being superior in my eyes), traversed the Railway museum set just outside of Olympic Park, gazed upon the Rogers Center where the Blue Jays come to bat, & ended at the water of Lake Ontario at the sandy Harbour Square Park where some solid skating took place.  After some time, the thought of my possessions having lasted (or not) in the trash receptacle all this time prompted me to retrieve them, & so back to Chinatown I booked it.  The moment of truth arrived when I got off my board at 83 W. Sullivan Street, & lo & behold, my stuff was nestled just as I had left it some 5 hours before.  Feeling giddy from the travel-savvy risks taken, I was on to grab dinner with an old colleague of mine who happened to be doing her post-baccalaureate studies there.  T. & I, a former classmate at Valley High, met at what we would come to find as nothing more than another closed restaurant with a COVID-19 newsletter plastered on the door.  We deliberated playfully on what we should now do, & after having happened upon the  ‘T O R O N T O’ sign & all of its illuminated glory, a 6-pack of Stella Artois from the rather hidden LCBO in the mega-commercial Eaton Center became the night’s main entree.  Polite exchanges with exceedingly conversational locals made for a nice segue as we awaited our second Lyft ride to the Harbourfront.

The Harbourfront Centre was largely uncrowded as temperatures dipped below zero (Celsius, of course), & after a brew-cigarette combo, it was in an instance that snow began falling from the blackened sky & onto everything in sight… including our unsheltered selves.  It was as surprising as it was splendid (at least for a desert cactus like me) to have been outdoors somewhere prior to snowfall & then to behold its beginning.  A few days prior, I had been notified that the ski lift an hour North of Ottawa whose mountain I intended to shred had been closed, & so, I found myself with a decision to make: stay in the Toronto area an extra night or board the bus I had booked & crashing in a twin-sized bus seat for the night & do who knows what in Ottawa…  Motivated by the phrase, “What the hell are you going to do in Ottawa?” I chose the former & began searching for a nearby hotel room.  My homegirl, sitting beside me, of course overheard, & more-than-kindly offered a guest room in her condo as a suitable place to rest my head for the evening. I accepted, & we whisked ourselves out of the snow to a 12th-story condo in the 95+% Chinese suburb of Markham, ON.  An once-schoolmate was changed into a dear friend after having exhibited flawless hospitality in the form of whiskey, toast, toothpaste, a bed & sublime conversation.  We jabbed & joked in Francais (with hers being superior to my own), & this was a much-needed introduction to everyday dialogue in the different tongue of the Quebecois whom I would spend most of the days to follow with.

DAY 4 - 3/17 - 4.38 miles

I awoke early in the morning after not being able to sleep too much due to my skin’s incessant irritation, as well as a pseudo-insomnia I’ve come to expect from myself when on vacation.  To fill the time between my awakening & my host’s, I read as much of The Four Agreements, by Don Miguel Ruiz as I could retain, ending with the last chapter left unread.  As a result, the mantras prompted by the book that one is to agree with from within his/herself resonated with me.  They are ‘be impeccable with your word,’ ‘don’t take anything personally,’ ‘don’t make any assumptions,’ & ‘always do your best.’ Fondly, I looked to these statements as a source of my second wind around this time, as the physical toll of my endeavors began somewhat to present themselves.

When T awoke, we engaged in parley for another hour or so before trudging to the neighborhood bus/rail station where she purchased my ticket & we ran goofily to make the train before the doors swiftly shut.  During the train ride back to Downtown Toronto I was able to sit quietly in my thoughts, as well as get some business dealings out of the way via phone.  The walls flanking the tracks were riddled in graffiti of both very high- & very low-quality pieces on fleeting displays.  We were headed to Union Station, the hub for all non-automobile commutes in the metropolitan area, & second-largest transportation facility in North America, servicing some seventy-two million humans yearly.  A stunning structure of Greco-Roman design with pristine pillars, it was a treat to walk the halls of such an obviously integral establishment.  Soon we said our brief farewell & parted ways so that she could go to school & I could purchase a rail ticket to Ottawa, ON- set to leave later in the day.

I purchased my rail ticket to Ottawa for 6:30 PM & stashed my luggage at the bagging station inside the terminal, leaving me with 3 ½ hours to get the last of my rocks off in a city unique to itself. I went straight for Yonge-Dundas square after having caught a glimpse of the scene days prior, & once in the center I felt a likening to Times Square, both personally & perceivably.  There was no better wayward idea at the time than to bust off some skate tricks in the center of such commotion, & was able to have a solid 15-20 minutes on the board before security (much like their American counterparts) gave me the good ol’ boot.  Onto St. Lawrence Market I dashed, the bayside market most closely associated with Canadian grub.  Here I tried peameal for the first time, & was left affirmed of Canadian courtesy, although the meal itself wasn’t anything to write home about.  Yet another stop at Tim Horton’s for some pastries seemed in order before heading back to Union Station.  Back at the staging port for my bus it was revealed to passengers that there was a 50-minute delay- just the break I needed to step out & smoke a potent bowl.  When I did finally step outside after a few lefts & maybe a right, there in front of me stood the Scotiabank Arena where the Toronto Raptors (reigning NBA Champions) play their home games.  To be frank, I was at the rear of the practice court, but nevertheless, happy to happen to be there. The train boards, takes off, & a long list of Canadian towns were slept through & bypassed in the dead of night.  I hailed a lift from the Ottawa Train Station to my hostel for the night. The place served as the first jail in city, & had since been neatly converted into a hostel with guests sleeping in tight-fitting ‘jail cells.’  I was on floor 6 in cell number 613, the quarters of a long-gone inmate by the name of Angelo Villamino. I relished this opportunity to mix the excitement of historicism with the usually lull nature of lodging.  The rest itself was subpar as my skin had begun peeling profusely during the day, & remained red hot during the night.

DAY 5 - 3/18 - 16.24 miles

Morning comes quickly & I am tasked to clear my cell of my things in a playful return to freedom.  Breakfast was held in the dining hall of the jailhouse, aptly ascribed the ‘oldest dining hall in Ottawa.’ After replenishing my body, I held my bags at the front desk, & hurled myself into the city; I had a little over one hour to squeeze as much of the country’s capital into my memory banks as possible.  I began by searching for the Parliament building (more like a castle) where the bulk of legislation for the world’s second-largest country (in landmass) largely transpires.  No Prime Minister Trudeau or politicians in sight, as the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic amplified by the day.  I believe this is the day that the Prime Minister of Canada closed the southern border to incoming Americans, followed swiftly by our President’s mutual refusal of incoming foreign travelers at the border.  Admittedly, this was not of concern to me, as I figured (& thankfully was later proven correct) that a U.S. citizen would be permitted to come home.  In hindsight, I perhaps predicted such measures being taken & allowed them to expedite my plans of getting to Canada before being unable to enter as an American.

Anyway… by Parliament I glided taking whatever pauses necessary to piece together how things came to be as they are up there from an academic perspective, but carefully preserving the right to take the utmost tourist-y photos (much like others do at 1600 Pennsylvania).  A breathtaking building it was indeed, & that was just the view from the street!  I continued along my path, circumnavigating the center of the city which took me to Victoria Island & into the province of Quebec for a brief moment (although I was not aware of the provincial border at the time).  Like my time in Niagara, I elected to skate from a southern bridge to a northern one, the latter being Alexandra bridge over the Ottawa River.  What a special moment this turned out to be as my wheels clanked over the wooden boards of the bridge, seemingly to the dismay of the townspeople.  I was not the least bit concerned for this harmless transgression, as I had been otherwise captivated by my backside view of Parliament sitting atop its hill.  It felt as if I had been transported to Transylvania, & the Victorian edifice gave me a sense of passion for human ingenuity.  I made it back to the HI Ottawa Jail Hostel, aligned my belongings, & requested a ride to the Ottawa Greyhound terminal to catch my bus to Montreal. Here is precisely where Francais surpassed English as the primary mode of communication for the foreseeable future.  The beloved Quebecois are very proud of their Francophone heritage, as it is the written language on road signs & nearly all signage everywhere (with a distinctive lower regard for English).

Arrival in Montreal occurred after the couple-hour bus ride.  Immediately I was made aware of the foothold in normalcy that the French language commanded there, mainly because everything was in French (& not always in English).  Outside the bus station, during my coordination with my Airbnb host, multiple homeless individuals approached me in search of loose change or a cigarette. This would be otherwise unworthy of mention had it not been for their guttural requests being in a language outside of English; I remember finding it striking to conceive a natively French-speaking bum whose domain I was now a guest in.  My stuff & I made yet another march to the place I would come to call a temporary home- the apartment of Alix & Marion.  I was mid-toke when my host, Alix, motioned to me to come to the stairs at the foot of the door & take my entry. A simple ‘bonjour,’ we greeted each other with, & I demonstrated to her that I would prefer to speak in her primary language in an effort to sharpen my own ear & mouth, to which she gladly agreed.  The remainder of our exchanges over roughly the next 48 hours took place in Francais, with varying degrees of contextual & vernacular depth.  The common Montrealaise person is a French-speaker with a veritable accent when they switch to English.  As the old addage goes, when in Rome, do as the Romans do.  I met this challenge to navigate a new cityscape & probe its peoples in an embracing way with occasional angst, constant excitement, & most profoundly with a thirst for knowledge.

My goods were locked away in my room, I had just showered, so I grabbed my board & set sail in search of the city’s lifebloods. Beginning in Chinatown (which usually tends to be either exactly or nearby places I stay in cities), I opted to head west in search of Le Plateau & Mile’s End, sections of the town celebrated for the globality & execution of their cuisinieres.  Some poutine boeuf hache from Main Deli on Rue Ste. Laurent seemed the right call, & turned out better than my imagination had guessed.  From Mile’s End southward I was bound, seeking to lay eyes upon L’Universite de Montreal.  Little did I know it was set atop one of the many tiers of Mt. Royal at the city’s center.  Getting there was rather trying, but the views of Quebec’s largest city at night from the campus, coupled with the exhilaration of board-bombing down the occasional hill, left little to be desired & much to be remembered.  Further south of the University lied L’Oratoire de St. Joseph (St. Joseph’s Oratory), a Catholic-driven destination featuring towering stained-glass windows, a gathering hall for services that rivaled the most Mormon of Tabernacles, along with a balcony’s viewpoint all its own.  After struggling to find the exit from the Oratory, I found it in my best interest to begin the journey back to my bed.  A complete encircling of Mt. Royal park was supposed to cap the day’s adventure as night had already befallen hours before.  Perhaps fate had other plans in mind.

My phone had been rendered useless at this point, & I had little more than my intelligence to rely on to get me back home.  Unfortunately, my mental capacity had waned significantly over the course of the day’s doings, & over the next 2 or 3 hours I could be plainly seen wandering somewhat aimlessly from roadside map to roadside map.  The outcome of being well off-track was spectacular, however.  I cannot help but feel I got to experience the city in a different & daring light.  Half of me wanted to return home, & the other half wanted to investigate each eye-catching facet; more often than not, I let the need to investigate prevail & tacked some formidable mileage onto the invisible odometer of my skateboard throughout the night.  After some much-needed guidance from a man walking & a bus driver, I was able to piece together just enough of my surroundings to locate 1223 Rue Ste. Elisabeth. Before heading home, I stopped into an Indian restaurant called SpiceBoys, where I requested tandoori chicken with curry rolled into naan bread.  The only problem was that their card terminal was unable to accept any of my debit or credit cards, & so, with one stroke of effortless Indian-Canadian kindness, I was gifted a hearty dinner for the night free of charge.  With the help of daylight, the next day I uncovered that I had thoroughly explored Downtown Montreal (via Rue Ste. Catherine), the Red-Light District, the Quartier Latin (Latin Quarter), & the Quartier des Spectacles (Entertainment District).  I crept back into the apartment, which creaked with every floorboard, into my room & resigned to fatigue.

DAY 6 - 3/19 - 8.64 miles

I remained asleep in my quarters for the morning’s entirety, having groveled thirteen hours through the mandatory regeneration of my body & mind.  Near this time I had an extended conversation with my hostess in which I requested to place my bags there after check-out the following day & attached reasoning to the request… completely in Francais! She was more than accommodating.  Awakened & thoughts of the night prior still scrambling my brain, I showered (peeling skin off myself for the vast majority of time in the water), clothed myself in some hot shit, & set out to cross the St. Lawrence River.  The cartographic struggles that were now in the past (plus a charged phone) helped me immensely in getting to my desired destinations in the coming days.  I set out southward on Boulevard Rene-Levesque seeking to hit Griffintown & St. Henri before taking the Wellington Street bridge over to the L’isle de Ste. Helene (St. Helen Island).  The riverfront at Sq. St. Patrick was an intoxicating mixture of sights & sounds; inlaid with a frozen stream, industrious (sometimes abandoned) infrastructure, & graffiti/street art that seamlessly colorized a scene already full of vibrance made for a quite memorable portion.  At the point where most individuals had turned back due to the icy paths & an increasingly disinviting ambience, I progressed under Highway 10.  On a route I was positive few or none had taken before, I stood roadside at dusk having to think intensely upon my next move & if it was the correct one.  Wrong ones were made, gloves were dropped, but in time & effort I was able to find Avenue Pierre-Dupuy.

For a handful of kilometers, I skated along the shipyard gazing upon the city that I had been so immersed in & with.  I was trying to practice kicking & pushing in the ‘goofy’ stance, so that I could face the spectacles & not apartment complexes (to mild avail).  Before I knew it, I reached Parc Dieppe (Dieppe Park), a park on the north tip of the Cite du Havre & the starting point of the Pont de la Concorde (Concord Bridge).  I would begin crossing without giving myself the time to let fear fester.  Cars sped by at a half-meter’s length as my wheels rolled over tidbits of gravel, & more present in my mind, over a large body of water.  I recall taking a few moments of pause at the bridge’s midpoint to survey my surroundings, & beautifully dominating they were.  Humbled I felt, truly.  As if my existence equated to a ripple in the river below, & with my individual ripple I can become a hurricane, or mud.  The end of the bridge was a comforting sight.

To reach L’isle de Ste. Helene was the goal for the day & having gotten off the east end of the Pont de la Concorde, I was finally there.  A long walk up the eastern coast of the island awaited me & was met with a heart teeming with adventure.  Here I had time alone.  With no other humans nearby, I let my mind run wild with thoughts of the trip to this point & how, in the grand scheme of things, I felt I was at where I should be; perhaps not geographically as one’s physical station is usually inconsequential. But in my mental state I was home, & home alone at that.  Onward & northward I strode through the Parc Jean-Drapeau, laying eyes upon the ‘Biosphere’- a spherical structure on the island meant to champion ecology.  Trees & ice accompanied me on the brisk walk to the north end of the island.  There, Pont Jacques-Cartier (Jacques Cartier Bridge) awaited me in all of its steel beam splendor.  Thankfully, the lanes of traffic & the pedestrian walkway had a divider between them, as well as a protective gate on the side where one might otherwise go overboard.  This was all I needed to hop back on my board & skate my weathered boots over the St. Lawrence for the last time.  On the bridge there were workers toiling away & the dazzling light sequence of the bridge itself made for a surreal experience.  In the distance I could see the bridge, lit in rainbow colors, that I had crossed merely an hour or two before this new bridge that served as my current vantage point.  Thoughts on the ephemerality of my existence at large (exemplified by having been way over yonder ‘then’ & here ‘now’) & the absolute need for self-belief against a vacuum of chance pervaded my tiny brain.  The Pont Jacques-Cartier provided a special moment in my life that I can attest to having been rarely duplicated before.  For reasons beyond me, I shed a tear & smoked a bowl before getting off.

Once off, I felt my way through Gay Village & back down into the Quartier Latin where I stopped for dinner at a quaint, but busy, Napoli Pizzeria.  The owner was Italian.  The waiter too.  Both spoke Italian, English, & French, but after a while a Mexican family of 6 on vacation from Monterrey was seated, & the working duo displayed their aptitude in the Spanish language as well, going so far as to tell jokes anecdotally.  I grinned & shared in the aura of the exchange, although I likely resembled a dirty drifter in the corner.  Coming from such worldly humans, naturally the smoked salmon pizza topped with capers & onions was not lacking in the least bit.  So, I ordered a large box for take-out after munching away the smaller portion & took my leave.  On the way home, I stopped at a Second Cup Coffee Co. location & had a brief verbal volley with the barista in request of a cheesecake. He complimented my accent when speaking French, & even likened it to that of a French person (maybe meaning not Quebecois), despite glaring difficulties in my comprehension & rebuttals.  Riding an emotional (& literal) high during the descent of a simply remarkable day of jam-packed novelty & sensation in all forms (sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, introspection), I returned to the apartment for  my last full night in the region.

DAY 7 - 3/20 - 2.42 miles

My time in Montreal was now nearing an end, & I began to hold thoughts of coming home in high regard.  When the sluggishness of sleep washed away in the shower (insert skin peeling of the largest proportions here), I readied my luggage & cleaned my temporary room as best as I could to eliminate all signs of a horrific sunburn & accompanying cranial gash.  With the green light from my hostesses to store my luggage in the apartment until the night’s 10:50 bus ride to Plattsburgh, NY, I was intent upon checking off the last few Montreal-bound goals that remained.  This came chiefly in the form of a desire to reach the Mt. Royal lookout in order to take in the city-sphere from its namesake mountain.  Originally, I had intended to skateboard there from the apartment, but after a few blocks of dousing rain, I called an Uber to scoop me up (after finding out that Lyft doesn’t yet operate in Quebec) & take me.  The friendly Uber driver, Vincent, let me out at the drivable point closest to the Chateau Mont Royal, & didn’t hesitate to call me crazy for being there in such ferocious conditions.  He pointed me in the proper direction which was aided by a fellow human headed toward the same spot as myself.  Precipitation worsened as the half-mile March was underway, but it was worth every goosebump & raindrop once I reached the outlook.

A dreary backdrop of low-hanging, gray clouds & the smell of rain caressed the skyline’s perimeter in a way that rang true & imprinted upon me a stunningly naked Montreal.  An intimate version of the city it was, gripped by the unknown like the rest of the world, yet resilient enough for entrepreneurialism to survive in pockets.  Having already been to many of the places now set in my sight made the moment all the more fulfilling & full circle.  A naive feeling of having ‘conquered’ the city laid bare before me was soon supplanted by the revelation of the realer self-conquest. Half-frozen water panging my face & wind gusts pulling & pushing without cease proved no match for the firmness I had found, in feet & fortitude.  This was the quintessential culmination of the week I endured, & one one-hundred percent befitting of such a voyage.

I made my escape of Mount Royal with haste before my inadequate (but stylish) clothing proved a fatal error.  Originally, I had the notion to return to Main Deli because my last meal there was so damn good, but in the moment I opted for Schwartz’s Deli across the street in the name of variety.  A heaping steak sandwich slatted between two tiny slices of wheat with mustard proved to be the house specialty, & was served less than a minute after being ordered… It was alright.  Homeward bound with a full stomach, I decided to walk into a store that I had held in the back of my mind after passing by my first day there, Cul-de-Sac.  This place was happening!  The owner of the store was gracious in her conversation as I browsed.  I eventually confessed my inspiration(s) gained from her shop (& plans to recreate in a respectful, homage-paying manner).  We spoke at length about various topics, from our being of parents, to our being of owners of similar retail operations, to her allegiance to Quebec & not the whole of Canada.  In fact, she was the foremost messenger of the separatist mentality that the people of the Quebec province displayed, on their countenance & in their conduct.  I purchased a few of the items in her shop, she threw me some good stuff for free, & we wished well upon each other at my exit.  That was the last recreational stop in Montreal, & soon thereafter I retreated to the Quartier des Spectacles to acquire my things.  I was graced with the time to charge my phone & rest my bones for about 45 minutes.  It was during this time that a cherished exchange between myself, Alix, & Marion (a hostess with whom I’d only spoken with via Airbnb messaging up to this point) occurred.  It had become expected that I was asked what I did with my day, & that is how the chat began.  I explained the day’s travels, thanked the duo for being a source of comfort & ease at the beginnings & ends of trying days.  I also thanked them for putting up with my butchering of their language (as each inhabitant of the apartment was from France) for the sake of practice, which they met befuddled & were quick to praise my ability to communicate/intonate in their complicated speech.  They even went so far as to say that my speaking has a native’s accent & were super appreciative of my having taught myself over the last couple years.  A mutual encounter I cannot help but feel it was, & I remain grateful for their pleasant & inviting demeanors.  I climbed down the long stairwell of 1223 Rue Ste. Elisabeth once & for all & signaled for Uber to take me to the Longueil Metro.

I had arrived at the bus station with plenty of time to spare, having somewhat learned the errors of my ways.  I was serious about not wanting to cut anything close with such little time left for my returning flight home. I waited patiently at my gate for my bus to arrive & whisk me away back to the states for my 2:59 AM flight out of Plattsburgh, New York (Upstate).  Sadly, the bus’s arrival time came & went, & at the mention of the ticketing booth agent, I waited another 45 minutes for it.  Having received no notification of cancellation from the bussing company, no accurate updates on the whereabouts of the bus, & minute after minute shaving away from takeoff time, I was forced to call an Uber to pick me up from the metro station & take me to the border- this cost one-hundred Canadian dollars.  We stopped at an ATM, grabbed some snacks, & finally Ridaha & I were on our way.  A fruitful & insightful chat aided us along the drive, & I was able to disentangle much French from this nice Tunisian man.  An hour passed & we arrived at the U.S. border.

As the car pulled up to the border, U.S. Customs agents ordered repeatedly for my driver’s documentation.  A brief argument between an unsuspecting Ridaha & an extremely serious officer took place.  The very odd circumstances were eventually explained, Ridaha was directed to make a U-turn & head home while I exited the vehicle, grabbed my bags, & headed to the border patrol substation.  It was there that I was informed that I would need to call a cab (as Uber wasn’t functioning in this particular location), but to complicate matters drastically, the taxi services weren’t doing the ‘border run’ that night.  My heart fell into my stomach, & I had entered a phase of worry that I had yet to reach at any point along the trip.  Thankfully, one Officer Burdette walked me to the West Service Road behind the U.S. Border Patrol & Customs Champlain Station & pointed in the direction of the nearest place still open- a Peterbilt truck stop about a half mile down a pitch-black road.  He also made it a point to mention that if I attempted to hitchhike on main Highway 87, I would be arrested.  This oh so tangible road brought with it intangible emotion after emotion as I grappled with triumph & failure, each still hanging in the balance.  It had become very important outside of my own ambitions for me to make the plane & get home, & I was purely keen to not have loved ones worry about my wellbeing any longer.  A frantic mixture of skating & speed-walking got me to the Peterbilt stop, & by the grace of God, the taxi company agreed to send out a driver for me & get me to the airport from this largely equidistant pick-up point. While I waited in freezing temperatures in an Eddie Bauer peacoat on the side of the road at the smallest hour, another group of U.S. Customs agents spotted me & sought to question my being there.  They asked for identification & reasoning to which I was forthcoming.  They wished me well & left.

Thirty minutes later, a portly man of sound intelligence & world view taxied me to the Plattsburgh International Airport (after having stopped at an ATM for cash to pay him). I entered the empty airport at 2:30 AM for my 2:59 AM flight with the driver’s assurance that I’ll be able to get right through TSA & onto the plane.  More than sadly, he was mistaken.  The Spirit Airlines attendant had vacated his post thirty minutes before takeoff to aid the onboarding crew, as per policy, of course.  I rushed up to the barren TSA line & inquired about my chances of getting on the plane.  They responded that the flight door had already been closed, & that it was now an impossibility for me to board.  Needless to say, it was now impossible for me to get home on time, too. I felt I had fallen just short of a buzzer-beating victory that I had already affirmed to those who had expressed concern. I had begun to list the many variables that could have gone differently to get me on to that flight: 1) why didn’t my bus in Longueil show up or even notify me of cancellation? 2) why didn’t I deem the bus ride a lost cause sooner & get an Uber sooner? 3) why did we have to stop at an ATM so off-route when leaving Montreal? 4) Couldn’t they have held me & my driver up a bit less at the border? 5) Why couldn’t the taxi agency send someone a half-mile further than where they would eventually come to pick me up? 6) Why did this portly man with a good view of the world have to drive the speed limit? Would he have driven faster if I didn’t entertain his subjects? 7) Why the fuck does the agent at the airline counter leave the counter thirty minutes before a flight is scheduled to take off?

When the airline attendant did return, he was sympathetic to my cause & willing to help find a solution.  Employing a similar program to the one used at the beginning of the trip, he was able to book the exact flight for the following day free of charge.  This eased me greatly.  Questions & doubt lingered, but I soon picked my chin up & hopped in another cab headed for the America’s Best Value Inn. This would be my impromptu safe haven on this frigid Friday night, & I checked in at 3:30 AM.

DAY 8 - 3/21 - 0 miles

Today is my sister’s & my aunt’s shared birthday.  I wished dearly to be home by now next to my daughter, & to begin decompressing the week’s peaks & valleys. Yet, here I sit in the lobby of the cheap motel I spent last night in.  I’ve been in the same chair since 1:15 PM, & it is now 12:49 AM (with the exception of a few bathroom/water breaks & a brief standing up to accept ordered wings & garlic bread).  This unexpected & obligation-less window in time was spent formulating this transcript of a vacation I can confidently say will come to prove formative as life presses on.  One not soon to be forgotten, nor the lessons gained therein forsaken. My flight to Las Vegas via Fort Lauderdale, Florida & Dallas, Texas is due to leave in a couple hours.  With my lack of punctuality deeply ingrained, I resolve to close this memoir in saying that the constant struggle with mortality across Earth & in minds amidst these troubling waters was on full display in every city & each individual’s expression.  Death and Disease on the tongues of the media & man the world over, but life itself (outside of the biological & inside of the metaphorical sense) is to be explored & discovered lovingly… never to be shied away from or merely sustained.  With our collectively restricted circumstances reaching a fever pitch in what people can & cannot, should & should not, will & will not do, I resolve to digress & remain profoundly thankful for love, safety, health & home. 

[sensitive-virgo]

Leading Dental Assistant Schools in Oklahoma: Your Path to a Rewarding Career Starts Here

Title: Top Dental‌ Assistant Schools in Oklahoma: ⁤Your Path to a Rewarding Career Starts ​Here

Meta Title: Discover the Best Dental ⁤Assistant Schools in Oklahoma for a Bright Career

Meta⁤ Description: Explore the top dental ⁣assistant schools in Oklahoma⁤ that can kickstart your‍ journey towards⁢ a rewarding career in the field of dentistry. Learn about the programs, requirements, and benefits of pursuing dental assistant education⁣ in the state.

Introduction:

If ​you are looking to embark on a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry, becoming a dental assistant can be a​ great starting point. Dental⁢ assistants‍ play a crucial role ​in the day-to-day operations of dental offices, helping dentists and hygienists ‍provide quality care to patients. If you’re in‌ Oklahoma and⁢ interested in pursuing a‍ career ​as a dental assistant, you’re in luck! Oklahoma is home to several top-notch dental assistant schools‌ that can⁣ provide you⁢ with the education‌ and training you need to succeed in ⁤this field. In this article,⁤ we will explore the best dental assistant schools in Oklahoma and how they can ‍help you ‍kickstart your career.

Top Dental ⁤Assistant Schools‌ in Oklahoma:

1. ⁣Tulsa Technology Center – Tulsa, OK: – Program: Dental ‌Assisting – Duration: 9 months – Tuition: ‌$3,599 – Accreditation:⁤ CODA (Commission on Dental Accreditation)

2. Moore Norman Technology Center – ​Norman, OK: – Program: Dental Assisting – Duration: 10 months – Tuition: ‍$3,540 – Accreditation: CODA

3. Canadian Valley Technology Center – El Reno, OK: – Program: Dental Assisting – Duration: 9 months -‍ Tuition: $3,500 – Accreditation: CODA

Benefits of‌ Attending Dental Assistant⁤ Schools in Oklahoma:

– Hands-on training and experience in a⁤ real dental office setting. – In-depth knowledge of dental procedures, instruments, and terminology. – Preparation for national certification exams such ‍as the Certified Dental Assistant​ (CDA) exam. – Networking opportunities with ⁤industry ‍professionals ​and potential employers.

Practical Tips for Success:

– Stay organized ​and manage your time effectively. – Pay attention to detail and follow instructions carefully. – Practice good communication skills with patients and staff. – Stay current on developments in the dental ​industry through continuing ⁢education.

Case Study: Sarah’s Journey to Becoming a Certified Dental Assistant

Sarah always had a passion for helping others⁢ and decided to pursue‌ a career in the healthcare field. After completing a dental assistant program at Tulsa Technology Center, she gained hands-on experience working⁣ at⁤ a local dental office. With dedication and hard work, Sarah passed the CDA exam and earned her certification. Today,‌ she enjoys a successful career as a certified dental assistant, making a ⁢positive impact on the oral health of her ​patients.

Conclusion:

Embarking⁤ on a career as⁤ a dental assistant ⁣in Oklahoma can be ‍a rewarding and fulfilling ​journey. By attending one of ‍the top dental ⁣assistant ⁣schools in the state, ⁢you can gain the knowledge, skills, and experience ⁣needed⁣ to excel in this field. Whether you’re interested in working in a dental office, orthodontic practice, or oral surgery clinic, a dental⁢ assistant education ‌can​ open up a world of ⁢opportunities for you. Start your path to a rewarding career ⁣in the dental industry today⁢ with the help of the best dental assistant schools in‌ Oklahoma.

https://dentalassistantclasses.net/leading-dental-assistant-schools-in-oklahoma-your-path-to-a-rewarding-career-starts-here/

[onpoli]

“The nature of work has changed so much over the last few decades. There seems to be more contract work, more gig work,” says Lori Kleinsmith, a health promoter at the Bridges Community Health Centre, in Port Colborne. A 2018 study by BMO Wealth Management backs this up: it concludes that the Canadian labour force is increasingly dominated by temporary positions that don’t provide medical benefits. Kleinsmith sees this every day. “People want a job, but they also want benefits,” she says. “It’s a significant issue for them. Some are going many years without any preventive work because they can’t afford to go to the dentist.”

The College of Dental Hygienists estimates that between 2 million and 3 million Ontarians have not seen a dentist in the past year, “mainly due to cost.” And, according to a report released in March by the Ontario Oral Health Alliance, a dental-industry group, many of those people wind up seeking treatment in emergency rooms or physicians’ offices. The report notes that this is not only ineffective (given that physicians are not trained to deal with diseases affecting teeth and gums); it also represents a $38 million annual financial burden to the province.

Kleinsmith is part of a group of health-care workers urging the provincial and federal governments to “fill the gaps” by including dental care in general health-care programs. Canadians largely back the idea: a recent Ipsos poll conducted for Global News found that 86 per cent of Canadians would support publicly funded dental care for people without insurance coverage.

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Canadians are justly proud of our public health care system.  It is an accomplishment that defines us as a nation. It is an affirmation that we will take care of each other at our most vulnerable.  It is a reflection of our commitment to equality and justice.

However, it is not perfect, and it is not complete.  Many important health services remain uncovered.  For these, patients remain at the mercy of their ability to pay.

One of the most glaring omissions from our public system is dental care.  This is perverse, as any dentist, hygienist or health professional will confirm that oral health is essential to overall health.

In fact, oral diseases are the world’s most common non-communicable diseases and affect people throughout their entire lives.  Studies have linked poor oral health to serious health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, respiratory infections, diabetic complications and low birth weight.  Neglected oral health can also undermine an individual’s sense of personal value and harm their long-term mental health.

Although Canadians overwhelmingly agree that access to health care should be a right in this country, we have left oral health to a US-style, private patchwork system.  As a result, dental care is one of the most unequal aspects of health care in Canada.

32 per cent of Canadians have no dental insurance at all, and six million Canadians avoid visiting the dentist every year due to cost.  This neglect hits marginalized Canadians the hardest, including Indigenous, new immigrants, seniors and the poor.

Continue Reading.