Masterpiece Smiles February 2019

FEBRUARY 2019

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Renaissance READER

Over 52 Years of Wedded Bliss PARTNERS IN THOUGHT AND LAUGHTER Whenever I tell people that Susie and I have been married for over 50 years, their first response is always to say something to the effect of, “Congratulations. That’s amazing.” While I certainly appreciate the warm sentiment, it honestly doesn’t feel like much of an accomplishment. Sure, we’ve made it longer than the vast majority of marriages, but it hasn’t required a Herculean effort. We have our spats as any couple does, but we’re incredibly lucky. I know at least that I am. I’m married to my best friend and the person I admire most in the world. You can’t do much better than that. In honor of Valentine’s Day, I want to take a moment to pay tribute to Susie. I hope she won’t mind me revealing the story of how we got together. Susie’s brother Forrest and I were pledge brothers at the University of Kansas. We became fast friends, and I’d often accompany Forrest on his trips back home. At the time, I viewed Susie as the charming tag-along little “I ALWAYS TELL YOUNG COUPLES TO LAUGH. LAUGH A LOT. LAUGH AS MUCH AS YOU CAN. AND LAUGH ABOUT AND APPRECIATE YOUR DIFFERENCES.”

Dr. Jan and longtime friend & and favorite patient, Paul, hunting pheasant in Kansas

-Dr. Jan L. Cobble Our daughter once held the title of “thinking partner” to a Silicon Valley CEO. I like to think of Susie as my thinking partner in life. She is truly my better half, and I can’t imagine where I’d be without her. Thank you, Susie, for everything. I hope we’ll be sharing milk and cookies for eternity. changing your spouse, so you’d better love them for who they are, especially the parts of them that don’t make sense to you. Susie and I are different in so many ways. I move fast, while she prefers a slower pace. Our differences complement each other and make us stronger than we’d be separately. We also have plenty of shared interests, and cherish our time together. We both love going to the symphony. On days when I want to golf but she doesn’t, she’ll walk the course with me. These little moments may not seem like a big deal, but they add up to one happy life.

sister. We were buddies, but there was never any design for us to become an item. It happened naturally over the course of many years. I knew everyone Susie dated during that time, and in turn, she even set me up on a few dates. Gradually, over the course of spending time together eating cookies and milk at her parents’ house, I realized that it was Susie who I had feelings for, not any of the friends she tried to match me with. Six years after our first meeting, I finally gathered the courage to ask her out on a date, playing it off like I was taking her off her parents’ hands for the evening. The rest, as they say, is history. After the obligatory congratulations, people will often ask me what our secret is. The truth is that there’s no recipe for a successful marriage. Everyone is a little different, despite that Tolstoy quote about all happy families being alike. One of the keys for us is laughter. I always tell young couples to laugh. Laugh a lot. Laugh as much as you can. And laugh about and appreciate your differences. You aren’t

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SAFE AND SWEET Allergy-Friendly Valentines for Your Child’s Classmates

of latex allergies, you can purchase little toys that kids will love that won’t break your bank. Think bouncy balls, mini skateboards, Army men, yo-yos, puzzles, rubber ducks, hand- held games, markers, or bubbles. Adorn these little gifts with yarn, ribbons, or personalized tags, and slap on cute sayings to make them fit for the holiday. Finish off the masterpiece by having your kiddo sign their name on each valentine, and you’ve got a kid-approved Valentine’s Day favorite. FANCY UP SOME FRUIT If you’re worried about food allergies but still want to make a yummy treat, ask your child’s teacher for a list of students’ allergies, then just work around them. Fruits are usually a safe bet, but it’s best to double check. You could skewer strawberries and heart-shaped pieces of watermelon onto kabob sticks for a sweet and fun snack, or pass out goody bags with apples, bananas, and clementines. Offering a group snack that is allergy-friendly will keep your children and their friends safe and healthy,

For a parent of a child with allergies, every day can feel like a battle with food labels and ingredients lists — and Valentine’s Day only exacerbates this fear. Avoid the danger of an allergic reaction on Valentine’s Day by creating alternative, candy-free valentines that the whole class will enjoy! GET CREATIVE This valentine idea taps into your kids’ desire to create by using commonly found household items. Have your children draw pictures, create cards, mold tiny sculptures, or braid together friendship bracelets to create one-of-a-kind gifts that will be safe for their classmates to enjoy. Kids can put their own effort into gift- giving, and their valentines will have a personal touch candy cannot replicate. THINK LIKE A KID If you’re looking for a creative valentine that will be safe for all your child’s friends to play with, check no further than the toy aisle of your local dollar store. While being mindful

and it can also help children with allergies feel included in the festivities.

As with all Valentine’s Day gifts, keep in mind that it’s not the item or money spent that means the most. It’s the thought behind each gift that makes receiving valentines the sweetest part.

This month, we want to welcome our newest team member, Hank! Hank is Kerry’s French bulldog puppy, and he has won all of our hearts!

A Very Productive Hour with Hank!

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WE APPRECIATE YOUR KIND WORDS!

There’s no greater compliment we can receive than rave reviews and referrals from our current patients. We strive to provide care that’s worth talking about with your friends and family. If you know somebody who could benefit from our services, pass along a copy of this newsletter and ask them to give us a call.

Thank you so much for spreading the word about Masterpiece Smiles.

DR. COBBLE’S LIBRARY ‘Why We Sleep’ and ‘Memory Rescue’ In my first newsletter, I revealed my hopeless addiction to continuing education courses. While dentistry is my profession, it’s not my only passion — and not the only way my status as a lifelong learner manifests itself. I’m a voracious reader, especially when it comes to books about science. Recently I read two books that blew my mind. As is fitting of that expression, both of the books are about the human brain. The first is called “Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams” by Matthew Walker. Walker, the director of the Center for Human Sleep Science at Berkeley, has been studying sleep for decades. The book explores the fundamental nature of human sleep, why it’s so important, and how it affects us so profoundly. “Sleep is the single most effective thing we can do to reset our brain and body health each day — Mother Nature’s best effort yet at contra-death,” he writes. We all know this intuitively, yet so many of us sleep too little or too poorly. As such, it’s hard not to read the book as an urgent plea imploring us to start taking our slumber more seriously. The second book also covers a mysterious function of the human brain. “Memory Rescue: Supercharge Your Brain, Reverse Memory Loss, and Remember What Matters Most” by Dr. Daniel Amen is one part study into why our memories deteriorate and one part action plan against that deterioration. “You are not stuck with the brain you have,” Amen tells us. “You can make it better, even if you’ve been bad to it.” It includes a program of exercises to help keep your memory sharp, devised based on the latest in brain imaging and other cutting-edge studies. What both of these titles have in common is that they share up-to-the-minute neuroscience with the average reader. Far from being overly pedantic or sterile, they are fascinating and enjoyable to read. I couldn’t put either of them down. Except, of course, to sleep.

SPICY SALMON TARTARE

INGREDIENTS

3/4 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

1 8-ounce boneless, skinless salmon fillet 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1/4 teaspoon lime zest 1/4 cup cucumber, seeded and finely diced 1 1/2 teaspoons jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced 1 1/2 teaspoons shallots, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh cilantro, minced

• • •

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh chives, minced 1 1/2 teaspoons grapeseed or vegetable oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Crackers or chips, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Place salmon in freezer for 20 minutes to make slicing easier. 2. Meanwhile, prepare other ingredients for mixing. 3. Thinly slice salmon into sheets and cut sheets into strips and strips into cubes. When finished, you should have 1/8-inch cubes. 4. In a mixing bowl, combine salmon with all other ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. 5. Garnish with chips or crackers and serve.

Inspired by Epicurious

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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

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3920 E. 91ST ST., TULSA, OK 74137

INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1 | A Tribute to Susie

2 | Candy-Free Valentines

2 | Welcome, Hank!

3 | Two Fascinating Books About the Brain

3 | We Appreciate Your Kind Words!

3 | Spicy Salmon Tartare

4 | Why Do We Need A Leap Year?

The Calculations That Leave Us in Need of an Extra Day WHY DO WE NEED A LEAP YEAR?

from state to state, most consider March 1 the appropriate day for leap-year 16-year-olds — who are celebrating their fourth “official” birthday — to receive their license. With all the changes the calendar has undergone, it still isn’t quite perfect. Experts say that in about 10,000 years, it will need to be changed yet again.

astronomer Sosigenes, Caesar created the Julian Calendar, which included 12 months and 365 days, with a single day added every fourth year. However, the Julian Calendar wasn’t perfect, because 0.2421 of a day can’t be rounded to a multiple of five, so it caused the calendar to have an extra 11 minutes every four years. Pope Gregory XIII fixed the problem in 1582 by creating the Gregorian Calendar. Now, a leap year occurs every four years except for the years that are evenly divisible by 100 and not 400. For instance, 1800 and 1900 were not leap years because they were divisible by 100. A LEAP DAY BIRTHDAY The odds of being born on Feb. 29 are about 1 in 1,500, which leaves approximately 187,000 people in the U.S. and 4 million people around the world celebrating their birthdays on Feb. 28 or March 1. People born on a Leap Day are faced with dilemmas such as which date they should receive their driver’s license. Although it varies

Every four years, February gains an extra day at the end of the month. But what does this contribute to the year as a whole? You might be surprised by what this one day does for us! The 365 days in each year represent the time it takes for the Earth to circle the sun. However, the orbit actually takes nearly a quarter of a day longer than that. The additional 0.2421 of a day might not seem like it would make a significant impact, but after a few decades, it adds up. To ensure the calendar and seasons stay on the right timeline, the leap day was created. THE START OF THE LEAP YEAR The Egyptians were the first to officially calculate how many days it takes to orbit the sun, revealing the need for a leap year. Europeans at the time used a calendar that followed a lunar model, which needed an entire month added to retain consistency. The leap year wasn’t introduced into Europe until the reign of Julius Caesar. With the help of

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