Other uses for this.... Monster

Hi, that's me! What a handsome devil, huh? Bonus points to anybody who can decifer my shirt.

I just wanted to make a quick (Ed. not so quick) note, this will not only be a site for braces. Oh, no, no, no! I will fill in the gaps (heh, heh) with my daily insight about life, things I enjoy, and whatnot. Gotta keep the masses entertained, amiright?

A little more about ME! I am a technophile. I love computers, technology, big screen plasma tvs (better black levels!), my Playstation 3, and designing stuff. I love photoshop work, too.

See this?

All me, baby. Won a photoshop contest on Gizmodo.com with that badboy. Of course, I am a perfectionist, and now that I look at that, I can't help but critique it a LILLLL more. Oh well, next time!

I also try to play the guitar fairly regularly, but I just moved into a new apartment, and that hasn't happened as of late. I LOVE sports, and try to play them often. I am a fan of all Philly teams. Mostly baseball, though.

I am a fan of photography. My Nikon d80 usually follows me wherever I go, and hopefully it will provide useful for the status updates in regards to my teeth.

I am also using this time to have a lifestyle change. A few years ago I had a mini-life crisis. I had ballooned up to 195 pounds after college, being lethargic, and basically drinking on a nightly basis. I committed to a gym and a more healthy diet regimen, and, thankfully, it has caused me to lose almost 30 pounds. I hit the gym regularly, but am going to spend the next few months trying out P90x by BeachBody. Good stuff. My arms feel like jello, but that's a good thing!

.... Right?

It Starts

Hi. My name is Greg Reese. I am a 25 year old Web Designer / Applications Developer from the Lehigh Valley. About an hour north of Philly, if you don't know where that is.

About 3 months ago, I came up with the great idea of finally taking the plunge and getting braces. I have been debating this for almost 4 years now, but I was either too poor or too scared to do it. But now I hold a better job, more support, and basically no reason not to.

A lot of my friends/family say that I don't really need braces, actually. So why am I getting them? Well, I'd love to say it's really because my teeth are misaligned and my grinding is going to ultimately seal my fate into a late-life servitude to dentures. Actually, I'll be the first to admit that it's purely cosmetic. I want to feel better about myself, and be able to look in the mirror and say "That's me!"

Which I do now, just not with so much excitement.

So, what is the purpose of this blog? The sole purpose is to really provide a daily (if you're lucky) perspective of my journey through the orthodontic world. There will be some laughs, some tears, some shrieks, and some heartfelt thoughts of what I am going through. Also, I want to provide some insight to people who are like me: those who are unsure about their smile, or just think it could make them feel more confident and - ahem - downright dashing. Also, just to remember that no matter how old, there is somebody who is always going through the same thing you are.

I mean, cmon, statistically speaking... 7 billion people.