Getting ready is getting to be quite an ordeal!

In junior high, I had an awesome getting-ready-for-bed routine: I showered, brushed my teeth, splashed water over my face and was done. But in high school, I started noticing my friends were doing other things -- they had Clearasil or Noxzema, and some of them even had face lotion. I started experimenting with those too.

In college, I went to a friend's makeup party, where I was introduced to a different face wash and lotion. I liked how clean they made my face feel. I was supposed to wash and moisturize before bed and each morning. Twice a day was a little more than what I wanted to do, so I rebelled by only using the moisturizer at night.

Later in college, I was introduced to a new skin care line, which added facial toner to my routine. Eventually, though, I switched again, and a new triple action moisturizer was also added to my morning and evening mixes. I got eye cream and an acne cream for breakouts. I started using eye makeup remover rather than leaving my waterproof mascara on overnight.

My post-shower routine evolved as well, adding several steps before I was ready for bed. I got leave-in conditioner. I started drying my hair with a blow dryer. I started moisturizing more than just my legs.

A few months ago, I went to the eye doctor to get a new prescription for contacts. My sophomore year in college, I'd started sleeping in them and only changing out my one-month disposables when they started hurting my eyes, which generally took about three months. My optometrist, though, told me I should start taking my contacts out each night and even throwing them away after only one month of wearing them! I promised him I would, so I added taking my contacts out to my nightly routine and putting them in to my morning repertoire.

And last week, I did something I hadn't done in an embarrassingly long time: I went to the dentist. The appointment went well. My teeth were in good shape, but the enamel on my back teeth is getting thin. The dentist wrote me a prescription for a rinse that will help to build it back up. The assistant also told me I should start flossing.

I don't know anyone who flosses every day. Before Thursday night, I pretty much only flossed after eating popcorn and sometimes after strawberries, so this will be a big change for me. I wasn't excited about it, but I want my teeth to be pretty and in good condition, so I'll cooperate.

Regardless of my lonely membership in the Daily Flosser Club, my morning and nightly routines seem to be getting longer and longer by the month. I haven't even had a chance to go get my rinse prescription filled to add that to my routine.

I can't think of much else that could be added to my morning and evening routines. I don't know if I can handle much more. If I keep up this pace, I'll be spending my entire day getting ready for bed by the time I'm 40!