I know that we’re all waiting for 2020 to fade into a distant memory, but it’s worth pointing out that it could be a while before that happens. Still, the up coming year should be different than last. I’m not going to promise better, but it won’t be the same. As a planet, nation, families and as individuals business as usual will be different.
Yeah, there’s the vaccine and a new president. I got a new house, a new state and city. Heck I even got new glasses last week.
That was almost fun. I saw the eye doc on December 1st and on the 29th I got my new glasses. It’s my first true pair of progressive lenses and they only had problems with the order twice before delivering. I only had to have one major hissy fit with them on the phone to get them to deliver – basically I just pointed out that they’d called me each week with a new story on why the glasses weren’t ready and if they couldn’t produce them they should give me my money back. Magically, ten minutes later the pair was perfect and ready for pick up. Seriously, ten minutes – you can check my cell phone records.
Since last week I’ve been trying to get used to these glasses. It’s the first time I’ve had glasses I could wear all the time as this is the first time I needed correction for distance. My last prescription was just for reading and computer work so I was used to taking the glasses off when I stood up to walk anywhere. It’s nice to not have to do that anymore and I’m happy that the world isn’t as out of focus any more.
My world, not the rest of the world – that world still has issues.
I’d be ecstatic about my new glasses, but they don’t work so well with the computer or reading as the focal area for near objects isn’t as big as I’d like. Honestly, I’m a bit afraid to complain too much about that because they might send these glasses back to the lab and who knows how long that would be before I got them back.
Another thing that will be different this year is my workshop. Currently I’m setting up the garage and last week got my dust collector and air filter installed and working. There’s a lot more setup to do there. On Monday the landscaping crew starts working and one of the things they’re going to do is to level an area where I’ll be putting a shed for part of my workshop.
As it happens, I mentioned that I was a woodworker at the eye doctor way back in the beginning of December and they suggested that I might consider getting prescription safety glasses. Now, I’ve had that thought before and now seemed like a good time to go ahead and order a pair. You know, now that I’ll have more time for woodworking, it seemed like having proper shop eyewear was is order.
Yes, I still don’t have the safety glasses. Ordered two pairs, got a small discount, and the whole thing was sent to a lab with quality problems. When I was getting my walking around the house glasses I made a few choice comments about the safety glasses and the promised that they were to be delivered on Thursday. That made me happy that on New Year’s Eve I’d finally have all the glasses I ordered.
You didn’t think it would be that easy …
Yup, on New Year’s Eve the lab called the optical shop who then made a trembling call to me – their favorite client. I will admit that from time to time I lose my sense of humor about paying for things I don’t receive.
I did feel bad for the person selected to call me. Personally I think she upset the boss over something and was being punished. When I heard that I wasn’t getting my fancy shop glasses, I took the opportunity to complain about not liking looking at the computer with the pair they had delivered, but not before they had offered to give me a free pair of glasses.
Clever tactic on their part – screw up and then do something nice to make up for the inconvenience. Interesting business practice. Maybe it will catch on.
So I went back to the optical shop to select my free pair and can happily report that they agreed to provide me with a nice frame and the computer/reading glasses I’d like to have.
I just have to wait two more weeks. sigh …
And that friends is where we are with the world. New president in three weeks, vaccines in three months and maybe by summer we can feel like the world is finally moving on.
Maybe, let’s just pray that the lab doesn’t screw up again.
Andrew's View of the Week 
Happy New Year
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What an enjoyable read. I think you captured the heart of everyone who struggling with something. Don’t you think that’s easy to “SEE” 😂
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Yes, easy to see. 🙂
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You showed remarkable patience in my opinion. I’ve been getting my glasses at the optical dep’t in Costco and haven’t had any issues.
This is my second pair of progressives and the only time I have to take them off is when I play clarinet, otherwise the notes on the page are hard to follow.
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I do wish I’d picked a different optical place. However, I’ve never played clarinet so can’t comment on that … 😉
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I started wearing progressives 3 years ago and it’s great to not have to juggle. But like you, they don’t work the best for reading and computer. I make do with the computer but for reading, I still wear reading glasses. And I’m getting a new pair of progressives next month, so yes, that will be fun! They did take getting used to though. As to the world and news lately, I’m sure you’re aware of yesterday’s events. Yikes! We need peace, peace, and more peace. And the vaccination. Sigh. Good luck with your glasses and Happy New Year!
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I am getting used to the progressives and waiting for my readers. Reading with the progressives isn’t fun. Yesterday, my church did a special prayer service at 6:00 pm – that’s my current response to the current state of the world.
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🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
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Yikes, what a gong show for your glasses! Great minds think alike, though – I was just thinking a couple of days ago that it would be really nice to get some prescription safety glasses.
It sounds as though you’ve adjusted to your progressive lenses better than I have to mine. My far vision is perfect, so putting a lens in front of it just annoys me (and distorts the view because of the near-vision prescription). After nearly two years of struggling to adjust, I’ve finally hit on a compromise: I wear them all the time… on top of my head. That way my far vision is unimpaired, and the glasses are always available when I need to focus on something closer. And I absolutely love the progressives when my focal distance is constantly changing, as in the workshop or kitchen or sewing. I still use single-vision for computer and reading, though. Yep, I have FAR too many glasses.
Happy New Year!
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By the time I’m done, I’ll have three pairs.
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Happy New Year
First pair of glasses was at age 38 or 39.
Those were transitions lenses with just a slight correction for distance. IT work is my trade so glad to have a great local optometrist shop that is very prompt at glasses delivery for my wife and I.
Yes you’ll become used to the transitional lenses and be very pleased. Safety glasses were a good idea also.
Always enjoy what you share on your posts. I follow a lot of political stuff. This is a safe haven to relax my reading. Hope it stays that way.
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I am getting to like this new pair and am looking forward to getting the safety glasses.
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Fabulous blog
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Thanks.
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I’ve stopped watching the news so I wouldn’t know anything about presidents and vaccines. Glad I read your post though. Now I’m utd on your glasses order!
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I knew you wanted to know about my glasses!
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Good timing on this post, Andrew. I’m due for my annual check-up next month and could use your endorsement on progressive lenses. Two years ago my eye doc recommended bi-focals as a way of transitioning to progressives. I’m wondering if now’s the time to make the leap. Based on your lack of comments (or entertaining stories), I assume you adjusted to progressives quickly? Do you already just subconsciously raise/lower your head to put things in perfect focus?
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It didn’t take long to adjust – about a day or so. My wife said it took her about four days. The only problem I had is that the there’s a large difference between my distance and near vision so it makes it hard to get a prescription that covers both. I compromised in favor of better distance vision and just okaying reading and then got the reading glasses for times when I’m doing computer work or reading books. I’ve been putting off the transition for a long time but what finally pushed me over is when my distance vision got slight worse and I really needed glasses for that.
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Happy & Healthy New Year to you Andrew! 🌿🕛💏💕
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And to you too – Happy New Year!
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You’re more patient than I would be. I’d have had a hissy fit by now!
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I tend to be a nice patient guy – to a point …
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In my experience ordering glasses online never turns out well.
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Glasses is one thing I’d never buy on-line. Got the eye doc’s office is difficult enough for me.
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With progressives it is really important that they have the transition in the correct place or it makes you dizzy when you are walking. Hope this is one thing they didn’t get wrong.
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They got that part right – they did a couple of adjustments there. The first two problems they had were just production issues – scratched lenses, used wrong prescription for one eye – that delayed the order.
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Hope you can soon see clearly!!
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