Going down the only road I've ever known

Yeah, well. Whitesnake was playing on the radio last night, and it's stuck in my head. NOW IT CAN BE STUCK IN YOURS, TOO. [mwooohahahahaha]

So! Today, I've got a couple of things to talk about. First up, I'm lucky enough to be involved in Kevin Hearne's apology to Atlanta ! And why would Kevin feel the need to apologize in the first place? Because he has to bail on DragonCon, that's why. I understand. Things happen. And since this benefits me, personally...I'm prepared to forgive him.

For you see, Kevin will be zooshing back to the southeast again for an event at the Fox Tale Book Shop in Woodstock (right outside Atlanta) - and he will be joined by YOURS TRULY and also DELILAH S. DAWSON. [:: confetti gun ::] [:: tee shirt cannon ::] [:: pom-poms a'waving ::]

Look, I'm not going to lie to you, folks: It's gonna get silly up in there. And if you are in the greater Atlanta area, you definitely want to swing by to get in on the action.

Don't worry. I'll remind you again before we set out for glory.

Hm. What else? Oh yes - you know how I ordered some new glasses from Zenni Optical? Like, a week ago? Well believe it or not, they're already here! And in fact, I am wearing one of those pairs right this moment.

So here's the verdict, or at least my initial impressions.
Ahem.

The quality seems more or less comparable to anything I might've ordered through an optometrist's office. The frames are sturdy and attractive, and the lenses are exactly what they're supposed to be. I had some concerns about this latter bit in particular, because my eyes are pretty screwy; I'm around 8.0 in each of them, with a hefty astigmatism in the left that always throws things for an extra loop.

Due to that prescription, my lenses are the ultra-high-index variety (by necessity), but on top of that I added all the special coatings and whatnot, then threw in expedited shipping because screw it, that's why. All of this together cost me $258.

And to think, I was PSYCHED when I got my last pair of glasses - for they only cost me a little shy of $600. This is after the previous pair (ordered in Seattle, where things run pricier) ... cost nearly a thousand. So you can imagine my absolute GLEE at the prospect of two pairs for relative peanuts!

Am I still gleeful? Yes, yes I am. I wanted something with larger lenses/field of vision than I had on hand; but I also wanted to try something a little different and funky. So here's the results.

Pair #1 - blue tortoiseshell. Fit perfectly right out of the case. My favorite of the two, at present. I can see great, and I'm fond of the look. Glad I took a chance on them.

(For a close-up shot that displays the blue color better, click here .)




Next up, the cat-eye-shaped funky green tortoiseshell jobbies. I really like these too, though they're quite different from what I usually wear; these needed a little adjusting, but that's okay - because there's a how-to primer on Zenni's website. Very helpful.




These are great too, but something about the lens shape feels unfamiliar to me, and they take a little getting used to. Not a big deal, as they were an adventure pick anyway - and I love having options! These will be a nifty option, every now and again.

So next time I'm feeling flush, I might even pick out another pair. I don't wear my contacts as much as I used to, and variety is the spice of life, non?

When I was younger, I hated wearing glasses - partly because I was "younger" back before high-index lenses were available, and that meant two things: (1). thick, heavy lenses that left creases on my nose and cheeks, and gave me headaches, plus (2). I had to pick frames with enough structural integrity to support those lenses...which meant, in essence, I wore industrial-grade glasses until I was in college. They were never pretty. They were never fashionable. They always looked terrible, and I felt terrible when I wore them.

Now? Not so much.

For one thing, I'm older - and I've had lots of time to come to peace with my crap-tastic vision. For another thing, now we have high-index lenses. For yet a third thing, I can now wear stylin' frames like normal nearsighted people, and some of those frames are really, really cute.

[Aside - I don't want anyone chiming in re: various corrective eye surgeries. I am not a good candidate for any of them; trust me, I've looked into it, and gotten multiple opinions on the matter. It's just one more thing I've come to peace with.]

Anyway, lots of people wanted to know how the Zenni thing worked out for me, so there you have it. If the glasses break or something within the next few weeks, I'll post an update; but for now, I am a happy camper. As opposed to 8th grade - when I was...not so much.

Presented in closing for your amusement:
Orlando Junior Academy, 1989.