Old is sharing Beatles music with a grandchild who never heard of them. Nor Simon and Garfunkle. He can play Johnny Cash’s Ring of Fire though. My music appreciation program just exploded. Thanking God my hearing is holding…so far.
I have a similar experience with my kids. Somehow a few of them will tolerate Bob Dylan and Tom Petty, but they’re mostly lost to everything else—though my oldest loves jazz and will listen to all the classic be bop and hard bop (and anything else) I throw at him.
Haha life comes at us fast. At least you found out this way. There’s worse ways. I learned I was getting old when I heard a favorite song come on at the grocery store.
Although I am but a mere few years more 'maturer' than you, I now have 8 years of aided 'voyance' under my belt. Readers are great for reading, but soon I couldn't tell the difference between a 'sharp' and a 'natural' sign on my student's musical score while teaching. The answer? Progressives! Ah, but then I myself can't play the piano with progressives on because I look down and the notes are blurry. The answer? Yet another prescription. The voyance experts have even created collapsible glasses for you to carry in a small case in your pocket when you are out and about. "Maturing' will continue, but the inventions will parallel the maturing! Thank God!!
I tried readers for a few days but hated having to take them off or slide them down my nose every time I looked up from my screen or book—which with five kids happens a lot. Still, it’s amazing how many glasses and prescriptions there are to cover so many individual use cases. Wonders never cease!
Just wait 'til you have cataract surgery! I wore glasses most of my life so when the surgeon said I might not need them anymore I told him I was used to them and didn't mind wearing them. So.........after both eyes have been done I'm now in the place where you were when trying readers. Distance vision is great, but reading and close work requires assistance. And it is a pain to keep digging, hunting, searching for those readers from room to room and location to location. Finally, I got a prescription for a minor minor distance correction and able to get blended again for reading. However, not ideal. I use them most while shopping so I can read labels and check prices. I see better for driving without them. At home I'm still running around trying to find readers. And I have several pairs distributed throught out the house! However, bottom line is I'd rather have this annoyance than no vision or non-correctable vission.
Thank God for all those additional developments, like LASIK, cataract surgery, corneal transplants, and the like. We’re good at finding ways to keep the windows open as long as possible :)
This is the first year that I can hardly make out words without reading glasses - so I empathize! (I actually bought a spare set today that look very similar to yours...) Love that Erasmus quote; those are words to live by! I found out that he is buried in my hometown of Basel when I chanced upon his huge marble grave stone in the Munster cathedral. Did you ever end up using all those carrots by the way ? :)
Trifocals her, age 60. Bah. Frustrating... think I need octofocals, if they exist. I like the frames you chose. You might remember Fred Sanford had a drawer full of glasses, just dig around until you find one you like!
Great story, it's always smart to use science to improve your quality of life. I hadn't realized that it was the rigidity of the lens that contributes to reduction of focusing power.
Sometimes I’m a slow learner, and the funny thing about it is I’m a big fan of the improvements of technology and science. Oh well. Took me a while, but I’ve seen the light—literally!
I buy my glasses from zenni optical. They have hundreds of different styles, and prices run as low as $6.95. If a pair breaks or I lose them, no big deal.
I had my first pair of glasses before I was two. However, my cousin won the "youngest glasses wearer" award in my family - she had glasses at nine months old and bifocals at eight or so. The issue I have is non-correctable, and results in me seeing the world without true depth perception. Most of the time, I don't even notice, but there are times - like with Magic Eye books or the way expressway on-ramps are designed - when it's obvious that the world was designed for people who see more than I do. Oddly enough, that lesson has followed me in matters of faith; if I know that there's a decent percentage of the visible world that I can't comprehend, how much then, of the invisible world do I not perceive? Yet there are glimpses of it here and there...
Many years ago, my mom, who had perfect vision, started going far-sighted with age. I think for her it was a point of pride that she not wear glasses (her siblings did), and it annoyed me to no end that while it was clear that she needed them, she refused to get them. She was holding reading material out at arm's length to read it, and when her vision got worse, I think she quit reading a lot instead of getting glasses.
Old is sharing Beatles music with a grandchild who never heard of them. Nor Simon and Garfunkle. He can play Johnny Cash’s Ring of Fire though. My music appreciation program just exploded. Thanking God my hearing is holding…so far.
I have a similar experience with my kids. Somehow a few of them will tolerate Bob Dylan and Tom Petty, but they’re mostly lost to everything else—though my oldest loves jazz and will listen to all the classic be bop and hard bop (and anything else) I throw at him.
“‘The problem is,’ he said, ‘you’re old.’”
Haha life comes at us fast. At least you found out this way. There’s worse ways. I learned I was getting old when I heard a favorite song come on at the grocery store.
Yeah, when the music of our teens is suddenly deemed “classic” or “oldies,” watch out!
Although I am but a mere few years more 'maturer' than you, I now have 8 years of aided 'voyance' under my belt. Readers are great for reading, but soon I couldn't tell the difference between a 'sharp' and a 'natural' sign on my student's musical score while teaching. The answer? Progressives! Ah, but then I myself can't play the piano with progressives on because I look down and the notes are blurry. The answer? Yet another prescription. The voyance experts have even created collapsible glasses for you to carry in a small case in your pocket when you are out and about. "Maturing' will continue, but the inventions will parallel the maturing! Thank God!!
I tried readers for a few days but hated having to take them off or slide them down my nose every time I looked up from my screen or book—which with five kids happens a lot. Still, it’s amazing how many glasses and prescriptions there are to cover so many individual use cases. Wonders never cease!
Just wait 'til you have cataract surgery! I wore glasses most of my life so when the surgeon said I might not need them anymore I told him I was used to them and didn't mind wearing them. So.........after both eyes have been done I'm now in the place where you were when trying readers. Distance vision is great, but reading and close work requires assistance. And it is a pain to keep digging, hunting, searching for those readers from room to room and location to location. Finally, I got a prescription for a minor minor distance correction and able to get blended again for reading. However, not ideal. I use them most while shopping so I can read labels and check prices. I see better for driving without them. At home I'm still running around trying to find readers. And I have several pairs distributed throught out the house! However, bottom line is I'd rather have this annoyance than no vision or non-correctable vission.
Thank God for all those additional developments, like LASIK, cataract surgery, corneal transplants, and the like. We’re good at finding ways to keep the windows open as long as possible :)
Loved this history of glasses! And very thankful they exist 👓. Makes sense the Italians invented them - the tradition is still going strong in Veneto.
That’s cool to know! Thanks for reading!
This is the first year that I can hardly make out words without reading glasses - so I empathize! (I actually bought a spare set today that look very similar to yours...) Love that Erasmus quote; those are words to live by! I found out that he is buried in my hometown of Basel when I chanced upon his huge marble grave stone in the Munster cathedral. Did you ever end up using all those carrots by the way ? :)
I’d love to visit his grave some day. I admire Erasmus quite a lot.
Regarding the carrots. I’ve made a small dent so far. I must get industrious!
This is what is looks like https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7557859/desiderius-erasmus#view-photo=182671680 - the cathedral is my favorite and it is always one of the first places we visit when back in town. Also I can highly recommend carrot cake to take care of excess carrots :)
Lens are good too:) fascinating essay on spectacles. Esp regarding the monks
Thanks!
Trifocals her, age 60. Bah. Frustrating... think I need octofocals, if they exist. I like the frames you chose. You might remember Fred Sanford had a drawer full of glasses, just dig around until you find one you like!
Thanks! And now I’ve got the Sanford and Son song stuck in my head—thanks again!
Hahaha
Her = here🤷🏻♂️
I read right past that!
I got my first pair of glasses in the 9th grade. I have now been wearing them for 60 years.
That’s a good run! Amazing to contemplate how many books those glasses have allowed you to read over the decades!
Yikes! Our glasses are IDENTICAL.
Further evidence of my good taste!
Great story, it's always smart to use science to improve your quality of life. I hadn't realized that it was the rigidity of the lens that contributes to reduction of focusing power.
Sometimes I’m a slow learner, and the funny thing about it is I’m a big fan of the improvements of technology and science. Oh well. Took me a while, but I’ve seen the light—literally!
Great article!
But you should go rimless!
You never know. I might!
I buy my glasses from zenni optical. They have hundreds of different styles, and prices run as low as $6.95. If a pair breaks or I lose them, no big deal.
Ah, the first spectacles. Truly an ageing right of passage.
I had my first pair of glasses before I was two. However, my cousin won the "youngest glasses wearer" award in my family - she had glasses at nine months old and bifocals at eight or so. The issue I have is non-correctable, and results in me seeing the world without true depth perception. Most of the time, I don't even notice, but there are times - like with Magic Eye books or the way expressway on-ramps are designed - when it's obvious that the world was designed for people who see more than I do. Oddly enough, that lesson has followed me in matters of faith; if I know that there's a decent percentage of the visible world that I can't comprehend, how much then, of the invisible world do I not perceive? Yet there are glimpses of it here and there...
Many years ago, my mom, who had perfect vision, started going far-sighted with age. I think for her it was a point of pride that she not wear glasses (her siblings did), and it annoyed me to no end that while it was clear that she needed them, she refused to get them. She was holding reading material out at arm's length to read it, and when her vision got worse, I think she quit reading a lot instead of getting glasses.