On Seeing ....
January 22, 2010 
I was heading out to purchase a new lipstick to replace the dwindling tube that was my new favourite shade. I was so disappointed when I twirled the tube upside down between my fingers to see that the ink had blurred on that tiny dot of a label. And I was so darn proud of myself too, remembering to do that before I left for the store so I would be organized when I got there. Of course, now I had no earthly idea what the colour was called, was it Groovy Grape? Waitress Red? Sunset Orange? Some things I can remember, most I can't and this I would never know.
I'll admit, I was slightly aggravated, but not overly so, these things happen. It was certainly not going to be important in an hour. Margie and I do that, you know, we measure how tragic a small occurrence is based on how important it will be in an hour, a day, a week or even a month or year. It can really take the drama out of a minor situation. Not that we're dramatic or anything. Oh, I started talking right away, let me introduce myself. Some of you know me, some of you don't, Margie is my sister and I'm Kath, we share a blog called soeursdujour, we are very different but also very similar as you will find out over time. And we might be a bit dramatic.
In retrospect, I know now, because I remember it so clearly and I can see it so vividly in my minds eye that this was the first occurrence. Then it happened again, the ingredient list on a cracker box was blurred, then someone must have been daydreaming at their job, because the next issue of my favourite magazine had blurry ink.
Honestly, it was absolutely ages before it occurred to me to wonder why all the ink in the world was blurry. One should wonder about these things, but I blindly carried on. When I did stop to think about it the idea was so absurd that I laughed out loud when my (rather dim) light bulb clicked on over my head and I knew it was my eyes.
This has affected my photographs. I tend to take blurry photographs. Focus is not my strong point. I remember being so excited when I learned about intentional blur because I was already doing that! So often I will take a photo that I am absolutely sure is in perfect focus and it's not. My camera has this dial, it's called a diopter adjustment control which can adjust the viewfinder focus. I thought I would spin this little dial and solve all my problems, so I read the small blurb in the manual "When operating the diopter adjustment control with your eye to the viewfinder, be careful not to put your fingers or fingernails in your eye". I immediately decided that perhaps this was not a good idea for me if it was that dangerous.
This becoming a woman of a certain age brings with it great joys, like being invited to be part of this group but also with it the reminders that things aren't what they used to be. I am graduating tomorrow from my drugstore cheater glasses to grown up trifocals so that my vision will be clear. You can focus through the viewfinder with glasses on, right? Right?
Reader Comments (23)
Ok, ya made me smile. I have seen 'the blur' although I'm still in denial about the bi-focal/tri-focal issue. I just look at my eye doc and go, 'whaaaat is this you're saying? bifocals? la-la-lalalala can't hear you!!'
:) Cindy
In the kitchen cupboard we have 2 jars of strawberry jam. The household preference is for raspberry jam. As you can see, twice I went shopping without my glasses. I've got my 'grown up glasses' from the opticians, but it is necessary to supplement these with a cache of pound-store glasses in the car, in my camera bag and in every other sort of bag I own. But still when I am upstairs my glasses are downstairs, such is the way of the world.
This so made me smile. I haven't - yet - graduated to trifocals...but am only one small step behind. Instead - I juggle 3 different pairs of glasses!! Beautifully written..in with such a wonderful sense of humor.
LOL...your perfectly focused (in the right place) photo is such a wonderful illustration for your story; a story most all of us "of a certain age" can relate to. I've given up and just leave my glasses on all the time now. It seems to be easier.
perfect picture to illustrate your story. you make us laugh, but i can imagine it's frustrating too. i guess i have it coming, J always laughs and says ahhh, but you hit 40 and these things happen. well i have, and it hasn't...yet! its a funny thing when you start to become aware that your body isn't the same as it was before, you sort of wonder how did it happen, and what...overnight!!!
so nice to "see" you here Kath and as always enjoy your special way of experiencing each day ~ elk
Oh Kath you made me laugh...I'm blind, totally blind. Every once in a while I forget my glasses at night and I'll have to wear my prescription sunglasses. It's a choice between blurriness or darkness. I'm thinking of getting a lasik eye operation but I'm scared. Oh me.
Ahh! A woman of a certain age faces many challenges and you face yours with humour, grace and an eye for a wonderful photo. Jimmy Cliff sings my wishes for you. "Eye Can See Clearly Now..."
This post made me smile so much. I have been really short sighted since I was 8 so understand that blur all too well! I am just hoping the bifocal stage hangs fire a bit longer.
What a great belly laugh, Kath! Astrid has 3 pair of glasses lying around the apartment and I'm forever having to ask her "what are these for?" It's hysterical. Technically, she should be wearing one pair of glassews that's trifocals, like mine. HA! Oh well. I'm sure there's a good sermonette here about 3 different levels of seeing. I love the humor of your post. Thank you.
Since I am a woman of 'over' a certain age, I have already experienced what you are going through now. It's not easy realizing that your faithful eyes are failing. I am now on my third prescription, each increasing in strength, and those dreadful bifocals are just part of my life now. Also, measuring catastrophies by how much they will influence the future, was how I got through all the many mishaps of rearing children. And...aren't sisters the best thing? You gals at Vision and Verb are the best, too.
Kath, you had me chuckling from the first paragraph and all the way through to the end. I just have one word of advice - no line bifocals!! Okay, three words, but who's counting? Also called progressives. :)
OMG!! I just saw the Sears optical commercial with the lady of the house calling for her kitty to come in and she lets in a raccoon! Too funny!!
I say all the time I would rather deal with cellulite than having my vision get worse. :) Luckily, like Eliza, it didn't hit me at 40, but a few years later, and in my mid 50s I am still using the least powerful magniication available in drugstore reading glasses. It makes me feel not yet over the hill! LOL! Love this image and love the story.
You have a delightful sense of humour and boy can you write!! I really look forward to watching for your posts here on V&V.
lovely story and superb picture, bravo!
When I was bemoaning my deteriorating eyesight Mr Uhhdd (who is in a similar situation)said 'And just think how the rest of your body is deteriorating'. Thanks for that.
The blur is driving me nuts, too. I can't tell sometimes that the photo is crisp even when it is!
i am the last to read this post, it is already almost 9:00 p.m. est. i was so excited for my soeur!! kath you know that if i were to walk into your room right now, i would be dancing and singing, "i can see clearly now, the rain has gone". and even though it's not that funny we would be laughing like laughing cows.
always a pleasure to visit my souers, no matter where they are. i remember laughing so hard when i saw that note in the manual too...a friend made me read it, despite my protest. good thing...my diopter is now in focus. HA!
Oh I'm in the blur denial too ;-) I have had glasses all my life but I think it's time for bifocals now.......
i was so happy to see it was your turn today! how funny you are :) you are a fantastic story teller. hey and i love the stripy frames on your specs...i looked real close...with my glasses off mind you... to see what word was magnified in your photo. you are so clever you are ;) eyes are not too funny for me these days. i am having big problems that are making my life difficult not to mention taking photographs :(
xox love to you
: )
well, if you'll believe it, i went to the eye doc about five years ago to have my sight tested. i was hoping it was bad enough to get glasses, 'cause there were so many cute new styles of glasses coming out, that it was almost trendy to need them. so i wanted to need them. i practically fudged my eye test, but not really. but if a letter was on the cusp of clear to blurry, i said i could not read it. still, i passed the test with flying colors and the doc said to come back when i was 40, as this is about when people's eye sight starts to diminish. i was miffed! i really wanted cute, trendy glasses. my husband still makes fun of me for that. but you know what? only two more years, baby! and i'm gettin' my super cute ralph lauren eye glasses! : )
am i pathetic or what? soon, i'll be wishing i had my perfect eye sight back.
what a great photo! and i love your way of analyzing a situation with margie -- it's sort of how my mom taught how to look at things. she would always say, "in a year, you won't even remember this..." or something like that. so true.
oh lol, I've noticed as of late that my arms are becoming longer and longer as I stretch them further and further away from my body in order to read fine print! Lovely piece.