Took a few tries but getting fresh specs dialed in for my curious eyes.
Thanks to Kenji Nishida-san and his tiny optical boutique. Noting: he dresses exclusively in black like some kind of spectacle superhero
And one more (because I am a relentless cornball), this one here at the gallery with a cut out of the architect at this building which was once the prefectural office and now endless white corridors and the hum of fluorescent lights and ventilators
This summer was a splendid fog of humid waves of action welcoming baby Ichiro amongst *all the world*. Yet, remains tasks to do (esp as i am still getting settled as an immigrant in a new country and logistically removing myself from several other countries, so: make a list, check the items, repeat.
Anyhow, what follows are scenes of “usual days” in late-summer 2020 as we caught up on life after welcoming Ichiro and tending to various life admin tasks. In other words, the bits which don’t fit anywhere else yet i find somehow amusing. Minimally annotated, non-chronologically. Carry on.
Note: I roll slowly (1 action per day and only 1 outing a week usually) so strategic planning and adjusting to my health and the baby’s need were/are key.
Sept. 1, an ophthalmologist visit (more spectacle related items throughout this archive) with Dr. Kobayashi (no relation to the goat farmer).
Background: I have challenging/delicate eyes (astigmatism, wearing glasses since a baby) and need an awesome ophthalmologist (眼科医
Gankai) eye doctor – was hoping someone with english skills as some the vocab evades me but had a very thorough test and fresh prescription to take to an ace optometrist and/or optician + optical shop / Note: tricky eyes so the “cheap and cheerful” places aren’t right for me.
Also: for the eye chart, instead of “letters” it was circle shapes with an opening to the up, down, right or, left. Of course the circle shapes and the opening became progressively smaller. got to do it all in japanese to add the brain confusion / needed to be placed in a dark quiet room for the rest of the day to reset my brain / needed a quiet room after. Continue reading Diary: usual days / summer’s end 2020 (ophthalmologist, peanut butter, cats, coins, plans)
Overview: Due to my absurdly complicated prescription, lenses are always fantastically expensive and, because I really wanted to have two fresh pair on the go, decided against new frames and instead reusing 2 existing frames. Details follow:
As pictured above:
The top right pair (brown tortoise Clubman) are almost an antique, purchased in 1995 on Guam, with early days transition lenses. The frames are still in decent shape, well-made with machined screws and feel cool on my face. I remember purchasing this pair as there had been some recent advances in progressive bifocal lenses which significantly reduced the thickness of the lenses from “safety glasses thickness“ to something more dignified. The new lenses will have a brown tint – not gradient or transitions, just a light/medium brown for a general purpose out-n-about specs.
The other pair (rather clear + titanium with blue detail in the temples) were purchased around 3 years ago in Victoria, BC with hopes would be a *perfect* pair. Alas the lenses were not made to pro specifications (the focal point is wildly askew) and give me instant headache and nausea when trying to wear. As such, the frames are barely used and will now be basically remade as originally intended with a gray tint and blue light filter for screen time. Hopefully help in reducing headaches & twitches. 
Recap: So, saved a little bit of money by not going with new frames but still get a fresh-up on the face. Thoughts?
Also: Nishida-san at the optical shop with a good sport as a rolled in with a leather satchel with six different pairs of glasses (from my world to her at spectacles) to check which frames were serviceable / salvageable. I also learned about the “secret codes” that lensmakers embed into the lenses as an oracle of sorts to other opticians in optometrists to understand how the lenses were constructed.
Pick up in 10 days-ish.
PS Thanks to Tina T. for re-sparking idea about digging into the old stash. Everything new is old again.
Behold! Ryoko Olson with 1 of 2 new pairs picked and elegantly fitted by Nishida optical in Okayama.
Note: These specs feature blue filter for easing eye strain on screens. So very lightweight too.
PS She’s wearing the other pair now and I keep looking at her face and saying “wow“ as both pair really allow her eyes and smile to shine.
Notes:
Bottom: good shape but with the weird gradient coloring, found them distracting like an “reverse mono brow” hard to see in the picture but there was kind of a green color to them, also available in blue but just didn’t feel quite right
Top: like the quirkiness of them for sure but, I found that chunky/dark frames are tough on my eyes because of my astigmatism… the “lazy eye” gets *pulled* & i see the frames in my peripheral vision all the time so I tend to prefer lighter colored/translucent frames with kind of a wide lena area. But yeah, they were fun to wear for a minute, somehow felt like would be a good choice if I was hosting a TV show
Middle: fun but just tooo much for my lil face
Riffs:
I am really the best customer ever of optometrists/opticians (and ophthalmologists for that matter) > Have spent untold thousands over my lifetime. However, I didn’t buy any for myself this time because my lenses are so unbelievably expensive and complicated, unless the frames are “oh yes completely awesome“ I don’t pull the trigger.
Plus I am investigating a new “migraine-prevention” lens called (rather mysteriously or just poorly branded) FL-41. My eyes change significantly year to year so I’m always having to spend the big bucks and there’s nothing worse than a substandard set of spectacles for me – if the focus point is even slightly off, I get intolerable headaches and eye strain.
I save money on lots of things and find good deals but I’m glasses, no time to scrimp. I look on with some enV when I see these “buy one, get one” or special prices because I am the guy that is excluded in the fine print.
That said, I celebrate all the advances in lens technology from my youth wearing heavy glass executive bifocals which left a semi-permanent divit in my nose. So glad I can get gradient tints, various filters and I’ve even had the transition lenses a few times.
My super power is spectacle shopping (in this event, w/ endlessly adorable Ryoko Olson)
Q: which 2 did we choose?
~~
Update: Top right and middle left were the choices.
Reasoning/recap: Top right with the clear frames allow me to see her adorable face, and the side/temples are translucent blue for a nice accent without being distracting.
(The face is “the painting,” the frames are the frame not a “statement”, rather a complement)
Went back-and-forth on the middle and bottom left choices but ultimately she preferred the way the middle ones felt on her face – so light! I tease that she looks like a *serious German scientist*.
Again, allows me to see her face – especially her expressive eyebrows – so very happy with them.
The bottom left were fun but overall just a bit too big and clumsy.
We pick up in a week so will update at that time.
Worth noting / regarding “objective”:
For Ryoko, we wanted one lightweight pair with blue filter for indoor/screen use time and another pair that was a little bit more rugged (while still being cute and not “sporty-goggley”) which she can wear out in the field when working.
PS When doing her jazz performing/singing, she usually wears contact lenses.
The top left and bottom right are both good “all around-ers” if we were only buying one pair – both safe/solid choices but really happy with what we chose – nice utility & variety.
Memo:
The shop was a tiny boutique without the “endless walls of crappy frames” and the young gentleman diligently assisted us while I made a colossal mess of the place, and asked dozens of questions in my *rather unique* Japanese.
Spectacles (modern collection) / with accessories
I’ve bought boats for optometrists
Trying to see more clear
Paid for orthodontists
for kids of ophthalmologists
Sent the work of opticians
to unknown recipients
Examined construction of lens
from a bifocals dented nose
Understood refraction more than options
conglomerates of industrial design
Still evidence glinty abounds
enough to make a mobile
##
Personal Archeology – #daveo50 (spectacles, various, vol. 1 / classical collection)
Daily Ephemera, Oddities, Artifacts, Mementos, etc
2020 6.26 ~ 8.16
I’ve bought boats for optometrists
Trying to see more clear
Paid for orthodontists
for kids of ophthalmologists
Sent the work of opticians
to unknown recipients
Examined construction of lens
from a bifocals dented nose
Understood refraction more than options
conglomerates of industrial design
Still evidence glinty abounds
enough to make a mobile
##
Personal Archeology – #daveo50 (spectacles, various, vol. 1 / classical collection)
Daily Ephemera, Oddities, Artifacts, Mementos, etc
2020 6.26 ~ 8.16
Class photos from Harold Bishop Elementary School in Surrey (Guildford), BC, Canada. Note: i’m the one in specs (the *only* one) and styling outfits, often sitting with girls or in the “goalie position”.
My best pal Chris Goodman is the one with the blonde bowl haircut, buddy Gordie is in the K & 3/4 photos too. A few other faces i recognize including Anita, Erica, Sandy, Cliff… I lived at 10545 154th street (which was unpaved then) and walked to school about 20 minutes.
Note: Grade 3 seems missing… Mrs. Johnson was also the teacher if i recall correctly.
Not too many mixed media masters creating ephemera-laden epistolary literature weaving intriguing mysterious relationships, international intrigue, and postcards.
That gets a smile out of this lad – still with a heavy heart. I took my mom’s copy of his book “Griffin and Sabine” and he provided a most wonderful signature with stamps of various kinds.
Such healing and respect. More to share about encounters with this gent.
Ascots are awsum as evidenced in this grade 12 yearbook photo which I saw yesterday for first time.
I had dropped out and attending Utah Valley Community College but went in for the yearbook photo.
I’d never seen the evidence until visiting pal Cory DeMille in Las Vegas.
Note I used another last name while sequestered in Utah for part of grade 10 & 11 after moving for various schools in Surrey.
Orem High was like an Archie comic book with pep rallies & all that American school stuff.
Between brother Bob Olson & aforementioned Cory and other renegades, we caused all sorts of commotion from raising giant condoms on the flag pole, covering halls with messages of support for MLKJr day and running a rogue campaign for Paul Moody for dictator of the school.
Anyhow, ascots. Love em. Oh and my specs & safari coat are fine accessories as well.