Monday 7 October 2013

New glasses

So, I got new glasses. 

Oh, and the optometrist gently suggested that the next time I get a new prescription, we will probably be looking into bifocals. He really was very sweet about it. Which is the only thing that prevented me from slapping him senseless.

So, the glasses. 

DH said, "They look a little hipster-esque!"

 I laughed and went on with my life.

But then a few days later, he said:

"So! Do you like your new glasses?"

Which, for those of you who don't speak husband, means: 

"I don't like your glasses."

But I assured him that I do, and continued to go on with my life. 

But now I think he might be right about them being hipster-esque.

I was walking to the bank the other day, when a full-on hipster exited the building. Plaid shirt, flat hat, horn-rimmed glasses which may or may not have contained prescriptive lenses, bow tie. I even thought, "What kind of bow-tie worthy event is this hipster attending at 4 o'clock on a Sunday?"

But here's the thing: the hipster looked at me, then looked away....then looked again. As if he were momentarily confused. Like the glasses were a code that we had silently exchanged, but the mom jeans, running shoes and fleece hoodie were sending a completely different message. Were I twenty years younger, perhaps I could've been wearing them ironically. But no, I really was a mom going for a walk in comfy shoes on a chilly day.

So I apologize to anyone who has been similarly confused by my new eyewear. Perhaps I will start wearing them on a chain or perched on the end of my nose in order to avoid further misunderstandings.

Tuesday 1 October 2013

Weird things that have happened to me in the car (lately)

1) Tried to find a parking spot in the UH parking building, that seems to spiral upwards FOREVER. Oh, and if you're just a visitor, don't even think about slowing down and looking for a spot on the first 4(00) levels, because those are all reserved.

So, I was corkscrewing my way up to heaven (is that a country music song title? And if it isn't yet, shouldn't it be?), and as soon as I got to level 5(00) or whatever it is where mere mortals can find a spot, I suddenly heard classical music. Really loud classical music. So loud that I stuck my head out the window to determine where the music was coming from, and determined that it must be getting piped in through some speakers. As if the administration at UH wanted to make up for the fact that we might be light-headed and sleep-deprived by the time we got to our parking area.

Higher and higher I climbed, listening to the music, when I realized that the music was actually coming from the car in front of me. I can't overemphasize how LOUD this music was. So the fact that one man was listening to the music at that volume in his car was a little disconcerting. But the thing is, it wasn't all "stringed instruments and angels welcoming us to heaven" classical music, it was Wagnerian, serious sounding music.

Which was totally fitting, and really pretty awesome because it made this search for a parking spot feel even more like an epic quest worthy of such a soundtrack.

When I finally found a spot, I was going to go over and tell the driver that, but he was still in his (parked) car, still with the music at that volume, so instead I chose to just back away slowly.

Because it was a cool soundtrack, but it was still weird.


2) Attacked by a bee.


3) Drove to the International Plowing Match at 7:00 am in pea soup fog.

I could've ended that sentence at "Drove to the International Plowing Match at 7:00 am" and it still would've been a weird thing that happened to me (or that I did to myself) lately.

BUT, I was driving on country roads, in the dark, in pea soup fog, not knowing where I was going, because I forgot to bring a map, and then a red light came on in the dashboard that said "SBS."

I had a vague memory that this particular light had something to do with the air bags. I pondered this for a moment, and then I thought, "Meh."

Not ten minutes later, as I was listening to the Stax 'n' Loop show on 102.3 BOB FM (yes that was a shameless plug, but also, it was truly the only good part about my drive that day) there was a news item that Honda Odysseys from 2003 - 2004 were being recalled because of an air bag defect. Did I mention that I was driving a Honda Odyssey? Guess what year it was made?

Nothing like a bout of sheer terror to jump start your day!