It’s Saturday, so we are gathered safely and in isolation in our corner of the bar where we will try to wrestle Linda G. Hill’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt to the ground and celebrate our victory with an intoxicating beverage. Hey, we’re adults, we get to do that. Today, Linda has given us:
“Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is ‘opt.’ Use it as a word or find a word with ‘opt’ in it and base your post on that. Have fun!”
Yes, having fun is required.
If we were having a beer, you would be wondering about my appearance.
“Is this some new Corona virus precaution Dan?”
“Huh?”
“The goggles. Are you trying to block the virus?”
“Ha! No, David. I just picked these up from my optician. They’re really comfortable, so I thought I’d leave them on.”
“Dan, we already have plexiglass between us, I’m not sure you need goggles.”
“Hi Cheryl. I was just explaining to David, I just got these and they feel good. I wanted to leave them on to see if they stay feeling good after wearing them for a while.”
“What are they, Dan?”
“They’re my new safety glasses, Cheryl.”
“Cheryl, please bring me some John Howell’s bourbon and bring Dan a Corona. Do you want that in a sippy-cup, Dan?”
“The bottle will be fine, David.”
“Why did you decide to buy safety glasses?”
“I’ve always had safety glasses, David. I wear them in my shop and whenever I’m using tools outside.”
“Then why did you buy these safety glasses?”
“Well, I went to the eye doctor, for my annual check-up…”
“Do you go to an optometrist or an ophthalmologist, Dan? Oh, here’s your beer.”
“I go to an optometrist, Cheryl. Since my prescription didn’t change this year, she suggested I could use my insurance to get new sunglasses.”
“Dan, how long is this story?”
“You did ask, David.”
“I know, but I forgot how long it takes you to answer a question. Did you ever hear the expression ‘long story short?’ It might be worth considering.”
“Do you have something better to do right now, David?”
“Of course not.”
“Well, in conclusion, I decided to get new safety glasses because I wear them more often than sunglasses and the prescription is much older than my regular glasses.”
“I’m going to hate myself, Dan, but you didn’t actually answer my question. Why did you get this style?”
“There are three reasons.”
“Cheryl, please stand by with that bourbon bottle, I may need a refill sooner than later.”
“Bourbon manned, well, womanned and ready.”
“Proceed, Dan.”
“One, I think they look good. Two, they’re wrap-arounds, so there are no side-shields to lose, and three, they are really comfortable. And…”
“Whoa whoa whoa! You said there were three reasons. You gave us three, you’re done.”
“I just wanted to add that I opted for Transition™ lenses, which will be nice when I’m cutting the grass, working outside or running the snow blower.”
“I’m happy for you, Dan.”
“I know, David, you have people.”
“Don’t make fun, Dan.”
“No offense, David.”
“So, in all the years you’ve been wearing safety glasses, have you ever used them, so to speak?”
“Several times, David, twice in a big way.”
“Twice? What happened? And, remember, long story short.”
“One time, several years ago, the tip of a hardened screw snapped off and actually stuck in the lens of my glasses.”
“Holy moly! Dan, that could have been a trip to the ER.”
“David, you have to do better than that, a trip to the ER is old hat for Dan. Go with what your mom said.”
“Haha – you’re right, Cheryl. Dan, you could have put an eye out!”
“I know, I felt the impact.”
“I’m almost afraid to ask, but when was the second time.”
“That was this year. I was using a nail gun. I shot a nail in and it hit a knot. A big chunk of the knot flew out and hit my glasses.”
“OK, it’s official. Cheryl, I think these glasses look good on Dan. Could you set us up with another round?”
“Absolutely! You want to add any food to that, David?”
“We’ll have some wings, Cheryl – finger food, no sharp implements for Dan.”
“He’s wearing the glasses, David.”
“I’m not taking any chances.”
No Facilities 
I must admit, those are good looking safety glasses. Add in prescription lenses, and you’ve got a winner there, Dan.
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Thanks Judy. My older glasses are very old school. I had the lenses replaced (when that was all the insurance would allow) but the stainless steel frames were still in very good shape, so I kept them. I didn’t know styles like this were available. I think I will enjoy wearing these.
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The “new” look isn’t so bad, Dan. You look well protected and that’s the important part.
Great pictures as always.
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It is, GP. It’s all about safety. Safety glasses and hearing protectors are my favorite things.
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A short cut (or short version) might get you to the point faster but you often miss context. Love the water droplets!!
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Thanks Pam. I’m not one to lose track of the context ;-)
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Better the safety glasses than a trip to ER or a Nick Fury patch. Excellent choice in completing your wood shop apparel. I like that small universe in the water droplet. Long story short sounds like a lead in to why the computer program testing was way way way too short. Especially if it is the Mars Lander de-orbital and atmosphere re-entry sequence done by two separate groups using different mathematical scales for the hand off from one program to the other. Or in other terms jumping to the dramatic ending and skipping the relevant plot development. Ask Cheryl to line up a few more rounds and another order of wings. This just might take a while.
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There really should be a bar within driving distance of the two of us and Cheryl, John. How long do you think we could survive on wings? How long could the daylilies survive without you? We had a similar “math scales” error where I worked. Some poor programmer lost track of which currency was which in his calculations. No spacecraft were harmed, but much midnight oil was burned recalculating months worth of numbers.
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ouch. Yes – programming is a situation where long story short is a dangerous concept. And hurry up and get this done leads smack dab into the danger zone. During the winter the daylilies are on their own until growing season stats. Surviving on adult beverages and wings sounds like a scientific question. Kinda like I before E except after C. Unless it is a scientific situation. Now where did that money go that did not go through the currency routine and how much of the transaction history do we need ? Happy Saturday Dan.
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Shhhhh, John. We fixed the reports. The hard part was getting daily historic exchange rates.
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A long-loved song, thanks for brightening my day.
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I’m glad you enjoyed it. The title kept reminding me of that song, so I had to look it up.
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Love the goggles Dan. You got a twofer. No, actually a threefer……goggles, sunglasses and prescription lenses. Lucky for you the prescription didn’t change!
Sorry, I don’t believe MiMi wants to say “good morning”. Sounded more like profanity to me. Murphy agrees!
Will you look at the winter tail on Smokey! Gorgeous. And those bits of colorful clouds are so pretty. The two water drops are great, especially the one showcasing your garage! Neat!
Getting colder again here….rain later. But no snow! Yaaayyyy!
Enjoy your weekend. Hope Maddie’s deck dries off so she can get a sit in today.
Ginger
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I think we will sit today, Ginger. I’m going to rearrange the shed so the snow blower is pointing toward the door, in case next week’s storm doesn’t remain rain as expected. I no longer trust Mother Nature.
MiMi might agree with you. The sequence is actually backward. I said hi to her, and she folded up and wrapped her tail across her face.
When I was trying to get the picture in the water drop, Smokey was eating a peanut on that step. I missed him, but it was worth the effort.
I hope you have a great weekend and that the snow stays to the west,
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Boss looking glasses, Dan! Transitions is definitely the way to go! We never get anything else. Saves money and having to change back and forth with sunglasses. Nice sunset photos! Our Moms were so wise. In the years I was in Ophthalmology I have seen many horrific incidents of eye/vision loss. Once, just outside our clinic, a crew was working on the city underground water lines. They were prying something loose before making a weld. The foreman came in with a piece of pipe metal embedded in his eye, perforated his cornea clean through. When my doctor asked if he was wearing safety goggles he said that, yes, he always did, but that just before he knelt to observe the problem he took them off for only a moment. And in that moment….Stick that in your bourbon and sip it, David. 😉PS. We on had patient in her 20’s who was legally blind in one eye. She had a new kitty who slept with her and loved to paw her face to wake her up….need I say more? Since you live in a high risk environment, I think the new glasses were a wise choice! 🙂And they look dandy with your mask! 👏🏻👏🏻
BTW. WP is not allowing me to ‘like’ anyone’s posts, even if I sign in. It just exits the page and brings me back. 😡
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I knew you would understand the importance of these glasses, Cheryl. It was actually my eye doctor that convinced me to get prescription safety glasses. It was for the reason you mentioned. He said “you’re less likely to take them off so you can see better when working up close.” He added that that’s exactly when you’re most likely to be injured. I’m not really concerned about how these look, but with the addition of the Transitions lenses, I’m more likely to wear them while doing yard work. No sharp stick in the eye for this boy. Oh, they’re also held in place by my hearing protectors – full-on geek.
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Or ‘blessed to have lived long enough to need them’. 😉
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I was fascinated by your discussion of your new safety glasses, Dan (yeah, I am a little geeky). Since my cataract surgery a few years ago, I no longer see an optometrist, but have an annual visit to the ophthalmologist who did my surgery. I am still hanging in there at 20/20 for distance and need reading over-the-counter reading glasses only when the lighting is bad or the print is small. Your new safety glasses look pretty cool and most importantly provide needed protection, considering the kind of projects that you undertake. I love the sunset shots and the artsy approach to photographing the water drops.
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Thanks Mike. It takes a geek to get psyched about stuff like this ;-) Cataract surgery looms in my future, but I will always have a pair of safety glasses, perhaps just less expensive ones. After two bouts with sudden hearing loss, I am even more vigilant about hearing protectors. I always wear them (and the sudden hearing loss happened in an office building and a hotel) but I’m even less concerned about how that looks when I’m mowing the grass than I ever was.
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I think the glasses look great. Better safe than sorry. Also to have prescription lenses is a big bonus. Super photos, Dan
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My eye doctor convinced me of that years ago, John – “that way you’re less likely to take them off.” He was right.
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I can see that. Mine fit over my glasses but are real bothersome.
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As safety glasses go, those are quite stylish. You should see the horrors the gov’t makes my husband wear every time he visits a client. Yikes!
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Probably like the ones we had to wear in shop class in the 60s. In fact, they may be from the same supply.
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My husband was eating WWII C Rats in Vietnam, anything is possible.
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Good decision on the safety glasses, Dan. I recall one trip to the Urgent Care when hubby was doing some cabinetry work. He was wearing safety glasses and using a high speed tool that kicked sawdust back up under his safety glasses and into his eye. We had an eyewash kit, but it wasn’t doing the trick so off to Urgent Care we went for an uncomfortable 30 minute eyewash.
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Yikes, I’ve had dust and debris get in, and that is painful. I was lucky to get it out at home, These fit closer to my face. The worst thing ever with my old glasses was when a hornet got in under them and couldn’t get out. I was stung several times before I could get them off. I was on a ladder at the time. Tools, glasses and almost me came flying off.
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Yikes! That sounds uncomfortable. We have had our own interactions with yellow jackets in pant legs and around safety glasses but never up on a ladder with a hornet! That could have been a disaster! Imagine if you did not take safety precautions!
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Considering your two stories of almost putting an eye out (and making me cringe), I’m glad you spent the insurance money wisely on the safety glasses. You need both eyes so you can fully see how delighted MiMi is when she has to say good morning to you and so you can continue to work on all of your projects.
Cheers and Happy Saturday, Dan!
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I’d have to be wearing rose-colored glasses to see MiMi delighted ;-) I’ve always worn safety glasses or goggles over my glasses, but these will make it much easier. Those two stories are small reminders of why I keep them on when it’s hot and I’d rather leave them and the hearing protectors on the shelf. It’s wearing a bike helmet, Mary, it’s not the look we’re after, it’s the safety.
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True, Dan. Being safe is very important. Give MiMi a scritch from me…when she’s not sleeping.
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Oh, safety glasses, nice twist, Dan. Dang, they look so much better than I remember the old ones looking. Very cool. I don’t think Smokey wants a peanut. He wants his own safety glasses, for when he starts drilling away at a nut and tiny chips are flying. :) Hugs on the wing.
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Thanks Teagan. Yes, this look is a big improvement over the old school goggles. But I wore those before my eye doctor talked me into prescription safety glasses. He had several hobby cars, and he always wore them.
As for Smokey, if you’ve ever watched them munching a peanut, you’d get them safety glasses and hearing protectors. It’s not Smokey, but I have a video of one of them at work – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEL7PCJ7vZc
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This little guy is so cute! Have you seen the You Tube videos of Chunk–the groundhog who wormed his way into this guys garden and then his heart. Chunk is adorable!
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I haven’t seen that. I’ve seen Rivergirl’s videos of groundhogs. They are adorable (but destructive).
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That’s cute. I raised rescued squirrels a couple of times. I was amazed to watch them, with one tooth. drill a hole into the shell of a nut to make it easier to crack. They can be marvelous animals.
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They are amazing to watch. We got started with the feeding when two babies were orphaned when their mom was hit by a car. My wife found them and started feeding them, and they just stayed.
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I was brought these (both times) before their eyes were open. Round the clock feeding with an eyedropper.
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Awww, you’re the best. Squirrel Heroine! Smokey might knit you a cape 😊
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Ha! David was in rare (rarer?) form today. Every time I read your bar posts with David, I picture Anthony from Blue Bloods. You cannot not like the guy even though he grumps a lot. Anthony and David are dear to my heart.
Oh, the accidents we had in Risk Mgmt with people not wearing safety glasses of goggles…!!! Ah, MiMi. The look tells me so much more than one meow ever could. :D Have a great weekend, Dan.
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I am proud to say that I have always worn safety glasses or goggles and hearing protection. Safety in the shop is no accident (as the posters say). I have ended up in the ER/Urgent Care/Doctor’s Office and in the care of my wife, many times, but fortunately not for eye-related injuries.
I am glad you like David. I think the days you like him best are the days he is portrayed most like his namesake, who can always make me laugh or catch me in a mistake (especially when a bet is involved).
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First, that is one of the darkest squirrels I have ever seen! Second, the whole eye protection thing is huge. My late mother-in-law had actually “lost” an eye as a child. Yes, horrible story come to life. Scissors. You were lucky with that screw going only into your glasses!
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We have an extended family of black squirrels around here. Two or three live in nearby trees, but we see many more while walking. That screw getting stuck in my glasses cast my decision to wear safety glasses in concrete. I am never without them. Sorry to hear about your MIL, that’s very sad.
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The squirrels are neat. I have never seen a black one.
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They are so cute. They are often more skittish than the grey ones, but one of them has been getting very close lately.
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Thank goodness you had a photo of the glasses!! :-) Always better to err on the side of safety, says someone whose husband always wears a helmet while cycling as do I when I do. You also have a bevy of lovely photos. I vote for the drop shot.
janet
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Thanks Janet. I also wear be a helmet when riding.
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Those transition lenses are the cherry on top of the whipped cream. Very handy and useful choice. That’s become a must have for me.
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When the optician asked if I wanted them, I said no. Then I thought about how often I work outside and I asked her to change that.
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I love that song and I’m glad you’re keeping your eyes safe. The drop shot with the reflection is amazing. I did a double take on it. The sunglasses that fit over my regular glasses broke, so I tried some of my dad’s old clip on flip ups, and they were not bad in a pinch.
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I’m glad you like that picture, Joanna. I’ve always worn safety glasses or goggles, but I think these will be about the best ones I’ve ever had.
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We have many random safety glasses here and there in the garage… it never occurred to me to get ones with a prescription. Good option for using your optical insurance. MiMi’s “good morning” face looks just like mine before coffee.
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I hope you have your coffee early. My eye doctor recommended prescription safety glasses years ago. Best thing I ever bought.
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Your new safety glasses look terrific, Dan. The first time I got prescription sunglasses it was like the sun broke through and the angels sang. I hadn’t realized how much my vision had changed until I saw how much better I felt driving.
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The best part is how comfortable they are. I don’t mind wearing them at all. The first time I bought prescription safety glasses, it was all on me. Still totally worth it.
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Always better safe than sorry .
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Indeed.
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Hey, Dan! I’m gonna have to get a pair of prescription glasses for my safety glasses. Those glasses are a must whenever I work with my husband. I have a few masks we both wear when hubby uses the saw. That sawdust can be nasty! Those shots of the sky are awesome … they remind me of angels. Your fur-family brought huge smiles to my face …. never tire of seeing them. Thank you for the song at the end. I was actually listening to it as I wrote these words. That is my kind of music, … what I grew up with.
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Prescription safety glasses are one of the best things I ever bought, Amy. I highly recommend it. Masks and hearing protection are also important. I’m glad you like the music.
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Oh yeah, right, hearing …. got it. Earplugs!
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I use the muffs. I’ve had two bouts of sudden hearing loss, so I’m not taking any chances.
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Can’t say I blame you. You’ve got only one pair of ears.
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Man alive — the thought of a hardened screw or a nail-gun nail headed for any part of my body, especially my eyes, is horrifying. Thank God you were wearing those things!
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I was lucky, Paul.
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Lookin’ good, Dan. I had no idea you could get prescription safety glasses. Love the humor with David! And thanks for the sunset.
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My eye doctor first recommended them many years ago, Jennie. He was a car buff, and he had some made for when he was working on his cars. It was the best idea ever.
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Great idea!
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Great use of the prescription renewal – you’re looking great and safe at the same time!
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Thanks Shelley. I missed the notice of you last post. I hope that’s a one-time anomaly with WP and not the start of our connection problems again.
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Thanks for taking the extra step to stop by without the WP notice. I recently did the Windows update and it screwed up a lot of things on my computer. It seemed to screw up a few things in WP too.
I know, I know, switch to Apple right? LOL!
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I’m am a long-term Windows user. I have used Macs, but only in developing iPhone apps, when it was required. Windows Update is always a fingers-crossed activity, but I’ve never been hurt too badly. WordPress, on the other hand, has been driving me crazy this year.
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It’s nice you can function on both platforms. I’m with you 100% on WordPress this year – it’s very frustrating.
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My wife uses a Mac, so I better at least be familiar 😏
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You’re such a great husband!
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The pictures are good, but the dialogue is even better. A delightful post!
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I’m glad you enjoy the banter. Thanks!
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Oh, I love the reflection of the garage in the raindrop — that is BRILLIANT! Your goggles do look very smart. I would have loved to have those for my mother after she got severe dry eye. That was just what she needed!
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I didn’t know they made these. I was always a little jealous of the guys wearing contacts that could wear this style of safety glasses. When I realized I could get these with prescription lenses, I was sold. I’m glad you like the raindrop world.
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The song hit my head before I even saw that you posted it!! it was actually the picture of you:) Love the pet pictures including Smokey!
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Thanks Kirt. We all take precautions. I kept thinking of that song as I wrote the post, so I decided to include it.
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I get it!!
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