Saturday, 13 February 2010

Good times, bad times...

What a week. What a grimly frustrating week. A shadow cast by a bad day at work on Thursday is yet to recede. Back in the day I would have simply got smashed to get past it and on Thursday night I attempted this to little effect. Why is it that when you really want to get drunk no amount of alcohol seems to do the trick?

Good things about this week: Got our tickets for our holiday. A week in Tenerife, all inclusive relaxing in the sun. Not my normal style but I think necessary for the regaining of my own sanity. I suspect a week of splendid isolation from the day to day will do the power of good. Also, ordered new glasses which will be ready on Wednesday.

This second one is a bit of a bugbear of mine. I haven't bought new glasses in over 3 years. Largely because I haven't needed to. My prescription has stayed the same for about 10 years. The thing that properly messes with my head is the ridiculousness of a legal requirement to get an eye test every couple of years if you want to buy glasses.

The arguments in favour of this are rational and sort of make sense. The idea is that you should get your eyes examined every couple of years because it can show up early warning signs of various medical conditions (diabetes for example) that would otherwise go undetected. There's also a spurious claim that your vision might have deteriorated without you noticing. I don't buy this at all. Surely you would notice that things are out of focus? It's quite easy to tell. If things that should have sharp edges don't, you can't see properly.

Anyway. I need new glasses. The ones I am wearing, the only pair I currently own, are falling to bits. The legs are bandy, one of the little nose pad things are missing and they constantly slip down my face. The fact they've taken a few knocks during my kung fu training probably hasn't helped. I need new ones. Urgently. So I had to go and book an eye test (reassuringly free in Scotland) and then order new specs. Had to wait over a week for an eye test, then another 4 days for the glasses. So I have had to spend 2 weeks with decrepit and uncomfortable eye wear due to the fact I cannot just buy a pair of glasses to my own specification.

Oh it's for my own good is it? Well guess what, eye test in the bag and no problems found. No deteriation in vision and no diseases or malfunctions. I am however a "failed" contact lense wearer. This was changed in my records to "unsuccessful" at my request as I couldn't help but feel it was the lenses that failed me rather than the other way round. So I have had to wait two weeks for new glasses for no reason.

And what about all the people that don't wear glasses? Nobody makes them have eye tests every two years. Are they not as susceptible to the same diseases and illnesses and eye problems as glasses wearers? Surely someone who has to wear glasses is inherently more aware of changes in their vision and problems with their eyes? It doesn't make any sense. Needless bureaucracy disguised as worrying about peoples welfare.

My solution to this week is to mollify my troubled spirit with red wine and good food. Usually does the trick. We shall see.

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