Digging your way out

By way of Kim du Toit comes this story of a college educated man who left home with $25, and without using his diploma or personal contacts wanted to see if he could wind up with an apartment, a car and $2500 in the bank within a year. He quit the experiment two months early due to a family illness, but he had already exceeded his goals. He had a credit card to fall back on, but if he used it the experiment was over and he had failed.

"This proves that anyone can do it".

Well, no, not exactly. He didn't use his diploma, but he couldn't avoid using his education. He was hired as a day laborer which lead to a job with a moving company--Chances are he stood head and shoulders above the other day laborers, and it was more than just the work that he accomplished that got him hired.

It isn't just being willing to work, it is knowing where to exert the effort. He understood basic economics--that he couldn't afford to eat in restaurants, smoke, drink or do drugs. He understood that hard work would eventually be rewarded, but not instantly. He knew that homelessness isn't normal, and had confidence that his efforts wouldn't be wasted. He could read well, knew how to research and find solutions.

On the other hand, his reward was not nearly as great as someone who was in that position naturally--He had a decent life to go to whenever he felt like it, while the people in that situation naturally have decades of the same life to escape from. I would say it is worth quite a bit more effort to permanently escape that sort of situation.

Unfortunately, there are too many places in our system where the system makes short-term decisions with adverse long-term effects. Any wonder that many of the recipients do the same?

Zenni Optical review

Based on a post by Hell in a Handbasket, I did a bit of research, and decided to give Zenni Optical a try. They advertise prescription glasses starting at $8, plus a flat $5 shipping per order. I ordered 4 pairs of glasses from them on Feb 17, and received them this afternoon.

Ordering is fairly simple, although it is a bit cumbersome to pick from the various frame sizes. No hassles about prescription--If you've got the data, you can order, even from an expired prescription. There are some decent looking frames even in the $8 section, and I didn't see anything over $40. Their price includes lenses, a (cheap) hard case, and a cloth. Tint is $5 (with lots of choice of color and amount), Anti-reflective coating is $5, and a (cheap) clip on sunshade shaped to fit is $4

I don't think the sunshade is worth the cost, although I haven't tried it in sun yet--I don't think it is worse than similar shades, but it seems like there are lits of extra reflections. The glasses are fine, although I've got somewhat lopsided ears and had to adjust them a bit to sit straight on my face.

I am a little disappointed in the most expensive pair I bought--I paid almost $50 for a pair of photochromatic sunglasses (almost clear in low light, dark in sunlight) and I picked a frame that is a bit small for my face. This is the biggest drawback in ordering from Zenni, it is hard to know what glasses fit. Width is listed, and I should have paid closer attention.

I also got a pair of sunglasses with memory temples and bridge, semi-rimmed (the string type) for $15--Wore those while driving to work, and the prescription seems fine, as are the $13 hingeless stainless steel semi-rim. Finally, I bought a $10 semi-rimmed that I'm wearing now. Also fine.

I will probably order from them again, but if I get something beyond the basic lens, I'll be more careful about width, and probably stick to a frame style I already have.

I've been outed

I wasn't aware that my eyebrows were a problem, but The Onion has discovered my identity...

(for those who don't know me, they are off by only 1 year and 20 miles, and it is very likely that something here would have a dateline of Dayton)

it shouldn't smell like that Pt. 2

Another of my wife's scent adventures is some sort of thing that plugs in, and is filled with a purple liquid. Theoretically it should smell like lavender. As far as I can tell, it is full of cat piss--When I walked into the room, I literally started looking for wet spots on the floor until I traced the smell to the source. My nose must work differently, I cannot imagine someone thinking that scent is an improvement.

it shouldn't smell like that

My wife handed me a tissue and asked me to smell it. I was expecting a light floral...Instead I got a deep, unexpected snort of Vick's Vapor Rub. Menthol-scented tissues. Strongly menthol-scented tissues. Apparently my reaction was funny...

...and then later I grabbed another from that box, forgetting. I really don't like Vicks.