Daily Work: Seeing the Eye Doctor

I had my eye doctor’s appointment today. The verdict was that one of my eyes is nearsighted and one is farsighted. Together, they balance, and I can see just fine.

I went to the doctor knowing about the nearsightedness, but the farsightedness was a surprise. I thought that the nearsighted eye had gotten a bit blurrier, and I had noticed odd trouble with little print on things, like microscopic print on a medicine box. Turns out that was the farsightedness.

So the doctor said that I can:

1. do nothing, after all I can see just fine as it is and I’m only bothered if I cover one of my eyes (um, the eye patch look is so me) or on occasions like the microscopic print.
2. get glasses for distance/driving, etc. The doctor suggested they might be nice at night or if I was tired.
3. get bifocals to correct both problems. The doctor said that eventually I would be wearing bifocals, according to his “crystal ball” (yes, he really said that)

I figured that since NCTE graciously provides vision insurance, I’d get something generic to keep on hand when needed. Then he dropped the bifocal lenses in the little glasses thing he put on me, and I was totally sold. Everything was suddenly clearer and crisper.

So this weekend when my sister is here for the annual birthday visit, we’ll go find glasses. I just hope to find something that doesn’t make me look stupid.

Backdated. Written 9/26/06

Depression: When We Talk, Or More Accurately, Now That We Don’t

Apparently I shouldn’t listen to my iPod either…

If I had my way I’d be in your town I might not stay but at least I would’ve been around Cause there’s something about what happens when we talk Something about what happens when we talk —Lucinda Williams

Maybe I’m just destined to cry, no matter what.

Depression: Crying Over PostSecret (Again and Again)

Why do I persist in reading the PostSecret cards each week, when I KNOW that each week something there will make me cry?

Snapshots Column Submitted

I sent off a short piece for the Snapshots column of English Journal today. I dunno if it will get in, but I tried. Since I mention college and it’s from many years ago, I’m not sure how much of a chance it has. I’m not very up right now though, so hard to say.

Creating another blog identity

Finally created a second site for a different blog that I want to write. There’s some thinking I need to do about my messy existence that just doesn’t go in this blog, so I created a second one elsewhere, and have spent most of the evening trying to get the format to do what I want. It’s still not quite perfect, but I’ve finally taken the first step and done something anyway.

August 9 Writing Projects

I turned in the draft for Chapter 3 on Monday afternoon. It ended up at 45 double-spaced pages, and near the end, I’m sure that I started repeating things. I know that the last list of criteria used the verb “Include” in about 8 of 12 bullets. I decided it was time to just get rid of it for a while, and turning it in seemed like the best option.

Next I’m supposed to come up with a short piece for the Snapshots column in EJ. Here’s the call for that section:

Snapshots: What do the key moments of teaching and learning
look like? When did you know that you had made a difference?
What did you learn from a mistake or difficult situation?
For this feature, we invite you to capture one particular
moment in words. We are seeking reflective stories, drawn
from all types of classrooms, that reveal insights about teaching
and learning. Stories accepted for the feature will be published
with the author’s photo and may include other photographs as
needed (1,000 to 1,500 words).

I thought it would be a relatively easy thing to write when I put it on the schedule. It’s just a short story about teaching really, but I’ve been wondering now what story I have that is significant or relevant. I’m feeling as though I may not be able to come up with anything that matters. Maybe something will come to me.

In the meantime, I’ve been editing other people’s writing for the site. Last night, I came across a gem that included the instruction to post students’ final projects in the classroom “even the ones that aren’t so good.”   o.O   I’m trying to focus on the fact that at least she didn’t say “even the ones by the slow kids.”

Magic blog publications?

Is it wrong that I keep my blog in a tab and refresh it periodically to see if I wrote something that I don’t remember?

Composting versus Composing

Why is it that when I’m in the middle of writing, typing furiously, I spell writing writhing and composing composting?

Baby Bird Grows

Here are this week’s baby bird pictures. He’s very uncooperative and
well-camoflauged. Silly darned bird.