Glasses, Garage Sales, and other Garbage

A week or two ago I got new glasses and I absolutely love 'em. Wearing my second pair of glasses in my whole life has been eye opening. You see, I work at a sunglasses kiosk in the mall and so when I first started back in May I realized how scratched and chipped my four year old glasses were and how badly they needed to be replaced if I was going to be successful in selling $300 sunglasses. So I went to my eye doctor, recieved a perscription, order new glasses, and wore trial contacts until the glasses came in. Well my glasses took quite a bit longer to come in than expected. And I am not a huge fan of contacts. Sure, I wear them for pictures, weddings, hot steamy date nights, dirt biking, and so on and so forth. But to wear them everyday, ALL day is another story. They never seem to be focused when I need them to be, and they dry out after 6-9 hours. So after awhile, I came into the habit of wearing the contacts and sunglasses to work, coming home and immediatly changing over to my comfy, dirty, scuffed up glasses.
Then, my new Oakley Shifter 2.0 glasses arrived. And of course I wear them all the time. And I really wonder why I dont like contacts so much. You never have to take them off and rub the dirt off onto your shirt. They don't scratch, and if they need to be replaced it's a mere $20/pair. Plus, you can actually wear sunglasses without having to be blind while acting cool. And let me tell you what, when I was wearing contacts and sunglasses for that whole month straight, my eyes looooved the sunglasses. They miss sunglasses. Morning, day and night. I walk outside to my car and they scream, "Where is my protection! You horrible woman!"
But, I think I've figured it out. I, like so many others out there, am self conscious. Glasses are one of those things that if I am not wearing I feel exposed and vulnerable. Yes. I'm weird. And insecure. And uncomfortable being exposed. Like some people can go in public without underwear or a bra. Not me. Never. I have the same feelings when I don't wear my glasses, only not quite so dramatic and much less reason and pracitality. They have become a part of me, an appendage. A better example would be like puting on make up every morning. I feel vulnerable to teasing and scoffing. No one will notice me. I will be treated less of a person without it. Yes. Make up. That is the best congruancy to use when describing my relationship with my glasses.

   On a completely different subject, I went garage sale shopping on Saturday with my mom. We planned to hit only three (my usual is ten), and we came across one or two along the way. Ok since I am the worst when it comes to building suspense, my Golden Purchase of the weekend was a wooden food toy set. Thingy. What do you call them? They have Velcro on each side so that I the child can pretend to "chop" the food into pieces. Anyways, it was the SUSHI version! I know! Totally cool and modern and chic, right?! I usually don't buy any kid stuff at gararage sales - toys, clothes, cribs - because #1 I'm not ready to have kids for another 5ish 2 years and #2 for as long as I have been garage sale shopping (which is a loooong time) there has ALWAYS been kid stuff at garage sales. New, still in package, spotless condition. Its like moms buy all the kid stuff directly off the store room floor, pop out one or two little punkins, hardly use the stuff, and purge the equipment as soon as they get the chance.
   Ok. Sorry for the tangent. But I have to make my point clear at how bizzare it is for me to buy kids toys at a garage sale. This toy was seriously C-O-O-L. So I call up my sister in law, Aimee, who has the cutest and sweetest little girls ever, and offered her to borrow my sweet new toy for 5ish 2 years until I have kids. What do ya know, she already picked it up for Christmas. Ha! Great minds think alike. But she bought it off me anyways, and returned her still-in-package sushi set.
   Now on a less positive note, I cannot stand it when people cheat on garage sales. If something is broken or incomplete, let the buyer know, and, for-the-love, don't sell it for three whole bucks. I picked up three movies at another garage sale later that day. Ice Age, The Island, and The Village. All top favorites for me. Three bucks each. So, naturally, I offer a tad less than sticker price, cuz I love to bargain, and by this time it was nearing the end of the garage sale anyways. Usually the seller takes my offer. Except this lady. She scoffs loudly, and declines. Whatever. I write the check for $9 and I'm on my merry way. Now that I'm home, I open up the case (why didn't I do this at the garage sale?) and notice the DVD is not in there. The bonus disc is, but the actual movie is nowhere to be seen. Cheater. Now I'm fighting the urge to cancel the check. No. That would make me no better than her. Rrrrr.

KM