Denninmi (6,379 posts)
3-2-1 Contacts! Like I've been let out of eyewear prison!
Last edited Sat Oct 5, 2013, 08:31 AM USA/ET - Edit history (2)
The old me always begrudgingly deferred to opthologists who said it would be too hard to do contacts because of my very strong funky prescription and astigmatism.
The new me takes no prisoners - Got 'em. Love 'em. It's awesome. I can play in the rain and still see. I don't fog up coming in from the cold. I bought myself an ultra-cool pair of Italian transitional lens mirrored wrap around protective shades for riding, which of course don't work with glasses.
Of course, I poke myself in the eye repeatedly for 20 minutes trying to get them in or out, but I'll improve with practice.
DUmp linkNothing terribly interesting there...but two fellow DUmmies manage to provoke excessive displays from Dennis. First Aristus mentions Shakespeare's attitude to guns (how he would know, I haven't the foggiest idea):
Aristus (31,118 posts)
7. Well, other than his support for monarchy, a distrust of technological change is Will's
only other conservative trait.
"My eyes are how the Lord hath made me, mate. Wearing those eye-glasses from far Cathay? Not for me, sweet lad!"
And he really has a problem with modern firearms. In his day, if you wanted to shoot someone with a matchlock musket, you'd need 15 minutes, and a fifty-step process to load, stabilize, aim, fire and clear the weapon. Rapid, single-arm mass murder is not his idea of progress...
This leads to Dennis talking about his own attitude...
Denninmi (6,379 posts)
8. Yeah, me too, despite "everything".
I'm pretty embarrassed by my own "history" with that. Psycho dad pinning me down with a rifle was not my fault. I should be more afraid than I am. Deranged client threatening me, not my fault, but it made me snap. Sitting on a dock at 5 in the morning with a loaded gun aimed at my head, my fault, but at least I have now realized the very valuable lesson in that, which is I am strong and a survivor who needs to forgive and give himself the same break he would give to anyone else. The thing I am most embarrassed about was my political position after Sandy Hook. I was really upset and took it to extremes, and was accused of being a right winger, etc, even "dangerous." Believe me, I think most weapons should be banned or heavily restricted, but from EVERYONE, not just people who have a diagnosed mental illness unless really dangerous, but not just a wide net that collects almost everyone ever diagnosed or treated. I just don't want to be considered a second class citizen, that cuts to the core and feels like more blame the victim.
Hmmmmmmmmm
Then PassingFair gets jealous of him...and proves this by stating she's not being snarky.
PassingFair (20,542 posts)
9. Are you independently wealthy?
You seem to have a LOT of time on your hands for self-improvement...
Personal trainers, therapists, expensive gear, etc.
Not being snarky, just curious.
Dennis replies:
Denninmi (6,379 posts)
11. Um, kinda delicate question. But I'll try to answer without sounding whatever.
Last edited Sat Oct 5, 2013, 07:53 PM USA/ET - Edit history (1)
Yes and no. House is fully paid because ... It never had a mortgage, is older, and was essentially gifted to me via ELED. Two cars, older, paid cash for both but both are at the point expensive things keep going bad. When I was working from right out if college at 21 until I was about 42, living at home, it cost me virtually nothing to live, and for years and years, probably 15-16 of those years, I was spending about 1/3 of take home to live -things like gas were a lot cheaper, my employer provided health insurance with a minimal employee copayment of like $30 a month, car insurance was cheaper, gas was way cheaper. I only bought groceries and paid a small share of utilities, spoiled I guess. So about 2/3 of income went directly into savings, I was putting away like $1000 a month, back then it even paid a decent return without gambling in the markets. Then, there is family money, um ... well, let's say my future is pretty well set, except me being me and always looking at the worst case scenario, I hear things like "you need a million and a half to make it in retirement" and I gloom and doom despite facts. Liquidity not the best, because all is in savings bonds, a couple of long term cd's, and IRA. I had to cash bonds this year, I consider it an investment in myself, and my medical deduction should eliminate much of the tax.
Time ... I make a lot of time. I work FT 9-5, hardly ever weekends or evenings, other than missing a lot of time for medical appts. I literally get up 3 to 3:3o 3 days a week to hit the gym for an hour on my own then an hour of group fitness, one night a week from 6:30 to 9 for swimming lessons and my PT. Then on Sunday get up at five for 2 hours, swimming and my PT, and I just added a third floating evening session with my PT. Riding is early AM tues and Thursdays, like 3:30 to 6:30 time frame, generally for 1 to 2 hours, plus longer rides Sat Am, sat night, and Sunday night, plus I try to get in evening rides week nights as time and energy permits. It usually hit bed at somewhere between 10 and midnight. I do fine without a lot of sleep.
Very interesting...if there's the slightest hint of truth in it (which is a very large caveat).
