Everyone's in San Fran!

Well it's lonely here with all the Golden Heart finalists and lots of my fellow Toronto chapter writers out in San Francisco for the National Conference and awards!

I hope they are all having a fantastic time. Lots of workshops and speakers and camaraderie to share.

As a finalist, I will miss that once in a lifetime moment of my HUGE head on the jumbo-tron. That alone would be worth the price of admission! Luckily a fellow finalist said she'd take a picture of my 15 seconds of fame as a keepsake. Thanks, Keli!

I want to wish all the wonderful Pixies (aka GH finalists) the best of luck on Saturday night's award. Too bad we all couldn't win. In my mind, we all are winners!

With bated breath I will wait for Sunday morning (Aug. 3) to find out the results. Kinda like missing the Oscars and waiting to hear the winners the next day on the radio. Tune in Sunday for an update!

Cheers, Sue

I'm a Guest Blogger Today

Hey everyone,

Come and join me over at "Romance Writers on the Journey", Keli Gwyn's (fellow Golden Heart finalist) blogspot.

She even has a draw for one lucky person who leaves a message. I'll be popping by this afternoon to answer questions, etc.
The site is: www.keligwyn.wordpress.com. (Sorry, I'm not sure how to leave a link.) Hope to see you there.

Cheers,

Sue

What is the deal with bifocals?

Is anyone else finding it almost impossible to get used to bifocals?

Okay, I'm still in my forties, I'm not 93 or anything. But I have been fighting the need for bifocals for almost 4 years now.

When I first found reading difficult, and had to take my glasses off to read close up, my eye doctor said I needed bifocals, or a separate pair of glasses for reading. That sounded like a real pain, so I opted for the bifocals. I got the ones with a line in the middle (can't remember why now). The doctor told me to wear the new glasses all the time and don't go back to my old ones. Well, after about two weeks, insanity began to set in. I went out and got another pair of one vision glasses and relegated the bifocals to my purse. They stayed there, except for a few rare occasions for three and a half years. I could not get used to bobbing my head like a turkey to see properly.

Fast forward three years, and my eyes are REALLY bad now. I go for my checkup and both far away and up close prescriptions have changed. My new eye doctor (a woman, I might add) told me I should try the progressive bifocals - much better than the lined one. I tried a sample in the office - seemed pretty good. But to my dismay I was informed that the lenses alone cost between $400-500. Since my daughter also needed new glasses, and we couldn't afford both, mom decided to forego the new bifocals.

Finally, eight months later, a 50% sale on lenses enticed me to order the glasses. These were supposed to be the creme-de-la-creme lenses. $549 just for the lenses (but I got them for half price) and then the frames on top. So I ordered them. I now have had the new specs for a little over a week, and the same insanity is threatening!!

I only get these specific areas of clarity. Half the time, I'm looking through blurred lenses, googling my head to find the right spot on the glasses. When I find it, God forbid I should have to move again. Walking is a new challenge. To see the floor clearly, I have to angle my head straight down, then I crash into walls.

They should have courses for first time bifocalers! To teach us how to use these things. To anyone out there going through this, or better yet, anyone who has successfully mastered the art, please drop me a line and let me know your secret! I will be SO grateful to know I'm not alone.

Cheers,

Sue