have i matured?

My recent experience of getting getting glasses has brought a sense of aging, but it's also now brought a sense of growing maturity. When looking at glasses, I asked if they had anything big, black and geeky. I thought hey, I'm still in school, I should have some glasses that are fun and ironic. I can hear you all now, "act your age, not your shoe size".

Well, surprisingly enough, the eyeglass retailer was able to find t a pair and brought them in. I was excited to try them on. I was hoping for Elvis Costello, but ended up looking like Drew Carey.





Despite the Drew Carey look I thought they would be a fun pair for going out and having fun, but t I realized I am just not cool, hip or ironic enough for these glasses. In the past this would have been a pure impulse purchase, $300 for irony. The fact that I put the glasses down show not only that I am aging, but that I am maturing.

these eyes

I've always prided myself on my vision. I've always been the one who could see the small text far away. I never expected that I would have to get glasses. However, that's no longer the case. Law school has wrecked my vision.

Okay, it's true that I haven't had my eyes checked for eight years. Maybe its not all law school's fault. However until the words "I'm in law school" came out of my mouth, it looked like my need for glasses could have been put off for a few more years. I know that would have been postponing the inevitable, but it would have left me glasses free for a while.

My eyesight isn't that bad, however one eye is radically different from the other I have learned. It's the fact that I spend all day reading that is really driving the need. However, I should also notice an improvement when driving, less fatigue looking into the distance.

Now, I am on a quest for frames. I've blogged before of the challenges of my big head. Unfortunately it appears to be a problem for glasses as well. I trudged off to the local eyeglass shop. After trying on pair after pair that didn't fit, it came down to "show me the biggest ones you've got". A parade of ugly glasses came forth. One wasn't too bad, however I look like Drew Carey when I'm wearing them.

I want a fashionable pair, but is it possible? Kenneth Cole just doesn't make glasses big enough for me. Thankfully, the woman offered to bring in a few others on spec for me to try.

I tried the other glass shop without much more luck, but have found two frames that are in stock that may work. The question is, what look do I want to have for the next two years? I'm in school so still want something fashionable and fun, but will also be clerking with the court, so do I need something simple and professional? Gah! What would Russell Smith do? I don't have his book with me to see if he has a section on this?

These are the business/work friendly frames I found:


I can't find an image online of the other pair, but will keep looking. Maybe I'll take some snapshots of me wearing them and invite comments and suggestions!

memories of the 20-minute workout

Growing up on City-TV in Toronto there was a horrible show called the 20-minute workout. The title pretty much sums it up. It was lunges, bends, forward thrusts, think Pussycat Dolls in legwarmers and tights, big permed hair, a leotard and a sweatband. Pretty picture isn't it.

Well this Pull Shapes video brought those memories rushing back:

men in capris

Yes, I said men in capris, not men in trees. It seems a recent trend that men are being marketed capris. It's a fine line between a long pair of shorts and capris. My advice, and I'm sure Russell woud agree, is to say no to capris.

How this came about is a recent incident here in Name-of-Town-Withheld. It's one of those incidents that happens in a small town. I was walking and saw a man in capris. Now he is tall and thin and if anyone can pull them off, it's probably him, but the problem is, he's my dentist.

How can I take him seriously at my next appointment? I'm going to be thinking, hey, he wears capris! That just seems wrong. I want my professionals to look like professionals. Now, I'm sure he doesn't show up at the office that way, it was probably a day off.

Much like a firearm, there should be a 72-hour cooling period if you want to buy capris. Men should have to go home and think about it. Sure, you're in the store, you see them, they look cool on the mannequin, you're thinking, hey Brad Pitt would probably wear them, so why not me and boom you have bought them. However, if you had to go home and seriously think about it for three days, I'm sure the impulse would pass.

Come to think of it, there should be a similar rule for Speedos!

clap your hands if you want some more

What the Buck's Michael Buckley is continuing his fascination (and mine) with "Pull Shapes" by the Pipettes. He has created a dance cru on YouTube and has assembled a video of his fans dancing to the song.



Clap your hands, I know you want some more!

rare in nature

I came across this photo on another blog today and was stunned. It's so rare, that it is even rarer than a recent blog post from me.



From what I read on different blogs it hasn't been photoshopped and there is even video available. It's a unicorn, well more accurately a unihorn deer. It appears this deer is on a nature reserve in Italy and has some genetic anomaly that has given it one horn in the middle of its head.

I've often thought there is some kernel of truth to many myths and legends. This shows that at some other time, there was probably an animal with a genetic anomaly like this that created the myth of the unicorn.

marathon man

Okay, so the title may be a misnomer. I am not a marathon man; I am however a half-marathon man. Last summer I ran my first half-marathon. I finished. It was a big achievement. I do have to say though that I am not a natural runner. It's not like I will just say to myself, hey, I should go out for a run.

My half-marathon last year was actually a bit of a fluke. I had been preparing to run a 1/4 marathon, or more accurately, run the marathon as part of a four-person team. I had been doing some training and preparing for that. Unfortunately our team fell apart and there was only two of us left. A few weeks before the actual marathon, I ran the half distance to see whether I could and figured that if I did it once I could do it again.

Come the actual day of the marathon I did the half-marathon and it was an achievement. One of the drawbacks of doing this in a small town like Name-of-town-withheld is the sheer number of people I knew involved. It's hard to do something like this discreetly the first-time when everyone knows you, knows it's your first and cheers you on.

In the days following, I did learn that I had not trained enough and was incredibly sore. This year, I decided I would do things differently and joined a local learn to run group. My usual approach to training is to sign up for a race, then have fear of humiliation be the driving factor to get me training. The group helps, however I think it mainly replaces humiliation with expectation. As is quite likely in a small-town I know many members of the group, and I know show up for my runs because people expect me to be there.

I do like the sense of accomplishment that running brings. Although I may not enjoy the actual process of running, I do enjoy the sense of accomplishment that comes with running a set distance and knowing you accomplished it. Each week I'm probably doing on average 20-25 km if I make all three runs. Right now I'm averaging two out of three. However, by August I will do the Name-of-town-Withheld half-marathon for a second time and here's hoping I'm not in pain for days.

reader-indirectly-submitted complaint

Little Miss Know-it-All contacted me today letting me know that one of her readers had contacted her to ask whether (or when) I'm going to start blogging again. It appears guilt is maybe all that it took.

I have been on a two-month hiatus from the blog. It's been a period of considerable change. I finished second-year, left the little law school on the prairie and headed back north of 60 to name-of-town-withheld. I started my summer job (which really appears to be several jobs), caught up with old friends, and have already lived/stayed in four different houses.

As a result, I have not had any regular structure, routine or internet access and the blog has gone by the wayside. I was never one for self-discipline and once I stopped, it was easier not to write than to start writing again.

However, there have been a core group of people returning regularly or coming newly to the blog. Those finding the blog seem to be arriving because of Polkaroo, one-size-fits-all hits being a lie, and silly columnist sarah hampson(that's an actual search, it's hilarious).

Knowing you are out there reading helps in forcing fingers to keys and hopefully this is the start of some active blogging.