A light bulb moment!

You’ve probably noticed by now that incandescent light bulbs are scarcer than hen’s teeth. Yep, plain old light bulbs are dang hard to find these days!

Image via Wikipedia.

In 2007, George W. Bush signed into law the Energy Independence and Security ACT (EISA). This law set an efficiency standard for light bulbs with the first phase going into effect in 2012. I’m not going to bore you with a lot of info about the why’s and wherefore’s of this new law. I’ll just say that it appears that our elected officials were making a valiant effort to conserve our natural resources and let it go at that.

I have problems, however, with this new law — aside from the fact that I don’t like the Feds telling me what kind of light bulbs I can use.

Now, before all you environmentalists, including my own daughter, start yammering about the efficiency of compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) and what a jerk I am for mourning the demise of the incandescent bulb, let me state, for the record, that I’m fine with CFLs. I use CFLs. In some places. Like closets and porches and places where ambient light is appropriate and the laundry closet. (Oh, I already said closets, didn’t I?)

But, I have some issues. For example:

When CFLs first hit the scene a few years ago, I was excited about it. A new light bulb that would save energy and last much, much longer! I bought ’em, compared ’em. Now, not so excited. Incandescent bulbs created more light than the same watt CFL bulb. How much light a bulb emits is important to me. I read. A lot. And I need good light to do that until the wee hours of the morning. Why? Because I have something like 20-80 vision. Glasses help of course, but the cataracts make it more difficult. (I am having surgery to fix that little problem in a few weeks so maybe that’s not a valid argument.)

Incandescent bulbs are dirt cheap. CFLs, not so cheap. I’ve heard the arguments about how CFLs save money in the long run but I tested that when CFLs first came out, and I’m just not convinced. I am willing to concede, however, that there may have been improvements in the last 5-7 years, so maybe I need to retest. We’ll see.

Incandescent bulbs put out heat. My cats like sitting on the table with their little heads close to a warm light bulb. CFLs won’t keep their little ears toasty. And I’m pretty sure Ollie’s sinuses will stop-up permanently if he can’t melt them with heat from my reading lamp. Aside from that, if the lamps are putting out heat, then my actual heating bill should be less. Right?

I have lamps (lots of lamps, well, three) with clip-on shades. Ever tried to get one to clip onto a CFL bulb? I have. It doesn’t work.

There is movement in Congress to delay the implementation of the EISA. It will be interesting to see what happens.

Will my clip-on shades survive the light bulb debacle of 2012?

We’ll see. Or, maybe we won’t. See, I mean.

And poor Ollie.

Oh the inhumanity!

Pssst, see that pic above? The one with the two light bulbs? That big ol CFL bulb wouldn’t allow the glass cover to go back over the light fixture in my closet so I had to leave it bare-bulb just to be more “green.”

How tacky!

Mom is leaving …

Posted by goodoldgirl

A single point has guided me throughout my life. A single voice in my head that has kept me on the straight and narrow through times when I couldn’t see two feet in front of me, much less what’s around the bend.

My mom.

She has been the strongest influence on my life, though most times I chafe at admitting it. Her strength of character and determination have seen her through many, many difficult trials — from the loss of an infant daughter to a shattered marriage some fifteen years later. Yet, she remained strong. She never gave up, no matter how difficult the challenge or risky the outcome.

She is my rock.

My mom has Alzheimer’s and is leaving us, slowly, day by day. She’s in the early to mid stage so still knows who we are but, sooner or later, she won’t and I think it will break my heart. So much so that, in moments of weakness, I wish one of us would be released from this crazy world, and it doesn’t matter which one. I know that sounds awful, but the thought of Mom becoming lost to me makes me sad beyond having words to describe it — and angry, very angry.

Throughout her 83 years, she has relied only on herself to see her and her children over life’s hurdles. She is the only person I have ever known who will always tell me when I’m wrong or making a mistake. Her love, though quiet and somewhat reserved, is always there, for now. When she is lost to me, it will be lost to me as well.

Over the years, Mom and I have often not “gotten along.” I guess it’s because we are so much alike that it causes friction. I’m as stubborn as she is and as determined to make my own way in this screwed up world. We don’t talk a lot and seem to find it difficult to chat. Small talk isn’t part of our pattern — Scrabble is our thing. We can get into deep conversations over a Scrabble board and I’ve learned more about my mom while playing Scrabble than I ever dreamed possible. I cherish every game we play.

Mom lives with my sister and for that I am truly grateful. I don’t know how she does it, day in and day out, watching Mom fade away. I just know I couldn’t. It’s hard enough to see just when I visit.

Thank you, Jan — for all that you do to keep our mom safe. For taking care of her every need. For being her rock. I hope that someday, though I’m not sure how, I’ll be able to return the favor.

It gives all new meaning to eye apeel!

Posted by goodoldgirl

It’s my eyes. Yep, them eyes up there in the pic, they’ve got ’em — cataracts!

Turns out my peepers have had them for a long time but now they’re to the point that surgery is needed. Hmmm. Not sure how I feel about that.

On the one hand, it would be nice to be able to see better and, let’s face it, if my vision gets much worse I won’t be able to get contacts to correct it anymore. I mean that thin little disc of plastic can only do so much. And, the only other option is glasses that are thicker than Coke bottles.

On the other hand — cutting into my eyeballs — scary.

What to do?

To add to my dilemma, there are even more decisions to make. For example, which kind of lens implant do I get? I have trouble deciding which book to read. How am I ever going to decide which lens implant I need?

Help!

I know. Let’s take a poll! What do you think I should do?

Okay, here’s the options:

Option 1: Single focus lenses that will allow me to see distance but I’ll still need glasses for reading.

Option 2: Single focus lenses that correct a different problem for each eye. (I’m far-sighted in one and near-sighted in the other.) I tried this route with my first contacts. It worked but was a bit weird to get used to.

Option 3: Multi-focal lenses, what I have now, that correct both vision problems and I may or may not need glasses to read really, really fine print. (Does anybody read that stuff anyway?) I’ve had multi-focal contacts for about three years and love ’em. No problem getting used to them either.

Can’t guarantee I’ll actually do what the poll says I should do. I mean we do still have free will on this planet and, besides, I hardly ever do what anyone else says.

Anyway, thanks for participating — if you did.

If you didn’t, please do.

I mean, haven’t you ever wanted a chance to shape the future of another human being’s eyeballs?

Gives you the willies doesn’t it?

Me too.