I'm Still Here, I Promise!

I've spent countless hours in waiting rooms like this. © Lloyd Lemons

I haven't been writing lately, and I feel like I should explain why. For 16 years I have been nursing some fairly serious vision problems. It started in 2007 with a torn retina and progressed into full retina detachment, then to glaucoma. First one eye then the other. My doctors have kept me from going blind, but it's been a challenge. 

The vision in my left eye is only about 5%. The vision in my right eye is a grainy 20/20 made possible by  radical surgical procedures and corrective lenses.

Then, two months ago I was given a new brand of eye drops. I had a bad reaction. 

The new drops distorted my remaining vision and made it impossible for me to read anything. For the past three weeks, I have been using drops that will hopefully correct the situation. They seem to be working, but it's a slow process. 

My Band-Aid solution
I have enlarged my computer display to 160% and can now resume writing for short periods of time. I'm also learning to use Google accessibility features, specifically Dictation mode to write with my voice, and Select-to-Speak to listen to what I've written. It's a little awkward for a keyboard guy like myself, but hopefully, I won't be forced to use it long term.

If you were a regular reader of my Substack newsletter, I apologize for dropping out as I did. I hope to be back on track real soon.

Do You Have Time to Reflect?

Carve out time each day to spend in the moment. © Lloyd Lemons

To be honest, I haven't read all of these books

I'm a slow reader. It's partially a vision problem I've had for 17 years and partially endless worldly distractions. So, sometimes, I look at the length of an article before I commit to reading it. If the reading time is noted as more than 10 minutes, I might put it off till I know I have uninterrupted time that would allow me to focus clearly on the subject matter. 

Unfortunately, it may never get read. 

It gets bookmarked or maybe sequestered into one of my various holding cells, where it will likely be buried among dozens of other unread stories ... and forgotten. 

The world functions at a high rate of speed. We have so much information thrown at us each day that it's impossible to absorb it all. That speed robs us of a fulfilling life in so many areas. Writers often focus on stories ranging from 500 to 1500 words because that length is what most readers can consume in a single gulp. 

That being the case, what am I missing when I file an intriguing story into the bottomless pit of a bookmarking app?

We need to slow down, take a deep breath, look around, and enjoy the art of seeing. There's much to learn, much to appreciate, and much to enrich our lives. Time is of the essence; don't miss out; live now. 

Ten Things I'd Say Yes To

Photo by Jake Roxen on Unsplash. Thanks Jake!

1. Yes! I would move again. That is, I'd take up residence in a new place if I could find the right place. It's stressful, expensive, and a lot of work, and I've already moved many times. But I've lived in Jacksonville Florida for 22 years, and I'm ready for a new adventure. 
2. Yes! I'd buy an autonomous vehicle, once the bugs are worked out. I have come to dislike driving.  
3. Yes! I'd like to try skydiving.
4. Yes! I want to ride my bike across the country, solo or with a ride buddy.
5. Yes! I would take a drug that eliminates the need for sleep. Sleep is an onerous task. 
6. Yes! I would try microdosing psychedelics as an experiment to achieve healthy outcomes. 
7. Yes! I would find citizenship in another country if the United States Democracy fails. 
8. Yes! I'd take a trip on an alien spacecraft if the opportunity presented itself. 
9. Yes! I'd accept the opportunity to act in a movie. (I've been an extra.)
10. Yes! I would agree to experimental stem cell therapy to repair my vision.

Are You a Square Peg in a Round Hole?

Sometimes the world is a lonely place. © Lloyd Lemons

Thinking back to our school days (and this could include junior high through college), we enjoyed fun times, fretted through stressful days, and survived episodes we’d like to forget. Students earned reputations as the cool kids, the groupies, the brainiacs, the stoners, the loners, and others.

Did you have a label? In school, I didn’t fit in. Anywhere. I was quiet but friendly. I was often accused of not smiling enough. Today, we would call that the "Resting Bitch Face." Other students seemed to like me, but I never had a best friend or a steady girlfriend. And, I was athletic but never played on the school team -- much to the chagrin of the coaches. Did that make me weird? I don't think so. I never felt that vibe, but then, I was mostly unconcerned about things such as popularity.

Here's something to think about. As a student body member, how did you mesh with your peers? Did you blend in? We're you an outlier? Or, were you a square peg trying to fit into a round hole? 

And how did that influence your life today?

I think it's important to teach our young people that square pegs turn out to be some of the happiest, smartest, nicest people around. Superficial popularity is overrated. 

Today, I am what I am. I’ve been married for 47 years to my best friend, Diane. We have a great family, real friends and I’m happy with that.

Pets Can Improve Your Life

My Mom and Dad with their dog, Suzy, circa 1950.

Wolfgang was perfect in my eyes

He was slightly apprehensive around strangers but loving around family. He would accompany my little brother, a toddler at the time, as he wandered around in the grass and among the bushes in our big backyard of rolling hills. He was my brother’s unofficial guard dog — and he did it instinctively.
...

Owning a pet, however, can be quite a responsibility — depending on what kind of pet you choose; ...

Read the full post here. 

"You're As Old As Dirt!"

Me, before I hit 70.

What does it mean to be 70?

It can mean the difference between life and death ...

One good thing about being 70 is that I'm not 40 anymore. And I don't have the drudgery that came with being 40, such as working at a soul-sucking job, career stagnation, or making yet another desperate sales pitch to convince some unappreciative employer of my worth. As a bonus, I'm not required to maintain "friendships" to benefit me or my career. I choose my friends carefully.

I've given up the exhausting expectation that people will eventually grow up and change for the better, but most won't, and I have resolved to accept that ...

Read the full post here.

Not the party we hoped for?

Friendship fountain along the St. Johns River in Jacksonville.

It's not over till it's over

I recently saw the following poster on the street. It came at a moment when I was alarmed and ashamed by the random craziness in my country.

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here, we should dance.

And I'd like to add ... I may have lost faith in our "leaders" to resolve the many obstacles before us. However, one of the best things about getting older is realizing how much I don't know while still having the opportunity to keep learning and better understand people, places, and things. I haven't lost that intrigue, so I still have hope.