Darcy

My cousin Darcy is an amazing, talented person. In the years since I did this portrait of her, she also got married and has an amazing son. Those facts have nothing to do with the fact that I did a portrait of her. Did I mention that I'm thankful for my family?

Darcy
Steven Sauke
Illustration

Days of Yore Post-Credits 2: Glasses

Some movies even have two post-credits scenes! I'm pretty sure this is the last "Days of Yore" post, but never say never! :-)

Back in January of this year, I shared my story about when I had retinitis pigmentosa, and it miraculously healed! I got my first glasses at that time, and it took a long time before I really enjoyed wearing them. Now I'm proud to be bespectacled, and wouldn't have it any other way! I wish more people understood how helpful and awesome they are. Many who need them don't realize it for various reasons, such as not knowing anything different, or their eyesight diminishing so gradually that they don't notice it. It's common for the newly-bespectacled to be shocked how much better they can see with their glasses. I've heard multiple people comment that they can suddenly see the leaves on the trees that they couldn't distinguish in the past. I was one of those who didn't know any different.

Image by bravissimos on Adobe Stock

The process of getting glasses has changed a bit over the course of my lifetime. When I was younger, the doctor had to put drops in my eyes to dilate them, in order to be able to look into my eyes easier. After the exam was done, I had to wear sunglasses for a while because they were sensitive to light while the dilation was wearing off. While people still do this sometimes, I much prefer the Optomap that they do now. You put your eye up to a fancy camera, and it takes pictures. I also like this because I can then see the inside of my eye on the computer screen as well. It's a more educational experience, as the ophthalmologist can point out parts of my eye, as well as indicate any issues. I find that fascinating, and I like to ask them to send me the pictures. (I call it my super extreme closeup.) The Optomap costs extra, but it's worth it for me, particularly because then I'm not super-sensitive to light for the next while. I've never particularly been a fan of the part of the exam where they puff a burst of air in the eye to test the pressure, though. While painless, it's a weird feeling.

In a different part of the office, you sit on a chair, cover one eye, and read from an eye chart on the wall. Then you do the same with the other eye. Then they pull out the phoropter. It looks like this, or some variation on it:

Image by ijeab on Adobe Stock

You look through the eye holes, which have panes of glass in them that the doctor can change. They look a bit like magnifying glasses in there. They then have you look at the eye chart and compare two thicknesses of glass... "Can you see better with 1...or 2? 1...or 2?" After going through these and trying different ones, they can tell your prescription. That part hasn't changed much at all in my experience.

There is of course more to the eye exam than that, but those are the highlights. This site has good descriptions and pictures of the common equipment, if you'd like to learn more.

Once that is done, they can give you a printout of your prescription, though you sometimes have to ask for it if you want it.

Then you get to select frames (I love this part). Once you've picked out your frames, the optician (in the front office) has you put them on and look straight forward, and marks the temporary lenses where the centers of your pupils are. This tells the pupillary distance (PD), which is important for the people adding the lenses. (If you order frames online, you need the PD, and you usually have to ask for it. There are other ways of measuring it if you aren't picking frames in the shop.)

I went into changing frame styles over my lifetime in my post about what the cool kids wore.

Anatomy of Glasses (some of these may seem obvious, but people may find this useful):

• Lenses. These are the clear (or sometimes tinted) panes that have the prescription. The rest of the glasses are there to hold these in place in front of your eyes.
• Frames. These go around the lenses to hold them in place. They are basically everything that is not lenses. They can be made of any number of materials, such as various metals (such as titanium) or plastic. The frames have several parts:
• Rims. These are the part of the frames that go around the lenses. There are also half-rim (also called semi-rimless) glasses, which have a rim around the top and a fishing-line-type cord made of nylon around the bottom to give the illusion of no bottom rim. (Occasionally, mainly in some readers, this is switched and the rim is around the bottom and the fishing line on top.) They also have rimless glasses, which don't have rims, but they drill holes in the sides of the lenses to attach the rest of the frame.
• Bridge. This is the bar (or sometimes bars) between the lenses that holds the sides together. It goes over the top of your nose.
• Temples. Also called stems or arms, these are the two bars that go from the sides of your glasses back over the temples of your face, and rest over your ears.
• Temple Tips. These are at the end of the temples to provide padding for the ears. They can be varying shapes, from straight back, to bent down a bit, to a half circle that wraps around the ears. (That latter one isn't very common any more in my observation.) If you wear headphones, I find it's best to have the ones that go straight back as there's less touching the ears that the headphones could squeeze.
• Nosepads. These are small gizmos that provide padding for the nose. Depending on the material of the frames, they look different between frames.

Over the centuries, there have been multiple kinds of eyewear:

• Monocle. This was a round frame with a lens that people could either hold over their eye, or scrunch their cheek and brow muscles to hold it in place. It only went over one eye.
• Lorgnette. This was a pair of glasses without temples/stems that people had to hold over their eyes. It often had an extra bit to hold so you didn't have to get fingerprints on the lenses.
• Pince-nez. Literally translated "pinch nose," this was similar to a lorgnette in that it didn't have temples, but you didn't have to hold it because it clamped to the nose.
• Glasses. For lack of a better term, as most of these could be classified glasses, this is what we normally think of as glasses. They have temples so they can rest on the ears.
• Bifocals and Progressive. Bifocals were invented by Benjamin Franklin and provided an option for both far vision and close-up vision in one lens. They had a line down the middle that marked sections. More recently, they have developed progressive lenses, which serve the same purpose, but eliminate the line. (I just got my first pair of progressive lenses a couple weeks ago. It is a bit of an adjustment, but not as bad as I was expecting. The biggest adjustment for me has been getting used to looking through the right part of the lens for what I'm doing.) Some people need trifocals, which add another level of complexity.
• Reading Glasses. Also known as readers, these have magnification rather than prescriptions. They generally sell them in drugstores, and they can be helpful for people who don't necessarily need a prescription, but do need to have their text magnified a bit. They are only used for reading or other close-up stuff, as they don't work for distance.
• Blue-light Glasses. These look like regular glasses, but have a film over the lenses to filter out harmful blue light from screens and other sources. (This includes computers, cell phones, tablets and more. I think many mistakenly think they're only for computer use.) This is a fairly recent development. Depending on the strength of the filter, it can look different from regular glasses, though. The strongest filter has an amber tint. The kind I prefer is clear, but has a bluish sheen if you look at it from certain angles. The past few years I have made sure my glasses have a blue light filter, but they are also available in non-prescription glasses, which I recommend even for people who don't normally wear glasses. They are most commonly worn when using screens, but as the biggest source of blue light is the sun, I think it's a good idea to wear them all the time, even if they are non-prescription (unless of course you have a blue light filter on your readers).
• Sunglasses. Some people call these glasses, and while they are a kind of glasses, I don't feel they count. They are very useful, though, and I feel everyone should have a pair. For people who wear regular glasses, there are several options. There are some that attach magnetically to glasses. Some clip on the glasses. Some are larger and fit over glasses. Transitions lenses are clear when you are inside and turn dark when you go outside. (While I like the concept of Transitions, I wish they had a way of turning the sunglasses off when you want to take pictures outside and sunglasses seem odd.)
• Smart Glasses. These have been developing in recent years and have various capabilities, depending on the brand. Some have earphones built into the temples and can play music. Some can take pictures. Some can count steps and do many of the things a cell phone can. There has been some controversy around these, and while I'm excited about the possibilities, I'm waiting for further development before getting some.
• Contacts. These are small lenses that fit in the eyes. I'm not a fan of the idea of putting something in my eyes, but they do have some advantages. For me, it isn't worth the eyedrops, keeping track of them, the risk of them shifting back in the eyes (I've heard horror stories, though I don't think this is common), and more. But that's just my opinion.
• LASIK. While not eyewear, this replaces eyewear. It is an operation where doctors use lasers to correct some vision problems. It doesn't work for everyone, and depending on your age and other factors, may or may not hold for long. For people who are good candidates, it works great. It is a bit expensive, though. In some cases, it is necessary to prevent blindness due to injuries.
• Sports Glasses. These are specifically made for people who are into sports. They are more durable than normal glasses, and often have better padding. (Speaking from experience, I don't recommend wearing regular glasses while playing basketball, because the ball hitting them is a painful experience, but I think sports glasses take that kind of thing into account.)
• Doggles. These are also a fairly new development, but now they have glasses specially designed for dogs with vision problems!
• Safety Glasses. These are generally used for industrial work, and anything where you need to protect your eyes from being hit by flying objects. They also have versions that fit over regular glasses.
• Goggles. These protect the eyes when diving, and for various other purposes.
• I'm sure there have been others, but those are the ones that come to mind.

I have a theory that, especially with the development of blue-light glasses that come in prescription and non-prescription, everyone should wear them even if they have good vision. In the case of people with good vision, it can help preserve their vision longer by protecting from the harmful blue light. Some people object that they don't look good in glasses, but I have another theory that if you feel you don't look good, you just haven't found the right pair for you. Opticians can help with that, but it also depends on your tastes. There are also sometimes issues with discomfort in the nose and ears. Opticians can help with this too. 

If you order glasses online, it's important to know the size of your face, as well as your PD and prescription. Once they arrive, it's best to go into an optical shop to get them adjusted for your face. When selecting glasses, in the shop or online, you want to be sure they aren't too large (which could make it easy for them to fall off) or too small (which could cause them to squeeze your face and cause pain in the temples and possible headaches). If they become loose or askew, you can go into any optical shop, and they typically adjust them for free.

The size is often indicated on the interior of one of the temples (or occasionally on the back of the bridge). It also generally tells on the website when you are ordering online. For example, if the size numbers say 54-20-140, that means each lens is 54mm wide, the bridge is 20mm long, and the temples are 140mm long.

Personally, I've been a big fan of the Oakley brand in recent years. My new glasses are Nike, and they are just as great. I love how both brands cling to my face, and I don't need to push them up as often. Your optician can advise on other brands, but those are my recent preferences.

If you are looking for more information on glasses and eye health, I have found some great YouTube channels. Doctor Eye Health and That Glasses Guy are two of my favorites.

SMS

One assignment in one of my design classes was to make a personal logo. If I remember right, I made this one in Adobe After Effects. I also have a simplified version without the blue background, which I use for the logo on my blog.

Steven Sauke
Personal Logo

Days of Yore Post-Credits: Video Games

You know how the past few years, certain movies have enticed you to stay through the credits by including a scene at the end of the credits? It often reveals something you need to know for the sequel. (Pro tip: Pirates of the Caribbean and Marvel movies are never over until the credits have finished rolling!) Think of this post like that, except that this isn't necessarily important to understand for future blogs. But you never know!

Image by Sergey Nivens on Adobe Stock

As you may recall, I covered some aspects of video games in my post on computers, but there is more! We had games on floppy disks back in the '80s. When friends came over, sometimes they brought their games on floppy disks to play together. I loved playing games like Digger, Carmen Sandiego, Mario Bros, Arkanoid, Galaxian, Tetris, Pac-Man and others. I learned how to play Solitaire on the computer and have only played it a couple times with real cards.

At that time, most of those games could be played using the keyboard (particularly the arrow keys, and certain numbers and letters). Some could also be played using a joystick, a small hand-held device with a knob that looked a bit like a gear shift in a car. Joysticks were generally pretty cool, but could be frustrating as well. For example, if I accidentally moved the knob in the wrong direction playing Tetris, the blocks would drop where I didn't want them to drop. As I grew up with a tremor, involuntary movements from time to time could be annoying. (That can also be annoying at times when trying to hold a camera still to take a picture.)

Space Invaders
Jason Kotecki
Oil on canvas
Used with permission

Occasionally we would go to a video arcade where we could play games on bigger machines. Depending on the nature of the game, we would be standing and pressing buttons or a joystick knob built into the machine, or we might be sitting on a motorbike built into the machine. Or we could be seated and turning a steering wheel. Games like Duck Hunt involved a toy gun that you pointed at ducks as they crossed the screen. Last time I was at the Seattle Museum of Flight, I used a flight simulator that works very much like an arcade game, where you try to land a plane smoothly.

As I grew older, smaller devices became more popular, such as Game Boy, Nintendo DS series and others. There were also some tiny ones like Tamagotchi, which involved a digital animal or character that the user could feed and nurture.

Photo by Cláudio Luiz Castro on Unsplash

Some of my friends in school got into Call of Duty, which I haven't tried. One job where I worked, a bunch of my coworkers were into World of Warcraft. As I am told it is very time-consuming, I haven't gotten into that one, but I'm curious. My brother Aaron works for Blizzard, who makes it. I did a seasonal job testing the French versions of games at Nintendo in 2009. That was when I got to know the Wii. This is a bigger console, and includes a board that you put pressure on in different places. The console also has other components. I tested Wii Fit Plus and Wii Sports Resort, which had exercises you could do on the board and it kept score. The player was represented on the screen by a customizable character called a Mii. I also tested the New Super Mario Bros Wii, which didn't use a Mii due to Mario, Luigi and Toad already being there. I then got to know Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks on the much smaller Nintendo DSi. I'm not sure why I didn't get into Zelda when I was younger, but it was fun! 

As time has gone on, video games have become more available. I even (I know this may be shocking) have some on my cell phone! (My favorite story there is one time when I downloaded a Mario Bros app. I can get very competitive, and I got so into it on my cell phone that my thumbs were sore the next day!) Pokémon Go was particularly popular a few years ago on cell phones. "Gotta catch 'em all!"

This seemed to be an appropriate way to end this post:

Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash

Tim and Annika

I made this portrait as a wedding present for my cousins Tim and Annika a few years ago. They now have two amazing kids! Today Annika advances in years. I'm super thankful for my family.

Tim and Annika
Steven Sauke
Illustration

Days of Yore

Here we are as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more

So wrote Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane in 1943 in their song "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." It was featured in the 1944 musical Meet Me in St. Louis, sung by Judy Garland. It has been a Christmas classic ever since, inspiring a sense of nostalgia. It has been recorded by multiple artists.

This is me back in the days of yore.

"Washington Heights. Say it, so it doesn't disappear."

So wrote Lin-Manuel Miranda much more recently in his musical In the Heights. Usnavi, the main character, is reminiscing with a group of children about a time in the New York neighborhood of Washington Heights before they were born. He wants to pass on his experiences from the past to the younger generation and ensure that these memories endure.

I feel it is important to remember how things were in the past. Usnavi had a point that we need to remember what we have experienced, as well as what previous generations have experienced. There is so much inspiration, along with other things we can learn from the past. Of course, we shouldn't dwell in the past, but we should remember and learn from it. The past couple months I have been writing about how things were when I was younger in an effort to remember and preserve these experiences and trends in society.

These are just some of the things that have changed radically over the years. Click on each one to read the associated post.

• Computers 
• Audio Recordings
• Video Recordings and movies
• Photography
• Books
• Mail
• Shopping
• Telephones
• Listening to Music
• Hot Drinks and Food (such as coffee, cocoa and chili)
• Transportation
• Julius Caesar (this was before my time)
• St. Patrick's Day
• Research and Organization
• Slang
• Lighting
• Restaurants
• Clothes and Hairstyles
• Chores
• Social Media
• My Time Trilogy (not to be confused with Madeleine L'Engle's Time Trilogy of A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door and A Swiftly Tilting Planet)
• Part 1: small clocks
• Part 2: larger clocks
• Part 3: time travel (or as close as we get to it)
• Broadway (guest blog by Michael Kape)
• Navigation
• Office Equipment
• Job Search

My brother Tim and me
at Crystal Hot Springs
Laguna, Philippines
A few years ago

Victor Hugo

"To err is human. To loaf is Parisian."

- Victor Hugo, Les Misérables

Victor Hugo had a very distinctive writing style. Best known for his novels Les Misérables and Notre-Dame de Paris (some English translations call it The Hunchback of Notre-Dame), but also the author of The Man Who Laughs, 93, The Toilers of the Sea, along with other novels and poems, I have found it useful to have a pad of paper and pen handy when reading his works. He often inserts a random statement in the middle of a narrative that is quite thought-provoking. He also spends whole chapters discussing concepts that may or may not be relevant to the story (I find reading the abridged version first is helpful, and then I can go back and read the full version).

Victor Hugo
Steven Sauke
Text-Based Illustration

One such random statement in Les Misérables is his observation when introducing the students who will figure prominently, "To err is human. To loaf is Parisian." Reading that made me burst out laughing.

One assignment in one of my design classes was to select a quote from an author and make a text-based portrait in Adobe Illustrator using the words of the quote. After narrowing it down, I selected this quote from Hugo. This was perhaps the most tedious assignment, particularly since my computer crashed at one point, causing me to lose hours of work. But I was very proud of the result.