Training Log Archive: PG

Continuing my own version of biathlon training (now that Ken Sr. has turned me on to the possibilities), in today's competition I went 8 for 9 on the range. Pretty good, but really ought to be perfect.

As I said, my version, a bit different. Such as position. Standing was too hard for me, missed on my first 5 tries and gave up. Forget about prone. But supine turns out to be quite doable. The range is a bed, the weapon is an eye-drop bottle, the target is my left eye. And you don't need a scope to tell if you've hit the target, you've either got a wet eye or a wet cheek.

It sounds easy, just hold the bottle above the eye and squeeze. But when the eye has a bubble in it (and using the other eye would mean having to deal with adjusting your aim, sort of like a strong crosswind), and I look up and just see a big blur, well, it's hard enough that each successful hit gives lots of pleasure.

And the misses? Not so bad. Just fire away until you get a hit, no penalty laps or other nonsense. As long as you don't run out of ammo before the race is over. And I don't know how long the race is, just keep doing it, 8 drops a day, until someone says stop.

In vicinity of the Montague Book Mill, a little more energetically today.

Doing OK. Got a little seasick by yesterday evening, but fortunate again to get a good night's sleep and fine this morning. I expect that will continue until the bubble disappears. It seems to be taking its time.

C • bubble 6

South Plain Road.

Feeling better. Yesterday was a struggle. Strained a bit doing what I do every morning after breakfast and all of a sudden my eye really didn't like it. So all day not wanting to move it. But I got a good night's sleep and certainly things are better today.

The air (or whatever gas they use) bubble is shrinking. It had been taking up a little over half my field of vision, now it's down to about a third. I believe that means the volume has gone down a good bit more. At that rate maybe it will be gone in a couple of days.

What's weird is that it seems like the fluid is on the bottom and the air is on top. I say that because I can see OK through the top part, but the bottom part is very very blurry, and my assumption would be that you see a lot better through air than through water or some other fluid. But I think I remember from something in school 60 years ago or so that the image that reaches the retina is flipped by the lens, so it's upside-down and flipped left-right, and then the brain straightens it out. But since the air bubble is inside the eye, when the brain flips it, then I see it the opposite of what is really going on. But if that's right, then I'm seeing (much) worse through the air.

Just one of many things in life I don't understand.

Whatever, feel like I'm making a little progress.

C • optics 3

Gently, feeling fragile today.

North Silver Lane. Gentle pace, trying to keep my head and especially my eye as still as possible. Seemed OK, but the waves were still crashing and I was getting just a touch queasy on the short drive home.

On the other hand, the horizon has dropped a little and that's seems like a good thing.

Post-op visit to the doc. He thinks the eye looks great. I'm not so sure. I'm assuming/hoping he knows best.

But first came what I assume is the grunt work in the office, done by a young woman, checked my vision, put in drops to numb the eye and dilate it, checked the pressure. In the process we starting chatting and it seems she is engaged to be married. Actually the engagement has been on for 8 years, they have 2 kids, they get on great, he very much does a lot of the parenting and household duties. He's just not into rings.

And she'd sort of like one. I suggested that maybe her mother was also pushing. Nope, parents are both druggies, been out of her life for a long time. Grandmother raised her, but she's been dead for quite a while. I suggested that between a ring and a really good two-way relationship, the ring definitely seemed not a big deal. But still.

I said that back when I was her age it seemed an engagement meant that a date had been set, usually within 6 to 12 months, but things had changed, and as with so many things, I haven't a clue.

Are engagements forever these days? Is that the way it is? Who knew?

Regardless, such a cool strong woman.

Eye surgery done. Doc said it went well. But it will be a long time. (several months) before i know if / how much it will help.

C • Hoping 14

Jackson Hill Road, dirt road. Down first then back up. Got it done.