The Vision Thing

The end of the year is coming and if you have some Healthcare Spending Account (HSA) money sitting out there, you surely don’t want to lose it.

I’m not going to suggest that you get sick between now and midnight on December 31,2009, but I will suggest that perhaps some new glasses are in order. Even if all you’ve got left in your HSA account is less than $20, I know where you can get at least one pair of glasses (and maybe even two – if you’re willing to toss in a couple bucks after-tax.)

Go to Zenni Optical (www.zennioptical.com) and you can get prescription glasses starting at $8.00 – yes, starting at less than $10 and they are indeed prescription lenses. You will need to get your eye glasses prescription from you optometrist (be sure that the PD distance is completed because you’ll need that to get your prescription filled properly.)

If you need bi-focals, you will pay a bit more for your lenses. You can get the lenses tinted for about $5.00 extra dollars, as well.

I recently ordered six pairs of glasses for about $70 – total. I got five pairs of regular glasses and paid to have the lenses tinted on one pair to use as sunglasses. I got some pretty funky glasses.

I really like them and get compliments on them all the time.

In fact, I like them so much, that I hardly ever wear my contact lenses any more.

Miracle in St Paul

I celebrated my birthday on Saturday, December 12. Nothing big -- just went to dinner with a friend and then out to listen to Tim Sigler with another friend.

My friend, Kia, came over to my house around 5:00. When I answered the door, I also got my mail and saw a card from my mom. Knowing my mom, I figure it’s my birthday card and there’s probably a $20 bill in there. I open the card and I was right. (Thanks Mom!)

Since she had to pick her daughter up at 7:00, we drove separately and we decided to go to Don Pablo’s. The other thing about this birthday dinner is that it’s Kia’s birthday dinner, too. Her birthday is the 16th, mine’s the 13th and we’ve been taking each other out for our birthdays for the last few years.

We had a nice dinner (love the Queso Blanco) and shared a fried ice cream for dessert. We opted out of the free dessert – mostly because it requires wearing a sombrero and getting your picture taken and posted by the entrance to the restaurant. I mean, what if the person who wore that hat last had lice? Just doesn’t seem sanitary to me.

My friend Cassie called me when she got off work around 10:00 and I headed over to Half Time Rec to meet her there and listen to Tim Sigler. I decided to just bring my ID, some cash ($50) and my cell phone in my jeans pockets so I wouldn’t have to carry a purse around. Cassie was driving over from Eden Prairie (Half Time Rec is in St Paul) so I was there well before her.

I paid my $5 cover and found a place at the bar and ordered a Guinness while I waited for her. The place was pretty crowded, but not as crowded as the last time I was there. I could see the door from the bar – but I couldn’t see the band – but I figured we’d move to the other side of the place once she got there.

Once she got there, I told her I wanted to take my coat out to my car, so I didn’t have to carry it around with me. I offered to take hers out with me and headed out the door.

I was parked on the street about a half block away and as I was walking to my car there was a school bus painted green filling up with people that were at Half Time Rec getting ready to go to another bar. I had my keys hooked to my belt loop with a carabineer and my keys tucked in my pocket. I pulled my keys out as I headed to my car. I put the coats in my trunk and headed back to the bar.

As I was approaching the bar and got near the front of the bus, I noticed two quarters on the sidewalk, so I stopped to pick them up. I gave the people on the bus a lovely view of my butt and picked the two quarters up. I thought I’d give them to the bar tender (an extra two bits to go with the tip I’d given her for the Guinness – aren’t I generous?) As I was standing up, I looked to my right and noticed a five with some ones folded and sitting on the sidewalk.

I’m thinking, wow, this is my lucky day. I only find money like this in my dreams. There’s a small moment of feeling sad for the person who lost the money – but it’s only $8 or 9 dollars. I’m putting the money in my pocket and this is when I first realize that the money that was previously in my pocket is not there. Now I realized that the money I’d just found was mine. And, I take a quick look around, and realize that there’s another $30 missing.

Damn.

I double-check and the only other thing in my pocket is my driver’s license and the $9 I’ve recovered.

I’m pretty bummed, but decide not to say anything to Cassie and to try not dwell on it.

The dwelling thing is hard. I keep thinking about how stupid it was for me to tuck the keys in my pocket. I kicked myself for not putting at least some of the money in the other pocket. I told myself to stop beating myself up. I even channeled my mother and said a little prayer that the person who found my money needed it more than my unemployed and broke butt did. I also said a little prayer to St. Anthony that I find my money. (Like that would ever happen.)

I did have a fun evening. We danced for an entire set and then found a place near the stage and dance floor to talk, people watch and listen to the next set.

When Tim announced he was getting ready to be done for the evening (around 12:30) – I asked Cassie if she wanted me to go get her coat. She said yeah and I headed out to get her coat.

I decided that just for the hell of it, I’d look for my $30. It wasn’t sitting anywhere near where I’d found the $9. I was walking along the cars parked along the street and looking down. By the driver’s side door three cars in front of my car, sitting on the ground is my $10 bill. Cool. I look further up the street, and by the driver’s side door of the next car is my $20 bill. Amazing.

So I said a little prayer of thanks. (Seriously.) I mean God heard my prayers and made sure that the person who found my money needed it at least as much as me.