I shopped at Walmart today. I thought it might be interesting to see how many people would defy Walmart's new mask policy.

Obviously, at least at the store in my town, people without a mask are not being stopped from entering the store.

By my estimate, about a third of the shoppers were walking around mask-less.

My unscientific findings and a dollar will probably get you a cup of coffee.

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Robert Redford was 48 when this film was released in 1984. His playing skills are admirable in the movie, perhaps because a fellow high school classmate was future Dodger star Don Drysdale.


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I see where Walmart is now requiring a mask to enter their stores. I have no problem with that, since I now have to wear a mask at all times where I work.

Not only will wearing a mask while I shop be safer for everyone around me, I can be incognito.

No one will recognize my ugly mug.

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It's not just a candy bar. It's how us average Joe's keep the bills paid.

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At age 5, I developed what an optometrist called a 'cross eye'. My right eye wouldn't straighten out. Today it would be called a 'lazy eye' and they put a patch over your good eye to help straighten it out. My vision at that time was 20/42.

In the 1950's, they put you in glasses and gave you exercises to help correct the problem, which my father dutifully performed. They didn't work, those exercises, so I started kindergarten with specs... and got in fights for being called 'four-eyes'.

I wore glasses for the next 12 years. The eye had straightened out, but remained weak.

The summer of '69, before the start of my senior year of high school, I was at the beach, sitting there soaking up some rays without my glasses. I was tired of wearing and constantly cleaning said eyeware. I proceeded to dig a hole of around two foot deep, dropped the glasses in and covered them up. They're probably still there to this day.

I spent my senior year of high school without glasses and two years later when I went for my army physical (the draft was still going at that time), I was told my eyesight was now 20/30. Hmmm.

A few years down the road, I was taking yet another physical (for a job this time) and was told my vision was 20/20. Normal.

Right before my 30th high school reunion, I started having trouble reading. It was like in a comedy, where you hold what you're reading at arm's length to see clearly.

So, once again, I make a trip to the optometrist. She talks me into getting tri-focals, which sets me back $400.00.

One day I'm out somewhere and need to read something. Of course my glasses are sitting at home where they can do what I need them for at the moment.

Thinking on my feet, I walk over to a display of cheep reading glasses, what we all call 'cheaters'.

They worked well enough I bought a pair. Soon my $400.00 pair of glasses were put away in a drawer.
I've used 'cheaters' for the last 25 years. I'm wearing a pair now as I write this blog.

There are two things I've learned about the whole experience over the years:

1. Sometimes it's better to leave things alone and let your body adjust.
2. I don't trust optometrists any more.

Life goes on.

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Made for almost nothing, it's pretty good.

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Every summer, after the network t.v. season is done, I usually watch baseball games (I have the MLB baseball package, where I can watch any game live every day) and what I like to call my 'Summer of 100 Movies', which gives me a chance to catch up on current releases and old favorites.

Well...

Due to Covid-19, Hollywood shut down early and there were gaps in the normal t.v. schedule. With that in mind, for this year only (I hope!), I am having a 'Summer of 200 Movies'.

As far as baseball goes, a reduced schedule of 60 games (I hope!) came with a pleasant surprise. MLB has deferred $78.00 of the $121.00 I paid to next year. I have my fingers crossed for new ballgames starting July 23rd.

Now, if we can get this Covid-19 thing behind us, 2020 might rally into a so-so year.

Have you ever noticed that the more you try to hurry, the more things happen to slow you down?

I came home from the grocery and it started to rain, so I waited a minute until it let up before trying to unload the car.

Okay, it has let up, hurry up and get those groceries inside.

Wrong.

The minute I hastily started loading up, it started raining again... harder.

My shirt and trousers were soaked, but I got everything ready to walk to the front door.

As soon as I locked the car and turned on the alarm, it stopped.

With my 20-20 hindsight vision, I realized I should have just sat there for another couple of minutes.

Lesson learned (aqain).

Life goes on.

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... I'm sick of hearing the term Breaking News with every news story.

This is how I see me and my best friend when we both are retired: