#costco vision center

[orphancookie69]

Health Rant: Neurolens

What in the heck is a Neurolens? Well, I will tell you. Oh, and this is a friendly reminder to schedule your annual eye exam at your local optometrist today! 

Background:

Let’s start with my bias/background. So I have always had good healthcare growing up, my dad worked very hard to make that a reality. I am in a partnership and we have healthcare together. Vision, Dental, and Health. It is an expensive thing to have, I have learned as an adult. The last couple of years has seen a lot happening on the health front, and in dealing with IVF stuff it was easy to forget about Vision. The last time I had my eyes checked, was at least 3 years ago. Well, my partner mentioned they wanted to cut VSP as we were not using it much and told me to get my eyes checked. 

I wear glasses and boy do I look good in them. (Think sexy librarian). I believe last time I got the prescription done at Brea Optometry and processed the glasses at Costco Vision Center. And I have not been keeping up with my annual eye exam. I use my glasses for eye strain from migraines, night driving, and computer/reading stuff. 

So I got my eyes checked out, this is a weird thing to notice but in getting my exam done-I used all the machines in the testing room! I honestly thought that my left eye was worse than my right, and it turns out I had that backwards. My optometrist mentioned a new kind of lens that neurologist paired up with optometrist to make: Neurolens. First, why would I (or anyone suffering with migraines/headaches), need this? My eyes want to veer left/right vs being straight ahead, my mind forces them straight ahead. When my eyes overwork trying to be “normal” the strain is felt along the jaw or neck muscles, because in the human body-everything is connected. I myself usually have a small to large pain scale migraine daily-I suffer from Chronic Non-Nauseating Migraines- since I was in my preteen years. 

The Neurolens will bring the information to my eyes, compared to my eyes working to find the information I am looking at. Less strain, in theory, is less pain. Less pain, well, that is probably self explanatory. While I have lived with pain long enough to do so with professional ease, a bit of a break would be heavenly. It’s probably a strange thing to be afraid of, but I do a lot and deal with a lot of pain while I am it-and worry that I won’t be able to finish my duties. Or that I will push myself too far and I won’t be able to drive the one time a month I can’t drive through the pain to take myself to urgent care. 

Anyways, so I bit the expensive bullet and decided to try blue light (good for glare from computers), transition, and neurolens glasses for just under $1000. My partner is somewhat ok with this and wants me to save this for tax purposes later when we do our 2023 taxes in 2024. The Neurolens was 80% of the cost of the whole glasses, my optometrist said that only about 1,000 offices offer it-which just in OC alone there could be 1,000 optometry offices. The number seems high, but not in the bigger picture. 

I gotta tell you though, I feel hella bad about it. I will get my money back and more in daily use-especially if I am not getting new glasses every year but like every couple of years. But man, I feel bad. Like to a certain degree, it is not my fault my mom did a spinal tap on me when I was a preteen and triggered migraines that run on her side of the family. But damn if I don’t want someone else to pay the price for someone elses mistakes. But not much I can do about that. 

Research:

Anyways, it will be less than 2 weeks before my new glasses get in. In the meantime, let’s play the research game! Here is the site so you can follow along in the research: 

https://www.neurolens.com/

93% Sucess Rate, according to Google. Those are some decent odds, in the past couple of years alone I have taken on things with less likely odds than that. Anyone here who prefers videos, Youtube has quite a few videos. 

Reality: 

I got my glasses in, they came in a sooner than I thought they would. I put them on, and man I am telling you I could feel the changing location of strain in my eye/forehead area right away. My sense of direction, or I should say distance, and my sense of balance was immediately altered. How big a room looked before, and how small after....I was a little bit scared to be honest. Some of the thoughts I had were: are my eyes this bad? did I always have a dizzy issue? Oh, that was not a good rabbit hole. They told me to wear them in general for a couple of days to break them in. 

Day 1 of breaking them was a little rough. I am hoping its short term pain for long term positive gain. Day 2 was a little bit better, so some hope there. Day 2 is much better than Day 1, and Day 3 is better. 

“3 Days For The World To Turn Right Side Up Again” (There is a great Bones episode that shows this. More info here: https://gizmodo.com/does-your-brain-really-have-the-power-to-see-the-world-5905180)

Aside from the “breaking the shoe in” phase, how are things? Having had mental pain for, most of the last 20 years-I have learned to live with the weight of the mental pain. There is a weight to it, while that doesn't seem to make much sense. Since getting the glasses, there is less mental pain weight and its really weird to get used to. It is a good thing so far, but it is also longer than I would of thought for the rewiring process. My “idea” of what is close and what is not, and my eyes being reworked is almost constant? It so far is different, more good than bad. Shocking, like really-what the heck is happening by me just wearing glasses? Like I should understand this because I have lived with it and researched it, but as I experience it-it confounds me. 

[meret118]

No, you do not need a membership to schedule an eye exam at Costco. In fact, since most Costco eye doctors are independent, non-members will pay the same price for an exam as members.

But the same can’t be said for vision-related products. Costco owns and operates the optical centers inside their stores, so you will need an active membership to buy glasses, contact lenses or eye care products.

To schedule an appointment with an eye doctor at Costco, all you have to do is call the independent optometrist inside (or outside) the store. If you can’t find a phone number, call the Costco store and ask to be transferred to the optical center.Some locations will offer walk-ins, but you’re usually better off playing it safe with an appointment.

If your optometrist is located inside the store, let the greeter know that you have a scheduled exam. If you have any questions or concerns, speak with someone at the customer service desk, which is usually located near the store’s exit.

[can-i-make-image-descriptions]

[Image ID: Text message conversation. Blue: getting neutered at the costco vision center Gray: what? /End ID]

[just-emis-blog]

Seeing. Believing

Your eyes sting. You try and blink the annoying sensation away, like you have been for the past several hours. You have so many books to read, so many essays to write about them; you know if you stop now, you will be done for the night, and God knows if you will ever start up again, even though your grades depend on doing so. That’s why you hauled yourself away to the Campus Library in the first place; where friends and strangers alike rarely venture, and the wifi connection is dicey. You know yourself and your procrastinating ways.

But the feeling persists. The stinging advances into burning, and now the words on the page are but blurry smudges. Your persistence is useless.

You sigh, tilt your head back and rub your aching eyes. Like clockwork, visions of packing up and going home swim behind your closed lids. Your used couch, your plush throw blanket, your gourmet dinner of Costco sized hot cheetos and cream cheese beckon you still. You could put on whichever generic baking competition Netflix wants to shove down your gullet and just vibe for four to six hours. You could think about joining the party your roommate invited you to. He promised that everyone would be staying put at the frat house this time, and that Demari, an adonis, would be there. You could decide to continue watching Bakers Most Wanted for another four to six hours instead.

With herculean effort, you banish those thoughts from your mind. You have an essay due in two days, so at the very least one of your readings needs to be completed tonight.

You blow out a breath of air and give your cheek a little smack, fortifying your constitution. You shuffle through all the books, loose papers and highlighter pens you have spread haphazardly on the desk in front of you in search of your reading glasses. You find them, thankfully uncrushed, under your laptop. The plastic frames are a light amber color, large and square with rounded edges. You don’t really like them. You think the color washes out your skin and the size makes you look like a discount Harry Potter. The only reason you haven’t gotten rid of them is because, Demari, an adonis, said that they looked nice on you in passing once. You don’t know if you want to be happy about that comment. You don’t know if you want to risk being some straight jock’s college experiment for the year. You don’t know if you do.

Well. You need to know why the Wife of Bath is one of the earliest iterations of feminism in literature. You put on your maybe ugly glasses and start scanning your open textbook for where you left off reading - 

There is a deep, jagged fissure, spanning from the left corner of your book and all the way to the right.

You sit up, a heavy feeling forms in the pit of your stomach. The book was fine, literally, a few seconds ago. Now it looks as if someone has dragged a knife down it, gutting the center to the point that the inside of the hard cover could be seen. You touch the edge of the hole, praying that this is some hallucination from studying too long. Little bits of paper flake off at your fingertips. You yank your hand back as if you have been burned. How. How did this happen? It couldn’t have been you, could it? Even if you did this by accident, somehow, there is nothing nearby that could possibly do this kind of damage to such a thick book.

Feelings of simmering panic and despair wash over you. Your Professor was adamant about using this particular edition of The Canterbury Tales, so even if you find a free version online, she will likely dock you points for citing the text on off page numbers, if she doesn’t scrap your report entirely. 

Thirty percent of your grade dropped straight into a dumpster. That, on top of bombing your last couple of quizzes, would insure your failure of this class. Not unless you got straight A’s on every quiz, assignment, the final, and that extra credit project that you would have needed to have started three weeks ago, from here on out. Impossible. You know yourself. Even if you hunkered down, you could never dedicate one hundred percent of your efforts on it. Not if you wanted to pass your other classes, and keep your job. Damnit. This would be such a waste of credits. A waste of money. You feel like crying.

You rest your hands on the back of your head, looking around the library. You doubt you will find any answers, maybe a culprit, for this improbable, random act. You are amidst a studying area, with round tables and uncomfortable wood chairs behind and to your right. Ahead of you is an old fashioned, green shaggy carpet path that leads all the way to the only exit, with rows upon rows of bookshelves bracketing both sides. One of the LED ceiling lights is blinking erratically in the far left corner, casting that area in eerie shadows. Now that you are no longer focused on studying, you can hear that mind scratching buzzing noise that indicates a bulb needs to be changed soon. You are fairly certain you are the only person in this building; the last student having left hours ago.

You are fairly certain, until you see writing on the wall to your left.

I know what you’re thinking. But you really shouldn’t take off your glasses.

The font is in large, neat cursive; easily visible from where you are sitting. It is the golden white color of a sparkler, and it looks like it was burned into the wall. Much like the brutal gouge in your book, the writing was not there a few moments ago. You know it wasn’t. You think it wasn’t.

You stand from your seat and whirl around. There is no one in sight. You strain your ears for footsteps, for barely repressed snickers. Are you being pranked? Are you losing your shit?

You take off your glasses and rub your eyes furiously. Immediately you think of the message (the warning? The threat?) on the wall. It’s so weirdly specific. Cryptic? For sure. And a little unsettling. But as far as spooky pranks go, you don’t think this is very good. Unless the writing and your book stabbing are somehow related? Your eyes are inevitably drawn back to your messy table. Maybe if you look at your vandalized book hard enough, you’ll find some secret connection that will solve this dumpster fire of a case. Those hours of binging BBC’s Sherlock needed to come into some use. You draw in a startled breath at the sight.

The fissure is gone. Your book is completely normal again.

You scramble back to your seat, knocking stray papers to the floor in your haste. You lean in close, your nose nearly pressing against the page. 

Yet herde I nevere tellen in myn age

Upon this nombre diffinicioun.

Men may devyne and glosen, up and doun…

This close, the words are clear to your eyes. No longer illegible and splotchy from the violent rips and tears. You smooth your hand along both pages. You pat it several times. You lift the book up and check the table. No secret knives, no holes; nothing but wood. You set the book back down. 

You are waiting for the relief to come. All you can feel is the pit in your stomach growing, your pulse pounding in your temple. You know what you saw. You know what you felt.

Your eyes get that burning, itching feeling again. The feeling of looking at a computer or reading a book for too long without your glasses. But. It’s different this time. The burning is more intense, and growing worse by the second. You hiss through your clenched teeth from the pain. You scrub them with your palms furiously, shaking your head. It is to no avail. Tears trail down your cheeks unchecked. You blink rapidly several times. Your eyes somehow find their way to the writing on the wall.

Oh no. You shouldn’t have done that.

You squint. And stare. The writing is blurry and barely legible from your tears. You put your glasses back on, because there is no way you read that correctly. That is not the same message you saw only a moment ago.

Immediately, the burning sensation stops.

Now it’s only going to get worse.

You gape at the wall. Fear grips your throat. You rub the remaining tears from your eyes, keeping them wide open and your hands moving fast so you don’t miss anything. Miss what? You have no clue. But Something. Something is going on. You have been drugged. Or you are sick. Or - or someone is in here fucking with you.

You feel a tickling sensation on your hand. You look down. You wish you hadn’t.

There are bugs crawling all over your hand, your arm, up your leg. Ants, centipedes, spiders, locusts; the types become indecipherable as you lose yourself to panic.

You jump up. You violently scrub at your arms and legs, trying to brush the steadily crawling creatures off of you. You fling your arms around wildly. You are hyperventilating. You scream. You feel a whisper of legs, wings, you do not care, near your lips, your nose. The scream you release is primal. You slap at your face, sending your glasses flying -

The bugs are gone.

Your entire body is shaking. You twitch, slapping and grabbing yourself as phantom armies of legs kiss your skin. You scan yourself furtively. The bugs are still gone. Your breathing slows.

Told you.

Before you can think any further - that the writing is definitely changing every time you look away. That seconds ago you were covered in insects and then you just weren’t - the burning in your eyes comes back. This time there is no build up, and this time it is ten times worse.

The pain is so bad you can’t keep your eyes open. You crawl on your hands and knees, feeling around for your glasses. Your pinky brushes against the familiar plastic frames. Quickly, you jam them on your face, almost bending the arm against your cheek in your rush. The pain abates. You openly sob in relief.

Oh good, at least you catch on fast.

“C-catch on to what?” You say, feeling insane. “Who are you? What’s happening?” No new words appear.

A truck horn blares. That is all the warning you get before dozens of cars crash through the walls, obliterating the bookshelves in their path. Still seated on the floor, you scramble backwards until your back hits the legs of a table. Cars and trucks of all sizes zoom back and forth as if the library were a two lane highway. Stray books and furniture and glass fly every which way as the cars mercilessly bulldoze through their chosen path. You flinch as rubble strikes your leg. A stray piece of wood follows soon after and strikes your head. You feel blood trickle down your cheek from the wound. You curl up and cover your face with your arms as more debris flies at you at high speeds. The wind pressure keeps you from standing, even if you had the sense to. You can’t hear yourself think over the cacophony of noise, so you inch your way across the floor until you are pressed against the very back wall. You take off your glasses.

The cars disappear. The walls, the bookshelves, everything is as it was before. Even the tables and chairs you were taking cover behind are back to where they were. There is a ringing in your ears in the ensuing silence. You look down at your arms; they are clear of any cuts. You tentatively feel your head; there is no wound. You pull away your fingers; there is no blood. You still feel the pain from your injuries.

Hands trembling, before the burning can start again, you put your glasses back on.

The world begins to shake, the walls start closing in. Bookcases tip over like dominoes, falling with a booming crash. Wood beams splinter and crack, the ground groans and rumbles. Your cage of tables and chairs are being shoved towards you. Any second now, you are going to be crushed.

You take them off. You put them on.

Millions of wasps form a vortex on the ceiling. Quickly the cloud starts to descend, headed straight towards you.

You take off your glasses. You put them on again.

Plop. Hissss. Plop. Hissss. You flinch at every noise, frantically scanning the area for the origin. You see a large drop of water hit the desk beside you. The area of wood it hits sizzles and melts. You stare at it in horror, as bookshelves and the floor are struck randomly by bucket sized drops and are subsequently disintegrated moments later. A drop douses your shoulder. It is freezing cold, and then so hot it feels like your arm is on fire. You wail from the pain. You gag when you see the peeled flesh of your shoulder barely hanging on the bone. With your good hand, you drag your glasses off down your nose.

You sit there, panting heavily, and try not to move. Your hand remains clutched on your shoulder. You can feel that the fabric is whole, and see that your shoulder is without blemish. Even holding still, the pain is searing. The smell of burning flesh remains in your nose.

“Is this,” You whisper. “Is this real?” You look to the wall.

Wrong question. What you should be asking is; how will I get out of here?

“O-ok?” You say, still reluctant to interact with sentient text. “Well, what do I do? How do I stop this?”

You stare. Before your eyes, each word quickly unravels into nothingness, like a trail of gunpowder being burned away. Moments later, an entirely different sentence forms, as if by an invisible quill.

Simple. You need to choose one. And then you need to go.

Yet again, you do not have time to probe the writing further before your eyes start burning. Slowly, you stretch out your arm, testing its mobility. There is a persistent ache, but nowhere near the blinding agony you were subjected to earlier. You get your reading glasses halfway to your face. You hesitate. Your hands tremble. You are almost tempted to just see what happens if you keep your glasses off.

As if in answer to your rebellious thoughts, darkness encroaches on the edges of your vision, and your head pounds as if someone is taking a hammer to your skull. Still, you grit your teeth against the pain and take a few more fortifying breaths. You brace yourself, and shove your glasses back on.

[dkaufmandevelopment]

Costco Apartment Breaks Ground: A New Era in Mixed-Use Development

The nation’s first mixed-use apartment complex featuring a ground-level Costco has officially broken ground in South Los Angeles, marking a significant milestone in urban development.

A Landmark Project

Developed by community-focused Thrive Living, this innovative project will transform 5035 Coliseum St. in Baldwin Hills into an 800-unit apartment building with a street-level Costco Wholesale store. This development is the first of its kind in the U.S. to feature Costco as the anchor retail tenant, expected to create up to 400 jobs.

Community-Centric Vision

“We sought out Costco as the anchor for this project because we listened carefully to the community,” said Jordan Brill, a partner with Thrive Living. “By providing local residents with access to great value on high-quality food and merchandise and creating local jobs with industry-leading pay and benefits, Costco’s principles and mission fit seamlessly with our vision for this project.”

Affordable Housing Commitment

Of the 800 apartment units, 184 will be dedicated to low-income households. Thrive Living stands out by privately financing its projects without relying on government subsidies like low-income housing tax credits. This approach ensures that 184 units will be non-subsidized affordable housing, with the remainder being market rate. The development is designed to support families, seniors, and other residents, fostering community growth from within.

Innovative Amenities

The apartment complex will feature a full-service fitness center, shared workspaces, study spaces, community rooms, landscaped courtyards, and a rooftop pool. The ground-level Costco will offer a wide range of food options, optical services, a pharmacy, and delivery services to support local businesses.

Leadership and Impact

“We are breaking with the old ways of doing things and moving Los Angeles forward,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass at the groundbreaking ceremony. “Unprecedented action driven by urgent collaboration in both the public and private sector is what is expected and that’s what we are delivering.”

Mayor Bass emphasized the project’s potential to make a generational impact on the neighborhood, highlighting the hundreds of housing units, thousands of jobs, and new resources it will bring to the community.

Looking Ahead

The project is estimated to take two and a half years to complete, promising to set a new standard for mixed-use developments in urban areas. Stay tuned for more updates on this groundbreaking project and its impact on the South Los Angeles community.

Follow us for the latest insights and updates on innovative real estate developments and urban planning trends!

[glassesmcfancyhair]

There are absolutely problems with people OD’ing, and not just on OTC meds. But as stated above, we don’t have healthcare in this country. Not just “healthcare is inaccessible” - there are plenty of people who just. Don’t. They have no kind of healthcare coverage. If they need medical care, it’s out of pocket and it’s often so prohibitively expensive that people will just not go to the doctor.

Medicare and Medicaid are the two government options, and those options vary from state to state. For example, in Florida, unless you’re an infant or over 65, I don’t think you’re eligible for state healthcare coverage. You have to pay out of pocket for private insurance, which then comes with copays and deductibles. If you need medication, that’s also an additional cost. Not to mention that doctors offices, urgent care centers, and hospitals aren’t required to take all forms of insurance, so you have to know who takes your insurance before you seek care.

Oh. And these coverages typically don’t include dental or vision. Those are additional private insurance that you have to pay monthly for and then owe additional money at the time of service.

When your options are “go bankrupt trying to treat what’s wrong with you” or “mainline ibuprofen and hope for the best”… well, I can get 2000 ibuprofen from Costco for less than $10.

wait americans can just. buy massive bottles of ibuprofen what the fuck

[julieelisabeth]

Smarties

You know that candy, right? I know it intimately today.

I was out and about on a mission--find a cold brew system, maybe browse HomeGoods, pick up my brother for Costco run, and snag some cocktail supplies because damn it, I feel like making a dirty martini using pickles.

Amidst the busy, my brother finally asked me, "So how ya doin' Julie?"

And I began to share. I began to share how I wonder if I have made the biggest fucking mistake of my life; ending a relationship I was holding for 8 years. I began to share how there's a tug of war in my mind. How I struggle with feeling present and "zone out" often. I began to share how I don't know what "being single" is supposed to be. It's not that I'm lonely or need to be around people all the time...I have things I could do. Do I choose to do them with others or by myself? I began to share some hurt about a phrase from the recent past that I was finally beginning to process. The phrase, "I hope you know what you're doing." I shared that today I began to doubt and wonder if I have been making smart decisions in my life. My brother and I talked more but soon parted ways.

I decided to make my way home and made a stop for the dirty martini supplies. I stared at the aisles as everyone does on a Friday night at the end of a busy work week. I grabbed some things. I debated which register to check out with and I decided to stick with my intuition of going to #1. The cashier greeted me and asked, "How are you?" I said, "I'm alright." I continued to type in all my info for rewards and PIN. Before handing my bags she handed me a Smarties candy saying, "Here, maybe this will brighten your day."

I took it in my hand and looked at it for a moment. I first thought of a friend who loves Smarties, then tears started to blur my vision. 

I looked at her with courage and said, "Today, I have been struggling with if I have made the "smart" decisions for my life. So thank you for this."  We caught ourselves in a warm embrace, her saying, "Well, this is a sign that it will get better."

I thanked her, grabbed my bags, and walked out of the store. I wondered about her story (especially with her Slavic accent) and what a beautiful person she is. I tearfully trekked out to my car when within ~4 feet of my vehicle I slipped on the ice and fell flat on my back.

Honestly, I laid there for a moment or two. Not because I felt extremely hurt...but because I just didn't feel like getting back up. I just wanted to stay there lying in the cold, icy parking lot with my tears. I felt I was done.

But a man in the distance saw me and walked over to check on me, "Ma'am?" "Ma'am, are you okay??" With my back to him and my butt getting cold on the ice, I softly said, "Yeahhh, I'm okay." I slowly started to get ready to get up.

He walked in closer so we were face to face and questioned, "Are you sure?" "Yeah, I just.....I'm okay." "Well, it happens to all of us."

It got me thinking about how true his statement was. Slipping on the ice doesn't just happen to a specific type of person here in the Midwest. It happens to all of us.

Taking a tumble onto the ground? It happens to all of us.

Tripping on our own two feet? Happens to all of us.

Falling down in life? Happens to all of us.

At this point in my life, I truly feel that nobody is paying attention to me. Nobody is watching, wondering, or worried. But I am learning that it's very much the opposite. People in my life--strangers even-- are noticing me.

They are wondering. They are worried. They are seeing.

And I need this. I need people to see me. Not in a self-centered way, but just see me...

See me in my hurt. See me in my pain. See me in my grief. See my confusion. See me in my anger. See me in my peace. See me--- Even though you can't solve or fix or change anything.

Just see me. And be reassured that I'm making Smart decisions for my life.

-Julie Elisabeth, 01.20.2023

[scorchieart]

Sariel takes Belle & the Ikeprinces on the monthly Costco trip

@atelieredux this is all your fault, and you know it. Based on this post.

Edit: Here's a quick overview of Costco in case you need a visual of where the madness all goes down.

Sariel Noir

Dreads the first Saturday of the month more than any other day.

Premium Executive membership card holder for the past 20 years. He wears the same tired-dad-this-close-to-snapping expression every time they take his picture.

Always walks in with the current month's coupon book, a shopping list with prices calculated down to the cent, and a target budget. They have never once left the store according to plan.

His favorite section is the Vision Center because they only allow the patient inside.

Belle

In charge of organizing the items in the cart and checking them off the list.

Was very excited the first time Sariel invited her since she's never had a reason to shop there on her own, but now dreads the trips as much as he does.

Is trusted with alerting Sariel anytime a non-accounted for item "happens to fall" into the cart. Only bothers informing him if the item is too big for her to return to the shelf on her own (like those 48-can soda packs or an extra giant bag of flour or a TV set)

Her favorite section is the book stand in the middle of the store, but Sariel doesn't let her dawdle there for long.

Rio Ortiz

In charge of pushing the cart and unloading/reloading at checkout time. The employees always offer to help, but he's done before they can finish asking "Need a hand?"

Also in charge of rounding up the princes when it's time to leave. He can run across the entire floorplan in 3 minutes, but then he collapses so it's up to everyone else to unload the haul into the van.

His favorite section is Outdoors & Gardening because it's right next to the books.

Jin Grandet

Sneaks giant chip bags and soda bottles and those big Halloween candy packs they sell all year-long (for some reason?) into the cart when Rio turns around. Belle always gives him 3 chances before telling Sariel.

Keeps his eyes on the other princes when they pass through the store to make sure they're not hurting themselves (or anyone else)

His favorite section is Beverages, but Sariel never lets him walk through alone.

Chevalier Michel

Picks a book and sits in the rocking bench in the gardening section. The kids that walk by ask if they can have a turn, but he doesn't budge.

Whenever he finishes a book, he scans the surrounding area to make sure no one is nearby. He runs to the book stand, picks up a new title, then rushes back before anyone can steal his spot.

"Why not just take more than one book at a time?" Clavis asked during one trip. Chevalier grabbed him in a headlock and left him hanging off the wall of a display tool shed until it was time to leave. It was the least destructive trip to date.

Clavis Lelouch

Steals the cart away from Rio and runs around the store, laughing and ramming into people. Sometimes he accidentally runs into the free sample stands and has to awkwardly help clean up.

When it's time to checkout, he is glued to Sariel as he does a last-minute check of the items and sings top-volume in his ear.

When they're stacking the items into the van, he steals the keys and locks everyone out until Sariel apologizes for yelling at him in the middle of the store.

His favorite section is the Pharmacy because it's the farthest away from the book stand and the Vision Center.

Leon Dompteur

Says he'll order pizza for the group the moment they walk in. Ends up spending the entire trip at the food court stuffing his face.

At $1.50 a hot dog and unlimited soda refills, they're just asking for a challenge.

Claims the churros are better than anything the bakery's got, much to Yves's chagrin.

By the time they're checked out, he's been crowned the King of Wieners after finishing 62 hot dogs and is awarded a $500 gift card. Sariel snatched the card and ordered him to wash up for 10 minutes before he'd be allowed back in the van.

Yves Kloss

Spends the entire time in the bakery section inspecting each of the baked goods and reading the ingredient lists for the newest items. Scoffs at the excessive use of added sugars and artificial colors and all those other ingredients he can't pronounce.

Watches the bakers from behind the cookie display with hawk eyes. They're more afraid of him than of their manager.

Eventually huffs, barges into the kitchen, and snatches the piping bag from the shaking new hire. "Let me do it!" he says, and within 15 minutes he's become the new head baker.

Licht Klein

Likes standing in the big refrigerated room with the dairy and produce. Not because he's particularly interested in them, it's just so hot and noisy and crowded everywhere else.

When he gets too cold, he walks through the smaller refrigerated aisles. He spends extra time drooling over the ice cream portion.

Every once in a while, he'll ask Sariel (quietly so Yves doesn't hear) if he could pick something to buy. It's always something small, like a pack of bubblegum or a cheesecake or brownies. Sariel never refuses, and when the time comes he tells Yves that Luke asked for it.

Nokto Klein

Pulls Licht by the chilled arm out of the fridge section to help him tackle all the free samples stations.

Gets upset when the employees Licht visits first claim he's already tried their sample and can't have any more. He started bringing a wig and mustache into the store just so he could double dip with the samples.

His favorite section is Personal Care & Hygiene because it always smells nice there and that's usually where the ladies gather. (And it's where he stocks up on his favorite baby-soft lotion)

Is usually the last person to find when Rio's rounding everyone up to leave because he brings a different disguise each time. One thing that stays the same is that his pockets are always full of snacks he's saving for the ride back.

Luke Randolph

Falls asleep in the car ride over. Has to be lifted out and into the cart by Jin and Leon.

When he wakes up (from the screams of terror after Clavis crashes into another cart), he's usually starving. Opens the triple-fudge-honey-glazed cookie box and starts eating. Sariel wastes more time chastising him than Clavis in the middle of the store.

He prefers staying in the cart because when he walks around people usually corner him and ask him to hand them items from the top shelves.

His favorite section is the bakery because he likes taste-testing the new desserts for Head Baker Yves.

Gilbert von Obsidian

Beat Chevalier to the rocking bench that one time he visited the Rhodolite Costco and never lets him forget it. All he read was one children's book, but he flipped through the pages so tauntingly slowly just to rub it in his face.

As he walked through the aisles, he couldn't stop making comments on how the section locations were not optimal and how things were much better planned in Obsidian. Why were the snacks right next to the adult beverages? And why were the pharmacist and optometrist on opposite ends of the store? And why were there spills and knocked-over carts in every other aisle?

Although, he never admitted it out loud but the bakery was lightyears better than Obsidian's.

Keith Howell

Spends most of his time in the clothes section refolding and rehanging the clothes the other customers mess up. He has an impeccable pant-stacking technique.

He really shouldn't have worn a red jacket that day, because someone came up to him and asked where the bathrooms were. That was an easy one, but after he directed the man another person showed up and asked for the spices aisle. And then another for the meat section. And then for the office supplies...

He doesn't know the layout of the Rhodolite Costco very well, so he just pointed the people in random directions then hid underneath the children's pajamas table until it was time to leave.

Silvio Ricci

Buys Costco.

Tagging: @atelieredux @queengiuliettafirstlady @violettduchess

(Check out my Ikemen Prince Writing Master list here! And if you want to send me a request or be added to my tag list, please check the details here!)

[13uswntimagines]

Loser Buys Dinner (Lindsey x Reader)

Request: team goes to an ice rink and the reader is really good at ice skating and the team didn't know. you can add a pairing if you want

Author’s Note: Special Thanks to @literaryhedgehog​!!! Also this one has a slightly awkward ending, but we thought it fit. 

You stared at the sign as Kelley brought the car to a park. Ice Town skating rink blazed in neon letters as the outline of a skate seemed to circle around them. Around you, you heard the chattering of your teammates as they registered where you had come for today’s team bonding activity. They at least were excited. You unbuckled your seatbelt and followed Rose out of the car, still not taking your eyes off the neon image circling around your vision. It was fine. Today would be fun. 

“Hey fun size, you excited?” Lindsey bounced up to walk at your side. You flicked your head slightly to clear your thoughts and turned to smile quickly at her.

“I guess. It’s definitely been a while since I’ve ice skated.” 

“Don’t worry,” Lindsey said grinning, “I’ll stay with you the whole time if you’re worried about falling.”

“I won’t fall,” you said matter of factly. Lindsey raised an eyebrow. Before she could challenge you to a competition that she would lose, you said “if anything I’m worried about you. If you fall you’ll get frostbite.”

If Lindsey was concerned about the cold, she didn’t show it. She was from Colorado and was quite used to the terrible temperature. While Kelley had instructed everyone to wear layers, Lindsey was only wearing a jacket and flannel over a pair of skinny jeans. She grinned at your comment and shrugged. “I’ll be fine. What’s it going to be, like 30 degrees?”

“Yes. That is literally the temperature ice freezes at.”

“It’s just your California blood that makes you chill faster,” she smirked, elbowing your side. 

You rolled your eyes at her and entered the building. As the smell of the ice rink washed over you you inhaled deeply through your nose and exhaled through your mouth, intentionally relaxing the muscles that had tensed up at the memories the smell elicited. You still felt your spine straighten from habit, but chose to ignore it. 

“Are we sure this is a good team bonding activity. Like what if we break our legs before the game?” Rose asked, strapping a skate on her foot. She had always been the clumsier of the team. 

“We ran it by the coaches and they signed off on it so long as we’re all willing to be serious. Looking at you Sonnett. No fooling around on the ice. There are walls to hold onto if you feel unbalanced Rosie, but it’s a good chance to practice our flops if you feel like you’re going to fall. Remember- fall back and protect your head.” Carlie said with a grin.

“And then you want us to roll on the ice for the pretend ref?” Lindsey asked, quirking her eyebrow up at the ludicrous implication. There weren’t going to be any hands going near any skate paths. 

“The pretend ref would assume you were throwing a temper tantrum if you did since NO ONE will be skating at each other,” Beckey said, looking up from tightening her skate to catch the eye of each troublemaker on the team. 

Emily frowned, there went her idea of trying to joust with their umbrellas. 

“You alright?” Lindsey asked, sliding her hand along your lower back. 

“Yeah,” you said, looking at the rink logo imprinted in the center of the ice. 

“Well you’re kinda blocking the entrance to the rink,” Lindsey said very close to your ear, sending a shiver down your spine. When did she get so close to you?

You blinked away the feeling of a spotlight and thousands of eyes in your back to look back at her. Then you grinned slowly, “Just… creating some anticipation.” 

“I know you Californians probably don’t know much about moving on the ice, but you’re not supposed to just stand and stare at it,” she said, kissing your cheek. “just remember that I won’t let you fall,”  

You raised your eyebrows at her, then turned around fully to face her, still blocking the entrance intentionally. “Wanna make a bet Linessie? Because I think you’ll fall more than I do today.”

“In your dreams short stuff,” she snorted, refraining from saying that she had fallen for you already. 

“You taking the bet or not?” You said, a little louder this time so that you caught the attention of Emily and the rest of the youngins.

Linsey’s grin grew to match your own, “I’m always game, you know that,”

“Loser has to eat like Carlie for a week?” You proposed, sticking out your hand for her to shake.

“Hm, those stakes aren’t high enough. Loser has to eat Alex’s weird vegan shit for a week,” Lindsey said, her lips ticking up at your scrunched nose. 

“That would be cruel. I’m not doing that to you. Loser pays for winner’s Costco run?” 

“I think you’re just scared you won’t be able to eat ice cream for a week,” Lindsey scoffed, crossing her arms. 

“Okay, I tried to go easy on you,” you said, shaking your head dramatically. “If you’re willing to eat like Alex for a week, I’ll take that bet.”

“You’re on pipsqueak,” Lindsey shook your outstretched hand, squeezing it a little too tightly. 

You grinned at her and holding her gaze stepped backward onto the ice, crossing one foot over the other to gain speed as you glided to the center of the floor. 

It felt natural, as though the last 12 years had only been 2. You did a quick counter turn, letting the muscle memory carry you over the ice. You did a twizzle and grinned. Not too shabby. 

“Holy fuck,” Lindsey said, her jaw dropped as you glided effortlessly across the ice. So much for her plan to be your hero on the ice. Your protector from the cold. 

“Shoulda pretended you were the terrified one,” Emily snickered, bumping her lightly as she passed her. You may be oblivious to Lindsey’s feelings, but the rest of the team was not. 

Lindsey shook her head and skated off after you, not as smooth on the ice as you were, but pretty damn close. She had always preferred hockey over figure anyway. She easily caught up with you, skating relatively close behind you. 

You saw her and turned, arabesqueing a leg into the air behind you. Then you leaned into a tight camel spin so you looped around Lindsey as she moved. 

“You forwards are always such show-offs,” Lindsey rolled her eyes, catching your outstretched hand once both feet were back on the ice and pulling you close to her. 

“Cause diving headers and Bicycle Kicks are totally not showing off either,” you said, scrunching your nose at her. 

“How did a Cali girl like you learn to skate?” She asked, moving so she was behind you again, holding your waist as you skated. 

“Some way most girls who don’t live in a frozen wasteland do,” you said, shrugging. “I took lessons.”

“Wasn’t action-packed enough for our little firecracker?” Lindsey questioned and you could practically hear her eyebrow ticking up. 

You fought to keep your smile normal. “Believe it or not, there was a time when I wasn’t a firecracker and didn’t like being the center of attention.”

“Not a firecracker, impossible. I’m pretty sure most defenses are terrified of you, especially after you made that English defender pee her pants when she went after Mal,” Lindsey carefully pulled you into her chest resting her head on your shoulder, mindful that you two were still hurtling along the ice. 

You grinned. “Well, she deserved it.” You leaned out to the side then in again, pulling you both into a gentle spin. “But yeah, around middle school I dropped out of skating. My partner for pairs skating broke his ankle skateboarding and,” you paused, trying to find the words to explain, “I just really didn’t like singles.”

“Is it bad that I’m glad he got hurt? Cause now I get to be your pairs partner and you never have to be single again if you don’t want…” Lindsey mumbled, glad that you weren’t facing each other. She wasn’t sure she could have looked you in the eye and finally shot her shot. 

“Well, I am known for being a damn good team player, even if I am a showoff,” you nudged Lindsey playfully. “But I refuse to eat vegan for a week. I need my chocolate icecream.”

“Well,” said Lindsey with a dramatic sigh, “how about we amend the bet. Loser pays for dinner on the first date?”

Lindsey waited just a second for your agreement, enjoying the feeling of you in her arms, and then she gently pushed you away. You slid easily across the ice, turning just in time to see Lindsey “trip” and fall to her knees. 

“Guess I’m buying,” she said smirking up at you, her blond hair framing her face. 

“It’s a date loser,” You smiled so wide, your pink cheeks started to hurt. 

“You’re supposed to flop backward, Linds,” Carlie called across the ice.

[formeryelpers]

Walmart Supercenter, 1827 Walnut Grove Ave., Rosemead, CA 91770

I didn’t like Walmart for the longest time but they do have cheap prices and this particular supercenter location is ginormous. It’s as large as a Costco, larger if you count the outdoor living building (which I didn’t visit). There’s a full size supermarket plus a full size Walmart, US Bank, McDonald’s, vision center and more. It has a warehouse feel inside.

The supermarket has a deli counter, big pizzas ($5), hot food, fresh bread for $1, and everything else you’d expect to find in a supermarket. The selection of yogurt and frozen yogurt isn’t extensive but they have some good brands like Noosa, Chobani, Coolhaus, and Yasso. The prices are definitely lower than Target (e.g., $1.97 for Noosa). I don’t think Target has Reese’s Crème Puffs.

The discount retailer side isn’t as stylish as Target but it does have greater variety. They have a huge craft/sewing area with fabrics and yarn (I’ve never seen that in Target) and a large outdoor section with camping gear.

I’ve been looking for foldable camping chairs and Target only had one style online. Walmart had over two dozen styles including ones for kids. The chairs that are under $10 are plain but not bad looking.

The makeup/beauty section is partitioned off and you have to pay for the items there. They must have a lot of problems with shoplifters. Hard Candy has some cute eyeshadow compacts.

There’s a self check-out option.

3.5 out of 5 stars.

By Lolia S.

[banjorussia6]

For How Long Do Glasses' Frames Last?

Difference In Between Polarized Sunglasses & Uv Protection Sun Glasses.

Content

Can Makeup Be Bad For Our Eyes?

Elle Brown Blue Tortoise Gold Arms Round Round Glasses Frames El14401 Db 145.

Lens Colour.

Use Flexon Tablet

How Much Time Does It Require To Obtain Glasses From Walmart Vision Center?

Some locations offer to change your lenses for as low as $40, but that's simply for basic lenses. When you add on anti-glare layer or photochromic lenses, the price for new lenses in your old frames can go beyond $100.

Cost savings also are readily available when purchasing call lenses, with benefits varying depending upon the sort of EyeMed vision treatment strategy you choose. Fortunately, vision insurance coverage strategies like those supplied by EyeMed Vision Care can make eye treatment and also vision improvement much more cost effective.

It is an easy reality that you can not have twenty-twenty in all ranges. If the doctor's prescription offers you with crisp distance vision, opportunities are that you will certainly shed several of the clarity that you had with close to vision in your old set. The only way around this is having individual pairs of glasses for the various varieties you require. Unlike frames, lens prices is very irregular throughout the industry.

Almost all optical sellers will certainly increase lenses to what the local market will certainly birth. Of course, there are exceptions, as well as it is up to you to shop around as well as make sure you are not overpaying for a particular lens. Know that almost all lenses are made at massive factories or ground to purchase at locations called wholesale optical laboratories, not behind the wall in your regional optical shop. The fanciest and most costly store around may well be using the very same precise optical laboratory as the price cut put on the edge. Lenses may be ground to fit a frame in a shop, however rarely ground to load a private prescription.

Over the next several a century, eyeglasses ended up being extra generally exported throughout Europe and also the technology enhanced as well. This consisted of the creation of glasses, lenses for astigmatism, spherical point-focus lenses and also at some point call lenses. Although there is some dispute regarding when and also where the very first vision aids were developed, it's extensively accepted that the initial iteration of spectacles come from Pisa, Italy around 1280. The style-- which consisted of a steel frame with two glass or crystal stones that was held up to the eyes-- had not been away from what we put on today, and it certainly set the phase for what was to find. We called Walmart company customer care and shops in several states to confirm which places use this solution.

Just then ought to they place the glasses on you and take a look at just how they align with your eyes. Typical mistakes are fitting the distance location too expensive or as well reduced or missing out on that one eye is much greater or lower than the various other.

Will Costco put lenses in any frames?

You can also bring your own frames to Costco or receive a discount on the purchase of multiple frames for the same person when purchasing all on the same day. They also provide a variety of lenses including: Kirkland Signature™ HD Progressive.

You can get as much as 3 frames as well as return them for a complete refund. Glasses today are virtually as much a style declaration as they are a requirement, as they come in a huge variety of shapes, shades and also sizes. In spite of the successful growths of call lenses as well as laser corrective surgical procedure, it's approximated that 64 percent of American grownups that make use of restorative lenses wear glasses.

learn more Be Bad For Our Eyes?

Elle Brown Blue Turtle Gold Arms Round Round Glasses Frames El14401 Db 145.

Refraction is a subjective, non-medical examination, which in many nations can be performed by eye treatment suppliers that are not doctors. Computer-assisted instruments and also on the internet applications that give self-guided refraction are becoming available. As a consumer, the very first point you have to know is that you own your eyeglass "prescription." Once your exam has been spent for, you may request a duplicate of it. You are cost-free to take that "prescription" anywhere you intend to have your glasses made.

Lens Colour.

In 2011, Carl Zeiss Vision presented a brand name of wavefront high-definition lenses in the USA called i.Scription by Zeiss. Like iZon lenses, i.Scription by Zeiss lenses are made to correct higher-order aberrations and supply sharper vision than regular glasses lenses.

The lens crafting procedure begins in an optometrist's workplace, where a client goes through an eye exam to establish their prescription. Based on the prescription, each lens will certainly be ground, diagonal as well as edged right into the shape and size required for enhanced vision. In Florida, I mosted likely to a Walmart just recently as well as yes, they are able to take my brand-new prescription as well as put them into my old frames considering that they're in excellent condition.

Can Walmart put lenses in frames?

You can also have new lenses put in your current frames at some Walmart Vision Centers, as long as the frames are in usable condition. You can get your old lenses reframed at Walmart even if you didn't originally buy them at Walmart.

Nonetheless, to put brand-new lenses into your existing frames, there is a charge that differs by store yet is usually around $10, along with the acquisition price of the lenses themselves. If the frames of your glasses are broken, or if you're merely aiming to change your frames for a makeover, you can bring them to most Walmart Vision Centers as well as can have your lenses embeded in brand-new frames. You can also have actually brand-new lenses placed in your current frames at some Walmart Vision Centers, as long as the frames are in useful condition. Prior to exchanging out your glasses, have a member of our optical team analyze your glasses to verify they're harmed irreparable or to see if there's anything we can do to repair them.

Your doctor has no right to be reluctant or refuse to provide you with your prescription. All lenses come with an anti-scratch finish at no additional charge. Additional features consist of no-glare layer beginning at $50 as well as impact-resistant lenses starting at $31. Nikon Eyes Advanced and Customized lens options are also available for pick frames beginning at $121. Lens rates vary relying on the type of lenses you choose and also the frames you select.

Uses Of Flexon Tablet Computer

It is up to you to stabilize the healthcare of your eyes and also yearly eye tests with the cost savings of using an outdated prescription. The other component of the examination called a refraction is the determination of your glasses "prescription." It is when you are looking at the eye graph and responding to the, "which is much better, 1 or 2" inquiries.

No vision insurance coverage will certainly offer one hundred percent coverage, yet the valuable benefits as well as present card feature of your EyeMed strategy can make even the best brands of eyewear cost effective as well as within your reach. With EyeMed Vision Treatment, you don't need to choose second-rate eyeglasses with fundamental, no-name or strange "exclusive brand" lenses. EyeMed can help you manage costs brand names for clearest, most comfy vision feasible. With EyeMed Vision Care advantages, you do not need to compromise when choosing eyewear-- specifically, when selecting lenses for your glasses.

Are frames or lenses more expensive?

The fact is that, unless you have an expensive taste in frames, the lenses are usually the most expensive part of the glasses.

Some Walmart's will replace the lenses in your frames as well as considering that they wish to offer their own frames they usually include $25.00 to the price of the lenses in a consumer's own frame. Costco Optical then took my sunglasses and also my glasses with progressive lenses as well as altered the lenses cost free. My spectacles "viewers" which just have the close-up and also computer-distance vision lenses are great. I didn't recognize just how much having a larger field of view would aid with my computer job. Taking the price of new frames and the condition of my present frames right into account, getting new frames for the four sets of glasses was the most effective choice.

How Long Does It Take To Obtain Glasses From Walmart Vision Center?

Besides getting brand-new lenses if you need to, there is a $10 handling cost now which differs from store to store and one state to another. We called a number of Walmart Vision Centers and also discovered that many will certainly place new lenses in your existing frames as long as the frames remain in excellent problem. Nevertheless, you will certainly require to contact your neighborhood Walmart Vision Centers to see if this service is readily available near you. There is no surcharge for suitable old lenses into brand-new frames; all you need to spend for is the expense of the frames, themselves. You can get your old lenses reframed at Walmart even if you didn't originally get them at Walmart.

How To Order Replacement Lenses For Your Existing Frames.

The fitting and also dispensing of call lenses requires using additional equipment, all with very particular functions.

A keratometer is a diagnostic tool for determining the curvature of the anterior surface area of the cornea, especially for examining the extent and axis of astigmatism.

We can aid you reach holds with comfy get in touch with lenses.

Equipping brands including Persol and also Ray-ban along with Tom Ford, Saint Laurent as well as Gucci, this is the area to check out for a stylish designer set of glasses.

Celebrating 110 years in organization this year, Dixon Hempenstall, situated on Suffolk Street, is just one of Dublin's earliest opticians and also prides itself on being a family run, independent service.

We'll reveal you just how to fit them, and also how to look after your eyes, everyday.

They additionally use handmade bespoke eyeglasses by Tom Davies so you recognize your set will certainly be totally one-of-a-kind to you.

We found that not all Walmart Vision Centers will certainly put your lenses in brand-new frames, though the majority (concerning 85%) of the shops we called said they could replace frames. Vision Center associates at two places in Michigan and New Jersey, nonetheless, advise clients see a private optical method for this solution, rather. You can call your regional Walmart and speak to a Vision Center connect to discover if frame replacement is available. Try on glasses online to see which form of glasses frames best matches you.

As soon as you have actually selected your frames, follow our straightforward process to pick your lenses online. Glasses Direct supply a large option of lenses to address your every needs-- from day-to-day clear glasses to sunglasses and BlueReflect ™ lenses to assist safeguard your eyes from High Energy Visible blue light. With virtually 3 decades of experience, we're happy to bring you the most comprehensive series of glasses, frames and lenses from our optical lab, which is one of the biggest in the UK. When it comes to get in touch with lenses, the FTC claims your eye doctor need to give you the prescription after your suitable, which might require greater than one consultation. You can't be required to pay an extra charge, get eyeglasses or contacts from the doctor or authorize a waiver for the prescription.

What brand of progressive lenses does Costco use?

Costco has been using Essilor technology, and lens designs for some time. One of their featured progressive designs has been the Accolade Freedom™, and Accolade Freedom 3.0™ HD. This is a brand, and a design, licensed to Essilor. More recently, Costco has been promoting their Kirkland Signature™ HD Progressive Lenses.

Finished Lenses.

The base rates you'll see for frames consist of clear, plastic, single-vision lenses with an anti-scratch covering. Whether you require an eye test, new glasses or contacts, Walmart Vision Facility may be one store to think about. I found a big choice of frame styles and shades on the web site at competitive costs.

Money expert Clark Howard has actually long bought his glasses online from an internet site called Zenni Optical. He claims it's basically the most effective area he's discovered to get spectacles.

Various other alternatives consist of online merchants Lensabl and also EyeglassX, which concentrate on prescription lenses for existing glasses. Typically, optical shops will certainly change the lenses for you if your frames are in good problem and also the form of the lenses isn't as well complicated. The last action in the process is to check out and also spend for your glasses. Be sure to examine thereturn policy before settling your acquisition. Double-check that all of the information concerning your frames and lenses are precise before taking a look at.

Every modern lens has unique ingrained proprietary markings as well as a specific suitable format chart. They ought to make use of those marks as well as highlight them with a special pen. After that examine that the lens dimensions match those composed on the job order form.

Golf prescription sunglasses Aylesbury of high-def glasses lenses presently are readily available, consisting of high-def versions of high-index lenses, modern lenses as well as photochromic lenses. Top Specs is among one of the most important things you can do to protect your vision as well as maintain your eyes healthy. Maintaining your prescription as much as day is likewise important to preserve clear vision throughout your whole life. Many people appreciate the ability to walk in without a consultation and also find a popular name-brand frame. You may, nevertheless, locate it difficult to unique order specific items, such as brand name modern lenses or prominent brand name frames.

[cypher2]

DAVIE, Fla. — Jamaica’s consul general in South Florida held a party at his home on Wednesday night to celebrate the Reggae Girlz, the first national soccer team from the Caribbean to qualify for the Women’s World Cup.

The tables were set up around the pool and the players and their coaches were there, but every guest was asked to bring a little something extra: a donation of at least $100 to help Jamaica complete its preparations to compete at the World Cup in France next month. The tournament begins in less than two weeks, and so time, just like money, was short.

If the story of women’s soccer in recent years has been the ongoing fight for equal pay, there always has been a different inequality just below the surface. While women’s international soccer has made significant progress in some countries, support for it, especially financially, from individual federations and corporate sponsors continues to vary widely.

France, the host country for this year’s championship, has a thriving professional league, and its players have spent the last few weeks preparing for the World Cup at their federation’s national training center. The United States, the defending champion and a three-time winner of the tournament, is completing an opulent send-off tour across the country this weekend, replete with nationally-televised games on ESPN and giant billboards on big-city buildings.

Jamaica’s run-up to the World Cup, by contrast, has been much less visible, and its program’s mere existence far less financially secure. Historically, the Reggae Girlz have received tenuous support from their national federation. As recently as 2015, the federation cut off financing for the team entirely.

As a side trip on their road to France then, Jamaica’s women first detoured to South Florida, trying to raise money one contributor at a time to cover a shortfall — as much as $400,000 by one estimate — created by training camps, travel and warm-up matches, and to begin to establish a reserve that the team can draw on for current and future tournament costs. There was a fund-raiser and an auction of sports apparel at the consul general’s home; a pep rally at a chiropractic center; and an exhibition match on Thursday night preceded by a celebrity game featuring entertainers from Jamaica and Haiti.

But signs of the team’s struggles weren’t hard to find. At Wednesday’s party, the coaching staff wore shirts meant for the men’s national team, and used markers to scratch out that team’s nickname — “Reggae Boyz” — on the sleeves. Some Jamaican players still must buy their own cleats. And when the women’s team qualified for the World Cup last October outside of Dallas, several coaches went to Costco and paid out of their pockets for jackets so their players could train in the chilly, rainy weather.

No high-ranking official from the Jamaican federation was present to celebrate that momentous qualification in a penalty shootout against Panama, the team’s coaches said.

“Their attitude has been pretty poor,” goalkeeper Nicole McClure, 29, said of the Jamaican soccer federation. “We’ve always been an afterthought, and we’re still fighting for equality. We want a seat at the table. It’s been quite frustrating.”

In March, McClure, who grew up in Queens, held her own fund-raiser. She plays without compensation on a club team in Northern Ireland, and she needed money to pay for food, toiletries, a bus ticket, checked baggage for a flight and some soccer gear. Her needs were not uncommon for her team.

Yet she and her teammates — and Jamaica’s coaches — acknowledged this week that things are improving, at least for the moment. Jamaica’s World Cup players have signed a contract with the federation that will pay them $800 to $1,200 a month, retroactive to January, Coach Hue Menzies said. And Menzies, who has been working free since 2015, is to receive $40,000, he said. According to team officials, this is the first time a Caribbean women’s team has signed contracts with its national federation.

“We haven’t been paid,” Menzies said with a laugh. “But we signed a contract.”

Michael Ricketts, the president of Jamaica’s soccer federation, said that criticism of the organization had been “grossly unfair.” The federation has spent about $4 million on the women’s team since it began qualifying for the World Cup, he said. Costs to hold a weeklong training camp can run to $100,000, Ricketts said, and it has been a struggle to get spectators and corporate sponsors to embrace the team. Even so, he said, a women’s league in Jamaica has been restarted on a limited basis, as well as a youth program for players under 15.

Under the circumstances, Ricketts said, “We’ve done exceedingly well.”

The Reggae Girlz coaching staff disputed the $4 million figure. “No way,” said Lorne Donaldson, an assistant coach. “I don’t buy that.”

Instead, coaches and players widely credit a different benefactor, Cedella Marley, for resurrecting the women’s team with help from the Bob Marley Foundation, which is named after her musician father. Cedella Marley, angered by the sorry state of the program, was the one who spearheaded an international fund-raising effort to revive it several years ago, and she was the one who persuaded Menzies, who runs a prominent youth soccer club near Orlando, Fla., to become its coach.

Without Marley, McClure said, “There would be no Reggae Girlz.”

The Alacran Foundation, a philanthropic organization, also has become a benefactor of the team. And the Reggae Girlz Foundation, a nonprofit, is raising money for such things as medical equipment to help Jamaica prepare and compete at the World Cup, but also to support the team in coming Olympic qualifying and youth national team campaigns.

Money remained tight, though, as the team departed Friday for Europe, where it will play a warm-up match in Scotland before continuing on to France. Even after an initial payment of $480,000 from FIFA, soccer’s world governing body, for qualifying for the World Cup, and another payment of at least $750,000 to follow, Jamaica’s buildup to the tournament has faced about a $400,000 shortfall to cover costs of training camps, travel and practice matches, according to Lisa Quarrie, the vice president of the Reggae Girlz Foundation.

Long-term, the foundation is seeking to sustain women’s soccer in Jamaica by creating an academy, building an extensive youth development system and persuading men’s teams in the National Premier League, the country’s top division, to also sponsor women’s teams.

But first things first. The World Cup starts in two weeks, and no donation is considered too small, be it a $10 ticket to Thursday night’s celebrity match or a $25 contribution on the website of the Reggae Girlz Foundation.

“They need money all the way around,” Quarrie said. “We’re going to the World Cup on the fly.”

Women’s international soccer has long faced a Sisyphean battle to gain respect and support. The American women’s team continues to find it necessary to sue U.S. Soccer for gender discrimination. Players in Australia and elsewhere have refused to play matches, and stars in other countries went public with complaints on everything from training pay to a lack of games.

It has been a particularly tough slog in the Caribbean, where soccer has been blighted by corruption, and the women’s game especially has been widely dismissed. When Trinidad and Tobago arrived in Dallas for the final qualifying round of the 2015 Women’s World Cup, its coach, Randy Waldrum, sent out a financial S.O.S. via Twitter.

“I need HELP!” Waldrum wrote at the time. “T&T sent a team here last night with $500 total. No equipment such as balls, no transportation from airport to hotel, nothing.”

Haiti’s women’s team also attempted, just as futilely, to qualify for the 2015 World Cup, relying on benefactors at an extended training camp in South Bend, Ind. Its players and coach received no salary, and the team tried to make ends meet by selling rotisserie chickens and T-shirts, and holding clinics for churches and schools.

In Jamaica, soccer has been considered by many to be too rough of a sport for women and not sufficiently feminine. Players and officials hope that this summer’s World Cup appearance will help overcome the cultural stereotype, and that women’s soccer will be elevated at home in the way track and field became appreciated with the success of the sprinter Merlene Ottey, who won nine Olympic medals between 1980 and 2000.

“The men have always received far more support,” said Oliver Mair, Jamaica’s consul general for the Southern United States. “So when the women qualified for the World Cup, it caught us all by surprise.”

He added: “When you start on the road, you are on your own. They had a dream, a vision. They started to do well and more people have come on board.”

For now, Menzies and his staff have countered the lack of resources inside Jamaica by helping to place top women’s players at American universities and high schools, and in leagues in the United States and Europe.

Jamaica’s star forward, Khadija Shaw, known as Bunny, attended Tennessee, where she was the Southeastern Conference’s offensive player of the year in 2018. She, perhaps more than any other player, represents the indomitable perseverance of the Reggae Girlz, having maintained her career despite the deaths of three brothers in gang-related violence in Jamaica.

Kayla McCoy, a forward and midfielder who plays for the National Women’s Soccer League’s Houston Dash, said, “I think everybody carries self-pride about how far we’ve come but also a sense of humility just because of what people have had to overcome and what people have seen and what people have had to go through.”

She added: “Nothing was handed to anybody here.”

The goal for the Reggae Girlz at the World Cup is to advance out of a forbidding group that includes Brazil, Australia and Italy. Lingering is the question of whether the Jamaican federation will provide the necessary support to keep women’s soccer growing as an international power after the tournament ends.

Asked how confident he was in the federation’s long-term commitment, Menzies, the coach, said, “Not very.”

“But,” he added, “when they tell us no, that just fuels our fire.”

Jeré Longman | New York Times

[avantikauniversityujjain]

Technology driving design innovation

It is quite evident that most of us interact with technology that is built using understanding human psychology to capture the essence of emotions too. It understands the needs of an individual and provides us with the right set of services and solutions in feasible ways. I come across technology on a daily basis, and as I think about it, it makes me wonder about the composition of this beautiful play between design and technology, a combination so powerful that we cannot imagine our life without it.

In our third episode of the podcast, I had a conversation with Ravi Badve. It was indeed a delightful conversation where we discussed the potential of "Designeering" and how organizations are making this their core motto to bring enhance their customer service a notch.

Ravi Badve leads as a Director of Customer Delivery at MasterCard, where he has continuously been collaborating with technology and design. With his enthusiasm for developing products that add value to people in their daily life, understanding Designeering from his point of view was insightful.

Rohit Lalwani: So, while you've been talking about so many interesting technological aspects, one of the organizations that we cannot miss talking about is Netflix. Now, obviously, our consumption during the last couple of days has gone high up, but if you look at what's interesting about it is; it is known for a personalized recommendation, and in fact, it goes out and claims that it is one of their biggest differentiators.

What they also did some time back is they moved to customize the artwork so that it entices the user to watch the content based on their past viewing experiences. The question that I have is; What is your view on technology for creating perfect customer scenarios?

Ravi Badve: Netflix is really an example in today's time, right? It's about how they have been able to adopt and deploy technology to beat the worldwide streaming companies. There's so much content, and if you think about it, it's not only the technology but how it understands the personas of all its subscribers, and that is a differentiator. Truly. How did it happen with you that you're all in the mood of watching a good movie or listen to good music, but when you go on to it, you don't know what to see or what to listen to?

Rohit Lalwani:  Happens very, very frequently with me.

Ravi Badve: Absolutely. And then when you come to see Netflix, it has never disappointed me personally, for sure, because they can understand the persona. Not only that, but they are also able to comprehend personas from the perspective of what I would like based on history and past watching experience. So I think they have done an excellent job, and a possible design-oriented, a designing approach of understanding the persona, creating a profile, and suggesting what the platform of Netflix can offer, will be the choice of a customer. So they have brought the technology, design, and empathy together to understand customers and their subscribers well.

Rohit Lalwani: So, while Ravi in your answers, you have been talking about 'experience' as a word very frequently, I think it's become a buzzword today, and you know it's become viral. The question that I have is, you know, I feel it's probably a recent phenomenon. How did companies create an experience even before this?

Ravi Badve: Well, I think companies have always stressed on creating an experience with the products and services they have, and this is not a new term or something new. It's just that we, as an organization, are more aware and conscious about what experience they will create in production services. It's only one of the things that come to my mind. Do you remember the single-screen experience that we all used to have watched a movie with all the claps and whistles?

Rohit Lalwani: Absolutely, Salman khan film today or even Rajnikanth film is an experience to watch them on a single screen.

Ravi Badve: See there. And then we have these multiplexes, and those are different new experiences altogether. I am not saying good or bad, but the company's organization is always stressed on creating experiences with products and services. It's now that we are talking more about an 'end to end' journey that we can provide to a customer, and it's just not a designer or a product that can be ring-fenced into a particular scope. So there, an experience is always essential.  It has become more critical now in cutthroat competition that all brands are into right now.

Rohit Lalwani: Absolutely. Ravi, to share a personal example, we saw this Marvel film Black Panther at PVR in 4DX, and I was amazed by that, sitting in a regular multiplex theatre, the kind of experience that you could receive in terms of watching the movie. It was thrilling to be there and watch that film.

Ravi Badve: one more thing that comes to my mind, Rohit; What was the first phone that you used?

Rohit Lalwani: I used the NOKIA 3310

Ravi Badve: Exactly. And I am not surprised by that answer. My phone was also Nokia, and we have all seen an evolution of how the giant companies like this were gone entirely in the coming days when the digital revolution came through. So you are talking about experiences. If organizations aren't able to understand the experiences that they can create, they lose the pulse of people, and that's how Nokia is no more seen, and so many others are in the market.

Rohit Lalwani: Absolutely. Taking a cue from here, Ravi, one of the other companies that come to my mind, is Amazon. One of the best examples of a human-centered organization that's using both technologies as well as designs to deliver a delightful customer experience. So my question to you; As an expert, can you share how they are blending both these domains to achieve their goals?

Ravi Badve: Well, Amazon is my favorite again there. There was a study on Amazon and another ten companies of similar nature, all big companies in the US like Costco, The Macy's and all different big tycoons who provided products and services, physically as well as they had a chance to move on to digital media. But Amazon, for the last ten years, in recent years, they've grown 2000 times. And you must look at their vision statement, Rohit, and I recommend the listeners also to go and see what Amazon's vision statement is. It's not about you. No. There are no numbers in it, first of all, it's not about being or growing 100% or in revenues or things like that you usually see. The vision statement talks about the most human-centered company that could deliver anything which is required on the planet. So there, that shows how much they care about the design and the human-centered part of it. So, Amazon is again an example of how they have brought design and technology together to create pleasurable experiences.

Sometimes, even if you're searching for a book on Amazon of your favorite author, Amazon has a technology to have the book to the nearest go down, near your house, so that they can promise a one-day delivery or the shortest time delivery. So those are the kind of thinking that happens in that organization, and I am amazed and also amused by the type of products and services they offer.

If you don't want to miss out more on how these two domains, technology, and design, are collaborating, head to our podcast to discover more. For details, do visit the profile.

[wildefiction]

Elysian

Pairing: Rob x Reader

Word Count: 1,587

Series Summary: Reader moves to LA to pursue her dreams and finds a best friend in her new neighbor.

Chapter Warnings: Heart-break, Drinking

ONE

"I..I can't do this anymore Rob." 

The heavy sigh on the other end of the line was laced with exhaustion, but not the type that would be fixed with a restful night. This was the type of exhaustion that resulted from one too many missed dinners and far too little time spent actually being with each other.

Distracted as he was, the man stilled, ice pouring through his body, the chill of her words ran deep.

"Wh-what do you m-mean?" "Jenna?!"

Rob's grip on his cellphone tightened, his fingers dappled in white, as if he could hold on to the woman he loved simply by force.

"Goodbye, Rob."

-Bee-doo-

The silence deafening as he pulled the device from his ear, Rob's expression of shock quickly shifted to horror and then dismay as he realized what had just happened.

An hour had passed by the time he ran up the stairs to his front door, hastily shoving the key into the lock after dropping them twice. Pushing the front door open, the harsh sound of the wood bouncing off the wall echoed through the entry. He barely noticed. Striding through the house, he stopped short upon reaching the dining room.

Four tapered candles sat in crystal holders, the tip of each wick frayed and singed with obsidian. Perfect white plates resting atop ruby chargers, matching linen napkins were artfully arranged with the good silver.

In the center of the table, a half bottle of wine sat open, the cork abandoned next to the single wine glass; one drink remaining at the bottom.

Approaching the table, Rob reached out, fingers trembling as he picked up a single sheet of paper, his name scrawled on the front in her looping penmanship. 

Opening the note, only two words met his blurred vision:

'I'm sorry'

Frantic, he turned the paper over, hoping for something more. In his haste, he'd neglected to notice the brass key that had dropped from it. Picking it up, he recognized it as the one he'd given her to his house a few months prior.

Having landed next to a medium-sized box, Rob's focus slid to the bright blue paper, a black satin bow tied to the top. 

For the second time that evening, a sense of dread overcame the man. With shaking hands, he dropped the paper and picked up the gift. 

Pulling on one end of the ribbon, the satin fell from the box as Rob worked to remove the paper.

A sleek black frame surrounded the scroll of paper the cardiologist had printed for him that illustrated his heart-rate. Months of hard work and speech therapy had paid off, and, during his last check-up, the doctor had declared he was healthy, no longer needing regular visits to track his recovery.

A second sheet of paper had been included with the gift, this one just a small note:

'Later we'll put that ticker to the test ;)'

'Xoxo'

The tears fell then, staining his cheeks as he realized that this time, there was no amount of pleading that would get her to forgive him.

He'd forgotten their anniversary.

****

"Dude. You didn't…" 

[Y/F/N] was seated on the couch with her feet folded beneath her, a beer held in one hand while she stared at her friend.

Scoffing, Rob lifted his own bottle to his lips, taking a long swallow of the IPA.

"Yeah, I uh, guess I'm good at fuckin' shit up."

"Hey man, we've all been screw-ups at least once in our lives." 

With a gentle squeeze of his denim-covered knee, you rose from the couch, watching as he averted his eyes, nervous fingers picking at the black label encircling his drink. 

"Want another one?" 

Not bothering to look up, the man nodded, a faint smile on his lips. 

Walking into the kitchen, you thought back to the day you'd been relaxing on your deck with a new novel, glancing up to see the woman storming out of the house next door, a distraught Rob trailing after her. You remembered how he watched, helpless, as she had climbed into her rather expensive white Bentley and driven away without so much as a glance in the rearview mirror.

That had been just shy of two years ago, and while the two of you had always been friendly, until recently, conversations had consisted solely of talk about the weather and your respective careers. 

After a particularly shitty day about six months prior, you'd invited him over for a beer and now get-togethers like these had become increasingly more common. 

Pulling your air-popper from the pantry, you emptied what remained of a Costco-sized container of popcorn kernels into the machine. Hitting the power, you moved to the refrigerator, pulling a stick of butter from the door as the steady hum of the motor whirred behind you.

Rob loved popcorn. It always made him smile, and although his heart had been broken so long ago, sometimes you felt like it had been just yesterday.

Bending down to retrieve a large ceramic bowl from beneath the counter, your thoughts turned protective when you remembered the pain that had been etched into his features that day. 

Of course, you knew how Rob could be. How musicians and actors.. and...how artists could be when it came to their work. It's why, as much as you felt for the man, you weren't surprised when he'd finished recounting the full events of how she'd walked out of his life. 

You weren't surprised because you'd had that exact thing happen to you.

Dumping the excessive amount of popcorn into the red and white striped bowl, you drizzled the butter you'd melted over the heaping pile and finished the snack by sprinkling coarse sea salt and sugar into the mix. 

Turning and flipping off the light, you pulled open the door to the fridge, grabbing two bottles from the top shelf, the bright light casting a soft glow over the counters behind you. Using a hip to close the door and wrapping your free arm around the hefty bowl of popcorn, you sauntered back into the living room, taking a moment to snatch a few pieces with your mouth from the top of the pile.

"Here, brought you a snack." 

*****

Rob glanced up as [Y/F/N] re-entered the room juggling a sizable bowl of popcorn and the second beer she'd offered. He smiled to himself at her gesture; she was always looking out for him. Although he was more apt to keep to himself, he realized then that he'd grown to really enjoy her company.

"You know me too well [Y/F/N.]" 

Chuckling, his eyes lit up at the sight when she flopped next to him on the couch, depositing the bowl into his lap before turning and grabbing the remote. Settling in, she slumped back against the plush cushions before lifting her feet to rest on the table. Clicking the power button, [Y/F/N] navigated through the Netflix menu in search of something to watch.

"Hmm, Lord of the Rings marathon or Harry Potter marathon?"

The question was so nonchalantly asked, that you were surprised when Rob laughed.

"If you want me to come over more often, you just hafta say so." 

Nudging your shoulder with his, you blushed against the darkness, thankful he couldn't see you, but internally embarrassed at having him call you out so immediately.

Still, he answered, as if he really didn't mind spending his Friday nights on your couch.

"I've seen all the Tolkein movies, and I can't wait for the next one. Let's do Harry Potter, everyone keeps asking me what house I'm in and it'd be nice to have an actual answer next time instead of just bs-ing my way through the question."

With his mouth full of popcorn, you'd only been able to make out every fourth word or so, but regardless, you started the first movie, the tell-tale notes of Hedwig's theme filling the space around you.

Two hours passed in a blur of questions and enraptured silence alike, Rob taking great joy in the discovery of how much he enjoyed the start of the saga. 

"Wanna watch one more?" 

Raising his brows, the man turned to you, his eyes shifting between your face and the remote you'd picked up off the arm of the couch.

Glancing at the time on the bottom corner of the screen, you noted that it was almost midnight. 

The confliction in your expression was obvious. You were having a great time, but this was a huge gig. One you'd been trying to land for months. They'd finally taken the plunge just last week. Yet for some reason, your mind warred with you, the details trying to lock themselves in place while you mentally juggled the options. 

"It's okay if you don't want to, we can always do a different day. Not like I'm going anywhere."

His soft smile had you nodding. That really was the more logical, adult thing to do. With an annoyed groan, you stood from the couch. 

Rob followed suit, stretching his arms overhead as he yawned. Your eyes flicked to the small strip of exposed flesh between his t-shirt and jeans, lingering a little longer than was probably necessary. 

Leaning against the door as you held it open for him, you were already looking forward to the following afternoon as he descended the steps of your porch, spinning around to wave once more before crossing the street to his own house.

TAGS: @natasha-cole @jamielea81 @wings-of-a-raven

[greeneyecare]

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www.GreenEyeHarlem.com

[oof-i-am-anxious]

March 28, 2019 - An update

Good things that have happened in the past 48 hrs:

Finished the last of my midterms

Went to the Indian grocery store got half the things on the grocery list

Spoke to two of my closest friends (separately) properly over the phone without some deadline hanging over my head for the first time.

Started the week's reading for HCI

Went to class. Got extra credit for attending the class coz half the class decided to not come today and the professor wanted to spite them I guess? No complaints here. Hopefully this will compensate for the marks I'll lose in the midterm

Got my proof of degree hold removed. It should get processed by Mon long before Fall registration begins

Went straight to Costco from there, met up with my roommate and got the rest of the groceries sorted. Some of the stuff we bought is gonna last us for a while. Really happy about that. Got more mini size chocolate bars to replace the finishing m&ms jar. Bought a ton of moisturizer. That made me really happy. There is soo much food in the house now. So many things I can make that are not junk.

To do (Rest of the day):

Meal plan for the week

Work overnight on the Computer Vision practical assignment

To do (sometime this week):

Go to the museum trip tomorrow (Fri) @ 11:00am

Finish CV assignment

Study the rest of the material for HCI

Brainstorm ideas for HCI and Computer Vision group project

Brainstorm ideas for personal projects related to subjects I am talking this semester ONLY (Keep off going on tangents to ideas for a million things. Schedule this for the week after finals)

Submit application at least two summer job positions

Call mom

Book an appointment with my advisor to talk about Fall courses

Prep for the above appointment

Book a career counseling appointment at the career center

Budget for April

Shop for study corner + misc : Carpet, pillows, mirror, dry erase board, summer clothes, boots

Call BBB about refund!!!!!

Clean my room

Print more posters??

Put up posters

Laundry

Book a group study room for HCI Group meetup

Clean the fridge