I’m pretty sure that’s not what Dorothy Parker had in mind when she penned this [paraphrased] irresistible witticism. But (as usual) I couldn’t resist…
I wear glasses every day of my life. Parties and boating are the few exceptions to the rule I set down when I graduated from school. My concession to the real world: tone down your look with a pair of librarian-evoking specs. It’ll make your youth less apparent. It’ll mitigate the heels and the long blonde hair. It’ll make you less likely to get treated as “the pretty, young vet.”
And let’s face it, wearing glasses means I’ll get hit on less (which is a good thing—nothing’s more uncomfortable than getting asked out on a date when you’ve got a stethoscope in your ears or a fecal rod up the pet’s bum and when the answer is predictably a definitive, “No, thank you.”
I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times a client has asked me out. I’d say that’s pretty good odds for a vet who has successfully remained single for eight of her nearly twelve years in practice.
I know vets who have had to go so far as to secure restraining orders against overzealous paramour wannabes (AKA, stalkers). I know vets who have been sued for sexual harassment when a romance went wrong. I know vets whose licenses have been put in jeopardy by jilted lovers looking for revenge. I, for one, have attempted to remain above the fray, under the radar, and generally unavailable for any romance that might be construed as work-related.
I guess you can say I’ve done pretty well. But I’m not about to count my chickens. After all, I’m currently dating a vet…
Below are many variations on a theme which I’ve compiled for your viewing pleasure. (Please excuse my self-indulgent frivolity.)
I challenge you to vote on your favorites.
South Beach Chanel...
Daily wear coveralls...
Bug eyed sixties girl...
Prada subtle tints...
Orange surprise...
Sporty...
Boating specs...
Gold frames...
Light Gucci tints
Reflective metal frames...
Blue steel...
Seventies glamor...
The ultimate librarian...
Ferragamo daily wear...
Vintage Chanel...
Big tortoiseshells...
Clear and simple...
Flesh tones...
Starry night...
Rose colored glasses...
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Reflective metal frames
I think they are the best looking, some of those choices are kinda scary looking!
Carla January 16th, 2007 08:56:00 AM
Short version: You may not have intended to link the cost of glasses and eye care with the cost of vet care by writing this post, but you did.
Longer version: As a near-sighted pet owner who has well-cared-for pets, and who does understand how much vet school and running a vet practice costs, I just have to say that I hope you don't have clients who have poor eyesight reading your blog. Because if my vet had THAT many pairs of glasses and posted them all to a blog and asked me to vote on which ones I liked best, frivolity stated or not, I might start adding it up: $150 minimum for the each pair of frames, $200 for the lenses, $50 for the lens protection, times 20, adds up to a whole lot of money! Granted, some people don't get the lens protection, nor do they go for the feather-weight lenses, so that might knock it down some... But still.
Sometimes when the public has a perception of your trade being one way ("Vets charge so much!") and you highlight what to some is a very expensive obsession (e.g. I only spring for new eyeglasses once every couple of years because they cost me the better part of the post-mortgage remains of a monthly paycheck) you might be unintentionally reinforcing some perceptions of your profession, whether they are based in reality or not. This coming from a librarian, who gets equally annoyed with the current fetishization of those in my profession AND the librarian = un-hit-on-able/not young comparison... Really - that was unnecessarily insulting.
You never know who's reading your blog. Apparently in me you found the perfect storm for this post!
That said, I like the blue steel frames a lot. :)
Megan January 16th, 2007 10:30:00 AM
I'd personally wear the metal reflective frames or Starry Night (I had butterfly deep purple sunglasses with glitter built in- I cried when they broke irrepairably).
Professionally for you- I'd err on the side of conservativism! Nothing says older like inobtrusive conservative glasses. I don't know what Miami would think conservative either. But if you show up in the office wearing Chanel glasses, they are going to think you charge too much.
Megan- I went with the assumption those photos were in the shop- she doesn't own them all. But hey, I could be wrong.
Georg January 16th, 2007 01:25:00 PM
Given the font size on this blog, I'm not at all surprised by the number of glasses. I'll be needing more pairs myself, since I enjoy this blog very much and intend to keep reading it. (Actually, I just zoom the text, but still ... )
haggis January 16th, 2007 02:37:00 PM
Haggis: I did try to make the font bigger recently but I guess it's still not big enough. I'll work on it.
Dr. Patty Khuly January 16th, 2007 06:01:00 PM
Ferragamo Daily Wear or Blue Steel, but *I* want Starry Night.
Johanna January 16th, 2007 06:08:00 PM
Okay, now I feel like a TOTAL idiot. I'm guessing Georg was spot-on and I didn't read the post the way you intended.
My apologies... Sigh... I can't wait until retirement (less than 30 years now!)
Megan January 17th, 2007 06:09:00 PM
Is Blue Steel a "Zoolander" reference?
Posey January 17th, 2007 08:38:00 PM
OK now I'm going to have to confess...yes, my name is Patty and I have a frame problem. But they're not all prescription and not all expensive and I have been collecting them for 20+ years and I really only buy a new pair when my prescription changes (which is almost every 18 months, now!) and I'm not a candidate for Lasik (sigh) and really...the bottom line...I don't make much money (double-sigh). I promise you'd be surprised to hear what I make. But everyone's got to have an obsession.
Dr. Patty Khuly January 19th, 2007 12:17:00 PM
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