5 Oct 2020

I ventured out into the sunlight this morning. No I’m not a recovering vampire – it was my first proper venture outdoors post-pterygium surgery, which has temporarily left me a bit light sensitive. Since the operation I have had two slaves at my beck and call to walk the dog, do the shopping, fix the reticulation and so forth, but the weekend has ended, and they’ve gone back to work. So if the dog was going to be drained, it was going to have to be me.

Light sensitivity is an expected symptom post surgery so I was supplied, on leaving the hospital, with a proper pair of sunglasses. These things are the ultimate in protecting the eye from the evil ultra violet rays – they look a little like a virtual reality headset, but they are very effective in keeping sunlight from my sore eyeball.

When I consider the ‘sunglasses’ I’ve worn in my younger days – when I did actually wear them, that is – it doesn’t really surprise me that I ended up with sun damaged eye balls. The fashion statements that pass as eye protection are often worse than wearing nothing at all.

Which took my mind immediately to the photos we see everywhere nowadays of people wearing face masks – often either below the nose, below the mouth or just hanging off an ear or a hand. Of course the standard joke that goes with seeing these photos, is that that particular person is only on this planet because their parents had similar skills at making sure their birth control was applied correctly.

Proper protective equipment, whether face masks, condoms or seatbelts, really only work when they are applied the way they are meant to be. And some things, like sunglasses, only do the job they are meant to do if they contain the correct filtering technology and are made properly.

Of course, the topic goes way beyond protective equipment. In our house there has for a long time been discussion on the way SOME people load the dishwasher. It should be fairly obvious to anyone with a brain that you should make sure that what you place in the dishwasher is contained in the tray, and won’t drop to obstruct the water spinner. Otherwise it jams, and the entire wash cycle is wasted. This obvious fact is lost on some people. I won’t mention names. But you know it’s not me.

There are many other devices that people use in a way other than the manufacturer recommends, but it seems to work ok so it’s not a big issue. Unless you are the manufacturer, or you are the person who read the instructions and told people what to do, but they didn’t pay attention.

What is your biggest complaint about something not getting used properly?