Tired Eyes

In my training at work, I've finally started learning how to analyze the samples. This means spending a lot of time looking through a magnifier. They're like a magnifying glass lens placed in a stand so you don't have to hold it.

My already trained co-workers spend a lot of time hunched over a magnifier. It's quite a strain on your eyes, neck and back, and it's not unusual for people to call in sick with migraines.

So as they're training us, they're giving us tips on how to ease the strain. One way is to keep both eyes open while looking through the magnifier. You'd be surprised how much energy it takes to keep one eye shut for a couple of hours. So you look through the magnifier with one eye, and just let the other one hang out a bit. However, focusing with just one eye takes some getting used to.

It was okay when I was using my right eye. It's my dominant eye. I'd be analyzing something on the left of the lens, and my left eye would be like "Left! Hey that's me!" and the right eye would be like "Push off, I'm looking right now!" and that was that. No problems and the left eye would just sort of space off.

However, in order to relieve eye strain and prevent headaches, they recommend you switch eyes between each sample.

Working with my left eye is a bit harder, because the right eye tries to take over, and then things keep blurring in and out of focus (half of them at 4X magnification, the other half not) while my eyes fight over what I'm actually supposed to be looking at and then I get a bit car sick and have to stop.

I've been practicing with the magnifier off and on all week, but today I actually used it for two and half hours and now have the strangest complaint I've ever experienced.

My eyeballs are tired.

So tired, that even though I've been looking forward to seeing Mama Mia all week, my eyeballs were like "Man, watching that seems like a lot of work. We don't think we're up to it."

And my neck muscles were all "We concur. We're not up for anything that doesn't involve a heat wrap and soft, cushiony support."

and then my back chimed in with, "Whatever. I've been complaining since Monday night's Krav class. But does anyone listen to me? NOoooooo."

and my abs were all, "We'll do anything you want! Just please no more crunches!!"

and my stomach was like, "Mmmmmmm, brownies"

and then my abs were like, "No you fool!! That leads to crunches!!!"

Okay, I'm done now.

Sorry, I'm a little short on sleep this week, and it's made me a little giddy.

Not to mention the hours of staring at tiny tiny tiny things.