[Dixielandjazz] Vickery's bifocals

[Hal Vickery]

That reminds me of a bit that Bill Cosby did several years ago about getting
trifocals.  I guess that would be another viable alternative, probably
moreso than a separate pair of glasses since I'd probably walk into walls as
I tried to switch from playing to walking glasses.

Hal Vickery

-----Original Message-----
From: Craig I. Johnson [mailto:civanj at roadrunner.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2008 8:48 AM
To: Hal Vickery
Cc: Dixieland Jazz Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Vickery's bifocals

Hal wrote:

>>and once I needed bifocals, I
>>never could focus on the spots.

Hal, I had the same problem. Trying to hold the cornet up (especially while
standing)  and staring thru the lower part of the bifocals which are "tuned"

for close
reading caused me to see the notes in the "spaces" as on the next "line" up 
and the
"line" notes up  a space. --- Not good even if you know it's happening 
because it's
not precisely that transposition. I had a similar vision problem with small
computer screens (I was a programmer) -- as I sit way back from the 
computer. (with
the keyboard in my lap and my feet on the desk._

The solution was to get a special pair of "music/computer" reading glasses
adjusted for these odd "reading distances" which were about the same in both
cases -- This solved my problem. I use the bifocals for normal seeing and
normal reading.

But remember to take them off when you walk off the stand or you'll probably
trip over something and fall on your face!!!

Regards,
Craig Johnson
Cornet- the Maine Street Paraders