Specs

This one goes out to all my glasses wearing friends. I’ve been wearing glasses all day, every day since I was in first grade and couldn’t read the chalkboard from my desk. They are a huge part of my identity; so much so that my phone doesn’t recognize me without them. :)

Taking a page out of Elton John’s book, I decided that it was time to up my eyewear game and try some different styles for my frames. I am only sans glasses when I sleep; I wanted different options without dropping a ton of money. Every time I’ve gotten new frames and lenses from a local source, I’ve dropped $150-$300 out of pocket. Even options like Warby Parker (a store I love) averages $100-$200 per pair. That made having multiple pairs prohibitive, especially when my prescription changes a little every year or two. I tried two retailers known for affordable eyewear. I thought I’d stop in and share some thoughts.

Note: this is not an ad, paid endorsement and there aren’t any affiliate links in this post. Just the facts.

Zenni Optical

Website: zennioptical.com

These live on my desk, under my monitor. I only purchased one pair from Zenni because, even though they’re affordable compared to your local doc’s office, they were pricier than other options. I bought the Browline Glasses 195425 Tortoiseshell. The frame was only $15.95, but I spent an additional ~$75 on lens upgrades (added blue light blocking, coatings, etc). These are my work/computer glasses, so I wanted to do the most to protect my eyes from strain and fatigue. I didn’t mind paying more since they had a specific function. In total I spent $99 on these with tax and shipping.

I’ve used these daily for about four months now and they’re great. The frames are holding up great and I do notice a notice in eye fatigue after switching to lenses more focused for screen work. I’m not exhausted at the end of the day. I’d recommend these for sure.

EyeBuyDirect

Website: eyebuydirect.com

Guys, this is where I get excited. A friend recommended EBD and I am a stan. On my first order with them, I got 5 pairs of glasses (with prescription lenses) for $88.18 with tax and shipping. That’s about $17 a pair, which is insanity.

I’ve been living with the EBD glasses for four months as well, and they’ve held up perfectly. I am more careful with them because I didn’t add any coatings or protection to the lens (I couldn’t justify spending $20 per pair on glasses that cost $17). I also mainly ordered plastic frames because they hide the thickness of my lenses better than thin metal frames would (you can upgrade to thinner poly lenses; I chose not to). All of the pairs I ordered from EBD are sturdy, holding up great and look like I spent $100 or more at another retailer. All have gotten compliments.

Warning: a lot of douchey selfies ahead, where I’m making awkward faces because that’s how I roll, y’all.

The frame below is Chilling in Tortoise and this is the set you see me in most often.

And here we have Peninsula in Red Floral (there’s a subtle flower pattern on them that looks similar to tortoise until you get closer).

The Morning frame in Gray Clear is below.

I don’t have any recent pictures of the following pairs, but these are the rest of my frames from EyeBuyDirect.

The pair below is Central in light brown.

Bright Side in Clear White is hanging out below. Word of caution: these skew pink when on your face because they pick up on your skin tone. This doesn’t bother me at all, but wanted to add that disclaimer.

And then we have Juno in Matte Green.

Summary

I would recommend Zenni and EyeBuyDirect without any hesitation (and I have a bunch). Both offer affordable, well-made eyewear on a budget. If you’re an every day glasses wearer like me, you’ll love having options to choose from without breaking the bank.

It was a crazy trip looking back at pics of the past few months trying to find pictures of the frames in use. They arrived right about the time I started seeing results from the lifestyle changes I’ve made. The left picture was taken in August and the right one was taken in October.

#10yearchallenge

This #10yearchallenge tag has been all over my instagram and Facebook the past few days. When I opened my Timehop today, and saw the picture below, I figured I’d jump on the wagon!

Here’s me on November 21, 2009 (left) and today, November 21, 2019 (right). Still love a vest moment, still love my autumnal colors and still hate having sleeves around my wrists.

Oh, the things I’d say if could go back in time and talk to that chubby goober on the left.

Things like…Why are your glasses so small? Undershirts are for old men and heavy sweaters; it doesn’t make it better just because it matches.

We’ve kiki’d about my focus on fitness (my bestie dubbed it “Fine by Forty” this week) and this kind of dovetails in there. I see these older pictures of me and I see someone who needs to take better care of himself in many ways. I still have a long way to go, but I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished. I’m rolling into 2020, and year forty, as the best version of me yet.

Life is good.

Work in Progress II

Hi friends! Time for another progress check in. I published the first kick-off post on October 26th and progress has remained steady. I’ve kept on schedule with my 5 day a week workout plan. Diet has also remained (mostly) dope, although I did indulge in some Halloween and birthday party-related cheats.

I’ve been increasing the difficulty and complexity of my movements this week with my trainer. I’ve left feeling destroyed every day. Here’s the post-gym selfie from 11/10/19. And, yes, my glasses do have flowers on them.

Follow me on Snapchat @RCArrowsmith for more d-bag gym selfies.

And a quick pic from tonight. Like I mentioned in my last post, I don’t always notice the changes because I see myself every day. It’s always fun running into people I haven’t seen in awhile and seeing their reaction though. Tonight I ran into an old friend at Target who was beyond sweet and flattering (and a little handsy). :) I’ve still got a long way to go but y’all know how to make a guy feel purty.

No shirtless pics this update because I already feel douchey enough. :) I promise more nipples in my next progress update.

Milestones

Again, don’t ask me to explain what all of these numbers mean. :) . I just know that they’re all trending in the direction we wanna see them go.

Measurement	Starting	10/26/19	11/12/19	Progress
Height:	5'11"	5'11"	5'11"	No Change
Weight:	265 lbs.	231.4 lbs.	228.1 lbs.	Loss of 36.9 lbs.
Body Mass Index (BMI):	36.7%	31.5%	30.2%	Loss of 6.5% BMI
Body Fat:	36%	29%	28.2%	Loss of 7.8% Body Fat
Visceral (Abdominal) Fat:	19%	13%	12.3%	Loss of 6.7% Visceral Fat
Muscle Mass:	130.5	160.3	161.1	Gain of 30.6 Muscle Mass
Bone Mass:	5.6	8.9	9.2	Bone Mass gain of 3.6
Max Push-up Count:	9	28	44	Gain of 35
Max Plank Interval:	25 seconds	63 seconds	110 seconds	Gain of 85 seconds
Max Bench Press Weight:	45 lbs.	125 lbs.	195 lbs.	Gain of 150 lbs.

In other fitness news:

• I signed up for two 5Ks over the next couple months with friends. I don’t love running but I’m excited to see if I can improve on my time with each run.

• I also agreed to try out for the local Rugby club in the spring, which seems terrifying. Luckily I have a few months to practice and continue bulking up.

Lessons Learned:

• PR gains won’t happen every week, despite your best efforts.

• Don’t tell your trainer no. It never ends well.

• There will always be someone with something shitty to say. Put it into your workout.

• Don’t drop the dumbells when doing the green mile; they’ll make you start over at rep one.

That’s where we stand today. I’ll check in with you guys in another couple weeks.

Threes

I got my third tattoo recently. All three of my tattoos are of three things.

I have three arrows on my inner-left wrist.

I have Mario, Yoshi and Luigi on my inner-left bicep.

And now these three triangle on my inner-right wrist.

Each tattoo is part of an evolving story. I decided to stay with the theme of threes as I add additional ink. This one represents new beginnings. Beyond that, I don’t want to give much away yet.

My next ink is coming early next year and will be continuation of the Mario tattoo on my bicep. I’m going to be adding to it in phases (keeping with the theme of threes) and turning it into a half sleeve in 2020.

Jolene

Y’all! The cuteness. I’m not sure you’re ready for it.

After flirting with city life, my Mom recently bought a little slice of Oklahoma countryside. After getting the barn built, two sweet foals have come home to the ranch. This sweet baby just arrived and I am all heart eyes about her.

Her name is Jolene and, honestly, yes. Yes to that.

She’s only 6 months so she’ll start training in the spring for halter and for riding. But she’s the sweetest and prettiest thing around.

And here she is with her big sis, Desi.

There are some beautiful parts of the country but nothing feels more like home to me than these Oklahoma skies.

..and one last iPhone pic just because we walked outside and the lighting was gorgeous. Straight out of the (camera) phone. Fall has finally arrived in Oklahoma.

Those fall colors, that Oklahoma sky and a cute little Civic. Life ain’t too bad.

Disney Advice

Guys! I’m in the early stages of planning our first trip to Disney World and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando and I am PUMPED AF.

In my 39 years on this planet, I’ve never been to Disney World. My nugget is finally at an age (and height) where he can do a busy day in a park, ride all of the rides and really enjoy the experience. So we are planning our first trip now. We’re looking at going in the off season of next year (but before hurricane season kicks into high gear).

So my question: looking at all of the information online is daunting. If you’ve been to Disney and the Wizarding World, what are your must-see attractions? We’ll be in Orlando for a full week so we aren’t rushed visiting all of the parks and seeing the sights. What should we cram into that week?

This trip is going to be even more special because, after 9 years of trying, my kiddo is FINALLY obsessed with Harry Potter. We just finished Chamber of Secrets and we’re starting The Prisoner of Azkaban. He set a goal to finish all seven books before we visit the Wizarding World because he’s worried about spoilers. As a long-time Potterhead, it’s so cool to be able to his love for the series growing with each book. So I know we’ll spend a good amount of time (and too much money) at the park.

So lay it on my guys! Share your expertise. Help us avoid the noob mistakes. I’m counting on you.