While on the road this weekend, I saw several instances of children not buckled in car seats properly. I was furious at these parents for putting their children’s lives at risk! Here’s what I spotted on a 400-mile stretch of interstate:

- A little boy (maybe 3 years old) laying across the ledge on the backseat between the backseat and the rear windshield. Are you kidding me?! The car was zipping along in and out of traffic at 70+ miles per hour. I really hope a police officer spotted them and pulled them over. I wish I was quick enough to get their license plate. A wreck would almost certainly permanently disable or kill that child.

- A 2 or 3 year old riding in the front seat of his mother’s car without a car seat. First of all, no child under 12 should ride in the front. Secondly, children that small are required to use car seats! I even saw a car seat in the back of this woman’s Blazer, just sitting there unused.

- Another small child was riding unrestrained and without a car seat. Just climbing around the backseat.

There is absolutely no reason for these parents to risk their children’s lives. NO reason.

I’m really appalled at what I saw, and I hope against all odds that these children will avoid being in a wreck. The odds are not in their favor.

I don’t want to turn this blog into one big  rant, but I need to vent about my latest eye examination.

I’ve needed glasses since I was about 10 or so. Today, I went for an eye exam at Karlik Ophthalmology. I don’t recommend them.

I sat in the waiting room for about 20 minutes while the receptionists did whatever it is they do. Then, I went back and sat in the exam room for another 20 minutes. Just a-twiddlin’ my thumbs.

This place wasn’t busy–I was the only one in the waiting room at the time. I don’t know what was going on in other exam rooms, though.

Anyway, the doc walks in, says “You are Kacie (lastname)?”

“Yes.”

Silence.

“Who are you?” I ask.

“I’m Dr. Karlik,” he says, as if I should have known.

He sits down, squirts sanitizer on his hands (why he didn’t wash them with soap and water, I don’t know) and shakes my hand.

No apology for the wait time at all. I guess this is business as usual. But ya know what? My time is valuable. When it’s wasted, I feel disrespected.

“It says you’re a freelance writer,” he notices on my chart. “What’s that?”

“It means I’m a self-employed writer.”

“Ah.”

He has me read a few lines on the wall. I do it.

He then wants to put dilation drops in my eyes. In all my years of eye exams, I’ve had this done once. My friend Bethany had to pick me up from the eye doc, since I couldn’t see well enough to get myself home. I couldn’t see to read or watch TV or do anything for just about the rest of the day. I could only sleep.

Since I didn’t want to throw away my day, I asked, “Do you have to dialate my eyes?”

“If you want an eye exam,” he shoots back.

O rly? Well, then.

“I don’t want my eyes dilated.”

He didn’t seem to like that. We compromised, and he put some sort of “numbing” drops in my eyes. Never had that done before. It made them feel dry and sort of tingly. At least I can still see.

I don’t do a number of tests I’ve had done at other eye doctors: A close-proximity reading test, “follow the tip of my pen with your eyes,” the puff of air shot at my eye, the one where I look at an image and they screen for glaucoma…the exam seemed unthorough.

Maybe if I let him dilate my eyes, it would be more so, but I doubt it.

I was out of the exam room within 10 minutes. The receptionist pointed me toward their selection of frames and then left me to search for myself. Every other place I’ve been (even Wal-Mart) has someone help you pick out frames.

I decided they had nothing I wanted. I’m taking my glasses business elsewhere.

Maybe I’m overreacting, but no one in that office was kind to me. The doctor was borderline rude, and it was the first time I’ve ever been completely disappointed in an eye exam.

If someone from Karlik Ophthalmology reads this “review” of sorts and wants to get in touch with me about my dissatisfaction, go ahead.

I’m about to write some unnecessary words. I apologize in advance.

I cringe when I see the word “currently” or “is currently” juxtaposed. Why? It’s redundant! The verb “is” means something in the present tense, happening now. So does “currently.”

Example:

The books are currently on sale.

No. Get rid of “currently” and you’ll save me from reading a word, and you’ll be saying the same thing. Especially since “on sale” usually means a temporary price cut–so you’ll know that the books won’t forever be on sale. You’re conveying a difference in time. Right?

“I’m going to the local drugstore, because it currently has a lot of free-after-rebate items.”

Slash “currently” since there’s no need for that word. Can you guess the other unnecessary word? It’s “local.” Everything is local. The local bookstore, the local restaurant, the local grocery, the local post office…etc. Why would you ever need to say “local” before a noun? Scrap it.

Instead, assume that this place is local to the writer. If the writer went to a non-local place, such as an outlet mall an hour from home, don’t you think he or she would state that this was not a local mall? Yep, I’d say so.

Another word to remove: Very.

Sometimes, people can use “very” and it would be necessary. But often, you can replace “very” and the following word with a more descriptive word.

Example:

“It is very cold.” Change it to “It is freezing” or “It is frigid” if that accurately describes the situation.