My semi-annual Scott Catalog rant

I hear you Stan! I can't wear bifocals, and switching between my reading glasses and my regular glasses is such a hassle. So I've slowly been digitizing the more frequently used parts of my philatelic library.

The early color Scott Classic was not on the current glossy paper. I used color pencil on my 1999 (before colorization) and my 2004 (after colorization) to mark inventory. The paper on my 2004 is actually better quality paper than on their standard catalogs. After that they switched to glossy paper for color WW Standard catalogs. Once they used the glossy paper, couldn't use the color pencil anymore. With my degrading eyesight, now the glare from the glossy pages becomes a greater problem. Yet another reason for me to go digital...

Thanks for the suggestion Jerry! Yes, those overlays are pretty effective. I remember the days when you could get one to mount on the CRT monitor glass screen -- before they started to produce monitors with anti-glare coatings.

I don't use the hand held overlays for the Scott catalog because I'm usually holding the stamp with one hand and flipping through Scott catalog pages with the other. So now, I digitize stuff I use frequently and just view the catalogs/books/journals on my monitor, using the arrow keys to flip pages. Also saves a lot of desk/bookshelf space!

I can't use the magnifier overlays for the same reason I cannot wear bifocals -- I'll get a headache.  It's an eye problem that I was likely born with, as I don't ever recall having normal vision.  First time I wore glasses in 1st grade, I suddenly realized how people could recognize me and wave at me from a distance when I couldn't even make out their face!  I have an optometrist/opthamologist who specialized in childhood eye disorders in college, and she agrees that I'm sort of stuck using separate glasses for near/far-field correction instead of bifocals.

I work with seniors a lot, so I end up getting samples or purchasing some full-page magnifier overlays to give to seniors.  I also have an all-in-one bar magnifier with small round magnifier at end.  Designed for reading, it turns out quite useful for stamps (both the bar & round magnifiers)!

I have progressives (no line bifocals) but they really do not work that well. The distance for reading vs a computer vs distance is different so no happy compromise.  When I use catalogs, I need a lot of light.

I've been using varifocals for a few years now - and all my catalogues are digital so I can zoom in as much as I need to!

Had to visit the opticians today for an updated prescription and caved to getting varifocals for non-work such as driving and watching telly, and separate "occupational" glasses for my daily work on computers...