Don't get ripped off paying inflated prices for quality eyewear — remember what I said? I submitted my story to Ira of GlassyEyes.com, who I again thank for creating such a useful resource and fostering the community that's grown with it, and he recently highlighted my story. Ah, beautiful connections. (And I'm glad he noticed my ever-so-popular and also bargain-focused "How I got my Wireless G USB Adapter working with a Mac" post too!)

Speaking of bargains, over the holidays (because they tend to have adverse effects on your budget) I've been building up a wealth of sites dedicated to saving you money. One of the more popular is FatWallet, which has this enduring "cheap glasses" thread dating back to Oct. 2003! The forums are a bit awkward to navigate and I find I sometimes have to select a sort column dropdown twice to make it take effect, but all in all, it's pretty helpful. I'll be writing more about my money-saving adventures in future entries, so look out!