Ladies and gentlemen, today we are privileged to have a guest appearance from none other than the great Otis Redding! He’ll be singing his 1964 hit “Ott-Lite”!

Whenever you’re ready, Mr. Redding!

**Otis begins**

“I’ve got sunshi-i-ine, on a cloudy day.
When it’s dark inside, I’ve got the month of May.
I guess you’d say
What can make me feel this way?
Ott-Lite! Woh-oh-oh my Ott-Lite!
Ott-Lite!”

***deafening applause***

***standing ovation***

***Mr. Redding bows shyly, smiling***

Me: Wow, Mr. Redding! You’ve still got it! Do you have time for a couple of questions?

Otis: Sure, Becky! Shoot!

Me: What made you such a fan of the Ott-Lite that you would write a song about it?

Otis: Not many people know this, but I suffered from Seasonal Affective Disorder, normally referred to as ‘SAD’. While this is great for writing blues songs, it’s very uncomfortable to live that way. You know, blues writers are normally SAD. It’s hard to write the blues when you’re chipper and happy!

**Otis sighs, and continues.**

So, it was just a choice I made. My Ott-Lite made me so happy I just didn’t want to write SAD blues songs anymore! Unfortunately, record sales dropped, but I’d rather have my Ott-Lite!

Me: Well, Mr. Redding, I’ve never been diagnosed with SAD, but I know when the sun shines I’m happier!

***Otis smiles knowingly***

Otis: Becky, just because you don’t have a diagnosis doesn’t mean you don’t have something.

***Becky sighs, looking up at Otis with star struck eyes***

Me: Mr. Redding, you’re as profound in person as I always thought you would be!

Otis: Well Becky, I hate to run, but I’m late to go ‘sit on the dock of the bay’. You finish telling these good folks about the Ott-Lite, O.K.?

Me: Yes sir, Mr. Redding! Thanks so much for dropping by!

***A very giddy Becky tries to regain her composure***

WELL! Since Mr. Redding talked about SAD, I’ll move on to the specific Ott-Lite SwingArm Lamp that I own!

The SwingArm

I use my Ott-Lite True Color SwingArm Lamp in the craft room, where I do the most detail work. I’ve owned many swivel-type, adjustable lamps, magnifiers, and ‘goose-necks’. With all of them, I had difficulty getting the light exactly where I needed it. I have a fairly large ‘L’ shaped workspace, reaching about 5 feet in either direction. Since I normally have multiple projects going at once, I swing the light back and forth, up and down, and all around like a rollercoaster. Often, I’m intent on some detail, and I want to reach up and adjust my light without looking away from my work. With other lights, this was impossible. I’d have to interrupt myself to adjust the light. Alas, with my SwingArm, I mindlessly and effortlessly adjust the light close or far, up or down, and all around. The head of the light adjusts, as well as the arm!

Unbelievably, this lamp comes as a clamp-on (where it will rotate 360°!), AND with a weighted base should you wish to convert it for desktop use! The virtually unlimited range of motion allows tremendous lighting coverage. Because there is no glare, I can raise the lamp high, and view my whole work area when I wish.

I work on glass sometimes, and glare was always a problem for me. How the Ott-Lite reduces the glare on glass escapes me, but it does.

18 Delicious Watts!

For some reason, my need for bright light has increased over the years. Now, I know I’m far too young for this to be an ‘age thing’! (Quit smirking!).

In fact, the unthinkable happened last week. My son was reading in the dark. O.K., not pitch black dark, but, by golly, it was candlelight-type level of dark! That’s not the unthinkable part, however.

I informed him he was not Abe Lincoln, and didn’t have to study in low light. Then, (here it comes!), I said;

“Quit reading in the dark or you’ll strain your eyes and have to wear glasses!”

Honestly, the words were out of my mouth before I realized I sounded just like my father! SO; we’ve established that I need light!

My Ott-Lite SwingArm Lamp has a whopping 18W bulb, which is equivalent to 100W incandescent bulb. This bulb is touted to last up to 10,000 hours. I have no idea how much usage mine has, but I’ve owned it a couple of years and never replaced the bulb.

Ott-Lite vs. Halogen bulbs

The first thing for me about halogen bulbs is frankly, the heat. The Ott-Lite simply does not generate the heat of an incandescent bulb, much less a halogen.

Halogen bulbs are also expensive to replace. Though Ott-Lite replacement bulbs are expensive, too, I’ve been through many halogen bulbs while my original Ott-Lite steadfastly burns on.

Before the Ott-Lite, I found halogens to give me the “purest” white light. That’s only my personal opinion. Yet, comparing the light produced by a halogen to the Ott-Lite, the halogen seems..., dingy, or slightly “tan”, or “grayish” even.

Thus, for me, there is no contest between the two types of lighting.

Price:

The Ott-Lite True Color SwingArm Lamp retails for about $219. JoAnn.com currently has them on sale for $169.99. It seems I purchased mine on sale, but I can’t remember what I had for lunch, much less what I paid two years ago! LOL


Miniature Bonus Review!

I know, my review’s a long one anyway, but I felt compelled to include this for you.

The Ott-Lite Make-Up Mirror

I would not have enough additional, separate information about the Ott-Lite Make-Up Mirror to justify a full review. Much of the information is about the Ott-Lite in general. This is simply translating that concept to a make-up mirror. Should the Ott-Lite Make-Up Mirror ever be listed in the database, I’ll re-evaluate. Meanwhile, I just wanted to share a couple of tidbits about the Ott-Lite Make-Up Mirror with you; off the record, so to speak! ;)

A Frightening Experience!!!

WARNING: The Ott-Lite Make-Up Mirror is NOT for the weak of heart!

If you have any known heart problems and you have;

wrinkles, acne, enlarged pores, eyebrows that need to be plucked, small broken capillaries, slightly yellowed teeth, a tiny darkened age-spot you never knew existed, the beginnings of the fuzzy, dark hair above the upper lip commonly referred to as “Old Lady’s Mustache”...

..., then you should refrain from purchasing this mirror. Do not even glance in one at a friend’s home.

Imagine having these imperfections, and viewing them in full sunlight at 3X magnification, without even the benefit of glare to make you squint! Horrifying, indeed!

On the other hand, you can flip the mirror to the regular side, and see to blend your make-up perfectly. It will enable you to know what shade that blush really is; on you; with that particular foundation. Easily, you will be able to insure that you have no make-up line just beneath your chin where the foundation stopped.

Further, as you apply your make-up, you will be receiving a daily bit of light treatment to avoid SAD, or perhaps just a shade of the blues.

Like most good things, these aren’t cheap. They normally run about $150. I purchased mine for 50% off at Hancock Fabrics locally.

On the other hand, I’ve spent a good bit for make-up mirrors that I don’t like. Maybe it’s my age, but I’m not interested in applying make-up in the type of light in which I will be viewed.

I don’t want to see what I will look like under fluorescent lights. I will look green.

I don’t want to see what I will look like in candlelight. I will look better.

I want to see what I look like under headlights, for goodness sake! Then, I figure the rest will take care of itself. Unfortunately, I’ve spent more than $150 on other make-up lights to figure that tidbit out!

Gentlemen, there are benefits for you, too, with the Ott-Lite Mirror; but the same warnings apply. If you have the occasional ingrown hair following shaving, this is helpful. If you’d like to keep your ego in check, peek into the magnifying part of the mirror!

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Final General Comments about Ott-Lites

The difference in this light and any other is remarkable. Every other light in your home will appear to cast either a yellowish, greenish, or somehow less enlightening hue.

Naturally, for ‘mood lighting’, that’s terrific! The Ott-Lite is just for when you need to see something!

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Any references to Otis Redding are expressly from the overactive imagination and/or fantasies of the author. The author has no knowledge as to whether Mr. Redding has SAD or not, nor whether he has ever heard of an Ott-Lite!


Recommended: Yes