​I love reading 20/20 and ESPECIALLY a super chunky NYC show issue.

I know. You feel I’m stating the obvious but I’ve long had this innate ability to completely separate myself from what is the focus and main intent of my professional life (This Magazine!) and actually read the completed PRINT issue as an objective reader looking to enjoy, learn AND absorb this monthly opti-tome.

Since we are working with a producer from Open Reel (www.openreel.com) creating a video focused on the making of this particular 20/20 and its trendsetting multiple photo shoots, it gave instance for our Art Director Iris Johnson to also take the slightest step back in order to review what we’ve been up to in this past four weeks of prep for the 2018 Vision Expo in New York City. For the impact of timing, we needed to sort our focus particularly on the photography sessions for “Everything Under the Sun” and “The New Light Spectrum” in this edition, and the two covers generated for this issue AND the cover of our March 15 20/20 What’s Brand New.    

The pointed intros to these features created by Senior Associate Editor Victoria Garcia and Associate Editor Jillian Urcelay certainly fueled the task of scripting for the video, and the actual activities during the product reviews and the team chatter during the actual photographing of each frame on face in each feature further added to the experience in a manner working toward a crescendo of eyewear excitement for Iris’ commentary during the video.

And in that exact way, this issue is part of an ongoing process to ignite everyone’s passion for the science and art of vision enhancement. That’s what we do here. That’s what you do out there, and that’s what we all need to keep foremost in mind as we move to and through Vision Expo.

Though intensely proud of our current effort, we must continually remind ourselves that form only functions properly in continual growth and movement to exceed that which came before.

There’s no stagnation allowed in OptiNation.

There’s much to be proud of in past and present accomplishments, but the nice thing about any tomorrow is the promise it offers to improve and make better on past initiatives. As you read this I’m already walking and talking and meeting and greeting at Expo, and deep into planning and playing out both April and May 20/20s with eyes wide open, looking ahead.
So let’s read this one together again and… move on.

• James J. Spina
Editor-in-Chief
[email protected]