Real Manly · no-purchase fieldwork

The Three-Pass
Light Card

A real-room observation sheet, not a lux measurement or electrical-safety inspection.

045
Make each arrangement safe enough for normal movement. Change only one variable at a time. Use the lights you already own before deciding what to buy.
Room / place
Date / time

01 — Read or make something

Which page or task? Move light toward the work, not into your eyes. Check direct glare and the walking route.

Lights on / position
What still gets in the way?

02 — Two people at a table

Test both actual seats. Can you see faces and the table without looking at a bare bulb or bright reflection?

Lights on / seating arrangement
Second seat's complaint

03 — Quiet evening

Turn off one unneeded task light. Keep steps, doorways and ordinary movement safely visible.

Lights left on / reflection moved
Comfort vs. visibility trade-off
One small change to keep
One reason to revisit this arrangement
Use the same task and seat on a second night to check whether the result holds.realmanly.com · Original worksheet

Safety: do not obstruct exits, cover bulbs, modify wiring or exceed ratings. Follow fixture and bulb instructions. Light color and output information: U.S. Department of Energy, energy.gov/cmei/femp/purchasing-energy-efficient-light-bulbs.