I got my very first set of bifocals nearly 20 years ago, after I got tired of constantly forgetting my reading glasses on job sites.
My reaction was just the same: "You mean all I have to do is look down slightly and I can SEE to read without changing glasses? How cool is that?"
Whether to go with variables or lined bifocals is a personal choice. At the time I got my bifocals I was living in a small town in Germany and the variables were not available so I went with lined.
I had so little trouble adapting to them that I stuck with the lined. I tried the variables once but didn't like the reduced visual field.
Now? I'm 48 and my vision is changing some more. I need new glasses and those will likely be trifocals. My only concern is that I might not be able to wear the small lenses I prefer