[Blindtlk] Other "wrong" assumptions;Learning body language

Wed Jun 3 17:23:49 UTC 2009

Hi Mike,

Exactly.  One question people often want to know is, "how do you know
where you are going?"  Now, how do you answer a question like that?  Why
in the world do people conclude that the sense of sight, common sense,
and intelligence go hand in hand.  It is beyond me.

Maybe I shouldn't be so arrogant after just inquiring into the basics of
guidedog travel.  I'm sure that those who have used guidedogs for years
probably thought my questions were a little ridiculous too.  But my
goodness, I just don't know where the sighted come up with some of these
assumptions.  They just think that sight is the be all and end all, and
if you don't have it, they just assume you don't have anything else.

Diane Graves
Civil Rights Specialist
Indiana Civil Rights Commission
Alternative Dispute Resolutions Unit
317-232-2647

"IT is service that measures success."
George Washington Carver

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-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of Mike Sivill
Sent: Wednesday, June 03, 2009 12:52 PM
To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Other "wrong" assumptions;Learning body language

Hi Dianne,
I know what you mean about answering questions sometimes being
difficult. I
remember in high school some kid asked me how I knew what button to
press on
the soda machine and I said Coke is always the first one and then he
kept
pestering me about how I knew Coke was always the first one and I
couldn't
for the life of me remember who told me that but it was just one of
those
things you pick up. 
Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On
Behalf Of Graves, Diane
Sent: Wednesday, June 03, 2009 5:03 AM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Other "wrong" assumptions;Learning body language

Hi Guys,

Just a couple of things.

As far as the body language dilemma goes, I remember that when I was
growing up, I got the impression that it was polite to smile at people,
or that this made you to appear friendly.  This still seems to be the
consensus, although I am, even at middle age, still very self conscious
about it.  The reason is that, when I was a teenager, there were several
instances in which I didn't realize that a particular individual was
speaking to me.  In a conversation with my dad after one of these
episodes, he said to me, "you just sit there with that retarded smile of
yours."  So now, whenever I smile, I wonder if I am looking "retarded."

I also had a comment regarding the issue of trying to be more
considerate when explaining to the sighted how we do things.  One thing
that I find is that many of the things are so second nature to me, that
I find it difficult to break it down for someone who doesn't understand,
and explain to them how I do something.  It is just the standard
procedure for me.  Do you know what I mean?

For instance, if you were to ask a sighted person, "how do you eat,"
they would look at you like you were crazy.  Of course, they look at the
food, grab the fork and bring it up to their mouths and eat.  They would
find it a very stupid question.

Well, it is very much the same for those of us who have been dealing
with blindness all of our lives.  Yes, we have had to learn things and
get information a little differently, but once it is a part of us, it is
just the way we do things, and it isn't easy to understand why it hard
for someone else to comprehend. Does that make sense?

Diane Graves
Civil Rights Specialist
Indiana Civil Rights Commission
Alternative Dispute Resolutions Unit
317-232-2647

"IT is service that measures success."
George Washington Carver

Confidentiality Notice: This E-mail transmission may contain
confidential and/or legally privileged information intended only for the
individual or entity(ies)
named in the E-mail address. If you are not the intended recipient, be
advised that any unauthorized disclosure, copying, distribution, or
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Subsequently, delete the message from your system immediately.

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of Gary Wunder
Sent: Tuesday, June 02, 2009 10:07 PM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Other "wrong" assumptions;Learning body language

Appropriately putting on makeup is a major problem for many blind women,
and 
more of them should ask those who do it well and more of us should be
more 
open to admitting that the answers to things obvious to us once weren't.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve P. Deeley" <stevep.deeley at insightbb.com>
To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, June 02, 2009 7:14 PM
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Other "wrong" assumptions;Learning body language

> Connie:
> There are sighted individuals who are truly amazed how blind
individuals 
> function in such an  accomplish manner.  A lot of these individual
really 
> admire how a blind person is able to function.  I'm not certain if a 
> question dealing with how you apply your makeup is a dumb or stupid 
> question.  People are just curious.
> Steve.
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Constance Canode" <satin-bear at sbcglobal.net>
> To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, June 02, 2009 5:25 PM
> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Other "wrong" assumptions;Learning body
language
>
>
>> The stupidity of people never ceases to amaze me.  I was riding the
>> bus to work one morning and someone asked me how I applied my
>> makeup.  I was in a rotten mood and I responded that my husband's dog
>> did it with her long tail.  She believed it.  Again as you already
>> said, here's your sign.
>>
>> Connie Canode
>> At 09:30 PM 6/1/2009, you wrote:
>>>I had someone ask me once, If you are blind, how do you eat, you
>>>know, find your mouth with your fork...?
>>>I replied with, You can't see it, but I have a very fine fishing
>>>line around my plate and the other end is around my front tooth. I
>>>just follow th line up to my mouth.
>>>
>>>He said, Wow, I can't even see the line...
>>>Here's your sign!!
>>>I had a friend who had a black Lab assistance dog. She was going
>>>through a Wal-Mart checkout and the lady asked her if that was a
>>>blind dog? She told her that yeah she was, but that she wore the
>>>glasses and led her around so the dog would not lose confidence in 
>>>itself...
>>>Here's your sign!!
>>>
>>>Marty
>>>marty at theblindbean.com
>>>
>>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Gerardo Corripio"
>>><gera1027 at prodigy.net.mx>
>>>To: "Blind-Talk" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
>>>Sent: Sunday, May 31, 2009 2:05 PM
>>>Subject: [Blindtlk] Other "wrong" assumptions;Learning body language
>>>
>>>
>>>>Robert's message about false assumptions in the workplace reminded
>>>>me of the following incident:
>>>>The other day while attending a dinner with some coleagues one of
>>>>them asked "Are you able to eat on your own"? comment which angered
>>>>me, though I know the sighted person asked me with good intention
>>>>it still made me a bit angry to the point that I know still lots of
>>>>work needs to be done (especially in countries where the NFB isn't
>>>>well-known or even heard of); this is why I really enjoy the list;
>>>>ai always learn a lot from you guys.
>>>>This brings me to another question especially for those of you
>>>>blind from birth: How did you guys learn to use body language? I
>>>>sometimes get to thinking that aside from integrating more with the
>>>>sighted world, it saves our mouths from talking, especially while
>>>>eating or doing other things that at that moment doesn't permit us
to 
>>>>speak.
>>>>also, when saying no (shake of the head) is it from side to side by
>>>>moving the head from shoulder to shoulder or moving the head
>>>>clockwise or counterclockwise?
>>>>also what does srugging the shoulder signify? As you see we blind
>>>>from birth lose a lot of things by not being able to see. And when
>>>>I first introduced myself the RP I took it to mean Retinopathy of
>>>>Prematurity like in spanish, thus didn't think to clarify the
concept.
>>>>Gerardo
>>>>
>>>>_______________________________________________
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0q.com
>>>
>>>
>>>_______________________________________________
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40sbcglobal.net
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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40insightbb.com
>
>
>
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