[Blindtlk] Grilling question

Wed Aug 25 14:33:48 UTC 2010

I just love your kind, genuine and loving responses that you give to people.
Keep adding your tidbits because I am certain that those who read them are
greatly benefitted. 
Bonnie Lucas

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Gary Wunder
Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 8:44 AM
To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Grilling question

Hi Mari. I think the way most of us get over the ups and downs is by living
with them so long that they go away, or mostly so. I think there are times
when everyone of us goes through a day when we say "man, I wish the
transportation system were better for blind people. What a bummer it is not
to be able to drive my own car!" For many of us, however, we've simply
learned to plan, to work out arrangements where we pay people to do things
we can't do or trade them volunteer activities so that what we need gets
done. It isn't always easy, and it certainly isn't intuitive. It is
something one has to learn, and sometimes it means that we who are blind or
less spontaneous about things we do. If, for example, you are going to use
the pear transit system. You won't decide today at two o'clock that you are
going to the mall and be there by 3:30. You will decide today that you would
like to go to the mall, and you will go there sometime tomorrow. If you get
a stack of mail and don't happen to have technology that will let you easily
read it, you put it in a mail basket and you wait for your weekly visit from
someone who can sort through it and help you make appropriate responses.
These things won't seem normal at first, but they will over time, and they
are techniques which have been shown to work.

If you can arrange it, I think going to an NFB center is a splendid idea.
You will learn many techniques, but more importantly you will learn a
different way to think about being blind. I think it is a stretch to say
that I think of blindness as a blessing, but it is no exaggeration to look
at my life and admit that though blindness has cost me some opportunities,
it has also given me some. It has limited some of my decisions and has made
others possible. I don't know if I would have gone to college were it not
for the vocational rehabilitation program that offered to pay every red cent
that it took to get me through school. I doubt that I would have the current
job I have, or probably even the jobs before it. Most likely I would have
followed in the footsteps of my father who ran a successful excavating and
construction business, and who knows where I would be now. I might be
substantially better off based on thirty-five years of building a quality
business, or I might be suffering through the significant recession which
now finds many people in the construction industry out of work and fighting
to keep their own homes.

I think the key to being happy is captured, at least to some degree, in the
words of the serenity prayer, and then having the humility to be thankful
for what one has. Maybe if I could write all of the specifications God used
before placing me on the earth, I'd have designed a human being with the
brains of Bill Gates, the looks of Brad Pitt, and the sincerity of Jimmy
Stewart. As it is, God did the designing, so I'll just do my best to be Gary
Wunder.

It is very nice to meet you, Mari, and you'll make it through this
transition just fine. You have brains and a good heart. Those two assets are
golden.

Gary

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Mari Hunziker
Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2010 6:13 PM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Grilling question

Thank you so much for sharing that Mike. I would love to learn more about
the NFB centers. I am now needing more assistance in finding creative ways
of finding transportation for my son to get to and from school each day. Not
being able to drive or to do other things is a constant struggle. I wish
there was someway to get over the emotional roller coaster I ride every day.
Some days thinking its a blessing to be blind and other days it is a curse.
How have you all gotten over this?
Thanks,
Mari Hunziker

On Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 4:35 PM, Mike Freeman <k7uij at panix.com> wrote:

> As a matter of fact, one of the things done at our NFB centers is to 
> do some grilling and other chores that involve working with fire 
> precisely to get people over their fear of being burned. It's not 
> thatanyone wishes to be burned but (a) blindness doesn't increase 
> one's risks assuming one is careful and (b) we want to turn that fear 
> into what might be termed healthy respect for fire which still allows 
> one to work with it. At the end of the day, it becomes another lesson 
> that blindness need not prevent us from leading normal lives.
>
> Mike
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Andrews" <dandrews at visi.com>
> To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2010 1:22 PM
> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Grilling question
>
>
>  A totally blind person can grill or smoke.  i have a gas grill, and a
>> large off-set smoker and use them regularly.  I have also grilled 
>> with charcoal -- although the gas grill is easier.
>>
>> There are lots of techniques to do stuff.  One good source is our 
>> blind cooks list
>>
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blind-cooks_nfbnet.org
>>
>> Dave
>>
>> p.s.  You mentioned a "fear of getting burned."  Just like with an 
>> oven, a pot of boiling water, a gas stove etc., you can get burned if 
>> you don't do stuff carefully and correctly, but like with the other 
>> things there are ways.
>>
>>
>> At 08:42 AM 8/24/2010, you wrote:
>>
>>> Was anyone of you grillers afraid of the fire and the potential for 
>>> getting burned. That is what keeps me from doing it. We have a 
>>> charcoal grill/smoker. My brother, father and husband have mastered 
>>> the great taste of grilled food. I have always thought that I could 
>>> not grill or do things of that nature because I am blind(visually 
>>> impaired). I now think it might just be a fear of getting burned. I 
>>> do cook fairly well in doors, I never thought about trying it 
>>> outdoors. The next time we grill out. I will have to pay more 
>>> attention on how it is done so that I may someday try it. Who knows, 
>>> I may like doing it.
>>>
>>
>>                        David Andrews:  dandrews at visi.com Follow me on 
>> Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/dandrews920
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> blindtlk mailing list
>> blindtlk at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> blindtlk:
>>
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk_nfbnet.org/k7uij%40pan
>> ix.com
>>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> blindtlk mailing list
> blindtlk at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> blindtlk:
>
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk_nfbnet.org/marihunziker
> %40gmail.com
>
_______________________________________________
blindtlk mailing list
blindtlk at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
blindtlk:
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk_nfbnet.org/gwunder%40earthlin
k.net

_______________________________________________
blindtlk mailing list
blindtlk at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
blindtlk:
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk_nfbnet.org/lucas.bonnie%40gma
il.com