[Blindtlk] Making our home comfortable for sighted folks

Mon Dec 19 06:18:48 UTC 2011

My first husband was totally blind and we still hung pictures.  My 
husband now is legally blind but a pretty high partial and we still 
have pictures, especially our wedding pictures and I have one old 
picture that I treasure.  It is picture of myself when I was about 2 
years old with my father.  It is the only picture of him that I have 
and just knowing it is there brings me joy.  My parents divorced a 
couple of years later and he passed away when I was in high 
school.  It is an old black and white, but I paid a fortune for the 
frame and well worth it.  As for plants, forget it.  I have killed so 
many plants that if plant murder were illegal, I would surely be in a 
small cell wearing a number.  I have a perpetual black thumb of doom 
and even though I have tried to do all of the right things, the only 
thing I have ever grown is weeds and somehow they just don't look 
good on your window sill.

At 08:31 PM 12/18/2011, you wrote:
>There seems to be a thing that concerns me a bit regarding placing pictures
>on the wall. We can't feel  or see the pictures, so why is it necessary to
>put pictures on the wall when they are not accessible to us? Those pieces of
>frame are just frames to us, not images of our family or memories of
>whatever. I believe that, if we are to make our homes inviting and appealing
>to the sighted people that come, the adornments and "pretty" things that we
>put in there must be accessible to the blind person or people that live in
>there too. One example of this is with the picture thing, sighted people can
>see far away and they tend to look at many things in the house including the
>pictures that were hung up on the wall. It could be that as an example the
>sighted mom has time to spare and is doing nothing, but because of her
>gazing eyes, she might look at that beautiful picture of her cute 1-year-old
>making mischief and her brain brings up fond memories. Well...of course the
>dad too, and that son or daughter. (smile!) this, of course, was an example
>of how the sighted can look at everything and especially within pictures;
>there are many more. So if I was to make my home more appealing to sighted
>guests, it would be with plants. Trust me I am not a plant person and even
>if it is not a guy thing, plants can be pretty much a way to make the home
>more welcoming to sighted, and yes, blind guests and family. Plants can be
>touched and caressed. They can also make you work because they have to be
>watered but that's something else, and, plus, they, according to sighted
>people, look nice inside. But that's a personal thing. I'd get permission
>and feedback from my wife (either blind / sighted) first though, if I want
>to get married and make my house look appealing. Any opinions?
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>Behalf Of Gary Wunder
>Sent: Sunday, December 18, 2011 7:44 AM
>To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
>Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Making our home comfortable for sighted folks
>
>Hi Jim. I wouldn't buy a new TV, but I think we should do things that make
>our homes appealing to sighted folks. If we don't, our homes stand in stark
>contrast to what we say about ourselves. Pictures on the wall: you bet.
>Lights that work: absolutely.
>
>I think you are on target my friend.
>
>Gary
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>Behalf Of Jim Portillo
>Sent: Saturday, December 17, 2011 3:37 AM
>To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
>Subject: [Blindtlk] Making our home comfortable for sighted folks
>
>Hi there,
>
>
>
>Here's a question that I guess could also be somewhat philosophical.  As
>blind folks, do you think we have a responsibility to not only make our
>homes comfortable and accessible for us and the folks with whom we live, but
>also to sighted folks?
>
>I've heard comments in the past that basically say that since it's a blind
>person's home, then the only thing that should be of concern is that things
>are comfortable and accessible for the blind person.
>
>
>
>I've been thinking a lot about this over a long period of time.  I have some
>friends that come over, and one in particular who stays in my guest room
>when he's in town, and when all of that happens, I'm the only blind person
>around.  All of a sudden, I begin to think about lights and the amount of
>light in a room.  I begin thinking of making sure that appliances that are
>labeled in Braille are done using clear tape so that they can also use them.
>I even began thinking of the layout of my living room and how one of my
>friends finally said that it was uncomfortable to do things like watch TV or
>watch movies, because of how my furniture and TV are placed.  People have to
>face sideways to be able to watch TV.  And, my TV is so old that it doesn't
>support or have HD capabilities.
>
>
>
>I began wondering about the importance of a blind person having an
>aesthetically or visually appealing house, not only for himself but also for
>the sighted friends and family that come to visit.  Are we being selfish by
>not considering these things, or should sighted company learn to live with
>how we have things and deal with them?
>
>
>
>I'm beginning to think that if I care about my friends and family, then I
>should do something to make them feel comfortable in a place where they
>spend quite a bit of time.  But then, where does one draw the line?
>
>
>
>Anyway, hope you don't mind the question.  Just curious what other blind
>folks (especially those who are totally blind) think.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Jim
>
>
>
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