[Blindtlk] Professions on list?

Mon Mar 25 13:36:32 UTC 2013

    The word unique suffices for the feats of these innovaters okay? I
just don't like to expect less to think that the benchmarks have been
completed cause clearly that they haven't. I'm a person who attempts
with reason to expect more of less than perfect circumstances. Also, I
don't like to rise my expectations to levels unobtainable within
reason so am self-adjusting to reality not in a dream-state of
innocence or of pessimism. Hopefully there will be a comprehensive
study of all professions by blind people to reduce objectively the
existing barriers and how we can best eliminate remaining barriers in
a scientific fashion with percision not just opinions. Anyways, I hope
for such an ambitious undertaking cause I'd volunteer for such a
mission myself. BTW: I'd like to see a comprehensive database of
software that would be rated by blind people on a star system and all
too!


hugs,
Peter

On 3/24/13, justin williams <justin.williams2 at gmail.com> wrote:
> I don't like the word odd either.  Unique, is my preferred word if we need
> one.  The only reason I say uniqu is because of the sighted individuals who
> have done things such as skydiving from space.  That was incredible.  It is
> not that we don't acknowledge a certan nonconformity to norms when a blind
> person becomes a doctor, or takes up a less mainstream profession, but the
> word oddity means sounds to much like  freek.    I like a little
> nonconformidy.  I dance to the beat of my own  drumb.  And if I don't have
> a
> drum, I'll just beat on yours.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Marion
> Gwizdala
> Sent: Monday, March 25, 2013 5:45 AM
> To: Blind Talk Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Professions on list?
>
> Peter,
>     I think that using the word "oddity" to describe the accomplishments of
> blind people who have unusual vocations demonstrates a stereotype that
> blind
> people are inherently relegated to specific occupations and those who break
> the stereotype are odd. You mentioned, for instance, "a medical doctor in
> the ACB" who, it seems, only accomplished this because he was sighted when
> he received his medical degree. How, then, do you explain the medical
> doctor
> in the NFB who has been blind all his life? Just because one believes a
> blind person cannot do some thing or another does not mean this belief is
> fact and, by doing so, that person is odd! This person, in my opinion, is a
> trailblazer and other blind people are encouraged to break the stereotypes
> that bind us to misconceptions of what is possible.
>     For a very long time, people believed that breaking the 4-minute mile
> mark was impossible and, though many came close, this belief kept people
> from accomplishing this task. Once the 4-minute mile barrier was broken,
> there came the realization that this was possible and people have broken
> that mark time and time again. The adage of my private practice is  Henry
> Ford's quotation"Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're
> right!"
>
> Fraternally yours,
> Marion Gwizdala
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Peter Wolfe" <yogabare13 at gmail.com>
> To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2013 9:36 PM
> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Professions on list?
>
>
>> Mike,
>>
>>
>>    Thanks for your e-mail even if it assumes things that I don't
>> believe in or have stated! Much of what you said that I covered in my
>> questions e-mail! Anyways, I do appreciate the sincere effort and have
>> heard of oddities of feats of some blind people that can have multiple
>> reasons not just one reason like having vision prior like a medical
>> doctor in ACB in Houston, Texas just a small example with former sight
>> or whatever.
>>
>>
>>    What type of computer programming do you do Mike or have done in
>> your past jobs? I'm curious cause this is something that is a hobby of
>> mine and something that I've become rusty in as well. My thing is that
>> I don't know nemeth code and was openly discouraged by the Principle
>> of American School for the Blind and was openly referred to get my GED
>> not my high school diploma because of that conversation that we had. I
>> also wonder with shifting software that has it become easier in your
>> jobs or harder to keep up especially with unfamilar technology
>> unaccessible to the blind? I wonder how flexible the employers whether
>> private or public have been in such scenarios?
>>
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Peter
>>
>> On 3/24/13, Bryan Schulz <b.schulz at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>>> hi,
>>>
>>> sometimes you have to do your own research as well.
>>> i found info about a whole plant of blind guys performing cnc machine
>>> work
>>> producing parts for Boeing but never heard of those guys in 20 years
>>> because
>>>
>>> they aren't associated with the nfb or blue collar isn't deemed as
>>> popular
>>> or important than white collar jobs.
>>>
>>> Bryan Schulz
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Mike Freeman" <k7uij at panix.com>
>>> To: "'Blind Talk Mailing List'" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2013 11:31 AM
>>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Professions on list?
>>>
>>>
>>>> Peter:
>>>>
>>>> Before proceeding, I'll tell you that I *do* worry about the economy
>>>> and
>>>> out-sourcing although that last trend is abating as foreign labor
>>>> becomes
>>>> more expensive and makes employment here in the U.S. attractive again.
>>>> I
>>>> worry what will happen to people who heretofore had skilled jobs that
>>>> might
>>>> not have required a college degree but now do. And I worry especially
>>>> about
>>>> what will happen to unskilled and semi-skilled jobs in an economy that
>>>> requires more and more high-tech skills. But these are generalized
>>>> worries
>>>> and apply to blind and sighted alike.
>>>>
>>>> Now then: it is the contention of Federationists in general that your
>>>> asking
>>>> the questions ass-backward. You ask: what can the blind do and within
>>>> the
>>>> jobs available by this answer, what might I be interested in. Most of
>>>> us
>>>> contend -- and it was and is the model on which NFB training centers
>>>> and
>>>> those who follow their precepts believe in -- that, like everyone else,
>>>> you
>>>> should instead be asking: what do I want to do with my life? What
>>>> interests
>>>> me? And *then* you ask not whether but, rather, *how* you would do
>>>> whatever
>>>> it is as a blind person. The answer may, indeed, at the moment be that
>>>> you
>>>> will not be able to do exactly what you want. For example, you might
>>>> not
>>>> be
>>>> able to be a long-haul truck-driver. But this may not always be the
>>>> case
>>>> and
>>>> in the meantime, you *could* operate a trucking company (I knew a blind
>>>> man
>>>> who did just that). Incidentally, I've known people who were
>>>> electricians,
>>>> software engineers or computer programmers who all were blind. I met a
>>>> blind
>>>> plumber once who did his own pipe soldering (how, I do not know). I met
>>>>
>>>> a
>>>> guy at a Federation convention who had a hum-drum civil service day job
>>>> but
>>>> as a hobby was a SCUBA enthusiast. His local police department employed
>>>> him
>>>> to search underwater for cars and bodies that had suffered the
>>>> misfortune
>>>>
>>>> of
>>>> landing in nearby rivers and lakes. It didn't matter to *him* that the
>>>> water
>>>> was mirky and he couldn't see six inches in front of his face -- he
>>>> couldn't
>>>> anyway! The kicker of all this was that he made more money with his
>>>> hobby
>>>> doing that than he did at his day job. I've been kicking myself ever
>>>> since
>>>> that I didn't get the guy's name.
>>>>
>>>> Once you've decided what interests you, you get on lists such as this
>>>> one
>>>> and ask how you could do whatever it is you want to do as a blind
>>>> person.
>>>>
>>>> Or
>>>> you could write to Dr. Maurer and ask. Every once-in-a-while,
>>>> Federation
>>>> officers and rank-and-file members are asked to contact and/or mentor
>>>> someone who wants to do something but doesn't know how as a blind
>>>> person
>>>> and
>>>> it is known that someone in the Federation does that very thing. The
>>>> subjects of such inquiry can range from jobs to marching in a high
>>>> school
>>>> marching band (some blind folks from Ohio were in the Rose Parade a
>>>> while
>>>> back). Mrs. Maurer who had, herself, been in a marching band, answered
>>>> that
>>>> query.
>>>>
>>>> You could also get in contact with your state's agency rendering rehab
>>>> and/or other services to the blind. These range from abominable to
>>>> excellent. In any event, it is part of the mandate of these agencies to
>>>> provide to you or see to it that you are provided with the skills and
>>>> knowledge to do what you wish -- and *you* are in the driver's seat
>>>> here
>>>> although it may take some convincing of bureaucrats to get them to
>>>> recognize
>>>> this.
>>>>
>>>> The keys here are a can-do attitude and flexibility.
>>>>
>>>> Does this always work? Of course not. But then job-seeking efforts of
>>>> the
>>>> sighted don't work always, either. And there's no question but that
>>>> there
>>>>
>>>> is
>>>> prejudice against the blind (not out of hatred, mostly, but out of
>>>> misguided
>>>> kindness). But we in the Federation seek to equip you with the tools
>>>> and
>>>> attitudes you'll need to overcome this prejudice.
>>>>
>>>> I don't necessarily expect you to put much credence in this answer, at
>>>> least
>>>> at first, but there it is.
>>>>
>>>> Mike Freeman
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Peter
>>>> Wolfe
>>>> Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2013 5:41 AM
>>>> To: Blind Talk Mailing List
>>>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Professions on list?
>>>>
>>>> cheryl,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>    I have a question for just like me weren't born blind but became
>>>> blind later in life. How did you know the right skills or technologies
>>>> to master in order to know which fields to go into being blind? This
>>>> is a question that I've puzzled on for a decade that i've found no
>>>> satisfactory answer for in my circumstance. At one time, I wanted to
>>>> be an electrician or software engineer or computer science cause of
>>>> loving to fiddle with things like my father who was a electrical
>>>> engineer for a utility company in my native Texas. However, my sights
>>>> are much lower with experience and discouragement of many
>>>> institutions, indvidiausl and even bios that I've read on NFB, AFB or
>>>> talking to fellow blind individuals that I gave up on those goals.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>    I'd really appreciate any feedback to the above paragraphy even
>>>> criticism of it. It bleeds into my second and last question that I've
>>>> also been puzzled with too. Once you do decide your profession that we
>>>> all have problems with the skills and tools in our collective
>>>> professions at times right? How did you overcome or continue to
>>>> overcome against the odds with the changing nature of technology, the
>>>> economy and other adverrse situations? Yes, I know the general just
>>>> seems so hard for us or impossible in whole industries being
>>>> outsourced or done away in automation or whatever. I don't think its
>>>> an easy nor exactly fair question but worth throwing out there cause
>>>> its hard on everyone right now not just the blind. I try to keep this
>>>> prospective as I pursue employment that isn't that comforting as your
>>>> denied a job though. I don't mean any of my questions with any
>>>> disrespect at all just think lots of you come across as idealist or
>>>> naive on the state of the economy or of what blind people can do in
>>>> the real economy.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Thanks,
>>>> Peter
>>>>
>>>> On 3/24/13, cheryl echevarria <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> Good morning all:
>>>>> For someone who before losing her vision at 35, I was a college
>>>>> graduate
>>>> of
>>>>> Culinary Arts and also Business.
>>>>> I didn't pursue the Culinary Arts part of the Profession, but it help
>>>>> me
>>>>> learn the proper ways to cook and my family appreciates all the things
>>>>>
>>>>> I
>>>>> made then and now then and restaurant could plus it did help with my
>>>>> cooking skills after losing my vision doing to smell touch taste,
>>>>> hearing
>>>>> when things boil, feeling the heat of the stove and steam, and also
>>>>> good
>>>>> knife skills.
>>>>> The business part always helps in any profession.
>>>>> For 20+ years even in my late teens, I always worked in an
>>>>> office/sales
>>>>> enviroment to help with paying off school. Worked in the field until
>>>>> 2001
>>>> as
>>>>> an Administrative Assistant to the owner/president of a small sales
>>>> company
>>>>> here on Long Island for a number of years, until I had to leave due to
>>>>> medical issues that I eventually lost my vision.
>>>>> After that I and when I was able to do so and had gotten re-trained by
>>>>> the
>>>>> VR Centers here I became the 1st Blind person here on Long Island to
>>>>> be
>>>>> a
>>>>> graduate of one of our prestigage medical billing schools. I worked as
>>>>>
>>>>> a
>>>>> medical biller for one of the large laboratory (Blood and other
>>>>> testing
>>>>> companies here on Long Island), and then I started my own business in
>>>> 2009,
>>>>> I am a Travel Agent, and as you can read by my signature here, have
>>>>> been
>>>>> recognized by my state and Vocational Rehab organizations here in NY
>>>>> as
>>>> well
>>>>> as by Governor Cuomo.
>>>>> We can be anything we want, it is a matter of learning on how to do
>>>>> it.
>>>>> I also share what I dont in the travel industry for us all. I fight
>>>>> for
>>>> all
>>>>> of us, and educate those companies that don't.
>>>>> Cheryl
>>>>>
>>>>> Disabled Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 of NY State
>>>>> Leading the Way in Independent Travel!SNG Certified - Accessible
>>>>> Travel
>>>>> Advocate!Cheryl Echevarria,
>>>>>
>>>>
> Ownerhttp://www.echevarriatravel.com631-456-5394reservations@echevarriatrave
>>>> l.comhttp://www.echevarriatravel.wordpress.com2012
>>>>> Norwegian Cruise Line University Advisory Board Member.
>>>>> Affiliated as an independent contractor with Montrose TravelCST -
>>>>> #1018299-10Echevarria Travel and proud member of the National
>>>>> Federation
>>>> of
>>>>> the Blind will be holding a year round fundraiser for the
>>>>> http://www.NFBNY.org after Hurricane Sandy and other resources. Any
>>>> vacation
>>>>> package booked between November 6 2012-November 6, 2013 and vacation
>>>>> must
>>>> be
>>>>> traveled no later than 12/30/2014 a percentage of my earnings will go
>>>>> to
>>>> the
>>>>> affiliate.  Also is you book a Sandals for couples or Beaches for
>>>>> families
>>>>> and friends resorts vacation, $100.00 per booking will go to the
>>>>> affiliate
>>>>> as well.  You do not need to be a member of the NFB.org, just book
>>>>> through
>>>>> us.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> From: blind411 at verizon.net
>>>>>> To: blindtlk at nfbnet.org
>>>>>> Date: Sat, 23 Mar 2013 23:11:56 -0400
>>>>>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Professions on list?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Peter,
>>>>>>     There is a wealth of information available on various professions
>>>>>> blind
>>>>>> people perform available through the NFB. As for me, I had a
>>>>>> challenging
>>>>>> time deciding what I wanted to be when I grew up and, since I have
>>>>>> not
>>>> yet
>>>>>>
>>>>>> grown up, am still deciding! (grin) I have been a professional
>>>>>> musician
>>>>>> since I was 16 years old. In my 20s I pursued a career in sales and
>>>>>> eventually found myself recruiting people to work overseas. After
>>>>>> saddam
>>>>>> Hussein invaded Kuwait, the bottom fell out of the overseas
>>>>>> employment
>>>>>> market, so I went back to school, got a Bachelor's degree in
>>>>>> Psychology
>>>>>> followed by a master of Science degree in Mental Health Counseling. I
>>>>>> am
>>>>>> currently in private practice as a Life coach and Hypnotherapist,
>>>>>> though
>>>> I
>>>>>>
>>>>>> still perform regularly and serve Unity North Tampa as their Music
>>>>>> Director.
>>>>>>     When I do my public speaking, whether for the NFB or for kairos
>>>> Health
>>>>>> &
>>>>>> Wellness Center (my private practice, see http://www.KairosHWC.com)
>>>>>> I
>>>>>> generally employ music as a tool to engage and underscore my talks. I
>>>>>> share
>>>>>> this with you to encourage you to develop several talents and use all
>>>> your
>>>>>>
>>>>>> assets as you network with others!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Fraternally yours,
>>>>>> Marion Gwizdala, President
>>>>>> National Association of Guide Dog Users (NAGDU)
>>>>>> National Federation of the Blind
>>>>>> 813-626-2789
>>>>>> President at NAGDU.ORG
>>>>>> HTTP://WWW.NAGDU.ORG
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>>> From: "Peter Wolfe" <yogabare13 at gmail.com>
>>>>>> To: <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>> Sent: Saturday, March 23, 2013 10:57 PM
>>>>>> Subject: [Blindtlk] Professions on list?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> > Dear fellow NFB-Talk participants,
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> >    What professions or careers have you guys or gals done in your
>>>>>> > lifestime? I'm gearing this question towards those with little to
>>>>>> > no
>>>>>> > vision using either screen readers and or braille as their main
>>>>>> > form
>>>>>> > of performing the tasks of their personal to professionl
>>>>>> > livelyhood.
>>>>>> > I
>>>>>> > believe that such lists like the Federal Muster or NFB's Jobs list
>>>>>> > are
>>>>>> > far too formal and don't facilitate legimate conversations on such
>>>>>> > topics. Maybe tell about some of your challenges, academic history
>>>>>> > and
>>>>>> > advice for blind people to enter your fields. Thank you all so
>>>>>> > much,
>>>>>> > so would like to gleam something in counseling or something myself
>>>>>> > out
>>>>>> > of this dialogue or abstract coping mechanism or something.
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> > Thank you,
>>>>>> > Peter
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> > _______________________________________________
>>>>>> > blindtlk mailing list
>>>>>> > blindtlk at nfbnet.org
>>>>>> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk_nfbnet.org
>>>>>> > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info
>>>>>> > for
>>>>>> > blindtlk:
>>>>>> >
>>>>
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk_nfbnet.org/blind411%40verizon.net
>>>>>> >
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> blindtlk mailing list
>>>>>> blindtlk at nfbnet.org
>>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk_nfbnet.org
>>>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>>>> blindtlk:
>>>>>>
>>>>
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk_nfbnet.org/cherylandmaxx%40hotmai
>>>> l.com
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> blindtlk mailing list
>>>>> blindtlk at nfbnet.org
>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk_nfbnet.org
>>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>>> blindtlk:
>>>>>
>>>>
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk_nfbnet.org/yogabare13%40gmail.com
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Cordially,
>>>> Peter Q Wolfe, BA
>>>> cum laude Auburn University
>>>> e-mail: yogabare13 at gmail.com
>>>> "If you don't stand up for something your willing to fall for anything"
>>>> Peter Q Wolfe
>>>> "Stand up for your rights"
>>>> Bob Marley
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>> blindtlk:
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> et
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>>
>> --
>> Cordially,
>> Peter Q Wolfe, BA
>> cum laude Auburn University
>> e-mail: yogabare13 at gmail.com
>> "If you don't stand up for something your willing to fall for anything"
>> Peter Q Wolfe
>> "Stand up for your rights"
>> Bob Marley
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>
>
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-- 
Cordially,
Peter Q Wolfe, BA
cum laude Auburn University
e-mail: yogabare13 at gmail.com
"If you don't stand up for something your willing to fall for anything"
Peter Q Wolfe
"Stand up for your rights"
Bob Marley