[Blindtlk] Professions on list?
Chris Nusbaum
dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com
Tue Mar 26 00:42:03 UTC 2013
Yes you do. Wonderful story!
Chris
Chris Nusbaum, Co-Chair
Public Relations Committee
Maryland Association of Blind Students
Phone: (443) 547-2409
-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Gloria
Whipple
Sent: Monday, March 25, 2013 8:40 PM
To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Professions on list?
Hi Julie,
You are more than welcome!
You deserve all the complements posted here.
Thank you,
Gloria Whipple
-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Julie J.
Sent: Monday, March 25, 2013 17:14
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Professions on list?
You guys flatter me! Thank you, I'm so glad you found my life story
interesting. There have been so many awesome people that have helped me
out. I'm happy to give back, even if it's only a little.
Julie
-----Original Message-----
From: Gloria Whipple
Sent: Monday, March 25, 2013 12:23 PM
To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Professions on list?
Hi Julie,
I also enjoyed your story.
Thank you,
Gloria Whipple
-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Julie J.
Sent: Monday, March 25, 2013 10:15
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Professions on list?
Justin,
Aw...I don't know what to say. Honestly writing all that down was a bit of
an eye opener for me. I just do what I want to do and don't think too much
about it at the time. My life feels so ordinary. I often feel like I need
to be doing more. I appreciate your compliments!
Julie
On 3/24/2013 1:41 AM, justin williams wrote:
> Wow, Julie, You're kind of, well sort of just a little bit awesome.
> Determination, Tanacity, and ferocity all roled into one. What a career.
> Next drink I have, I'll be raising one to you.
> Cheers.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Julie J.
> Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2013 11:25 AM
> To: Blind Talk Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Professions on list?
>
> Peter,
>
> I'm not Cheryl, but I also became blind as an adult. Perhaps you, or
> someone else on list, will find something helpful in my story.
>
> > From a young age, I wanted to work with animals. I started training
dogs in
> high school. I was good at it and enjoyed it a lot. I decided to go
> to college to become a veterinary technician, a sort of veterinary
> nurse. At this time in my life my vision was about 20/100 after
> correction. I was never taught a single alternative skill. I didn't
> even know about CCTV's
or
> large print. This was before computers were mainstream.
>
> I didn't do so well in college. Partly that was because I lost a
> major portion of my vision during this time in my life and had zero
> alternative skills. But to be perfectly honest it was also because I
> wasn't ready for college or at least not the classroom part! I was 17
when I started
> college. I had lived a fairly sheltered life. My parents didn't go out
of
>
> their way to limit the things I did because of my visual impairment.
> However I lived in a place where it wasn't safe to go out at night alone.
I
> also feared doing many things because I didn't know how. I could have
taken
> the bus to go shopping or to a movie, but I didn't because I was afraid.
I
> isolated myself.
>
> I gave up on veterinary technology. Sometimes I regret this, but
> mostly I am grateful for the opportunities and experiences I have had.
> If I had
not
> lost most of the rest of my vision and made the choices I have, I
> would
not
> be where I am now. I love my life. If I could go back and change
anything,
> I don't think I would. I needed to make the bad decisions I did so I
could
> learn and grow.
>
> I'll fast forward a few years. I met a lot of people in college, made
many
> friends, one of them being my first husband. I had figured out that
> there were services for blind people, by accident. I was starting to
> see possibilities.
>
> We moved around a lot, eventually settling in one place long enough for me
> to finish my associates degree in sociology. Still no mainstream
> computers, but I had a borrowed CCTV and was using large print, readers,
> talking books and RFB&D for textbooks. My rehab counselor was my gateway
> to all things blindness related. I didn't know a single blind person.
>
> Then I became pregnant and my perspective on the skills I would need
changed
> dramatically. Now it was no longer about getting by or making do. I
needed
> to get myself together because now I was responsible for someone else.
> I learned Braille and cane travel right away. My rehab counselor and
teacher
> brought me the basic tools like a slate and stylus, Braille paper and
> a cane. they gave me brief lessons in how to use these tools. But
> when
they
> left I practiced like a mad woman. I was only given the first ten
> letters of the alphabet in my first lesson, but by the time my teacher
> came back I had filled up every sheet of paper she had left with every
> word I could think of with those ten letters. I took my cane when I
> went places. I wasn't very good with it, but I was learning.
>
> I attended a few workshops the state agency for the blind put on.
> these weren't skill based, but more like college and employment
> workshops. I
met
> other blind people. I soaked up everything like a sponge. I
> eavesdropped on other people's conversations, hoping to pick up
> tidbits that could help me. My world view of what I could do was
> changing rapidly. Before I met other blind people and started
> learning alternative skills, I thought I would work in jobs like
> housekeeper or dishwasher. After I met blind
people
> who were lawyers, genetic counselors, diesel mechanics, agency
> directors
and
> mothers I had hope for myself.
>
> I finished my last two years of college, graduating with a B.S. degree
> in sociology. I had no job prospects. My husband wanted to finish
> his
degree
> in the same town where the state residential training center for the
> blind was located. So he went to college and I went to get my
> blindness
training.
>
> I am so grateful to the progressive attitude of the Nebraska center
> for
the
> blind. they understood that my situation was unique and respected my
> choices. I lived in an apartment with my husband and Kiddo, while I
> went through center training, instead of their typical apartments for
> the students.
>
> The program is typically 6 to 9 months. I wasn't willing to give up
> that much time out of my life if I could at all help it. From the
> first day I was at the center I told the staff that I intended to
> finish in three months. I asked what I needed to do to make that
> happen. No delaying, no messing, no taking it easy, I asked them to
> lay it all out, give me homework...whatever it took, I meant to be
> done in three months. I read Braille on my lunch breaks, I practiced
> cane travel on weekends and
evenings
> on my own. I pushed myself hard. I finished in three and a half months.
>
> As a result of my center training, I met people who helped me with
> connecting to a temporary job with the Department of Labor. I started
> working as a Statistical Clerk directly after center training. It was
> a good job. It had many of the things I love, surveys, statistics,
> understanding groups of people and a nice paycheck. However it also
showed
> me that I needed some things I hadn't previously realized. I needed
> to
work
> more directly with people. I was stuck in a cubical all day and I
> hated
it.
>
> In the next years I worked at the same training center I had attended
> as a student. I went back to school, working toward a Masters degree
> in mental health counseling, but gave it up because I became too
> emotionally
invested,
> causing myself way too much stress. I got divorced and became a
> single
Mom.
>
> I moved into the first place where I was truly on my own, no husband
> or roommates.
>
> Fast forward a bit more, I moved into a very small town, got
> remarried, started my own business, sold the business and now work for
> county government. I honestly have had very little idea how I was
> going to
manage
> all the details of each of these life events before I jumped in. I
> had basic skills I felt I could apply. I had good connections with
> other
blind
> people, who could connect me with yet other blind people who had the
skills
> and techniques and were doing what I wanted to do. The most valuable
skills
> a blind person can possess are a willingness to explore, the ability
> to problem solve and the ability to advocate for oneself. Some good
> basic training in alternative skills and a network of people who will
> support
you
> are also important.
>
> To answer your specific questions...
> *How did you know the right skills or technologies to master in order
> to know which fields to go into being blind? *
>
> My answer, I didn't.
> I learned basic skills, like Braille, cane travel, JAWS and household
> skills. I practiced applying those basic skills in every situation I
could.
>
> I could use my cane to get to the grocery, the bank or the playground
> at
the
> park. The same basic techniques of two point touch, using landmarks,
> listening to the environment etc., but each situation was a bit different.
> I learned to problem solve on the fly.
>
> *How did you overcome or continue to
> overcome against the odds with the changing nature of technology, the
> economy and other adverse situations? *
>
> My answer. I'll try to give some examples that hopefully will help
> illustrate how I have managed.
> My current job as the Diversion Coordinator is grant funded. this
> means
it
> is unattractive to many people because funding is not guaranteed from
> one year to the next. I wanted a job and was willing to deal with
> this uncertainty. Although funding isn't certain, I do feel like I
> have a
decent
> amount of job security. After all crime isn't going away anytime soon.
> Each year I fill out the paperwork to get the grant money. I attend
> the training workshops on grant writing so I can get better. I have
> applied
for
> and gotten other grants to supplement or increase programs. I started
> an adult diversion program that is fee based. Last year our grant was
cut.
I
> lost about one quarter of my salary in that budget cut. However
> because I had started the fee based program my salary was able to stay the
same.
>
> There are a lot of bills being introduced in the legislature this year
that
> could potentially dramatically change diversion programming and
> juvenile justice in Nebraska. I have absolutely no idea if I will
> have a job next year, how different it will be or where funding will
> be coming from. It causes me some stress, but I feel like I do a good
> job and am respected at work. I am hopeful that between my own
> ingenuity and the support of my supervisor we will be able to figure it
out.
>
> In case I am wrong I have also started a web based business. It will
> take
a
> good year for it to be fully functional and making money. If all goes
well
> it will be some supplemental income, if all goes badly, it will be
something
> to fall back on. I believe in diversifying one's financial portfolio.
> I have also written a book and will be putting that on the market shortly.
> another way to earn a bit and to keep all the eggs out of that one basket.
>
> As far as technology...mostly I figure it out as I go. Since I've
> started my job the Crime Commission created an online way to document
> cases and to our statistical reporting. It had issues, so I contacted
> the folks in charge and pressed hard for them to fix it so it would be
accessible.
There
> are laws about making stuff accessible for blind people. It has taken
four
> years, but finally everything is working as it should.
>
> I just bought an iPad late last summer. I have never had any training
> on how to use it. I know from other blind people that it would be
> accessible out of the box. The first few days were frustrating
> because it is so different from anything I am used to, but I got the
> hang of it. I have learned how to use it by trial and error. When I
> get stuck I ask the nice folks on this list or some of the other blind
> people I know who use I devices. I now use the iPad daily for my wake
> up alarm, calendar, email, internet, games, dictionary, and other life
details.
>
> I guess this huge novel I've written sums up to: I start by figuring
> out what I want to do, then I figure out how to do it. I figure if I
> do nothing, I will be exactly where I am now in a year. If I try
> something,
I
> have the chance to better myself. I might not make the right decision
> or
do
> the right thing, but I will be guaranteed to learn something, even if
> what
I
> learn is what doesn't work.
> All my best,
> Julie
>
>
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