[Blindtlk] Best places to live

Thu Oct 31 15:38:22 UTC 2013

Julie, I like this post. Thank you for it.

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Julie J.
Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2013 10:30 AM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Best places to live

Thank you David!  It is an individual choice and asserting that there is
some place that is best for all blind people is silly.

Cheryl, I do understand the people have different skills, abilities and 
needs.       I stated in an earlier post that if specialty health care was a

need of mine, I'd be miserable living here.

All I've been trying to say from the beginning is that there is no magic
answer.  What is right for one person may be a misery for the next. 
Blindness is only one factor among a sea of factors.  I think too often we
limit ourselves based on what we perceive as necessary or important to all
blind people.  If a blind person wrote in to the list that he or she wanted
to become a farmer, I have a hunch that there would be a lot of support,
because that's what we do...support each other in our career dreams. 
However in order to be a farmer you have to be near the fields.  That means
living in a rural location.  Sure that presents some challenges, but to that
person who loves the land and takes pride in the green fields, those
challenges won't become obstacles.

To the blind Mom who wants her kiddos to grow up with the best educational
opportunities, access to museums, ballet classes and the availability to
attend live theater...she's going to choose differently.

To  the college student who values cultural diversity and dreams of travel
to exotic places...the choice will not be that of the farmer or the Mom.

The farmer, the mother and the exchange student may have blindness in
common, but they are all very different, unique individuals with dreams and
goals that will be fulfilled by very different means.  I think we should
support those dreams and help them work through the unique challenges each
situation presents.  I say let your dream be your guide and figure out the
blindness stuff as it comes.  To do otherwise is letting our blindness limit
us.

Julie

-----Original Message----- 
From: Hyde, David W. (ESC)
Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2013 9:35 AM
To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Best places to live

There is no right answer to this question. I have lived in cities towns and 
rural areas. If you want to, and if you have the resources, one can make 
anything work. I make choices where I live now that I didn't need to mane in

Denver, or for that matter in Portage WI, that had a cab system which 
functioned as the mass transit. In Denver and Portage, transportation was 
easy. Here, busses have a more limited schedule, and cabs are more of a wish

than a reality. So, I choose to limit evening activities. I do use drivers, 
but I am cheap, so I use them reluctantly and sparingly.

The question shouldn't be "the best place to live" but rather "Where do you 
want to live, and what do you want there." With enough work, we can and do 
live anywhere we want to.

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Julie J.
Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2013 9:27 AM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Best places to live

I think the not getting out or traveling on your own happens in larger 
cities too.  If a person has had the opportunity to learn good travel 
skills, those skills can be applied in whatever situation a person finds 
themselves in.  certainly some individuals find travel in an urban setting 
easier, but I hold that is a factor of personal preference more so than 
blindness specifically.

Here in my small town there are things that are a fair bit away.  The middle

school is about a 30 minute brisk walk for me.  I present a program to the 
after school kids once a week or so up there.  It doesn't bother me to walk 
that distance carrying my materials.  It's probably close to 2 miles one 
way.  I find the walk peaceful and pleasant.

Contrast that to when I travel to a large city for meetings or whatever.
There is a lot of traffic, it's noisy, it feels like everything is piled up 
on top of everything else, the people all seem in a hurry, leaving me 
feeling like I'm constantly running behind and disconnected.  For me, it's 
not a blindness thing.  I can move around in larger cities just fine.  I 
just don't really like it.

Julie

-----Original Message-----
From: Sherri
Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2013 8:51 AM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Best places to live

I think as long as you have a way to get where you need to go, whether it be

the ability to walk places or good public transportation, personsl 
preference should count the most. The thing that concerns me are blind 
people who move to rural communities (not necessarily small towns where 
things are within walking distance) and then they can't get anywhere without

the help of a parent or friend. Lots of small towns in Florida are not easy 
to navigate by walking, because of lack of sidewalks and things being widely

spaced from one another.

Sherri
----- Original Message -----
From: "Julie J." <julielj at neb.rr.com>
To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2013 8:45 AM
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Best places to live

I think this topic is quite interesting.  The thing that fascinates me the
most is this concept that there is a best place to live and that somehow
blindness figures into that equation.   I think individual preferences are a
much greater predictor of happiness with your living arrangements than some
survey with scoring based on things that may or may not matter to you.

I live in a very small town, less than 8,000 people.  I am probably the
happiest I have been in my whole life.  I grew up in a large city of perhaps
400,000 people and have lived in a tiny town of about 500 people.   There
have been good points and bad to each.

What I'd suggest to anyone thinking of relocating for whatever reason is to
list what is really important to you, not what blind people are supposed to
find important.  Then look at the possibilities that meet your must have's
and would like to have lists.

I like the ability to walk most everywhere I want to go.  I like fresh air,
a slow pace, small family owned shops, very low crime and space, lots and
lots of space.  Things like buses and advanced medical facilities are not
all that important to me.  If they were, this town would be a misery.

I guess I'm just saying to put more emphasis on what is most important to
you as a person and less on what someone else has decided should be
important to you because you're blind.

Julie

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