[Blindtlk] Best places to live

Thu Oct 31 19:16:53 UTC 2013

Having grown up in the suburban sprawl of an over-grown small town,
lived in San Francisco, later a small tourist town of 37,000 and now
in Berkeley, Calif., just across the bay from San Francisco, I would
say for me personally that the number one criterion in a place to live
is the ability to go places without asking people for rides. We have
excellent public transportation here, but there was also a lot to be
said for being able to walk to basically everything when I briefly
lived in a small town. There is also something to be said for not
being the only blind person in a place; here in Berkeley I encounter
several other blind people a week, and even if they don't say hello,
not being alone is empowering.

Best,

Paul

On 10/31/13, justin williams <justin.williams2 at gmail.com> wrote:
> I try to buy someone's coffee, or diner, or something like that.  A way of
> reciprocating.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Hyde,
> David
> W. (ESC)
> Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2013 11:13 AM
> To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Best places to live
>
> I agree, but with a but. Money is not the only way to pay someone. I try to
> get my students to think of things that they do well which they can share
> with others. In college, I learned to make a couple of good meals. When I
> needed transportation, or more frequently, a reader, I would invite that
> person over for dinner to thank them. I have colleagues here who are happy
> to drive, and will not accept payment. So I try to find something I can do
> for them. Now that I can afford it, a gas card magically appears in their
> box. If they need something written, and I do that fairly well, I'm happy
> to
> ghost writer. (yes, even on Halloween.) Barter is alive and well.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of justin
> williams
> Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2013 9:54 AM
> To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Best places to live
>
> If you don't have the money to cab it, and your public transit is not ver
> good, and some things are to far, then you can't do but so much traveling.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Julie J.
> Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2013 10:27 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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