[BlindTlk] [BlTlk] Question about societal attitudes toward blindness

Sat Feb 22 19:12:06 UTC 2020

I am looking forward to more time with family and more work for my dog Cagney

Sent from my iPhone

> On Feb 22, 2020, at 1:26 PM, Chikodinaka mr. Oguledo via BlindTlk <blindtlk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> as a daddy of 2daughters. I have a new additude!
> 
>> On 2/22/20, Ericka via BlindTlk <blindtlk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> Congrats on the retirement and new adventures it will bring.
>> 
>> Ericka Nelson
>> 
>>> On Feb 22, 2020, at 10:28 AM, Catherine Clegg via BlindTlk
>>> <blindtlk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Thanks for sharing your story.  I just joined the list.  I am retiring
>>> soon and thought I would join a few lists.  I will be moving from PA to a
>>> senior living facility in Marylan.  I will be closer to my two daughters.
>>> 
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>> 
>>>> On Feb 21, 2020, at 12:51 PM, Chaim B. Segal via BlindTlk
>>>> <blindtlk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>  Hi Mike and All:
>>>> 
>>>> Chaim Segal here. I am nearly a year overdue to respond to this message
>>>> land thread. Long story, I have been lurking on the list, but too busy to
>>>> keep  up with E-mail listserves.  I still have quite a way to go,
>>>> however, I feel I need to jump in on this one. By the way, I think  you
>>>> know my wife Brooke, alias Hava.
>>>> 
>>>> Maybe I sing a different tune than others on here-especially those who
>>>> lost their sight later in life or have more residual vision than I have.
>>>> I am proud to say that my brother and I, who are both blind from birth,
>>>> are happily married to two unique women who are also blind from birth.
>>>> Before you ask, the answer is, yes, my wife and I both dated sighted
>>>> people in the past. In her case, the gentleman was in bad health and
>>>> passed away before the marriage could take place. In my case, the woman I
>>>> dated was extremely mentally ill, and, as affectionate and caring as she
>>>> was, I realized in time that a marital relationship would not work and
>>>> broke it off literally two weeks before the wedding. When I first met my
>>>> ex-fiaccé, she was rather shy about asking me questions about my
>>>> blindness, and I figured it out and was patient with her. I'd rather not
>>>> ramble on, but will get to the point.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> The blind community in it of itself is like the general world community,
>>>> inasmuch as we have different preferences and want different things from
>>>> life. Many of us on this list are either highly educated, or are in
>>>> school pursuing a higher education. Since my graduation from high school
>>>> in 1988, I have attended college here and there, but have found it a
>>>> rather isolating experience. I am 51 years old at this time, and am
>>>> considering someday obtaining a bachelor's in Rehab services or something
>>>> related. However, I seem to have better self-confidence  when I am out
>>>> there working a job. Thus, at this time, I am content to work as a
>>>> Collections Representative with Synchrony Bank. My job takes up most
>>>> usable time during the day, and I will have to figure out a way that any
>>>> more education can be worked in over the course of time. At some other
>>>> point, I will address the subject of online education on this list.
>>>> 
>>>> Getting back to the subject at hand, I strongly feel that the general
>>>> world out there is becoming increasingly visually-oriented-not that it
>>>> ever wasn't.  While I share interests with some members of the sighted
>>>> community, I feel as a blind adult that we have unique challenges and
>>>> situations that many sighted  folks just don't fully understand, except
>>>> for professionals in the field.  I found when dating blind versus
>>>> sighted, that we both  had a better understanding of each other and could
>>>> better relate and empathize together. Unfortunately, through a stroke of
>>>> bad luck, my wife and I have not been able to conceive. We have talked
>>>> about possibly adopting a  child some day. If we do, we are thinking in
>>>> the direction of adopting a blind child as we feel we can possibly be
>>>> better role-models than many sighted parents.
>>>> 
>>>> From what my oldest brother (sighted) told me, the biggest problem we
>>>> face in social situations is the inability to make that first eye contact
>>>> with sighted people. Apparently, when our eyes don't look back it causes
>>>> uneasiness, unless the sightty in question knows what they are looking
>>>> at.
>>>> Despite my choice and preference, I am all for all of us participating in
>>>> and taking part in events, activities, and recreation with sighted
>>>> people. Just know that it is only the very special among them who know
>>>> where to look that we have the best chance of long-lasting friendships.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Chaim and Nolan, my brand new Seeing Eye Dog
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Chaim B. Segal
>>>> 
>>>> Sent From My HIMS Braille Sense U2 Mini
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
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