[il-talk] Proving your blindness

Wed Feb 17 03:21:06 UTC 2016

Agree. This would make an excellent article.
Lh

Sent from my iPhone

> On Feb 16, 2016, at 7:29 PM, pattischang--- via il-talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> I really think the string would make a good newsletter article. I like the varying opinions. We all experience the frustration and have different ideas about it. Well I agree that one should endeavor to never lose one's temper, I also think we have to forgive ourselves if we are imperfect. I have not lost my temper in  years but I like the public tend to remember the occasions when that happens as opposed to the hundreds of occasions when I am calm cool and collected.
> 
> 
> Live the life you want.  Every day we raise the expectations of blind  people in the National Federation of the Blind.
> 
> Patti S. Gregory-Chang
> NFBI Treasurer
> NFB Scholarship Comm. Chair
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
> On Feb 16, 2016, at 6:51 PM, Deborah Kent Stein via il-talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> Unfortunately we all have stories like this. The other day when I boarded
> the Blue Line at Harlem Avenue, the conductor came over to me and said that
> he couldn't close the door until I told him the stop where I intended to get
> off. It was about 4 above zero. I was so nonplused all I could do was repeat
> his preposterous statement - I said, "You can't close the door until I tell
> you where I'm going?" He assured me that this was indeed the case. By then
> I'm certain we had the attention of everybody in the car, because it was
> freezing in there, but I wasn't about to tell him where I was going. I had
> to say, "I'm fine," "I'll be okay," etc. at least three times before he
> finally marched off muttering, "I was only trying to help!" and closed the
> door. 
> 
> This is not typical of my experience on CTA; I just ran into a problem
> conductor. But it is typical of a certain kind of encounter where a person
> feels compelled to do something when they see me. I don't believe they think
> it through at all; they just see a blind person and somehow the idea that
> the situation calls for new rules and exceptional behaviors kicks in. It can
> be a real challenge to keep one's temper, but if we lose it, that's what the
> witnesses around us are likely to remember, which is why we occasionally
> need to vent in forums like this one. Thanks for listening!
> 
> Debbie S.
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: il-talk [mailto:il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
> pattischang--- via il-talk
> Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2016 5:49 PM
> To: Leslie Hamric <lhamric930 at comcast.net>
> Cc: pattischang at gmail.com; NFB of Illinois Mailing List <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [il-talk] Proving your blindness
> 
> This reminds me of the security screening I went through yesterday. I was
> ready to go through the metal detector and the security personnel started to
> insist that I stick up my hand so that he could manhandle me through the
> system. When I refused of course I got the I was  only trying to assist. I
> really want to know sometimes why people think that they know better than I
> do how to manage my blindness.  If he wants to explain the NTSA policies
> that is one thing but I have a little more experience managing blindness
> than he does.
> 
> This is part of why I think that we get the you have too much attitude
> response. I honestly think that people feel they know best.
> 
> 
> Live the life you want.  Every day we raise the expectations of blind
> people in the National Federation of the Blind.
> 
> Patti S. Gregory-Chang
> NFBI Treasurer
> NFB Scholarship Comm. Chair
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
> On Feb 16, 2016, at 5:33 PM, Leslie Hamric <lhamric930 at comcast.net> wrote:
> 
> Maybe were taught to sit back and wait because if we try to get it
> ourselves, we will knock stuff over. Or we might make a mess of the table
> because we don't know where anything is, things like that. I'll give you an
> example. Before I went to Northern, I was convinced that I could not defrost
> my own refrigerator. I was convinced by my dad that I had to wait for him to
> do it. It was a mini fridge like what you have in your dorm room. Will Linn
> Sorge got a hold of me. And she said there's absolutely no reason why I
> couldn't do it myself. And she told me how to defrost the fridge. I went
> ahead and did it and it was easier than I thought. My dad also had me
> convinced that I could not hook up my own computers are taking apart.
> Well,Linn had a talk with me again. She actually suggested I label my
> computer and I labeled the cord so I know what went with what. So that
> started the normal practice of me setting up my own computer and taking it
> apart. My dad was literally shocked I could do all these things by myself.
> And so was I. I remember thinking, what was that I shown how to do this
> sooner? But like most of us, I had a drummed into my head all these years
> that I had to ask for help for so much stuff, a lot more than what I
> actually needed.when I was at Northern, I insisted on Learning how to change
> a string on my cello so if one broke while I was practicing, I would be able
> to take care of it and MoveOn. My teacher was all for it. So we spent a
> lesson one day working on changing strings. Are your later, I noticed that
> one of my strings was on its way to breaking and I decided to change it
> during one of my practice sessions. I had the envelopes for each string came
> labeled in braille so I knew what was what. I was able to take care of it
> with no problems at all. Sure, I could've had somebody do it for me, but
> cited cellists  are expected to change their own strings  and why shouldn't
> I be expected to tdo the same? One last example, Michael had gone to
> preschool one day last year and unknowingly, had a rash all over his his
> body. I had no idea that he had a rash because it was not tactile. the
> school first called me, and my cell phone was in accessible of the time so
> then they called  my friend Sarah   and Sarah want to come pick Michael up
> right away they wanted my friend Sara to get him right away without
> consulting me that Sarah held firm. She said she wasn't going to do anything
> until she talk to me first. Sero-was next in line and my emergency contact
> list. The two of us connected and we went over to get Michael. But Sara did
> not go in with me. Because she wanted the nurse to deal with me directly.
> Do you know what the nurse Ask me? Why didn't  your husband tell you that
> your son had a rash? I just said since it was not tactile, I wouldn't know
> because I couldn't see it. And over the years, I've also gotten the very
> familiar: don't be so touchy! People are just trying to help you. The
> problem is, they're helping me the way they think I need it not what I need.
> Leslie She didn't like that answer but  I don't care.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
>> On Feb 16, 2016, at 3:59 PM, pattischang at gmail.com wrote:
>> 
>> I'm not sure how to express my thoughts on this. But, I do believe that
> there's a basic expectation that we should be grateful for any and all
> assistance and we should not be assertive. This comes across in many ways.
> It comes across in people's comments but it also comes across every time
> someone says please honey you just sit and I will get it for you. I would
> love to hear others' thoughts on this. It might even make a good article for
> our newsletter.
>> 
>> Along similar lines, it concerns me that some of us seem to be more
> passive than is needed. In other words are we taught to sit back and wait?
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Live the life you want.  Every day we raise the expectations of blind
> people in the National Federation of the Blind.
>> 
>> Patti S. Gregory-Chang
>> NFBI Treasurer
>> NFB Scholarship Comm. Chair
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>>> On Feb 16, 2016, at 2:54 PM, Leslie Hamric via il-talk
>> <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> Interesting. I have been told the same thing, that  I have an attitude.
> And I have not gone through an nfb  training center. But if you think of it,
> it's that attitude that has  got me where I am today.
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>>> On Feb 16, 2016, at 2:42 PM, Robert Gardner via il-talk
> <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>> 
>>> For me, a guy who once couldn't do much of anything for himself, then
> went through blindness training and learned he could do just about anything,
> I feel I'm proving that I can do things all the time. If I go out on a walk
> or travel on the bus, part of that experience is proving to myself I can do
> it. If someone says, "Can I help you with xxx," my basic reaction is I'm
> going to prove to that person I can do it myself. Maybe I have an attitude,
> but that's me. And I've been told those who've gone through an NFB training
> center come out with an attitude. All in all, I think it's a healthy
> attitude for a blind person.
>>> 
>>> Bob Gardner
>>> 
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Leslie Hamric via il-talk"
> <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>> To: "Iltalk" <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>> Cc: "Leslie Hamric" <lhamric930 at comcast.net>
>>> Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2016 7:34 AM
>>> Subject: [il-talk] Proving your blindness
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> Hey guys. I have a question. I'm sure you've all been told somewhere
> along the way that you spent a lot of time proving that you can do things in
> spite of your blindness. How do you  react to this  statement? I think this
> topic could start a good discussion.
>>>> Leslie
>>>> 
>>>> Sent from my iPhone
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>>> 
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> t
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