[nabs-l] Serving Yourself Food
Serena
serenacucco at verizon.net
Fri Nov 14 00:37:13 UTC 2008
Great point about just letting someone bring the food to you, as long as you
know there's someone around to do it. That's something my friend Anthony
got into my head: "You're not really proving anything to us or yourself by
walking with us to get food cause you can't carry it and you're not really
orienting much." I got my share of independence in the pub, a fast-food
place downstairs from the dining hall. The cool thing was there were no
trays necessary. The person at the grill line would simply wrap my grilled
cheese sandwich and mozzerella sticks in tin foil. All anybody really had
to do was direct me to the grill and get me a bottle of juice. All I had
to do to find a table was walk straight out of the food area!
Serena
----- Original Message -----
From: "Beth" <thebluesisloose at gmail.com>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2008 6:49 PM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Serving Yourself Food
> The reason the staff doesn't want to help at peak hours is because
> there are less of them doing more work. The manager e-mailed me today
> when I sent him an e-mail. I e-mailed the location manager saying
> what was up, and he said why not sit down and let somene just bring it
> to me. Well, not a bad idea. But I'll have to let him know if it
> appens again. Honestly, I'm more worried about obtaining my basic
> needs right about now. But I could get my own tray, but then I'd have
> to carry it around all day. But then there's this one lady who said
> the staff isn't paid to serve a blind customer. I mean, not in that
> manner we're talking about. I didn't appreciate the woman's comments
> as much as I don't appreciate bad service or help forthousands of
> dollars in a meal plan contract, even though Florida's Division of
> Blind Services sponsors it. It's still thousands of taxpayer dollars
> going into MY meal plan.
> Beth
>
> On 11/13/08, Serena <serenacucco at verizon.net> wrote:
>> Honestly, I don't see why the staff doesn't wanna help you. I don't mean
>> to
>> say they owe you anything, but I even got help carrying my food in
>> college.
>> The trays they had there were simply too big for my really small hands.
>> I
>> think some of the staff weren't too into the idea at first, but then, the
>> managers got everybody on board. I realize now, I could've bought my own
>> tray before going to college, but I guess I felt orienting to campus and
>> dealing with hiring and firing readers was more important than trying to
>> deal with the cafeteria scene.
>>
>> Serena
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Beth" <thebluesisloose at gmail.com>
>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2008 7:43 AM
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Serving Yourself Food
>>
>>
>>> Good idea. I'll have to go sometime, but how do I deal with the staff
>>> problem now whle I don't have a tray?
>>> Beth
>>>
>>> On 11/13/08, Ashley Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:
>>>> Beth,
>>>>
>>>> If you want to shop at Walmart or somewhere paratransit is not a good
>>>> idea
>>>> since they can be unreliable keeping you waiting or come before your
>>>> are
>>>> finished shopping.
>>>>
>>>> I'd suggest getting a ride. Much easier said than done. I had that
>>>> problem
>>>> too. But ask around. Ask your hall mates. Ask your roommate if she
>>>> drives. Any friendly faculty or staff? Once or twice a nice nursing
>>>> faculty member gave me a ride to the mall. If you do get a ride offer
>>>> to
>>>> pay gas or something for it.
>>>>
>>>> Ashley
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: "Beth" <thebluesisloose at gmail.com>
>>>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Sent: Wednesday, November 12, 2008 10:34 PM
>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Serving Yourself Food
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Good idea. However, I have a problem with the paratransit bus
>>>>> service. Since I live in a dorm, I can't necessarily designate a
>>>>> place for the paratransit driver to pick me up. Worse, I have to wait
>>>>> an hour more than necessary for them to pick me back up. Hence, my
>>>>> friend and I have nicknamed it "dial-a-wait."
>>>>> Beth
>>>>>
>>>>> On 11/12/08, Linda Stover <liamskitten at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>> Beth,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> What about paratransite? I have a friend who schedules them to take
>>>>>> him to a particular place, and then pick him up in their next window
>>>>>> of opportunity.
>>>>>> Courtney
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On 11/12/08, Beth <thebluesisloose at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>> Good thinking, Heather. Trick is to get someone with a car to bring
>>>>>>> me down there.
>>>>>>> Beth
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On 11/12/08, H. Field <missheather at comcast.net> wrote:
>>>>>>>> Hi Beth,
>>>>>>>> Take your own tray to the dining hall with you.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Places like Walmart have a huge array of tray choices, many of them
>>>>>>>> value for money. Spend half an hour choosing the inexpensive tray
>>>>>>>> that
>>>>>>>> would most fit your needs. Then, simply take your own tray with you
>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>> all of your meals in the dining-hall. This will improve your
>>>>>>>> ability
>>>>>>>> to be independent and will lessen the ability of others to impact
>>>>>>>> your
>>>>>>>> day.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Regards,
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Heather Field
>>>>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>>>>> From: "Beth" <thebluesisloose at gmail.com>
>>>>>>>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>>>>>>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>>> Sent: Wednesday, November 12, 2008 4:02 PM
>>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Serving Yourself Food
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Thank God I found this e-mail, Arielle. I'm having a huge problem
>>>>>>>> with staff at my dining hall who are not willing to help me get my
>>>>>>>> food or serve myself. Since I have to hold a cane in my right hand
>>>>>>>> and since they don't have trays and since the stations are mre than
>>>>>>>> one and helter-skelter and since nobody taught me how to maneuver
>>>>>>>> around that big cafeteria, I'm blown away by how rude the staff has
>>>>>>>> behaved lately. During peak hours, I'd walk in and say that I
>>>>>>>> needed
>>>>>>>> some help, and nobody helps out. Their excuse? Short staff. I
>>>>>>>> spoke
>>>>>>>> to a few people on the matter, and since the cafeteria people
>>>>>>>> aren't
>>>>>>>> willing to help, they say I should talk to a manager about this. I
>>>>>>>> wish I could see now so that I could serve myself and not have to
>>>>>>>> hold
>>>>>>>> a cane in my right hand and not have to be so precise with holding
>>>>>>>> stand-alone bowls and stuff.
>>>>>>>> Beth
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On 11/12/08, Arielle Silverman <arielle71 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>> Hi all,
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> With serving food as a blind person there are two issues. The
>>>>>>>>> first
>>>>>>>>> is knowing what you're dishing out without seeing it, and the
>>>>>>>>> second
>>>>>>>>> is properly maneuvering the food with the utensils from the
>>>>>>>>> serving
>>>>>>>>> container to your plate and ensuring that you are dishing up an
>>>>>>>>> appropriate amount.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> To resolve the first issue, since touching is not really an
>>>>>>>>> option,
>>>>>>>>> the best thing is to get information--either from people ahead of
>>>>>>>>> you
>>>>>>>>> in the buffet line or from whomever is serving the food/setting
>>>>>>>>> up
>>>>>>>>> the buffet. Obviously once you've learned the order of the buffet
>>>>>>>>> once, it'll be easier to go back and serve oneself independently
>>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>> second time around. When serving "family-style" and passing
>>>>>>>>> dishes
>>>>>>>>> around the table, this problem is virtually nonexistent since
>>>>>>>>> it's
>>>>>>>>> easy to find out what someone has passed you before serving
>>>>>>>>> yourself from it.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> The second issue, though, is one that does take practice to
>>>>>>>>> overcome
>>>>>>>>> especially for those of us who were not expected to serve
>>>>>>>>> ourselves
>>>>>>>>> growing up. I wasn't really expected to do it at all until I was
>>>>>>>>> a
>>>>>>>>> teenager, which caused me to struggle a bit with the mechanics
>>>>>>>>> of
>>>>>>>>> maneuvering the food and gauging the portion size. I improved at
>>>>>>>>> this a lot when I was in training at the Louisiana Center where
>>>>>>>>> we
>>>>>>>>> had to serve ourselves in a buffet line (with sleepshades on)
>>>>>>>>> whenever someone prepared their final cooking project (a meal for
>>>>>>>>> forty). Like others have said, operating the utensils correctly
>>>>>>>>> does
>>>>>>>>> take practice and trial and error. A training center is a great
>>>>>>>>> place
>>>>>>>>> to develop this skill because everyone else is practicing, too,
>>>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>>>> so
>>>>>>>>> there's not as much pressure to do it exactly right or move
>>>>>>>>> quickly
>>>>>>>>> through the line. You can also practice by cooking yourself
>>>>>>>>> something and transferring some of it from one container to
>>>>>>>>> another
>>>>>>>>> (even if it's just Ramen or Easy Mac).
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> To gauge portion sizes I've used two techniques. One is to feel
>>>>>>>>> how
>>>>>>>>> much weight I've added to my plate or bowl and how the weight
>>>>>>>>> is
>>>>>>>>> distributed. The other, if it's hot or steaming food that I'm
>>>>>>>>> serving, is to hold my hand a little above the plate/bowl and
>>>>>>>>> feel
>>>>>>>>> how much heat is rising from the food and how far it is
>>>>>>>>> spreading.
>>>>>>>>> If I don't have enough food, there won't be much heat and it'll be
>>>>>>>>> confined to one little spot instead of spreading across a wide
>>>>>>>>> area.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> One more thing that hasn't come up yet is the proper way to
>>>>>>>>> serve
>>>>>>>>> soup, stew, etc. with a ladel. I used to have the toughest time
>>>>>>>>> with
>>>>>>>>> this until I went to the center and figured out what my problem
>>>>>>>>> was.
>>>>>>>>> Because ladels have a sharp curve in the middle, when I was
>>>>>>>>> holding
>>>>>>>>> the handle straight, the bowl part of the ladel was actually
>>>>>>>>> tipped
>>>>>>>>> and I was spilling stuff before I could get it in the bowl. I had
>>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>>> figure out how to angle the handle (so it felt crooked) but the
>>>>>>>>> bowl
>>>>>>>>> was actually facing straight up. I think other blind people have
>>>>>>>>> been fooled by this deceptive handle as well which is why I bring
>>>>>>>>> it
>>>>>>>>> up. You can practice this by playing with an empty ladel (like
>>>>>>>>> while
>>>>>>>>> you are doing dishes) and hold the bowl in your non-dominant hand
>>>>>>>>> while you angle the handle with your dominant one. Bend the
>>>>>>>>> handle
>>>>>>>>> until you can feel that the bowl is facing straight up (even
>>>>>>>>> though
>>>>>>>>> the handle will feel crooked) and then try to remember the angle
>>>>>>>>> when
>>>>>>>>> you are serving things with the ladel.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> HTH,
>>>>>>>>> Arielle
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On 11/12/08, Serena <serenacucco at verizon.net> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> I pretty much use the same type of bowl, what we Italians call a
>>>>>>>>>> maccaroni
>>>>>>>>>> bowl, so i usually just put as much maccaroni in there as will
>>>>>>>>>> fit.
>>>>>>>>>> I
>>>>>>>>>> love
>>>>>>>>>> to eat! lol Meat is trickier, but I usually have only one piece
>>>>>>>>>> of
>>>>>>>>>> that,
>>>>>>>>>> anyhow.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>>>>>>> From: "Harry Hogue" <harryhogue at yahoo.com>
>>>>>>>>>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>>>>>>>>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>>>>> Sent: Monday, November 10, 2008 9:53 PM
>>>>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Serving Yourself Food
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Serena, this may sound like a slightly silly question, but do you
>>>>>>>>>> learn
>>>>>>>>>> what
>>>>>>>>>> an appropriate portion size is by weight, etc, or by how many
>>>>>>>>>> ladle-fulls,
>>>>>>>>>> spoon-fulls, etc? I have never really wanted to do that because I
>>>>>>>>>> didn't
>>>>>>>>>> want to slowly anybody down or look awkward, etc. But I agree it
>>>>>>>>>> is
>>>>>>>>>> important...
>>>>>>>>>> Harry
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> --- On Sun, 11/9/08, Serena <serenacucco at verizon.net> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> From: Serena <serenacucco at verizon.net>
>>>>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Serving Yourself Food
>>>>>>>>>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>>>>>>>>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>>>>> Date: Sunday, November 9, 2008, 6:47 PM
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Hi Harry
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> I always serve my own food at home with immidate family. I think
>>>>>>>>>> it's
>>>>>>>>>> important to learn that skill. At family gatherings and on
>>>>>>>>>> buffet
>>>>>>>>>> lines,
>>>>>>>>>> however, others do it for me cause we're all having pretty much
>>>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>> same
>>>>>>>>>> things. Even at State Convention this weekend, there was a
>>>>>>>>>> survor
>>>>>>>>>> serving
>>>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>> breakfast buffet to everyone.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Harry Hogue"
>>>>>>>>>> <harryhogue at yahoo.com>
>>>>>>>>>> To: <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>>>>> Sent: Sunday, November 09, 2008 5:39 PM
>>>>>>>>>> Subject: [nabs-l] Serving Yourself Food
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Hello everyone,
>>>>>>>>>> With the holidays coming up, here's an interesting point for
>>>>>>>>>> discussion.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> At family gatherings, or perhaps even at home with immediate
>>>>>>>>>> family, do
>>>>>>>>>> you
>>>>>>>>>> serve your own plate or do you have someone else serve the plate
>>>>>>>>>> for you?
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> As for me, I have always had someone else always serve my plate
>>>>>>>>>> at
>>>>>>>>>> family
>>>>>>>>>> gatherings and at home with my family, for that matter, simply
>>>>>>>>>> because it
>>>>>>>>>> is
>>>>>>>>>> quicker and there is less risk of spilling, etc. I am, however,
>>>>>>>>>> reminded
>>>>>>>>>> of
>>>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>> importance of being comfortable with this task by my Costa Rica
>>>>>>>>>> experience.
>>>>>>>>>> My
>>>>>>>>>> host mother told me what was where and even made sure I knew
>>>>>>>>>> where
>>>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>> serving
>>>>>>>>>> spoon was--but I was not comfortable at 20 years old to serve my
>>>>>>>>>> own plate
>>>>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>>>>> had to ask her to serve the plate for me. This, then, set up a
>>>>>>>>>> precedent
>>>>>>>>>> that as
>>>>>>>>>> a blind person I needed help with getting food.
>>>>>>>>>> 'm interested in hearing ohter thoughts. And if we serve
>>>>>>>>>> ourselves
>>>>>>>>>> at
>>>>>>>>>> home/at family gatherings, I then have to ask what is so diferent
>>>>>>>>>> about
>>>>>>>>>> buffets,
>>>>>>>>>> especially if you're with someone else and they're getting rice,
>>>>>>>>>> chicken, potatoes, etc. and it's likely you would want some of
>>>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>> same
>>>>>>>>>> things.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Just some thoughts to consider.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Harry
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>> nabs-l mailing list
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>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>
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