[nabs-l] backpacks are unprofessional?

[Arielle Silverman]

Hi Martha and all,

It all depends on how much stuff you need to carry and how far you
need to travel with it. While backpacks are convenient and useful, if
using one is not allowed, there are other alternatives that are
equally useful for blind and sighted alike. I am not a guide dog user,
so I don't know if there are any special issues that would interfere
with using a purse or shoulder bag, but as a cane user I don't think
that wearing a bag on one shoulder (the one that you aren't using for
your cane/dog) is a problem. If I need to carry my laptop but no books
or papers, I will use a  laptop case that has a single shoulder strap,
and this case is big enough to fit other small essentials like a
wallet and even a water bottle. I don't remember where I bought this
but it was not expensive. I don't know the specifics of your
assignment but it doesn't sound like you would need both a laptop and
a Braille Note/notetaker at the same time.

Although I don't think blindness presents any special challenges to
computer transport, there is something to be said for trying to lessen
the load that you might be carrying with your one hand that isn't
occupied by the cane or dog. Certainly we can carry things with one
hand just like anyone else but having just one hand free can limit the
 weight/size that you can carry comfortably. The backpack does come in
handy if you have to transport a lot of papers or bags that aren't
easy to carry in one hand. But again, it seems like a briefcase with
shoulder straps would do the job.

I do think all of us can benefit by paying attention to what we are
carrying/packing and being sure to only take what's essential--to
enable us to move about as independently as possible and be able to
use our canes and dogs as effectively as possible.

Arielle

On 1/30/09, Antonio M. Guimaraes <iamantonio at cox.net> wrote:
> Hello Martha,
>
> I think your journalism teacher is making a reasonable enough request of all
> students. One can get roling brief cases, if the *equipment* is too heavy.
> You should not need much moren than a note-taker, or laptop, and a handheld
> recorder.
>
> There are big enough briefcases you can carry that will give you enough
> space. It sounds like this is not a work assignment, at which case you
> should push back about what is confortable for you.
>
> If the job requires students to quote unquote, look professional, and in the
> mind of this professor professional means no back pack, then you for out the
> money if you can.
>
> I could see finances as a reason not to comply, but you probably can either
> find a big enough briescase for your needs, or down size on what you carry
> to your assignments.
>
> Antonio
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Martha Harris" <latinanewschic at hotmail.com>
> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing li" <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: <Journalists at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2009 11:39 PM
> Subject: [nabs-l] backpacks are unprofessional?
>
>
>> Hi Everyone,
>> I'm a journalism major; as part of our magazine production, we have to go
>> out in to the community to sell ads, talk to Lions Clubs, have tables at
>> local events, ETC. We have two conditions: dress professionally, and don't
>>
>> wear a backpack. I totally understand the dress professionally, but what
>> do you all think about backpacks? Do they make us look too much like
>> students and not professionals, and if so, why? As a blind student, would
>> I not be taken seriously because "she doesn't know that everyone else has
>> different bags?" or something like that?
>> Personally, I prefer the backpack. It is painful to have the strap of a
>> messenger bag, satchel, or large purse on my left shoulder with the bag on
>>
>> the right side of my body, and having the strap on my right shoulder with
>> the bag hanging on the left gets in the way of my hand with the dog. Our
>> professor says that since our target audience is permanent residents
>> between 35 and 55 years old who live in the two surrounding counties and
>> not students like the traditional college magazine, we shouldn't look like
>>
>> we come from the university when we go into the town. Thoughts?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Martha
>> _______________________________________________
>> nabs-l mailing list
>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nabs-l:
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/iamantonio%40cox.net
>>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nabs-l mailing list
> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nabs-l:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/arielle71%40gmail.com
>