[nabs-l] Need more help...Navigating The Football Game Saturday

Wed Nov 10 23:30:02 UTC 2010

Hi Heather and all!!

Thanks soooo much!

This is what I wanted to hear...I'm not afraid at all on steps...that
was just one thing that was mentioned yesterday...the steps shouldn't
be a problem!

I guess what I'm more afraid of is the huge massive parking lot, drunk
guys, and the unknown?

But your right...I can't get over it until I go out and try...just
what do I do if something were to happen? Do I just scream as loud as
I can? Should I bring a whistle?

Your right I should be fine considering I'll be in public the whole time.

Honestly, and I know this is an error of mine...but am I putting these
fears in my own head by thinking about them? Am I making this seem
worse than it is by thinking about it and listening to sighted
nay-sayers? And by sighted nay-sayers I mean people around here like
my mother and others who think there is no way I could possibly do
this.

I do know this...the stadium will be very very loud at times (when the
other team is playing and we're on defense) and when we score...so I
know I won't be able to hear my phone at all times if I would need to
call someone but during timeouts and such I should be able to use my
phone...I guess I would feel much better about this if I had a solid
plan or knew who to call if something did happen...hope this doesn't
sound dumb or make me look like a chicken lol!

Also, heather I did misunderstand one part of your message...you said
to give the person my extra ticket at either the parking lot or inside
the stadium...what did you mean by this? If I go alone I will only be
bringing the one ticket...or did you mean the person who works at the
stadium tearing ticket stubs at the ticket window?

Thanks all...

Kerri

On 11/10/10, H. Field <missheather at comcast.net> wrote:
> Hi Kerri,
> As you will be in public the whole time, and as you will be using your
> cane which will tellyou where the steps are, there's no reason why you
> should be frightened. As you will be surrounded by people the whole
> time, if you get into a fix, you can easily ask for help if you need
> it. Have you thought about asking the person who takes the ticket to
> meet you outside the parking lot and, if you're worried about
> negotiating it, tell them you'll give them the ticket when you get
> inside the stadium. You can ask if they mind you walking with them and
> you'll be inside in no time. I don't see why you should be afraid of
> steps. after all, the steps stay still and you have a cane, you find
> them and walk down them.
>
> I know I'm just one voice giving advice but, I've always found that I
> make friends when I step out and just go for it in life. So, my vote
> is you tell the person they have the ticket and ask them to meet you
> at your gate of choice. Keep the ticket until you're inside and go
> from there. I've been to countless rock and country music festivals
> and concerts in my life. Most of them in Australia where drinking is
> much more part of the culture and where the beer is twice as strong as
> American beer. I've never had any trouble with drunks. They usually
> offer to help and I say they can help by letting me do things myself
> and I thank them for being so helpful when they don't do anything. So,
> on the basis of my experience, and the tremendous boost that only
> independent travel can give you, I vote you go it alone and enjoy
> yourself.
>
> Best,
>
> Heather
>
> Regards,
>
> Heather
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Kerri Kosten" <kerrik2006 at gmail.com>
> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>; "k-r" <k-r at atlanticbb.net>; "Darren Burton"
> <dburton at afb.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 2010 4:24 PM
> Subject: [nabs-l] Need more help...Navigating The Football Game
> Saturday
>
>
> Hey All:
>
> Sorry to post another message about this but I figured I'd change the
> subject line a little.
>
> As most of you know, yesterday I decided to do the basketball game
> independently and just find a friend for the football game Saturday to
> be on the safe side with such a massive stadium, parking lot area,
> tons of steps everywhere, and all the drunks.
>
> Well, to make a long story short, I can't find anyone to go with.
>
> I honestly don't have very many friends around here. The reasons for
> this are debatable but I think it comes down to the fact that the
> sighted people feel sorry for me, and see me as a child and don't want
> to be "responsible" for me. I don't have that forward-thinking sighted
> person to go to or that cool friend and there aren't any other blind
> people around here.
>
> I called one of the friends I have Loray...but she is working
> Saturday.
>
> I posted on Facebook yesterday that I have an extra ticket to go to
> the game on the 50 yard line but noone responded. I posted another
> status update earlier today and someone responded asking if I was
> selling the ticket and how much and they may be interested...I
> explained the situation, that the ticket wasn't for sale but I was
> looking for someone to go with because as a female it probably
> wouldn't be the best idea to go alone with all the drunks. The person
> agreed, and asked how I was but did not say anything about going to
> the game with me.
>
> My aunt may be going but heres the thing...I want to be careful with
> who I ask and select to go with. I don't want to just go with someone
> as a tag-along or invite myself into a group or worst of all have
> someone feel sorry for the poor blind girl and take her to the game
> because she doesn't have anyone to go with...and if she doesn't go
> with me how will she go to the game? Poor thing...then the whole time
> ask me about where my mother is, and how my mother should be taking
> me, and so on.
>
> It's my birthday...I want to do this and have fun and I want to go
> with a person who wants to go with me because of me not because they
> feel sorry for the poor blind girl or the poor blind girl doesn't have
> anyone else to go with, or the poor blind girl's mother is too busy
> for her. I try to point out that 'm 23 years old and don't need my
> mother and they say "I know," but it infuriates me.
>
> So, what should I do if I don't end up finding someone to go with?
>
> This not getting to do things because of not having people to do
> things has gone on long enough. As of a couple of months ago I decided
> enough was enough, and to stop feeling sorry for myself, and that from
> now on I would do what I wanted when I wanted whether I had people to
> go with or not.
>
> So far, until this football game I've been doing pretty well.
>
> I have already missed out on several festivals here and a concert that
> was held here featuring Maroon 5, Ludacris, and Kris Allen (Maroon 5
> is one of my favorite artists and I love Ludacris) because of not
> having people to go with and being afraid to go because of being a
> female with all the rowdy drunks.
>
> I want to show these feel sorry people that I don't need them, and
> that I do what I want when I want whether they want to take me or not,
> and that my mother doesn't need to be around...I don't want my
> birthday to be ruined too and not get to go to something I want
> because of stupid people!
>
> I don't need these people...I'm determined to show them and overcome
> this...but I want to be safe too and keep what Kimberly said in her
> message yesterday in mind.
>
> If I don't end up finding anybody and have to do it alone would it be
> best  to do the call ahead, have someone from security help me to my
> seat then help me out of the stadium afterwords? Would that be safe
> enough?
>
> I love the idea of gong to the stadium to check things out on a day
> when the fans are not there...but this is the last of two home games
> so this will most likely be the only football game I go to.
>
> I have to pick up my ticket for the basketball game so I definitely
> will check out that areena but I don't know if I'll get to check out
> the football stadium before Saturday.
>
> What to do?
>
> Thanks so much,
>
> Kerri
>
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