[nabs-l] Seminars, cooking, the Federation and my boredom

[Bridgit Pollpeter]

Hello,

I actually don't have much work to do today so I've been perusing some
NFB email list, and I've been intrigued by this discussion on a cooking
seminar offered by Hadley.  At the risk of keeping this vein open, I
have my own tidbits to offer on the topic.

While I hold my own views on institutions like Hadley, I do believe we
all have the right to access resources available that we feel provide us
with knowledge and assistance, and we have the right to use these
resources without being attacked or condescended to.  Not that I'm
suggesting anyone here has behaved in such a manner.

As human beings, it is our fundamental right to educate ourselves in
ways we see best.  And people shouldn't make us feel guilty or dependent
for choosing certain routes.

However, we can, and should, challenge one another.  If we have personal
experiences we feel can help others, by all means share.  And if we
believe people are not reaching their full potential, we should provide
suggestions and resources.

Ultimately, it is about an informed decision.  If I believe I have
access to information and resources that will inform people about the
cooking process nonvisually and does not require a seminar, they I
should share my knowledge so you have been presented with different
sides and opinions and can now choose what option fits best.

Trust me, I can play the finger-pointing, condescending game too, but
where does this get us?  People don't respond to this- in fact, they
will probably shut down and refuse to listen to anything you have to
say.  It's all about presentation.  Do I believe we can learn nonvisual
cooking techniques without a seminar, yes, and I can share my personal
process and provide further info, but I also understand it is not my
place, necessarily, to question in a negative way if others are
enthusiastic about something like an online seminar.

Based on my understanding and interpretation, it does seem a tad
demeaning that a seminar about cooking that is specifically advertised
to and for blind people is about preparing food that does not require
cooking/baking.  Where is the difficulty in making something like a
sandwich or salad?  I honestly fail to understand why such a seminar is
necessary.  Blind or sighted, if food does not require cooking/baking
elements, where is the difficulty?  The confusion?  To be honest,
whether this is the intention or not, it does seem to say that it is
better for blind people to avoid preparing meals that require boiling,
cooking on a hot stove top or baking in a hot oven.  I would be
interested to know if they also "taught" non-cooking meals that did not
require utensils like knives too.

I have to say, while this seminar may not be all bad, it does not seem
Hadley is challenging blind people.  If this was about a seminar
teaching basic cooking skills, or how to prepare easy recipes, I could
get on board, but the fact that this seems to be about learning
alternative ways to make cold or non-cooked meals, well, once again I
ask, how hard is it to make these types of food, or figure out
"adaptive" ways to do it?  Adaptive techniques are not really necessary
to make meals like this.

Personally, I never struggled to figure my way around a kitchen once I
lost my sight.  I simply continued doing things how I always did them,
and problem solved when I required an accommodation.  I've yet to meet
an obstacle while cooking that I couldn't figure out on my own and in a
matter of minutes.  For me, it was all common sense.  And numerous
accessible devices exist for the kitchen, but in my experience, 99% of
them are not necessary, and a lot of these products are unfortunately
cheaply made and just don't hold up over time.

The few accessible devices I use are a talking digital timer, a talking
meat thermometer, crooked measuring spoons and Braille labels for food
products.  Beyond this, I've not required accessible special items.  And
I do some pretty fancy stuff in the kitchen.

However, if you feel something like a seminar is essential for you to
learn more about nonvisual cooking, that is your right.  I'm sure
similar seminars have benefited many people, and the ultimate outcome is
for blind people to be independent; what does it matter how we get
there?

I still think it is better to leave our comfort zone.  Hadley should
operate to challenge us.  A course on basic cooking skills would review
adaptive techniques just as much as any other course on cooking.  I
don't know what kind of "recipes" they plan on teaching during this
seminar, but I can't imagine, for the life of me, what type of
non-cooked recipe requires a 60 minute lesson.

And my understanding is that with Hadley classes, registered students
have like a year or something to complete a course, and even then, they
can still finish the class without any penalties.  How does this
challenge us?  How does it prepare us for the "real world?"  No credited
college or place of business will follow such practices.  My knowledge
of Hadley is limited, although I do know someone currently taking a
Hadley class and this is how I found out about their rule on completion
with a class.  It just does not seem to profess a program geared towards
preparing people for any real life situation, whether it be a credited
school, employment or even personal pursuits.  Deadlines and guidelines
exist for everything, and if an institution like Hadley does not require
registraints to adhere to any tangible deadline, it does not challenge
or prepare anyone for a life of true equality.

Now, I have a point to bring up that I take umbrage with.

The intent behind this comment may have been different than how it
sounds, but it was stated that, "I know NFB people don't like adaptive
techniques  sometimes, so you can take it or leave it.  But we do need
adaptive  techniques and a newly blind person may not know what to do.
We often use the  sense of touch instead of seeing to know the
consistency of food and keep  tabs on what we are doing.  So those are
adaptive techniques."

Where did anyone get the idea that the NFB does not like adaptive
techniques?  That is what we instill in people- that we can be
completely independent by using some adaptive skills and techniques at
times.  And we have an entire online store, the Independence Market,
that sells a myriad of products and devices that can be purchased and
used.

If we did not use or advertise alternative and adaptive techniques, we
would not experience the kind of independence the NFB boast about.  And
we are entirely aware, being an organization of blind people, that we
often learn tactilely and that this in essence is employing an adaptive
technique.  I've never heard a NFB member say adaptive techniques were
bad or wrong either in private conversation or during a speech or
presentation like at convention or elsewhere.

Many of us may not feel items like talking microwaves or liquid
measuring devices are necessary, but this does not mean we balk at all
and any adaptive technique.  It is in fact impossible to live as a blind
person and not use adaptive techniques- either ones learned in training
or advertised by the NFB, or ones you create on your own.

I will now be politically incorrect and potentially offensive and say
that the statement that the NFB is against adaptive techniques is
ludicrous.

Well, now that I've written a novel, I will end with this:

Whenever people tell me I'm doing a good job, I simply give my brightest
smile and say, "Thanks.  You're doing a good job too."  Works like a
charm!  *smile*

Sincerely,
Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
Read my blog for Live Well Nebraska.com at
http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/

Are you saying that we may not dare to ask certain questions if 
they may
 upset the sighted public, even here amongst our blind peers?  If 
so, I
 emphatically disagree, but I am not sure I am understanding you 
correctly.

 I asked an honest question of the members of the NABS list, as 
to whether
 or not this seminar by Hadley?n organization that deals in 
blindness and
 nothing but?eemed condescending at all to
 anyone else.  It did to me, but I
 acknowledged in the asking that I? basically cynical and jaded 
about such
 things.

 I accept that the majority opinion is that no, there? nothing 
wrong with
 Hadley? seminar.  But I make no apology whatsoever for asking 
the question
 on an NFB list.

 The missing of the NFB is to attain equality for the blind by 
giving us the
 means to be regarded as any other non-blind person, and then 
treating us
 accordingly.  We cannot do that if, even within our own 
organization, we
 cannot discuss whether or not those who
 provide us with services are working
 toward that goal or against it.

 Some of us are perhaps overly sensitive to these issues, and I 
certainly
 count myself among them.  But that? why I asked the question 
here, on an
 NFB list, to other generally like-minded blind people.  I did 
not put the
 question out to the sighted public, who generally wouldn? be 
expected to
 understand what the big deal is (even my own sighted friends and 
loved ones
 wouldn? get it!)

 If we start mincing words here, then the next time some ignorant 
sightie
 (yes, I said ignorant sightie) comes up to one of us as we?e 
walking down
 the street and says, "You?e doing SUCH A
 GOOD JOB," we?e likely to get the
 idea that we should accept the "compliment" we?e being given, 
despite the
 fact that walking is a task most two year olds have largely 
mastered.  How
 else would we know it was acceptable to
 consider that a sign of ignorance we
 should correct if we can?  Or that it was
 okay to maybe be a little offended
 ourselves that this is what we are reduced to in that person? 
estimation?

 I? not generally known for political correctness.  I? 
certainly not known
 for it regarding blindness on NFB mailing lists.  I do not 
expect that will
 change in the near future.

 Joseph - KF7QZC


 On Tue, Jul 19, 2011 at 05:37:29PM -0700, Carly Mihalakis Esq.  
wrote:



 Hi, Joseph,

 'Seems to me, a response such as that elicited by an idea of 
no-cook
 recipes was, in a word a little uncalled for, as there, 
contained in the
 helpful sharing of cookless recipes no mention of blindness 
whatsoever.
 Furthermore, I believe there are  even occasions in which , 
no-cook food
 preparation is in order and, actually preparing a dish would be
inappropriate.

 To Alienate both main stream folk, as well as other populations 
will do
 actual wonders for our social  ambiguities, doncha think?  Please, easy
on the over reactions!  for today,  Car7/19/2011,
bookwormahb at earthlink.net wrote:

 Joeseph, Actually, I found this fine.  I want to attend a hadley 
webinar
  but that time doesn't work for me.  Maybe
 they are archived; the wording of
 it says its summer and they want to talk about food prep that 
doesn't
 require a hot kitchen.  Also it says whether
 you are preparing for yourself
 or to impress guests.  So therefore they are
 assuming that you will prepare
 for yourself, family or friends; whatever you need to do.  
Hadley targets
 many many people including teachers of the blind and visually 
impaired;
 newly blind adults and those blind from birth.  I take it that 
this is an
 overview of cooking ideas and recipies.  Its probably something 
basic that
 most could follow from the novice cook to the advanced cook who 
wants
 something simple.  I didn't find it offensive at all; I think we 
read more
 into things sometimes.  It does say they will discuss tips for 
people with
 visual impairments; I know NFB people don't like adaptive 
techniques
 sometimes, so you can take it or leave it.  But we do need 
adaptive
 techniques and a newly blind person may not know what to do.  
Many blind
 cooks use a tray or something to put
 their  pots and pans and bowls on while
 preparing food so any spills fall on the tray and its easier to 
clean up.
 Some blind people use liquid level indicators  to know when 
their cup is
 full of the desired liquid.  More often people use a finger to 
fill the
 bowl/cup or judge by sound.  But for those who can't or don't 
want to use
 their finger, the liquid level indicator is an option.  We often 
use the
 sense of touch instead of seeing to know the consistency of food 
and keep
 tabs on what we are doing.  So those are adaptive techniques.  
Anyone may
 want simple cold food recipies; Hadley just decided to target it 
to blind
 people.  However I do agree a sixty minute
 seminar is too short to cover such
 a topic.  But I guess that is all the time they had.  Well, 
anyone who
 attends can judge afterward.  Ashley -----Original Message----- 
From: T.
 Joseph Carter Sent: Tuesday, July 19, 2011
 3:10 PM To: National Association
 of Blind Students mailing list Subject: Re:
 [nabs-l] Fwd: Reminder-Upcoming
 Seminars: NO COOK Cooking! and Going Ape for Apps-Hot New 
Accessible Apps
 for Your iDevice I?? of two minds on this, perhaps I?? being 
overly
 sensitive.  First, there?? the notion of a seminar for 
preparing food
 without cooking it.  Where do I begin?  Let?? start with the 
seminar
 itself: Most sighted people would never
 expect a seminar to teach them how
 to follow a recipe.  Either you can or you
 don?? have the requisite skills
 to do it.  If you don?? have the skills, I?? not sure how a 
60 minute
 webcast is going to help you get them.  A list of recipes should 
suffice,
 and indeed our own Braille Monitor
 publishes recipes (though not often the
 no-cooking variety) with the assumption
 that fellow blind readers can follow
 them if they are so inclined.  Then there?? the no cooking 
aspect.
  Inherently in this is the unavoidable
 assumption that the blind cannot or
 should not be cooking food.  Any of you who
 live alone doubtlessly have SOME
 food prep skill, even if you??e never
 learned to "cook" as such, and your
 skill mostly consists of using a microwave
 and boiling water.  But as I said,
 perhaps I am being overly sensitive.  The seminar format could 
allow for
 suggestions for improving the recipes a bit
 (in which case an hour seems too
 short for more than maybe two or three recipes), so maybe 
that?? what
 they??e got in mind.  Possibly the
 no-cook aspect has more to do with the
 idea that it?? summer and you don??
 want to spend a lot of time in a hot
 kitchen?r  that you would prefer cold
 foods to hot ones at this time of the
 year.  Or perhaps they are targeting this to college students 
who live on
 campus and don?? have the means to cook
 in any traditional way.  Or maybe,
 it?? because we??e blind.  Joseph - KF7QZC On Tue, Jul 19,