[nabs-l] The Importance Of Independent Travel

Carly Mihalakis carlymih at comcast.net
Mon Sep 1 15:20:12 UTC 2014 

Oh definitely, my blinky brother, Steve!
As far as I'm concerned, perhaps because my own space in which I 
learn is so dynamic, if not to say unpredictable, I simply cannot, as 
many on this list seem to do, measure my abilities against some 
illusive, set-in-stone, yard stick which takes not into 
account  where anybody may have been personally, or what are the 
textures of the manner in which people take in new knowing. I will 
say, however, that during the time I spent at the  CCB (I was not a 
student,) I was impressed by how, for a first time within my 
experience as a blinkie girl, saw authentically blind O&M instructors 
in action, teaching authentically  blind students. This, after being 
steeped in the visual-normative environment in which I was raised, 
was incredible to me. This was before I came into a new self-concept, 
a newly defined skill set.

Nowadays, I have a new appreciation for, as you say, "truly not 
having an ability to do it.

I hope these words make even the slightest inkling of sense! Really 
dig the talk, blinky brother, Steve!
for today, Car

discussing, but let me put it another way.  How do we know when we 
feel we are not profficient at
>something whether it is because we truly don't have the ability to 
>do it or that we haven't had the correct opportunity to develop the 
>associated skill?  By
>opportunity, I mean a lot of different things, I mean the right 
>instructor, the right kind of encouragement, and a reason to 
>succeed.  Please know that I do
>understand that there are skills that we won't all be able to learn 
>for various reasons.  But please also understand that I have been 
>fortunate enough to
>witness blind people doing things they didn't believe they could do 
>in the right circumstances.  Words that we write on these lists 
>touch a lot of people with
>different challenges, and I just want to be sure that we find ways 
>to both accepteach other for what we are while trying to encourage 
>each other to be all
>we can be.
>
>Best regards,
>
>Steve Jacobson
>  .
>
>On Sun, 31 Aug 2014 14:18:41 -0700, Carly Mihalakis via nabs-l wrote:
>
> >Good afternoon, Steve, and everyone,
>
> >         Well, by "comfortable" I don't think I'm trying to describe
> >anything like proficiency. That is what I take your examples of
> >cooking, and of crossing streets to be describing. In using the word
> >myself, I was trying to be consistent with the person whom was
> >reluctant to, intimidated by, moving through an unfamiliar
> >environment, by herself. I was not referring, I don't think, to
> >proficiency, for there are ways around that obstacle. More like, how
> >you feel doing something.
> >Do you understand, Steve, and anyone still invested in this?\
> >Car
>
> >  At 12:31 PM 8/31/2014, Steve Jacobson via nabs-l wrote:
> >>Carly,
> >>
> >>What concerns me sometimes about discussions like this is that there
> >>are really two separate factors, in my opinion.  The first is that
> >>we do have to recognize that we are not all built the same.  We 
> don't all have
> >>the same abilities or the same disabilities.  There is no guarantee
> >>that two people with the same disability will be able to accomplish
> >>everything with the same degree of success.  Therefore, we have 
> to take some
> >>care to encourage one another rather than judge one another.
> >>
> >>The second factor, though is that of comfort.  To say that people
> >>should just do what is comfortable sets off alarms for me, but
> >>obviously you may have a different meaning for "comfort."  There
> >>isn't one thing that
> >>I have ever learned that didn't bring with it a bit of discomfort
> >>when I learned it.  As I said in an earlier note, crossing a street
> >>was certainly not comfortable for me at first, and neither was
> >>learning to cook.  So how
> >>do we know when we should avoid doing something because we are not
> >>comfortable with it or whether our discomfort is because we just
> >>haven't learned how to do it yet?  I am interested to know what you
> >>think.
> >>
> >>Best regards,
> >>
> >>Steve Jacobson
> >>
> >>On Sun, 31 Aug 2014 05:38:28 -0700, Carly Mihalakis via nabs-l wrote:
> >>
> >> >Good morning, Arielle,
> >>
> >> >Seems to me, a given situation as well as the traveler's level of
> >> >comfort ought to call for however one needs to travel. THAT'S all I
> >> >was seeking to say. If in fact, you are most comfortable as you
> >> >repeat dutifully to go where you want, when you want, then do that!
> >> >Just do what you feel.
> >> >Car
> >>
> >> >8/28/2014, Arielle Silverman via nabs-l wrote:
> >> >>Hi Carly and all,
> >> >>
> >> >>Again, for me traveling independently has absolutely nothing to do
> >> >>with proving a point to sighted people. I travel independently because
> >> >>it is most convenient for me, for others or both. I like being able to
> >> >>go somewhere when I want instead of waiting on people. And I don't
> >> >>like inconveniencing others when I can do something myself. It's not
> >> >>"super-blink" to utilize the same natural right of independent
> >> >>movement that everyone else in the world gets as a matter of course.
> >> >>
> >> >>Respectfully,
> >> >>Arielle
> >> >>
> >> >>On 8/28/14, Kirt via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> >> >> > Karlee,
> >> >> > In general, I trust members of a group to advocate that group
> >> >> standards more
> >> >> > than, say, disillusioned outsiders. I'm not going to learn
> >> about Islam, for
> >> >> > example, from an evangelical Christian. Nor will I go to 
> Sean Hannity or
> >> >> > Rush Limbaugh to learn about The policies of Barack Obama. For
> >> that matter,
> >> >> > I won't go to MSNBC to learn about the tea party. I think you
> >> see where I'm
> >> >> > going with this.
> >> >> > Best,
> >> >> > Kirt
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Sent from my iPhone
> >> >> >
> >> >> >> On Aug 28, 2014, at 5:45 AM, Carly Mihalakis via nabs-l
> >> >> >> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Good morning,
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Personally, I like to think of it as interdependent travel,
> >> recruting your
> >> >> >> fellow man, and sort of directing him where you need to 
> go. Admittedly,
> >> >> >> this means of travel found me after becoming injured such that I was
> >> >> >> unable to keep track of direction and what they call rout
> >> reversal, became
> >> >> >> for me no more than a pipe dream.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> In my experience, however, if you just let go of this idea
> >> that to prove
> >> >> >> to Ol'Sighty of  blindness' being  what is it, little more 
> than a mere
> >> >> >> inconvenience, everyone must be some kind of super blink
> >> whom, by simply
> >> >> >> waving his long, white cane can travel any course, under any
> >> circumstances
> >> >> >> in pitch ocular darkness. Sure, this social construct is certainly
> >> >> >> possible to live within and many people do it, but not
> >> everybody is super
> >> >> >> Federationist blink!
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> After all, interpersonal contact, I believe, is more of a palpable,
> >> >> >> alternative to demonstrating to Ol'Sighty things of which
> >> most of us are
> >> >> >> capable, that Ol'Sighty might remember. I'm fond of iterating that
> >> >> >> Ol'Sighty cares not about the means to which the blink 
> reaches the same
> >> >> >> ends, noticing only that, eventually he gets there. So, if 
> it becomes a
> >> >> >> matter of walking through an airport, say, to demonstrate 
> to Ol'Sighty
> >> >> >> ways in which most blinks can, and do advocate for
> >> themselves, it may be a
> >> >> >> plausible course of action to grab Ol'Sighty from one of the
> >> hoards that
> >> >> >> are invariably around and, placing your hand on his 
> shoulder, tell him
> >> >> >> where you need to be and see if he can help you. Of course,
> >> should he be
> >> >> >> in a hurry you can find someone else, but wait for an
> >> indication of said
> >> >> >> sighted person being unable to help. It is in this way you 
> can actually
> >> >> >> have a conversation with a sighted person, maybe even 
> exchange names?
> >> >> >> Agreed, the super blink means of seamlessly gliding 
> through a crowd is
> >> >> >> intimidating, and not exactly if I may say so myself,
> >> realistic of every
> >> >> >> blink. Let that go! Probably, you are not a super blink, at
> >> least by their
> >> >> >> rigid standards.
> >> >> >> for today, Car
> >> >> >> 408-209-3239
> >> >> >>  :52 AM 7/16/2014, Roanna Bacchus via nabs-l wrote:
> >> >> >>> Dear Students,
> >> >> >>>
> >> >> >>> I'd like to discuss another topic with all of you.  On 
> Monday I had a
> >> >> >>> conversation with my mobility instructor during my 
> training session at
> >> >> >>> UCF.  We were talking about the importance of traveling
> >> independently as
> >> >> >>> blind individuals.  I got very emotional while we were having this
> >> >> >>> conversation and began to cry.  Because I've never traveled
> >> independently
> >> >> >>> in the community, I lack the experience of traveling on my
> >> own.  Can each
> >> >> >>> of you tell me your stories about inarependent travel? Hope
> >> to hear from
> >> >> >>> you soon.
> >> >> >>>
> >> >> >>> _______________________________________________
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