[nagdu] Mistaken identity

Thu Aug 13 04:36:25 UTC 2009

Back when I was working Glaze, I worked as a VR counselor. Once, my manager
and I were visiting two high-school students and their Braille/technology
instructor. My manager had been there before, and the school staff knew her,
but it was my  first visit to that school. 

As we made our way to the Braille teacher's office, several people called
out, "Hi Shirley!" One person then added, "Wait, you're not Shirley!" 

"No," I said, and we kept walking toward our destination. I remember
thinking that I had no idea who Shirley was, but clearly I had a
doppelganger who worked at this school. I wondered if she was blind.

Finally, after running into several more of Shirley's friends, we reached
the Braille teacher's office. My manager knocked, and when the teacher said
to come in, she opened the door. Immediately, a very excited yellow Lab ran
out to greet us. And from inside the office, I heard the teacher say,
"Shirley! No!"

I should have known all those people were talking to Glaze and not to me.
LOL!

Angie (I think)

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Nicole B. Torcolini
Sent: Wednesday, August 12, 2009 11:36 PM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Matching

No, I've never been called Lexia, but the Stanford post office did wonder
when Nicole Torcolini came to pick up a box addressed to Lexia.  I had left
her bone home after winter break, and my mom was sending it to Lexia. 

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Tamara Smith-Kinney
Sent: Wednesday, August 12, 2009 1:26 PM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Matching

/lol/  I dunno, though.  I answer to Mitzi as much as I do my own name.  I
also answer to Tommy now, thanks to JAWS.  Identity crisis, anyone? /grin/

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Sherrill O'Brien
Sent: Wednesday, August 12, 2009 10:35 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Matching

Here's the ultimate absurd match.  Many years ago, in a TSE class, a girl
named Lily  was given a dog named...Lily!  One can laugh about it, but
really, the name game taken too far isn't a bit funny.  I sure would have
renamed that pooch the minute I got home!
Sherrill

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org]On
Behalf Of Tracy Carcione
Sent: Wednesday, August 12, 2009 1:09 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Matching

The sorting hat!  That's it!
Tracy

> Tracy,
>
> Well said!  Maybe they have a sorting hat, like in Harry Potter? 
> /grin/ Then again, I like the funny name idea.  Far more entertaining 
> than all the statistical analysis and what not they probably do to try 
> to manage the odds, which has got to be an inexact science at best 
> given the number of factors they need to consider.
>
> Maybe we should see if one of the schools would like to conduct an 
> experiement?  Kidding! /grin/
>
> Tami Smith-Kinney
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
> Behalf Of Tracy Carcione
> Sent: Monday, August 10, 2009 10:18 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: [nagdu] Matching
>
> I wondered the same as Rebecca when I read Marion's message.  More, 
> one of my classmates, call her A, had a friend, B, who was not doing 
> particularly well with her dog.  But A loved the dog, and got B to 
> give the dog to her, and they worked happily together for years.  Go
figure.
>
> This is what I think.  Some people think that their dog was specially 
> selected for them, a match made in heaven, if you will.  Maybe the 
> schools encourage this kind of thinking.  Maybe it helps some people 
> bond with the new dog, specially selected just for them.
> And I do think it's true that some dogs couldn't work for some people.  
> My Echo, for instance, is a soft dog.  If I got annoyed, or forgot, 
> and spoke too sharply to her, or corrected her too hard, she would 
> turn to JellO and melt.  We'd have to stop right there for a couple 
> minutes so she could regain her composure.  She could never have 
> worked for someone with a loud, drill-sergeant-type handling style.  
> My Ben, on the other hand, might do great with that kind of person.  
> He might not be the brat he is, though it might also put a damper on his
cheerful, cocky nature.
>
> But one dog could surely work for a variety of people.  Just some 
> would be more suitable than others.
>
> There's a workshop during the TSE reunion called "The Miracle of the 
> Match".  I find that title very amusing.  I'm tempted to go and 
> heckle, because sometimes I strongly suspect they just throw names in 
> a hat and pull them out.  Or pick the name that's cutest with the 
> person, like Anchor for the ex-Navy man.  Though I must say Ben does 
> match what I asked for amazingly well.  Which just shows I should be
careful what I ask for!
> Not that I'd trade him for anyone else.
>
> Maybe the miracle is that the match usually works. <Grin>
>
> Just my nickel's worth.
> Tracy
>
>> Marian and list,
>> Does this mean that there is no merit to the statement that a dog and 
>> person are matched?
>> If this is so, why must we as the end-users go get a dog and spend 
>> several weeks at a school with it? Why can't I just go to a school, 
>> say "I like that one" and then leave with that dog?
>> I am truly curious and would be interested to know people's thoughts, 
>> both those who work for a school and those who do not.
>> If the dogs will work for anybody once they are taught how to guide, 
>> why do theschools say "we matched x dog with y person"?
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
>> Behalf Of Marion & Martin
>> Sent: Friday, August 07, 2009 7:01 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Dave, Tammy, & Maddox Anspach
>>
>> Dar,
>>     I cannot answer your questions, as I am not a representative of 
>> any school. I am of the opinion that, if one owns their dog and for 
>> any reason feels the need to transfer ownership to someone else, the 
>> school should have no issue with it. If that person is blind and 
>> wishes to use the dog as their guide, this, too, should be none of 
>> the school's concern. These are the rights and privileges of ownership.
>>
>> Fraternally yours,
>> Marion
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "d m gina" <dmgina at samobile.net>
>> To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Friday, August 07, 2009 4:51 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Dave, Tammy, & Maddox Anspach
>>
>>
>>> See I am not concerned about this team, I am not concerened about 
>>> any of this, except asking one question.
>>> Has different matches like this happened with other schools as well?
>>> Lets say I give you the rite to have my dog if anything happens to me.
>>> You agree, and this would be coming from the school where I trained 
>>> my
>> dog
>>> with.
>>> They would take my word that you are a swell handler, and they want
>> the
>>> dog to still be a team with someone.
>>> I feel this is a plus I am at not  time unhappy with anyone.
>>> My next question would be, lets say my dog had to retire, could I 
>>> call
>> my
>>> school and say something like,
>>> "is there a team who has to brake up for what evere reason, and may 
>>> I
>> have
>>> their dog/
>>> I am a swell dog handler as you know, what paper work do I need to
>> fill
>>> out to have this happen?
>>> I hope I explained better now.
>>> I think this is a swell idea.
>>>
>>> --
>>> --Dar
>>> skype
>>> dmgina23
>>> every saint has a past
>>> every sinner has a future
>>>
>>> Email services provided by the System Access Mobile Network.  Visit 
>>> www.serotek.com to learn more about accessibility anywhere.
>>>
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