[nagdu] a cane and dog discussion (cane silence)

Mon Jun 20 15:25:25 UTC 2011

Interesting response Hope. 
I used to use a dog, now I use a cane. I found that I move about more easily with the cane, and I can move in more random motions, especially when I am with my daughter and we are looking at something. 
As for people talking to me, I think people just don't know what to say with a cane.  I've never had a problem starting a conversation with anybody. 
I have also found that I am able to make friends with people who are not dog people. 
I think the best way I know to think of the cane is like clothing. When I wear my space shuttle jacket, I encounter people who work in or at least follow the space program. I don't seem to encounter these people as readily when I do not have that jacket on. When I'm wearing the shirt of a band I like, I encounter other fans of that band. 
For those of you who don't like the cane, I wonder if the dislike is somehow conveyed via body language and energy level? People can feel that and respond acordingly. People are attracted to someone who is in their element 
I wonder if when those of you who don't like the cane are using it also convey the attitude that "I'm not feeling so great today". 
And, there is nothing wrong with this feeling, we all feel what we feel and like what we like.

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Hope Paulos
Sent: Monday, June 20, 2011 11:02 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] a cane and dog discussion (cane silence)

I couldn't agree more with you, Albert. at times I go out without my dog to 
regain my cane skills. Every time I do, I feel invisible. No one talks to 
me, I feel like eeveryone's watching me and I'm the slowest person (at least 
I feel that way anyway). My dog provides me with so much freedom and speed. 
<smiles>
Hope and Beignet
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike" <underthetoaster at gmail.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, June 20, 2011 10:51 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] a cane and dog discussion (cane silence)

> Hi,
> I love how you brought up the silence factor of using a cane. It's one of 
> the most irritating things in the world. People yakking away in a hallway 
> is fine but then when you get close with your cane they all hold their 
> breath and clam up like they're scared they're going to get whacked. . 
> Wouldn't it be a lot smarter  if they say something to you so you know 
> where they are instead of vanishing into silence?
> Anyway there are irritating things about canes and dogs. Everybody being 
> an expert on dogs and what to feed, how to groom, etc. advice is very 
> annoying to me. And the usual roster of questions gets old quickly.
> Mike
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Albert J Rizzi" <albert at myblindspot.org>
> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, June 20, 2011 7:19 AM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] a cane and dog discussion
>
>
>> Hello all,
>>
>> Was not sure if I were going to chime in here or not. cane versus dog. I
>> choose dog all the way. as a recent entrant into the community, and in
>> assessing my needs from a tactile standpoint, I find the dog much better 
>> as
>> well as expeditious for my needs. I find that when my cane taps something 
>> I
>> am 99% inclined to reach out and touch whatever it is that is in my path. 
>> I
>> do this for my own knowledge of what is on my path and just for the
>> curiosity of it all. with my guide none of that ever happens. I could be
>> walking through an obstacle course full of pot holes or pillars and never
>> once want to nor need to know what it is I avoided. Add to that the issue 
>> of
>> my sighted peers not seeing what they are looking at and again I choose 
>> the
>> dog hands down. I had my cane stepped on and snapped three times in my 
>> first
>> 4 months of being blind. that was enough experience for me to not want to
>> use the cane. The dog for one reason or another catches the eyes of the
>> sighted, it minimizes accidental cane breakage and it always opens the 
>> door
>> for a dialogue or discussion where the cane sort of acts like a dome of
>> silence which at first glance is impenetrable  by the sighted community. 
>> so
>> power to the pup for me anyway. Peace.
>>
>>
>> Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
>> Founder
>> My Blind Spot, Inc.
>> 90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
>> New York, New York  10004
>> www.myblindspot.org
>> PH: 917-553-0347
>> Fax: 212-858-5759
>> "The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who 
>> is
>> doing it."
>>
>>
>> Visit us on Facebook LinkedIn
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
>> Behalf
>> Of Sheila Leigland
>> Sent: Monday, June 20, 2011 10:06 AM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] a cane and dog discussion
>>
>> I think it depends on the situations that a person deals with daily. I do
>> much better with a dog in snow and on ice than I did with a cane. I used 
>> a
>> cane exclusivily until almost eleven years ago when I got my first dog.my
>> first dog. I've known cane users that have no interest in getting a dog 
>> and
>> that is fine. I don't know people that have lost there cane skills but 
>> I've
>> heard of it..
>>
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>
>
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