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<DIV>Well Charlene I know you spent a few times at the NAGDU table, and it was great spending moments with you. I agree and have heard others say the same, you just can't go to everthing you want to because of the shortened convention. It one of those it has bad points and good points. All in all it I had a great time!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Merry</DIV>
<DIV><BR><BR><BR>Jul 11, 2009 01:08:24 AM, <A class=parsedEmail href="mailto:nagdu@nfbnet.org" target=_blank>nagdu@nfbnet.org</A> wrote:<BR></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: rgb(102,153,204) 3px solid">Irish and I slipped out of the banquet along the wall while everyone was<BR>meandering among the tables, too! We jumped on an elevator and got to the<BR>third floor, I got Irish out to relieve and was back in my room in no time,<BR>too! I find the dog is a huge help because they're good at getting through<BR>crowds and they know where those elevators (or lifts as the Ausie dogs know<BR>them) are. I know you guys must be looking forwarad to getting your dogs and<BR>I wish you all the best! <BR><BR>I wish I could have gotten to more of the actual guide dog meetings this<BR>year but things kept coming up that I had to do like the chapter president's<BR>thing that I only got to a little part of as well because of other meetings<BR>and needing to eat myself and all the other incidentals. I don't know what<BR>others think, but shortening the convention just made it harder to get to<BR>things and sure made it difficult to get some time to visit old friends. I'm<BR>glad I got some time at the NAGDU table as that gave me a chance to get<BR>acquainted with a few of our members. By the way, can you share who won the<BR>VR Stream?<BR><BR>Yesterday when we got home, one of the first things of course was to feed<BR>Irish since we had such a long trip, he hadn't eaten for quite some time.<BR>But I guess he didnt' think he'd had nearly enough to eat and my husband had<BR>opened the suitcase with all my bags of PupCakes in it and forgot that they<BR>were there. I called Irish and wondered just where he'd gotten to, and,<BR>you've probably already guessed where I found him, trying his level best to<BR>get into those ziplock bags. So when I share the treats with others with<BR>four-footed friends, I just have to warn them there's probably dog slobber<BR>on the bags but he hadn't been successful in breaking in. So, Merry I think<BR>the ziplock bags had a good purpose beyond just the other bags breaking!<BR><BR>Also, you can hear Marion sing during the first general session, too.<BR>Hopefully, that will be in the archives as he really did a great job!<BR><BR>After thinking about it, I think I ended up more involved with NAGDU this<BR>year than I'd realized and I really enjoyed getting to know members and hope<BR>next year to be able to actually attend meetings and to also continue to<BR>participate and help out where ever I can. Much of the time, you attend<BR>meetings, and it's like you come and go and sometimes don't really make any<BR>connections with people at all. But with NAGDU I found I had opportunities<BR>to spend time with people and participate so I really appreciate that.<BR><BR>Here's looking forward to next year!<BR><BR>Charlene<BR><BR>_____ <BR><BR>From: <A class="parsedEmail parsedEmail" href="mailto:nagdu-bounces@nfbnet.org" target=_blank>nagdu-bounces@nfbnet.org</A> [mailto:<A class="parsedEmail parsedEmail" href="mailto:nagdu-bounces@nfbnet.org" target=_blank>nagdu-bounces@nfbnet.org</A>] On Behalf<BR>Of <A class="parsedEmail parsedEmail" href="mailto:merrys@verizon.net" target=_blank>merrys@verizon.net</A><BR>Sent: Friday, July 10, 2009 11:38 AM<BR>To: <A class="parsedEmail parsedEmail" href="mailto:nagdu@nfbnet.org" target=_blank>nagdu@nfbnet.org</A><BR>Subject: Re: [nagdu] traveling at convention with a cane versus a dog<BR><BR><BR>Charlene,<BR><BR>After the banquet, we used an esculator to get to the third floor and was on<BR>an elevator within minutes. That was the only time we were that lucky!!<BR>Thanks for all your help in the exhibit hall. In fact, thanks to everyone<BR>who took a shift!!<BR><BR>Merry<BR><BR><BR>Jul 10, 2009 06:47:48 PM, <A class="parsedEmail parsedEmail" href="mailto:nagdu@nfbnet.org" target=_blank>nagdu@nfbnet.org</A> wrote:<BR><BR><BR>Before I had my dog, I used to think it must be awlful to take a guide dog<BR>to convention because of all the crowds. However, since I've had my dog, I<BR>have really appreciated having him at conventions as it has often made it<BR>much easier to get places. This year the hotel was confusing no matter<BR>whether you use a cane or dog, but I found that it made life easier having<BR>the dog hands down! But you do need to make some concessions in order to<BR>consider your dog. The crowds at the ends of general sessions could get<BR>particularly bad and so I found it better for the dog and probably myself as<BR>well to get a head start and leave a little early. That leads me to think<BR>that it might not be a bad idea if we developed a little pamphlet of<BR>suggestions for people attending conventions with their guide dogs, a little<BR>survival guide like thing.<BR><BR>Charlene <BR><BR>-----Original Message-----<BR>From: <A class="parsedEmail parsedEmail" href="mailto:nagdu-bounces@nfbnet.org" target=_blank>nagdu-bounces@nfbnet.org</A> [mailto:<A class="parsedEmail parsedEmail" href="mailto:nagdu-bounces@nfbnet.org" target=_blank>nagdu-bounces@nfbnet.org</A>] On Behalf<BR>Of Marsha<BR>Sent: Friday, July 10, 2009 4:40 AM<BR>To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'<BR>Subject: Re: [nagdu] traveling at convention with a cane versus a dog<BR><BR>Hello,<BR>Although I am a guide user, I did not have my pup at convention. Using a<BR>cane at this particular hotel was hard. Not only because the hotel was<BR>confusing, but because the hotel was laid in a circular fashion. I can not<BR>tell you how many times I went in a circle. The circles looked the same to<BR>me, and if things had been in a way that following a route would have been<BR>easier. I have very good canes skills, but this hotel was just confusing.<BR>And spoke to many sighted people who got lost, so I really do not think it<BR>was a sighted or blind issue. Now on the other hand, I am glad in a way that<BR>I did not have my puppy. It was a stressful week, with a lot of canes, a lot<BR>of people. The elevators were very very crowded, and very little space in<BR>the general sessions to spread out. So it is kinda depends on the dog and<BR>the handler, if it had been easier to have a dog or a cane. <BR><BR>But I am very very very happy to see that we had so many pupps at convention<BR>this year. As a organization we are growing and that is a wonderful thing!<BR>marsha<BR><BR><BR><BR>-----Original Message-----<BR>From: <A class="parsedEmail parsedEmail" href="mailto:nagdu-bounces@nfbnet.org" target=_blank>nagdu-bounces@nfbnet.org</A> [mailto:<A class="parsedEmail parsedEmail" href="mailto:nagdu-bounces@nfbnet.org" target=_blank>nagdu-bounces@nfbnet.org</A>] On Behalf<BR>Of Sherri<BR>Sent: Friday, July 10, 2009 9:24 AM<BR>To: Multiple recipients of NFBnet nagdu Mailing List<BR>Subject: [nagdu] traveling at convention with a cane versus a dog<BR><BR>Hi Merry and Marion,<BR><BR>First I want to commend both of you for a great job with NAGDU at<BR>convention. I unfortunately missed the business meeting, but the other<BR>meeting was great. The speakers were particularly interesting and I enjoyed<BR>learning more about dog massage.<BR><BR>I have a question. Both of you attended the convention without dogs. What<BR>for each of you was the most striking difference in navigating, traveling,<BR>etc.? Though the dogs get stressed, I find it much easier getting around<BR>places like the Ren Center with my dog than with a cane. Just wanted to<BR>know.<BR><BR>Did you two attend the council of dog guide school's reception? I did not<BR>see you there. SEGBY and some other schools were there that did not attend<BR>the NAGDU meeting. The reception was very nice.<BR>Sherri<BR><BR><A class="parsedEmail parsedEmail" href="mailto:Flmom2006@gmail.com" target=_blank>Flmom2006@gmail.com</A><BR><BR>Check out the link and send your used cell phones to help the blind<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature<BR>database 4231 (20090710) __________<BR><BR>The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.<BR><BR><A class=parsedLink href="http://www.eset.com" target=_blank>http://www.eset.com</A><BR><BR><BR><BR>__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature<BR>database 4231 (20090710) __________<BR><BR>The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.<BR><BR><A class=parsedLink href="http://www.eset.com" target=_blank>http://www.eset.com</A><BR><BR><BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>nagdu mailing list<BR><A class="parsedEmail parsedEmail" href="mailto:nagdu@nfbnet.org" target=_blank>nagdu@nfbnet.org</A><BR><A class=parsedLink href="http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org" target=_blank>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org</A><BR>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:<BR><A class=parsedLink href="http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/caota%40hawaii.rr.com" target=_blank>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/caota%40hawaii.rr.com</A><BR><BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>nagdu mailing list<BR><A class="parsedEmail parsedEmail" href="mailto:nagdu@nfbnet.org" target=_blank>nagdu@nfbnet.org</A><BR><A class=parsedLink href="http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org" target=_blank>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org</A><BR>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:<BR><A class=parsedLink href="http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/merrys%40verizon.net" target=_blank>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/merrys%40verizon.net</A><BR><BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>nagdu mailing list<BR><A class="parsedEmail parsedEmail" href="mailto:nagdu@nfbnet.org" target=_blank>nagdu@nfbnet.org</A><BR><A class=parsedLink href="http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org" target=_blank>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org</A><BR>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:<BR><A class=parsedLink href="http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/merrys%40verizon.net" target=_blank>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/merrys%40verizon.net</A><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></html>