[NFB-Idaho] My Fabulous First Day of Convention

[Erin A. Olsen]

Hello Fello Federationists!

I hope EVERYONE has been able to attend at least part of this year’s online convention. It is free, so no excuses!, Besides, if you miss it, you are missing a LOT, so get the agenda and figure out which ones of the hundreads of options most interest you.

I invested a lot of time yesterday with the Employment Committee functions. Between yesterday and today, we had our committee meeting, job fair, job seekers workshop and Upward Mobility seminar. I was able to have several personal discussions with members who are job seekers and provide them with some insighs and guidance…as well as encouragement.

I learned a TON of cool possibilities between the JAWS/Fusion, Amazon and Microsoft presentations. So many useful features and products to explore. It seems that Microsoft’s FREE Narrator has come a long way as has the Magnifier. I haven’t tried them in a few years but they might be a good alternative to JAWS and/or ZoomText with similar features. There are a few more things I need to try with my Amazon devices, but I was MOST excited to hear about the Amazon oven that was released last year. I had heard of it before, but as my vision has diminished again this year, I am now unable to use my stove that only has touch controls with very little audible feedback. There is too much to tell you in this space but this oven is 5-in-1 including microwave, convection oven, air frier and more PLUS it works through our devices. We can voice control it but it will also announce to us things like reaching a preheat temperature, when it is time to turn something and what the food’s internal temperature is if we use the probeporbe.It has presets so we can ask it to make popcorn or bake a whole chicken and it sets the time and temp. If we have any of the Amazon devices with a camera (the “Show” series), it can recognize a box or can and set the instruction’s time and temp for us. It also has BRAILLE control overlays! So much to say, but moving on…

Today (Wednesday) has several voting seminars including voting from home, advocacy, accessible voting (which includes a demo),and accessible banking. As far as NFB business goes, I will be attending the NFB Board and Resolutions meetings.  This is where we can learn what WE are up to (not the “National office” , remember? 😊 ).  For my kind of fun, I like to attend the Research and Development meeting. There are a LOT of VERY smart, educated, dedicated, driven people who fill us in on what they are working on. The Microsoft Soundscape presentation is going to be interesting. If you don’t know what that is, review the agenda and/or come to the presentation and be amazed!

We have been talking a lot about Newsline for a long time. ICBVI has asked us to provide our opinions and we have done our own unofficial polling. If you still have questions, come to the NFB Newsline from Telephone to Amazon presentation. It is a great way to learn about Newsline or re-energize about some of the new possibilities.

To round out the day, I will be attending the Communications Committee and Automobile and Pedestrian Safety meeting. I sit on both the ACHD ADA and ITD interagency groups at home, so believe I can learn a lot about what NFB knows and is doing to take back home to these groups. In fact, I also have a specific meeting with the interagency workgroup on transportation issuestoday, so the timing is good!.

So that is what I did yesterday and plan on for today. I am engaged and excited, as usual! If what I have talked about isn’t of interest to you, I urge you to look at the agenda and find what interests, activities and advocacy does inspire you. Until later… -Erin

Erin A. Olsen, MEd/MCT/MCCT
eolsen at pckeys.com<mailto:eolsen at pckeys.com>

I don’t plan to make life a journey to the grave arriving safely in a pretty,  well preserved package.
I’m going to arrive skidding in broadside, well worn and exhausted
with a lifetime of experiences and loudly proclaiming, “WOW! What an adventure!” ☺