[Nfb-krafters-korner] O.T. Braille and Print

[Cathy]

hi all,

I wanted to thank Lindy and Terry P for sharing their experiences in learning braille. my experience was similar to Lindy's, learning a little of both. I usually try not to get involved with off topic posts, but braille has been such a large part of my life, I just could not resist. I thought I'd share that I just finished training in how to learn to use windows 7 and office 2010 and one of the things I mentioned to my instructor at the Cleveland sight center was that I was disappointed that training materials were not offered in braille. she basically told me that the braille department was too busy brailing out textbooks to braille out computer training materials. (sad situation if you ask me.) also at the beginning of training I requested that I  be able to use a braille display    during my training, and she said that they had none available. (again sad situation.) so although I learned a lot with my one to one training which I was very grateful for, it would have been better if braille could have been included in my training.  . 
ok, end of rant


anyhow, I learned print capital letters from my dad who bought me plastic letters to arrange into words when I was five. then when I was six I learned grade one  braille and when I was seven I learned contracted braille. every contraction, we chanted them! 
well,anyhow, as I said I appreciate the stories and all of the chat about the braille pictures even though I no longer have a braille writer. I still have my slate and stylus however which I also learned to use when I was seven.  I have a very old braille embosser which I use for brailling things when I can get it to work., which is no where often enough!  Cathy