[Nfbf-l] Get Ready NFBF!!! NationalConventionOrlandomanyyearsto come!!!

Sun Jul 10 17:31:05 UTC 2011

That would be great! I did get help from a UPS volunteer once. I was in a 
hurry, so it was a good thing.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kathy Davis" <kdavisnfbf at cfl.rr.com>
To: "'NFB of Florida Internet Mailing List'" <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, July 10, 2011 11:19 AM
Subject: Re: [Nfbf-l] Get Ready NFBF!!! NationalConventionOrlandomanyyearsto 
come!!!


> Everyone,
> We all should extend our appreciation to the many UPS volunteers who
> were there to help with orientation and for assisting so many convention
> attendees find various locations in the hotel. You may have thought they
> were hotel employees when in actuality they were UPS helpers.
> My significant other, Tom Bellone, is retired from UPS and he was
> amazed at the number of workers who took time off from their regular jobs 
> to
> help out at convention. They were there every single day. One of the UPS
> volunteers even brought Tom and me  UPS volunteer T-Shirts and the head of
> UPS PR interviewed the both of us for an article in their forthcoming
> publication. Of course, my Seeing Eye Dog Davey is in the photo too.
> I will send you the e-mail address of the head of UPS so we can all
> express our thanks to the many volunteers who worked diligently every day!
>
> Thanks,
>
> Kathy
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfbf-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbf-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
> Behalf
> Of Bill Kociaba
> Sent: Sunday, July 10, 2011 9:14 AM
> To: NFB of Florida Internet Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [Nfbf-l] Get Ready NFBF!!! National
> ConventionOrlandomanyyearsto come!!!
>
> Hi Matt,
> I don't know you at all and have no idea how long you have been blind or
> what you do now or what you did before.  I  will totally aggree with you
> that the lobby area really offers very little in landmarks.  I read that
> descriptive article about the hotel prior to leaving and was expecting to
> hear a bunch of squacking birds in that birdcage.  I figured that was 
> going
> to be an obvious landmark to work from but never heard a peep from it. 
> Once
> out of the lobby area though things weren't really too bad.  The lower 
> lobby
> was pretty simple if you kept your ears open and the convention area as
> well.  I did have the advantage of a very smart dog who knew how to find 
> the
> elavators though. At least most of the time(LOL). The fact that there were
> sevral sets of glass doors leading outside did make it very hard to locate
> the relief area near the meeting rooms as well.  And no matter how
> indipendent everyone claims to be I heard plenty of people asking, "where
> is...." right up to the last day. There were plenty of hotel staff around
> and if you were having trouble and chose to not ask...well then thats just
> being prideful and foolish.     On the other hand I really found people
> screaming, "escalators over here" over and over more of a distraction than 
> a
> help. When things were quiet the sound of those escalators was pretty
> obvious. I have been in hotels that were both easier and more difficult to
> work through and always survived.If you hated this one, don't try any of 
> the
> casino propertys in Vegas or Reno that are actually designed to make it 
> hard
> to find your way out!  If this hotel and its challenges keeps you away 
> from
> the convention in the future that is sad.  I came in contact with sevral O
> and M people during the course of the week and I am sure that if you were 
> to
> make contact with one of them that they wouldn't mind spending a bit of 
> time
> with you helping you to get a better handle on things.
>
> On the subject of being "well adjusted"..I thought that one had been
> exhausted already but if not, being well adjusted to anything does not 
> mean
> you are always happy and glad you have that issue it means accepting it! 
> I
> heard someone use the word embrace it...I don't know how you can embrace
> losing your sight but you surley can accept that it has happened and at 
> the
> moment there is nothing you or any of us can do about it...
> Can we please put the well adjusted and how bad the hotel was topics to
> rest.  Seems they are getting beat to death.
>
> Bill Kociaba
> CRUISEONE
> Bill at Ycruise.com
> 954 227 7772 or Toll Free 877 227 7775
> 7600 Wiles Rd, Coral Springs, FL 33067
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Matt Roberts" <blindbiker at yahoo.com>
> To: "NFB of Florida Internet Mailing List" <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, July 10, 2011 7:55 AM
> Subject: Re: [Nfbf-l] Get Ready NFBF!!! National Convention
> Orlandomanyyearsto come!!!
>
>
>>I need to respond to this.  YOu folksw on this group don't know me very
>>well.  You think you do but you don't.  From now on, I'm simply going
>>to keep my mouth shut! I won't say anything!
>> This place was extremely complex for me as an individual.  I was told
>>by  another blind person who has been at events here this place is
>>difficult  to navigate.  Places I see as complex take me a while to
>>grasp.  If I  can't form a mental picture in my mind of something, the
>>item makes no  sense to me.
>> IF you know *ONE* person who is *TOTALLY* adjusted to their blindness
>>I"d  certainly like to meet them.  You never can be totally adjusted to
>>anything 100% of the time.
>>
>> Matt Roberts
>> 386-679-1986
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> On Jul 9, 2011, at 1:27 PM, "Kirk" <kvharmon54 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Matt my friend, when will you start to accept your blindness and move
>>> forward without complaints? I have been listening to you complain
>>> about everything you are in contact with ever since you started
>>> commenting on this site again. I have knoown you for many years and
>>> you have always had such a negative attitude about most everything
>>> and it is truly not what is your perception of your surroundings as
>>> much as it is you and your negativity about life in general! Please
>>> get counseling or something so you can start to move forward without
>>> such a negative attitude and perhaps your comments would be more
>>> enjoyable to read. I had many friends of mine that were there, as was
>>> I, and even the Totals with  me said once they learned their way
>>> around they thought it was easy to do and they loved the Hotel.I have
>>> to say however, they all have a very positive attitude about life and
>>> have accepted the fact that ,YES, they are in fact totally blind and
>>> things are different but it doesn't have to be miserable to enhjoy
>>> their lives. You need to get help to learn how to think positive
>>> about your life and quit complaining about all that  is around you.
>>> Once you embrace your blindness and it's lifestyle, then my friend, I
>>> feel you will  start to smile more and frown a lot less! Matt, Just
>>> one man's observation of you since I have known you, and want you to
>>> try and understand that none of us need negativity in our lives
>>> unnecessarily. Please try and change your attitude not just for
>>> yourself, but for all that is around and in contact with you! Your
>>> friend in the cause, Kirk Harmon
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Holly" <hbeanie at gmail.com>
>>> To: "NFB of Florida Internet Mailing List" <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Saturday, July 09, 2011 10:22 AM
>>> Subject: Re: [Nfbf-l] Get Ready NFBF!!! National Convention
>>> Orlandomanyyears to come!!!
>>>
>>>
>>> I agree , a positive attitude always helps. One may not like a
>>> situation but the only thing you have control over is the way you
>>> react to it.
>>> Holly
>>>
>>> Holly
>>>
>>> On Jul 9, 2011 10:07 AM, "Denise Valkema" <valkemadenise at aol.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> You can take a brown car right out lobby entrance for $5 for everyone
>>> in car or ask a friend  who drives to take you to Publix.
>>>
>>> You can hook up with member or friend and get around together. You
>>> have two years to work on solutions. A positive attitude helps, too.
>>>
>>>
>>> Denise
>>> -- Sent from Denise's Palm Pre
>>>
>>> On Jul 9, 2011 12:11 AM, Sherri <flmom2006 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> I thought the hotel was really ...
>>>
>>> From: "Matt Roberts" <blindbiker at yahoo.com>
>>>
>>> To: "NFB of Florida Internet Mailing List" <nf...
>>> > On Jul 7, 2011, at 4:28 PM, Tara Prakash Tripathi wrote:
>>>
>>> >
>>>
>>> >> What did you not like about this hotel?
>>>
>>> >>
>>>
>>> >>
>>>
>>> > I found the layout extremely confusing.  I spent 1 hour just trying
>>> to
>>> get
>>>
>>> > from the registration table to the elevators leading to my room.
>>> When
>>>
>>> > you're trying to figure out where you are, where you want to go, 
>>> and
>>> dodge
>>>
>>> > people it's difficult.  I have no problem traveling, but from what 
>>> i
>>> can
>>>
>>> > tell there are no landmarks.  A week is not enough time to learn
>>> this
>>>
>>> > hotel.  I'd need to spend a lot of time, and practice over and 
>>> over.
>>> I'm
>>>
>>> > with some friends and one of them is sighted.  I do let him guide
>>> me,
>>> but
>>>
>>> > I should be able to pick up routes, since we always go the same 
>>> way.
>>> NOt
>>>
>>> > this hotel!
>>>
>>> > The food is very expensive, and there aren't any eating
>>> establishments
>>>
>>> > nearby.  If you want to not pay a lot of money for food, you need a
>>> car.
>>>
>>> > I know Publix is across the street, but you have to get out to the
>>> road.
>>>
>>> > With my physical disability, I would not risk trying to walk that
>>> far,
>>>
>>> > especially when no sidewalks exist.
>>>
>>> >
>>>
>>> >
>>>
>>>
>>> > Matt Roberts blindbiker at yahoo.com
>>>
>>> >
>>>
>>> >
>>>
>>> >
>>>
>>> >
>>>
>>> >
>>>
>>> > ________________________...
>>> > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbf-l_nfbnet.org
>>>
>>> > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info
>>> for
>>>
>>> > Nfbf-l:
>>>
>>> >
>>>
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbf-l_nfbnet.org/flmom2006%40gmail.co
> m
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>>
>>> Nfbf-l mailing list
>>>
>>> Nfbf-l at nfbnet.org
>>>
>>> http:/...
>>>
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbf-l_nfbnet.org/valkemadenise%40aol.
> com
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Nfbf-l mailing list
>>> Nfbf-l at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.n...
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Nfbf-l mailing list
>>> Nfbf-l at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbf-l_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> Nfbf-l:
>>>
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbf-l_nfbnet.org/kvharmon54%40gmail.c
> om
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Nfbf-l mailing list
>>> Nfbf-l at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbf-l_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> Nfbf-l:
>>>
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbf-l_nfbnet.org/blindbiker%40yahoo.c
> om
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Nfbf-l mailing list
>> Nfbf-l at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbf-l_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> Nfbf-l:
>>
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbf-l_nfbnet.org/williamkociaba%40com
> cast.net
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Nfbf-l mailing list
> Nfbf-l at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbf-l_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> Nfbf-l:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbf-l_nfbnet.org/kdavisnfbf%40cfl.rr.
> com
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Nfbf-l mailing list
> Nfbf-l at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbf-l_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> Nfbf-l:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbf-l_nfbnet.org/flmom2006%40gmail.com
>