[Nfbmt] late breaking news -- phone conference with seniorblind guest

[Rik James]

I actually did call in to that Nebraska affiliate of NFB's Senior Blind 
division meeting last night.
Turned out that the guest was not able to attend. No one knew why. But we 
wondered if it might have been the bad storms back east.
But they had a very good talk.
And as it happened Nebraska had their state convention on the same weekend 
as we did in Montana.
So some of their time they talked about that.

And the topic of how old is a Senior was actually mentioned.
We all had a bit of a chuckle about how many of us are now more senior than 
junior.
And how we each may have a pre-conceived notion about being an elder person.
But no. There is no age requirement, no specific age.

I turned 61 on November 10, just a Sunday ago.
Working my way into another decade of wonderment, and still much to learn.
I have come from a young know it all, to an older I will never know enough 
guy, you might say.

But the national division does exist of Senior Blind. And many affiliates 
have a division of their own. And this Nebraska affiliate are pretty active, 
and they discuss any kind of things they wish to. So Robert asked me, does 
Montana have a Senior Blind division. I said I did not think so. The only 
division I remember I don't want to remember any more. We are now a unified 
and fortified, certified, group. Are we not?   (grinning proudly here.)

But yes, we could have a division. If we wanted to, I would bet.

At last night's meeting, they started off with what they called Brags and 
Drags.
Really like a round robin check-in to start the meeting.

What would you like to brag about recently? A personal success, or 
something. Or a recent addition to the family. Stuff like that.

Or what is a drag for you recently. What is preventing you from getting some 
traction on a personal goal?  Or what misconception of blindness have you 
run into lately? Stuff like that.

There were a couple other guests from other states and all were welcome.
But it is a local state group, really. I had gotten the announcement because 
it came from Robert Leslie Newman of Nebraska. He is President of another 
division of NFB of which I am a long time member, the Writers Division. And 
Robert also is in the Nebraska senior division and had sent the announcement 
to me and other Wrter division members by accident so he just officially 
invited us if we wanted. There was a fellow from Mississippi who called in, 
too.

One other quick thing. The conference call has that cross talk problem. 
People can be talking all at once.
I think everyone has to adopt an etiquette about that.
There has to be a moderator. And a person needs to say their name first to 
get the moderator's attention.
And then when the moderator acknowledges the person then they have the 
floor.
That does not mean that some deviation can exist. But some attempts at that 
I think really does help it to get more easy to listen and to participate.

Blurting out, while I am guilty of this is probably a pretty ineffective way 
to conduct a conversation on these conference calls.
And I think also perhaps if the moderator has not heard from one of the 
participants who is online, they might want to regularly call on him or her.
Just some thoughts, and observations from last night. Kind of interesting 
listening in as a guest with another group.

Okay.
I have already talked too long.
I really need an oven timer to use when I start off typing these emails.
Do you think?
Anyway...

Happy Monday.
What else is on your minds today?

Rik