[rehab] Blindness mannerisms:

Sun Oct 1 08:46:00 UTC 2017

The watch word, here, and everywhere, is mutual respect.  As I pointed out 
in a previous message.  Too many blind people are so caught up in the things 
they can do, independently, and how successful they might be, they too often 
forget to respect the wishes of others.  If they make choices which 
contradict those of others.  It takes an enormous amount of courage and 
strength to do what you are doing, Erica.  I know how proud your mother must 
feel.  Because I feel the same sort of pride, in you and in what you are 
doing.  In order to become the best, and the finest, blind person you can 
be.  You have made the finest decision it is possible for you to make.  I 
applaud you for having the amount of courage you have shown thus far.  I 
feel sure you will succeed in your rehabilitation courses, and you and your 
gentleman friend will reach toward new heights together, and will be among 
the happiest of people.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ericka via rehab" <rehab at nfbnet.org>
To: <ukekearuaro at valtdnet.com>; "Rehabilitation Counselor Mailing List" 
<rehab at nfbnet.org>
Cc: "Ericka" <dotwriter1 at gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2017 11:44 PM
Subject: Re: [rehab] Blindness mannerisms:


>I chose to do this. I do not get reliable information from my outside world 
>using my residual vision. Not all of us learn the way you do about 
>computers and such, nor have all of us have the same vision you do.  Please 
>understand and respect that. To me, the students who do cheat are only 
>hurting themselves in the future. Having usable vision now is not a 
>guarantee for the future.
>
> You're lucky that you can play with things and learn on your own. However 
> you need to remember that we are all different people. There are training 
> centers that do not require them but they are not for me. I have very 
> limited computer skills and find them extremely frustrating. I miss the 
> days when everything was in print and I could read it. Computers were very 
> rare in homes. I grew up in a very small community and was given very 
> limited travel training. This does me no good since my adult life I have 
> never lived in a rural community.  Braille I have caught onto very easily 
> because I love to write and read. Mind you I've only been here two weeks. 
> I knew how to do many things like cooking and cleaning because my parents 
> did not baby me and required me to do household chores like my sighted 
> siblings. They made sure I could cook and clean just as well if not better 
> than my younger sisters.
>
> Please respect my decision. Those who cheat should find a center which 
> does not require them to wear shades during classes and community-based 
> center run activities. I do not know your diagnosis nor your possibilities 
> to lose the rest of your vision. You do not know mine. I have no specific 
> diagnosis nor certain prognosis for the future. All I know is my current 
> reality and I need to do things non-visually.
>
> Ericka Short
> from my iPhone 6+
>
>> On Sep 30, 2017, at 10:45 AM, Olusegun -- Victory Associates LTD, Inc. 
>> via rehab <rehab at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>
>> I say, get rid of the shades, or else make them optional!  No need 
>> putting
>> all blind folks in the same boat, let each advance based on his or her
>> capabilities, but deny exposure to none.  I don't care what training 
>> centre
>> I may find myself in, but I shall never wear any shades especially if 
>> they
>> make me feel uncomfortable. Sighted folks don't wear shades unless they
>> choose to; so, why should I wear one against my wishes as a blind person?
>>
>> I should advance or progress at my own pace, not at some artificial pace 
>> set
>> by anyone else!  I am computer literate, 99% self thought through
>> experimentation of my own.  I help a lot of sighted folks with
>> computer-related issues.  I use a touchscreen smartphone in Android land.
>> Some, blind and sighted alike, still want phones with regular keypads! 
>> They
>> each have a right to this choice; each will adjust and make other choices
>> when their desired choice is no longer available.  A touchscreen phone 
>> was
>> DAUNTING for me in the beginning; but, I kept throwing punches at it 
>> until I
>> got it to submit and now, we're the best of friends!  Yikes, I even send 
>> and
>> receive faxes on my Shiny touchscreen Android toy!  In a few months, I do
>> plan to WALK AWAY completely from a Windows OS computer and its 
>> associated
>> screen readers.  Why so?  Well, my preferred Windows Screen Reader went 
>> out
>> of business!  I have work to do and I won't pay somewhere between $200 to
>> $250 per hour to have new scripts written for the apps I use for work 
>> daily
>> for any other screen reader.  I've found comparable apps in Android land,
>> and their deployment is so much cheaper.  Besides, I am able to interact
>> with app developers in Android land and have them make the necessary 
>> changes
>> that have rendered the apps I need more accessible.
>>
>> I don't agree that blindness is a characteristic; I never chose to be 
>> blind,
>> but, so what?  I am, and I'm comfortable with it!  The absent-mindedness 
>> of
>> sighted folks, young or old, always knocks my socks off my feet!  In my 
>> home
>> I mow my own lawn, turn on and off my own sprinkler systems and even set 
>> its
>> timer, use a flat top stove, flat screen microwave with no additional
>> labels, use scrubbing bubbles to wash my three bathrooms, vacuum my 
>> carpets
>> with a regular vacuum cleaner, etc.  At a restaurant, if I am having
>> difficulties with cutting my steak, heck, I tear them apar with my 
>> fingers
>> and eat!  It's my food, I paid for it.  You can watch or stare at me all 
>> day
>> long, I am not bothered.  What matters is that I am doing that which 
>> works
>> for me!  I do travel pretty well, familiar area or not, and I use a cane.
>>
>> My mannerisms DO NOT make me superior to myself or anyone!  I am open to
>> learning anything and everything new, but I am not available for
>> insults--cheap, expensive or priceless--on account of my blindness!
>>
>> Sincerely,
>> Olusegun
>> Denver, Colorado
>>
>>
>> ---
>> This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
>> https://www.avast.com/antivirus
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> rehab mailing list
>> rehab at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/rehab_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
>> rehab:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/rehab_nfbnet.org/dotwriter1%40gmail.com
> _______________________________________________
> rehab mailing list
> rehab at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/rehab_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> rehab:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/rehab_nfbnet.org/angel238%40sbcglobal.net