[Sportsandrec] introduction and suggesting on relearning riding a tricycle as a blind adult

Sun Aug 25 19:38:13 UTC 2013

Hi Lisa,
getting to a gym can be a pain and finding someone to workout with also at
times.  I am a personal trainer with close to 40 years of weight training
and overall fitness training under my belt.  I would be happy to help set up
a simple program you could follow at home using either just your bodyweight
or a limited amount of exercise equipment.
If you are interested please feel free to contact me directly at
williamkociaba at comcast.net
Bill

-----Original Message-----
From: Sportsandrec [mailto:sportsandrec-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
Lisa Hall
Sent: Saturday, August 24, 2013 8:34 AM
To: Sportsandrec at nfbnet.org
Subject: [Sportsandrec] introduction and suggesting on relearning riding a
tricycle as a blind adult

Hi everyone,

I am Lisa Hall from Cincinnati, Ohio. I am a longtime member of NFB since
1985. I have lived in three states over the years: Louisiana, 32 years;
Texas, 11 years; and Ohio 7 years. I currently work for Clovernook Center
for the Blind and Visually Impaired as a Braille proofreader. I have my
personal web site at www.lisa-halls-world.org. I have not learned how to use
Twitter, facebook or any other network opportunities out on the internet
yet. I noticed that many businesses use this medium to find new customers
and reconnect with previous customers. I have been totally blind all of my
life.

As far as recreation activities, as a kid, I used to ride a tricycle when I
lived in Louisiana from 1962 through 1995. I loved it back then. My
neighborhood back then was quiet and little traffic on my residential
street. I abandon this activity for many years since I became an adult. I
learned recently that tricycle for adults was available. My boyfriend
purchased one for me as a surprise for my birthday which doesn't occur until
December 3 and Christmas which is several months off. Now I am in a training
mode again. 

I like to walk around my neighborhood to keep fit when I can. Over the last
2 years I joined two health clubs but did not go very often because of
transportation challenges. I live in a three-bedroom apartment with steps to
get into the building with a sidewalk similar to a setup in a regular house
where I grew up. However, the house I lived in back then did not have stairs
and only 1 step into the house.

The neighborhood is on a bus line and I walk to work everyday. I live across
the street from the center making it convenient to walk to and from work. I
am close enough to places like restaurants, bank, grocery store, etc. There
are some places I go to that is not on a bus line. I depend on a driver to
get me to places not possible to get to by public transportation. The cab
system is terrible and very expensive here. I have a severe hearing
impairment and wear 2 hearing aids. 

My boyfriend is going to help me relearn the techniques so that I can get my
confidence back. I primarily use a straight cane for my travel. Should I
consider using a folding cane? 

Now that I am relearning how to use an adult tricycle, is there any way to
know what is in front of me in terms of hills, curbs, etc.? I just purchased
an iPhone back in May and am learning many things on it on my own. I have
been reading many books from National Braille Press regarding the I devices.
About a month ago, I purchased a subscription to Seeing Eye GPS which allows
a blind person to learn streets around my neighborhood, points of interest
that I didn't know about, and using the GPS when I travel in a car with a
driver. I also use a Braille display which I purchased to go with my
computer and iPhone. I hope to one day teach my boyfriend how to use his
Android device better.

My goal is to relearn how to ride a tricycle as an adult. I don't know many
blind people who ride tricycles as an adult. 

In the past, I have used a treadmill that have been marked but never owned
one. I also used an exercise bicycle as well but never owned one. I wish
there is an affordable health club closer to my home. I don't have a lot of
space for lots of equipment and some of those equipment is very expensive.

My hobbies are reading, music, computers, going to movies and plays,
attending concerts every once in a while, playing games like cards, dominos,
bingo, monopoly which I haven't done in several years as a kid.

My sister and brother live in Texas and Louisiana and they both have their
own kids. Now their kids are having their own children. I only get to see
them at least once a year.

I have been single all of my life and am trying to balance life as it should
be.

I hope to learn many activities that everyone is doing to keep fit and stay
busy.

Take care and hope to meet many of you at National Convention in Orlando,
Florida next summer.

By the way, I am President of National Association of Blind Office
Professionals and have been doing this since 1996. I am helping to change
what it means to be blind.

Sincerely yours,

Lisa Hall

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