[stylist] New THOUGHT PROVOKER 143- The Virtual Blindness Challenge: The Reality Show

Wed Mar 11 02:27:56 UTC 2009

I like the concept, because it makes others aware about just hoe difficult
it is to master the art of blindness; if it can really be mastered.  

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Kathleen Millhoff
Sent: Monday, March 09, 2009 6:55 AM
To: NFBnet Writer's Division Mailing List
Subject: Re: [stylist] New THOUGHT PROVOKER 143- The Virtual Blindness
Challenge: The Reality Show

On 3/9/09, Robert Newman <newmanrl at cox.net> wrote:
> Fellow writers: Check out this latest THOUGHT PROVOKER. It is one of my
> favorites.
>
> RE:  The Virtual Blindness Challenge: The Reality Show
>
> Here is my 143rd THOUGHT PROVOKER. It is a reality show. Fully sighted
> contestants agree to forgo their sight and learn blindness skills. There
are
> challenges, winners and losers. Have a read and tell us what you think; is
> there value in this shows concept? If you have not read the PROVOKER, it
> follows.  Recall that I collect responses and post them upon my web site
for
> all the WWW to read and learn from and that URL is-
> Http://thoughtprovoker.info <http://thoughtprovoker.info/>   If you wish
to
> receive THOUGHT PROVOKERS sent directly to you, just write me and ask, at-
> newmanrl at cox.net
>
>
>
>
> THOUGHT PROVOKER 143
> The Virtual Blindness Challenge:
> The Reality Show
>
> "Welcome to The Virtual Blindness Challenge: The Reality Show!  (On screen
a
> tall dark-haired man stands, long white cane in one hand, cordless
> microphone in the other.) This is Final Challenge Day of week four, the
> final test. In today's challenge our remaining two students will have
their
> final faceoff. The one to successfully complete their challenge assignment
> first will win the grand prize of $10,000. Will it be Patty Hartman,
> twenty-six-years old, a single mother, and unemployed?" (The screen shows
a
> petit blonde woman with a black sleepshade strapped snuggly over her eyes
> and upper face. She stands smiling; a long white cane as tall as she rests
> easily at her side.)
>
> The MC steps around to the second student. "Or will it be Simon Brown, 32,
> married, a recent veteran of the Iraq War, soon to enter college." (The
> screen fills with a well-built young man with a dark, suntanned, skin
tone;
> standing at military ease, a long white cane as tall as his eyebrows in
the
> crook of an elbow.  His facial expression below the black of the
sleepshade
> shows the nonchalance of confidence.)
>
> "But before we show highlights of Patty's and Simon's progress to date,
> allow me to set the stage.  Twenty-eight days ago twelve fully sighted
> participants began the Virtual Blindness Challenge. All agreed to wear
> sleepshades, were given the same tools, and taught the same blindness
> skill-sets. Ten have been eliminated. The judging is simple--if you don't
> excel, you are cut. This challenge is to find the best."
>
>  "Let us take a quick review of Patty's journey in virtual blindness from
> that first day, up to this Final Challenge."
>
> The first scene: Patty is pulling on her sleepshade, a look on her face
that
> may have said, "I'm not sure what I'm getting myself into, but I'm
> committed, I doing this!" Second: the first cane travel lesson; a hesitant
> step, uncoordinated probing and swinging of the cane. Third: learning
> Braille; writing with a Braille slate and stylus; fingers reading a thick
> Braille magazine. Fourth: pouring water from a large pitcher into a small
> glass; Fifth: frosting a cake. Sixth: threading a needle with a wire-loop
> needle threader; using a sewing machine. Seventh: seated at a computer,
the
> screen showing what she is typing and a synthesized voice enunciating what
> she keys in. "Blindness is doable." Eighth: drilling a board with an
> electric hand drill.
>
> The MC extends the microphone toward her. "Patty, how are you feeling
about
> your blindness skills?  Ready for this Final Challenge?"
>
> "You bet, Ross, I'm very ready. Just in the past week my ability to
pick-up
> on echo location has come in strong and now on travel, I can fly!"
>
> "Now here is Simon's journey in virtual blindness."
>
> First scene: Simon, face showing quiet self-confidence slips his
sleepshade
> down over his eyes. Second: cane held steady in his strong grip, he
explores
> a staircase. Third: inserting a sheet of paper into a Braille slate;
reading
> a Braille label on a can of soup. Fourth: checking meat on a hot charcoal
> grill. Fifth: threading a self-threading needle; hand-sewing a button onto
a
> man's shirt. Sixth: keying into a laptop, its screen showing a familiar
> logo, and from the speakers we hear, "Google." Seventh: Cutting with a
> circular saw; sanding a newly built picnic table.
>
>  "Simon, how are you doing? Up for the final cut; ready to take the grand
> prize home?"
>
> "Yes, sir.  That's affirmative.  And Ross, you once compared this
challenge
> to military boot camp. I would say, yes, in that both are a form of
> preparation, of training the mind, and training muscle memory. But the
game
> is different; war can kill you, blindness will not. Life goes on and you
> just use alternative methods to be successful."
>
> The camera focuses on the MC handing each of them a Brailled sheet.
"Though
> the day has just begun, you two have much to do. Here are your last
> challenge instructions. Read your challenge and do your best!  We'll be
> waiting here at the finish line with the grand prizes-winner takes all!
And
> the clock starts now!"
>
> The camera zooms to both contestants, seated, intense faces, fingers
reading
> their instructions.
>
> The camera follows as both contestants walk down the front steps. Simon
> turns right, long strides carrying him swiftly south. Patty turns left,
> north, her shorter stride quickening, moving into a trot, cane flashing in
> the early morning sun, she begins to run.
>
>
>
> Robert Leslie Newman
> Email- newmanrl at cox.net
> THOUGHT PROVOKER Website-
> Http://www.thoughtprovoker.info
>
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-- 
kathy millhoff - "Let each morn be better than its eve, and each
morrow richer than its yesterday."

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