[stylist] To ponder- taken to another level

Sat Feb 9 21:08:19 UTC 2013

Donna, I was asked to join the knitting group after I lost my sight so she 
knows quite well I cannot see who she is. My friend who is a physical 
therapist takes me to the knitting meetings. This was disappointing to me. 
I felt as though out in public she did not want to acknowledge she even knew 
me. BTW, she has an adult autistic son! And, she works in a government 
office that trains low income people for jobs. I think that is what really 
stings - she is not a person who is unfamiliar with people who have 
disabilities. I think it was smug! Hey, I have not heard or used that word 
in my distant memory - smug!  What a nasty word that is! It felt like I was 
swearing as I wrote it. lol

Lynda

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Donna Hill" <penatwork at epix.net>
To: "'Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2013 3:14 PM
Subject: Re: [stylist] To ponder- taken to another level

> Lynda,
> They deserve that little tap. On the other hand, you knew that woman; she
> could just as easily say that you ignored her. I'm sure that wasn't what 
> was
> actually going on, but just as an idea, why don't you consider saying
> something next time? It could be as inocent as, "Hi, you're Peg from
> knitting aren't you?" Some people are extremely uncomfortable about 
> talking
> to blind people. She might think you would probably start crying all over
> the place about how you miss knitting so much and wish you could still do
> it. She has prejudices that are not going to help either her or her loved
> ones should any of them lose their sight.
> Donna
> -----Original Message-----
> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Lynda 
> Lambert
> Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2013 10:02 AM
> To: Writer's Division Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [stylist] To ponder- taken to another level
>
> Yes, Bridgit, I had just responded to this topic before I read your note
> here. I spoke of my husband's inability to spell - which he would not
> appreciate me talking about, I am sure. We will be  married 52 years in
> April,; I guess he would not be surprised that I said this about him.
>
> Yes, I also have retained my visual way of doing things but have had to
> adapt to make it work because I have to do most things non-visually these
> days. I am on the Krafters-Korner NFB list and have received many good 
> tops
> there to help me re-learn how to do things I used to do. That group has 
> been
> wonderful in helping each other through challenges we have in doing things
> non-visually.
>
> I have never been blind in my dreams - and I dream constantly. I am never
> blind in my own consciousness unless I am faced with an uncomfortable or
> frightening situation and then I find that I become very blind at times.
> Mostly that happens when I am out and come upon someone who knows me well,
> and they do not know that I can tell they are there - and they choose to 
> be
> silent and not even acknowlege I am there. This happened yesterday at the
> beauty shop.  I was aware that a woman came into the shop as she passed by
> me. I had a feeling I might know her because my hairdresser called her
> "Peg." That is an unusual name, and I have only known about two Pegs or
> Peggy's in my life. So I was alert, wondering if this was one that I know.
> Shortly, she was seated in the waiting area and I came in there to get my
> purse to pay for my services. I was only 3 feet from her, and she was 
> facing
> me. I see shadows, but no details, so I could tell the person was looking
> directly at me. Absolute quiet! Not a hint that she knew me.  As I had 
> been
> listening to her for awhile, I recognized her voice as she spoke with
> others. It was definitely a lady from my knitting group who has known me 
> for
> a couple of years. I have sat with her in small groups of knitters at
> different homes. I have been in her home on several occasions. Yet, when 
> she
> ran into me at the hair dressers, she chose to be quiet and wait it out -
> not in any way indicating we knew each other. My husband arrived, and as 
> we
> drove home I told him what has just happened to me. This is the kind of
> thing I mean, when I say at times I feel very blind. This is the kind of
> encounter only a blind person would have - because she has no idea I can
> tell who she is, so she chose to ignore me.
>
> My daughters and grand daughters often tell me how people will stare at me
> because they see me walking with a long white cane. It amazes them how a
> perfect stranger will stand beside me in line at a restaurant and actually
> turn around and be looking directly at me because they think I cannot see
> them. But, I can tell they are doing it. It is times like this when I
> "accidently" hit them with my cane as I walk by.
>
>
> Lynda
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Bridgit Pollpeter" <bpollpeter at hotmail.com>
> To: <stylist at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2013 3:29 AM
> Subject: [stylist] To ponder- taken to another level
>
>
>> Lynda,
>>
>> I agree with you on this topic. Despite my blindness, I'm a very visual
>> person. I lost my sight nine years ago, but I continue to be an
>> extremely visual person.
>>
>> I have learned Braille though, and studies have shown that when learning
>> Braille, even when not able to see at all, the brain is using its visual
>> aspect.
>>
>> Each Braille character represents a letter in the alphabet and the exact
>> punctuation as print. Essentially it's a tactile form of print. People
>> assume it's paramount to a foreign language, but Braille is the exact
>> same language using the same rules for grammar, punctuation and
>> spelling, just in a tactile form. Various languages have their version
>> of Braille since many languages have nuances.
>>
>> I too have wondered how people who have never been able to see visualize
>> things. I once asked a friend if he "saw" his dreams, and he said he
>> dreams with his other senses, which is very interesting.
>>
>> I also met a fellow Federationist who is totally blind and always been,
>> and she was an art major at one of the big universities in Texas. Of
>> course there are blind medical doctors and engineers along with others
>> working in what would seem like very visual fields, and this doesn't
>> cover all the interests and hobbies like crafts, cars and athletics.
>>
>> I think more and more blind people are facing challenges, and instead of
>> thinking about limitations, they are figuring out how to hurdle that
>> obstacle.
>>
>> I do agree that I've met several blind people who misspell words
>> frequently, but I don't know if this is due to an inability to spell, if
>> they were not taught correctly or if they just don't edit before sending
>> material. I think a lot of people have this problem, blind and sighted.
>> JAWS is great for this because you actually hear the word, that is if
>> you take time to read through what you wrote, grin. But yes, I think
>> people who only know Braille can find difficulties when switching to
>> print on a keyboard. Many choose to use a Braille display and/or Braille
>> keyboard. I' not saying all Braille users are like this, but I have met
>> many who are.
>>
>> Ultimately, these things are most likely unique to individuals and not
>> necessarily a result of a disability. If you can't spell when blind,
>> chances are good you couldn't spell if sighted, smile.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>
>> Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter, editor, Slate & Style
>> Read my blog at:
>> http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/
>>
>> "If we discover a desire within us that nothing in this world can
>> satisfy, we should begin to wonder if perhaps we were created for
>> another world."
>> C. S. Lewis
>>
>>
>>
>> Message: 1
>> Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2013 13:02:00 -0500
>> From: "Lynda Lambert" <llambert at zoominternet.net>
>> To: "Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
>> Subject: Re: [stylist] Quote to ponder - taken to another level
>> Message-ID: <D52994C7F7964817A957168910B552B3 at Lambert>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
>> reply-type=original
>>
>> This is a really good question, Robert.
>> I have noticed that so many blind people spell things so wonky, and
>> maybe
>> this is why. I always wonder is spelling is  really taught and learned
>> visually. I really have no experience with any of the discussion on
>> Braille
>> because I do not use it - I do everything with electronics and some
>> things
>> with a CCTV.   I have only had sight loss for 5 years, so I really have
>> no
>> idea how blind children learn things like spelling, grammar, formatting,
>> and
>> punctuation. To me, they are all visual, and it is very hard for me to
>> understand it any other way - well, I really don't understand it any
>> other
>> way. When I am reading (listening to a voice on a machine) I am still
>> listening visually. I see it in my mind, and if I cannot see it that
>> way,
>> it's confusing to me.  Auditory skills  would rate very low  for me.
>> Everyone has strength in certain skills and ways of learning - and I am
>> a
>> Visual learner above all else. That did not change - I still have to be
>> able
>> to SEE it to remember it - I have to stop and SEE a picture in my mind
>> before it sticks with me.
>> Writing and reading, for me, has always been a visual experience.  This
>> makes me wonder, can a person who has always been blind be a Visual
>> learner?
>> And, then, I wonder, how does a blind person visualize things?  These
>> are
>> some things I am thinking about and working with a blind painter friend
>> to
>> put together an exhibition on how people  see and visualize.
>>
>>
>>
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