[stylist] To ponder- taken to another level
Anita Ogletree
yrstrli at gmail.com
Sun Feb 10 02:05:40 UTC 2013
And I thought I was the onbby one who felt like people tend to
avoid me because I am blind. It reminds me of the time when I
was moving into a dorm room with this girl who told me as I was
bringing my things in that she couldn't help me with anything.
The guy that was helping me politely told her that I wouldn't
need her help. But there are some kin folk that behave the same
way as total strangers. And it hurts, you know?
Anita
> ----- Original Message -----
>From: "Robert Leslie Newman" <newmanrl at cox.net
>To: "'Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org
>Date sent: Sat, 9 Feb 2013 17:10:49 -0600
>Subject: Re: [stylist] To ponder- taken to another level
>Lynda and Donna
>Yes, do speak up in situations like this. It always surprises
and yes,
>disappoints me, but people can find blindness to be one of those
life
>factors to be uncomfortable with. Yeah, going blind is for too
many of us a
>major factor in losing friends and in the reluctance of new
people becoming
>our friend.
>-----Original Message-----
>From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
Donna Hill
>Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2013 2:14 PM
>To: 'Writer's Division Mailing List'
>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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