[stylist] more on this subject of Working in blindness field

Tue Feb 19 18:30:22 UTC 2013

Lynda,
So, people who get cancer planned that to? Where does it end?
Donna 

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Lynda Lambert
Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2013 8:08 AM
To: Writer's Division Mailing List
Subject: Re: [stylist] more on this subject of Working in blindness field

Ashley,
This is all about writing - everything you believe and everything you pursue
influences your writing.  You are expressing your "world view" here, and
your world view is how you will spend your life and your writing will
reflect your world view. You have just clearly stated your personal world
view right here - everything you do , or will never do in life, will be from
that "center" of your beliefs. Excellence and success as a writer  is a
conscious choice. You never know what wonderful surprises are waiting for
you, just around the bend, unless you begin walking down the road.  We
become what we believe we will become, it is as simple as that.
There are some very good examples of people who are high achievers and who
overcome negativity every day, right here on this list. I have met some
outstanding writers here.

Lynda

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ashley Bramlett" <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
To: "Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, February 18, 2013 10:28 PM
Subject: Re: [stylist] more on this subject of Working in blindness field

> Hi,\
> While I think the pep talk is great to pursue plan A of your dreams, might

> I point out that reality is different.
> I mean we all should strive for the best things or best career, but 
> reality is different.
> That goes for everyone, disability or not.
> Factors such as location, money, skill set, and knowing the right people 
> are determining your success at finding work.
> The economy sucks now so I think people are lucky to be finding work after

> college even if it's a low end job.
>
> If you wait for your dream job, it may never come. Also, your bottom end 
> job at say the reception desk may help you work toward another job. We all

> need work experience; we all need to get our foot in the door. So, you 
> cannot always have your dream job at first.
> Heck, you might even have to work part time or work for free, called 
> volunteering, to prove yourself.
> Its tough finding work. Look at the news. They report that most college 
> students move home now because they cannot find work! They  have to live 
> with mommy and daddy because they do not! have income.
>
> So, some food for thought.
> Most people don't get the job they want at the beginning unless they're 
> self employed. So, I thought I'd through in some realistic issues here.
>
> Now lets talk writing.
> ashley
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: justin williams
> Sent: Sunday, February 17, 2013 1:36 PM
> To: 'Writer's Division Mailing List'
> Subject: Re: [stylist] more on this subject of Working in blindness field
>
> You are cheating to your ability set.  You are cheating to your skill set.
> If it lies elsewhere, such as being an environmental engineer, then by all
> means pursue that dream.  There is no reason you can't accomplish it.  But
> you may have to go to, California new braska, Colorado, or Iowa for easier
> access.  Of course, you could be a pioneer.  Who knows.  Maybe you can 
> make
> something happen in a less aware state; it will just be harder.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Donna Hill
> Sent: Monday, February 18, 2013 1:11 PM
> To: 'Writer's Division Mailing List'
> Subject: Re: [stylist] more on this subject of Working in blindness field
>
> Lynda,
> You bring up one of those similarities I'm always talking about between 
> the
> blindness movement and other civil rights movements. Years ago, the normal
> perception of women did not include much in the way of  career-readiness.
> Sure, women had to work in factories in WWII to support the war effort, 
> but
> as for careers, you could teach or be a nurse; that was about it. The
> underlying message was that when it came to what was best for women, men
> knew best . Fortunately, we have come a long way, baby!
>
> The whole erasers on pencils thing has dredged up another memory. When I 
> was
> in junior high, they made me take a test of my manual dexterity, which I
> didn't think at the time was something that other kids got. . It involved
> putting pegs into holes on a board -- literally the square peg in the 
> round
> hole kind of thing. I was overpowered by the impression that, if I did 
> well
> on this test, they would push me into manual labor of some sort. I didn't
> know what I could do, but I knew I wasn't having fantasies about putting
> pegs in holes, so I "threw" the test -- figuratively speaking.
>
> I had a hard time with setting goals, because on some level I believed 
> that
> I couldn't do anything. I had secret dreams of what I'd like to do, but
> there was a real disconnect between that and having a plan. The thing that
> kept me going was the knowledge that, whatever anyone else said or how 
> true
> it was, I didn't want those things to be true. That's really all I had.
> Goals came later. My somewhat cynical version of the Plan A thing is that 
> if
> you strive for Plan A, you might not make it, but you might make plan B. 
> If
> you don't strive for plan A, you're not even going to make plan B.
> Donna
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Lynda 
> Lambert
> Sent: Monday, February 18, 2013 12:47 PM
> To: Writer's Division Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [stylist] more on this subject of Working in blindness field
>
> Donna,
> You might have been putting erasers in pencils - OMG!
> Can you envision yourself in such a place? Never!
> You are living proof of seeking out a goal that is a passion and going for
> it.
>
> When I graduated from high school, in the dark ages of course, I as told 
> by
> the counselor that I had really good hand and eye coordination, so I 
> should
> work our very well in a factory assembly line. Never mind that my IQ was
> already beyond that of a college graduate - no, I should apply for a 
> laborer
> job. OMG. I would have been fired very quickly from such a job as I would
> have been there daydreaming and imagining and I would have either had a 
> bad
> accident, or caused the entire place to be in shut down mode from 
> something
> stupid I would have done.
>
> I could not do any kind of repetitive activity for even a day - probably 
> not
> even for an hour, really.  I really had a good laugh at the thought of you
> doing the erasers, but then, that isn't really funny when you follow it to
> it's end, is it?
>
>
> When my students would sit down with me and we would discuss their 
> schedule
> and their plans for a major, I told them to never settle for anything 
> other
> than what they have a passion for - because if they do, in mid-life they
> will be longing for the thing they wanted in the first place - and so many
> people at mid-life are so unhappy with the life they created for 
> themselves.
>
> Even if they are financially successful, the failure to pursue their dream
> is still with them. I have seen this many times.
>
>
> Lynda
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Donna Hill" <penatwork at epix.net>
> To: "'Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, February 18, 2013 12:29 PM
> Subject: Re: [stylist] more on this subject of Working in blindness field
>
>
>> Good advice.
>> Donna
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Lynda
>> Lambert
>> Sent: Monday, February 18, 2013 12:24 PM
>> To: Writer's Division Mailing List
>> Subject: Re: [stylist] more on this subject of Working in blindness
>> field
>>
>> I recommend the book, "Cockeyed" - which is available through library
>> of congress for the reading machines we have - a teenager who was
>> going blind, and became a professor of English - it is super funny -
>> and yet so enlightening as to the high goals a person can achieve by
>> never settling for Plan B.
>> My advice, is, those who plan for Plan B, end up being there instead
>> of at Plan A where they really wanted to be.
>> I do not believe in settling for anything less than the absolute
>> desire of your heart - Plan A is the only acceptable plan in my own
>> life. I am an advid believer in being completely outside the comfort
>> level for as long as it takes to achieve your goals. And, once you are
>> "there" you continue to work your butt off without any excuses.
>> Excellence is the only path worth following.
>>
>> Lynda
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "justin williams" <justin.williams2 at gmail.com>
>> To: "'Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Sunday, February 17, 2013 10:52 AM
>> Subject: Re: [stylist] more on this subject of Working in blindness
>> field
>>
>>
>>> New Braska is all kinds of awesome.  Some states are better than others.
>>> Any field is open, but you may have to move to find it.  Aiwa is
>>> another good state.  Leaving out the venders and customer service
>>> reps, no disrespect to any of the people in those fields, human
>>> service or computer programming fields followed by professors  and
>>> lawyers seem to be where totals or braille users work.  This is by no
>>> means cut and dry, and I am not including lo vision applicants,
>>> because the better your sight, the more likely you will be to have a
>>> job which is outside of that block of fiends that I just mentioned.
>>> I've met braille users in just about every type of career field, but
>>> keep in mind that a person who is blind does develop and emphasize a
>>> slightly different skill set which naturally fits them better to
>>> certain fields.  Going outside of those fields generally speaking,
>>> will force the person to have to constantly perform at a higher level
>>> of skill just to have a chance of success.  Of course, that is
>>> possible.  But remember, I am making a basic statement.  Feel free to
>>> enlighten me further.  Remember, I am saying this with the caveat
>>> that anything is possible, and I have met Blind teachers, mechanics,
>>> business owners who are not venders, cabinent makers, among others.
>>> Not all of the teachers were teachers of the bisually impaired.  Some
>>> taught in standard classroom formats.  I have heard of blind
>>> electricians, met travel agents, there you go, travel agent is
>>> another field for the blind, and even read the article on the blind
>>> doctor. I think he is somewhere in canada.
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Robert
>>> Leslie Newman
>>> Sent: Monday, February 18, 2013 9:14 AM
>>> To: 'Writer's Division Mailing List'
>>> Subject: [stylist] more on this subject of Working in blindness field
>>>
>>> Guys
>>> Back when I started working for the commission for the Blind here in
>>> Nebraska, back in the seventies, our federation had the mindset (this
>>> is a
>>> generalization) that if you as a blind person had one of those jobs,
>>> then you were suspect, as in you had gone over to the other side,
>>> that of the enemy! (This was the state of relations between the
>>> progressive blind and the rehab services.) Boy, back then, in a NFB
>>> chapter around here, you mostly weren't encouraged to try and become
>>> an officer, because it was feared that you would be a spy for the
>>> rehab side, and would be pushing their (the bad guys) agenda. But --- 
>>> this all changed. Here in Nebraska and in New Mexico and maybe in
>>> some other states, the NFB got the bad agency head folks fired and
>>> had a hand in who and what changes had to occur --- and so the NFB
>>> philosophy got the upper hand. And then, it became respectful for NFB
>>> members to be part of the rehab scene. (Here in the Omaha chapter we
>>> still have one older member, like in the 80's who doesn't like seeing
>>> a rehab professional being in a leadership position.)
>>>
>>> Think of it, one of the larger and more active NFB Division's is the
>>> Rehabilitation Professionals.
>>>
>>> #2 Taking a serious look at job opportunities for the blind in blind
>>> related professions --- count up the number of rehab agencies and/or
>>> other services around the country and add up how many blind folks are
>>> working within them and I bet that number is not as great as you
>>> think!!! Consider, that in general, the not so good agencies who have
>>> low expectations are the ones that will more than likely hire only a
>>> few token blind workers. And the better rehab services, which are the
>>> minority in this nationwide group that we are looking at --- sure,
>>> they may have more blind guys on staff.
>>> (Nebraska at present has 1 blind related rehab service only. They
>>> have a total staff at the commission that numbers around 55 and 17 are
> blind.
>>> All
>>> other employed blind people work in a variety of other jobs; Nebraska
>>> is one of the better states for employment of the blind and there are
>>> a bunch of folks that are doing all kinds of jobs.) So watch that
>>> thought of yours, that there are a big number of blind folks working
>>> in blind related jobs --- for either reason of- A. That is where they
>>> are accepted. Or B. That it is the job that the blind think of first
>>> as to what they can do.
>>>
>>> (Just my rambling for this morning.)
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Julie J.
>>> Sent: Monday, February 18, 2013 7:08 AM
>>> To: Writer's Division Mailing List
>>> Subject: Re: [stylist] Working in blindness field
>>>
>>> Bridget,
>>>
>>> Could it be that more of the state board members and generally more
>>> really active members of the NFB are working in the blindness field
>>> because blindness is their passion?It makes sense to me that if
>>> promoting opportunities for blind people was your life's mission that
>>> you'd work in that field and be more active within an organization
>>> that supported you.
>>> I
>>> do think all blind people have an interest in achieving true equality
>>> for blind people. However I think for some it is their major life's
>>> work, while for others of us it is something we do when we can around
>>> our other main pursuits. So it makes sense to me that there would be
>>> a large number of people within the NFB that do or want to work in
>>> the blindness field.
>>>
>>> I've been blind for around 20 years now.  While I do know quite a few
>>> blind people who work in the blindness field, I'd say I know a larger
>>> number who don't.  Perhaps that's because I have never been very
>>> involved in leadership within the NFB.  It does seem that those in
>>> leadership positions do work in the blindness field much more
>>> frequently.  Again that makes sense to me due to their strong
>>> interest and commitment to the cause.
>>>
>>> Julie
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 2/17/2013 11:13 PM, Bridgit Pollpeter wrote:
>>>> Ashley,
>>>>
>>>> Without actual stats, we can't really debate this, but that being
>>>> said, I beg to differ, at least to a degree.
>>>>
>>>> I don't think anyone here is trying to make generalizations seeing
>>>> as we all are blind, but we are all speaking from our experiences
>>>> and personal observations.
>>>>
>>>> In the ten years I've been blind, which isn't long compared to some,
>>>> I've met more blind people working in a blindness-related field or
>>>> hoping to be employed in a blindness related field. For every
>>>> lawyer, teacher and computer programmer I've met, I've met ten who
>>>> worked in a job relating to blindness.
>>>>
>>>> There's nothing wrong with this, and most of us would agree that
>>>> blind people need to be working in these fields, but I also think it
>>>> can become a safety net for some; not all, but many.
>>>>
>>>> I've been to NFB conventions, and yes, there are people employed in
>>>> various fields, and many scholarship winners plan to, or are,
>>>> pursuing a myriad of career paths, but again, for every one of these
>>>> people I've met, I've met a dozen working in the blindness field. Or
>>>> many of these people end up in a blindness field despite their choice 
>>>> of
> degree.
>>>>
>>>> And having heard several scholarship winners speak at conventions, a
>>>> good number of them hope to work in some way in a blindness field or
>>>> teaching the blind. Again, nothing wrong with this, and we do need
>>>> blind people doing this, but, for me, it shows how many blind people
>>>> go into a blindness related field.
>>>>
>>>> And in our affiliate, most of the leadership either works in the
>>>> blindness field or hopes too. Of our eleven state board members,
>>>> only two are employed outside of a blindness field, and one is
>>>> working towards a degree so they can work in a blindness job.
>>>>
>>>> More and more blind people are seeking opportunities outside of a
>>>> blindness related career, but many are still drawn to the field for
>>>> whatever reason. Again, we need strong, competent blind people in
>>>> this field, but we also need to consider what we truly want as a
>>>> person and not a blind person.
>>>>
>>>> And a side note, I don't think Lynda meant anything negative by her
>>>> comments nor was she implying all blind people work in a blindness
>>>> related field. She was merely detailing her experience and speaking
>>>> to that experience alone.
>>>>
>>>> Bridgit
>>>>
>>>> Message: 11
>>>> Date: Sun, 17 Feb 2013 22:28:29 -0500
>>>> From: "Ashley Bramlett"<bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
>>>> To: "Writer's Division Mailing List"<stylist at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Subject: Re: [stylist] Sending this again: Article
>>>> showingwhatparentsofblindkids are facing
>>>> Message-ID:<D073072BEB3F4E1F938EB6B7A6FF190A at OwnerPC>
>>>> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
>>>> reply-type=response
>>>>
>>>> Lynda,
>>>> I beg to differ. Have you been to a nfb convention?
>>>> There are people employed in all walks of life and most scholarship
>>>> winners have a career aspiration in a non blindness field; they
>>>> include future teachers, therapists, researchers,  counselors, and
>>>> doctors.
>>>> Most blind people I know work either in the IT field as computer
>>>> programmers or in the government, far from the blindness fields!
>>>> Read the braille monitor and you will see the wide variety of fields
> too!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>
>>>> -----
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>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
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