Interviews to Empower Presents: Chris Westbrook

Hello and welcome! We are so glad you could join us today for another edition of Interviews to Empower where we all get to meet everyday folks, living everyday lives while blind or visually impaired. Our guest is one who will inspire you, so without further adue, allow me to introduce Chris Westbrook.

Q: Tell us a little about your self.

A: I am 34, and live in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. I am a computer programmer for an advertising agency. I am a christian and am very involved in my local church. I also enjoy playing violin and sometimes saxophone. In addition to my blindness, I have a hearing impairment so I wear two hearing aids. I also use a quad cane because one of my legs is weaker than the other one due to a herniated disk in my neck that developed later in life. Despite these challenges, I am still able to live independently and live a fulfilling life. I live by myself and have a lot of good friends. I like helping others, so I hope answering these questions will help someone.

Q: What is your eye condition, and how much vision do you have?

A: I was born premature and suffer from a detached retina as a result. I have no vision, not even light perception. I have been that way since birth. The hearing loss came on early as well due to some of the medicines I was given. I have worn hearing aids ever since I can remember.

Q: What blindness specific training have you had, and do you feel it has been beneficial for you?

A: I was pretty fortunate growing up that I had good parents who were able to incorporate daily living skills into normal life growing up for the most part. I did attend a local training center in Pittsburgh for a few weeks one summer that was modestly helpful, though it probably would have been more helpful if I had applied myself a bit better. I think any blind adult/adolescent should be able to take care of themselves and present with reasonably good appearance barring some other major special needs, and I am fortunate that my parents taught me to do this, even if I didn't always listen at the time. :)

Q: What about educational experiences?

A: I attended public school, though in the early years of my education I was in a special resource room for most of the day learning Braille, etc., which I think was helpful though I don't know if that is done much these days. Learning Braille has been extremely important to me. after high school, I attended a college hear in Williamsport for two years and then transferred to Juniata, where I received a bachelors degree in information technology.

Q: How do you compensate for your disabilities when it comes to hobbies?

A: I play violin. Even as an adult I still take lessons. I record either the lessons themselves or pieces my teacher will play for me on my iphone and then listen to them and learn by ear through the week. Sometimes the teacher will take my hands and show me things he wants me to work on like positionning, etc., but I don't think this is much different than a sighted person. Same goes for the saxophone, although I am not taking lessons with that anymore. I am involved in my church with youth ministry. If i am teaching a lesson, I write the bible verses I am going to use ahead of time in my iphone and then read them with a braille display as I am teaching. I also enjoy reading both with synthetic speech and with my braille display depending on what mood I am in and what I am reading.

Q: What kind of work do you do? What accommodations do you need for your job?

A: As I have said, I am a computer programmer for an advertising agency. I also write reports and deal with our employees if they have issues with our system. I can do most things independently except for designing the visual layouts of screens and sometimes reading screenshots people send me with error messages. Generally the accommodations I need are pretty trivial, and they can just be handled by other colleagues.

Q: Are you a member of any blindness specific organizations? Why or why not?

A: I am a member of the National Federation of the Blind. Though I am not particularly active because we do not have a local chapter around here, I do go to state conventions. I think it is important to associate with other blind people so you can help others and learn from others how they get along in the world and so you can advocate for things that need done to make our lives livable in this modern world. I also think it is essential that we have sighted friends and participate in the sighted world around us

Q: Could you share with us your most embarrassing Blindness experience or your most meaningful blindness moment?

A: I think looking back my most meaningful moment/time period was when I was able to get my own place and start living independently when I knew I could really live on my own.

Q: Do you have any advice for our readers?

A: Learn all the blindness skills you can. Learn Braille. Be kind to others. Fairly compensate those who help you, and allow others to help you at times even if you can do it yourself just to make things easier. Try not to become too dependent on any one person. That can lead to unhealthy situations. Above all, be thankful and be generous to others.

Thank you so much, Chris for chatting with us today. And, thank you, dear readers for being here. If you would wish to contact Chris, he has generously provided his email adress. It is westbchris@gmail.com. He says “I would love to hear from parents and/or students with questions, or other blind adults for that matter. I am concerned that younger blind students are not being allowed to be independent and do things for themselves, and I hope my answers here will allow others to see that they can live independent lives. Thank you for the opportunity, and I look forward to hearing from your readers.”

There you have it. :) We hope this interview has empowered you in some way. We would love to hear from you, as well. You can either drop us a comment or send an email to adkinsandwells@gmail.com. Be sure and come back each 2nd and 4th Thursdays of every month in order to catch all our posts.

Until next time, be blessed and enjoy your summer!

An Update and Some Thoughts on Preparing for a Job

Hello, everyone. I hope this first, full month of  spring finds you well. Anita here with you today, and Spring has been a rather snowy and busy one here in WV. Goalball season has recently ended, and gives me a small break. Spring break has also allowed me a chance to rejuvenate for school, but I have been very busy at home.

My Mom, who lives in a nearby nursing home, came to spend the weekend with me. We played cards and fried potatoes. Ruth Ann, my cousin, stopped in to visit us as well. Then, Joy, my cousin came over to spend the night. Then, I went to her house to spend the night. While there I Took advantage of her WiFi and updated my iPhone. I  put Word Pro on my new MacBook, but at the moment, it is about to be thrown out the window. I couldn’t figure out how to save an article I wrote, though I did eventually succeed. So my brain is foggy just now.

During my break, my friend, Nancy, and I spent a day shopping at the mall. My bank account is way lower, but I have a couple of new bowls and a new kitchen gadget to play with. It is a rice cooker. I found a pasta rice cooker that is useful for all kinds of things a few months back, and I wanted another one. It is so frustrating when something I like disappears from the shelves at Walmart.

Anyhow, the point here is that I’ve been busy. Generally, I like to cook on vacation, but I haven’t had a lot of time for that. Currently, I have a hash brown casserole in the crockpot. When I was preparing it, I decided to add in bacon bits. I found a little bag that felt like the bacon bits. After opening it, I realized it was nuts. I had used Seeing AI, an app on my iPhone designed to tell me barcodes and read text, and while it couldn’t find the barcode, it did read something about almonds. I didn’t believe it because I don’t remember buying any almonds. I should have listened to it though because almonds they were. LOL

This blog post is really me ranting to you. I just wrote an article about "DUCKING INTO UEB", the book S. J. Wells and I wrote. In the article, I mentioned how I wanted to get a job like my sighted family members way back in the ’90’s. As blind people, obtaining a job is more difficult. It is important that we have the skills, training, and opportunity to do the job. Also, accessibility needs are important. Yes, the law requires that reasonable accommodations be made for us. But what does reasonable mean? And, it is a sighted world. A sighted person could apply for and potentially acquire a job in the local area easily enough, though it may be a minimum wage position. But a person who is blind requires accessibility to be included with the package.

I remember years ago in Parkersburg when I wanted to work at a call center. The software at the time was not accessible for screenreaders. Maybe nowadays, I could tackle the challenge of insuring such accommodations were met, but back then, I did not possess the knowledge or bravery. And, I’m glad I didn’t because working at a call center is not where I feel the Lord wants me to be. Still, I sometimes feel that a realistic job option be a consideration. What would I do if I was suddenly rifted from my current position as others have been? What skills and training would I need to acquire employment? Could I still live here in the town I consider as my home? Truth is that most people must relocate in order to be employed. But could their possibly be virtual jobs in the education field for me? Or, are there other career options I haven’t explored? I do not plan to leave my current position in the near future. But where will I be in ten years or so? If I want to make a career move, I need to plan now so I can be properly trained for the transition. And, if I decide to stay in this position forever, educating myself about other careers and even completing some of the training will not be a waste of my time. 

Part of my reason for bringing up this topic on this blog is because on one of my facebook lists, someone wanted to know what jobs are out there for blind people. There are not specific jobs for blind people. There are jobs in the field of blindness. There are companies that focus on hiring blind people, such as Industries for the Blind. But a person who is blind should really focus on their strengths and weakness and job interests. Filling out a job inventory is a great first step. Getting in touch with blind people in an interested field is also important, though not required. 

The ACB, www.acb.org and NFB, www.nfb.org both offer mentorship programs to people who are blind and visually impaired. AFB, www.afb.org also has Career Connect, a program that matches one with someone who has a job in the interested field. Finally, determining the accommodations is key. And, while the employer is required to make the reasonable accommodations, any accommodations we can make on our behalf will help to make us more successful candidates. Blindness skills training and training required for the specific career are also appropriate steps. Have fun searching! In the mean time, here is a link that will allow you to search virtual jobs. The site also allows you to search for jobs that require your physical presence. https://www.indeed.com/q-Virtual-jobs.html

That's it for today, but be sure and come back in 2 weeks for another edition of Interviews to Empower. Until then, be safe and remember to laugh often.

Interviews to Empower Presents: Ricky Richmond

Welcome to this month’s edition of Interviews to Empower. If you have never met him, then prepare to be inspired. Allow me to introduce to you Ricky Richmond who’s motto is "You gotta except  it's all right to ask for help if you need it; even sighted people need help.”

Q: Ricky, thank you for allowing us to interview you today. Tell us a little about yourself and your eye condition.

A: I was born in 1971 with congenital glaucoma and had my left eye removed when it exploded when I was only 3 months old. I didn’t receive a prosthesis until I was 11.

Q: Wow, that’s a lot of time to wait. Can you tell us about how you got your prosthesis?

A: Well, I was attending the school for the blind in WV, and my orientation and mobility instructor, Dan Oates took me to Morgantown, WV to get it. I am very grateful to Mr. Oates for the effort he made in finding the financial support for this procedure and insuring I get my eye which I still have today.

Q: So, you went to WVSB?

A: Yes. When I was 6, my family and I were eating at a restaurant when a lady with a son who was deaf approached us  and told us about the school for the deaf and blind. Later, my mom called and talked to the folks at the school, and they sent a representative out to talk to us. His name was Mr. Boner. My parents were nervous and scared at first, but my 14 years at the school was a good education.

Q: What was it like at the school for the blind?

A: Well, I participated in sports, like swimming, wrestling and track. I was in the show choir, which was called Pizazz. I also played saxophone in the marching band. I got to travel around the state and even go out of state for competitions. Once, the marching band went to Hagerstown, MD to perform in a parade, and another time we went to the Apple Blossom Festival in Winchester, VA. Another cool thing we got to do was participate in the skiing program. We got to go to Canaan Valley for 3 days to ski. I took Radio at the school, too and piano tuning.

Q: Did you ever go to public school?

A: No. But, I did take a psychology class at Hampshire High during my senior year.

Q: Speaking of your senior year, did you take a senior trip?

A: Yes. We went to Nags Head, NC, where I was first introduced to the beach.

Q: Earlier, you mentioned piano tuning. Can we talk about that?

A: Yes. I took piano tuning from 1986 to 1991 at WVSB. Francis Chillcoat was the instructor. After graduating in 1991, I went to the Piano Hospital and Training Center in Washington State. I lived on the third floor of the administration building at the Washington Schools for the Deaf and Blind. To pay for my room and board, I volunteered my time to help with the children at the school from 6 to 9 every evening. During my training, I learned to tune and repair pianos, though tuning is my strong suit. On Saturdays I traveled to schools and colleges where I tuned 1 to 2 pianos per week. I graduated in 1993 and was offered a position in Alabama, but they didn’t offer enough money, so I came back home to WV. In 1994 a music teacher approached me and helped me get my tuning business started. The blind man who used to cover that area had recently retired, so I accepted the Lewisburg/Alderson area, gratefully.

Q: And, you are still tuning pianos today?

A: Yes, I’m still tuning pianos. I do some minor repairs, as well, but major repairs require someone to bring heavy piano pieces to my house which this, as well as other costs would be too much of a financial burden for my clients. If I cannot repair the piano at the clients home, I usually suggest they just purchase another one, as used pianos can often be less expensive than the cost of restoration.

Q: Is transportation a difficulty for you?

A: No. My clients are real good to give me rides to job sites. I hire drivers, too. I work in homes, businesses and churches. Business has declined somewhat, especially after the devastating floods that hit WV in 2016, but I have had several busy years, and I’m hoping my business will rise again once people in the area have rebuilt their lives; I feel confident this is a possibility.

Q: What do you like to do in your spare time?

A: Spend it with my family and friends. I have 2 older brothers and a younger sister. My mom and stepdad live in Virginia, but they come to visit often. Recently, a friend of mine suffered a stroke. I have learned from him what it’s like not being able to walk, and he has learned from me what it’s like being blind. We help each other. He helps me with things I can’t see, such as drilling wholes in my treadmill and driving me places. I help him by lifting things like bags of dog food into the shopping cart.

Q: You aren’t afraid to ask for help, then?

A: No, I’m not. Even sighted people need help, and you just gotta  accept, it’s all right to ask for help when you need it. You have to look at the situation and decide what needs to be done. For instance, I had to have a stove pipe replaced, recently in my wood stove. I had to ask for help from my brothers to get it installed.

Q: We could all take lessons from you in this area. Is there anything else you would like to add?

A: Yes. I just want to say that I have been a member of the At-Large chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of WV since 1994 and have been the treasurer of this chapter since 1998.

Thank you so much Ricky for allowing us to interview you for the blog. It has been a pleasure. And, thank you, faithful readers for being here with us. We hope you have enjoyed this months edition of Interviews to Empower, and we hope you are having an amazing holiday season. Be sure and come back on the 2nd Thursday of December, and the 4th Thursday for another interview to inspire you.

Blessings. 

An Update from Anita

Hello, and welcome to the blog. Anita here this time.

First, let me say that it is my fault we are late at delivering this month's blog. I turned 40 recently, and that means I'm getting old and forgetful, :) and so I left the thumb drive at work. I save the blog post on the thumb drive so I can then insert it into my iPhone and attach the post to an email I sent to S.J. So, my apologies. And, thank you, S.J., for telling me about flashdrives for iPhones. It makes it easier for me to transfer files to and from my iPhone and other devices.

I have been very busy since I last wrote to you here on the blog. For one thing, I attended the annual conference at the American Printing House for the Blind, or APH. While there, I was able to do a lot of networking with other people in the teaching field and with other blind people from all around the world. At the World Blind Union meeting, I happened to sit beside Mark Maurer, former president of the National Federation of the Blind, NFB, and Mark Riccobono, current president of the NFB. Networking is an awesome thing because this gave me an opportunity to speak to these gentlemen on a personal basis, and it was not at a convention. They meet many people, and so I am sure it is hard for them to remember all of the people they meet. But now, I have a stronger voice should I need one pertaining to any assistance I may need from them. Several members of the American Council of the Blind, ACB, were also present at this meeting. Lou Tutt, a member of from AER, was also present. While you are hearing me mention several educational organizations, remember I am a teacher. In your profession, whatever it may be, it is a good idea to attend conferences for networking purposes. This is how you gain a deeper knowledge in your field and a body of support that can prove invaluable in your personal and professional life.

While at the APH convention, I was also privileged to tour the printing house. I was surprised at all I didn't know about what they did, though I should have known it. I worked as a seamstress at Blind Industries and Services of Maryland, or BISM, several years ago. APH was similar, though the type of production was different. We discovered how braille and large print books and magazines went through stages of processing before being printed. They used several embossers and printing machines, some of them enormous. We also stopped by the booth where an audiobook for the National Library Service, NLS was in the process of being recorded. To me, this was special because I listen to these books and I recognized the name of the narrator, Jack Fox. Also, I learned that the reader gets paid by how quickly they can accurately record the book rather than by how long it takes to complete the recording. At another place in this plant, we were in a huge room with worktables all around. Silent workers were working to assemble kits, for example, APH has a Jump Rope To Fitness Kit. Each item in the kit has a specific item number, and these specific bins with these numbered items were in another area just beyond this work area. I was also able to tour the APH museum.

While on this tour, I continued to meet people in my field, some blind like myself, but many with vision. While not attending meetings where I was exploring APH products and providing input on products and services, I spent my moments of spare time enjoying Louisville. I enjoyed a nighttime horse and carriage ride through the city streets and dining at The Old Spaghetti Factory. I also did a bit of shopping at the gift shop, where I purchased a horse. No, it wasn't real.

To move on to other things I've been doing since I last wrote to you, I was a foster Mom for about a month or longer. Due to needs of the child, I requested a different placement for the child, but I learned a lot. I also discovered that I live in a supportive community. This world is better than we think it is, if we choose to take the time to dwell on its good. Many friends and acquaintances stepped in to assist me. I had to make unexpected trips to the doctor's office to pick up prescriptions that could not be faxed to the local pharmacy. I had to go to Morgantown  for appointments. I had to have assistance each medicine time because, regardless of my level of vision, this job required two people, the key reason I requested another placement for the child. One day, I had to rely on a driver and friend to drive around between pharmacies and wait while prescriptions were being filled. Also, I had to make a number of phone calls pertaining to the child. Taking care of the child  at home was the easy part, though before I accepted the child, I figured this would be the hard part. Thank you to all who helped me during this time. It was a lot of fun, but also a lot of work. When the right child comes along, I look forward to being so busy again, but I am thankful for my "me" or "Mommy" time in the meanwhile. :)

And, of course, I've been very busy at work. Our first nine weeks just ended, and I think it is the busiest nine weeks I've experienced in my five years at the West Virginia School for the Blind. But it has been fun and rewarding. The children have been busy learning my braille songs and working to build braille contraction knowledge. And, I've been busy planning their work and taking on extra responsibilities this year.

That is a brief snapshot of how I have been filling my days. Currently, I'm sitting on my couch, wondering if my Mom's birthday present is tucked out there in my mailbox. One of my cats, Tiger Lee is lying on the chair arm beside me, and I just heard my Mom get out of bed and wheel herself into my downstairs bathroom. She is spending the weekend out of the nursing home. I am having her a surprise birthday party tomorrow. Sue Smith, who used to be my night houseparent when I was a student at WVSB, owns a bakery. I called upon her to make my Mom a Mario birthday cake as she will only be turning 69 on November 15, which is this coming Wednesday. A breakfast walk to pick up food from the Romney Diner is calling and my cousin, Ruth Ann, who helped me tremendously with my foster daughter is hoping I'm awake to be ready when she gets here after while to take me grocery shopping. So bye until next post.

And, please remember to say "Thank you!" to all the Veterans you meet for what they've done for our country. Also, have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, since it falls on the fourth Thursday of the month, our edition of Interviews to Empower will be posted the following Thursday, Nov. 30. We hope you will join us then. Thank you for being with us today, and we’re praying you have a fantastic weekend.

Blessings.

Interviews to Empower Presents Kerri Kosten

Welcome to Interviews to Empower! We’re so glad you came to be with us this week. Our interviewee this time is an inspiring individual who is totally blind, partially deaf and yet does not allow her fears and anxieties to dictate her day-to-day life. Come and meet Kerri Kosten, a sports writer who is blind.

Q: What caused your blindness?

A: I was born prematurely, so I have Retinopathy Of Prematurity.

Q: What about your partial deafness?

A: When I was very young, I became ill. My parents thought and were told it was the flu. However, it was Meningitis, and the high fever that I had left me partially deaf. I only have hearing in my left ear.

Q: I imagine that makes travel difficult, as people who are blind rely on their hearing a great deal. Can you tell us about that?

A: Yes. When I was at the Louisiana Center for the Blind, I was taught to mental map. Basically, I learn directions before I go and remember them so I can map my way back home. This was not taught to me until I received O&M at LCB. Also, I learned to call ahead to ask for bus fare, directions, availability of cabs and such. It is much safer to travel using transportation such as buses, cabs and even Uber, rather than walking, as I do not have to cross as many streets. Another thing to keep in mind is to ask for assistance often.

Q: Speaking of cane travel, when did you learn blindness skills?

A: I learned braille when I was four years old. Today, I can read about 200 words per minute. I didn’t learn good cane skills until I went to LCB.

Q: Did you go to a school for the blind or public school?

A: Both. I attended public school until fifth grade, then went to the WV School for the Blind for a few years. I actually graduated from University High in Morgantown, WV. As a younger student, I liked going to the blind school in Romney, WV. However, when I got older, the city girl in me missed the city. LOL

Q: So, what got you into the world of sports writing?

A: When I was fifteen, I listened to a basketball game on the radio. It was my first game, and I found I loved the energy of the game and announcers. After that, my passion for It grew. I was like a kid in a candy store, and I knew I wanted to do something in sports; I just didn’t know what. As far as writing, I didn’t like it, at first. However, I knew that as a blind person, writing about sports was something I needed to concentrate on. So, I majored in journalism at WVU. Then, I wrote for 1440 WAJR on their website. It was a volunteer position, but it taught me so much. I really enjoy putting stuff about sports into words, and I like that a person can do this job whether they can see or not.

Q: Are you still writing for WAJR?

A: No. Today, I write for The Dominion Post here in Morgantown. I research athletes who do not choose to go to WVU, then interview them. I really enjoy this job. It has helped me to get out of my comfort zone. At first, I was very nervous about talking to people I didn’t know. But, now I am more confident and comfortable when interviewing people. I feel that because of this job, I am more mature and patient. I wish all people who are blind could get this opportunity.

Q: You mentioned going to the Louisiana Center for the Blind. What types of classes did you take there?

A: Wow, I did so much, I could go on talking forever. :) It is a nine month program, so I was there from April of 2012 to January of 2013. I took cane travel, shop, computers, cooking, home maintenance, home management and braille.

Q: Wow, talk about a busy schedule. First, because we don’t often hear of blind people taking shop, tell me some of the things you learned in that class.

A: I learned how to use a lot of different tools including a drill press and a ban saw. My final project in that class was to make a set of braille blocks.

Q: How about home management and home maintenance?

A: In home maintenance we were taught things like how to clean, how to take off a door knob and put it back on, how to use a screw driver, how to turn a breaker box on and off, how to shut the water off at the valve of the toilet, how to unplug a toilet, and how to find something that may have fallen down a sink drain.

In home management we were taught how to cook. We made brownies from scratch, homemade pasta, fried chicken in a fry daddy, stir fry in a wok, homemade bread, hand cranked our ice cream, made waffles in a waffle iron…just everything. LOL At the end of the program, I had to make a meal for eight and another meal for forty. I had to write invitations on a slate and stylus, give out invitations, shop for food, cook food and serve the food like a waitress would. My meal for eight was chicken baked in the oven with Italian dressing, peas, green beans, baked potato and salad. For dessert I made a dump cake. My meal for forty was pasta with garlic and herb sauce.

Q: Let’s talk about cane travel and some of the trips you took.

A: Well, we certainly got out and about. We went to a Louisiana Tech game. Then, a friend and I went to Oklahoma to watch the Sooners against the Baylor Bears. We had to plan our trip and figure out bus fare and everything. It was an amazing trip, and both my friend and I are blind. No one sighted went with us. Other activities at LCB were rock climbing, horseback riding, zip lining, trips to the movies, the peach festival and shopping. My last trip was a solo trip from Ruston to Monroe. I went shopping at the mall in Monroe.

Q: What advice would you give to someone new to sight loss?

A: Never give up. Blindness is not the end of the world. Get good blindness training. You can still do all the things you used to, just in a different way.

Q: What would you say to a student who is blind who is just graduating high school?

A: Try to meet as many people as you can. Learn to network. Don’t give up. Get involved with those things you are interested in. Don’t allow anyone to tell you “you can’t”.

Q: Is there someone you look up to?

A: Yes. My O&M instructor at LCB. His name was Roland Allen, and he paved the way for blind O&M instructors. He believed I could do anything, and therefore, I believe I can do anything.

Kerri, thank you so much for allowing us to interview you. Just talking with you inspires me.

To read Kerri’s pieces, you can find them in The Dominion Post www.dominionpost.com

Thank you, faithful readers for being with us today. We apologize that this post is late. But, we will be back on Nov. 9 with more inspiration, so come back and be with us. Want to see us on Facebook? We can be found at facebook.com/adkinsandwells.

Blessings.

After the Convention and Some Other Stuff

Hello and welcome to the blog. Anita here with you this week, talking about independence, the WV NFB convention, some technology and anything else that pops out of my head. LOL Read on; we’re going to have fun.

I’m tired. But that's a good thing, because it helped me realize, taking a toddler bed to my basement by myself might not be a wise decision. Fortunately, I know when to forge on with endless determination and when to wait for someone to help me. I haven't always known that, and even now, I will still unwisely do things I really shouldn't. For example, while waiting at High Street, I take a chance and cross before I confirm a standstill has occurred. I'm not intentionally walking out in front of a moving vehicle, but at the same time, I'm taking a risk. I know when it is and isn't safe to cross a street, but when I'm in a hurry, the Lord continues to protect me, for which I'm thankful. But what I'm trying to say to you is that many times it is when we get in a hurry or tired of waiting for someone else that we tend to make errors. Still, my motto is: I am glad to accept assistance with this activity, but since no one is offering or available, I will conquer it on my own. I hate waiting on other people to do things for me, and I try not to rely on others for activities I can safely do on my own, if I can avoid it. I do ask for help when I need it and accept assistance on occasion in order to respect someone who is only trying to be kind. I will also accept it to open a door that will allow me to develop a relationship that will give me the opportunity to teach a lesson on blindness.

That might sound radical, but I just did return from the West Virginia State National Federation of the Blind convention after all. :) My favorite parts of the convention were seeing my friend, Shannon, meeting Peggy Hoy who is editing and assisting with putting “Ducking into UEB” on Create Space, and exploring the technology exhibits. I also enjoyed the reception and saying hello to acquaintances and friends.

I enjoy learning new skills, and I especially love playing with new technology. The newest version of the BrailleNote was on display, and I was given the chance to sit and play with it for a while. Because I heard it was an Android-based device, I arrived with the notion I didn't want it personally or professionally. But I have an open mind, which is a great thing. It feels like a BrailleNote Apex, but the keyboard lifts up to reveal a touch screen, which provides a visual display for instructors, and a fabulous touch keyboard for its blind users, like me. Surprisingly, this keyboard is quite accurate and I could braille fast with it. Don't worry; it still contains physical keys for those of us who still prefer that method, but the touch keyboard is quieter, and thus, means the romance  novel you are writing during a boring history class is less likely to disturb the other students. :) That reminds me of my Kutztown University teacher from many years ago saying, "Geography lives, amen." I don't remember his name, but I did think he was friendly. While he lectured, I wrote a story about two guys in Southern WV who were trying to solve a crime. He never noticed, or he never said so if he did. But I received a d in the class, and not a dime for that never-published story. To get back on topic, I loved the BrailleNote Touch, and I plan to share information about it with the school where I teach.

The goal of blindness organizations is to advocate for and conduct legislative work to benefit its members and also nonmembers who are blind. My least favorite part of the NFB convention was sitting in the general sessions. This is partly because the speakers are ones who are regular presenters and because I am not the right audience for the remaining presenters as they were geared toward people interested in attending blindness training centers. I am a strong advocate of these centers, but information in these speeches were not relevant to me. Some of the speakers also talked about the legislative process, and I am not as interested in that process as some, even though I know and value the work done by our organization since it has provided me with many freedoms I would otherwise not have. If you want more information about the National Federation of the Blind, visit their website, nfb.org.

I bring up this convention because I just attended it. Also, the American Council of the Blind convention is coming up soon. And, after reading about the activities, I am not sure I will attend. It will have a technology time also, but I will be at work during that time. I might join them for dinner that evening, but as I am about to foster a little girl, that decision to attend is not as likely as it would have been a couple of weeks ago. Still, I would like to go since it is right here in my hometown. I want to know more about how NFB and ACB are alike and different, and this would give me that opportunity. Both organizations benefit the blind, but they have some different views on things. I like to learn and to be informed, and so I may just stop in and see how the ACB impacts me.

If you are interested to learn more about the ACB Convention in WV, some info is provided below.

Sept. 29-Oct. 1: Mountain State Council of the Blind’s annual convention at the South Branch Inn, 64 Heritage Circle, Romney, WV 26757; phone (304) 822-2444

For questions about the convention or MSCB, please call (304) 933-9540, or email Donna Brown at dandmbrown@atlanticbb.net or president Kevin Maynus at president@mscbwv.org

Did you know Adkins and Wells is on Facebook? Yep, and we would love for you to come over and “like” our page. It can be found at facebook.com/adkinsandwells/

Thanks for being with us today. Drop us a comment or question below. We would love to hear from you. Until next time, have a blessed weekend.

On Trying New Things and an Upcoming Event

Hello and welcome. S.J. Wells here with you today. Last week I decided to try another platform for my author blog. Blogger is great, but there are a few things about it that don’t fit my needs. What I want is an actual website that I can update as I am able. So, what I have learned from the experience is what I’m going to share with you today.

Note: For those who use screen readers, I am using Voice Over on a MacBook. My internet program is Safari.

Remember KWL charts from school? Yeah, well, I didn’t either, but that’s probably because charts don’t help a person who is blind as much as they might help a sighted person. But, as a homeschool mama of 2 sighted children, I’ve learned about them. In the spirit of a KWL chart, here we go.

K (What I already know)

1. How to use Voice Over and Safari
2. How to create a blog
3. What I want out of a website

W (What I want to learn)

1. Is this new platform friendly for screen readers?
2. Will I be able to enter the information by myself?
3. How much does it cost?
4. Will it be pleasing to sighted people’s eyes?

L (What I learned)

1. Wordpress is speech friendly, mostly.
2. Yes, I could enter the information by myself. However, I did need sighted assistance choosing a theme and color for the font.
3. When at first you don’t succeed, wait a while and try again with less frustration.

As you can probably tell, it wasn’t a quick process. I had to practice and keep trying until I got the results I wanted. What I needed in big supply was patience and time. I had to learn how my speech program worked with the software. Sometimes, this meant losing the content of a page and having to create it all over again. Sometimes, this meant fixing a page more than once to get the desired result. Sure, I got frustrated. No, it didn’t work out great every time. Yes, I needed help from someone who can see. But, I kept trying, and now I have a new website, and I think it looks pretty good. Go check it out for me, and tell me what you think. The address is

sjwellsauthor.com

This passed week seems to be a time for new things. My family just took in a kitten who will be 8 weeks old on Sept. 2. I never took care of a kitten before, but my daughters wanted one, so I am trying to be patient and learn. This process, as far as the kitten is concerned, takes using my hearing as often as possible.

My encouragement for you, faithful readers is to keep trying, no matter your disability. Try, fail, learn from your mistake and try again. Don’t be afraid of something, just because it is new. Embrace it and use it for your good. Blindness, deafness, paralysis, all of these do not have to define you, if you don’t allow them.

Now, for some upcoming news. We, the Adkins and Wells team will be presenting at the WV Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind in Charleston, WV on Saturday, Sept. 9 at approximately 11:00 AM. We will be talking about writing, blogging, education, homeschool and our project, a textbook for children called, “Ducking into UEB”, a book that teaches Unified English Braille to children in grades 4-12 and older readers. If you’re interested to come and hear us and want more information, check facebook.com/adkinsandwells/. We will be creating an event, there.

We hope you have enjoyed today’s post. Questions or comments? Please feel free to drop us a comment below or contact us via email at adkinsandwells@gmail.com. We’d love to hear from you. Here’s wishing you many blessings and a wonderful weekend. Catch you back here next Thursday.

Braille

Happy Thursday, and welcome to the blog. S.J. Wells here with you, and this post is a bumpy one. You could also say that I am bringing up a touchy subject. Yep, today, we’re talking about braille.

Way back in 1821, a man named Charles Barbier who had created a form of raised dots that French soldiers could use to read at night came to visit a school for the blind there in France. A student at the school named Louis Braille improved upon Barbier’s code and in 1824, the writing and reading system for the blind called braille was born. It was improved upon over the years, and n 1905 grade 2 was adopted. Today, a person who is blind or visually impaired can read braille books, read braille on a refreshable braille display, purchase jewelry and/or chocolate with braille on it, write braille on a slate and stylus, a Perkins Brailler or electronically as on a notetaker. Come a long way, haven’t we?

I began learning braille at the tender age of 3. I’ll never forget those long evenings in 3rd, 4th and 5th grade, my braille book open on the table, its thermoform pages feeling plastic and making it difficult to move my sweaty hands across the page. Hours, it seemed crawled by as I went word by word. Several seconds of figuring out what the letters were, then another few minutes were spent putting those letters together in my head, sounding them out, only to realize the word was a simple one, like waterfall. But, practice makes perfect, or at least, practice makes proficient, and today, I read my Bible every morning without difficulty. Plus side, no more thermoform pages; only real paper. LOL

Some say there is little use for braille, especially with speech programs aplenty. I use Voice Over on my iPhone and MacBook, and it works great. But, I don’t process information as well with speech. I need to “see” it in order to truly study it. That is why I prefer my Bible in braille.

Knowing braille has also come in handy when my children were small. I used print/braille books, ones that someone had placed strips of labeling or pieces of plastic pages above or below the printed text with braille on them. I could read to my children while they read along or looked at the pictures. If I used only speech on a computer, the voice of the speech program would have had to read it to my girls. Much more personal, being able to read to them, don’t you think?

So, today braille users here in the USA are switching from English Braille, American edition to Unified English Braille, UEB. It isn’t much different, but if you aren’t used to it, you will be a little confused. I’m sure children are having an easier time learning it or switching than we adults, but learn it we must, if we are to keep up with it. For my part, I am learning as I go, thanks to Anita. She is, after all, the braille teacher, here. :)

Which reminds me; we’re going to be speaking at the West Virginia state Convention of the National Federation of the Blind On Sept. 9, 2017. Our topic? Well, we’re going to be talking about writing, what it’s like to be authors, about education, about teaching, about braille, UEB especially and about the textbook Anita and I are collaborating on. It’s called “Ducking into UEB”, and its current publication date is Sept. 30, 2017. It’s for students, and there are a lot of fun features inside, such as songs and stories to help make learning fun. You’ll be hearing more about it in the following weeks, so I’ll not say anymore just now. But, keep us, our project and our presentation at the NFB convention in WV in your thoughts and prayers.

What are your experiences with braille? Have you had opportunity to learn it? Do you know someone who reads braille? We would love to hear from you, so drop us a comment below.

Be sure and come back next Thursday, as we have another interview to empower you. We’re changing it up a bit, and you won’t want to miss it. Hear from someone who spent her life teaching students who were blind and visually impaired. Until then, keep those fingers nimble.

Blessings.

Resolutions, and a Little on Canes

Welcome to the blog. Anita here with you this week with some things on my mind—blindness, cane travel, changes and resolutions to name a few.

Summer has blown by, and I find that I am out of shape. As I relax here on the couch, struggling to come up with a topic for this week's blog, I also ponder how I walked 1.8 miles today, something I haven't done all summer. I have been busy editing and revising “DUCKING INTO UEB”, a braille teaching program I created in collaboration with S.J. Wells that is expected to be published on September 30. More about that in the coming weeks.

Also in September, I will transition into a new decade of my life, and though it isn't January 1, I feel I want to make a New Year's resolution for myself just the same. And that is to live a healthier life and to always put others first. So I drank my last Coca-Cola yesterday. And, today, marks the first day that I am beginning to walk daily in order to start out my resolution early. I'm not sure how I'll help others yet, but I have a few weeks before my birthday to think on that.

Anyhow, walking makes me think of using my cane. It is a tool. Its key purposes are to keep me safe, to identify myself as blind to others, and to identify and to detect obstacles in my path. Sometimes, I also think of it as a guide since I use it to lead me on a given path as I walk; otherwise, I'd probably weave all over the sidewalk.

There are different types of canes. I own both a folding cane and a straight cane. The benefit to the folding cane is that I can fold it out of the way when in a vehicle or in a restaurant. Also, I prefer to use constant contact, and its tip tends to last a bit longer than my straight cane's tip does. The advantages to the straight cane are that it is very light in weight, it provides more audible feedback about the environment, and it has a round handle so I can use an open palm technique in which I open and close my hand rather than moving my wrist. For people who are learning to accept their blindness, this cane also demands to be used since it cannot be hidden from view and is more likely to be in one's hand and being used rather than stored in a car or bag.

Always remember it is Ok to be blind. The type of cane isn't as important, as the fact that you use it, and it keeps you safe. Be proud of your cane. Let it tell you about the upcoming drop-off, the metal trash can in front of you, or the change from a rough surface to a smooth surface. With your cane in hand, you can walk for exercise and also to make it to and from a variety of destinations on your own, and you won't have to wait for someone to have the time or to be bothered with doing for you what you can do for yourself.  I learned long ago, a cane gives me independence, and independence has the power to give me freedom to be who I am and to do what I want to do; it enables me to do things safely and confidently. As a result, my blindness will not control my life. Sure, it will still inconvenience me, as it will inconvenience you at times, but overall, we will be able to conquer its challenges with ease and confidence. And, that is what will give us the freedom to achieve our dreams, come what may.

Just FYI, the National Federation of the Blind offers free, long white canes to those who can not afford to buy one. For more information, go to this website, where you can learn about how to use and care for your cane, as well as order a free cane for yourself or a child under the age of 18.

What about you, faithful readers? Did your summer fly by too fast, too? We would love to hear from you, so drop us a comment anytime. Until next Thursday, have a great weekend and remember to count your blessings.