Seeing without Vision

Hello and welcome. We’re glad you are here. Anita talking to you this week, and today, I would like to talk to you a little about seeing without vision.

Recently, a friend and I went to a local pharmacy. She has low vision, and I only have light perception. While she was shopping for specific items, I was amusing myself with my iPhone and Seeing AI. Perhaps you have already heard of this fantastic, free app. I have had it for a while, and I feel it is one of my more used apps. It has a money identifier, a channel for capturing data about the scene viewable via the camera, a facial recognition feature, a  document scanner, and best of all, a short text recognition channel. 

Now, I want to step away for just a moment to say that it can be annoying when sighted people say something like how it must be so hard to be blind. In an educational setting, I would respond that it isn't hard; people without vision just do things differently. While this is true,  Seeing AI and another app called Aipoly Vision have taught me that some of the time, I am not always right. Aipoly Vision isn't always accurate, but if you select the general feature, it will call out what it thinks the camera sees.

My first glimpse of what it must be like to have vision came when it recognized my piano from clear across the living room in just a second. Sure, I already knew the piano was there, but the experience of hearing it was there from across the room was impressive for me. I didn't "miss" not recognizing someone from across the street until I viewed my piano with Aipoly Vision. I rarely use that app because its accuracy isn't real good, but it is still fun to play with on occasion, and can be accurate sometimes. Seeing AI does not recognize things real-time like Aipoly Vision, but when I was in that pharmacy, I was able to use it to identify items via its short text feature. Again, I was impressed. I found April Fresh Downey without even trying. I have been using barcode scanners for several years now. I love my Omni, and the one with Seeing AI is much better than Digit Eyes. However, it is still sometimes difficult to locate a barcode as quick as I would like. But, the short text feature not only told me what things were, as I was holding up my phone and walking randomly around, it even called out "As seen on TV" when I walked toward the shelf. It was an awesome experience! Again, I had a taste of what having vision might be like.

Yes, as a blind person, I can overcome most of the challenges associated with blindness. But, now I have a new attitude toward sighted people who fear blindness or who are "amazed" at everything we do. I will certainly still educate them and let them know blind people can be productive, happy members of society, but I will be more patient with them when they remark about how blindness is difficult or scary. Things we have not experienced can be scary. And many times, we do not know if something is difficult until we try it, or in my case, are allowed to see a small glimmer of a different world, thanks to revolutionary technologies.

Thanks for being with me today. Be sure and come back on June 28 for another edition of Interviews to Empower. If you have a comment or question, drop it below or send an email to adkinsandwells@gmail.com. We’d love to hear from you.

FYI, all the apps mentioned can be found in the app store. Play around with them and see for yourself which works best for you.

Also, S. J. Wells has a new book out. It’s called, “Caleb’s Story”, about a young man who dove into a pool when he was a teenager and broke his neck. It’s available on Amazon. Just click on the following link.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DFQ9LMD/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1527807937&sr=1-1&keywords=Caleb%27s+Story%2C+S.+J.+Wells

Until next time, take a good look at the world around you and enjoy what you see.

Interviews to Empower Presents: Dan Oates

Welcome to Interviews to Empower, where we feature inspiring individuals to encourage you to become lifelong learners. This month’s interviewee is Dan Oates, a man who’s tireless work has provided many opportunities for children who are blind and visually impaired.

Q: First, tell us a little about your self.

A: Currently, I am retired from the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and the Blind and living in Romney. I travel a lot speaking about Space Camp for Interested Visually Impaired Students (SCIVIS). My goal is to interest more students in attending the program. My girlfriend, Jenny, lives in Oklahoma so I take every opportunity to go and spend time together.  We love to travel and see locally and nationally produced theatre performances.

I spend about four months a year now in Huntsville, Alabama.  During the summer I work as an Education Program Manager at Space Camp.  My job duties include managing 12-14 teachers who coordinate and lead the Space Camp Educators Program.  We host about 500 teachers from 30-35 countries attending Space Camp each summer.  I return in September to oversee the SCIVIS program for about 200 blind and low vision students from about 25 U. S. states and 10 foreign countries. During a two-week period in February and March, I return to Space Camp to assist with the Honeywell Leadership Challenge Academy (HLCA).  These are two one-week programs for Honeywell employee’s children, ages 16-18, to attend a leadership-based Space Camp program.  I act as a corporate liaison between Honeywell and Space Camp. While at home I enjoy working on genealogy, local history projects and working out at the Wellness Center. I am also a member of the Board of Directors for the National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation (NOAH). NOAH’s mission is to act as a conduit for accurate and authoritative information about all aspects of living with albinism and to provide a place where people with albinism and their families, in the United States and Canada, can find acceptance, support and fellowship.

Q: How did you get into working with children with disabilities, especially with blindness?

A: I have had a long history with the school beginning with my earliest years.  My uncle and mother worked at the school. My neighbors, while I was growing up, worked there.  I can remember going to school to visit my Uncle Bill Oates, who was a houseparent at Seaton Hall for secondary deaf boys.  I spent many days attending youth group meetings, Boy Scout troop meetings, and just hanging out there.

My mother was the superintendent’s secretary, when she passed away suddenly in 1979.  She always wanted me to work there because it was such a great place.  But my plans were totally different than what she wanted for me.  I had always told her, “those kids are weird!”

After graduating from Fairmont State College with a B. S. degree in Recreational Programming, I landed a job at the Mineral County Parks and Recreation Commission in Keyser, WV.  One of the skills I learned while working in Keyser was chair caning – repairing and replacing old seats in antique chairs.  Something I felt was a complete waste of my time.  I worked there until spring of 1979, when the Federal funding was cut.  During this time, my father had a serious heart attack and my mother died in April.   I returned to Romney without a job and to care for my father while he recuperated from his heart attack and loss of his wife.

During that time to make a living I caned chairs, stripped furniture, and sold antiques.

One day, Mr. Ralph Brewer, principal at the West Virginia School for the Blind, called and asked if I would be interested in a three-month job filling a vacancy.  He said, “I hear you can cane chairs.  Just wondering if you could teach a blind child how to do that?” I replied, “Yes I can!” I had no idea but I needed a job.

Those three months changed my life!  I soon realized that my perspective of “those kids” being weird was so wrong.  I didn’t understand them but soon realized they were no different than other children. 

Eventually Mr. Brewer called me to his office and offered to pay for my Masters in Education and Orientation and Mobility certification if I would return to school.  So off to the University of Pittsburgh I went.  At the beginning of the 1981-1982 school year, I returned as WVSB’s first certified O & M instructor.

In the end, my mother got her wish and as usual, mother’s are always right!  So interesting to me that a skill that I thought was a waste of time combined with a misperception of some really neat kids equaled a career!

Q: Let’s talk about your career. What are some things you have accomplished while working in the field of blindness? Also, what challenges did you, and do you still, face in the field?

A: During my thirty years I had two job titles.  I was an orientation and mobility instructor from 1981 to 1994.  From 1994 to my retirement at the end of the 2011-2012 school year I was an Educational Outreach Specialist.

Early in my employment, Mr. Brewer began sending me to the University of Virginia to take classes in low vision. This quickly became an interest of mine.  He asked me to coordinate a low vision clinic on campus.  I worked with a number of optometrists over the years for our clinics.

In 1993 I was asked to present at the Outreach Forum at the Indiana School for the Blind.  These are outreach professionals from all of the schools for the blind throughout the United States.  There I learned of a traveling low vision clinic in Iowa that I felt would be wonderful to have in West Virginia.  Upon my return from the Forum, I pitched the idea to our superintendent, Max Carpenter, and he denied the request.  When I became employed as an Outreach Specialist I pitched the idea again and Mr. Carpenter shot me down again.  Knowing the idea was a good one, I went to Dr. Terry Schwartz of the Department of Ophthalmology at West Virginia University and she was all for it.  Dr. Jim Jones, an optometrist at WVU, and I traveled to Charleston to the Lions Conservation Foundation and presented the idea.  They granted us $6000.  The low vision clinic was off and running.  It soon became apparent to Dr. Schwartz and myself that due to our current job responsibilities we would be unable to manage the program.  Dr. Schwartz found some funding through her department and we hired Rebecca Coakley as the coordinator of the project.  It was through her enthusiasm, vision, and tireless energy the Children’s Vision Rehabilitation Project (CVRP) was born.  Today that project has helped children from all over the world and Becky Coakley is one of the leading low vision educators in the world.  I’m very proud of my work in beginning that program.

During this time I was selected by the West Virginia Board of Education to accompany ten gifted students to Russia on a Space Exchange. These students were not blind but the top ten academic students in the state.  This was a very scary trip for me as I had only been on a plane once and never outside the United States.  Trips to Russia in 1993 and 1994 were so valuable to my maturity as an educator, allowing me to see other countries and educational systems.  As a result of the success of my first two trips, Mr. Carpenter and my office partner, Paula Athey, went to Russia in 1995.  While touring the school for the blind there, Paula was contacted by a parent of a child with an inoperable brain tumor.  Paula, myself, and many other state residents worked hard to allow Yelena Shilova to come to the United States for surgery in Huntington, WV.  Today, Yelena is alive and thriving in Russia.

My sixteen years working throughout the state as one of the coordinators for the INSITE program were probably the most rewarding.  Many times I was the first educator parents met after they had received the news of their babies diagnosis of vision loss.  I traveled all over our beautiful state and spent time in every county and met hundreds of families and educators.  I would like to think my knowledge in the field of blindness and low vision helped families begin to accept their child as a productive member of society.  

I feel my biggest challenge was staying current on all of the innovations in the field.  There was times that living in rural West Virginia limited me in this area.  I was fortunate to travel extensively within the U. S., Russia, Ireland, St. Lucia, and Australia to continue learning throughout my career.  I have always been blessed to work with professionals who shared their knowledge freely and I have always had a passion for learning.

Q: A lot of alumni of WVSB remember their experiences at Space Camp, from scuba diving to feeling what it is like on the moon to jumping off a 40 foot tower into freezing cold water And more! :) You were instrumental in getting that program off the ground. Can you please talk about that?

A: Contrary to popular belief, I had little to do with the initial program.  Edward Buckbee, the founder of Space Camp, grew up in Romney.  When he began to notice the desire of children with special needs to attend his program, he reached out to his friend, Max Carpenter.  Mr. Carpenter contacted Ralph Brewer, principal at the School for the Blind, and together they formed a committee to look into the possibilities.  I was a member of that committee but was not slated to go on the trip.  Mr. Carpenter, Mr. Brewer, Kathy Johnson (math teacher), and Michele Hooker Slocum (science teacher) drove to Alabama for the first meeting and overview of Space Camp in 1989. It wasn’t until the return of the committee that it became apparent that the services of a mobility instructor would be needed.  I was extremely excited about going and was so honored to accompany twenty amazing students on this trip in December of 1990.

Kathy Johnson was the early coordinator of the program and I was simply a chaperone who took orders, followed students to their activities, made sure everyone had low vision devices and knew where they were.  As the program continued and more students attended from other schools for the blind, I began to see potential for the program to attract hundreds of students.  Eventually, I approached Kathy with the idea of inviting students attending public schools and opening the program to all students with blindness and low vision.  My contacts through outreach made this possible.  Soon I handled all registration and contacting new students and Kathy handled materials and programming.  Our program slowly grew with Kathy always reining me in to slow down and make sure we were maintaining a quality program and not growing too fast.  By the late 1990’s and into the 2000’s, we were hosting between 150-200 students each year.  The program was named Space Camp for Interested Visually Impaired Students (SCIVIS) sometime in the late 1990’s and continues to be known by that today.  Since 1990 over 4000 students have attended the program. Kathy continued to work with the program until she retired in 2007 and soon thereafter passed away in 2010.

In 2007, I was honored by being selected as an inaugural member of the Space Camp Hall of Fame.  I have often been referred to, as the founder of SCIVIS but that is not true.  Each year we honor Mr. Edward Buckbee, Mr. Ralph Brewer, and Mr. Max Carpenter as the SCIVIS founders.  During graduation we further honor Mr. Carpenter and Kathy Johnson by selecting a special graduate who has overcome many obstacles to receive the Carpenter/Johnson Award.  In my nomination for the Hall of Fame it was stated that I am the “heart and soul of SCIVIS”.  I’m comfortable with that!

Q: Do you have any advice for other professionals working in the field of blindness, or for anyone who happens to be blind?

A: My advice to any vision professional would be to seek out opportunities to learn from others, visit other schools for the blind and conferences.  I’ve always said, “I haven’t had an original idea.”

Also find your passion and work it.  I was unaware of the passion that I would develop working with blind and low vision students.  Fortunately, my mother, Mr. Brewer, and others saw it first and directed me “blindly” towards it.  I would say my success in the field was based on the resources I made.  I also discovered that I was better working for children than working with them.

Q: We understand that you have published a book about a Confederate soldier? What is the title, the story behind it, and how can readers obtain a copy?

A: Yes, the title of the book is “Hanging Rock Rebel, Lt. John Blue’s War in West Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley Along with Other Writings”.

Lt. John Blue was a native born son of Romney. His adventures prior to and after joining the Civil War were detailed in weekly articles in the Hampshire Review from the spring of 1898 until April of 1901.  I have taken those first hand accounts of his story and placed them in a book format with accompanying pictures, chapters, and index, both last name and regimental.

The story of Lt. Blue intrigued me during my middle school years as I was blessed to have history teachers who valued teaching local history.  Upon discovering his writings in the local paper, I was amazed at reading a first hand account of over 300 pages; virtually unheard of!

The book is available in print for $22 and can be found at local bookstores or at http://www.fortpearsallpress.com.

Mr. Oates, it has been a pleasure interviewing you and learning more about you and the others who have made O&M and Space Camp some of our best memories at WVSB. Thank you so much for all you have done and continue to do to further the education of blind and visually impaired children.

A big thank you to our readers, too. This blog is about to become one year old, and we could not have made it this far without you.

We hope you will come back in two weeks for another post. We have some exciting news coming up about our new book, “ducking into UEB”, a braille manual for all students, children and adults who want a fun way to learn unified English braille.

Until next time, be encouraged, do something you’ve never done before and come like us on Facebook at facebook.com/adkinsandwells/

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.

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.

Some Thoughts on Traveling

Happy Thursday. S.J. Wells here with you today, and I’m going to talk about tricks and tips for going out of town, when you are blind or visually impaired. Last week, I went out of town to visit with Anita. I’m sure several of you faithful readers went on vacation this summer, as well. So, what better time to bring up this topic. Get your riding breeches on, as my mama used to say, cause we’re going on a trip.

First, whether you are taking a car, bus or plane, you have to pack. If you are blind or visually impaired, having someone else to do this for you can work. However, we all have a system of organization, and sighted folks tend to forget about your blindness. So, it is best if you pack for yourself. Packing like things together is a trick I learned way back when I was a teenager going off to church camp. Socks with socks, underwear with underwear, etc. If you want your socks to match, either get a sighted person to help you match them or use a color identifier. Then, either pin them with safety pins or separate them into plastic baggies. You can also use hair ties or rubber bands to keep them matched up in your suitcase. Or, you can be simple, like me and buy all white socks that always match each other. LOL If you want to match up your outfits before you go, fold them together before you put them in your suitcase. Wrap a pair of pants or shorts or skirt inside a matching shirt. Don’t worry about wrinkles, because everything gets wrinkled while on a trip. :) When it comes to packing things that might leak, such as shampoo, body wash, lotion or toothpaste, put them in baggies. For big things like shampoo and body wash, use shopping bags like you get from Walmart. For small things such as toothpaste, use ziplock baggies and put your toothbrush in there with it. Pack hair ties and brushed together in a zippered pouch. Put shoes in bags, and be sure to pack a plastic garbage bag in there for emergencies or to use as a laundry bag if you don’t already have a laundry bag. Okay, now that you are all packed, don’t forget to put those tags the bus company or airline sent you to mark that suitcase as yours. If you’re riding in the car, make sure it’s all zipped and ready to go out the door.

As it has been several years since I have been on an airplane, I’ll leave that part out of this post, but feel free to join the discussion and comment below. I did ride on a Greyhound bus a few years ago, and the one piece of advice I want to give you is this: be open and not afraid to ask for help. Traveling is not the time to become an introvert. Ask questions, let them know you are blind and need help, if you do indeed need help. Be kind when refusing help and be patient; others around you are wanting to be at their destination just as much as you.

If you are like me and my family, you go to the same places a lot. One thing we did quite by accident is find a particular Burger King along our rout. We stop there nearly every time we travel that way to grab a drink, a snack or to just use the rest rooms. We’re used to the stop, I know where everything is, and it’s not difficult to use my cane and find the bathroom and things within.

Well, sad to say, summer is almost over, and vacation is over, too. We’ve traveled back home, and now we must unpack. :( Take out whatever you have used for a laundry bag and start sorting. Lights in the washer first and darks to go in next. Shoes, hair stuff, soaps and shampoos have to be put back and the list seems to go on forever. :)

Traveling can be stressful for everyone, but it doesn’t have to be a failure. Keeping organized is the key. While it is easier in the beginning to let sighted folks do most of the work, you will find you can keep track of your stuff better with a lot less aggravation if you do as much as possible on your own. Be sure to remember your cane, if you use one, and check with the place where you obtained your guide dog, if you have one on travel tips. I’m sure I have only skimmed the surface, here, so again, please leave us a comment with your own suggestions, questions, and/or tips.

Thank you for being with us today. We look forward to hearing from you. Have a great weekend, and we’ll see you back here next Thursday.

Blessings.