THE BRAILLE FORUM Volume XLVI July-August 2007 No. 1 Published by the American Council of the Blind THE AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND STRIVES TO INCREASE THE INDEPENDENCE, SECURITY, EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY, AND TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE. Christopher Gray, President Melanie Brunson, Executive Director Sharon Lovering, Editor National Office: 1155 15th St. NW Suite 1004 Washington, DC 20005 (202) 467-5081 Fax: (202) 467-5085 Web site: http://www.acb.org THE BRAILLE FORUM (TM) is available in braille, large print, half-speed four- track cassette tape, and via e-mail. Subscription requests, address changes, and items intended for publication should be sent to Sharon Lovering at the address above, or via e-mail to slovering@acb.org. Submission deadlines are the first of the month. The American Council of the Blind (TM) is a membership organization made up of more than 70 state and special-interest affiliates. To join, visit the ACB web site and complete an application form, or contact the national office at the number listed above. Those much-needed contributions, which are tax-deductible, can be sent to Mike Godino at the above mailing address. If you wish to remember a relative or friend, the national office can make printed cards available for this purpose. To remember the American Council of the Blind in your Last Will and Testament, you may include a special paragraph for that purpose. If your wishes are complex, contact the ACB national office. Join the MMS program and help improve tomorrow today in ACB. Contact Ron Milliman by e-mail, rmilliman@insightbb.com, or by phone at (270) 782-9325 and get started making tomorrow look brighter today! To make a contribution to ACB via the Combined Federal Campaign, use this number: 11155. For the latest in legislative and governmental news, call the "Washington Connection" toll-free at (800) 424-8666, 5 p.m. to midnight Eastern time, or visit the Washington Connection online at http://www.acb.org. Copyright 2007 American Council of the Blind TABLE OF CONTENTS President's Message: Toward the Unfolding of a Bright Future, by Chris Gray ACB Has a New Director of Governmental Affairs, and Just in Time!, by Melanie Brunson Affiliate Convention Ideas, compiled by Ardis Bazyn Counting My Tips, by Janiece Kent What Goes Around Really Can Come Around, by Ken Stewart Ode to a Bus, by Catherine Fischbach My Turn, by Thomas L. Hicks From Your Perspective: Many Diabetics and Legally Blind Adults Need A System of Labeling, by Mildred Frank Facial Vision An Art Show for the Blind and Sighted, by Suellen Hozman Our Covered Wagon Had Wings, by Rita Levy Moving and Moving On, by Miriam Vieni Young Thunder, by DeAnna Quietwater Noriega Tainted Crown? Mixed Feelings, Mixed Messages, by Alysia Wells Here and There, by Sue Lichtenfels Living, by DeAnna Quietwater Noriega High Tech Swap Shop FORUM SUBSCRIPTION NOTES You can now get "The Braille Forum" by podcast! To subscribe, go to "The Braille Forum" page on www.acb.org. If you do not yet have a podcast client, you can download one from the Forum page. To subscribe to "The Braille Forum" via e-mail, send a blank e-mail message to brailleforum-L-subscribe@acb.org. ARE YOU MOVING? DO YOU WANT TO CHANGE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION? Contact Sharon Lovering in the ACB national office, 1-800-424-8666, or via e-mail, slovering@acb.org. Give her the information, and she'll take care of the changes for you. ***** PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE: TOWARD THE UNFOLDING OF A BRIGHT FUTURE by Christopher Gray This is my final message to you as ACB's ninth president. It has been my honor and pleasure to have served you and to have worked with seven of my predecessors. In the spirit of those who have come before me as well as the many other founders of our organization, I have endeavored to provide proactive and principled leadership to you. Over these six years, I have worked to uphold the core principles of ACB's democratic tradition and to lead us to a better future both for the organization and for all blind people. In these past six years, we can be proud to have maintained and strengthened ACB's name as a world participant and leader in the field of blindness. It was ACB who broadcast the 2004 quadrennial meeting of the World Blind Union from South Africa. In June of 2007, we broadcast the first Africa-wide Congress of the Blind. We have provided new and invigorated leadership to the North American-Caribbean region of the World Blind Union, and stood with the blind of the Caribbean region in support of meaningful improvement in that part of the world. We have expanded the reach and coverage of ACB Radio, particularly with the creation of ACB Radio World, a channel devoted to worldwide affairs of blind people. ACB listenership has increased steadily on all of our channels, and we have steadily increased the quality and number of all our broadcasts. In these past six years, we can be proud to have maintained and strengthened our position as the leading advocacy organization of the blind in the United States. We have advocated for the right of parents who are blind to raise their children without interference of local and state governments. We have advocated successfully, time and time again, for accessible ATM and accessible point-of-sale machines that allow all blind people to manage their financial transactions with privacy and dignity. We have advocated successfully for the right of the blind to cast official voter ballots with the same independence and privacy provided to our sighted counterparts. We continue to advocate for the right of Social Security recipients to receive information in the accessible media of their choice. We continue to advocate for the right of the blind to use our national currency as freely and independently as do our sighted peers. Never has ACB been more active in issues of advocacy than we are today. In these past six years, we can be proud to have maintained and strengthened ACB's financial position. While we have certainly had some rough going these past six years, we stand on the verge of a new financial era for the organization. Our funding has been diversified significantly. Our thrift store business has been returned to a stable footing and is moving toward major growth in the next two years. We have reached out into the general community for long-term support of the organization. We have upgraded and modernized our financial processes both for how we handle finances within the organization and for how we seek to create new funding sources outside of ACB. Rather than removing money from our reserves or only maintaining their balance, we added $100,000 to those reserves in 2006, plan to add more again at the end of 2007, and have maintained a balanced budget while doing so. It is difficult to find the best or even the right words with which to express my thanks and appreciation to all of the people who have been a part of creating this past six years within ACB. To name even the key people who have helped to make this happen is an even more daunting task. Quite honestly, words of thanks and appreciation are due to every member of this organization. Each and every one of you does something that grows into what is unquestionably the finest organization of the blind in our country. Whether you know what that may be or not, it is certainly the case. That's what grassroots organizations are all about, and that is the spirit of ACB which I have endeavored to protect, pursue and enhance these past six years. Many have asked me to suggest what legacy I may have left the American Council of the Blind. While I appreciate the suggestion and the intended support such a suggestion is meant to provide, this is not for me to say. Perhaps in 10 or 20 years, others can render a decision on that, but only the passage of time holds an answer. What I can say is that ACB has grown and changed these past six years while maintaining and renewing its commitment to basic, grassroots democracy. We have significantly increased our reputation, and we have become known in the press of this nation as never before. We stand on the verge of a new-found ability to create major change for the blind of America. For me, that is legacy enough! I look forward with anticipation to a new and equally active role with our organization. Precisely what that role may be is something to be defined with the next president of ACB. In the meantime, please know how much I have cherished serving this great organization, and how much I feel that each of you has played a part in our work together. Thank you all for who you are and what you do. Let us work in harmony with our 10th president and shepherd ACB into its next era of blossoming growth, success, and service on behalf of all blind people. ***** ACB HAS A NEW DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS, AND JUST IN TIME! by Melanie Brunson I am very pleased to report to you that ACB has hired Eric Bridges of Arlington, Va. to direct its advocacy and governmental affairs work in Washington, D.C. Eric is no stranger to the blindness advocacy field. He has spent the last six years working in the government relations department of National Industries for the Blind. This work has given him a good understanding of many of the issues we are currently dealing with in Washington. In addition, Eric has spent the last six months working on Capitol Hill as part of a fellowship program sponsored by the Brookings Institute. He has been working in the office of a Congressman from Minnesota. Finally, he has been a member of the National Alliance of Blind Students and is well-known to many members of ACB. We are very excited to have him on board. Eric's arrival is coming at a good time, as there is plenty to do on the advocacy front. One issue in particular has come to the legislative forefront. As many of you know, the talking book program run by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) has gotten a lot of attention lately. For several years, patrons of NLS have been awaiting the transition to digital talking books. That transition is set to begin next year. In anticipation of it, NLS asked for an appropriation of about $19 million for the next fiscal year, and $76 million over the next four years. As of this writing, a subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee has recommended that the full committee authorize an appropriation of $7.5 million for the next fiscal year. This is less than half of the money NLS needs to begin the production and distribution of digital talking books! As you might expect, neither of the major organizations of the blind find this action acceptable. There are a number of reasons why this transition is important to blind talking book readers, and why it is necessary to fully fund it. The cassette tape players that are currently in use are no longer being made. The recording industry is phasing out the use of cassette tapes. Even CDs, which critics point to as an alternative to the flash memory cartridges being proposed by NLS, are fading in popularity because they are not durable. It would be impractical for NLS to ship books on CDs multiple times because they would not hold up over time. Another vote is expected by the House Committee on Appropriations next week, but I expect the issue will still be under consideration by both houses of Congress by the time you read this article. It generally takes several months for both chambers to complete their work on appropriations, even though their respective appropriations committees give them recommendations. What that means is that you still have time to voice your support for the talking book program. Please contact your senators and representatives and tell them how important your ability to have access to talking books in the future is to you. Strongly urge them to vote for funding for the National Library Service that is sufficient to insure their ability to continue to make talking books available for all Americans who need them. If you have questions, need a phone or fax number for a congressional office, or want to know what has developed since this article was written in mid-June, please contact the ACB national office and listen to the Washington Connection, or send me an e-mail to mbrunson@acb.org. ***** AFFILIATE CONVENTION IDEAS compiled by Ardis Bazyn The ACB membership focus call on April 15 focused on ideas for affiliate conventions. All participants were asked to discuss possible program items for state or special-interest affiliates. Conventions should include a variety of events. Most state conventions have a banquet with an interesting speaker. Some conventions include fundraising events such as raffles, auctions, and dances. Some members enjoy the pre-convention welcome receptions and first-timer meetings, breakfasts, or luncheons. Several also have a special breakfast, lunch, or dinner for presidents to share issues and activities in the local chapters and special- interest chapters/affiliates. Many states award scholarships to students. Scholarship receptions, luncheons, or dinners provide a way for members to meet these recipients. It also lets students meet a variety of other blind people. One affiliate has its convention near graduation time and invites graduates to come to a special graduation event. Some state conventions have pre-convention tours highlighting local historical sites. And people of all ages enjoy talent shows! If you have one, let convention participants know in advance that all are welcome to sign up. It's especially interesting if a variety of talents is included in the program. Youth activities and classes are also provided at some conventions. Youth can then be encouraged to participate in other convention sessions. Georgia encourages both sighted and blind students to attend, and the sighted and blind students pair up. After a day together, they write an essay on what they've learned about the experience. Texas has a separate conference for youth to learn about the legislative process and leadership. Washington has a youth training conference at the same hotel during the state convention. It then plans times when the students can join the WCB members during breakfasts, lunches, and some programs. It also has a separate hospitality area for students. Most state conventions have regular updates from the school for the blind and blind rehabilitation services. You can ask those speakers to discuss a particular topic area rather than an overall update, especially if you know a certain issue is of great interest to your members. Another good program option is technology: explore the latest cell phone alternatives, laser cane options, updates in notetakers, less expensive software, low-tech items, etc. Braille literacy is another topic, focusing on how to encourage more blind people to learn braille. Continuing on the technology theme, you could request a speaker to discuss guidelines to help make web sites more accessible. This would assist blind people in telling companies what's wrong with their web sites and how to fix them, and help affiliates and chapters explain it. Possible mini-508 laws for states could be explored. And employment panels are always well received. Everyone likes to hear what types of jobs other blind people have. A panel focusing on various education levels would go over just as well. Panel members could share how they got their current jobs, how they complete their daily job tasks, and what education would be necessary to obtain that job. Proposed Access Board regulations could be discussed and members urged to make comments when appropriate. Multicultural and diversity topics could be beneficial to members. Some state affiliates work together with state special-interest affiliates to provide programs of interest to all. They provide separate times for the special-interest affiliates to hold meetings and then have joint sessions where members of all affiliates can participate. When groups hold joint conventions, it can save each group money. Smaller conventions generally have higher costs for rooms and meal functions. One affiliate had a special program highlighting the benefits of guide dogs versus the benefits of a white cane. Another had a guide dog blessing ceremony. Having program items relating to specific issues of a special-interest affiliate, such as the current Randolph-Sheppard issues, might entice that affiliate to participate. Likewise, low vision in seniors might get CCLVI and AAVL members to participate more. In California, Library Users have a luncheon where members share their favorite books they've read recently. They also have luncheons for the Randolph-Sheppard and Guide Dog Users affiliates. The Council of Citizens with Low Vision has programs with the state access and transportation committee. The Blind Students of California also host special programming during the convention. Most conventions have an exhibit area for companies (especially those pertaining specifically to the visually impaired) to showcase their products and services. Exhibits may draw members who are specifically looking for blindness-related products and services that have been advertised by the companies in advance. Most states charge either no fee or a small fee. Some states allow exhibitors to advertise in the program for a fee as well. Some have exhibits only when break-out sessions take place. Others have them at the same time as general sessions. Most have exhibits for one full day; others have them for two days. Many state affiliates hold conventions in a variety of cities throughout the state. Most try to choose a facility that isn't too expensive. Other alternatives for some states are one-day conventions in a local blindness facility or a school with boarding capabilities. Some state affiliates try to find ways to assist members in paying some convention costs, such as paying part of the hotel charge -- $5-$15 per room. Several states assist by offering cheaper luncheons and banquets than the real cost or offering meal plans which cover multiple meals at one low cost. Members wishing to take advantage of this lower cost must pre-register. Since the state affiliate is paying for the meals, they pay no sales tax. Some get meals or food products donated so hospitality rooms can give free snacks or sandwiches. Discounted take-out meals from restaurants can also save participants money. Some affiliates find companies willing to sponsor a meal or event. Other states provide buses that pick up members from some cities within the state or give stipends for transportation. Some local chapters provide stipends for delegates to attend the state convention. Some also provide funds to at least one first-timer to attend a convention. Your state might consider a fundraiser expressly for first-timers in the future. Convention sessions should be recorded so members who cannot attend can have access to the programming. Of course, audio streaming the sessions over Internet radio would be best, but not all states or affiliates can afford the cost. Less expensive options include recording the sessions on audio cassette or CD, or making them available on your affiliate's web site. The next membership focus call will be held on August 27, and the following one will be held on October 21. Keep these dates open on your calendar. As always, the call-in number will be 1-866-633-8638. The pass codes will be the date of the call, 082707 and 102107, respectively. The topic for the August call will be "communications, internal and external": communicating within your chapters, state affiliate, and nationally with one another and communicating with outsiders. The October call topic will be "Boosting Your Membership: Getting them in and Keeping them in." ***** COUNTING MY TIPS by Janiece Kent There are any number of reasons why each of us wants to be in control of our money. A teller in a credit union one time counted fives into my friend's hand instead of twenties at closing time, with no one to monitor the action. He found out later, but how would a blind man's word stack up against a trusted teller? He just got his money mixed up. Another time, a friend handed me a $50. I was determined to hold onto it because it was such a generous gift -- one to be spent on something special. And then, when I misplaced my credit card and badly needed cash, I found out it was a one. I've had at least two cab drivers hand me the wrong change -- a one which he called a ten, or a one instead of a five. One can't get out the handy Note Teller (if it were in my purse, which it never is) when the cabby is anxious to grab the next fare. I don't usually afford drivers whom I'll never see again that opportunity. But it's hard when ATMs only spit out $20 bills and when cab fares hover around $10. I've also been a ticket taker with cash as an alternative, and folded the bill a blind person gave me as a five the way I fold mine, only to find out later it was a one. Who knows why that blind person got mixed up? Maybe someone deceived them. Maybe they have a multi-compartment wallet and hurriedly pulled from the wrong section. Have you ever noticed that even clerks counting money into your hand by denomination say "and ten makes twenty," when the ten's really on the bottom - - the first bill counted into your hand? Smarter ones say, "The ten's on the bottom." At that point one must move aside for the next in line and try to shove that money in pocket or purse, folding the stack with the large bill on the outside (my preference) for later folding by denomination, as most of us do. I knew a woman at my workplace in the '60s who never carried any bill larger than a five and paid most bills in ones. Can you imagine following her in line at the grocery store cash register? Well, all of that is a pretty long introduction to the real meat of my message. I always thought money readers (Note Tellers) were pretty expensive. For many years after I started working music jobs with a tip jar, I had somebody count my money the next day, or two days later when my reader came, or, once in a while, after work. I didn't relish my restaurant boss knowing the exact amount of my tips, so the after-work counting seldom happened. Not many raises come if bosses think you're getting "enough" in tips. Once, in a taxi on the way to a meeting with a colleague, I asked her to check the previous night's paper money. She was hesitant, but I knew her as being unquestionably honest. Looking at one bill, she leaned very close to my ear and said, "This is a one with two zeros after it!" I asked her if she meant $100, and she assured me that was her meaning. What if I had been short that day and had dipped into my tips to pay the cab driver? And then there was the scanning program on my computer. To identify each bill, you painstakingly placed it in the scanner, smoothing it as best you could, closed the scanner so that the bill would remain stationary, and then pressed two or three keys to get things going. I never counted the seconds, but it took AT LEAST 10; and then a voice would say such things as "probably a one." If you tried three or four times, repositioning, smoothing, closing, etc., it might say "one." It was laborious, time-consuming, and infuriatingly inexact. It could also say, "probably a five," or "Probably a ten." And if you receive 15 bills a night, there are likely to be three "probablies." My Note Teller money-reading days began as I dared to bite on a 10 percent convention discount just as the exhibitor was checking out of the hotel. And as some comedian used to say, "No present like the time!" It really does take less time from the time of insertion till the voice begins speaking; I count three seconds. Of course, the end of the bill you insert can't have a bent corner, must have relatively small wrinkles, and must be one the machine was programmed to recognize. Yes, as the currency is redesigned, money readers must be reprogrammed. To the programmer's credit, the synthesizer was not programmed to say "Probably," but it does say "CANNOT READ" quite a bit. Well, just like most vending machines, fare machines, and the like, one of the four ways you insert the bill usually works. Five-dollar bills work only one of four ways. The Note Teller is fairly lightweight and fits into a relatively small purse or briefcase, but no pockets I know of. So let's get to the heart of what scanners do somewhat that identifiable bills would do better. Why spend $270 on independence when good friends with good eyes don't question your independence as much as they question the government's seeming inability to make money we can identify? Well, I want to know about my money as soon as possible. If I think the audience was tuned in, and I received some requests, do the tips reflect it? Taking a handful of bills from the jar doesn't tell you much until you know what they are. When someone palms a folded bill to me I usually fold it again or place it in pocket or purse to see what it is. It's often a five or more but not always. A customer says, "I want you to have this" -- sometimes for show -- and when I check that bill, it's a one. If I recognize the customer, I'll now realize he/she's a drama tipper. When a number of bills are folded together, it's almost a rule that they're ones; but one can be a five -- ALL OF THEM can be fives or more. That kind of situation often happens with a very responsive table of folks. There are demographics that seem to influence the denominations for people's tips. My husband works in a different part of town with predominantly younger customers. He receives generally more money but many more ones. These are interesting things we can more easily examine, if we at least check the bills the same night. Remember I said that there is no "probably," and a fairly high rate of "cannot read"s? Well, there are other mistakes once in a while. I tend to fold $50 bills in a sort of triangular shape. I don't get them often; and the easy folds are given over to ones, fives, tens, and twenties. So what about twos? I've been known to fold them as triangles as well. On one occasion, someone left me three new two-dollar bills. I folded them as triangles, putting them in a remote compartment of my purse to give a friend who thinks they're good luck. These twos were really new, so they creased well and had lines running at angles. I came upon them one day, having just about forgotten about them. I put one of them into the money reader with difficulty. The first response was "Cannot read!" The second was "fifty!" In disbelief, I turned the bill over and tried again. This time, it said "two," but I tried a fourth time and got "two" again. I hear you wondering, "Why would she fold twos and fifties the same way?" The answer is, "Not anymore!" But who would have thought the machine would read a two as a fifty? It has called a one a ten and sometimes the reverse. If you have a hunch you're looking at a ten and it says "one," you have it read the bill again. But with tips, there aren't always hunches. As you can imagine, when a real $50 comes along, it's generally exceptional, whether it's life in general, or the tip jar. From the jumble of bills I have wadded unceremoniously into my purse, I pull a bill that resembles many ones; it's limp, torn at the edge and has some tape on it. Not surprisingly, the Note Teller says, "Cannot read!" It says this three times, and on the fourth try says, "Fifty!" Often, tippers hand you large bills, rather than placing them in transparent steins. I was therefore in disbelief when the Note Teller gave its ID. I went around again -- three "cannot reads" and a "fifty!" Gord said he believed the machine, but I still took it to a sighted verifier. "I can see from here it's a fifty," she said. I folded it a new way and stowed it away for surprising someone else. Wouldn't it be nice if you knew the drama tipper right off? Wouldn't it be nice if twos and fifties were drastically different sizes? Wouldn't it be nice if you only had to ask trusted friends about bills not quite intact or money laundered in the Maytag? Wouldn't it be nice if you didn't have to invest close to $600 in money identifiers? Yes, we have two because repairs take a long time, and my husband and I may have eight nights worth of tips to count each week. I've seen a scanner that seems to handle accurately bills that our identifiers might need to read at least twice. But each bill takes 15 seconds. If you receive 30 or so ones along with money in other denominations, quite a bit of time is invested. And speaking of investments, the accurate 15-seconds-per-bill reader is an investment equal to about 15 money readers without the 10 percent discount. The other night, there were few customers all evening. No one was applauding much, and there were few requests. Several people complimented me as they were leaving and left a tip. One man came out the door behind me and handed me two bills folded together. I thanked him but didn't know what he was giving me. I have known people to be that persistent in handing me two singles. As it turned out after communing with the money reader, there were two fives. I could have known this sooner, if money were intelligible; maybe paid my cab fare with it, since it was ready to hand; may even have behaved slightly more gratefully without seeming effusive. And of course, you can't even pull out the smallest appliance to reveal the value of the bills. I've never done that with a cab driver, but they get downright furious if you ask a third party to check a bill they said was a five or ten. Indeed, I think it would change the dynamics of interaction considerably, if we instantly knew the value of money exchanged. I'm not sure there wouldn't be more people giving fives and fewer giving single ones. I'm not sure anyone could muster up much drama when handing me a one, if they knew there was no mystery about what they put in my hand. Imagine how different it would be if the change maker handing us bills could not entertain notions of deception because we have to ask which one's the five. Many is the time when we hand someone the correct bills, and they ask how we could know. Not knowing is the prevailing expectation. Any number of subtle and not-so-subtle instances where unidentifiable money highlights a difference between sighted and blind people can be laughed off by blind and sighted alike: We cope so well. We design folding and storage schemes. We don't press our luck by expecting all strangers to give correct change for large bills. We ask good-naturedly what the denominations are when clerks, waiters, even friends hand us mixed, unnamed bills. We buy our money identifiers and pay for upgrades, postage to Canada for repairs, nine-volts every month or two to feed them power (no adapters for plug-in power). And we watch the government spend millions to redesign the money without making it accessible. It's good that larger numbers of people are concerning themselves with the varied life situations in which unidentifiable money makes us different -- where identifiable paper money would make a difference. ***** WHAT GOES AROUND REALLY CAN COME AROUND by Ken Stewart As I boarded the intercity bus at the start of its two-hour trip to Manhattan, the bus driver must have noticed my white cane. He communicated verbally with me as he boarded just ahead of me after his rest break at the nearby Burger King. His words were not essential information, but seemed to be his way of offering a bit of additional guidance about the location of the door and his readiness to accept customers. The ticketing transaction, too, hinted of an enlightened service provider. With few other people on board during the early minutes of our journey, there was some conversation between us. Later in the trip, I could hear him several times from my seat a ways back from the door, that he was more attentive to other boarding customers too than is usual bus driver conduct. One final action at our destination also distinguished him from usual driver conduct. He advised me, without me asking, which way to turn to reach the nearest stairway down from the very long stretch of curb space in the terminal's arrival area. Having learned his first name earlier, I was able to respond, "Thank you, Chris." In all of the 20 years or so traveling that route weekly, I had never submitted a commendation to the transit company. No driver ever deserved one. Chris did, I decided. I was pleasantly surprised when I telephoned New Jersey Transit. There was a specific person who received complaints and compliments. I reported the exemplary behavior, and was glad I could identify him by name. Just the route number and the day and time of the run would have been sufficient to identify him with certainty. Several months had passed, when I was sitting in that Burger King one evening, 15 minutes into a two-hour wait until the next bus, having apparently just missed my intended one by a whisker. I sat at a table along a side wall, far back from the bus shelter, listening to Newsweek magazine on my cassette player. I felt a tap on my shoulder and noticed a man standing beside my seat. I pulled off my earphones to hear a question, "You going to the city this evening?" Supposing him to be a fellow traveler seeking schedule information, I confirmed my plans. I was delighted by the stranger's next line. "Come on. I'm ready to leave now. I'm the driver ... running real late. Had real bad traffic tie-ups on the way up." Only then did the voice begin to sound familiar. It was Chris! He had spotted me among the Burger King patrons and remembered. As we boarded his bus and I completed my expressions of gratitude, he confirmed that he indeed was that same "Chris." I did recognize his voice. Then I learned that he recalled our one previous encounter, and realized that I must have been the customer who had turned in a commendation for him. ***** ODE TO A BUS by Catherine Fischbach The bus engine roar wakes the soundly sleeping world, Air is ripped from its throat asthmatically as brakes bring the giant to a halt, Then, it wheezes up the hill, barely catching its breath, Oh, how it labors, like the decrepit being that it is, Up the hill, barely panting with each succeeding exhalation! Amazing how many toy cars Regularly dare to risk being crushed by it, Without a second thought! They think that the monster really poses no threat to them, So they nonchalantly Continue to slice Their way through traffic, Blissfully unaware that the pulse of the bus operator has just doubled, in that half an instant! Those who had not been jolted out of half-sleep by the near collision, Are suddenly, Inexplicably, Alarmed into sight by a "beep," A loud voice as of God, comes out of the sky above, "Stop requested!" it booms! Shortly, and obediently, the engine roar decreases In volume, The huge doors groan open, High heels staccato and sneakers shuffle and thud on and off its stairs, Like a responding, irregular drum beat. The bus sighs resignedly As its doors once again strain to click back together. Voices within its echoing chamber Now are getting louder and more cheerful by the minute. The bus shudders in disgust, Knowing that five people who have not showered in a week Seek refuge within its shelter, Leaving the wreak Of their perfume, a gift for generations to come! Soon, as the doors open and close ceaselessly, A discordant cacophony of different types of blaring, distorted music earphones fill its interior, Voices, too, fluctuate in and out of hearing range, Blending with the music and tuneful melody of the Moneyvault jukebox Singing happily to itself, Oh, with the whole sounding not unlike a Charles Ives orchestral piece! The old workhorse of a bus doesn't seem to mind too much. In fact, Perhaps, the unearthly choir distracts it from the aches and pains and rattles of its existence, And the toy cars who constantly try to block its way; It just wheezes on, Hungrily anticipating the next coin or dollar dropped Down its vault! It seems to have an endless, Unsatisfiable appetite. The bus, filled with painful noise and occasionally jerky fits, Cruises on, Far past dusk. ***** MY TURN by Thomas L. Hicks On a warm Arizona afternoon in May 2005, I was walking through a shopping mall looking for my oldest daughter Megan's place of employment. She worked at a small carry-out Pizza Hut in Mesa, Ariz., and I was going to drop in just to say hello. I had never walked there by myself, so I was not exactly familiar with my surroundings. This is not an unusual thing for a father to do, but I am not the usual father, and this day started a chain of events that changed my life forever. I am not the usual father because I am blind, having lost my functional eyesight while serving on active duty in the U.S. Army after 13 years of service to my country. My military career came to a sudden halt when I was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa. I will never forget that day in February 1997 when the Army ophthalmologist said, "Captain Hicks, you are legally blind." I cannot begin to describe how this revelation impacted me, but I was filled with uncertainty and fear. I thought to myself, "How am I going to financially support my wife and four children?" All I knew was how to be a soldier, or so I thought. What does a blind man do to support his family, anyway? The transition from military to civilian life was difficult for my family and me, and my transition from sight to blindness made it even more difficult. I really struggled with the adjustment, and I fell into a deep depression that was not obvious. I stayed very active. I exercised constantly and enrolled in graduate school. But I turned inward and became self-centered. My self-esteem hit rock bottom, and no encouragement, no support group, and no blind rehabilitation program could help. I was laughing on the outside and crying on the inside. Outwardly I appeared to be adjusting to my new life, but inside I was slowly dying as I lost more and more eyesight. I began to destroy loving relationships as I pushed my family and people close to me away. All my confidence and Army discipline seemed to disappear with my eyesight. They were replaced with anger, bitterness, and jealousy. Behind closed doors I became very emotional and cried a river of tears. All I could think about was how I missed seeing my wife's face and my children's faces. I begged God to stop this nightmare and vowed to be a good man if he would just restore my sight. The strong man my wife knew and was attracted to was gone, and the father my children were proud of was gone. Blindness seemed to take my whole sense of manhood and independence, or so I thought. I earned my master's degree in organizational leadership in 1999, and moved my family from Tacoma, Wash. to Gilbert, Ariz. I secured a position in a small family retail chain of wireless stores as a human resources manager. I held this position for four years. Meanwhile, my marriage continued its downward spin. My wife and children avoided me. I was miserable to be around. We all missed the happy days when I could see. My wife and children would watch old family movies and instead of bringing back happy memories, they would be sad watching me interact with them when I could see. It was very difficult for us not to think that the best days of our lives were behind us. I failed to understand how my family was affected by my loss of sight. After all, it was me that was blind, right? In October of 2003, I resigned my position as HR manager and decided to face blindness head-on. I did not want to let blindness be an excuse for me anymore. I attended guide dog school, which greatly improved my independence. Now, I could walk anywhere independently. I secured a job with Arizona Industries for the Blind working on special projects for the management team. I became the president of the Northern Arizona Regional Group of the Blinded Veterans Association. I volunteered to serve on the Arizona Governor's Council on Blindness and Visual Impairments. I joined the Arizona Council of the Blind and Guide Dog Users of Arizona. I enrolled in Western Michigan University's blind rehabilitation teaching graduate program. I began to learn braille. I decided that I wanted to learn all I could about blindness and I wanted to help other people who are blind increase their personal independence, security, opportunity, and improve quality of life. I now know that disability is part of the human experience. No disability makes one less human or less valuable. I have become an advocate and spokesperson for people who are blind. Still, even though I was making positive strides in dealing with my blindness, I remained profoundly depressed, and my marriage and personal life suffered. In June 2005, my 19-year relationship and almost 18-year marriage ended in divorce. By this time my family had grown to four boys and two girls. My worst fears were realized as I signed the divorce decree. I was filled with overwhelming shame and guilt; I felt solely responsible for the divorce. Many times I thought of ending my life. I feared growing old blind and alone. I sought the help of professional therapists to help me deal with my adjustment to blindness and divorce and I continued my work, volunteering, and education. I met a woman who made me feel like a man again and for the first time in years I felt attractive. For her my blindness was a non-issue. It did not make her sad, nor did she pity me. Her mother, who is blind, raised her. She showed me love and encouraged me and helped me learn how to manage my personal life. She demonstrated incredible patience and strength as I did my best to push her away too. I felt unlovable and unworthy of meaningful relationships. She has taught me how to forgive others and myself. I have learned how to love others and today my relationships with my children are solid. My relationship with my ex-wife has greatly improved and we are able to focus our attention and love on our children. Still, something in my life was missing. Back to that day in May 2005 that set off a chain of events that changed my life forever. While looking for the Pizza Hut where Megan worked, I accidentally entered Lim's Hawaii Kenpo Karate School. A man named Mehdi asked me if he could help me and I said I was looking for Pizza Hut. I asked where I was and he said that I was in a karate school. I asked if they ever taught karate to blind guys. He said yes, that he had heard of a guy that was blind training somewhere in Colorado. I got Mehdi's phone number and, after thinking about it for a while, called to inquire about lessons. After a brief phone interview with a gracious woman named Patrice Lim, I was invited to come work out and see if karate interested me. I was nervous and excited and did not know what to expect. I met the chief instructor, Professor George Lim, who is an eighth-degree black belt. He has been training for over 32 years. After an interview, he agreed to let me train. I went home that night with bruises on my arms from performing endless inward blocks. Mehdi became my primary instructor and good friend. He and the rest of the instructors tested me to see how motivated I was. I needed to prove myself to my instructors and earn their respect. I trained three or four times per week for two hours a night and soon I was integrated into the regular class. Together we began a new journey and together we learned from each other. I worked hard to learn the basics, forms, and self-defense drills. Together we sweated and suffered as I progressed in my karate knowledge. My self-esteem and confidence began to return, and my instructors began to challenge me more. I was treated like all the other students. Professor George said I did not join a karate school but a family. I soon felt respected, loved, and accepted. My instructor and I set a goal to compete in a nationally ranked karate tournament held in Primm, Nev. Once I received my professor's permission, we began the challenging regimen. I attended a power-breaking seminar and learned how to break bricks with my palm, elbow, forearm, and fist. I decided I wanted to compete in the breaking and forms divisions. In seven months I was promoted twice and I skipped a belt because of my motivation and demonstrated knowledge. Presently, I am a purple belt. On Nov. 30, 2005, I injured my right hand during a practice breaking presentation in front of my instructors. I was performing a right hammer fist break on a stack of five bricks when my improper technique resulted in an injury. A later X-ray indicated no fracture so I kept rubbing it and icing it. I did not want to let this injury keep me from competing. On Dec. 3, 2005, I registered to compete in the 28th Annual Dai Shihan Ted Tabura's Karate Tournament. I signed up to compete in forms and breaking. Word soon got around that I was blind, and many people took an interest in watching me. I mentally prepared myself to break three stacks of six bricks. Each brick was two inches thick, six inches wide, and 24 inches long. My instructors and I decided to perform a palm, elbow, and forearm break. When it was my turn, I presented myself to the judges and asked for permission to begin. My blood surged with adrenalin and I began to tremble with enhanced strength and power. Now all I had to do was focus my energy and power on the middle of the bricks. I smashed through all three stacks like a runaway freight train. I took first place in both divisions, and for the first time in years I was filled with an overwhelming sense of pride and accomplishment. My instructors had prepared me well. Later I learned that Professor George was confident I would win. He was so confident that he sent me an e-mail message the day before my competition congratulating me on my success. My family and instructors were proud of me, and I think I inspired many observers. It was all very exciting and I felt like a hero. My girlfriend and my youngest daughter Ruth were the first to hug and kiss me when I stepped away from the judges. Our eyes filled with tears of joy and pride. The journey to that point had been long and hard. I did, however, manage to break my fifth metacarpal in my right hand in the process, but it was all worth it! I would do it all again! It was very life-changing; I felt like a warrior once again. My karate instructors are also my life coaches. In karate you learn to push yourself beyond your limitations and you quickly learn that your only competition is yourself. I have learned valuable lessons about life in karate. Practitioners never quit or give up. They train and love karate like someone is going to take it away from them and they love their families the same way. My professor is always stressing the importance of balance in one's life. Karate is not easy; I have learned how to work through pain and injuries while striving toward my goals. In many ways I can relate these lessons to learning how to live with blindness. Being blind is very challenging, but it is doable. I choose to live life to its fullest, loving others along the way. I now believe that walking into Lim's Hawaii Kenpo Karate was no accident, and that everything happens for a reason. These lessons have been tough to learn, but I am a better man for it and I am very grateful for the experience. I love my life and I am confident my experiences will benefit others now and in the future. Professor George teaches the Hawaii Kenpo Karate System like the ancient warriors before him and he models the way for each student. He expects better than our best every day in all we do. I have learned that it is both an honor and privilege to learn the secrets of Hawaii Kenpo Karate and I am proud to be a Lim Kenpo Warrior. The future is brighter and I am striving to earn my black belt from Professor George Lim! ***** FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE: MANY DIABETICS AND LEGALLY BLIND ADULTS NEED A SYSTEM OF LABELING by Mildred Frank Since I created the systems, and published three books with instructions for audible and tactile methods of labeling, I felt obligated to find an alternative method of making raised letters. At last, an inexpensive labeling kit has been developed. Maxi-Aids cooperated with me, and found sources of items that made it possible to have a small plastic box of materials for tactile labeling. It will cost under $20, and the visually impaired can use it unassisted. It can be used to label the color of clothing and thread, items in the freezer or pantry, file folders, or anything that you wish to be able to identify later. It is portable and can be taken from room to room or on a trip, and inexpensive enough that you may want to have an extra box in another area of the house. The small plastic box contains peel-off raised letters with braille under each letter; 50 blank labels to place the raised letters on (blank labels have a hole in which to slip-knot a rubber band) for attaching to any item that needs to be identified, 50 rubber bands, 50 safety pins for attaching to clothing, identification dots for marking appliances and computers, and a 20/20 pen for printing large print for those who can read it. Since the 3M Company stopped producing products for the blind, Maxi-Aids found a source for 3/4-inch peel-off tape for the large print labeler for those with the good fortune to possess the 3M EA200 labeler. The 3M EA200 labeler may still be found on the Internet. Maxi-Aids has also found a replacement for the braille labeler and the half-inch adhesive tape to use with it. I am very grateful to Maxi-Aids for cooperating with me and producing many needed items. This tactile labeling kit along with the Voxcom completes the audible and tactile method of labeling that I have developed through the years. My newest book, "Access to Information for the Blind," available from Maxi-Aids, updates all the information. The labeling information is included along with chapters on identifying money, sighted guide techniques, braille, nutrition, helpful hints and much more. "Access to Information for the Blind" can be self-taught or be used to certify vision aides. I am working with my local community college for the book to be used as a guide for writing their curriculum to certify vision aides for private employment and to create a source of vision aides from home care agencies. I suggest other individuals contact the head of programming in their local community colleges, and interest them in offering this class in their certified nursing assistant programs. (Editor's Note: You can reach Maxi-Aids at 1-800-522-6294.) ***** FACIAL VISION -- AN ART SHOW FOR THE BLIND AND SIGHTED by Suellen Hozman Imagine being invited to view a photography exhibit and asked to close your eyes and view the art by touching it. A collection of three-dimensional portraits line the gallery walls as patrons pass their fingertips over the faces and feel changes in texture, identifying smiling mouths, curled hair and thoughtful eyes. Facial Vision is a collection of 29 two- and three-dimensional black- and-white photographic portraits of people who are visually impaired created by Suellen Hozman. The show is designed to be enjoyed by the sighted, blind and visually impaired. It is the only known show of its kind. Hozman reproduced the photos using adaptive techniques so they can be seen with the hands of people who are visually impaired. These tactile graphic techniques include different papers, plaster and glass. Educational materials about the reproductive techniques are available for patrons at the show. The show opened at Creole Gallery in Lansing's Old Town in July 2006, and it has had people talking ever since. It is currently on tour in Michigan. "Civil rights are all about equitable opportunity for people who historically are denied access," Hozman says. "I want to change that for people who are blind and visually impaired. The show has three goals: First, to welcome people who are visually impaired to an art show. Second, to educate people that creative talent and technologies are available to both the able-bodied and disabled. Third, to stimulate conversation and encourage people who work with two- and three-dimensional media in engineering, graphic arts and forensics to offer their talents and expertise to people who are blind." Facial Vision is a collaborative effort with many people and companies including Craig Mitchell Smith, a glass artist, ViewPlus Technologies Inc. and 3Darttopart.com. Hitomi Kuromoto and Jeff Gardner from ViewPlus worked with Hozman to print Tiger Braille portraits with their Emprint and Pro Embosser units. For people very familiar with braille, the Tiger Braille portraits were often the most enjoyable. 3Darttopart.com is a small company in Santa Clara, Calif., that produced rapid prototype printer portraits on a plaster 8" x 10" relief using the Z Corporation printer. These printers accept software files from programs that convert two-dimensional information into three- dimensional files. Currently, this technology is not used often as a resource for the blind and visually impaired. Hozman believes it has great application, especially in the academic environment. Rod Contreras, operations manager at 3Darttopart.com, accepted Hozman's challenge to make his company's product available to the blind and visually impaired. Contreras created a dedicated web site, Tactileimages.com, to make his services available to the blind and visually impaired. Tactileimages.com requires that you either send a photo or a scanned photo and his company will produce a tactile reproduction for you. Imagine, it could be a guide dog, a grandchild, a friend or any loved one. If you know of a place in your community that might be interested in the show, please contact Hozman at suellenyh@yahoo.com or (517) 482-1908. ***** OUR COVERED WAGON HAD WINGS by Rita Levy The snow fell gently and caressed the ground like feathers as we stepped from the truck on that March day. We were standing before the property we had recently purchased. In our minds we could see the house on that property as well as everything in it. We were finally going to build our retirement house and live in what we were sure was a paradise. We had visited the area many times in order to ski and raft and decided to stay. We had purchased the land the previous August and were looking forward to building. At the time of the purchase, one of our friends had driven us from Jackson to Victor. Despite our blindness, we were determined to embark on this project. My husband Don had just decided to retire and we were overjoyed to have this opportunity to move west. We walked about the property and listened to the babbling of the irrigation ditch and felt the hay on our legs. We decided that this was the place for us and immediately put the papers in motion to buy it. One week later we flew back to Connecticut and resumed our normal lives. Meanwhile, we began searching for a builder. We finally found one who would send us some floor plans on some buildings that interested us. We had decided to build a modular home, knowing that this kind of house would fit our needs. Looking at the floor plans was an adventure in itself. I used an Optacon to get a general outline of the place. We then invited a friend to come and give us a more specific idea of what the place would look like. I had previously looked at some descriptions on the Internet and had decided that none of these would do. After deciding on the house we wanted, I flew to Idaho Falls and explored the model home. This was still another adventure. I walked through the house and had the sales manager take notes on the specifics of the home in which we would eventually live. There were little things which a blind person would need and things that would present a problem for us. We didn't want an island in the kitchen because we would be bumping into it all the time. We did want a raised print thermostat so we could adjust the heat independently. After spending a couple of hours looking through the house we had chosen to see, we sat down and discussed carpeting, linoleum and such. I was also on the cell phone with my husband discussing voltages of thermostats as well as other electrical stuff I didn't understand. After this, I put down a deposit and away we went. The second trip in March was to discuss the orientation of the house. We talked about where the sun would be as well as where the front and back of the house would be. We talked about dimensions and where on the property the house would stand. This was all in our imaginations. A very important topic also kept our attention at that meeting. That was the question of guidance around the property, especially in times of snow. When I was a child, I had gone to a camp for blind children which had guide railings at strategic points. The problem in this instance was putting up railing which would not interfere with the aesthetic of the area. We decided we would have railings at waist height which would look like a fence. These railings have since been a boon to us. During the next three months we kept in touch with the builders by phone. We tried to understand everything that was happening out there. We also had to sell our house in Connecticut. We were impatient to get into the new house and live our lives in retirement. After teaching, this would be an exciting change. We were turning our hay field into a civilized home. We knew it would take a great deal of work, but we were looking forward to it. The move itself was harrowing because we had accumulated so many things over the years. It took one day to pack and another half to get our things out of the house. I almost cried when I saw my harp leave the house in its trunk. The trunk had only been used for shipping it from the harp factory in Chicago to our house in Connecticut. At last the house was empty. We ate our lunch standing at the kitchen counter which we would also do in our new house for a week before the furniture arrived. After the house was cleaned, we joined some of our friends for a farewell party at a hotel. I had no feelings or emotions as we left the house which we had lived in for 10 years. After all, we were growing unhappy there. That house had no personality except for the presence of furniture and other belongings. We had turned it into a home, but except for that, there was nothing. The transportation was difficult at best and the people we had met were not friendly. We had encountered much opposition to our move west. People made fun of us; we were glad to leave. We had a good time at the party and were so glad to see a friend whom I had not seen for years. After the party we went upstairs to our room and went to sleep. The next morning, we woke at some ungodly hour and took a limousine to New York. We then boarded our plane for Denver. While on the plane I said to Don, "Honey, do you realize that we are on a covered wagon with wings?" He laughed and we were so giddy we began to giggle. On June 2, 1999, we arrived in Jackson, Wyo. We embraced some friends at the airport and I realized that we were home at last. These were the same people who had driven us to the property in Victor and had helped us arrange for its purchase. When we arrived, we realized that our field of dreams had become a field of mud. It was raining quite hard and had been doing so for days. It was little consolation to us that if the weather had been dry, it would have resembled the dust bowls of the '30s. However, we climbed the steps to the front porch, giggling all the time. We entered and were shown the house by the owner of the building company. We touched the walls, feeling the artificial wood texture. I was also shown the tactile thermostat as well as the washer, dryer, dishwasher and refrigerator. None of these appliances had any tactile markings. We would have to do something about that! We were hungry as dogs, and decided we really needed something to eat. After lunch and arranging for a post office box, we went home. We had a microwave we could use and nothing else. We were ready to camp out. After our friends left, we explored the house some more. We needed some railings on the places which had steps as well as a doorbell and other things. One of our friends had put some tactile arrows on the washer and dryer and I was able to use them the next day. Our first night in Victor was a story in itself. We had brought two air mattresses and we slept on them on the floor. We would do this for a week. There were only two places to sit and you can guess what they were. Our bedroom was a sight. Some cans of tuna had escaped from the suitcase and were rolling on the floor. We had silverware all over creation and were gathering it together to put it in the appropriate drawer. Well, this nonsense went on for a week while I fought a nasty cold which I had caught while we were giggling in the rain. We listened to the portable radio while we waited for eternally late workmen to make the finishing touches. Don had his first encounter with the grocery store where he was treated very well. We used the CART bus, which was much better transportation than we had had in Connecticut. Don left the house with no money and I had to yell to the bus driver so that I could give him some. A week later, our goods arrived! I never knew that sleeping in a real bed felt so good. We didn't have to eat canned macaroni anymore. Now it was time to deal with the mud and the dust. We had decided to have sod planted. We listened to the guys digging up the rocks and then installing the sod. Now it was time for irrigation. We had set up some hoses which had to be turned on and off twice a day. We took turns getting up at 6:30 in the morning to switch the water on. We really did have a good deal of fun doing this. It seemed as if we were drenched all the time. Later we obtained in-ground irrigation with timers. The next order of business was to have tactile markings put on the stove. A man from the state agency for the blind cane and did this for us, for which we are eternally grateful. Well, we finally settled in our new home, and everything seemed to be in place. The climax to our journey finally came in October when I received Cooper, my second dog from The Seeing Eye. Victor is home now, and I would never leave. It is indeed a fabric of our lives. ***** MOVING AND MOVING ON by Miriam Vieni At the beginning of October 2006, I moved from the large suburban house in which I had lived for 30 years to an apartment in the same village. I originally wrote this article in December for the ACBNY newsletter. At the suggestion of one of the members of ACBNY, I have updated and edited it for "The Braille Forum." He thought that there may be other ACB members throughout the country who may have experienced the special issues that we encounter when we change residences and that they might, therefore, relate to what I'd written. I lived with my husband, two daughters, and (for a time) with my ailing mother in a large two-story house with a beautiful backyard. I loved the house which held many wonderful memories, but I knew that staying in the house alone was inappropriate. In February 2006, I learned that a new condominium was being built in a very convenient area of town and it seemed like the perfect opportunity. I had two requirements. First, the apartment had to have two bedrooms because I needed one room to hold my office equipment. Second, it had to have a balcony because I needed to feel that I could step outside to the out-of-doors without going down in an elevator, through the lobby and out the front door. But all of the two-bedroom apartments with balconies had been spoken for. Even so, I put my house on the market in February. At the same time, a two-bedroom apartment with a balcony miraculously became available. The young woman, who originally purchased it from the builder, decided that it would be unsafe for her two-year-old child. The apartment was available for purchase at the beginning of June. This apartment building was built to be ADA compliant. What that means is that there are no stairs leading up to the front door of the building; the elevator has braille and raised print numbers; and the doorways within the apartments are extra wide in order to allow wheelchair entrance. However, none of the appliances are accessible to people with visual difficulties, nor are the numbers on the doors leading into apartments readable by visually impaired people. The original purchaser of the apartment had paid for some "upgrades" which included stainless steel appliances in the very modern kitchen. When I purchased the apartment from her, I had to reimburse her for the upgrades. But there were problems with the appliances. The stove was electric and very fancy with a flat glass top. I have a little vision so I could have dealt with that, except that there was so little contrast between the burners and the area that surrounded them that I couldn't see the burners. The control knobs were on the back of the stove requiring one to reach around or over the cooking area. I knew that this was an unsafe arrangement for me. Actually, I don't think it's really safe for anyone. The microwave oven, which was above the stove, had a light that shone on the stovetop, but it was not very bright. In the end, I purchased a safer stainless steel stove with burners that I could see, and a matching hood microwave oven with bright halogen lights that shine down on the stove. Maybe I could have found a white, old-fashioned electric stove somewhere that was more "accessible," but it would have spoiled the beautiful look of the kitchen. I knew that I needed braille labeling in order to use the kitchen and laundry appliances. I remembered that KitchenAid had provided an excellent braille overlay for the KitchenAid dishwasher that I purchased for my house approximately five years ago. It was on very tough plastic which didn't come off and the braille was easy to read. KitchenAid told me that the Lighthouse made braille overlays for them in the past. So I called the Lighthouse and the braille department was very agreeable to doing the overlays. However, it turned out that these were individual braille labels that had to be positioned on the appliances. They were not overlays that one could just place on the surface of the appliance. Getting the right braille labels in the right places was tedious to say the least. Unfortunately, after the task was completed, I discovered that the braille is very difficult to read and that some of the labels were already beginning to come off. So little by little, I am making my own labels with Dymo tape (which may also come off readily) but will at least be easy to read. When I started traveling for fun in 1986, it became very clear to me how a blind person becomes so much more vulnerable in unfamiliar environments than when at home. Therefore, I anticipated that moving to a new home would be stressful. In my house, I could be very competent because I was completely familiar with my environment and because I had set up the environment to meet my needs. The areas in a home that must be completely accessible are the kitchen and the laundry areas. My movements in both those areas in my house were automatic. I didn't have to think about what I was doing. Therefore, when I set up those areas in my apartment, I tried to make them as much like the ones in the house as possible for this reason. In most cases, I replaced the apartment appliances with the same brand appliances I'd had in the house. But, because the appliances in the apartment are new and (in some cases) not the same styles as the ones in the house, I couldn't be completely successful in my attempt. After I re-labeled the clothes washer/dryer combination, the laundry became easier to do. I purchased a side-by-side refrigerator, similar to the one in the house. But this is more modern with an icemaker and ice water and involved additional labels for all its fancy new functions. The kitchen is more complicated and it took me much longer to be comfortable functioning in it. This has to do with the location of dishes, pots and pans, and food items. Initially, a lot of people helped with the move and they placed things where they thought it would be easy for me to find them. In spite of their well-meaning attempts, I had a lot of difficulty finding the things that I needed in order to function efficiently. Therefore, as time passed, I had to locate items with sighted assistance and then reposition them where I could find them. This task was complicated by the fact that I moved from a very large house with lots of storage space to an apartment with very little storage space. I had to become accustomed to far fewer possessions, and I have had to arrange them in a much more efficient manner. I've also been creative. My apartment has two bathrooms. The second bathroom has a closet which contains the washer/dryer combination, and is used by visitors and by my two cats whose litter box and food are in it. There's a bathtub in this bathroom which has become a storage bin. It contains cleaning supplies, a large container of cat food, and a laundry basket. The contents of the bathtub are hidden behind a shower curtain. The other adjustment that I have had to make is to recognize that because I am living in an apartment building, I continually encounter people who don't know me and I have to help them learn how to relate appropriately to me as a blind person. When I lived in the house, my life was much more private. Neighbors had been in the surrounding houses for years and knew me. The gardener, the repair people, and the mail deliverers also knew me. There are security people here who also function as doormen. The security people, the maintenance person, and the mail deliverer have all been very kind. There are occasionally changes in the security people, which can be a problem because the new ones don't know me. My mailbox is easy to locate because it is in the row of boxes at the left and I put a braille label on it which came off only once. I have purchased potted shrubs and flowers for my balcony which are a joy to look at and which provide a bit of the feeling that I used to have when I sat on the patio in my backyard. I feel that all of the challenges of adjusting to my new physical and social environment have reminded me anew of my blindness and its effect on my functioning. What I've said to friends is that I feel "blinder" than I was last year. The up side of all of this is that life in the apartment is much easier than it was in the house. It is just large enough to meet my needs and I don't have to worry about maintaining a house and property with all of the effort and expense that this entails. It is my island of peace. ***** YOUNG THUNDER by DeAnna Quietwater Noriega He was born May 3, 1943. They called him Larry Roy Fisher. He was Nimkii, Young Thunder. When I was a year old and had the strength, but not the confidence, to walk, he and his older brother John held my hands and led me around the room. One day, they gave me clothespins to grasp and, holding the other ends, we started around the house. This time they let go after the first few steps. I learned I could indeed walk without someone else's support. When I realized the deception, I sat down and cried in anger. I don't suppose that my reaction was all that unusual in that we are often frustrated and upset when we are challenged to goals we don't believe we can achieve. As a visually impaired toddler, I learned from my six- and eight- year-old uncles my first lesson in independence. It is often our own fears that keep us from attempting new things. Sometimes it's not our lack of ability but our fear of trying that keeps us from achieving a goal. When I was six and my vision was taking a serious downturn, Larry shared his love of books with me. I will always remember the scary voice he used for Golem when he read me the Hobbit. By the time I was in my teens and wondering how I fit into a sighted world as a young blind girl, he was my mirror, like that of the wicked queen in Snow White. My mirror told me what he saw and because his vision of me was a flattering one, I tried hard to live up to the image he presented. Because there was only five years between us in age, he was the closest thing to a big brother I had. When I went off to college, he chose to follow me to finish his own degree. I majored in psychology and he in art, but I always knew he was there should I need a friend to talk to. Many times we stayed up late into the night discussing life, philosophy, art, books and our futures. Over the years he gave me many gifts of his own creation. But the gift of his time and love outweigh all the rest. I will always have the sound of his quiet rumbling voice in my heart to encourage me to be the best person I am capable of being and striving to make the world a little better place for my having passed through it. Thank you uncle, mentor, big brother and friend. ***** TAINTED CROWN? MIXED FEELINGS, MIXED MESSAGES by Alysia Wells I was a 13-year-old girl, and it was a chilly fall morning over 40 years ago. It was my very first day of high school! At the state school in Indiana, I had been one of the smartest students in a small class, accustomed to residential living in a dorm with a few girls my age and several younger girls. It was so comfortable, easy. My braille skills were excellent, and I traveled well with my white cane. I was an ordinary kid with a loving family who wanted opportunities for me to develop my fullest potential. That's why public school became the chosen educational path. I was excited as preparations were made, the picture of self-confidence. I had sighted friends from church and Girl Scouts and had no worries. I was ready for a bigger world out there because I had skipped fifth grade in order to be challenged academically. Entering into a large, public high school as a totally blind student involved exceptional parent advocates, cooperative school administrators, and a leap of faith. I smiled happily; this would be an adventure! The atmosphere was noisy and chaotic, full of chatter and laughter, smelling of gum and perfume. I had arrived in my first classroom earlier than the other kids to avoid any embarrassing encounters or even possible collisions with clueless students. A blind girl in their midst! I held my head high, in my brand-new outfit and fresh hairdo. My mother was always on top of the latest fashion trends. Things went extremely smoothly. I was politely approached by kids and teachers those first few weeks, eager to ask about braille, my slate and stylus, how I selected my clothes, etc. In classes, teachers called on me frequently to answer questions and offer opinions related to reading materials, which I had read in braille or on tape from Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic. Also, my mother would always serve as a reading resource. Other kids walked with me from class to class, and I even started folding up my cane. Kathy befriended me, and we ate lunch together every day. All my teachers seemed helpful, and it was all good! Soon there was a school dance arranged for all freshmen. Undaunted with innocent fearlessness, I went to the event with Kathy and milled around with other girls. None of us had dates. After the live band began playing, boys with varying voice pitches asked me to dance, one after another. I felt flushed and nervous, but also graceful and attractive. I was thrilled that evening, as the boys seemed to be so friendly and interested in me. This was a beautiful bubble of reality! Primarily into academics, I didn't focus on my social life, but I quickly realized that none of those boys ever spoke to me again after the dance. Still I coasted in optimism, drifting on a cloud of popularity. Later that autumn, I was elected freshman basketball queen, a social victory! I wore the crown proudly, touching the glitter which rapidly flaked off on my fingers. I didn't care then. When photographs were taken at that event, two older boys posed on either side of me, holding my hands. Wow! I didn't know then that they had been drafted for the occasion. I also didn't know then that all the boys who danced with me earlier that fall were not volunteers. Adult chaperones of the dance had whispered to them, asking them to invite the blind girl to dance. I did understand back then that momentum was shifting, and instead of smiling and feeling smug and self- satisfied, I was crying and becoming bewildered. In the classroom I was alone; between classes and after school, I walked alone. "What is wrong?" my mother asked after school one day as I moped in my room. "I feel left out now at school," was my forlorn response. "Oh, honey," she lightly dismissed my concern. "You've gained a little bit of weight; maybe that's it!" A chubby self-image was created in my mind. Years later, when friends and I compared and contrasted our parents, playing the blame game, I always remembered and resented my mother's comment, interpreting it as flippant, cruel, and insensitive. The novelty of the amazing blind student dissipated and was replaced by other phenomena -- an accomplished athlete in the school, a hot new boy-girl relationship, a teacher's mysterious resignation. "Oh, hi, Allie" (my nickname) was often a hasty greeting as someone passed by. Kathy suddenly had a boyfriend who took up all her time. I felt truly abandoned, and puzzled. Bitterness washed over me, and disappointment constricted my spirit. I don't know how new insight started to penetrate my despair, helping me overcome dreary self-centered thinking. I had been allowing blindness to be my primary identifier so that people noticed it above everything else about me, and I thrived on the fleeting recognition. This emphasis was so limiting in my interactions with others. To be singled out and labeled as the blind girl hurt my capacity to develop as a normal adolescent. I struggled to reinvent my damaged identity which required reaching out, taking more interest in others, and reducing some visibility connected to being blind. However, I remained confused for years, sorting through feelings and messages, defining and trying to take responsibility for my attitudes and resulting behavior. I wanted to minimize any association with blindness or blind people. Maybe I didn't need any special attention because I believed it was false and based in pity or a strange temporary fascination. Yet the questions wouldn't go away. Did I like being an inspiration, or did I just want to blend in? Why did I suddenly shun blindness and other disabilities, preferring sighted companions? Why did I feel I always had to excel to be noticed, to be worthy? Did the fact that I was blind determine my choices in every situation? Could blindness be the cause of success or failure in relationships and work? Ongoing experiences triggered these questions, and answers fluctuated. I could never deny that some special treatment made my life easier, like being moved to the front of a long line and having the privilege of touching a rare object in a museum, behind ropes which kept the regular folks at a distance. Yet other special treatment, such as a train conductor refusing to take my ticket because I was blind or being excused from a school assignment just because I was blind, was demeaning and conveyed the wrong message about my capabilities. How could blindness imprison me one day and offer unique freedoms and opportunities the next day? The only way to minimize conflict and quiet my tormented musings was to accept blindness as a characteristic among others like height, weight, or skin color. I had to acknowledge public attitudes and expectations and then make conscious choices regarding my actions and reactions. I wouldn't always be happy about everything, and psychological struggle would continue to be my style. Living with and untangling contradictions and dilemmas can be a constructive approach to survival. I describe this process as critical examination, although some might label it as mere overthinking. So it goes, and seconds tick away, relentlessly. ***** HERE AND THERE by Sue Lichtenfels The announcement of products and services in this column is not an endorsement by the American Council of the Blind, its staff, or elected officials. Products and services are listed free of charge for the benefit of our readers. "The Braille Forum" cannot be held responsible for the reliability of products and services mentioned. To submit items for this column, send a message to info@acb.org, or call ACB at 1-800-424-8666 and leave a message in mailbox 26. Please remember that postal regulations prohibit us from including advertisements, and that we need information two months ahead of actual publication dates. TACTILE STUDY FOR LEARNING STATISTICS The Computer Center for Visually Impaired People (CCVIP) at Baruch College is conducting a research study that seeks blind or visually impaired college students who will be enrolled in a college-level introductory statistics course over the summer. The study examines a new way of teaching statistics to blind and visually impaired people using a device called the Talking Tactile Tablet, or TTT. This device enables students to learn statistical concepts by touching raised graphs and diagrams with their fingers while simultaneously listening to a recorded text. Using this technique, study participants are learning the same material as their sighted classmates. Participants will receive a $250 honorarium for their service. To participate, or for more information, contact Mr. Chandrika Surajpal, Project Coordinator, by phone, (646) 312-1424, or by e-mail, chandrika_surajpal@baruch.cuny.edu. STUDY OF BARRIERS TO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY The Department of Kinesiology and Community Health at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is conducting a survey of "Exercise/Physical Activity and Barrier Study for Blind and Visually Impaired Individuals," The study seeks blind or visually impaired individuals between 13 and 85 to complete a survey. Participants receive $5 for completing the survey once and $10 for completing the survey a second time within a week. To learn more, contact research coordinator Marella McMurray by e-mail at pabarrier@gmail.com or rella73552@gmail.com. You may also contact Dr. Miyoung Lee at (217) 265-6726. TUTORING SERVICES Portal Tutoring, located in Rochester, N.Y., specializes in assistive technology training, braille instruction, and the use of notetakers and DAISY book players. They offer academic tutoring in writing, history and English literature. Be tutored face-to-face at home or at Portal's office, online or via the telephone. For complete information about Portal Tutoring, visit http://www.portaltutoring.info or call (585) 244-0477 between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Eastern. ATTENTION, VISUALLY IMPAIRED FEDERAL EMPLOYEES Visually Impaired Employee Workforce (VIEW) is an organization of about 150 professional federal employees with various visual impairments. VIEW welcomes former, retired and current federal employees with or without a visual impairment to organize, build a knowledge base, provide a support network and to advocate workplace inaccessibility issues utilizing a community voice. VIEW strives to be an asset by not only raising visually impaired employees' federal workplace issues/concerns but by advocating in a professional, proactive manner presenting viable solutions. VIEW works to be inclusive and develop a common platform by reaching out to all parties to find common ground to achieve consensus. For information about membership in VIEW, contact president Ted Figueroa by phone at (240) 938-6800 or by e-mail, ktfigueroa@comcast.net. EXPANDED PLAYERS FOR AUDIOPLUS BOOKS RFB&D's digital books known as AudioPlus recordings have long been used with the Victor Reader products supplied by HumanWare. As of June 2007, the AudioPlus books can now be used with the HumanWare family of BrailleNote mPower, PK and Maestro accessible PDA's. The AudioPlus format allows the reader to move from chapter to chapter, section to section or jump directly to any page. 2008 GLOBAL ADVENTURES Global Explorers organizes adventures for high school students who are blind or disabled. The 2008 schedule includes hiking the Peruvian Andes, exploring the sounds of the Amazon, rafting in the Grand Canyon, and trekking up Kilimanjaro. These programs emphasize the educational components of science, culture, leadership, and service. For additional details on these programs, visit http://www.globalexplorers.org. To request an application packet, send an e-mail to adam@globalexplorers.org. TALKING RESTAURANT MENUS Menus That Talk (TM) is a portable, compact device, approximately the size of a DVD case, that speaks to restaurant guests, describing selected food items from the hand-held unit's illuminated buttons. Guests simply press a brailled button corresponding to a menu category such as drinks, appetizers, seafood, etc. and hear brief descriptions of what is available. The device also includes a detachable ear piece for noisy restaurants and patrons with hearing difficulties. Menus That Talk premiered at the National Restaurant Association show in May. For more information about the menus, call (305) 255-9600 or visit http://www.menusthattalk.com. FIRST BLIND STUDENT GRADUATES FROM EMBRY-RIDDLE Congratulations to Barry Hyde, who made history on May 7 as the first blind student to graduate from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Daytona Beach, Fla., campus. He earned his master of science in aeronautics with specializations in aviation safety and aviation operations. The 35-year-old lost his sight in a serious aircraft accident in 1998 but didn't give up his love for aviation. He later earned ground instructor certificates and enrolled at Embry-Riddle. He carried a 4.0 grade-point average and in April was appointed to Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. NEW MEDICAL ALERT DEVICE AlertOne, the maker of home medical alert devices, has released the first-ever two-way emergency communication transmitter. Users can wear the Clear Call device with a belt clip or on a neck cord. By pushing the alert button, the user can communicate with trained emergency operators to ensure that immediate emergency attention is dispatched. The service costs $34.95 per month. For additional information, visit http://www.alert-1.com. WEB SITE FOR SPECIAL NEEDS PARENTS Our Special Kids is a free on-line resource for parents of children with special needs. The site is designed as a virtual waiting room; a safe place where parents can always find information, advice, acceptance -- and other parents like them. The site is available at http://www.ourspecialkids.com. BOOK FOR BLIND MESSIANIC BELIEVERS "Who Is Israel? Past, Present, and Future" by Batya Ruth Wootten is now available in braille. Using scripture as her base, Batya explains the church and Israel. She shows that long ago the father divided Israel into two houses, Ephraim (Israel) and Judah. As his "two witnesses" they were sent in two different directions to accomplish two different purposes. Now, in this last day, he wants the two to come together, that they might confirm his truth in the earth. For more information, contact Penny MacPherson at poetgirl16@bellsouth.net. To order the six-volume braille copy, send a $62.50 check or money order to Penny MacPherson, 18427 Moorhaven Drive, Spring Hill, FL 34610 WEB SITE DEVELOPER Christine Chaikin develops and maintains web sites. To learn more about her rates and services, send e-mail to konawebsite@gmail.com. ***** LIVING by DeAnna Quietwater Noriega My 25-year-old daughter Kassia gives riding lessons and trains horses while attending classes toward becoming a certified veterinary technician. One of her employers asked her to drive from Colorado Springs to Dodge City, Kan., pick up a horse trailer and then drive to a town just across the Texas border with Oklahoma to retrieve a pony she had decided to buy. She didn't want to make such a long drive alone, so my big shepherd dog and I went with her. We got into town around midnight. We went for some breakfast the next morning before going out to the ranch to pick up the pony. An older man sitting with friends moved over to a table near ours to talk to us and ask questions about my dog. When he asked if we were sisters, Sia explained that I was her mother. Then she whispered to me that she didn't know whether he thought I looked young or she looked old. She didn't know whether to be pleased at the compliment to me or annoyed at the insult to her. He gave each of us a coin with the Serenity Prayer stamped into it. The Serenity Prayer has always held special meaning to me because it speaks to how I have tried to live my life. Despite the complexity of daily living, understanding which battles are worth fighting simplifies things. Even during hard times, you can always take comfort from handling the small tasks you can accomplish. When life hurts, at least you know you are still alive and that has got to be worth something. It also helps to enjoy the small pleasures that come your way. When we got up to leave, the waitress couldn't find our ticket. The cashier told us that Henry had taken care of it. When we shared our adventure with the horse dealer, she laughed and said, "Oh, don't worry about it, darlin', Henry owns half of this end of Texas and has an eye for pretty women!" ***** HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP FOR SALE: Sony ICF-SW7600GR and Eton E5 portable radios, shortwave/AM/FM, come with manual and power supply. $75 each, or both for $140, or may consider swapping for something such as an old but working communications receiver. Wanted: original power supply for Sony ICF-2010 radio. Contact Tim Hendel at (256) 650-5212. FOR SALE: Appalachian Mountain Dulcimer, four-stringed. Comes with canvas gig bag and a comprehensive, six-cassette (two-track) set of instructions by Lorraine Lee Hammond from Homespun Tapes. These tapes are no longer available. The instrument is in good condition and has been well cared for. I also have a set of wooden baroque recorders (soprano, alto, tenor and bass) with a plastic sopranino recorder. There is also a hand-made wooden stand with pegs for each recorder which makes it easier if you're playing more than one recorder in an ensemble. I also have a Yamaha "Grown-up Junior" acoustic guitar. For more information, call Marda at (512) 837-3041 or e-mail marda-pianist@sbcglobal.net. FOR SALE: Portable CCTV by Assist Vision the "Slider." Has a 10" monitor. Is new; used as a demonstrator unit for a few months. Asking $1,195 plus $25 shipping. Has variable magnification and adjustable contrast/brightness settings. Very nice portable CCTV, in durable, lightweight case. Contact Bryan Gerritsen at (801) 547-5903 or bryangerritsen@comcast.net. FOR SALE: Japanese For Busy People 1 in braille. 9 braille volumes -- single-sided embossing, soft covers, plastic spiral binders. Volume 9 (print pages 205-213) contains the index and glossary. This copy has the Japanese text spelled out in uncontracted English braille; the first volume includes a list of each volume's contents. Asking $70 Australian. Contact Vivien Palcic via e-mail, vivien.palcic@westnet.com.au. WANTED: Chess set with two capture trays, made by Royal National Institute for the Blind. If you have one, contact Tony Lewis at anlewis@dor.ca.gov or by phone at (510) 693-8014. WANTED: Maestro or PACMate. Contact Adam Pobursky at (262) 325-1323 or e-mail him, adpob@charter.net. WANTED: A working copy of DOS-based Artic Business Vision and the Symphonic interfacing card for collector. Will need the registration number. Contact Bob Langford at (214) 340-6328. ACB OFFICERS PRESIDENT CHRISTOPHER GRAY 94 RAMONA AVE. SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103 FIRST VICE PRESIDENT M.J. SCHMITT 119 SHELL EDGE DR ROCHESTER, NY 14623 SECOND VICE PRESIDENT MITCH POMERANTZ 1115 CORDOVA STREET #402 PASADENA, CA 91106 SECRETARY DONNA SELIGER 3912 SE 5TH ST DES MOINES, IA 50315 TREASURER MIKE GODINO 104 TILROSE AVE MALVERNE, NY 11565-2024 IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT PAUL EDWARDS 20330 NE 20TH CT. MIAMI, FL 33179 ACB BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ed Bradley, Houston, TX Ray Campbell, Glen Ellyn, IL Brenda Dillon, Hermitage, TN Billie Jean Keith, Arlington, VA Oral Miller, Washington, DC Carla Ruschival, Louisville, KY Patrick Sheehan, Silver Spring, MD Naomi Soule, St. Louis, MO Jeff Thom, Sacramento, CA David Trott, Talladega, AL Ex Officio: Charles Hodge, Arlington, VA BOARD OF PUBLICATIONS Mike Duke, Chairman, Jackson, MS Charles Hodge, Arlington, VA DeAnna Noriega, Fulton, MO Ken Stewart, Warwick, NY Cindy Van Winkle, Bremerton, WA Ex Officios: Ralph Sanders, Las Vegas, NV Janelle Edwards, Springfield, MO