Abortion and disabilities

I’ve been pretty bothered by a Facebook argument I had last night. I usually reframe from having political discussions on Facebook, because people really are sheep when it comes to politics. Most people find themselves left or right, when reality should tell you that you should have a bit of both in you. If you only see things as a republican or as a democrat it quite honestly scares me. Being fair to my viewpoints I guess I would lean more right, but I can see things from the lefts point of view. I’m going to break my normal and discuss an issue I never thought I would bring up on this blog and I’m even typing today because I want to be clear and accurate with my points. The topic is abortion and should you be able to abort do to disability?

 

Basically my argument got met with a lot of propaganda that is normal from people on the left assuming I think one way, and not really knowing me. I got out of the argument, because you can’t win with someone who is just screaming at you for being a republican a fact that isn’t quite true. There is more to me than just being republican or being a democrat. If we’re going to have an argument let’s bring facts to the table and let’s keep it at abortion doesn’t attack me on other false pretenses. Anyway that being said I want to give you my thoughts on being able to have an abortion because of a disability.

 

Lately on my mind I’ve been reading a lot on suicides, so this is coming from a different perspective. I am not a woman obviously, so I never thought I would talk about abortion in this manner. I’ve never gotten a girl pregnant, or ever had to face that issue. I was close once, but that’s another story. I was nervous for a few weeks. Anyway this guy’s argument was republicans keep trying to interfere with choice and are bodies. They’re the world’s problem. Okay yes because democrats aren’t attacking foods, and health? So it’s my choice to abort a baby, but heaven forbid I eat some Oreos. After all it’s my body I should be able to do what I want with it except eat fatty foods. Stop using your party to defend something and actually give me an opinion. Let’s actually have a discussion.

 

I look at things as good and evil. I’m not a real religious person, but I do think there is a god or higher power. I also think the world should run with some moral structure. Without morals of some kind regardless you have kayos.

 

I was born with sight, and developed cancer at 11 months old. My parents didn’t catch my cancer early enough so I went to Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis. Doctors didn’t think I would make it they wanted to use me for experimentation, except for one doctor. His name was Dr. Havelston he said lets go ahead and remove the eye, and see what happens. Still the thought was I wouldn’t make it, and if I did cancer may come back. Obviously I lived or you wouldn’t be reading this just thought I’d point that fact out. Let’s say though if my mom had gotten tested and they were able to predict my cancer would they have told her to get an abortion? Yes I’m blind and while some advocates of abortion would tell you that I would probably like to be sighted rather than blind I would also like to be alive. I’m not saying I’ll make an impact on the world, but maybe I’ll help someone understand blindness a bit better, or I’ll just be a good friend. Sure if you’re telling me by abortion you can eliminate blindness all together fine, but the reality is you’re not removing blindness you’re just removing blind babies. It’s not curing the issue. See the cure would be for them to be able to transplant eyes or create technology to become an eye.

 

I can’t be an advice for all the disabilities, because I only have one. According to the guy last night I have two the other being a republican, but that’s his opinion. I’m just being me and stating my opinion. It scares me that we’ve really come to the point in life where were playing god in what we want with are children. If they’re a boy nope don’t want a boy so bye. My argument is so we want to create a perfect race where in history has that been tried before? That’s really at the end of the day the argument by people is we can weed out the so called weak. I know people look at me and view me as less than them it happens in dating or in society, but that’s your opinion. People actually feel sorry for me and that’s sad to me, because I probably have a better life than them. Not bragging but just an observation. Life for me is what it is. I’d like to have my friend back. I’d not like to think about losing Robin, but we can’t play god and I and other blind people have worked hard to get where we are, and have a quality life. It’s not all about being perfect because even if I could see I’d have something else to deal with. No one walking this earth is a perfect specimen. Arguments I’ve heard about abortions is that they are 98% sure they can figure out if someone would be disabled what about the other 2%? Also how many doctors didn’t give me a chance to beat cancer when I was a baby? We can’t predict the weather hardly and isn’t that scientific? Yet you make me believe that someone with testing can do it accurately all the time? That’s a weaker argument but I’ll still use it. 

 

I don’t have all the answers, and we could disagree. I think abortion has its place, but when we get so specific in choosing gender or if someone is disabled I get nervous. You start here and then end with Euthanasia. It just seems to me when looking at all things considered I’m not seeing the benefits. I know I’m just looking at this from a small percentage of abortions, but it’s that control and the selection of who people think matters that bothers me. Below I put in an article I found from a blind pianist I found that I thought was interesting. It’s hard to argue with myself, but I think I was fair. I stayed on point, and I just kept it towards disabilities. Sorry if you hated this I will get back to being blind and my adventures tomorrow.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1285017/Blind-tenor-Andrea-Bocelli-praises-mother-rejecting-doctors-advice-abortion-disabled.html

I’m dictating now but for me it’s sad that this person thought I was labeling women sluts for getting an abortion or even thinking badly of them that’s not my point i’m going to post this and I’m sorry if you were offended but I just thought it should be said 

A few blind moments

I rarely carry cash on me mainly because it’s difficult to obtain when you’re blind. Okay let me rephrase that when you’re driving and you need cash you can pull over and go to an ATM machine but often times my rides are scheduled with 24 hours in advance and I’m not going to o I couldn’t because our rights are not set up that way. They get you from point a to point B. That being said I was trying to get cash for a friend to pay her back for something she got me for Robin. Karma really is a pain in the the ass because I just got done mentioning that most ATMs had speech but not this one. After feeling the machine for about two minutes I realized there was no headphone jack that and the shopkeeper came over and asked me if he could assist? This machine wanted five dollars to take money out so I said forget it. I probably did look funny touching the machine everywhere looking for that damn headphone jack.

Some days I just want to chill while going home. I really miss the thrill of driving because it’s a way to get away from things. Just chilling in your car listening to music driving has to feel good. I cannot do that because a lot of times I think because I can carry a conversation the drivers like to chat with me. I don’t want to be rude but even when I have earbuds in they just go on talking. For me I just got to the day where I’m hearing a screen reader in one ear people in another year I just want to be alone. Tonight was a great example I just wanted to listen to my music and the driver kept going on and on and even demonstrated a video of the Krahn to me. I know dictation probably didn’t get that right but I don’t know how to spell it either so tough. I had to listen to him talk about the Prophet Joseph and how he was good-looking and something about how Joseph want to settlement against his wife did something with a torn shirt I really don’t know what the hell he was talking about. The just of the story is Joseph was good looking. I just was happy to get home to peace and quiet and no profits.

Response from the FCC

Here is the response I got from the FCC

Good afternoon,
Thank you for contacting the FCC. Set-top boxes that are manufactured and sold or leased by large cable and satellite TV operators and systems must comply with our accessibility requirements by December 20, 2016. (FCC Docket Nos. 12-107 and 12-107)

Mid-sized and smaller cable and satellite TV operators and small systems have until December 20, 2018 to comply:

• operators with 400,000 or fewer subscribers (operators other than the top 14); and
• systems with 20,000 or fewer subscribers that are not affiliated with an operator serving more than 10 percent of all subscribers

Descriptive Video: FCC rules require local TV station affiliates of ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC located in the top 25 TV markets to provide 50 hours per calendar quarter (about 4 hours per week) of video-described prime time and/or children’s programming.

Local TV stations in markets smaller than the top 25 also may provide video description. Check with your local TV stations. Many Public Broadcasting System (PBS) stations also provide video description on a number of programs. Check with your local PBS station. The requirement to provide video description is extended to local TV station affiliates of ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC located in the top 60 television markets beginning July 1, 2015.
The top 5 non-broadcast networks – Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, TBS, TNT, and USA – must provide 50 hours per calendar quarter (about 4 hours per week) of video-described prime time and/or children’s programming.

Subscription TV systems (offered over cable, satellite or the telephone network) with 50,000 or more subscribers must carry video description.
Subscription TV systems with fewer than 50,000 subscribers also may provide video description. Check with your subscription TV provider.

http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia</blockquote
I don't know where four hours seems reasonable that's not even a 10th of the time the network is on the air. I digress though at least there's some good coming.

Matt painter, high school and college thoughts pretty random

When I was probably four years old we went to a Purdue game where I got to go on the floor meet Jean Katie and the whole team. I remember this pretty vividly, because as I’ve commented before in my underwear basketball league I would always be Purdue and take them to the tournament. You really should’ve seen my game. Before my mom crush my dreams telling me no blind people can play in the NBA. It’s really her fault I have low self-esteem, a bit fat, and have a difficult time playing basketball today. i’m just kidding I love my mom there will be no Marshall Mathers album here. Anyway we got to the Arena around the same time Coach Katie did. I remember being on the court sitting on Craig Riley’s knee and we were just talking basketball he was my favorite. He spent probably about five minutes with me and then asked would you like to meet Matt painter? I don’t exactly know why I said the following I think he missed a shot last game that upset me. I said no he stinks, and of course being blind I didn’t realize he was right there. I may have said sucks I don’t really recall but it was one of those two words. my parents told me his face turned bright red and I’ll Riley could do was laugh. I do remember saying sorry and he gave me his autograph and I sat on his knee as well.

After the game I got to meet Coach Katie before he left and I told him I thought Bobby Knight sucked and he was the best coach in Indiana. I still stand by that. Since I’ve left Indiana I do like to see them do okay now but for a long time I really despise them. Truthfully I just love the game of basketball college that is nothing beats the competitive back-and-forth tournament game. I still remember the guy that rub me the wrong way that day was Woody Austin. I was right in front of him and rather than sign my dumb little sheet he said he had a party to get to funny the things you remember from being a kid. I went to Purdue one more game I think it watched Glenn Robinson he was another one of my favorites. I did see Riley in Fort Wayne a few years later and he remembered which I thought was cool. I’m never got to see Coach painter but if I did I would tell him I think he’s doing a great job and he learned from one of the best Bruce Webber. I would probably throwing a joke and tell him he’s a better coach than basketball player just to remember the old times but I do have a lot of respect for him. He could’ve just ignored me but instead I remember him being nice after I realized he was there.

That definitely is one thing about being blind you always have to be careful what you say because you never know who is around. That burnt me a few times. And middle school my friend Lance created this game where he would say a codeword to let me know when teachers were around if I was talking inappropriately. I am actually surprised we didn’t get into more trouble as kids. I think the blind think probably helped a few times. I had a cane that had a skinny tip on it so Lance I believe got the idea to put it in a pencil sharpener so basically the end of my cane was sharp like an arrow. and had an elastic string so we would pull it back and shoot it at the ceiling making marks in our school I wonder if they’re still there. We would also sometime shoot it across the room that thing was pretty dangerous. I was sad when I left it in a Burger King bathroom on a field trip never did get it back.

My friends always encourage me to try new things. My friend Lauren let me drive his car that was probably my first time driving. I think I was 15 and I drove it down town and my hometown. My friend Sean had a Mustang and I forget exactly why we did this but we went offroading through a field. Then of course my friend Brandon always try to get me to mow the yard for him they never let me do it fully though I think I would’ve been a great person to cut the yard of course I would have missed spots. Sometimes I get these notions to write a book and then sometimes I think my life isn’t that entertaining so it’s always a back-and-forth battle but one thing I remember admiring about my childhood versus now is the way I’ve grown with independence. When you live in the country as a blind person unless you can teleport you have to rely on someone to get you places and I was not very independent as a teenager to be honest. I was also not very good at science so teleportation was out. I remember going to Ball State with my mobility instructor it was big to me, because I had all these buildings and space but by the second day of being there or third day I made a lot of friends got lost A lot but somehow found my way I’ll never forget those days. in high school for your first year it kind of feels different because we had an upstairs I guess. It was one building though so it was completely different from college. I remember being at orientation at Ball State and I thought to myself while walking around holding onto someone’s elbow because I didn’t know my way that can I really make it here can I do this? It just all felt so big, but I did. I never share those feelings with anyone no one really cared that’s not me being cynical just truth lol.

I still feel that way like when I flew into Atlanta I sometimes get nervous about traveling somewhere new because everything is foreign. I commented last post about not wanting to walk around a lot that probably has to do with my mugging things of change for me since Ben I’m not as adventurous. I can explain to you the rush I feel when I get to the airport and we board to take off and then we get to the new place and just everything else is in the air. I’ll just put my idea here so if it gets taken I’ll sue you really I will. I always thought the greatest thing would be to have a television show where it shows blind people navigating because I think it’s fascinating. People often think I feel sorry for myself I believe or that I hate being blind. I don’t feel either one of those things I just find it fascinating that blind people fight audio signals or deny help because they want to look as independent as possible. People who can see have all the signals it’s not like they just have a greenlight they have a sign that says walk I’m surprised you don’t have someone usher you across the street by now. People complain about having to sit and 15 minutes of traffic meanwhile when we go to the grocery store it could take us up to three hours and still not get everything we need. Do you want to know my biggest annoyance? I don’t think I’ve ever talked openly about it so here it is. it’s when people offer things and don’t mean it. For example I will be somewhere and someone will say oh you could call me for a ride anytime. I’ve never relied on people that say these things because if you ask them there’s always some kind of excuse. I would rather you not even mention that if you don’t mean it. It’s not really that big of request. I don’t think me saying this probably translates properly I think it’s just you have to be blind to understand that. This blog is been interesting I’ve had people wonder why I remain or try to be independent if that’s the right thing to do all the time my notion is does it really matter? At the end of the day if I have a job if I own a house if I make all my payments or if I’m a good person or not a good person it doesn’t really matter because I’m blind. again that’s not anything about Pity it’s just being 100% honest. I struggle at times in my life because people who mean a lot to me say things that I don’t know how to interpret all the time. And college a few people would want to take me to bars because it would look good to women or maybe it might boost something going on in them. traveling around even today when I go to Atlanta or walk down main street here it’s amazing how many people don’t understand a service animal even more amazing how many people know very little about blindness. And college my friend Bryant told me something that I’ve kept with me. He call me sweetness but we’re having a conversation about how blind people or myself did something and he said that I was the first blind person he’s ever met I imagine that to be the case in most situations. I know I stand out which is nice and you can use that to your advantage definitely in certain situations but often times it’s a hindrance because people will exploit you but people also can be nice. I’ve really grown up and an interesting time where we sit with things becoming more and more speech friendly and more and more accessible. for example when I started college all of the ATM machines were pretty much unusable, but now Chase fifth third and other banks have fully functioning accessible ATM machines. Which meant or means I remember a time where either I had to remember all of the prompts to get cash out of an ATM machine or I had to trust somebody to read the screen and give me the correct amount of money which takes a lot of trust. Of course when you’re drunk and you wake up the next morning with weed in your pocket and you don’t remember how you bought it I apparently trust a lot of people. Haha. In 2004 I remember meeting a blind person who told me they just voted for the first time independently with a talking machine it’s just amazing. Tonight another dream of mine might be coming true by December 2016 I samite because I still don’t know what happens if they fail to comply the FCC didn’t tell me. however the top 10 cable companies or television providers I should say are going to be required to have a talking set box it’s about time. And smaller markets it’s December 2018. I literally went all over the place in this post. that’s why I’m great if you like sports you get a little bit of that, alcohol deathly talk on that, real-world problems I give you that it’s all here.

Thank you to the Seeing Eye and an epic sports rant an update from my relationship

I got Robin from the Seeing Eye in 2008 July to be exact. I keep up with things time to time by reading friends Facebook statuses or seeing Twitter posts about the organization. I admit it’s been probably five years too long since I’ve made a donation, I don’t know why I guess life just gets in the way or things get busy. I’m very grateful for the experience and the freedom that it’s given me, but I mainly focus on technology and reality of where blind people actually are. Since I’ve gotten Robin and started this blog I’ve pretty much pulled no punches that traveling with a guy dog can sometimes be difficult because no one is holding companies accountable for actual loss. 98% of the time everything is fine it’s just that 2% that really frustrates me. You’re constantly in advocate which is fine I like to keep on people. Other than the transportation companies I’ve talked about Louisville has been fine, Muncie was fine, but when I’ve traveled to Arizona when I go home people follow you around stores it’s very interesting at times. This all being said I joined a Facebook Group recently related to the Seeing Eye. A question was raised from a person that made me interested for retraining someone said they were only staying for two weeks, so I asked if this was new practice because it used to be 2 1/2 weeks? One of the administrators pointed me to a conference call saying listen to this and you’ll have your answer. Now again I’m not being ungrateful when I say this, but I have far more better things to do than to listen to some stupid conference call that doesn’t really relate to me in anyway and why would I seek that out? I maybe that was a little harsh I’m in a bad mood from watching the Arizona game yesterday. I figured there was something completely astonishing that comes out it will make the rounds and I’ll hear about it otherwise I don’t seek out conference calls from any organization not just the Seeing Eye. I just thought the response was a little weird, but maybe I should just follow things better than I do. There’s a lot of people that talk shit about which school is better for getting service animals it happens on all sides even the people from the Seeing Eye get blamed more but I just stay out of all of that I don’t care. It was the first however so I will say that. Haha that actually is one of the reasons I chose it. Not to mention I had seen a lot of successful cases around me at the time from people who graduated from there. There are other good schools but I’ll continue to go to the Seeing Eye. I was telling my friends Jerry and Lee that I feel a little bad from time to time and I don’t know if I’ll get a second dog, because I don’t take Robin on 4 mile walks which seems to be the normal from the lists I read. Maybe is just being from the country, but if I don’t have a purpose or destination I don’t just go. When I was discovering GPS like playing with different units and things I would just go discover roads and I might do that here in the spring since I moved to my new neighborhood but it’s hard just to go out and walk for no reason at all. I mean this week for example we had wind chills in the negatives why take my dog out and make her freeze just so she can walk 4 miles? I don’t understand that philosophy. Then again maybe that’s why I’m a little fat. See I see things from all angles or least try to. Robin I travel a lot together and were at work a lot but when I get home I honestly don’t feel like walking around tons. I don’t know if that’s normal and I’m not sure if it’s fair to get another dog where people are putting a lot of money into for me to do so. There are these types of people that have to know everything about something if that makes sense maybe that’s what I’m seeing on the list I just don’t get that involved.

Robins been with me for seven years now going on seven I guess this year. There’ve been things in life that definitely make us closer at times whether it be moving somewhere new, someone dying, traveling, and just a whole bunch of other things. When I first got Robin I would come home we would play and then she would go to her room and do her thing and I would be in another room doing my thing but now she’s always usually in the room with me. Once in a while if I making a lot of noise or annoying her I guess she’ll go lay in my room but if I sneeze or get up and go somewhere else she usually comes running. I think I’ve always been close to her but definitely moving to Louisville submitted that because she was something that came with me if that makes sense. I’m kind of weird so maybe that’s why I struggle with relationships but I never really talk to her much or I didn’t used to because some people carry-on full on conversations with their dogs and that’s kind of weird to me. In the past I only talk to her when I needed her to do something or if I was congratulating her on something or we were playing. Some handlers really go on and on with their dogs. when Robin and I are working together I say good job tell her her direction, and that’s about it mainly because I don’t want to be distracting. My thought is if I’m dating somebody or in a relationship does my partner want to hear me say everything that’s on my mind or constantly hear my voice? Let me rephrase that so say your partner is reading and you come home and they’re really interested in what they’re doing if you keep talking to them throwing them off you’re going to get vague answers that’s how I feel it would be with the dog because they’re supposed to be watching out for you and being your eyes so why when I walk down the street constantly singing or doing something with my voice to be distracting. rereading that May have been a question but this isn’t your best grammar blog.

As I was saying I’m not the best with relationships. I honestly do try, but maybe it’s my communication skills maybe I just like batty people. here is my side of what is going on in my life. Soap for Valentine’s Day I met my friend Kevin and Lexington and went to the game which is all known to my friend Taylor. We went out to eat the week before and I know she doesn’t like to go out on the actual day because of crowds. I told her my plans because Kevin hasn’t had Valentine’s Day plans for a few years now and she seemed fine. We even made plans when I got back for me to make crab legs and some vegetables and watch a movie. So let’s go to the actual day of Valentines. I get a text message during the Game asking where are you? I responded I’m in Lexington. She then started texting me crazy things like I thought we’re supposed to hang out together today and it’s Valentine’s Day why would you be gone and then she threw in the dagger sports are more important to you than me. Alright therapy time I will admit something here that I don’t know that I’ve said very many other places. In the right situation I could walk away from any sport even baseball, but if someone cared enough about me they wouldn’t make me choose. Anyway she told me that she was going to her house and to forget any plans we have for the day. I couldn’t really call her then there were too many people around too noisy. I’ve sent her a few text messages since then with no response so I don’t know really what’s going on. Apparently though I miss something like a sign men do that we just drive around until we find it. We actually did speak yesterday for the first time. That’s just weird for me and my relationships is it seems that if something occurs the women I like don’t want to talk about it but rather space themselves from the situation or we completely break it off. It’s an observation I’ve made along the way. apparently she wanted to just lay on the couch and watch movies all day and rather than do that I went to a basketball game which created this how I’ve been living in for two weeks. I asked her why she didn’t just say that? Her response was one that just drives me nuts about people she said you should’ve just figured it out. I was in shock I told her the story about how my friend survived cancer how is going to be with him we were going to make something special happened on Valentine’s Day for the both of us we celebrate our Valentine’s Day we Carly and I’m just supposed to know you want to lay on the couch all day and watch movies? You could’ve worked that in somewhere.

Between that situation and not following organizations correctly I’m having a rough morning. Not to mention how irritated I am with Arizona fans. Actually just make that sports fans in general saying Kentucky’s one and done situation isn’t fair. Really? Don’t the rules encourage that? are they cheating? If you’re so mad at the rule why doesn’t it change and be more like the NFL? you shouldn’t be mad at Kentucky or the way they operate rather than you should be mad at the NCAA for their dumb rule change. actually you should also factor in the NBA because I think they’re the ones who really made that change. As a fan I don’t like the real personally myself but I’m not going to sit on sports radio and I wouldn’t be a sports radio host and allow people to come on the airwaves and say that Kentucky cheats how does a cheat? Because they enforce a rule that is already a rule? I’m sorry Indiana fans, Purdue fans, Wisconsin fans, Ohio State fans, and any other team that sits in denial that they’re going to take for year kids and eventually make a team. You have this archaic notion the Big Ten is tossing out about making freshman teams. Sports in general already don’t make much money besides basketball and football every other sport pretty much is a losing entity, so you’re going to make the system bogged down by adding freshman basketball? What is that proving? Can you imagine if Anthony Davis for example had to play on the freshman team? The big 10 in my opinion might be the best basketball conference in the United States, but to think like that is just so backwards. I guess Kentucky and Louisville winning the tournament the last few years has made the Big Ten hungry. how Ohio State forgets the year they had Michael Conley and Greg Oden who reportedly did not go to class at all funny isn’t it? I guess since they didn’t have the success Kentucky has with the system things have to change. Maybe before you start hating on a guy or saying a program is it legit maybe you should look at the overall system and see how it’s failing. The real joke is that you watch these major sports and think a kid has to graduate college that’s not really the intent I don’t care who or what the propaganda tells you anyone who’s playing basketball or football that has a shot for the pros is going to go to the pros only a select few actually care about the education. I love those commercials of course if you’re on the swimming team you’re going to graduate they’re not throwing $40 million at swimmers unless your name is Phelps. A basketball team has what 13 players? Even at that how many players are in the NBA so if you have a talent of a Bryant or James or Wade you’re going to go where the money is and of story. Colleges mask the sports programs as a good deed let’s face it all it is is a free training process for the majors while the universities make millions and the student athletes may Jason education. look at the video game market they were selling video games where colleges we’re getting paid the NCAA was getting paid but the player got nothing until a lawsuit which still the players who were in the game probably won’t get anything. Lol and I love college basketball but you just have to look at the facts the one and done rule doesn’t benefit anyone except for a coach who is smart enough to take advantage of the system that’s it and I’m not hating nor should you. All this talk about where a team ranks against a team from the 70s it’s just boring talk to me things change in the 70s they didn’t have a shot clock how can you compare a team back in the four corners offense days to a team now it just doesn’t make any sense.

If you can or if you would like please go to http://www.seeingeye.org and make a donation it is a great cause and I thank them dearly for what they’ve given me.

Robin has become the old lady in the neighborhood

I have these vertical blinds in my living room that Robin loves to stick her nose between and look out and watch people. i’m not kidding I’m pretty sure she knows everything that goes on in my neighborhood. I’ll hear her at three in the morning bumping the blinds and then hear my neighbors car take off. It doesn’t really bother me a whole lot because I feel like she’s watching out for strangers. nosy yes but I feel like she knows who belongs. now maybe because it’s getting sunnier I wanted to open the blinds and feel the sun while I sat in my chair today which brings me to the problem. Two of the blinds have tears in them now granted this could’ve happened before but I hardly doubt it.i’ve got them hanging back up but not very well because like I said one is torn where you hang it so I’ll probably have to go see if I can buy just one of those to replace if not i’ll probably have to buy a whole new set of blinds. I know she doesn’t know how things work and how if she’s rough on something it could tear but I was a little frustrated but what can you do? I have started having a lamp on recently but I did for a while rarely have light on so I don’t blame her I guess. If she were human though I could just picture her sitting in a chair with binoculars writing down notes about what all happens and who sees who.

My Kentucky Louisville dilemma

Last night I was talking to my friend Denny and he made a good point. He said that I should choose either Louisville or Kentucky and that be my home team. it’s very difficult and I haven’t thought about it a lot other than I enjoy watching them both play men’s and women’s. If you’re asking me which announcer I like better definitely Kentucky Tom is great where Paul seems lost and a bit boring. My love for Kentucky sports radio also has fueled my Kentucky interest lately. Also when I took Kevin to the game over a year ago the Harrison’s were amazing they talk with him, and were very nice for young men. Even the last time I went they saw Robin and said something about their favorite dog. Kevin hasn’t been feeling well and they’ve gone above and beyond for that two minutes that they speak with him to make him feel normal.

I don’t really have the same contacts that I do in Louisville other then it’s my home court. It’s a hell of a lot easier for me to go to games then catch a greyhound to Lexington. I do have a nice usher that I know and half the time during the game he comes and sits by me and we just talk about sports. So this leads me to my first problem. The pizza guy came today which I tipped big because it sucks ass outside. anyway I answer the door with my Kentucky had on and he says go Big Blue! we proceeded to do a go cats chant. After he left my Louisville hat was sitting on the table and I had a hard time eating my pizza okay not that hard but it put me into some decision-making for the first time. Can I continue to go on supporting both or will I have to choose? I don’t know! That’s an open question. Maybe next time I’ll have my Louisville hat on and we can do at go carts chant.

I went to Atlanta on Thursday and did some advocating for a travel company for service animals. I gave a half hour speech and I think it went well. I don’t know what will come of it maybe a job I’m just keeping quiet for now. The travel really killed me I left Thursday morning and return pretty late Thursday night and I’m just not built for that like I used to be. I’m going to continue watching this Minnesota Wisconsin game hoping the badgers lose so Purdue has a chance but it doesn’t look like it right now. This snow and slush really sucks I’m going to have to go out and shovel my drive again, but the drivers that of pick me up I have all commented that my driveway is clean and they have a path they actually thought I paid someone to do it which felt nice that they said that.

I thought I would shovel some snow but it still had the last laugh

So in Louisville we’re getting a pretty good snowstorm. It doesn’t snow here much and even if it does usually it warms up and is gone quickly. I’ve been worried since buying my house about the first snowstorm, because quite honestly snow can be very disorienting to me. I use my feet a lot to feel where I am. Sometimes I take it for granted because I don’t realize how much the difference in pavement or feeling a hill it just all kind of clicks together to assist me with getting around. When snow cover things up it’s difficult to notice. I got lost two or three times shoveling because it was difficult to tell exactly where the grass started. Anyway I went out to start shoveling yesterday and got my walkwaus cleaned off.

This morning I decided to tackle my driveway. So at 6 o’clock I got dressed and went outside and started shoveling. Again it was very difficult to tell where I was exactly I hit gravel and thought I was in the road but apparently it was the sidewalk. My road is not very busy so I can’t use traffic driving by to gauge how far I am from it so I decided to stop because I thought I was at the road. when the bus came to pick me up I stepped in a drift up to my shin and my pants were wet for a while so all that effort was negated. I cleaned it up when I got home but I’m learning. no ones clean the roads back in my subdivision yet you would think the neighbors would ban together and just do it but I guess not. It was cold but shoveling the snow kind of made me feel good. The bus driver commented that the neighbors hadn’t shoveled there’s drives very well either I told her about how I thought I shoveled it completely and then step in a drift. I am ready for it to melt though so I can go back to feeling the ground with my feet and have my traditional landmarks there.

A childhood memory I just thought about

Maybe was my last post about things that really frustrate me, or maybe was my recent eBay search for Reggie Miller items and Careywood paraphernalia. I remember a story about collecting things. They actually had braille sports cards I only found them in football and NASCAR never baseball or basketball. I believe they were called action pack. On the front they had like a football helmet or something you could feel and then on the back it would have the players name the year position and maybe something else. I remember being a young kid and getting normal baseball cards I had booklets and I made my mom or grandma or grandpa read me the card and I would put it in a special place in the book and memorize which player was where. It was dumb but I remember spending hours flipping through the book thinking about each player when I was a kid. Of course their card didn’t really mean anything to me I just remembered which place I put them in the book. I remember getting my first Braille card it was a Thurman Thomas card I had gotten in a pack of other action-packed cards. They only had one but I thought it was neat that the top card was a braille card it would’ve been cool if all The cards had braille but I like the touch. I know it’s a little late and no one really collect cards anymore but thank you action pack for the gesture. It was a different experience knowing what card was actually what and not having to memorize everything. Alright I have to go make crab legs and California blend for dinner. Today was perfect I would’ve like to see Louisville win but otherwise going to the game with Kevin was great he had a great time and enjoyed every second.

Blind people are excited and think it’s the Jetsons but I wonder if were even at the Flintstones yet?

I don’t know where to even start with this post. I’ve been blind for 27 years. Cancer took my eye sight when I was about a year old, so I remember nothing. In my life time technology has made leaps and bounds, but yet on most things were stuck in the past. I don’t dream to one day have sight, because my optic nerve is gone, so for me the realization is that I’ll probably never have sight, and that is okay with me. Most things I read about dealing with blind people isn’t a story on things they overcome or focus on what is possible it’s usually some feel good peace, or about how someone received there sight back. These stories don’t continue on or actually focus on the fact they get a limited amount of it back its just they’re saved from being blind. It’s actually varied insulting. I feel the way that blindness is portrayed is that without sight your somehow less. I wrote Tim Cook recently; because blind people in general do things that I can’t understand at times. I’m not saying Apple shouldn’t have some critics, but here is a story that happened to me recently and maybe it will bring my point home.

Every week I have to call in to a service and book my rides for the week to and from work. I decided I would check in to a subscription which is basically a set in stone ride. I talked with the lady who sets these up and she says I will mail you a form you have to sign and return. I said well I live alone am there any other way? I do have an app that will read my mail, but signing is another story. I could just draw all over it and send it back. She said there was no other way to do this. I know I could just conform and bring the paper in to Mel, and she’d show me where to sign, but seriously? This again is a company that works and deals with people strictly with disabilities, and you have no web form or even a record and I say yes on the phone method? Even if you want to mail me find paperclip a signature guide to the paper and maybe that would work. I just don’t get it honestly. We all don’t have a sighted person at our disposal all the time.

As a group we are so excited about the new technology and focus more on what could be rather than where we actually are. Case and point the car that drives itself. Even if this thing happens with in the next 10 to 20 years I don’t believe instantaneously a blind person will be handed a set of keys. Guns have been a big debate in the news with blind people, and whether or not we should be able to even own one. You have people like former CNN host Pierce Morgan laughing about it. I think having a blind driver sparks a whole different debate. Furthermore being independent I just want to be able to sign a document I could care less at this point about actually driving. I feel are focus is so far out of the realm of reality, but no one talks about it. Here have these car keys, oh wait you’ll have to sign for them.

I hate asking sighted people for things. I was raised to be a man and take care of things. I know it’s silly to think like this, but the point of life is to remain independent, and this notion we have to run and find someone to assist me with signing documents is crazy. Not to mention touchscreens in restaurants that have no accessibility which just make you feel awkward waiting around for help. These things will become more prevalent in the future because they can cut down on staff. Yet were focused on what could be rather than what is. You see this lot of times at universities or in some restaurants where I encountered one.

I was reading the ACB’s fight against accessible currency, and it’s amazing how much the government and treasury fought back against denying blind people the ability to feel the different bills. I’ll post the link to a blog that goes over the battle they’ve had. The funny thing to me is by 2020 if corporations would just allow NFC to take over rather than try to all get a piece of the pie by developing their own systems cash will be irrelevant anyway. If you look at Europe and Australia NFC is quickly taking over. If a hacker had the right set just walking with your credit card in your pocket would be enough for someone to get your information.

http://www.visionaware.org/blog/visionaware-blog/progress-update-united-states-accessible-currency-project-for-blind-and-visually-impaired-persons/12

I remember buying my house was a bit nerve-racking because not all the documents were readable. People at work mainly my committee checked over the papers and found errors that otherwise I probably wouldn’t have been able to see. My family lives 5 1/2 hours away and have their own lives and I’m just irritated by this notion that we do have all this excess ability and technology available but most of society fights against it. At least for me when I date someone who can see I don’t want to bother them with having to read things and clean up things I can’t do if that makes sense? They have their own things going on I don’t know I’m just frustrated. tomorrow for Valentine’s Day my friend Kevin who struggle with cancer and is having a pretty rough time I’m meeting him and going to the Kentucky game. Our friendship is pretty cool he’s in a wheelchair and we relate on so many different levels. We talked on the phone a few months ago and he hasn’t had a great history of Valentines days either. he joke with me when it’s hard to go to the bathroom on your own it’s pretty difficult to impress a lady. I’m going to get some sleep and prepare to greyhound to Lexington. I’m not trying to be negative on the progress it just makes me scratch my head sometimes when things aren’t accessible or it’s difficult to make them.