JulieMelton
visit me at
www.heart-and-music.com
or subscribe to my podcast at
http://feed.feedburner.com/hmradio
Keep smiling!
>From: MV <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Electronic Church <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: A New Twist on Handling Sightlings; Greg Brayton Sent This
>Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2007 20:16:22 -0600
>
>I use to have a worship/music leader who was very cool about my blindness,
>and just treated me like anyone else and I think found it odd others
>sometimes didn't. contrary to that, I use to have a fellow worship team
>member sort of act a little higher than I, we were both guitar
>pickers/singers, although he led services at this church sometimes and I
>"only" did special music hahaha. He'd always say stuff like "Hi Brad! This
>is Reese talking!" Ummm yah Hi Reese, was my usual reply.One day I was
>sitting waiting for service to start and I must have been less patient and
>he said something to me and forgot to do his trumpeting identification
>announcement. I acknowledged him by name and whatever else was needed to
>answer him. He said "Wow!" Hahaha, you're pretty good with voices aren't
>you?" I said... "Yeah. Well, pretty much, although I have trouble doing
>John Wayne sometimes!" He didn't say a word, but my music director was
>walking by about the time I smarted off and he got a big chuckle out of
>that. For the most part, I do understand folks. We get pelted at times with
>this stuff and it is mostly from different people so I try to exercise
>patience. but when it is from the same people and you've proven you are not
>an idiot, I will tend to turn on the lessons *smile*. I had a waitress ask
>if I wanted my meat cut up for me one day. I looked a bit dumbfounded but
>she must have gotten that from someone asking I don't know if she'd thought
>of that on her own.
>
>Brad
>
>
>At 07:39 PM 2/10/2007, you wrote:
>
>>Agreed John. However, it's kind of fun to look at and osme of them are
>>not bad.
>>----- Original Message ----- From: "John Schwery" <[log in to unmask]>
>>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>Sent: Thursday, February 08, 2007 12:46 PM
>>Subject: Re: A New Twist on Handling Sightlings; Greg Brayton Sent This
>>
>>
>>>Although I understand the humor and frustrations, I don't agree wit the
>>>approach. Our speech should always be with grace, seasoned with salt.
>>>
>>>earlier, JULIE MELTON, wrote:
>>>
>>>>Lyn,
>>>>
>>>>Hahahahahahahahah! I love it! WHen dealing with sighted folks, a little
>>>>humor often helps.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>JulieMelton
>>>>visit me at
>>>>www.heart-and-music.com
>>>>or subscribe to my podcast at
>>>>http://feed.feedburner.com/hmradio
>>>>Keep smiling!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>From: Lyn Latham <[log in to unmask]>
>>>>>Reply-To: The Electronic Church <[log in to unmask]>
>>>>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>>>>Subject: A New Twist on Handling Sightlings; Greg Brayton Sent This
>>>>>Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2007 11:06:18 -0500
>>>>>
>>>>>Hey, I wanted to share this with all of you. It's fantastic. If
>>>>>anyone knows either Greg Braton or Duncan Holmes, you can see this
>>>>>being something they would know about. Have fun.
>>>>>----- Original Message -----
>>>>>From: Duncan Holmes
>>>>>To: gil tolan
>>>>>Sent: Thursday, February 08, 2007 9:13 AM
>>>>>Subject: A New Twist on Handling Sightlings; Greg Brayton Sent This
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>I really like this.
>>>>>
>>>>> > I'm blind, but there's no need to talk to my dog
>>>>> >
>>>>> > By IAN HAMILTON
>>>>> > The Herald, Scotland (UK), February 06, 2007
>>>>> >
>>>>> > I'm utterly exhausted with people constantly asking how I became >
>>>>>blind.
>>>>> > Considering that I'm 42, and blind since birth, it could be imagined
>>>>> > that
>>>>> > by
>>>>> > now I would be familiar with this question.
>>>>> >
>>>>> > On the contrary, if anything I'm getting more impatient with the
>>>>>same > old
>>>>> > questions day after day. "Have you been blind all your life?" To
>>>>>this > I
>>>>> > always respond: "Not yet".
>>>>> >
>>>>> > "Your hearing must be so much better than mine?" Answer: "Pardon?" >
>>>>>"That's
>>>>> > a
>>>>> > lovely Labrador you have there." Answer: "Labrador? My dog is a >
>>>>>Shepherd."
>>>>> >
>>>>> > Not original answers, but they always make me and Moss, my black >
>>>>>Labrador,
>>>>> > chuckle.
>>>>> >
>>>>> > It always happens when I'm trapped and unable to escape. When I'm on
>>>>>a
>>>>> > bus,
>>>>> > train or taxi. People are naturally curious; I understand this. But
>>>>> > they
>>>>> > can't resist going that little bit too far if you show any glimpse
>>>>>of
>>>>> > being
>>>>> > generous with your responses.
>>>>> >
>>>>> > "Couldn't you get an operation to get your sight back?" Answer: "No!
>>>>>I
>>>>> > like
>>>>> > walking into bus stops."
>>>>> >
>>>>> > "My auntie was blind. She had to stay in bed. You're so brave going
>>>>> > out
>>>>> > and
>>>>> > about." Staying in bed. Umm, now there's an idea. That was one smart
>>>>> > auntie.
>>>>> >
>>>>> > "How do you find your mouth when you eat?" Answer: "In the same way
>>>>> > you
>>>>> > find
>>>>> > your bum when you wipe it."
>>>>> >
>>>>> > "If I was blind I would have to kill myself." Answer: "Why wait?"
>>>>> >
>>>>> > These normal questions are the reason I've come up with a fantastic
>>>>> > plan.
>>>>> > For years, various organisations have been providing Blind Awareness
>>>>> > Workshops. In fact, I've had to deliver a few. These workshops show
>>>>> > the
>>>>> > public how they should respond if they encounter a blind person. >
>>>>>Topics
>>>>> > such
>>>>> > as, don't go up and shout at blind people, they are not deaf.
>>>>> >
>>>>> > ASK, if they want to cross the road? DON'T drag them across the road
>>>>> > by
>>>>> > the
>>>>> > ears. When you are giving directions, DON'T waggle your finger in
>>>>>some
>>>>> > vague
>>>>> > direction and say: "It's just over there next to the post office.
>>>>>SEE, > you
>>>>> > can't miss it." Wanna bet?
>>>>> >
>>>>> > Many years ago I was waiting for a bus in Union Street in Glasgow, >
>>>>>when
>>>>> > two
>>>>> > little old ladies decided to lift me, from behind, on to the bus.
>>>>>They
>>>>> > proceeded to push, heave and shove me. Now, I know I'm not known for
>>>>> > my
>>>>> > speed, but I was heading in the right direction of the door under my
>>>>> > own
>>>>> > propulsion. You won't be surprised to hear that they failed
>>>>>miserably.
>>>>> > After
>>>>> > all, I'm 13 stone and 6ft. To get me safely aboard they caused
>>>>>mayhem:
>>>>> > pushing mothers and toddlers aside to get to their prey. The driver
>>>>> > had to
>>>>> > leave his cab to untangle buggies, shopping and various limbs and >
>>>>>walking
>>>>> > sticks.
>>>>> >
>>>>> > I wonder if the ladies survived that day. I know I'm scared.
>>>>> >
>>>>> > I've decided to call my new training course The Blind Person's Guide
>>>>> > to
>>>>> > the
>>>>> > General Public. Topics such as dealing with people who are giving
>>>>> > directions
>>>>> > to my dog while ignoring me. This did happen in Glasgow's Central >
>>>>>Station
>>>>> > by
>>>>> > a member of the railway police. I couldn't believe it. Was he having
>>>>>a
>>>>> > laugh? No, he really was under the misapprehension that my dog knew
>>>>> > what
>>>>> > he
>>>>> > was on about. Not once did he refer to me at all. Bizarre behaviour!
>>>>> >
>>>>> > My course will teach blind people how to cope when faced with this >
>>>>>kind of
>>>>> > attitude. When people come up and say: "You are a lovely boy" - when
>>>>> > talking
>>>>> > to the dog. Say, "Thank you very much but I'm spoken for."
>>>>> >
>>>>> > Another tip is always to have a pair of headphones in your pocket.
>>>>>It > is
>>>>> > awful to be trapped on a train with someone going through all their
>>>>> > fears
>>>>> > and traumas about being blind. Just say that you are going to listen
>>>>> > to an
>>>>> > audio book. Pop on the headphones and put the jack in your pocket. >
>>>>>They'll
>>>>> > never know the difference.
>>>>> >
>>>>> > When you get caught by someone asking silly questions, the answer is
>>>>> > to
>>>>> > turn
>>>>> > the conversation round at the first opportunity. The one main >
>>>>>conversation
>>>>> > that everyone likes to talk about is themselves.
>>>>> >
>>>>> > Now this doesn't just apply to us blindies - the technique can be
>>>>>used > by
>>>>> > everyone. Let me give you an example. I was travelling on the
>>>>>Glasgow
>>>>> > Underground. Sitting opposite was a woman who decided to interrogate
>>>>> > me
>>>>> > about my then German Shepherd guide dog. "What's its name?" The >
>>>>>following
>>>>> > questions took that kind of line. Then she started to get a little >
>>>>>more
>>>>> > probing. "So how did you lose your sight?"
>>>>> >
>>>>> > Now in the correct circumstance that is a perfectly reasonable >
>>>>>question.
>>>>> > However, not on the underground when surrounded by ear-wigging >
>>>>>passengers.
>>>>> > I
>>>>> > had a number of options. One is telling her to mind her own business
>>>>> > (or
>>>>> > words to that effect). I took a different tack. This was the first >
>>>>>time I
>>>>> > had put the technique into action.
>>>>> >
>>>>> > It worked a treat.
>>>>> >
>>>>> > I ignored her question. Then I asked her some questions of my own, >
>>>>>such
>>>>> > as,
>>>>> > "Where are you off to today?". By the time she got off three stops >
>>>>>later,
>>>>> > I
>>>>> > knew that she had just broken up with her boyfriend, she was looking
>>>>> > for a
>>>>> > flat and was thinking of moving south again! But she left the tube >
>>>>>feeling
>>>>> > happy. I hadn't been rude, and the only thing she found out about me
>>>>> > was
>>>>> > the
>>>>> > name and age of my dog.
>>>>> >
>>>>> > A good result, I would say. I'm not a reporter for nothing.
>>>>> >
>>>>> > Ian Hamilton reports on disability issues for BBC Scotland.
>>>>> >
>>>>> >
>>>>> >
>>>>>http://www.theherald.co.uk/features/features/display.var.1173810.0.0.php
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>No virus found in this incoming message.
>>>>>Checked by AVG Free Edition.
>>>>>Version: 7.1.411 / Virus Database: 268.17.19/663 - Release Date:
>>>>>2/1/2007
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>--
>>>>No virus found in this incoming message.
>>>>Checked by AVG Free Edition.
>>>>Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.17.30/674 - Release Date:
>>>>2/7/2007 3:33 PM
>>>
>>>John
>>>
>>>
>>>--
>>>No virus found in this outgoing message.
>>>Checked by AVG Free Edition.
>>>Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.17.30/674 - Release Date: 2/7/2007
>>>3:33 PM
>>>
>>>
>>>--
>>>No virus found in this incoming message.
>>>Checked by AVG Free Edition.
>>>Version: 7.1.411 / Virus Database: 268.17.19/663 - Release Date: 2/1/2007
Brad,
I sometimes will ask for this to be done when I'm eating out. It isnt' that
I can't do it myself, of course. It's a matter of looking and being a
little neater when I'm eating in front of folks.
Also, I know what ya mean about the same people just not getting it. That's
the time it's harder to be patient.
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