Possible new feature for the blog

Hey, just wanted to drop a quick note. I am thinking of incorporating a new feature to playing the blank card. I wanted to give you guys a chance to weigh in on this idea.

As many of you know, the iPhone is a very accessible device for the blind and low vision clients. Many of you already have one whether it be an older version, or the latest 5C or 5S. I have recently purchased the 5c.

I have been talking with my boyfriend, and we thought that maybe it would be a good idea for blind people to review different iPhone applications. That is, how they work with voiceover. How accessible are they? Do blind people really have the ability to use them?

There are other websites, YouTube channels, podcasts and possibly other avenues that also explore this topic. I figured it was something that playing the blind card should tap into, as it is a very important topic

If there is ever an application that you would like to see reviewed on this blog, please feel free to shoot me an email. You can use the contact form that is on this page. You can also leave it in a comment under this post. Or, you can also leave your comments on the plane the blind card Facebook page.

Also, if you are a company or person producing an application that you feel would be a beneficial app for a blind user, please feel free to contact me. I would be happy to interview you for the blog. 

Are you a blind user who would like to do your own review on the product for this blog? That is welcome here. If you are interested, send me a message. I will set up with you a time and date that you can do your own post for this site.

In one way or another, everyone has a voice on playing the blindside. So standup, shouted out, and let me know what you want! Thank you and I was always see you next time. Also as always, yet again the dictate feature has made an Ermer I am not from playing the blind side I am from playing the blind card! Thank you iPhone dictate feature. Review coming in for the post…

Did that really just happen? Knocking over display at Wal Mart

Have you ever had one of those moments while shopping that you wish you could take back? You know what I'm talking about, one of those moments where your face is fire engine red and you wish you could crawl under the end Never to be seen or heard from again. I had one of those moments yesterday

I guess in the big scheme of things, it doesn't seem like that big of a deal. To me, it was a very big deal. You see, I embarrassed easily. Well, maybe not easily, but when it comes to myself and being self-conscious… It's definitely not difficult to embarrass myself

I was out at the store with Princess and peanut. Peanut was in the stroller as always. I was behind pushing, while Princess, was leaving. She does a very good job at this. For the most part, she always has my back. Never letting me run into anything. Or at least, not laughing very hard when I do. So sidenote… I just noticed while listening back to what I dictated that there was an error princess was not leaving anywhere. She was Leedean the stroller. Dang it! It just aired again so, I will change the word entirely. Princess was guiding the stroller. … Much better… Stupid talking software!

Anyway, it was all going really well. I had run into anything, not anything over, or made any sort of blunder whatsoever.  When out of nowhere, I feel something thing against my shoulder and biceps on the right side. It didn't hurt or anything, but it did feel as though I ran into a person. I was instantly embarrassed. I always feel bad when this happens. This is mostly because the general seeing public, doesn't look at me as though I am a blind person. When I run into them, they look at me as a rude, obnoxious, awful person. None of which is true of course. They however, do not see it that way.

So as I feel my face flame up with fire engine red mortification, I whisper in a rush to princess. Quotation mark was that a person quotation mark

She looks back, and with just as much emphasis says, quotation mark crap, no, that was a display of towels. Quotation mark

At that moment, my heart fell a little. I hate when I make any type of mess in public. Well it's also a problem when you draw attention to yourself that is completely unnecessary. Some people might not mind this. I am not that person. I quickly and as efficiently as my blind self could manage, tried to pick up all of the packs of towels. You see, these were packs of five full-size towels that were twined together. Process and Little Miss peanut did their best to help. Peanut had three stacks in her arms that made it up past her head. She kept trying to get my attention while I was busy cleaning my own pile. It was hard to hear her through them muffled block of towels.

No one that I am aware of ever came into the aisle. I did hear some voices close by. I kept waiting for one of them to come and see the debacle in the towel I'll.

Princess was having a hell of a time loading the fallen towels back onto the display where they came from. She said that they Wombling. She just knew they were going to fall again. A crossed the aisle from her, there was a shopping cart with a few of the Powell packs inside. Who ever had been building the display must not have had time to finish. Princesse decided we would just put the falling debris into the cart. I didn't like leaving a mess for the unfortunate employee. If said employee happens to be reading this post, I am very sorry for making your work a little bit harder yesterday.

I know I shouldn't be embarrassed. It technically wasn't my fault. It wasn't as though I saw the towels and said to myself self, I am going to knock over those towels because it is fun!

Even still, I find myself feeling guilty. I guess I still haven't gotten used to with the blind blunders that have become a normal part of my every day life. I am getting better at laughing at them after the fact. In the moment however, I am still more to mortified

It is very important to learn that it is okay to laugh at a mistake. We all make them, whether we can see or not. It is how we handle them after the fact that really counts.

Long time no see

So, I have been gone for quite a long time. I promise I have not forgotten you! You guys are awesome, amazing, incredible… Totally and freaking great!

The problem has been with me, not you. So I know that people say things like that, and don't really mean it. In this case however, I totally mean it. Problem number one, my computer… It is an amazingly wonderful laptop that I received for Christmas last year. It is wonderful, amazing, incredible, fantastic, stupendous… All of those things. The only problem is, the talking software.  For me personally, it totally blows. I will not name names here though however. The reason being, is it is quite possible that is simply an operator error.  You see, I am a creature of habit. Therefore, I have been using jaws for so long, maybe I am just having an possible time adjusting to the new program. That being said, I don't want to talk trash about a potentially good product.

So for now, I am using my iPhone to blog. I've tried the blogger app for iPhone before. It didn't work for me back then. So far, so good. Hopefully this will work for a while until I can get some things situated with my computer. I will keep you updated on this progress. I do hear that this way is easier to post pictures. That would be a new interesting dynamic for the blog. I know that not all of you can see, but for those of you can, I will try and post pics now and then

The other issue I've been having is more of a life situation. Is something personal to do with my family life. I cannot go into it here as it is too private. However, I am trying to get it all sorted out. I think we've made great progress. I'm hoping things will be back to normal soon.

Do you ever feel like you were outside your body? Simply a spectator? Well, that is how I have felt for the past few months. I am working on it. It's going okay. I hope everything will work out. In fact, I'm confident that it will. I am too stubborn for it not to

Unfortunately, my writing, my blogs, and my Facebook for writing and blogs, has suffered. I hope that with this new app, and the new cool dictate feature on my iPhone, I will be able to keep up with you guys better. There is no app that I have found yet for my writing. I hope maybe one will come up someday. Until that happens, I am in a little bit of a standstill with that. However, I would like you to know that divinity is done. I am just in the process of trying to get the second half edited. I am also working on a short story for an anthology to be published soon. Also clandestine's audiobook is in production as we speak. The new narrators are awesome! Absolutely wonderful! They are working diligently to get the book done so that you guys can enjoy it like everyone else. There's great music wonderful narration and I am lucky enough to have two different readers a male and a female. This will make The story come alive to your ears. I am so excited! I can't wait to see what you all think

Another new situation has come alive in my life. This one though, is a good one! I have a new relationship! Believe it or not, he is a BL IND why just like us! He is seriously one of the coolest people I have ever me. So, I just discovered one problem with this app. When you make a spelling error, it doesn't let you go back and fix it. It just makes a crashing sound. Therefore, apparently, when there are errors I just have to let them go. I do not like it I was trying to give my new boyfriend the nickname that I give all of us blind people. It you haven't guessed yet he is blind just like me. Unlike me, he was born blind. That is been a little different, but not all bad. It is been interesting to see the differences between the way the two of us do things. I hope to blog about some of that soon. I will also be checking in with you now and then to let you know how the other things in life are going. Providing this app continues to work, there won't be as long in between posts anymore. I will try and post pictures. I will try and be more diligent in my ability to stick with you and to talk to you about what is happening with everything. However, there is a lot going on, things are hectic… So, it's possible there will be gaps.  This of course is not because I don't love all of you. Because of course, I completely do! You guys are awesome! If it wasn't for you I wouldn't be on this blog and published and being sold to the masses. I just don't want to bombard you with postings that are interesting. I don't want to ramble about dryer lint or anything else that you won't find to be worth reading. So when I have something to say, I promise I will jump on here and say it.

So I was always, keep it real… Be yourself. And above all else make sure to love one another.

Insane Questions For The Blind

In talking to new friends in the blind community, I've come across some funny questions asked by the uninformed. These are just some of the few that I thought would make you smile.

1. How do you eat?

2. How do you have sex?

3. How do you go to the bathroom?

4. More specifically, how do you wipe your butt?

5. Are you just faking for attention?

6. How do you parent your child if you're blind?

7. Where are your sunglasses?

8. Do you know Steevie Wonder?

9. How do you walk?

10. How many fingers am I holding up?

11. What color is my hand?

12. Can you see me?

13. How do you read?

Though I could pick apart all of these for a million paragraphs, diagraming exactly why they are rediculous... I won't, at least not right now. That would be for another post on another day. For now, just join me and laugh at some of the silly things that blind people have been asked.

PS... please keep in mind that these questions were mostly asked by full grown adults... and then laugh a little harder

Great Deal Alert!

Hey everyone:) I just wanted to drop you all a little not about a totally great deal I just learned about from a group on Good reads for audio books.

A great publisher named Tantor is offering audio books for as low as $6.95. This is for books that you download and also for books on CD! Please keep in mind however, the price listed above is if U.S. dollars, so prices may be different if you live outside of the United states.

All you have to do to take advantage of this great offer is visit Tantors website.

As I said, this is just a short little note. I just had to pass along this deal for all of you audio book lovers. Happy Reading :)

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Moments That Leave You Speachless

1. When a child innocently asks you "did you just see that?" You want to be polite so you just smile and say yes. Without hesitation they utter their confused responce, "But you can't see."

2. When you tell the store clerk you need help with your debit card because your blind. Instead of acting normal, they panic and start yelling "OF ... COURSE... I... CAN... HELP... YOU!!!" They speak loud, slow and with far two much lip action because of course you are blind, so you must be deaf too.

3. When you five year olds draws a picture of you and makes sure to draw you with glasses so that you will be able to see.

4. That moment when your sitting in an appointment, realize you have to pee something fierce, excuse yourself, then jump up and rush out of the room forgetting you're blind. By the way, this is usally followed by a trip and stumble over a chair or other object. Not to mention the all too mortifying slam into the wall.

5. When driving with your Gram, someone jumps out of their car to charge at beloved Gram on a road raging rampage. Again for getting your blind, you in turn jump out of the car to rush at him and handle the situation. (This actually happened to me and will be explained in a future "Did That Really Just Happen?" post)

These are of course just a few speachless rendering little moments. I have tons and will continue to share them with you. I would love to hear yours. Please leave them in the comment section or shoot me a private email. I will collect responces and add them into future lists.

How Do You Like To Read?

Many people whether they are blind or sighted have different theories on the best way to read. I myself have grown acustomed and to love audio books. I love the freedom of downloading them from audible (dot) com. I just download all the books I want to my iPhone and listen to my heart's content.

I have heard that some blindy's like to read eBooks. In order to do this I hear that they use the talking software in their device to read them the material presented on the screen. While I have never tried this method, I'm not totally sure it would be for me. I personally prefer to have the narration come to me in dramatic acting style rather than a computerated voice.

This is not to say that it is not a perfectly wonderful way to enjoy reading. I'd like to sound off to my readers on this. What do you think? Whether you're blind, sighted or anything else, how do you like to read? If you are a fellow blindy, do you read eBooks? Let me know what you think in the comment section of this post.