Signing important papers

As a blind person, it is so very important for me to be comfortable whenever there is a need to do this.  I know that it is not always possible to have someone that you trust to be with you each time this type of occasion arises but I have some tips for you.

Thanks to the advancement of technology some possibilities have turned into realities but I will say that not all of these tips will work for everyone. So here goes.

For those of you who work with emails and computers: Ask your lawyer, accountant, banker, or real estate agent or anyone else who you are dealing with to send you the document in either an accessible MS Word format or even in a text format. Read it very carefully line by line and make sure that you understand and agree with what has been written.

I recently had an experience where a law clerk sent me some documents which came up woefully short of what I had requested. Additionally, make sure that they state the amounts for their services in either an email or in a readable document that you can refer to.

When you go in to sign the final documents, take a trusted friend or family member with you.  Take along a signature guide and make sure that it is placed on the right line for you to sign.  Most lawyers, bankers, accountants, and real estate agents that I have dealt with and continue to deal with have been very good but that does not mean that somewhere among them you may be unlucky to meet a bad apple.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit  jodhanmysterybook.club/about-the-author
There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.
Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Me and my vacuum cleaner

I have to admit that I have never really had a very good relationship with my dear old vacuum cleaner.  At times it has been very rough on both of us but alas!  My vacuum cleaner helps to keep my condo carpets clean so I have to put up with its bad behaviour from time to time.

I own an upright vacuum which I find works best for me.  I do not have to concern myself with dragging an extra component behind me and accordingly I do not have to worry about bumping it into furniture and making dents and scratches.

My present vacuum is bag-less which is another advantage to me and I only need to be careful when emptying the contents of the cup so as not to have it scatter everywhere.  So far so good but you may now be asking what do I not like about my dear old vacuum?

Well, truth be told, it is the way it is built!  The components are very delicate.  That is, the handle and body of the vacuum itself.  It is hard to tell when I have actually switched it over from carpet to hard floor and the poor old thing has no way of telling me when something gets caught in it.

Call me fussy and so on but that's just me.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit  jodhanmysterybook.club/about-the-author
There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.
Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Attitude barriers

They have been around for as long as I can remember and truth be told I really do not expect them to disappear in the very near future.

They have been shared and handed down from generation to generation.  They have been reinforced, expanded, and extended.  They have increased, for the most part. But every now and then, some of them may disappear and then reappear in a different form.

The problem is that in so many cases many of us are not even aware that we are part of their fabric.  This is what many of us who are blind face and will continue to do so until some day we'll wake up as a collective society and realize that barriers need to go.

They need to be pulled down and be replaced with solid bridges.  They need to be destroyed and be replaced with lush grasslands, and beautiful fields of flowers. I hope that my message is getting through.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit  jodhanmysterybook.club/about-the-author
There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.
Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

It's all in a handshake

Yes, this is what I do to help me evaluate and/or form an impression or opinion of someone when I meet them for the first time.  My secret is now out but that's okay.

My dad once told me that handshakes often help to tell a story but I'll also tell you that it is not always accurate.  Most times, however, it is.

I almost always pay attention to the type of handshake I receive.  There can be so many types of handshakes, ranging from the limp one to the firm one and from the full one to the two-handed one.  There is the one where one barely touches your hand.  The one where one simply touches your fingers.  The dry one and the sweaty palm one.

I have had them all and even the one where one firmly grasps your hand and swings it round and around.  I am not saying that anyone should use this particular strategy to help them evaluate and formulate but when one is unable to see expressions, gestures, smiles, and glances, it is the next best thing.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit  jodhanmysterybook.club/about-the-author
There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.
Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

When looks elude me

This is something about which I am afraid there is nothing to be done.  The best thing for me is to simply acknowledge it and deal with it.

When people exchange looks and glances among themselves and I happen to be around, I will never know.  When people make eye contact with each other and I am around, I would never know.  When people wink or smile at each other, I will never know.

This is why it is often said that gestures and body language may be much more effective when conveying messages.  They are easier and faster to use when communicating, but for someone who is blind they are not.

We need to depend almost exclusively on one's voice: the tone, inflection, hesitations and pauses, and so on.  However, a blind person may often be able to tell when some sort of gesture is being used in communication. Just another thing for me to deal with in my daily life.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit  jodhanmysterybook.club/about-the-author
There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.
Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

My talking bathroom scale

I have come to depend so much on my talking bathroom scale.  I have had it now for many years and sometimes when someone comes to visit me, I will introduce them to it.

For most of the time their reaction is very interesting.  They cannot believe that such a device does indeed exist and that they can actually hear their weight spoken to them.  They marvel at the clarity of the scale's voice and that they can hear it in pounds as well as in kilos.

My bathroom scale is pretty accurate and is a permanent fixture in my bathroom.  I keep it ready to tell me how I am doing with regard to my weight.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit  jodhanmysterybook.club/about-the-author
There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.
Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

My ice cream cone

This is one of the most enjoyable things that Mom and I often engage in every time we go shopping.  We always remember to have an ice cream cone after we have had our lunch.

We make our way to the ice cream counter of Laura Secord here in Toronto and we each order our favorite flavor.  For me it is often chocolate or now and then it is strawberry.  Mom likes anything that has nuts in it.

Then we find an empty space for two and there we sit, eating our cones slowly and with gusto.  My main objective is to ensure that I do not spill any of the delicious stuff all over me.  I am very careful, ensuring to keep my ice cream in my cone.

I know that Mom is watching also to ensure that I am okay.  Then, when we are both finished, we rise slowly and throw our soiled serviettes into the garbage bin.

Ah, yes!  Eating my ice cream cone with Mom!

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit  jodhanmysterybook.club/about-the-author
There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.
Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Making sure my knitting is on track

I have been knitting for almost a year now and my passion and excitement for this wonderful activity has not fluctuated in the least. When you have a wonderful teacher such as Miko, you have all of the ingredients that you should need to keep on going.

I took up knitting to try and improve my patience and I can tell you that it has worked.  At first I thought that a blind person would not be able to knit but this is not true.  I have friends who are blind and who knit.

I have had some challenging days as we move forward.  Problems with not knitting the same stitch twice, dropping stitches, and making sure that I always keep my working yarn in the right place.

I started with the larger needles and the thicker yarn but now I have moved on to the thinner yarn and smaller needles.  It is my hope that before long I'll start to knit bunnies for babies.  This is my first project and now I just have to learn to be consistent.

I have invested in a handbook for knitters in Braille along with a needle master kit.  Hopefully this will encourage me to keep on knitting.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit  jodhanmysterybook.club/about-the-author
There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.
Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Shopping for jewellery

Here is where my dependence on others, as a blind person, is much more than normal.  True it is that I can feel the piece of jewellery and that I can get an idea of what it may look like based on my memory of when I had enough vision to see it.

However, I need to ask questions such as:  Color, how does it look, and so on.  Here is where the saying that a picture is worth a thousand words comes into play.

No two persons can ever describe anything in the same way and this holds true for jewellery.  So how do I deal with this?

I choose who I ask to go with me to the jewellery store.  Of course, Mom is at the top of the list but there are only a very few others that I ask.

It is best for me this way but nevertheless it's lots of fun to go shopping for jewellery.  Feeling it is just one part of it all.  I need to ensure that it looks good on me before I buy it.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit  jodhanmysterybook.club/about-the-author
There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.
Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Printing and faxing

I guess that there is still much of society that is very unaware that as blind persons we are unable to fax and print.

When it comes to these two tasks I will say that it is practically impossible.  Sure, we could route a file to our regular printer to be printed but then comes the challenge.  We have no way of knowing whether or not the file or document has printed properly, whether or not the print on the page is readable enough, and whether or not it is formatted in the right way.

We could, of course, put it through a scanner but then again we would never be sure.

In the case of faxing, we need to ensure that when we fax something that the pages to be faxed are placed in the correct way so that the print is faxed and not blank pages.  In addition, that after the fax machine has done its thing, that we are able to know that the fax has gone through.  There is
nothing worse than not knowing what is being displayed on the screen of a fax machine.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit  jodhanmysterybook.club/about-the-author
There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.
Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Bunnies for babies

I may still be struggling with learning how to work with those size six needles.  They are thinner than what I am used to working with and the wool is also thinner but I am bound and determined to soldier on and to realize my project.   This being to make bunnies for babies.

It may take me a while to get to where I want to but I am sure determined and my knitting teacher, Miko, is very willing to wait for me to get there.

I used to think that being blind would be a drawback for me but not so.  I can use my fingers to do the seeing, so to speak.  All I have to do is to concentrate, be patient, and all will turn out well for me.

This is why I took up knitting, to improve and increase my affinity to be more patient with myself.  I'll get there sooner than later, smile!

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit  jodhanmysterybook.club/about-the-author
There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.
Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Using light switches to help me remember

As things stand, I am no longer able to see the lights in my condo but for some odd reason I still turn them on and off.  Not sure why but I can only say that it somehow helps me to remember.

So I turn them on whenever I enter a room and then I turn them off whenever I leave the room.

Every now and then I forget to turn them off and then I remember some time later.  This has certainly led to some very funny incidents.

For example:  When I turned on the lights in my office to help my friend Imran see what was going on with my computer screens only for him to tell me that the lights were not working.  I never knew that the bulbs had blown.

Or when I do not know that the lights are already on and I go to turn them on.

It is all very entertaining to me and just another facet in my life.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit  jodhanmysterybook.club/about-the-author
There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.
Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

When the sink leaked

Well, you may be asking yourself, how did I find out that my good old sink in my bathroom was leaking?  I did not see it. I felt it!

For the most part a blind person is unable to see when a sink is leaking and most of the time they end up discovering it when they feel water either on the floor or in their lower cabinet.

This is what happened to me a few months ago when I went to fetch something in my lower cabinet.  There it was!  Water all over my stuff.

There was water all over my boxes, bottles, and in my caddies.  My first thought was to let out a huge groan but then something else took over and I soon set to work to clean it up.

Then I called for help and soon the problem was fixed.  I did have to spend some time cleaning up, however.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit  jodhanmysterybook.club/about-the-author
There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.
Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

In a crowded store

I am never happy whenever I find myself in a crowded store looking for either clothes or some sort of electronic equipment.

To be very honest, I get confused very quickly and soon this leads to me becoming nervous and irritable.  I don't think that you would want to be around me at these times.

I also do not think that this is uncommon among anyone else.  Sighted or not, crowded stores are not for too many shoppers.

So how do I deal with it?  First I summon my package of patience.  Next, I take a deep breath and then finally I do my best to smile.

Most of the time it works and I probably come away with empty hands but sometimes I do try to stay calm and treat myself to something or other.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit  jodhanmysterybook.club/about-the-author
There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.
Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan