What a disappointment: Cancelling my chess tournament

I am going to blame the demise of my computer for this cancellation.

Yes, I had already set everything up: 3 games to play against Maria, Tony, and John. I had already begun my games when my desktop computer decided to bite the dust.

On the one hand I was relieved, but on the other hand I was sorry because I was really looking forward to being in the tournament. Oh, well!  Another time then!

If you would like to learn more about me as a sight-loss coach and author then I invite you now to visit http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as a sight-loss coach and 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
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Not an easy task: Advocating for chess

 I guess that I have always had a soft spot for the game of chess and several years ago I finally decided to do something about it.  

First, I engaged a wonderful Russian coach named Nadia Shishkina to help me and since then she has become my friend and has even gotten her daughter Olya to engage with me.  

Then, in 2014 and again in 2019 I traveled to Windermere England to play in live tournaments with players from the Blind Chess Association of Britain.  Wonderful experiences with warm and wonderful folks and players.

Now I am playing in an email tournament against players from the same association and I can tell you most fervently that I have enjoyed getting to know these great folks.  And a huge thank you to my on-again off-again coach, Mark Kirkham.

Chess is a way to do so many things: to socialize, to learn the game, and most importantly to be able to develop more patience. A better way to think and strategize and, above all, to have lots of fun!

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly sight-loss coach and accessibility advisor, wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as a sight-loss coach and author then I invite you now to visit
http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as a sight loss coach and 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 @author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/donnajodhan
and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Here we go again! Searching for the missing chess pawn

 This is probably one of the more tedious tasks or hunts for me. Whenever a chess piece falls, I need to use my native logic to help me locate it. This is so because whenever one of these falls, it falls on my carpet and rolls away.

And this is what happened some weeks ago when a chess pawn went missing.  I had to rack my brain to develop a road map.  I searched my desk but then quickly realized that the chess pawn had fallen onto my carpet.  So, off I went to find it.

I would say that thanks to previous experience it did not take me as long to find my chess pawn and this time I did not have to ask my neighbour Sandra to help me hunt for it.  Indeed, the chess pawn had fallen and had rolled a little way ahead.   It was nicely nestled among the computer chords under my desk.

As a person with a vision impairment I must be more careful to ensure that I do not lose my chess pieces or any other tiny object.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly sight-loss coach and accessibility advisor, wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as a sight-loss coach and author then I invite you now to visit
http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as a sight loss coach and 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 @author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
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A nice hobby:My continuing enjoyment of chess

I do not regret having decided to continue playing chess.  And I am extremely grateful to the Braille Chess association in Britain for welcoming me, and helping me to improve my game. A special thanks to Mark Kirkham, my coach.

I think that my game has improved a lot but there is always a lot of room for improvement.  Over the next few months I will be doubling my efforts to play more games via email and I may even look for games on the lichess website.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly sight-loss coach and advisor, wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as a sight-loss coach and author then I invite you now to visit http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as a sight-loss coach and 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 @author_jodhan

And like me on Facebook at

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Discovering new friendships: Enjoying my chess games with friends across the miles

This is probably one of the best ways that I have found to help me cope with Covid-19 and I can tell you that it is a fantastic way.

Ever since I attended my first chess break tournament at Windermere England in 2014, I have had the good fortune to stay in touch with and play against some super players and friends.

I'd like to thank Mark Kirkham for having stuck with me ever since we met last year, 2019. Mark has helped me to develop my game and to gain more confidence. He has helped me to toughen up my approach and find ways to stay longer in the game.

His puzzles have also helped me and I have also managed to stay in touch with Denis Warner. We are all vision-impaired chess players, simply having lots of fun and learning a lot.

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 http://www.donnajodhan.com

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

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Reconnecting with a lost passion: Revitalizing chess

For several years I had allowed my chess game to go by the wayside, but as of last year I decided to make a huge effort to revitalize it. I have done so by playing games via email with folks that I have made friends with in England. Thanks to Mark, Glen, and Irene, I am back on track and enjoying it all.

These three wonderful folks are also vision impaired. Mark is way above my level. Glen and Irene may be closer to me in level.

Playing chess enables me to develop patience, commitment, but most of all; learning how to better strategize on a daily basis and to take more time when making decisions.

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

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit http://www.donnajodhan.com

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 @author_jodhan

And like me on Facebook at

www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Putting a smile on my face: Playing chess via Skype

Over the past few months I have made a concerted effort to play chess on a more frequent basis. This has included playing chess with Mark Kirkham who lives in England.

I met Mark at the Windermere event at the end of January, 2019, and he was kind enough to play me some friendly games when I had to withdraw from the tournament due to illness.

Since then we have been playing via email and a few months ago we tried a Skype game but I have to admit that it was not one of my favourite experiences.

Mark is very patient and a great teacher and I do my best to keep up with him. However, I need to develop more patience and confidence in my chess skills. Just another hobby for me to work on.

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

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit http://www.donnajodhan.com

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 @author_jodhan

And like me on Facebook at

www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

A new adventure: Starting a chess club

This has always been one of my things to try and do and up until now I have not had much success in doing so. But, thanks to Rebecca and Uwe, it appears that this is now going to come to fruition.

I will admit that I am not sure how much time I’ll have to devote to it but I am going to do my best.  

Chess is a wonderful game and it is one where there is a level playing field for everyone. That is, when playing face to face games.  

There is always going to be an edge for the sighted chess player when playing games via email or even on Skype, but I believe that this is one of the closest level playing fields we would find.

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

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit http://www.donnajodhan.com

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.

And now my weekly podcast!

From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts! www.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html

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Fond memories: At the Windermere Manor

I was there in 2014 when Jackie and I spent a week there for a chess tournament. Returning this time was simply another memorable visit.

On this visit, Rebecca and I visited and my friend Jilla came along to be my escort.  Jilla drove me all the way from London and when we got there I was simply tuckered out.  Sunday evening was a good time to meet up with old friends: Peter and Celia and others. I had met Peter earlier in the afternoon and we had played a game together.

However, later on Sunday evening I became really sick and unfortunately this ruined a lot of my plans for the rest of the week.

It did not stop me, though, from meeting old acquaintances and playing some friendly games against Mark Kirkham, who has now become a chess friend.  His mom, Liz, was very good to me while I was sick and I sure appreciated this.  Jilla was very attentive, too, and Rebecca was always there watching over me.

The staff was great and helpful but the one thing that I was not too keen on was that there were so many stairs to navigate.  The meals were also quite delicious.

Windermere Manor has not really changed.  Still the same old welcoming place with a great ambiance.  Great grounds and birds to wake you up on mornings.

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

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit http://www.donnajodhan.com

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.

And now my weekly podcast!

From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts! www.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html

Subscribe to my monthly newsletter!

'Let's Talk Tips' is my monthly resource for the most current and reliable informational tips available in the areas of Technology, Nutrition, Media, Business, and Advocacy.  http://bit.ly/ADJSubscribe

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan

And like me on Facebook at

www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

In anticipation: Traveling to Britain

On January 25, 2019, I traveled to Britain to play chess at Windermere. It was the second time that I had done so; my first time was in 2014 when I traveled with my good friend, Jackie.  This time it was with Rebecca and her husband, Immanuel.

For some reason I never slept on my way over to Britain!  I was so very excited and so expectant because not only was I going to play chess with my fellow blind and vision-impaired friends, I was also going to meet family in Liverpool.  Some that I had never met and others that I had not seen in such a long time.  Most of all, I was going to meet my good friend, Jilla, who I had also not seen in years and she was going to be my escort for the visit.

Nothing disappointed me! Despite having been sick at the start of my trip, it did not dampen things for me. The flight was great with no major accessibility hiccups.

Jilla went way above the call of duty to be a better than perfect host, and her son Doug, girlfriend Rowen, and family friend Mo, were all so very great to me.  They reached out in so many ways to make me feel at home.  Even her dog, Khalua, was simply fantastic!

Ah, yes!  Such a rare opportunity to have once more visited Old England and to have appreciated so much. So many memories: great East Indian cuisine, and meeting old friends once more!  Simply being able to smell the air, listen to those wonderful British accents, and appreciate the service at Gatwick Airport, all helped to make my trip a memorable one.

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

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit http://www.donnajodhan.com

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.

And now my weekly podcast!

From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts! www.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html

Subscribe to my monthly newsletter!

'Let's Talk Tips' is my monthly resource for the most current and reliable informational tips available in the areas of Technology, Nutrition, Media, Business, and Advocacy.  http://bit.ly/ADJSubscribe

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan

And like me on Facebook at

www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Forever beautiful: England calling

Yes, it's England calling and not just London calling!  Not sure why but this beautiful country shall always have a special place in my heart!

I learned so much when I studied there as a teen.  I met many wonderful young ladies and experienced so much.

I learned to be more independent.  I learned how to fend for myself.  I learned how to cope and I learned that, indeed, I was a very privileged kid.

Not many kids at that age would have had the opportunities that I did and for this I shall be eternally grateful.  The thing is that I did not really realize this until many years later but it is never too late to discover.

I visited England in 2014 to play chess at Windermere and I am planning to go again in January of 2019.  Hold on, England!  I am coming to see you once more!

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

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit
www.donnajodhan.com.

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.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts!
www.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

A bit of a challenge: Searching for the missing chess piece

A few months ago my favorite technician came over to help me with some stuff but after he left I realized that one of my chess pieces had been knocked off the board but I did not hear it fall.  My office is carpeted so sometimes it is difficult to hear when anything falls.

So, off I went to hunt for it.  It was the white rook and if any of these chess pieces are lost then it is next to impossible to use the chess set for a game.

I used my logic to try and find my white rook. I was in luck!  Nestled there was my lost white rook.

This is the strategy that I often use: logic and a package of patience to go along with it all!

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
http://www.donnajodhan.com

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.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts!
www.takeanother5.com
And available for download from iTunes and Google music play

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

An experience to remember: At the chess club with Nadia's young students

In February of 2017, I visited my chess coach's class to talk to her young students and the topic was to be: I play chess as a blind person.

Nadia had been asking me to do this for a while and I finally got around to it.  I can tell you that I fully enjoyed my time with these smart and intuitive young ones.  Their questions were right on the money and they were very intuitive questions.

They wanted to know how I played chess; how did I go about identifying the pieces from each other.  Whether or not I used a special board, how did I identify pages in my book, and how did I know what the teacher was writing on the blackboard.  Were Braille page numbers different from print page numbers and did I like playing chess?

These questions were but just a few and as they ate their lunch their questions kept coming, fast and furious.  The youngest was about six years old and the oldest was about 12 years old.  Nadia did not have to encourage them to ask anything and everything.

At the end of it all, as I walked out of the school with Sue, I could not help but muse to myself as to whether one of these smart youngsters could one day become Prime Minister of Canada?

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
http://www.donnajodhan.com

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.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts!
www.takeanother5.com
And available for download from iTunes and Google music play

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

The green fields of England

Ah yes, and so many years ago when I had the pleasure and privilege to experience those wonderful green fields of England. At the end of January of 2014 I returned to England for a chess theme tournament but this time I was not lucky enough to reacquaint myself with those treasured green fields because it was winter time.

I still have vivid memories of the English green fields. A springtime day when I strolled through them, enjoying the fresh British air and listening to the kids laugh and play. The green grass at my feet, a thick carpet of nature. The sun streaming down on me and the birds singing in trees nearby. The flowers blooming, sending forth their fragrance and displaying their colorful petals.

Strolling in the English green fields on a day in the fall. When the grass was still green, the sun was high in the sky but not too warm, and there was a cool wind blowing across my body. Ah yes! The air was still very fresh then but there was a bite to the winds. The flowers were starting to fold their tents for the oncoming winter and the birds had already left for their warmer climes.

Finally, a rainy day in the fall as I walked with my school friends in the soggy grass. The sky was misty and the sun was taking a break for the day. No birds, no flowers, but just the gentle raindrops falling lazily down on us as we walked.

All of this is and shall forever be in my memory bank. In those days I had very limited vision but this did not prevent me from enjoying the green fields of England.

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

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/author.jodhan

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"If you either are or have been a victim of crime, violence, abuse, or bullying, and if you are simply tired of being bombarded with audios and scenes of the above, then I am asking for your support. I have written and recorded audio mysteries that are completely void of vivid descriptions of sex, crime, and violence because I firmly believe that it is time for us to use the spoken word to help influence our kids to start listening to content that is clean and healthy. By doing this we can all do our part to tackle crime in a positive and meaningful way and it only costs pennies per day.Visit my online store at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html.
I thank you and your kids will also thank you!"

Accessible computer games

One of my passions in life is accessible computer games. Yes, you now know and it has been one of my hobbies for many a day. This is why now and then I ask this question: can we look forward to more accessible computer games for the blind?

A lot has been done but there is much more that can be done and with the advent of the IPad and IPhone, accessible computer games are becoming more of a reality than a rarity. I know that there are some accessible computer games developers out there who are very committed to this, and hats off to them.

Accessible computer games can benefit so many, starting with blind and partially sighted persons and including those with dexterity and learning challenges and so many more. I play as often as I can which is not as often as I would like but I am going to leave you with some websites to check out.

Ian Humphreys has come out with the 18th free accessible game from Spoonbill Software. BG Codebreaker substitutes all the letters of the alphabet with numbers then invites you to decode words. You can browse all 18 game descriptions here:
www.spoonbillsoftware.com.au/blindgamers.htm
www.audiogames.net
gamesfortheblind.com
Accessible chess puzzles hosted by Mario Lang.
delysid.org/chess/epd.cgi
For tennis and bowling -
www.oneswitch.org.uk

I’m Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day and asking you to go out there and share my blogs with others.

Games for Me

One of the most frequently asked questions is this one:  What types of games do I like to play?

 

When I had enough sight, I used to play air hockey, some pickup basketball, some ice hockey, and the usual board games and accessible computer games.  Nowadays, I have limited my enjoyment to chess, and several accessible computer games.  What do I mean by accessible computer games?

 

Games on the computer with voice output.  In short, games that have a speaking facility that allows me to hear what is on the screen, hear what I type and enter, and feedback from my input.  

 

I am a definite games person.  I love things such as Battle Ship, Solitaire, word games, and of course chess.  I can no longer play air hockey but I am just dying for someone to develop an accessible air hockey game or something similar. 

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and inviting you to go out there and share my pleasure for games with others.  Visit www.aph.org to learn more about how blind persons play games. 

Board Games

Believe it or not, there are several board games out there that can be used by blind persons.  Monopoly, Scrabble, cribbage, just to name a few.  I myself am not a board game lover but for the little that I have played, they have been enjoyable.

 

Many years ago I invented a board game that was based on the economy; all about various countries using their resources and money to become the richest.  I have several friends who enjoy board games; and sighted persons can play along as well.  I hope that companies continue to make board games accessible to blind persons.  I have played Othello, and now I am a passionate play of Chess.  I have also played some checkers as well.

 

Board games are enjoyable to anyone at the best of times and it's a really nice ay for friends to come together.  I sure hope that some day they will be able to adapt Trivia Pursuit for blind persons; that is if they have not already done it.  If you are seeking to buy a board game for a blind friend or family member than you can visit www.maxiaids.com. 

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and encouraging you to go out there and tell the world about how blind persons can play board games.

Why I Turned to Chess

Up until about six years ago, chess had just been a dream of mine; that is, all I wanted to do was just learn to play.  I had bought a slim Braille booklet on the basics and rudiments of chess back in the early 90s along with an adaptable chessboard but truth be told, I never really paid much attention to it until I lost most of my vision about six years ago.

 

Before turning to chess, I was very much of an outdoors sports person.  I was heavily involved with such things as ice skating, swimming, and skiing but upon losing my vision, I became very nervous about navigating outdoors and I had to really push myself to keep up with my ice skating.  However, I persevered and I am glad that I did but something was missing.  Something I wanted to add to my repertoire of hobbies to compensate for my vision loss.

 

I was born with very little vision but when I was a teen I received a cornea transplant that enabled me to gain a fair amount of sight but I was still considered to be legally blind.  With my new found sight I took the opportunity to explore and learn much and this included exploring possibilities to learn board games.  After buying my adapted chessboard I spent a wee bit of time with it but it was not until 2002 just before losing my vision that I really decided to get serious about entering the world of chess.  In that year I happened to meet a wonderful lady named Nadia Shishkina, a Russian lady, and a chess teacher.

 

It did not take much for Nadia to encourage me to start learning and just before losing my vision I managed to learn enough from her to get started with the basics.  I stayed in touch with Nadia and upon losing my vision it was she who encouraged me to get serious about my chess.  It took about three years after losing my vision for me to really get going and when I did I did not stop.  My first stop along the way was in Ottawa Canada with my friend Ray Barfitt.  He patiently started to coach me and mentor me and he encouraged me to buy some Braille chess books from the RNIB in order to improve my skills.

 

I also took the plunge to expand my circle of chess friends at a local chess club but this did not work very well for me as I ran into some chess instructors who felt that I should be playing with blind players instead of sighted ones.  Nadia and Ray continued to push me to keep on going and last year I took one big step forward when I signed up for the Hadley School's chess program.  This all came about when an acquaintance put me in touch with Alan Dicey, a truly wonderful man and a true motivator.  I completed the Hadley program in September and since then I have been playing in the Swiss division tournament as well as with others on the USBCA list.

 

Chess has opened up many doors for me.  I have and continue to make many new friends.  I am using chess to help me cultivate more patience, become more disciplined in my job as well as in my personal life, and most of all I am using it to help others.  I hope that I can find opportunities to travel to other countries in order to promote chess among blind persons.

 

I'd like to thank Nadia, Ray, and Alan for having been a part of my chess adventures and I look forward to meeting many others like them.

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out there and share my blogs with the rest of the world.  Visit www.hadley.edu to learn more.

Can Blind People Play Chess?

The playing of chess has become a favorite passion and pastime of many blind persons around the world. For me, it has helped to deal with my loss of vision. Three years ago, I started to learn how to play chess and quickly realized that if I really wanted to learn the game properly, I would have to be taught by those who really knew how to teach blind persons.

When I first started, I was fortunate enough to receive coaching from a wonderful Russian teacher who had taught chess to blind persons in her native Russia, but when I tried to join various mainstream clubs in my area and to have mainstream teachers teach me, it turned into experiences of great frustration and disappointment. Then I learned about the Hadley School for the Blind, an institution that offers courses at no charge to Americans and Canadians.

The courses range from high school courses in math, history, geography, law, and foreign languages, to so many other types of courses, including chess. I took the chess course and today am delighted to report that I am playing against other blind players around the world. I am making friends all the time and recently came across a young man who lost his sight due to an injury that he sustained while in the U.S. Army. I am presently engaged in a tournament that puts a North American team against a team from South Africa.

So how do I play chess? With a board that consists of squares that are raised and sunken to represent the difference between black and white squares. The white chess pieces have been made distinguishable from the black pieces through extra dots on their tops. Chess sets are readily available for purchase, but if you would like to learn more about how blind and visually impaired persons go about playing chess then please visit www.hadley.edu.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your accessibility and special-needs business consultant wishing you a terrific day and inviting you to go out there and tell others that, yes!, blind and visually-impaired persons can and do play chess and they can even play against sighted players.

Then and Now

I am not really sure why Easter time affects me like this but I usually call it my time for remembering and thanking. This is the time of year when I go back in time and remember what I had, and then thank God for what I have. What am I referring to?

Up until five years ago I had enough vision to do so much on my own, but a wicked turn of events conspired against me. In the matter of just a few months it was all taken away from me. Today I sit here with precious little sight but am extremely grateful that I still have enough to see the light of day.

My life has changed drastically over the past five years, and I have had to make so many adjustments in order to remain independent. But that's okay. What keeps me going are those wonderful memories that I captured while my vision was good enough. I consider myself to be extremely lucky because there are not many persons who can obtain new vision after being born with precious little. I am one of the few, and I shall share some of my precious moments with you.

In my hay day as I like to refer to it, I was able to read and write with the aid of special magnifying glasses. I used to play air hockey, ice skate on my own, jog along the sidewalk, and enjoy the wonders of nature. I was able to watch the sun come up over tall buildings and set below the line of the horizon. I could see the trees bending and bowing, the flowers swaying gently in the wind, and squirrels scrambling over snow banks. I could watch my favorite hockey team on TV flying up the ice in their red jerseys. I was able to see the blue skies with puffy white clouds chasing each other. I could see the fat white snowflakes falling gently to the ground, the thick green grass, and kids playing innocently in the park. I was able to admire the gorgeous orange plumage of my beloved Scottie Bird, my canary, and see the faces of my family.

One of my favorite memories is that of the silver Air Canada Jet floating lazily over a jade green Caribbean sea with the sun streaming down from above. Another is that of a beach with white-capped breakers rolling gently towards golden sand and pleasure boats laden with merrymakers. Yes, those were good times! I miss them, but it's not the end of the world. I can go on for pages, but I think that by now you are getting the picture. My world today is very different.

Now I have to depend on my senses of smell and touch to help me along. I use my memories to help me picture such things as layouts of stores and restaurants. I use my memory to picture what others may look like. I can find my way around familiar territory based on my memory of what it looks like. I may not be able to play air hockey anymore, but I have taken up chess as a substitute. I still ice skate but now I have to depend on someone else to guide me. I still enjoy movies but now I have to listen more attentively to what's going on. I use my sense of smell and touch to tell me if food is either going bad or if a fruit is rotting. Before now I was able to use my sight to do this.

You see, my world has changed but I am still here -- alive and well to tell the story. My message to you is this: There is always a silver lining in those thick dark clouds. If something is taken way from you, then it is always possible to find a substitute. Be thankful for what you had and what you have.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your accessibility and special-needs business consultant wishing you a terrific day and urging you to enjoy life no matter what.