The tones of bells

It is one of my favorite sounds, the tones of bells, and in so many ways I associate a tone with either a memory or incident.

To me there are sad tones, happy ones, exciting ones, and ones that sometimes invoke some trepidation in me. I have always enjoyed hearing the sound of bells: at Christmas time, and at weddings. I also associate them with times of sadness at funeral time.

O how I love the sound of bells as I approach the Church for Christmas Mass. The sound of bells wafting across the snow is so peaceful. The chiming of church bells on a quiet evening is so enjoyable to me. I know that many others enjoy these things but as a blind person I may probably pay more attention to the tones of bells.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day. Come visit me at www.sterlingcreations.ca and go out there and tell others how much I enjoy listening to the toning of bells.

What makes food attractive

I can only speak for myself and I’ll tell you what makes it all attractive to me as a blind person.

First, smell! I love the good smell of food: chicken, pork, or beef baking in the oven. The smell of cake and cookies. The smell of a good stew on the way, eggs frying, coffee brewing, or the healthy smell of a grill or barbecue.

I am also attracted to salads, but in this case, as I am unable to smell the presence of a salad, I depend on others to tell me what the salad is made up of. Most foods have a smell of their own and whenever I visit a buffet table I use my sense of smell to help me determine what to choose. Most sighted people also use their sense of sight to help determine whether or not they are attracted to various foods but for me this is no longer an option.

Of course, the smell of certain foods helps to remind me of specific occasions. The smell of cookies baking in the oven reminds me of Christmas time and Granny at work in the kitchen. Meat baking in the oven reminds me of my mom cooking up a storm as she prepares the Sunday meal, and the smell of stews simmering away on the stove reminds me of a cool day in the fall. The smell of grilling and barbecuing all remind me of a summer’s day seated outside on my balcony.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day and encouraging you to go out there and learn more about how blind persons enjoy cooking and eating through their sense of smell. Visit www.nfb.orgwww.nfb.org to learn more.

Remembering fireworks

A few months ago I decided to take a short walk down memory lane. I was reminiscing on the night of July 1 as I lay in bed listening to the noise and crackle of fireworks going on around me to celebrate Canada Day.

Now that I am no longer able to see the colorful displays, I dip into my memory bank to help me remember and boy do I remember! So many memorable occasions: New Years, July 1 Canada Days, and on and on! The huge bursts of shooting lights of all colors and shapes and my friends and me cheering. The same for my family clapping happily along.

I remember how Dad used to stand beside me on our balcony as we watched the fireworks on Independence Day evenings. He would describe the fireworks to me and I would follow along. Then, on a special Canada Day evening in Montreal, my best friend Char along with other friends went with me to see the fireworks display in Montreal West. There were other memorable occasions as well; so many to remember and cherish forever.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and encouraging you to go out there and tell others about my memories.
Come visit me at www.sterlingcreations.ca.

Finding each other

Try finding a blind person when you yourself are blind and you are in for some fun and great learning experiences.

First of all, we cannot see each other. We cannot see each other approaching, nor can we spot each other in a crowd or in a room, mall, store, or anywhere else for that matter. We can easily walk by each other without even knowing it or sit next to each other without even knowing it unless we speak to each other.

We cannot wave to each other. We cannot smile at each other and we cannot make eye contact with each other. So how do we find each other? By making sure that we are at the same place at the same time. By calling out for each other and by ensuring that we get our signals straight.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a great day and inviting you to go out there and tell others about my blogs. Visit www.nfb.org to learn more.

When someone does not respond

One of the biggest challenges for me is when someone does not respond during a conversation with me. I have no idea as to whether they are listening, what body language they are using, their facial expressions, or gestures.

It makes me very uncomfortable when someone does not respond because now I have to use my sense of hearing and intuition to help me out. I cannot hear or see when someone shakes or nods their head. I cannot hear or see when they smile or frown, nor can I hear their gestures. So, please remember to respond when talking to a blind person!

I’m Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out there and share my words with others.
Visit www.acb.org to learn more.

Why I prefer shopping in person

To me, it is better for me to do my shopping in person rather than ask someone else to do it for me. The explanation is very simple for me. If I do it in person then I get the opportunity to choose exactly what I want and then if I am unable to find it, that is, if my assistant at the supermarket or store is unable to find it for me, then I can easily ask them to help me choose something else.

Some volunteers prefer to ask for my list and go off and do my shopping for me but almost all of the time I politely say no because what if they are unable to find what I need? Then what? Best for me to do it all in person.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and inviting you to go out there and share my blogs with others.
Visit www.nfb.org to learn more.

Why I accomodate

When it comes to determining how I choose to decide, my first rule of thumb is to accommodate. I am living in a predominantly sighted world and my challenge is to accommodate as much as I can. That is, without giving up my rights to certain basic things. Things such as: My right to privacy and confidentiality, my right to access to information, and my right to have my voice heard.

I am always prepared to accommodate the shortcomings of others. I am always ready to accommodate those persons who are challenged when dealing with a blind person for the first time and I am always willing to accommodate those who are either hesitant to or do not exactly know how to deal with a blind person.

It is all a matter of us teaching each other and learning from each other. It is all a matter of sharing, experiencing, and accommodating. It is all a matter of helping each other to accommodate and understand.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day and inviting you to go out there and tell others. Visit www.sterlingcreations.ca to learn more about me.