Mom and I with our new coffee machine

A few months ago Mom and I went shopping for a coffee machine and we decided beforehand that we would each purchase our own. It was quite a new experience for me because it was the first time that I was getting to actually hold one of these things in my hands.

Mom was very good as she described each machine to me and then let me hold it in my hands. We looked at several different makes and sizes and asked several questions of the salesman. I had to depend on my intuition, description from Mom, info from the salesman, and finally it was up to me to make up my mind.

This time, unlike previous times, color of machine did not much matter to me. It all came down to how it felt to me and at the end of the day I was quite happy with my choice.

It did not end there, however. When we returned home Mom had to show me how to use my new coffee machine and it was really not that difficult. I learned how to measure the coffee and water and then let the machine do the rest.

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

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan
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This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"Each time we raise our voice at someone else we are engaging in bullying! Each time we raise our hands to slap or punch someone else we are also engaging in bullying and each time we engage in actions to either manipulate or force someone else to do what we want we are also engaging in bullying!

There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heroes and role models are the ones who have made us proud, those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!

Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!
If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"

Unable to hear as I cross the street

Yes, this is indeed a very common problem for me. Especially so when there is either a lot of noise around me or whenever the wind is blowing hard and loud across my path. It can also happen whenever I am out in a heavy rainfall.

This is why I have to concentrate extra hard whenever I am crossing the street and this is not really a problem or challenge that is only for a blind or partially sighted person. I am very sure that sighted persons are also opened to this type of challenge, as well, but what I can tell you is this. This type of challenge is even greater when you are totally blind.

When I had functional vision, I could depend on visual cues to help me cross safely, but now that I have no more functional vision, those visual cues are no longer available to me. This is why I have to concentrate and focus more deeply and carefully.

Accordingly, I do not walk and talk on my iPhone at the same time. I do not listen to music as I walk along, and I certainly do not do anything else as I cross the street.

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/authordonnajodhan
Visit our online store to either purchase or subscribe for unlimited access to our library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html
Or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter at www.donnajodhan.com.

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"Each time we raise our voice at someone else we are engaging in bullying! Each time we raise our hands to slap or punch someone else we are also engaging in bullying and each time we engage in actions to either manipulate or force someone else to do what we want we are also engaging in bullying!

There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heroes and role models are the ones who have made us proud, those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!

Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!
If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"

Reformatting after a renovation

This should not come as a surprise to most of us. There is always going to be something for us to deal with, making sure that everything has been returned to its former spot or place. We cannot expect to have everything as it was before the renovation and here is where my memory has to come into play.

For whereas a sighted person can bring back mental images of how it was before the renovation, I have to do this as well and a bit more. I lost my functional vision before my renovation but after all was said and done, I had to use my memory to help me reformat.

I have had to reformat everything in my mind and re-image how things look around my condo. Many things are back in their previous place but for those things that have been either moved or shifted around, here is where the reformatting has to take place. In addition, my mom has redecorated and reorganized a few things and now my condo looks a bit different. All in a day's work!

Pictures have been rearranged on the walls. Dolls in my doll cabinet have been rearranged and my family room has been changed a wee bit. The ceiling in my kitchen looks quite different now but all is okay at the end of the day.

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/authordonnajodhan
Visit our online store to either purchase or subscribe for unlimited access to our library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html
Or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter at www.donnajodhan.com.

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"Each time we raise our voice at someone else we are engaging in bullying! Each time we raise our hands to slap or punch someone else we are also engaging in bullying and each time we engage in actions to either manipulate or force someone else to do what we want we are also engaging in bullying!

There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heros and role models are the ones who have made us proud, those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!

Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!
If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"

The challenges of accessing wireless at hotels

As a regular traveler I can honestly tell you that in the general scheme of things, when it comes to how staff at the reception desk deals with me as a blind person whenever I ask for access to their network, it is indeed a mixed bag.

It is generally assumed that whenever one stays as a guest at most hotels these days here in North America, wireless access is a given. All well and good but when you throw in the variable of a blind person who needs access, for some odd reason everything seems to become a wee bit confusing. Then you add the variable of staff not quite knowing how to give you that access because their first language is not English and bingo! Time to unpack your patience.

This is what happened to me a few months ago when I stayed at a hotel here in Toronto. First there was the language barrier. Then came the staff at the reception desk who got all turned around because my iPhone was speaking! After much explanation she finally got it. It was amazing to see how confused she became when she heard the voice and then I had to really egg her on to help me.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan enjoying my travels.
On your next trip you could enrich your downtime with some of my audio mysteries.Take them with you wherever you go!
In the car, on the plane, on the bus or train, at the beach, anywhere!
Affordable, portable, (computer or i device) and you could either purchase or Subscribe for unlimited access to my library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.

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/authordonnajodhan
Visit our online store to either purchase or subscribe for unlimited access to our library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html
Or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter at www.donnajodhan.com.

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"Each time we raise our voice at someone else we are engaging in bullying! Each time we raise our hands to slap or punch someone else we are also engaging in bullying and each time we engage in actions to either manipulate or force someone else to do what we want we are also engaging in bullying!

There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heroes and role models are the ones who have made us proud, those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!

Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!
If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"

Walking on new carpets

Yes, it sure feels great to walk on new carpets, but there is a challenge for me as a blind person. It throws off my ability to know where the landmarks in my condo are. Walking on new carpets often throws off my navigation so much that I end up in a spot that I did not want to be.

It's funny how the feel of a carpet enables me to find things. Call it familiarity, it is like having sure ground underfoot and using it to find where you want to go. Change this by bringing in new carpets and then everything is a bit confused for a while until I reacquaint myself with everything.

When I did my renovations a few months ago we put down new carpets and this is what happened to me and sometimes it still does after all of this time. I just need to get used to it and I am sure that soon enough the feel underfoot will once again become familiar.

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/authordonnajodhan
Visit our online store to either purchase or subscribe for unlimited access to our library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html
Or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter at www.donnajodhan.com.

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"Each time we raise our voice at someone else we are engaging in bullying! Each time we raise our hands to slap or punch someone else we are also engaging in bullying and each time we engage in actions to either manipulate or force someone else to do what we want we are also engaging in bullying!

There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heroes and role models are the ones who have made us proud, those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!

Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!
If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"

Getting ready for a renovation

This is probably one of the most challenging things for me to deal with now that my vision is almost gone. At the best of times it is difficult for anyone but when you are blind and vision is not available then I have to muster up all of my energy and mental faculties to help me.

In short, I have to be on the ball and I have to be super organized. I have to label my boxes in Braille. I have to place my boxes and furniture in such a way that I would be able to find them at a moment's notice. Everything has to be in ship shape order so that I do not get confused and disoriented when time comes for me to put back everything. Thank God that Mom was with me last November 2013 when I had to move and put back everything.

Mom seemed to understand my dilemma and she was right there beside me to help. What would I do without her? Thank you, Mom!

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/authordonnajodhan
Visit our online store to either purchase or subscribe for unlimited access to our library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html
Or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter at www.donnajodhan.com.

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"Each time we raise our voice at someone else we are engaging in bullying! Each time we raise our hands to slap or punch someone else we are also engaging in bullying and each time we engage in actions to either manipulate or force someone else to do what we want we are also engaging in bullying!

There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heros and role models are the ones who have made us proud, those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!

Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!
If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"

Re-imaging my doll cabinet

Last November 2013, after I had concluded some painting and re-carpeting to my condo, it became necessary for me to rearrange my doll cabinet and thanks to Mom it was done very quickly and efficiently. All well and good but here is the thing: I have to re-image my doll cabinet, and why? Because my dolls have now been rearranged and I have to go in and learn where Mom has put each of them.

Not a problem for me, it just means that I have to learn where they are and then form a mental picture in my mind. I am very sure that the previous mental picture which I drew when I had functional vision now has to be re-drawn and I will be using my sense of touch to draw it. What this means is this: I need to erase the previous mental picture of my doll cabinet and replace it with a new one.

It could be looked at like this: A previous memory is now gone forever and will be replaced with a new one.

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/authordonnajodhan
Visit our online store to either purchase or subscribe for unlimited access to our library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html
Or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter at www.donnajodhan.com.

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"Each time we raise our voice at someone else we are engaging in bullying! Each time we raise our hands to slap or punch someone else we are also engaging in bullying and each time we engage in actions to either manipulate or force someone else to do what we want we are also engaging in bullying!

There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heroes and role models are the ones who have made us proud, those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!

Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!
If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"