Great things about being blind. Flying on planes

This is the start of a series of postings about air travel. One great thing about being blind is that you sometimes learn amazing things and get to tell others what things seem like to you. For example, for many many years well into my teens, I thought that when you fly on a plane, it takes off, nose first up into the air (which it does of course) but that when the pilot landed the plane, it touched down back wheels first. I thought how amazing that was that the pilot could do that. I thought this because when you land, if your eyes are closed, you feel like you're moving backwards. Try it some time and see if I am right. When I happened to mention this on a flight one time and was told what really happens, that was amazing too. Stay tuned tomorrow for the pilot and guide dog tale.

Great things about being blind seeing the moon

One great thing about being blind is looking at things and thinking they are awesome. Sometimes they aren't what you think they are. I've been practically totally blind since birth. I can however see light in one eye. One time when I was quite young, I was sitting on the steps in our back yard. I saw a nice bright light. It was night time so I presumed it was the moon. How wonderful! I was gazing at the moon. Just like people in novels did or the people in folk tales. I gazed and gazed and felt very awestruck and superior. My dad came out to ask what I was doing. I informed him that I was gazing at the beautiful full moon. He asked me to point to it and when I did, he informed me that I was actually gazing at a streetlight. Nevertheless, the moonstruck feeling was there! And the feeling was amazing!

Great things about being blind

One great thing about being totally blind is that you can focus on conversations without being distracted by appearances or things going on around you.

One time I was having a perfectly lovely conversation with an alzheimer's resident at a nursing home where I worked.

I was outraged when nurses took him away in the midst of the conversation.

When I complained, I was amazed to learn that they had taken him away because he was totally naked.

 

 

Kim Kilpatrick

kimjkilpatrick@gmail.com

Storyteller, Presenter, Performer

Check out my web site and blog at

http://www.samobile.net/users/kimk/

I am proud to be a MASC artist.

Check out MASC and my profile at

http://www.masconline.ca

New blog about amazing things about being blind

http://kimgia3.blogspot.com

 

 

Great things about being blind: being awakened by the noisy snow plough

Last night I was awakened in the middle of the night by a snow plough that was cleaning our parking lot but sounded like it was right by my head. And it went on for ages. I decided to think about a good thing about that for today's blog. Okay. One great thing about being totally blind is that when you are wide awake in the middle of the night you can:
read braille without disturbing others
Listen to audio books without disturbing others
Get up and play the piano keyboard with headphones on without turning on lights and disturbing others
Use the computer with headphones on and no lights
I pondered this blog and listened to my audio book.
I listened to the dogs sleeping peacefully and did go back to sleep.

Great things about being blind. Experiencing the snow

One great thing about being totally blind is the way I experience snow. Sure it can be a nasty thing too especially when you have to climb over mount everest's in your path and when your guide dog chooses to take the little path through the bank and waits for you to clamber over wondering why you don't just follow her through the hole in the bank. But I digress. Snow can also be tricky as it covers landmarks that you find underfoot or along your path. But, there are great things about snow too when you're blind. You don't care if snow distorts your vision. You don't have to drive in it. But also, there is the way it feels. This morning it was snowing when I took my dogs out. Little tiny prickly flakes. When I touched Tulia's back they felt like dust or sand on her fur. They fell with a tick tick tick sound on my hood. They squeaked underfoot. Those big big flakes when they fall, they feel like something gently touching your skin. Maybe like a butterfly would feel. And they feel big and fluffy on the dog's coat. And when you walk in them, it is maybe like walking through whipped cream. Huge mounds of it as it slides away as you kick it with your boots.
Enjoy the snow everyone.

listening to conversations

One great thing about being totally blind is listening to dialogue and conversations. It used to confuse me when I was little and would be sitting in a restaurant with my family. As they would people watach, I would "people listen" The sound of a voice. The accent The tone of voice. A laugh. the way they spoke. Then, I would comment on conversations I heard. I was always told that it was rude to eavesdrop on other people's conversations. I never understood why. After all, it was just like them watching people wasn't it? Now, as a storyteller, these conversations I hear, give me fodder for stories. they make me better at composing and using dialogue. They assist me all of the time. The funniest conversation I ever overheard took place several years ago on a city bus. Two women got on and sat beside me. They proceeded to gossip for the whole ride and it must have been at least twenty minutes. "Have you seen Betty (don't remember names actually)?" "Oh yes but hasn't she gotten fat." "Have you seen Mary?" "Oh isn't it terrible. She's having an affair don't you know?" Then, luckily the best part took place just as my stop arrived. "Do you ever talk to Elizabeth?" "Oh no I never talk to her. She gossips too much." I was so glad to get off so I could laugh in peace. Takes one to know one right? Maybe totally blind people would make excellent spies. Smile!

Awesome things about being blind

My new year's resolution for 2011 is to post each day one amazing thing about being totally blind. I've been posting them on facebook but I will update here.
Jan 1. One of the most awesome things about being totally blind is that you can have an amazing looking, beautifully behaved, intelligent dog with you at all times and in all locations.
In fact, when my dog isn't with me, I find myself talking to my cane or nothing as if she is there. They are real ice breakers. Nine times out of ten, the first thing said to me is what a beautiful dog I have.
January 2, One awesome thing about being totally blind and a braille reader is that you can read in all vehicles, in all light conditions or lack of them and you don't feel sick. The only thing that might inhibit the braille reading is if your hands become too cold.
January 3, One amazing thing about being totally blind is that when it is very cold, you can pull your hat down over your face, your scarf up and cover it completely. Unlike those sighted folks traveling the world, you don't need to see and can stay warmer.
January 4, while in classes or in a boring meeting at work or seminar, you can braille things unrleated to class or work and no one will ever know.
January 5, You can leave the lights off and save electricity. This means that you are environmentally conscious and since I don't drive either I am still more environmentally conscious. One time I forgot to turn the lights on and called my guide dog down the stairs. She didn't come at first and then ambled down very slowly. I thought she had hurt her legs until I remembered the lights. When I turned them on, she bounded down the stairs. Stay tuned each day for another amazing blindness thing.