Great things about being blind. the people you meet.

It is a miserable rainy day outside but I had a wonderful day inside.
I spent the day with some families who have young children who are blind and some very dedicated and enthusiastic staff who work with people who are blind.
I told stories and talked about advocacy.
If I wasn't blind, I wouldn't have been asked to do this and wouldn't have been there to do it.
Also, I continue to see anew the value of storytelling as entertainment, as a powerful art form, and to help educate others about what it is like to be blind.
I'm so glad I'm an artist with a disability.
Gives me great blogging opportunities too.
Thanks to all who were there for this wonderful day.

Kim Kilpatrick
Storyteller
Performer
Disability Awareness Presenter
kimjkilpatrick@gmail.com
Masc Artist in the schools and with seniors
www.masconline.ca
Member of the Ottawa Storyteleers gig group
www.ottawastorytellers.ca
Blog about great things about being blind
http://kimgia3.blogspot.com
Look for me on facebook at kimjkilpatrick@gmail.com
Follow me on twitter at kimtulia4
Sent from my iPod

Great things about being blind. Opening the eyes of the sighted!

I fascinated someone today.  I think I really caused her to see people who are blind in a new way.  I'm not bragging.  And I didn't do anything out of the ordinary.  Since I work from home, I will often go out for a walk with Tulia and then end up in a coffee shop or something to do some work.  Gives me a change of scene, a destination for Tulia to find, and let's me still do my work.
I'm right now trying to learn some material for a show we have coming up on May 27 at a local museum Billings estate.
come if you can and if you live in Ottawa.
It will be a fun, light show in which I recite the poems of one of Canada's worst ever poets "The chaucer of cheese"
Anyway, I had my braille note taker with me to read and practice my script.
Tulia and I walked to the door and she found the handle so I could open the door.
A woman said, "Oh I'll help you find the door."
but Tulia had already done it.
In we went,  She said,  "I'll help you find the line."
Tulia had already done it.
Then I ordered and asked if they would carry coffee to a table for me.
They agreed.
I said, "Tulia find a chair."
At the same time, the woman said, "I'll help you find a chair."
But, you guessed it, Tulia already had done that too.
I sat down, took out my braille notetaker, and started reading and working on the script.
After a few minutes, the woman came over and asked what that machine was.
I explained.
She seemed awestruck.
"You don't need any help with anything do you?"
There was amazement in her voice.
She wasn't being condescending or sarcastic or even upset that I didn't take her help.
She was truly amazed it seemed.
In a good way.
Now, I do need help with things.
We all do.
but today, I was just doing what was normal for me.
And I blew her away and taught her something just by being out there in the world and functioning.
And of course I had the smartest and cutest guide dog ever showing off.
I'm glad she learned that people who are blind are just people out there doing what we do.
And I happen to be blind.

Great things about being blind. Tag on the golf course.

Yesterday, I overheard a little bit of conversation about golf.  I know there are blind golfers and they are very good.  I haven't done much of it but I was not at all good.  One time, I went to a driving range and got a bucket of balls.  I ad the same ball on my tee for about 20 minutes.  I would think, "this time, I will hit it far."  and I would miss altogether or hit it about six inches or something.
It was the funniest thing.
I ended up lying on the ground laughing my head off over the whole experience.
But, I digress.  One great thing about being blind as a kid was that our cottage was on the edge of a golf course.  That golf course provided us a place to play tag.  And, to make things fair and equal for me, we played tag there at night.
Wide open spaces.  Nothing to fall over.  It was dark so the sighted kids weren't at a huge advantage.  We loved it.
The feel of that short grass under my feet.
The running.  The tag.
Our black lab charging around up there with us.
It is a great childhood memory for sure.
So when people talk of golf, I think of that.
And also how we used to crawl around in the ditches finding golf balls and then selling them to my dad to use when he played.
Golf may be fun but there is nothing like a golf course at night for tag.

Great things about being blind. Not looking at the scenery.

We are finally having spring like weather here. I was out yesterday running errands, going for a walk, and polishing stories for a performance I gave at a local cafe last night. If you are in ottawa some time, go to the tea party cafe 119 York Street. They have hundreds of kinds of tea, lots of good food too, and they are wonderful people. I was thinking how beautiful it was outside. Sun shining, birds singing, nice and warm. I was waiting at a corner to cross and just thinking about the beautiful day. Two women were standing waiting to cross. One said, "Isn't it disgusting all of the garbage on the sidewalks and the grass is still brown. I hate this time of year." That surprised me. I thought it was a beautiful day. Guess it was good that I couldn't see it.

Great things about being blind. The guide dog who does those little things that touch my heart.

Yesterday, I had my follow up visit as I mentioned in this blog yesterday. It went very well. One reason that I love these visits is that I get to learn about things my guides do that touch my heart. People talk about guide dogs and are amazed at the big picture. But, what touches my heart so much is learning about the little things hey do in their work that I never even know about at the time. The things they do to keep me safe not on a large scale but on a small scale. For example, as we walked down the sidewalk Tulia swerved left and then right just a little. The guide dog instructor told me that she had swerved so that a person's large back pack would not hit me in the face. Once, he told me that Gia had swerved to avoid an umbrella that was being raised in front of us. Tulia stops for broken sidewalk or uneven surfaces. Or, she slows down. She had to zig zag around some people sitting on the sidewalk. She had to weave through some newspaper boxes and poles I didn't even know were there. And she does it with grace and a sense of adventure and does it like a pro. I feel sad sometimes that I don't know always to praise for the miraculous small things my guides do that I never know they did. But, they keep working for me so I must be doing something right?

Great things about being blind. Testing the guide dogs?

Today I will have a follow up visit from my guide dog school. Some guide dog schools do this while others do not. We have a yearly follow up visit where we can go for a walk, work on any issues or difficult routes we have. As the dogs get older, the field representative can watch and let you know if anything might be unsafe in their work. I have a wonderful field rep and really like follow up visits. The dogs seem to know they're being observed. You know how when you have an exam and you ace it? You get all excited. That's what they do. Show off. Sometimes, I will tell my field rep that my dog needs work on something. One time with my first guide, I said she wasn't going right up to the edges of down curbs. We worked on this. We walked for blocks and blocks and she never did it once. I kept assuring him that she did it a lot. but, she worked flawlessly and never did until the very last curb near my house. Often, after the walk, they come in the house and run around and get all excited. "See how brilliant I am?" I don't have any big issues with Tulia but I have a few bus stop poles and crossing poles I want to find, so we may work on that.

Great things about being blind. A great mom!

This is Mother's day.

My wonderful mom is not technologically adventurous.  She does not go on the internet, do e-mail, or facebook.

Nevertheless, this posting is for her.

My mom has always loved me and treated me with respect and as if I were an intelligent person who happens to be blind.

I am forever grateful for that.

When I was trying to learn to tie my shoes or zip up a zipper, she would let me struggle until I got it for myself.

Mind you, I was so stubborn that I wouldn't let others do those things for me and would insist on doing it for myself.

She says that sometimes she had to leave the room so she didn't watch me struggle, but she did that.

My mom is a great shopper and has an eye for colours and helps me out with matching clothes which is important.

She learned braille when I was learning it so she could write me notes and put them on the fridge or in my lunch bag or label gifts at christmas and birthdays.

She has dog-sat all of my guides at various times.  Not Tulia yet.

She read to me countless books.

Thanks mom for all you do!