I would add to what Ralph has said that sometimes the best way to figure out a blind way of doing something is to understand the usual way sighted people do it, not because they are sighted but because understanding what is required permits one to improvise.
I learned how to sweat copper pipe from the clerk in a hardware store. He didn't actually teach me but he described thoroughly how it is done. The man didn't have a grade 8 education but he also didn't have the presumption that I shouldn't be told. Now here is the thing as I perceive it; I cannot observe many things being done, television programming frequently is insufficiently narrated, the few books I have looked into depend on photographs and drawings partly because it is clear but I suspect partly because the authors lack clarity of intellect and/or language to be able to logically and sequentially write out the description. I am often struck by the information not present when reading a catalogue or browsing the Web for goods and services and usually frustrated by the trivia and tripe the descriptions contain. I have to believe that it is because the image provides the information lacking in the text. Well of course I actually know that is not true the objective is to shift cash from my possession to that of the vendor which most seem to think is more easily done on an emotional level than a factual and intellectual level but I digress. Some times it is just better to understand the process then work out how to achieve it without sight. Perhaps Tom will remember us working through the sweating of copper pipe with the Educational Assistant and young high school lad a couple of years ago. She did not know the process so that is where we started then how I achieve it. Doubtless she had to improvise further to teach him how to achieve it and she did. There is, in my opinion, some merit in description of how things are done if for no other reason than to help grasp the concepts that sighted people can acquire by observation. Another example that comes up in my life fairly often is having a sighted person tell me how to get somewhere. They don't describe the route the way I would describe it to another blind person, much of what they use for guidance has no meaning for me at all and they never or rarely have much sense of what might be meaningful in way finding for me but, with their input I am often armed with a good starting point to find my way in my way. That reminds me, I should drop that lady a note to see how things are getting along, she must be an exceptional woman. Dale Leavens, Cochrane Ontario Canada [EMAIL PROTECTED] Skype DaleLeavens Come and meet Aurora, Nakita and Nanook at our polar bear habitat. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ralph Supernaw" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2006 1:16 PM Subject: RE: [BlindHandyMan] blind techniques >I agree that what makes this list especially useful are the tips and > explanations for how to do things the blind way. I can see some value in > the information that does not pertain specifically to blind ways. One of > the challenges of being blind is that finding information is more > time-consuming and difficult than for sighted people. Therefore, it is > nice > to have that information run through my inbox. (actually my Blind Handyman > folder). I can imagine that for those of you who have more knowledge and > experience than a someone like me might get irritated at having tow weed > through it all. > > Bottom line, though, is that the tips and discussions about how to do > things > the blind way are the cream. > > Ralph > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > To listen to the show archives go to link > http://acbradio.org/handyman.html > or > ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ > > The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. > http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday > > The Pod Cast address for the Cooking In The Dark Show is. > http://www.gcast.com/u/cookingindark/main.xml > > Visit The New Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From > Various List Members At The Following Address: > http://www.jaws-users.com/handyman/ > Visit the new archives page at the following address > http://www.mail-archive.com/blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com/ > For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man > list just send a blank message to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.408 / Virus Database: 268.13.4/476 - Release Date: 14/10/2006 > > To listen to the show archives go to link http://acbradio.org/handyman.html or ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday The Pod Cast address for the Cooking In The Dark Show is. http://www.gcast.com/u/cookingindark/main.xml Visit The New Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various List Members At The Following Address: http://www.jaws-users.com/handyman/ Visit the new archives page at the following address http://www.mail-archive.com/blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com/ For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man list just send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! 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