macular degeneration, macular, diagnosis Loose Associations – My Macular Degeneration Journey/Journal

Loose Associations

This page may be a hodgepodge so bear with me.

First of all, I am meeting my friend the artist to transfer our show from one venue to another this afternoon. Yesterday I took three more photos to the framer so I can be ready for this year’s contest. My friend wants me to print some 5x7s for a sale she takes prints to, too. Try my luck.

I think my involvement in my ‘art’ (and I use the term loosely) has become greater since I have been visually impaired. Maybe I am being defiant. Maybe I value the ability to take photos more now that it is threatened. Dunno.

What I do know is I am still pursuing my hobby, a visual hobby, and many of you could still do it too.

Anybody remember Dylan Thomas’s Do Not Go Gently Into That Good Night? Thomas was talking about death but the line “Rage, rage against the dying of the light” could apply to vision loss.

Of course, I just found out Thomas was in his late teens when he wrote that, his most famous poem. Probably not a lot of experience with loss at that time, but the kid did have a way with words.

Like I said… hodgepodge. Also, you learn something new everyday.

Two days until the orientation and mobility appointment. I am sort of excited about that. When I said my goal is to get across the road without being road kill, the OM guy said that is his goal with all of his clients. No road kill. Sounds like a goal we agree on.

Last topic: the Free Library of Philadelphia. They sent me a brochure. It appears they are affiliated with the national service. Remember those are the people who bring us talking books and BARD…which reminds me; I have a book to finish.

Anyway, I looked them up on line. The Philadelphia Free Library is  at 919 Walnut Street. Wills Eye is at 840 Walnut Street. I think I detect some urban planning here.

The Free Library has the usual: Braille, audiobooks and large print books. What piqued my interest was something they call Access Technology Workstations. At these stations they offer resources to people who have no resources. They offer the use of CCTV, ZoomText, and Kurzweil readers. They also offer JAWS. That is a program that will read the text from the computer screen. You know, like the Macular Degeneration Partnership newsletter reads itself to you if you wish.

If you are a Braille user, the Free Library has machines that not only allow you to type in Braille but also will ‘translate’ what is on the screen into a Braille document. Sounds like a Braille ‘printer’ to me. They also have a ‘refreshable Braille display’ that lets people ‘see’ what is on the computer screen. Very cool.

They are seven of these fantastic Workstations located throughout Philadelphia. Good going, Philly!

A quick search turned up libraries for the Blind in Maryland, Connecticut and South Carolina. Also New Mexico and Tennessee. I am starting to suspect there is one in every state. Go ahead and check out your state. I gotta get movin’ here. Have a good day!

Next: The Attack of the Dishwasher

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