May 2010 was healthy vision awareness month, which provoked organizations to emphasize the importance of eye care maintainance, safety tips, and/or resources. One organization that seeks to promote eye health through education and retail of assistive technology, is Optelec U.S. Inc. Being an innovative company with several products for blind/visually impaired individuals, Optelec U.S. Inc. seeks to find solutions that will increase the quality of life for individuals with visual impairments.
Launching a national movement to promote ocular health awareness, Optelec U.S. Inc. created Vision Zone. Raising the bar for vision resources, Vision Zone is the first company to establish a live and virtual online community for eye professionals/consumers. In addition to creating online forums for the community, Vision Zone has produced a short film titled, “You’re Not Alone Anymore.” This film seeks to create public awareness about visual impairment and the various products/resources within society.
“You’re Not Alone” follows Brian, a man who is legally blind. The film starts off with Brian trying to order some food in a restaurant, but is unsuccessful and therefore, goes hungry. The film takes a comedic stand by having Brian’s stomach growl throughout the journey. It is not until the end of the film when Brian discover’s Vision Zone’s magnifiers, that he is able to order some enjoyable food and his stomach stops growling. The aim of the film is to illustrate the difficulties that people go through with low vision, such as autonomously ordering and eating at a restaurant.
In my opinion, “you’re not alone” is a great effort to bring about awareness of vision health through comedy. I truly believe that laughter is the medicine for the soul. In my life I incorporate comedy to lighten a situation and to bring a smile to someone elses face. Also, the statistics within the film were very informative and showed the impact of vision loss in our society. However, a few issues that arose for me during the film were first the depiction of blindness in the beginning of Brian’s journey. In my opinion, Brian appeared helpless because he couldn’t see the menu and didn’t know what to order. Visually impaired or sighted, typically when a person eats at a restaurant, he/she will order their usual or ask the server about their entrees. There are other ways to order off a menu besides having to physically look off a menu. I understand the efforts of Vision Zone to emphasize the impact of their magnifiers on a person’s life, but this depiction could spread a misconception about visually impaired individuals.
The second issue was the visual aspect of the film. My sister, Toni, had to narrate the visual representations, such as what was occurring during the silences. It would be helpful if there was some type of audio description so that blind/visually impaired individuals could independently watch the film. Audio descriptive features’ enable movie viewing to be more functional for people with visual impairments. Overall, awareness is the key to education, and Vision Zone is making a big stride to helping those impacted by vision loss. To learn more about Vision Zone, check out http://www.visionzone.org. Also, if you want to know more about Optelec U.S. Inc. and their products, check out http://www.optelec.com/.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Sightful Reflections
Day by Day, week by week, I watched my vision slip away.
Tears streaming down, sadness lies within, and fear striking my body.
I could hear people say for reassurance, it will be okay.
Letters on the eye charts were being enlarged in hope that I would see them;
unfortunately, to no avail.
Inside, I can’t help but feel so gray.
Every day is a mystery on how much sight I will have left.
It is hard to find words to convey the pain that I felt today.
Day by day, week by week, I watched my vision slip away.
There is anticipation that my vision will come back,
but then the weeks began to turn into months.
I must come to reality that for now,
my blindness is here to stay.
Blindness for me, is an unknown territory,
but after facing many struggles and obstacles,
I will not let the challenges stand in my way.
Through the heartache, loss, and life lessons,
I have learned that I will be okay.
Day by day, week by week, I watched my vision slip away.
The month May, marked eight years since my eyesight started to deteriorate, which has caused me to reflect back on my experiences. Within these past years, I have faced many challenges and frustrations, but they have all shown me my true inner strength. I believe in that common saying, “what doesn’t tear us down makes us stronger.” At an early age I learned a big life lesson, and that is to not take anything or anyone for granted, because you never know what each second holds. Take the time to think about all of the positives you have in your life, and be thankful; whether it is having the ability to see, walk, hear, or speak. Enjoy each moment and live them to the fullest!
Tears streaming down, sadness lies within, and fear striking my body.
I could hear people say for reassurance, it will be okay.
Letters on the eye charts were being enlarged in hope that I would see them;
unfortunately, to no avail.
Inside, I can’t help but feel so gray.
Every day is a mystery on how much sight I will have left.
It is hard to find words to convey the pain that I felt today.
Day by day, week by week, I watched my vision slip away.
There is anticipation that my vision will come back,
but then the weeks began to turn into months.
I must come to reality that for now,
my blindness is here to stay.
Blindness for me, is an unknown territory,
but after facing many struggles and obstacles,
I will not let the challenges stand in my way.
Through the heartache, loss, and life lessons,
I have learned that I will be okay.
Day by day, week by week, I watched my vision slip away.
The month May, marked eight years since my eyesight started to deteriorate, which has caused me to reflect back on my experiences. Within these past years, I have faced many challenges and frustrations, but they have all shown me my true inner strength. I believe in that common saying, “what doesn’t tear us down makes us stronger.” At an early age I learned a big life lesson, and that is to not take anything or anyone for granted, because you never know what each second holds. Take the time to think about all of the positives you have in your life, and be thankful; whether it is having the ability to see, walk, hear, or speak. Enjoy each moment and live them to the fullest!
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Beautifully Blind Inc. on the Pride & Patience Show....
Beautifully Blind Inc. will be on the Pride & Patience Show Sunday May 23, 2010 via intranet radio. Log on to http://www.livewireurbanradio.com/ and show your support.
Show times:
5-7 PM Pacific
6-8 PM Mountain
7-9 PM Central
8-10 PM Eastern
Pride & Patience is a new internet program designed to raise awareness and promote health, balance and resources within our community! Your support is paramount and this is a grass roots call to action!
Show times:
5-7 PM Pacific
6-8 PM Mountain
7-9 PM Central
8-10 PM Eastern
Pride & Patience is a new internet program designed to raise awareness and promote health, balance and resources within our community! Your support is paramount and this is a grass roots call to action!
Saturday, May 1, 2010
You Have Questions...We Have Answers....
To help bridge the gap between the sighted and visually impaired/blind Robin and I decided to start "Questions Friday". We believe awareness and education is key. On Questions Friday one can ask any question they may have about blindness by either sending us an email or direct messaging us on twitter. We will try to answer to the best of our ability. So to answer some of the questions...one question was why do I blog about makeup and fashion to the blind/visually impaired? Well I believe that just like sighted individuals, there are blind/visually impaired individuals who care about that sort of thing. Before Robin lost her eyesight she liked to dress in the most up to date styles and wear makeup. Once she lost her sight it didn't change who she was as a person, it only changed how she had to do some things. Robin relies on myself and our mother mostly to help her with what's going on in fashion and make up trends. Any tips that we find that works for her to help maintain her independence we like to share because it may help someone else. Another question is if Robin cannot see why does she care about what she has on. The answer to this is that Robin could see until she was 18, she knows what she likes and she knows what makes her feel confident, again, just because she's blind it doesn't change who she is as a person. Robin and I have always had different styles and even though she depends on me to help her when shopping, her style is still her style. I'll describe something to her and she will tell me whether she likes it or not. There's been times when our mother and I have told her something was cute and if it didn't sound like something she thought she would like she would say no. I'm a short girl;5'1" and I'm taller than Robin so I live in heels. I've been trying to get Robin to wear heels FOREVER and she refuses! Not even a little kitten heel! She likes her flats...so she likes what she likes. Another question is how does she get on the internet. Robin has a regular laptop, but she has a screen reader program called Window Eyes which turns text to speech. Every thing we see on the screen is spoken to her. She accesses twitter through Accessible Twitter which is designed for easier use and navigation with screen readers. Robin has a regular cell phone which she can access Facebook, Twitter, the web and text. She can do everything a sighted person can on her phone through a program called Mobile Speaks which she purchased through her service carrier AT&T. We thank everyone for their questions and hope that you continue to send them in. The only way to dismiss misconceptions is through education and awareness. The more we all can learn about one another the better this world will be. We all have a disability of some kind; all are lacking in one way or another. What matters most is having the faith and courage to know that all things are possible as long as you put your heart and mind to it.
Until next time...stay beautiful!!!
Until next time...stay beautiful!!!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
IT DOESN’T MATTER THAT I CAN’T SEE
It doesn’t matter that I can’t see.
It doesn’t matter that I have a disability.
It doesn’t matter that at times I’m clumsy.
What does matter to my niece, the one who can see
Is that I am simply her Aunt, who she calls Tee-Tee.
It doesn’t matter that I can’t see.
Whether through hugs, compassion, or laughter,
I know my niece will look out for me now and thereafter.
It doesn’t matter that I can’t see.
With my niece, I sing, dance, talk, and play
This makes our bond grow more each day.
It doesn’t matter that I can’t see.
Asking questions out of sheer curiosity,
She trusts my answers given, are true honesty.
It doesn’t matter that I can’t see.
Through my niece’s eyes, blindness does not define my identity.
Instead, one simple name does, her Aunt, Tee-Tee.
It doesn’t matter that I can’t see.
I thought it would be fitting to make this month’s blog about my niece since she
will be eight years old this month. It has been an interesting experience being around her, as she is growing up into a beautiful young girl. I can’t believe how time flies by; unbelievable! My niece was born a little more than one month before I started losing my eyesight.
One day, in a sweet innocent voice, my niece asked me if I knew what she looked like. What my niece didn’t know is that I have wondered that same question, and sought out my family for a description. My family told me that my niece is a replica of her mommy, which helped me create a visual image. So, without hesitation, I told my niece that she looks like Toni when she was little. However, my niece took it upon herself to describe what she looks like to me anyway. The reality is that I don’t have to know what my niece looks like physically because I see her heart, and what a wonderful one it is.
It’s amazing how consciously aware my niece is of not only blind/visually impaired individuals, but people with all types of disabilities. My sister has instilled acceptance and understanding into my niece’s life. I enjoy listening to my niece describe visual aspects to me on TV and taking my finger to outline objects to get a mental image.
In addition to describing things to me, my niece is trying to take on a new task, being a sighted guide. This weekend my niece told me that I needed to trust her as my guide. Hmmmm…, not sure I’m quite there yet. LOL. To sum it up, I am truly blessed to have such an astounding niece, who looks beyond my disability to see me for the person I am. HAPPY 8th BIRTHDAY IMANI! I LOVE YOU!
It doesn’t matter that I have a disability.
It doesn’t matter that at times I’m clumsy.
What does matter to my niece, the one who can see
Is that I am simply her Aunt, who she calls Tee-Tee.
It doesn’t matter that I can’t see.
Whether through hugs, compassion, or laughter,
I know my niece will look out for me now and thereafter.
It doesn’t matter that I can’t see.
With my niece, I sing, dance, talk, and play
This makes our bond grow more each day.
It doesn’t matter that I can’t see.
Asking questions out of sheer curiosity,
She trusts my answers given, are true honesty.
It doesn’t matter that I can’t see.
Through my niece’s eyes, blindness does not define my identity.
Instead, one simple name does, her Aunt, Tee-Tee.
It doesn’t matter that I can’t see.
I thought it would be fitting to make this month’s blog about my niece since she
will be eight years old this month. It has been an interesting experience being around her, as she is growing up into a beautiful young girl. I can’t believe how time flies by; unbelievable! My niece was born a little more than one month before I started losing my eyesight.
One day, in a sweet innocent voice, my niece asked me if I knew what she looked like. What my niece didn’t know is that I have wondered that same question, and sought out my family for a description. My family told me that my niece is a replica of her mommy, which helped me create a visual image. So, without hesitation, I told my niece that she looks like Toni when she was little. However, my niece took it upon herself to describe what she looks like to me anyway. The reality is that I don’t have to know what my niece looks like physically because I see her heart, and what a wonderful one it is.
It’s amazing how consciously aware my niece is of not only blind/visually impaired individuals, but people with all types of disabilities. My sister has instilled acceptance and understanding into my niece’s life. I enjoy listening to my niece describe visual aspects to me on TV and taking my finger to outline objects to get a mental image.
In addition to describing things to me, my niece is trying to take on a new task, being a sighted guide. This weekend my niece told me that I needed to trust her as my guide. Hmmmm…, not sure I’m quite there yet. LOL. To sum it up, I am truly blessed to have such an astounding niece, who looks beyond my disability to see me for the person I am. HAPPY 8th BIRTHDAY IMANI! I LOVE YOU!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
I Have My Make Up...Now What?
Sorry guys…our blogs have been geared mostly towards women these past few weeks…don’t worry we’ll get to you soon! I promised makeup tips! I must say I am a MAC cosmetics fan as you know from my previous post…in my opinion they have colors for EVERY skin tone and their eye shadow and lip colors are delicious! I always feel like I’m in a candy store when I visit! Experiment with different brands to find what works best for you. Once you’ve found the products you like, how do you apply them??? How to apply makeup is not just an issue for the visually impaired, it also can be an issue for sighted women as well. There have been plenty of times I’ve gotten my makeup done by my MAC guy and then got home and was not able to recreate the look once on my own…ugh I wish I could just pack him up and bring him home with me lol!!! The most important tip is to make sure you have good makeup brushes…the type of brush you use can make a world of difference of how your make up looks. MAC has great brushes, but they can be a bit expensive; if you want a budget friendly alternative try Sonia Kashuk which can be found at Target stores or Eco-Tools which can be found at Ulta. When holding your make up brushes, do not hold them as a pencil close to the end towards the bristles, this will make your make up go on heavier…hold it loosely closer to the middle of the stick or further up so you have a little play…this way you don’t apply too much make up and the look is softer; this tip is also very useful when it comes to applying dark shadows (this is how Robin creates her smoky eye look)! Another tip is when applying foundation (Robin and I use powder foundation – Studio Fix) use a large powder brush instead of the sponge…this can guarantee full cover. A great tip for applying eye shadow is to not apply dark colors higher than your eye ball…Robin always follows her eyeball to know when to apply the next color…it works for her because she has small eyes…I’m not sure how it will work with others…I have HUGE eyes so it depends on the look I’m trying to create for that to work for me; but if you’re visually impaired I think this is a good rule of thumb. Lastly, lipstick...lip liner should blend in so make sure you don’t get too contrasting of a color between your lip liner and lipstick. When you apply lip liner trace the line of you top lip and on the bottom lip only go from the corner of your mouth half way to the center on both sides…do not line the entire bottom lip…leave the part directly in line with the middle of your chic unlined…this give your lips a pop (thanks for that little tip Raphael! LOVE IT!!!) After the lining, fill with color…press lips together and MUAH you have fab lips!!!! Here are some great links for applying make up if you’re visually impaired:
http://www.visionaware.org/how_can_i_continue_to_apply_makeup_0
http://www.livingblind.com/make-up.html
and MAC Cosmetics website because I love MAC lol!!!
http://www.maccosmetics.com
Smooches! Until next time…beautifully blind and fabulous!
http://www.visionaware.org/how_can_i_continue_to_apply_makeup_0
http://www.livingblind.com/make-up.html
and MAC Cosmetics website because I love MAC lol!!!
http://www.maccosmetics.com
Smooches! Until next time…beautifully blind and fabulous!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
And The Oscar Goes To...
Sunday March 7, 2010 was a momentous time for people in the film industry, as many were recognized for their efforts throughout the night. Yes, it was Academy Awards time. The night began with all of the celebrities being interviewed and asked questions not only about their nominations, but also what she/he was wearing. As my mom described the various fashions, it appeared as though there were some really glamorous dressed celebrities, while others remained on the scale of being interesting.
Setting aside fashion, I was very intrigued with this year’s Academy Awards. There were a couple of films and actors/actresses, who I was rooting for to win. I love listening to movies, as I am a frequent attender to the cinema. However, due to the high visual nature of movies, I often find myself asking someone what is being shown on the screen. With this in mind, there are a lot of blind/visually impaired individuals who find themselves in similar circumstances; when it comes to movie viewing. Therefore, in 1990, WGBH Media Access Group created descriptive services for the blind.
Descriptive services enable blind/visually impaired individuals to be able to have access to the visual elements as sighted people through detailed narrated descriptions (WGBH Media Access Group). In addition to movies, the descriptive services can be found on some televisions and vcrs by going to the second audio program (SAP) option. The SAP option enables some television programs on PBS, CBS, FOX, and Nickelodeon to have detailed narration (WGBH Media Access Group).
You’re probably sitting there wondering what does descriptive videos for the blind/visually impaired have to do with the Oscars, well it’s a good question, and I’m about to tell you. To my surprise, on Sunday, as I was listening to the Oscars, my Mom and I noticed that two of the award categories had the descriptive feature. The award categories were the Original and Adapted screenplay. It was great being able to have the scenes described, because I had the opportunity to view the same elements as sighted individuals.
Sometimes I feel left out during the Golden Globes and Academy Awards when they show visuals. I feel this year, that during the original and adapted screen play, the Academy Awards leveled the playing field for both sighted and blind/visually impaired individuals; giving everyone a chance to enjoy themselves. Although, there were only two categories with descriptive adaptations, I applaud the Academy Awards for reaching out to all of their audiences by providing the descriptive narratives; giving everyone the opportunity to partake in these most prestigious annual shows. Inclusiveness is the key to success.
Hopefully, the Oscars and other shows will adapt to society’s needs and provide descriptive narratives in all award categories as they plan for their next awards show. I am not sure why the Academy Awards picked the original and adapted screenplay categories to use the descriptive feature, but what I am sure about, is that our society is becoming more aware and moving towards progression. If you would like to give feedback to the Oscars, you can visit them at http://www.oscars.com.
Setting aside fashion, I was very intrigued with this year’s Academy Awards. There were a couple of films and actors/actresses, who I was rooting for to win. I love listening to movies, as I am a frequent attender to the cinema. However, due to the high visual nature of movies, I often find myself asking someone what is being shown on the screen. With this in mind, there are a lot of blind/visually impaired individuals who find themselves in similar circumstances; when it comes to movie viewing. Therefore, in 1990, WGBH Media Access Group created descriptive services for the blind.
Descriptive services enable blind/visually impaired individuals to be able to have access to the visual elements as sighted people through detailed narrated descriptions (WGBH Media Access Group). In addition to movies, the descriptive services can be found on some televisions and vcrs by going to the second audio program (SAP) option. The SAP option enables some television programs on PBS, CBS, FOX, and Nickelodeon to have detailed narration (WGBH Media Access Group).
You’re probably sitting there wondering what does descriptive videos for the blind/visually impaired have to do with the Oscars, well it’s a good question, and I’m about to tell you. To my surprise, on Sunday, as I was listening to the Oscars, my Mom and I noticed that two of the award categories had the descriptive feature. The award categories were the Original and Adapted screenplay. It was great being able to have the scenes described, because I had the opportunity to view the same elements as sighted individuals.
Sometimes I feel left out during the Golden Globes and Academy Awards when they show visuals. I feel this year, that during the original and adapted screen play, the Academy Awards leveled the playing field for both sighted and blind/visually impaired individuals; giving everyone a chance to enjoy themselves. Although, there were only two categories with descriptive adaptations, I applaud the Academy Awards for reaching out to all of their audiences by providing the descriptive narratives; giving everyone the opportunity to partake in these most prestigious annual shows. Inclusiveness is the key to success.
Hopefully, the Oscars and other shows will adapt to society’s needs and provide descriptive narratives in all award categories as they plan for their next awards show. I am not sure why the Academy Awards picked the original and adapted screenplay categories to use the descriptive feature, but what I am sure about, is that our society is becoming more aware and moving towards progression. If you would like to give feedback to the Oscars, you can visit them at http://www.oscars.com.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)