On the Blink

Braille Fail: On the Blink Investigates the Dotty Placement of Elevator Embossment

September 1, 2012

Now that I am traveling independently on campus, I am responsible for opening doors for myself and calling for my own elevators. I do not mind these tasks; I use them as an opportunity to rejoice in my own autonomy. I reach eagerly for the high-contrast chrome door-pulls and jab resolutely at the glossy roundness … More Braille Fail: On the Blink Investigates the Dotty Placement of Elevator Embossment

Overheard and Underwhelmed

August 26, 2012

it’s the second day of class and I am assigning group work. The students must gather in groups of 5-7 and complete a series of definitions. While they work, I sit at my desk (which is much too high for me) and take notes on their work habits. On my paper, I write things like … More Overheard and Underwhelmed

Inferiority Complex

August 21, 2012

Today I came across this quote by 19th-century politician Robert G. Ingersoll, and it did not agree with me. “The superior man is the providence of the inferior. He is eyes for the blind, strength for the weak, and a shield for the defenseless. He stands erect by bending above the fallen. He rises by … More Inferiority Complex

A Cane-User’s Education: First Lessons

August 20, 2012

Today I began my first experience of teaching independently at the college level. I’ve spent several semesters as a TA and delivered seminars and presentations to younger students, yet I was untried as the authoritative educator in a college classroom. I considered myself prepared for the opportunity: I had a plan for the day’s lesson … More A Cane-User’s Education: First Lessons

Intimate with Print

August 10, 2012

When venturing in search of new (or used) books, the Serious Bibliophile requires a few essentials: canvas bags for carrying the books home, a bottle of water, a dedicated and equally bibliophilic companion, a list, and a lot of time. The canvas bags are necessary for two reasons: 1) they won’t tear when you cram … More Intimate with Print

The rain, a cane, and a hint of Spain

August 4, 2012

Tonight, around 6:00pm, Ozzie begins to bark, sounding the signal of an approaching car. I sling my large pink floral purse over my left shoulder, check for my cane, sunglasses, wallet, keys, and cell phone, and head toward the front of the house. I open the door and try to keep Ozzie, the curious cairn … More The rain, a cane, and a hint of Spain

Dishing up Something Special

July 29, 2012

Sunday brunch at the Casa Marina Hotel is an impressive sensory affair. As you ascend the front steps and enter the lobby, the smell of salt-infused wood greets you. The hotel is so close to the beach that the smell of the sea has permeated every room. You know that the dining room is on … More Dishing up Something Special

Working Lunch

July 16, 2012

Standing in the glary cafeteria with my shades on and my heavy bag over my left shoulder, I decide to venture independently in search of some hot food. I walk past the rows of tables and chairs and use my cane to feel for a change in the texture of the floor. The floor changes … More Working Lunch

On the Shelf: A Tour of the Accessible Kitchen (Part 1)

July 6, 2012

From time to time, I glance at the list of topics I plan to cover in the future of On the Blink, and nothing stands out. As I run my eye over the items on the list, I try to imagine the entry I would compose for each one. Feeling uninspired but eager to write, … More On the Shelf: A Tour of the Accessible Kitchen (Part 1)

Perfect Vision

June 30, 2012

During my senior year of high school, a newspaper reporter interviewed me for an article on the organization that had awarded me a generous scholarship. Because the organization regularly offers scholarships and other attentions to blind and visually-impaired people, the article focused heavily on my vision and how I use it. At some point in … More Perfect Vision

Blind Envy

June 25, 2012

I am working in a summer program for blind and visually-impaired teens. We teach a class of about twenty students, each so full of personality and wit. I watch them learn to master resume-writing, typing, cooking, and other skills as they prepare for adult life. Many of them attend the same school, and I imagine … More Blind Envy

Hearing Voices

June 21, 2012

It’s the first day of classes for the spring semester. I am a graduate teaching assistant for a Disability Studies course, and my professor wants to introduce me to the rest of the students. Skillfully, he guides me to the front of the room, and I greet the class. I explain to them that, while … More Hearing Voices

In Good Taste

June 15, 2012

If I navigate around the kitchen in my parents’ house, I find many familiar objects, and each brings to mind a powerful memory. Wooden spoons, large metal mixing bowls, and white cutting boards remind me of the countless meals they have helped to prepare and the endless hours I’ve spent in happy fascination, watching Mom … More In Good Taste

Counterparts

June 7, 2012

When Christina and I first became good friends 10 years ago, she confided to me that she had always wanted a little sister. (Since I am a little sister and I know how annoying they can be, I remember asking, “Why???”) Minutes later, she decided that I would fill this role and make her dreams of being a big sister come true. When she affectionately told sales assistants and cashiers that I was her sister, they would glance with skepticism at our differing hair color and complexions, at my cane and her scooter, and say, “Really?” We would then explain that we had always felt and acted like sisters, even if there was no biological basis for the relationship. … More Counterparts

“You have nice brother.”

June 2, 2012

When I started high school, my older brother Simon (we call him Sammy) was embarking on his senior year. He drove us to and from school in an old NewYorker, and, because of my disabled parking decal, he was able to park the car in one of the school’s handful of disabled parking spaces. The … More “You have nice brother.”

Consider how my light is spent