shopping – On the Blink

When a Blind Woman Loves Lip Gloss: My Pitch for the Accessible Beauty Project

April 2, 2020

When it comes to lip gloss. I can’t get over the creamy texture, the cutesy names, or the shiny look. And I’m certainly not alone. The Nigerian writer Chimamanda Adichie talks about loving her “shiny lip gloss.” In “We Should All Be Feminists,” Adichie says she wanted to be taken seriously, so she didn’t wear … More When a Blind Woman Loves Lip Gloss: My Pitch for the Accessible Beauty Project

Four Paws for Keeps: Guide Dog Training Part 2

July 6, 2014

Exactly one week after our first route in harness, York and I are walking the aisles at Super Target. Practicing the “follow” command, York guides me a few paces behind my trainer as she turns down aisles, stops abruptly, and veers left or right. On our outside walks, York encounters many distractions: cats, people, and … More Four Paws for Keeps: Guide Dog Training Part 2

Sweet Response

May 18, 2014

May is turning out to be a literary month for me. I’ve created an account on Goodreads to keep numerical track of how many books I’m currently reading. So far, Goodreads says I’m reading 13. As I’ve listed several collections of poetry in this category – collections I read a few poems at a time – my … More Sweet Response

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

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

Blind Customer

May 29, 2012

My friend Katie arrives at my house promptly at 10:00a.m., receiving an enthusiastic greeting from my parents and Ozzie, our cairn terrier. I walk to the front door, laden with preparations: my purse, a huge bag of books to turn in for credit at the used bookstore, and a handful of extra canvas bags for … More Blind Customer

Heightened Senses: Smells (Part 1)

February 10, 2012

There’s a popular theory that when one of your senses is diminished, the other four (let’s call them four for now, but we can debate this later) are heightened, accentuated, incalculably brightened in some way. So I’ll be devoting a series of entries to exploring this phenomenon in completely un-medical terms, as it relates to … More Heightened Senses: Smells (Part 1)

On the Blink

Considering how my light is spent

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