Big Al To The Rescue!!!!

Big Al  (AKA ‘Aluion’) is reportedly heading for Canada today. Upon learning about the plight of Blend (Blind) Canadians as they face an inaccessible voting non-machine on Tuesday, Big Al, a resident of Alabama,  boarded a Greyhound bus bound for Nova Scotia at 4 am this morning.  There was some confusion at the bus depot in Mobile, as Big Al dumped a 63- pound  sackful of Canadian coins onto the ticket agent’s counter to pay for his fare. Further disruption  occurred when bus terminal Security spotted him donning an outfit that included hockey equipment and pieces of a 17th century suit of armour.  He claimed that he needed to feel safe and to protect himself while riding the Greyhound, saying, “I can’t be losing my head on this trip”.

Wise Advice summoned Big Al to the Great White North, upon learning that his expertise might bolster the cause of the blind (blend) {See recent comments from Aluion} and lend support to her plan to ‘make a point’ when casting her ballot tomorrow. Big Al has been known to write clever comments and insults on doors in public spaces…in Braille. “He kinda scares me”, said Wise Advice of the southern guru, “Definitely a smart guy, but he must be crazy from listening to several synthesised speech voices on various computers simultaneously”. When asked about her plan to bring public  attention to the inaccessibility of the Canadian Election, WIse Advice said, “Look, I can’t do this alone. If Big Al can fake a Canadian accent, we’ll get him one of those spare ballots floating around to do whatever he chooses with”.

“Over There”!

Just one more time…if I hear the words, “Over There” when I ask someone for directions to a street, a building, a washroom or  an item in a store…I promise to do something totaly irrational. Perhaps I will break out into a lively song and dance routine with Opal. The song? “Over There” of course! Yes, the toe-tapping, Johny-go-get-them WW I song written in 1917 by George Cohan. Mr. Cohan wrote the song  shortly after the USA  declared war on Germany. Many versions were recorded, including those by Billy Murray, Nora Bayes and Enrico Caruso….”And We Won’t come Back ’till it’s over, Over There!”. Perhaps it should become the international theme song for the blind.

Sing a Blind Song

Sometimes I get a little bored, so I ‘Google’ stuff. Today, I checked out songs about blindness sung by blind people. It seems there aren’t that many…Phew!!! Thank god we’re not ALL maudlin. I found a few though, mostly from old black Southern men (Sonny Terry, Sleepy John Estes, Blind Gary Davis and Blind Roger Hayes). Frankly, I’d be mortified if I had  to live with a handle like Blind Helen. It’s bad enough that people refer to me as “Helen With the Dog”. Turns out that blind musicians have better stuff to sing about than their angst about being blind…. love,  bad relationships, the world (Mr. Ray Charles does a great job of ‘What a Wonderful World’)  and the city (Little Stevie Wonder’s ‘Living for the City’). As for all the SONGS with LYRICS which include the word ‘blind’ or blindness’….sheesh! That’s a whole different kettle of fish. Just as our everyday expressions use the words blind to mean that one is unaware, purposefully oblivious, uncaring etc. (“blind as a bat”, “turn a blind eye”, “love is blind”, “blind rage”, “blind leading the blind”…) song lyrics use them similarly and just as regularly.  I’m not claiming that it’s not PC and we should immediately run around tweaking and rewriting  all these songs. It might be an idea to think about language and how we use words. As a word nerd, I love to learn about the origin and history of words. I wonder how it came to be that a physical condition morphed into use as a negative adjective and verb.

‘Blindness’ the Movie…Bunch of Blind People Will “Watch”

The movie, ‘Blindness’ opened at the Atlantic film Festival last week.  It opens in wide-release on October 3rd in Halifax. Ya gotta know that a bunch ‘o blind folk are going to have something to say about it.  At least, that’s my hope, idea, delusion, nightmare-to-be… When I heard about this movie, based on the book by Jose Saramago, I thought that it would be a great opportunity to get the Halifax chapter of Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians together for a little outing to view this thing. My plan? Send out a media release to local feature hounds and hope that they might be interested in interviewing the blind ‘Blindness’ viewers for on-the-spot reaction to this movie’s spin on blindness.  I listened to the trailers on the Internet that are pimping promoting this movie. It’s difficult to get a handle on what’s going on in this city where everyone suddenly goes blind. You know it can’t be good…a little chaos, panic, tortured emotional claptrap and the mandatory heroes who shine when their ‘lights’ go out.   I wanted to consult the book in preparation. It’s only fair to compare before you go to the flic, right? Well, bad news. It’s not available in audio within the Halifax public libraries. I doubt it exists in commercial audio format. The ‘charitable’ library (CNIB) might have found some bored Scarbourough housewife volunteer to read/record it on THEIR discs ( the ones they destroy when you return them..but that’s another story and a past blog—-go look), however, I quit my ‘membership’ with that service in protest. No matter. Who needs a book? Full steam ahead, I say! I rang up my AEBC buds to invite them to the ‘event’. Now,  I’m wondering…”What was I thinking!!!???”  It’s bound to be, umm…interesting. I predict the following; A. (with poor O & M –orientation and mobility)  will get lost on his way to the washroom, or worse, fall down the escalator. B will be shocked (devout Catholic) when she hears (despite her hearing loss because the sound will be maxed out for this monster movie on a Saturday) the sex scenes, foul language and violence which ‘Blindness’ promos and  ratings promise (I forgot to mention this to her).  A. (who has a brain injury) will show up at the wrong theatre on the wrong day, or not show up at all.  C.  (a smoker) will get wedged in the washroom stall with her walker as she tries to sneak a smoke that will set off a fire alarm. There will be lots of chatter amongst our group during the film…”What’s going on? What does that mean?..” which will cause other patrons to hiss. Opal will need a pee in the middle of the show, so I will step out (requires 15 minutes meandering through a mall) during which time, A.  will have had a loud fight with J.  (they don’t get along). The reporter (only one will show up from an obscure media outlet) will be awaiting our profound comments and reactions…after all, we are the pros, right? His recording device will fail. That may turn out to be the only blessing, as my motley crew will have no profound observations to make, other than that the sound was too loud and nobody ‘got it’. Oh, yeah…D’s guide dog, the ‘German boy’, that Opal loves so much, will bark incessantly  as we depart the cineplex.

ADDENDUM: It has become evident that the movie, ‘Blindness’ seriously impacts the blind community. It is a graphic and some times horrifying film that portrays blindness as a terrible condition that robs its victims of their humanity. It will compound and perpetuate the existing irrational prejudices of blind people which are based on stereotype. It falsely depicts blind people as incapable of almost everything and even suggests that blindness alters the human personality. The complex decision for blind people everywhere is if they will spend money to see  it (thereby supporting  the film maker) or boycott…or protest…or go, sit and watch until they are disgusted (somewhere long before it ends), disrupt the show as they leave, and demand their money back and then discourage the general public from viewing it…choices to be made.

Opal Goes to the Audio Book Club

When I say to Opal, “come on, let’s read a book”. She knows that it means that sound will start coming out of our Daisy player…some guy or gal will talk and talk… it’s all blah, blah, blah to Opal, but she loves it. Why?  It’s our quiet time together. She gnaws her bone contentedly as we lay on the bed and snuggle (oops! dog on bed again…check!).  She takes my running commentary on the book in stride, looking at me (quizzically, I think) when I say things like; “that doesn’t make any sense!”, or “what kind of a moron wrote this thing? they can’t even string a sentence together!” or “Ooo, Opal. this is a really good book, eh?”  To further cement Opal’s audio appreciation, the Audio Book Club which I started with the Halifax Public Library, has its meeting at the Alderney branch.  Opal knows that when I say, or rather sing with a commercial jingle lilt, “Audio Book Club today!”,  we are bound for Dartmouth on the ferry. That in itself is exciting. We sit on the upper deck and suck up the sea breeze as Opal watches the gulls fly overhead and the boats sail by. The BEST part, is AFTER we go to the audio book club…after the meeting filled with conversation and laughter, after I load up with more of the library’s audio books and sign them out, after the tea and more conversation with my friends at ‘Biscuit Lips’ (a nearby cafe)… after all of that, my girl KNOWS we will FINALLY go to the park by the shore. She also knows that mum has brought the ‘flexi’ (retractable leash) and her necklace (collar) and her rubber boomerang….and that she will get a chance to sniff and run and ‘blow the stink off’. We will soak up the rays and more sea breezes, and stagger back onto the ferry quite shattered, but definitely content.

Our audio book club meeting was yesterday. My task is to research the author and other details about the current book selection and bring in some information to share with the group. Our most recent title was “Kabul Beauty School” by Deborah Rodriguez and Kristen Ohlsen. I was as eager to share my ‘find’ with the book club as Opal was to get to the park. I managed to interview Ohlsen by e-mail. She was very forthcoming and answered my probing questions. I listened to an old NPR interview with the Afghan women who are the subject and spine of the book. (they’re quite cranky and claim that Rodriguez left Afghanistan and did not receive money from the book profits). I asked Ohlsen (who is often overshadowed in reviews and interviews despite her role as primary author) to comment on this, and more. She came through, and in doing so, gave the Halifax Public Library’s first ever Audio book club something juicy to talk about.  Our next pick is “Treasure Island”. Somehow, I doubt that I will raise much in the way of interviews with Robert Louis Stevenson.

Blind Art Day: a minor success!

Several months ago, I dreamed up a plan to hold a ‘Blind Art Day’. My idea was to bring some blind and partially sighted individuals together to create tactile art as part of the Canadian Mental Health Association Halifax/Dartmouth’s annual ‘Mosaic For Mental Helath’ fund raising project. I begged, borrowed and solicited materials to use, including wallpaper samples, glue, fabric and an avalanche of craft supplies (thanks to Marg, Betty, Lee Anne, Gerrard, Acadia and Quigley’s Decorating Centre for donations and to  Michael’s Crafts who gave us a discount).  A suitable location was found without cost (thanks to Keith, the CMHA ’social club’ coordinator who allowed us to use the space and Sylvia who made coffee). A knowledgeable volunteer was recruited (thanks to Gerrard  M. of ‘ Visual Connections’). Of course, the whole thing would have been a bust without some people creating art. The participants included Alfredo, Amy, Alice and Helen (two Helens CAN be in one room together, despite my misgivings).  Bloomfield Centre staff were efficient at guiding and disposing of dog poop bags. The Guide dogs (Jager and Opal) were well behaved and making goo-goo eyes at one another all morning.  As for the art?  Alfredo had some ‘glue issues’,  Alice had ‘centering’ problems with stuff on her tile and the other Helen was her usual chatty self, but no serious disasters occurred  warranting  a trip to the Emergency room (mercifully). My evaluation? a minor success! and next time…we’re having Blind Potters Day!

Opal Goes On a Date

Ooooo he’s so big and strong! No wonder his name is ‘Iron’. I call him him ‘the Ironman’, ’cause he can really go the distance. We had our first real date today. So romantic! We went to see a movie called Mama Mia. Sure, maybe the movie was a little flaky, but I just loved cozying up to that fella. It was full of music… some group called, Abba. Iron’s mum and mine were tapping their toes and didn’t seem to notice that we were… you know…having a little romance going on. The dancing on the screen distracted Iron’s mum, and my mum kept asking Iron’s mum if somebody called Meryl Streep was REALLY singing those Abba songs. Gee, I thought my mum invented the abba song… you know… “abba dabba dabba, Opal!”…that’s what she sings to me sometimes. Neither of our mums would let us eat popcorn. Sheesh! You think they’d have shared a little, especially since the Ironman and I were on our first big date. Iron showed me the way through Park Lane Mall and out the entrance on Dresden Row. We rode the lift together (he calls it an elevator) and then two escalators. We parted ways on the sidewalk (sigh). He went down to Spring Garden Road while my mum tried to make up for it by taking me to the Public Gardens. She would not let me swim with the ducks and geese in the pond, so that was a bit of a bummer. On our way home, three people said, “look, there’s a blind dog”. I don’t get it. I can see really well. Gee whiz, if I couldn’t see… and mum can’t see…? we’d be in BIG TROUBLE!

Opal ‘Gets the Beat’

Opal’s life is dictated by my activities. Where I go, she goes. Lucky for her, I tend to go to varied and interesting places. Yesterday, for example, we attended the annual ILRC (Independent Living Resource Centre–now renamed ILC Independent Living Canada) picnic. It was held on the grounds behind the Natural History Museum; a perfectly lovely and fully accessible setting. She dodged wheel chairs and scooters like a pro. Once again, she shone when the guy with the nutty guide dog allowed his dog to wander (in harness) and attempt to pin Opal into, uuhmm… a compromising position. Actually it’s all about the handler, not the dog. It’s the handler’s responsibility to keep track of what their dog is up to. I yelled out, “John, sort your dog out!” while ensuring that his ‘boy’ did not get too carried away and that Opal maintained her cool. We were waiting in the food line at the time. My friend remarked that John had not noticed that his dog’s paws were stationary on the hot paved path. I had Opal on the grass beside it. It boggles my mind that handlers don’t think more about the comfort and safety of their guides. We eventually got our plates and settled at a table in the shade to enjoy our meal. The food was excellent; a Mediterranean feast of tabbouleh, humus, vegie cabbage rolls, pita, tomatoes and olives. Later, an excellent baklava was served. Numerous prizes were drawn, and my friend won a t-shirt. The after-food activities included visits from a face painter ( Opal and I passed), an offer to create a chef d’oeuvre from a balloon artist ( I passed on that too, given my irrational fear of balloons popping). However, when we were invited to join the drum circle, my interest peaked. A drum circle facilitator (Heather Pentz of Tidal Beat) passed out dozens of drums and shakers. SHE had a Djembe drum which I fell in love with. Djembe drums have a wonderful, rich sound that, in the right hands, can soothe, rouse, calm, or move (emotionally) whomever is in the circle. It brought back memories of Saturday mornings in Montreal where, on the slope of Mount Royal, upwards of 25 Djembe drummers would gather to play together. It was an intoxicating experience that I recall sharing with hundreds of other Montrealais who would gather to listen. I imagine they still do. The little drum circle at the picnic was not quite of that caliber, but I enjoyed it all the same, as well as the trip down memory lane. Opal appreciated it too. At the very least, she liked the smell of the goat skin drum cover stretched over a hand carved base of West African wood. I KNOW Opal ‘gets the beat’, like her mum. Hmm. I sense the purchase of a Djembe drum in our future! I think it’s my answer to my search for a ’stress-buster’.

Thanks to ILRC and it’s director, Lois Miller who always puts together a great event. Her dedicated work and unparalled commitment to the community is appreciated by so many. Her husband (sound guy) and staff are remarkable people who always help out and make it a fun event for some folks who don’t always have an opportunity to ’step out’.

Tips For Maria And Her Blind Friend

I received a comment from a lady, named Maria Begona. I’m guessing Maria is Italian. She read an older blog which I wrote about Blindness. She asked for more ‘tips’. Her specific difficulty is one of communication. Her friend who is blind speaks another language. So, after promising to sleep on it, here a few thoughts and tips for Maria.

• Audible clues are very important for someone who is blind. For example, tapping the edge of the seat, and perhaps placing your friend’s hand on the seat’s surface does not require speaking the same language to him/her. They will know what you are trying to communicate.
• Similarly, you can help them locate things like counters in shops, doorways, etc.
• In public areas, it is very helpful to maintain the audible communication because of ambient noise. If you want someone who is blind to come towards you, keep up a dialogue (“I’m over here to your left…yes a little further…keep coming towards my voice…” ) It doesn’t really matter what language you are speaking because it’s the SOUND that is important, not the words. Avoid an overly-loud display, as this is potentially embarrassing for someone.
• In crowded rooms (like a party or concert hall), it can be confusing and stressful for a blind person to be standing in the midst of this. (Next time you’re at a cocktail-type party, close your eyes and you will soon realize how chaotic the whole thing sounds.) So, find a wall or something which the blind person can use to stand by. It will be reassuring and more comfortable.
• Often, in noisy places, the blind person will not know when someone is speaking to them because of the cacophony of voices. A gentle touch to the forearm before you speak will alert them. Remember to advise them you are leaving them. You have no idea how many times I have ended up talking to myself in a crowded room!
• Buffets seem to be popular now in North America. I don’t know about Italy (if that’s where you live), but if you are with a blind person at a buffet, offer to fill their plate. They might want to walk through the buffet line with you so you can describe the food (if you can translate). If it’s too crowded, find them a seat or standing area, and go through the buffet line collecting the food while they wait.
• When setting plates of food or cups of beverages down on the table for a blind person, the important thing to remember is to caution them if the plate, food or drink is hot. You can say so or if you don’t know the words in their language, you can guide their hand to the area NEAR the plate or cup. Linger over it. they will feel the heat and be prudent.
• Food like chicken, lobster and steak can be difficult for a blind person to eat if the food has a bone. You can offer to remove the meat from the bone. In restaurants, your blind friend probably knows that they can ask the waiter to have the chef do the same. Discretion is important to me, so I guess it might be to other blind people.
• Sticking with dining tips (I love my food), I like plenty of serviettes available at my hand when I eat in a restaurant or cafe.

I once attended a dinner with a Portuguese family in Greece. No one spoke English or French. I did not speak their languages. We had a marvelous time and I enjoyed a good visit. The lady of the house showed me some of her treasures, including pottery, embroidered dresses and more. I enjoy experiencing textures and appreciating art. It’s all relative! while someone SEES art, I sense it differently. Remember that your friend may really enjoy a ‘touch tour’ of your home or a local site (like a museum or park). CAUTION! Not all textures are pleasant to touch. Nor do all blind people enjoy the same stuff. (I hate insects, so walking in the woods is not my cup of tea. I love to walk by the ocean). It’s a matter of personal taste. Also, I enjoy listening to music or comedy routines on CD with my sighted friend. It is something we can share equally.

I hope this was helpful, Maria. I will continue to think about this, and will offer more ideas or tips as they come to me.

Art and Blindness

I sometimes get ideas that have potential. Recently, I planned  ”Blind Art Day”.  My idea is to assemble a group of blind and partially sighted adults to create art works in a fun and relaxing setting.  This all came about when I met with the Mosaic For Mental Health committee at CMHA.  The Canadian Mental Health Association Halifax, has had this unique fundraising event going for 10 years. Each  year, hundreds of 6 inch square masonite tiles are distributed to anyone interested in turning them into artistic creations. The tiles are returned to CMHA along with a submission form. In October, the tiles are displayed over three days at a lovely public venue. All of Halifax is invited to browse the art and purchase one or many more for the incredible cost of $10.00.  They can be framed on the spot for a few more dollars.  All of the proceeds go to support this worthy community organization.  As past-president of the CMHA board of directors, I  occasionally get involved in supporting their activities.  I offered to work on producing some promotional writing on this 10th anniversary of the Mosaic.  Traditionally, the art created for the Mosaic has been painted.  At some point, my mind wandered into new territory. Why not include some tactile art in the collection?  Why not get some blind people off their duffs and organize… Blind Art Day?  So, on August 15th, a group of people will get together for a few hours to create some art, have some fun and support a worthy organization.  That’s how it will work in theory. My obsessive need for preparedness led me to the Internet to search for information on how to create Blind art, teach it, facilitate it, what materials to use, what not to  use and so on.  I wandered into a site with articles on teaching art for blind children. Lo and behold, I found a wonderful article written by Martha Pamperin. My Martha Pamperin!  Martha is currently a teacher for the Hadley School for the Blind. She was my Braille teacher. We have never met.  (Hadley offers free distance education to blind people around the world Link on my blogroll). I continue to keep in contact with Martha whenever anything interesting comes up that I think she might want ot know about.  I felt certain that she would have wise advice  to offer me about the upcoming Blind Art Day. Indeed she did!  I have combined my own ideas with some of Martha’s here. If you have a blind child whose creative genius you want to foster  or want to get a Blind Art project of your own going with adults, here are a few suggestions:

Much depends on how skillful and experienced the blind artist is.  Some blind people have not experienced art projects that are not for sighted people. Martha explained that in her experience, some teachers try to get blind kids to create things that look OK, but ignore the whole realm of tactile and kinesthetic features of art. It’s a good idea to get a sense of what the prospective artist’s experience has been. What do they find to be personally moving, evoking a feeling, satisfying to the touch, or just nice  to have and be near?  What makes something attractive?  What materials are pleasant to handle and are not?  One of the most important things to consider is the amount of usable vision that the artist has.  This will make a difference in how they go about creating the art work.  Some materials that I am trying to amass in the arsenal for Blind Art Day, include: florists wire to shape and make lines with. Pipe cleaners are also good to make thicker lines. Heavy string might be used, but it is harder to keep in place. It can be knotted or looped to create interesting designs. Two dimensional shapes can be made from colourful poster board. I plan to bring 8″ square sheets that can be cut into shapes by the artists. Fabric scraps are also excellent. A mix of burlap, corduroy, satin, flannel, wool, velvet, taffeta, and blends will provide a tactile selection to choose from. It is best to have helpers on hand to cut fabric. Paper can be crumpled to create interesting three dimensional effects.  All kinds of interesting objects can be used; buttons, washers, bump dots, feathers (a bit awkward to glue), paper clips, old keys, leaves, foam shapes, old jewelery, beads, notebook rings, cut-up pieces of carpet or textured wall paper… pretty much anything that you can think of. It’s a good idea to ask the artist to bring a small personally meaningful item to incorperate.  One of the first steps on Blind Art Day will be to allow the artists to plan their work. it’s important for everyone to examine the available materials. This can be done by placing some of each material on a tray or two to allow each person to know what is available. Baskets can be used to group the chosen items at each persons work area and to keep materials from drifting into another person’s work space.  Smaller tables are probably best to work at, or desks.  If larger tables are used, use plastic place mats or something else to define the individual work space. The artist should spend time arranging the chosen materials.  A type of clay that starts out soft and sets after a few hours can be used to keep things in place. Martha suggests that there is a type of glue which works well to place things. It is the type used to make post-it notes. I think glue sticks are made of  this type of glue.  Once the material is in satisfactory position with post-it glue, a helper can assist to bond things with more permanant glue. (NO CRAZY GLUE!).  I had thought of glitter. Martha cautioned me against it for use with adults. The result would look like something created by a clumsy child. It’s not pleasant to feel. A somewhat similar effect can be achieved with pieces of unused  sand paper. The advantage is that the shape can be easily defined by touch. Sighted helpers should allow creative juices to flow and not provide excessive direction. Judgemental comments like, “that’s beautiful” or “I like that” should be avoided. The artists need to please themselves.  Instead, they could say, ” are you happy with your art piece?” or “tell me about your creation” or “I notice you have a lot of spiral shapes there”. The helpers should FEEL the artwork before commenting.  All people can be involved in both creating art and appreciating it. The process might be different for blind people, but just as satisfying and enriching. If you are planning a project like mine, you might consider soliciting donations of materials. I have had success with some local paint stores (paint colour sample strips), carpeting stores (swatches of carpet samples), design stores (wallpaper samples), as well as my motley crew of artsy-crafty friends who can stand to part with some supplies.

ACB Radio For the Blind

I discovered ACB radio yesterday. Where have I been?!  ACB radio provides 5 channels of internet radio, streamed live through free players (You can download Winamp or others). This is radio by the blind, for the blind and for anyone interested in blindness issues. ‘Cafe’ channel provides music by blind musicians. On ‘Classic’, you can listen to classic comedy and drama programs. ‘On Demand’ will allow you to listen to programs such as: ‘Cooking in the Dark’, ‘Disability Nation’, ‘The Sound of Sight’, ‘Blind Handyman’, ‘Eye on Employment’ and more. You can also download a ‘tuner’ so that you have quick access to ACB from your computer desktop. You must check this out. I will link it to my blogroll.  It should be the first on the alphabetical list….The web site is: http://www.acbradio.org

Guide Dog Riddles

Guide dog Riddle #1

What happens when you pile 5  Guide dogs and seven people into a hotel elevator? ANSWER: Not much. They are quiet and everyone gets to their floors.

Guide dog Riddle #2

What happens when you cram 20 Guide dogs and fourty blind people onto a school bus? ANSWER:  Not much. It’s a tight fit, but the dogs are well behaved amid the clamour of fourty  blind people eagerly anticipating a schooner cruise in Toronto harbour.

 

Guide dog riddle # 3

What happens when you board a schooner in Toronto harbour with 25 Guide dogs (some locals showed up that weren’t on the bus) and fifty blind people? ANSWER: The dogs are interested in the new scenario, but do their jobs.

Guide dog Riddle #4 

What happens when 25 Guide dogs and fifty blind people and ten or so crew and volunteers move below decks into a cramped dining room for a big buffet? ANSWER: The dogs are well behaved as food is flying and fifty blind people eat ravenously and compete to be heard over each others conversations and the loud music.

 

Guide dog Riddle #5

What happens when two Toronto taxis refuse to allow a Guide dog and handler into their cabs when they want to go to the airport  after the lovely mini-conference is over?  ANSWER: They take the third cab, and promise that there will be BIG TROUBLE for the two taxi drivers and their companies who obviously need a legal and financial reminder about the Guide dog access laws.

 

We had a lovely time in Toronto.  Opal and I are exhausted. She took it all in stride; the airports the flights, the long days, the strange hotel room, the strange city (maybe she thought we were just in another part of Halifax…the really big and noisy one), the pile of Guide dogs and all the new experiences.  We are ready for more adventures…but not today.

Opal Goes To The Movies

I  plan to go to a movie this afternoon.  My Guide dog Opal is coming with me.  Some Guide dog training schools suggest leaving the dog at home when one goes to the movies because the sound level is too high. I agree. Cinemas tend to crank out the sound beyond a comfortable level. I don’t enjoy it, so I can just imagine what a dog is experiencing.  Dogs have very  sensitive hearing.  There’s also the problem of popcorn all over the floor area that even a well trained Guide dog would find hard to resist.  I have solved both problems, thereby allowing me to have Opal with me.  The major issue of intolerable sound was dealt with by speaking to the cinema manager.  It is important to restrict movie-going to weekday matinees. That is when they are fewest people going to the cineplex. Often, there are only a half dozen people going to any one movie, especially the non-Hollywood blockbuster films which I prefer to avoid.  The manager is always willing to speak to the projectionist (more of a programmer these days) and have them set the sound down.  I also make sure that I enter AFTER all the promotional claptrap that appears before the feature which is always louder.  The popcorn problem is less of an obstacle.  By going to the first show of the day, chances are that the cinemas are quite clear of food on the floor.  I remain vigilant  none the less, with my harness arm ready to sense Opal attempting to snag a snack on the floor, so that I can tug her head up. My free hand is ready to shove into her mouth and yank out the scavenged food if she has moved too quickly. I’m sure some people are grossed out by the idea of probing a dog’s mouth, but if you are committed to your dog’s health and safety, you must learn to ‘get over it’. Your town’s cinemas may have matinees and hospitable management that would allow you to feel comfortable in bringing your Guide dog with you when you go to the movies. Some movie houses also offer free admission to a companion for disabled people.  This is sometimes an available courtesy provision at theatres and other entertainment venues. Some cinemas and theatres offer ‘descriptive’ options for the blind. This involves wearing a head set to hear a description of non-audible action and sets of the film or play you are attending.  Call first to inquire.