good morning

[Michael Feir]

Hello everyone. A special hello to Rob, Amy and Jacquei. We haven't heard a lot from you three. I do hope you're all doing well and finding reasons to smile. We're eager to learn more about you so we can be better friends. What movies and books do you enjoy? Are there games you like to play? What do you like to eat? Basically, what puts a smile on your face? I hope you have been getting beter sleep Jacquei. I had a very good sleep last night. Even though they don't work, I'm bright-eyed and bushy tailed. A friendly neighbour took me out for a walk yesterday around the lake which my apartment is on the edge of. That probably helped me sleep better. We met some other folks who are involved in a place where I hope to be volunteering soon to try and help young people at risk. I've been blessed with a very supportive family and if I can bring some positive mentorship and stability to their lives, I welcome the opportunity.

Michael Feir
Owner of Silver Smiles
Join and share the silver lining in your life.
Group home page: http://groups.google.com/group/silver-smiles
2010--
Author of Personal Power:
How Accessible Computers Can Enhance Personal Life For Blind People
2006-2008
www.blind-planet.com/content/personal-power

 

A Life of Word and Sound
2003-2007
http://www.blind-planet.com/content/life-word-and-sound
 
Creator and former editor of Audyssey Magazine
1996-2004
Check out my blog at:
www.michaelfeir.blogspot.com

 

 

[robbieangel]

Goodmorning everyone, I thought I'd share a bit about myself with the
group. As you said before, Michael, this is an open forum and what we
put here is written in stone for all to see. I tend to "put my best
foot forward" and dwell on the positives rather than rehash the
negatives over and over again. I've been on ODSP for 4+ years due to
physical injury which resulted in spinal stenosis/bulging discs/
damaged nerves. I've always been treated kindly/fairly by everyone at
ODSP. I'm grateful for the base income they provide. Once I got my
head/heart wrapped around the fact that I could no longer work BUT
that I was still a valued member of society it was much easier to
accept this new being that I'd become. I honestly believe that we have
to stop judging ourselves first and then we can see we are not being
judged by others.
Movies: anything that makes me laugh!
Music: New Country
Diet: whatever is nutritious and in season...I cook everything from
scratch
Family: divorced with 2 grown sons
Joys: family & friends

[Michael Feir]

Very nicely done, Rob. You'd find a lot to laugh about in Stranger Than
Fiction. I also have a soft spot in my heart for Faris Bueller's Day Off. It
takes a lot to come to terms with life like you clearly have. Keep pitching
in Rob. It ought to get a bit easier as we expand our membership and get to
know each other better.

Michael Feir
Owner of Silver Smiles
Join and share the silver lining in your life.
Group home page: http://groups.google.com/group/silver-smiles
2010--
Author of Personal Power:
How Accessible Computers Can Enhance Personal Life For Blind People
2006-2008
www.blind-planet.com/content/personal-power

A Life of Word and Sound
2003-2007
http://www.blind-planet.com/content/life-word-and-sound

Creator and former editor of Audyssey Magazine
1996-2004
Check out my blog at:
www.michaelfeir.blogspot.com

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[Michael Feir]

Hello everyone. Things have gone pretty well for me over the past while. I've been doing a lot more walking than I usually do. My father and I went out on tuesday for a brunch at one of my favorite restaurants, Symposium Cafe. It's a place I can actually walk to by myself although I don't do that as often as I once did. The staff are very friendly there but I try to save any extra money for occasions like last night when I'm out with people. Dad and I had a good meal and got all caught up with events. He's retired now and seems to be enjoying that. My two little neaces seem to be getting over their illness but their mother is now sick. Hopefully, things will sort themselves out in that department soon as I haven't seen them in a while. I've been having trouble coming up with a good gift for them this year. I got them a talking globe last year but as they're only two and four, I guess that might have been a bit advanced for them. Dad and I will go to the Dollar Store and see what we can find. They have so many toys that it's hard to know what they don't have. They're such joyful little ladies.

 

Today, I have an orientation lesson from a CNIB instructor. I believe I've mastered how to get to my church. It's about a forty-minute walk. I just want to do the route once more and make certain I have all the landmarks and reminders recorded in my talking gps device so that when I start using the route in the spring, I won't have to have the instructor out to re-learn it. That gadget was donated to me by a philanthropist who tries to help blind people in all sorts of ways including getting equipment we can't afford for ourselves. I tend to help him with any access technology questions he might have. I've been asked a series of questions by the volunteer coordinator at The Dam where I hope to volunteer soon. It's an organisation which tries to provide a safe hangout and mentors for youth who live troubled lives. They do other stuff too so I'm hopeful my skills will be useful there. I have to find something to do in the community or I'm going to go nuts from isolation and boredom eventually.

 

Yesterday, I got together with my good friend Adam. He's trying to get a degree in journalism so he's pretty tight for cash these days. I had wanted to treet him to dinner around my birthday but that didn't work out. I saved the cash to finally be able to do that last evening. He and I enjoy computer games. He describes what's happening and controls the mouse. We had a lot of fun and enjoyed the meal at Turtle Jack's. I won't be able to do that again any time soon but man! That smokehouse burger tasted good.

 

On the 13th, I'll be attending a church gathering with other members of my dinomination. We're looking at a confession being considerred for adoption. It concerns racial prejudice, a subject which has always interested me. I didn't know I was white until around age twelve. It just never occured to anybody that I wouldn't know or that I should. I tend to presume people are deserving of equal respect and are at least as capable as I am until they themselves prove otherwise. Some of my friends think I'm too trusting but I've only been taken advantage of perhaps four times in my thirty-six years. In general, people are good and mean well in my experience.

 

Folks, I have yet to hear back from any of you regarding the group flyer I sent out a couple of days ago. In fact, I haven't heard anything from any of you. Clearly, this group needs to grow substantially if it's going to do anyone much good. If I don't hear from people about the flyer by monday, I'll presume you're all fine with it and start sending it out to people. I hope we'll see some action with the discussion topics I've put out there for you or indeed new topics you put forward.