BOOK REVIEW: A Brush with Darkness

by Lisa Fittipaldi

What happens when you lose your sight? How do you feel? What do you feel? How do you go on?

Lisa Fittipaldi lost her sight. It was unexpected, unplanned. She was thrust into a world without sight and suddenly everything was different. Even the simplest acts, like brushing her teeth, became an overwhelming ordeal, one event among countless others that had to be relearned and conquered. It was her husband who put paints and brushes in her hands and told her to go with it. I suspect she had painted before, or at least expressed an interest, but this was different. This was learning to paint when she did not even know how to walk.

Lisa Fittipaldi articulated so many of my experiences. I could relate to her trials and tribulations, her awarenesses, her triumphs and failures. Yet I was born that way, always having to learn to do things my way, all the while dealing with people who just do not get it.

This book is inspirational. A must-read for anyone who has lost their sight, or hearing, a finger, a leg, or anything else that others may label a disability. You just may find an inner strength that makes you even better.

“Being blind is like being blond. It just is.” (p. 125)

____________________________

Available through BARD and bookshare:

.BARD – https://nlsbard.loc.gov/
Bookshare – https://www.bookshare.org/

Slice Veggies, Not Fingers

Ordinary things do extraordinary things! In this video, we talk about how to slice fruits and vegetables easily and uniformly. With today’s simple tip, people who are blind or visually impaired can master this kitchen task safely and easily, and with a very simple and inexpensive tool.

Click on the video below. to find out more.

Voice Dream Reader App

I normally read audiobooks. The choices available on BARD are extensive. The quality of each and every book is outstanding. There are no robtic voices but instead are human readers who give professional performances. Many of the offerings are commercial audiobooks that have been adapted for the National Library Service. And it is all free!

Every now and then, a book comes across my radar screen that I really want to read but it is not yet available on BARD. Granted, it does not happen often, but it happens. Most of the time I simply hope that book will be made available in the near future, but sometimes I just want it now.

That happened to me this week. Someone We Know by Shari Lapena was recommended to me but was not available on BARD. So I downloaded it from bookshare. I downloaded the book to my Voice Dream reader app on my iPad.

Voice Dream provides many options. I can choose to read the print or have the print read to me. I can even switch back and forth – reading some of the print and having some of it read to me – at my discretion. Either way, everything is customizable from font size to tone of voice, and so much more.

When I choose to read the book in print on my iPad I have found that Arial or Helvetica work best for me, using font size 60. I set the bold also. I am most comfortable with standard black letters on a white background, but there are times I prefer to invert the colors, and that is an easy accommodation to make.

VD 1 — Pictured: A screenshot of the Voice Dream Reader as it displays on my iPad. This image shows Arial font in bold, size 60, black lettering on a white background. One sentence is highlighted in blue. Controls along the top and bottom of the screen are displayed.

Voice Dream will read to me, if I so choose. Sometimes I set Heather to read, sometimes Paul, and sometimes Salli. There are so many to choose from. Each of these speaks in a manner and style that is comfortable for me.

Voice Dream is not just a reader. There are additional features to help the reader get around the book or document, such as highlighting, setting bookmarks, a dictionary, and writing notes. Everything is searchable, too.

A light tap on the screen will expose controls along the top and bottom of the screen. At the top are speech and audio settings as well as other controls. At bottom are the playback audio controls.

Lots of hand gestures are available to help the reader move quickly and easily through every book and document.

Last but not least, Voice Dream imports books from various sources like bookshare and Gutenberg. It imports articles from web addresses and from scanned documents.

Voice Dream is assistive technology that puts everyone on the same page.

VD at the APP Store — Pictured: A screenshot of Voice Dream Reader as it displays in the App Store.

____________________________________________________

We would love to hear from you…

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

#BlindAbilities

People who are blind or visually impaired can do anything! Sometimes we do things differently.

This video is dedicated to all people who are blind or visually impaired.

__________________________________________________________

Your comments are welcome –

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

6 Best Uses for Dawn Dish Detergent

DIY Dawn Cleaning — Pictured: DIY Shower Cleaner, bottle of Dawn dish detergent, and DIY All Purpose Cleaner.

Original blue Dawn has so many uses. It has been tried and tested and proven to be safe and effective. For people who are blind or visually impaired, it is best to minimize the toxic cleaners we think we need in order to keep our homes clean and manageable. Of course, this is best for everyone, not just the VIP community. Instead of a shelf full of assorted bottles and jars that can be harmful and confusing, try paring down your cleaning supplies with a few very effective nontoxic cleaners.

Remember to label all of your bottles containing homemade cleaning products. Use a bold indelible (permanent) marker and/or a braille label maker.

Be safe and save money!

1. All Purpose Cleaner

Keep a bottle of all purpose cleaner handy. Wipe fingerprints from walls and dirt and spills from tile floors. It is great for removing grease and scum from kitchen cabinet doors and hardware, and cooktops too.

Spray all purpose cleaner in pots and pans after cooking and let stand while you enjoy your dinner. Then wash pots and pans as usual, but with amazing ease.

Ingredients – Fill a spray bottle with 1/3 Dawn, 1/3 distilled vinegar, and 1/3 water. For more difficult jobs, spray and let stand for 10 minutes, then wipe clean. Note: Vinegar does not behave on stone (porous) countertops including marble, granite, etc., so use Dawn without vinegar on such surfaces.

2. Carpet spot cleaner

Apply a few drops of dish detergent to the soiled carpet area. Scrub with brush, even an old toothbrush. Let stand for 5 minutes or so. Rinse with just a little clear water. Blot dry.

3. Shower and bath cleaner

Prepare all purpose cleaner as above. Spray down shower walls, bathtub surfaces, and especially faucets. Let stand for a few minutes. Then rinse and wipe clean. I leave a filled spray bottle in the shower and spray faucets and known problem spots at the beginning of the shower. At shower’s end, I just wipe clean. The shower practically cleans itself.

4. Ice Pack

Fill a good quality zippered sandwich bag ¾ full with Dawn. Remove excess air. Place in freezer. This DIY ice pack will be soft and malleable and will remain cold longer.

5. Clean your eyeglasses

Just place one drop of Dawn on each eyeglass lens, rub with fingertips over both sides of the lenses, and rinse clean. Dry with a microfiber cloth.

And my favorite…

6. Unclog the toilet

Pour about a cup of Dawn dish detergent into the clogged toilet bowl. Let stand for about 15 to 20 minutes. Then flush. Repeat if necessary, but it probably won’t be necessary.

BONUS:

7. Bug spray

Fill a spray bottle with water and add just about 2 teaspoons of Dawn. Shake. Spray directly on targeted insect. Bugs do not die instantly, but still quickly.

_________________________________________________________

Do you have a favorite Dawn dish detergent DIY? Please share. We would all be happy to hear about it.

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

You Must See This

Do you see what I see? Can you see what you can’t see? What is it, and how do you know?

Visual impairment is a spectrum. It is seeing something between all and nothing.

The following video gives first hand information about what some blind and visually impaired people see.

What do you see?

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

GIVEAWAY: Braille Books

I have braille books to give away. All of the books I am offering are UEB (Unified English Braille), all used but in excellent condition.

I am restricting this round of giveaway books to US addresses only. I will be mailing them “Free Matter” and I am not sure how international mail works with Free Matter at this point. My apologies to my international friends.

So, to my US friends, all you need do is fill in the Request Form below with your name, your email address, and which book or books you would like. Your comments are also welcome. If you are first to request, I will contact you by email and ask for your mailing address privately. It is that simple. So, on to the list of braille books to give away:

The Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution – in one volume
Club CSI: The Case of the Digital Deception – 2 volumes
Conundrum – a puzzle magazine (word search, Sudoku, etc.)

Update: These books have all found new homes.

9 Ways to Hold Things Close

When I want to see things, I hold them close, very close. Reading is possible if the letters are big enough and held close enough. But how long can I stay hunched over a book or a chart, or whatever? How long until my wrists and shoulders ache from holding up a heavy book or even a one-page instruction sheet? Not very long! It takes just minutes, sometimes just seconds, before my neck and especially my back start to ache unbearably. So I have found ways to hold things close, and at just the right height and angle.

So here are 9 ways I have found to hold things close.

Phone stand.

Belkin Phone Holder — Pictured: Silver phone stand by Belkin – one position only, but folds compactly for portability.

I bought this Belkin cell phone stand in 2012 and I still use it frequently. I like to keep my phone propped up with speakerphone turned on, especially for group conversations. There are times when I use it to support my iPad for skype chats. It is very small, just 3” x 5”. It folds up compactly and is easy to carry with me. I don’t think this particular one is still available, but you get the idea.

2. Flexible Arm iPad stand

Free Arm Tablet Holder — Pictured: An iPad held by a flexible black metal arm that is clamped to a table. The arm can move in any direction side-to-side and up and down.

I use this for applying my makeup, and fixing my hair. I use an old iPad that is no longer supported by Apple and so I can’t download any of the newer software. It has become my grooming station. I use a magnifier app to help with makeup, and the camera to snap selfies that I then enlarge (a lot) to check out the results. With this iPad holder, I can move the arm up, down, this way or that – exactly where I need it with just a light touch.

3. Belkin Stage Tablet stand

Belkin Tablet Holder — Pictured: Belkin tablet stand for great support of heavier tablets and more. It can be easily positioned up and down to any angle, including parallel to the table.

The tablet can be moved up and down to almost any angle and the tablet is always held securely. I like to place the iPad parallel to the table. Then I hang just the camera end over the side. I can capture documents by photo or scan and send them to my computer for enlargement and manipulation. This stand is sturdy enough to easily hold my iPad Pro. It also supports my big whiteboard (16″ x 20″) while I write notes and reminders.

4. Bamboo Book Stand

I love bamboo because it is ecologically friendly. This book stand is super sturdy and holds even large or heavy books open so that the pages are flat. I prop this up to where it works best for me.

5. Bamboo Laptop desk

Bamboo Lap Desk — Pictured: Bamboo lap desk. The main section of the top can lie flat or be raised to tilt in 4 positions with ledge to keep a book or laptop from slipping. About 1/4 of the table remains flat to hold additional materials. A side drawer pulls out to store small stationary supplies.

More bamboo, and still loving it.

This bamboo laptop desk can be placed over he lap when seated on a chair or couch, or even sitting up in bed. I love the look and feel of this, its versatility, and its small convenient drawer. It can be used as a flat table or angled in four different positions.

6. Portable “tabletop” desk

I call this my Tabletop Table because I use this versatile table on top of another table. I use it for close work, like drawing, or projects that will take me some time. With this, I have less bending forward to see what I am doing. I am more comfortable and I can work for longer periods of time. It sure saves my neck and back from aching. It has a large writing surface. This one measures 20″ x 12″ and there is a larger version also available. The legs can be extended in a choice of heights, bringing the material closer and closer to me as needed, and then the table can tilt to four different angles. This has become my favorite accessory.

7. Small Tablet Stand

Lamicall Tablet Stand — Pictured: A small silver tablet holder. The base is flat on the table and rolls around the back and up in a fixed position to support the flexible area that actually holds the tablet. This part easily moves to angle the tablet.

My newest addition. This is a small tablet stand that I use to hold my smaller whiteboard which measures 11” x 14”. I keep it next to my computer. It makes jotting down notes or reminders easy-peasy. Plus, it is portable and adjustable and I can easily carry my whiteboard and stand from room to room as needed. This small tablet stand works great for me most of the time, and is one-quarter of the price (under $15) of the larger Belkin tablet stand I talked about above.

8. Recipe Holder

We used to call this a “Rube Goldberg” machine. It is a simple DIY, and one of my favorite things. It is a plastic (or wire) clothes hanger, like the ones you get free with purchase from department stores. Just clip your recipe to the hanger and hang in your kitchen work area from a cabinet knob or handle. If you don’t have a hanger with clips attached, how about using a couple of binder clips clamped onto a hanger you already have.

9. Arms

Arms for Hugs — Pictured: The hug! Here the author is hugging a man. Okay, my husband.

When you want to hold a person close, it is your arms that are most appreciated. Hugs, everyone!

_____________________________________

Talk to me! I would love to hear from you.

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

12 Kitchen Tips for VIPs

1. Good lighting. Everything starts with good lighting. Use room lighting, spot lighting, and even motion sensor lighting in dark areas, like inside cabinets.

Cabinet Light — Pictured: Motion sensor LED light. The light comes on when the door is opened and stays lit for about 60 seconds, longer if more motion is detected. Rechargeable, and requires charging about once a month with average use.

2. Food Prep Tray. Place cutting board, utensils, and foods on a food prep tray, a tray with a lip around it. You will spend less time searching the floor for things that bounced, rolled, or fell.

3. Stainless steel drinking cups. Instead of glasses that are easily tipped over and too often shatter, use stainless steel drinking cups. They are just a little more expensive up front but last and last without needing replacement, so quite cost effective in the long run. As an added bonus, they keep cold drinks naturally colder.

Stainless Steel Cups — Pictured: 4 stainless steel drinking cups – 2 12-ounce cups and 2 8-ounce cups.

4. Two-sided cutting board. A cutting board with a black side and a white side provides contrast. Use the side that has the most contrast with the food you are cutting or chopping or dicing or slicing.

5. Sauce pans. Sauce pans contain food and spatter better than fry pans. The end result will be the same, but less food will slip, slide, or spatter over the sides.

Sauce Pan Cooking — Pictured: Sauce pan on stovetop containing a large slotted spoon for stirring, and the ingredients for “Thunder & Lightning.”

6. Oven-cooked bacon. Lay strips of bacon in a single layer on the bottom of a roasting pan. Place in a 400-degree oven for 22 minutes. Perfect bacon every time – and without the hot grease spatter. Google will suggest you use a cookie sheet. No! That hot grease will splash about when you remove the tray from the oven. Use a roasting pan. It is deeper and will contain the grease better. Trust me on this one!

Bacon - Oven — Pictured: Cooked bacon on baking sheet fresh out of the oven.

7. Mandoline. Keep your fingers safe from sharp blades by slicing with a mandoline. Not only will your fingers and fingernails stay protected, but you will end up with uniform slices of fruits and vegetables, and more.

8. Spice jar labels. Index cards (cut to fit) with spice names written with bold markers can be wrapped around spice jars and secured with a rubber band. See blog post “Spice Things Up” for details.

3 Spice Jars labeled — Pictured: 3 spice jars boldly labeled for curry, cinnamon, and cumin. Rubber bands hold the labels in place.

9. Bump dots. Place bump dots on microwave and oven and other appliance buttons to easily identify the location of buttons you use frequently. This ensures that you will consistently press the desired button, and you will also do so in less time. Bump dots are available in many sizes, shapes, and colors. If you know any people who are blind or visually impaired, odds are they have bump dots to spare. You only need a few.

10. Spice ladles. Spice ladles can be dipped easily into spice jars and other condiments for removal of just the right amount. Avoid spills and waste. See blog post “4-Inch Ladles” for details.

Spice Ladles comparison — Pictured: A jar of paprika with 3 spice ladles, a soup ladle, and a teaspoon.

11. Double spatula. A double spatula makes turning pancakes, french toast, hamburgers, and more, an easy task.

Pictured: A double spatula – 2 spatulas with a nonstick finish that are connected in order to work together as tongs or flippers.

12. Silicone trivets. Multi-purpose silicone trivets, typically 8-inches in diameter, can be used as hot pads, potholders, coasters, and more. They can easily be trimmed, if desired. Because of their nonslip properties, I find them most beneficial as nonslip pads for mixing bowls, hot pots, serving bowls, cups, etc.

Bonus

Your personal assistant – Alexa, Cortana, Siri, etc. Ask your personal assistant to set a timer for you, read a recipe, or suggest substitute ingredients.

_________________________________________

Links of products and information related to the above blog post. Note that the links showing items for purchase are for information only and are not specifically endorsed.

Talk to me. I would love to hear from you!

– Renee

← Back

Please Share

Ordinary things do extraordinary things! In this video, we talk about how to slice fruits and vegetables easily and uniformly. With today’s simple tip, people who are blind or visually impaired can master this kitchen task safely and easily, and with a very simple and inexpensive tool.

Click on the video below. to find out more.

Please Share

Every now and then, a book comes across my radar screen that I really want to read but it is not yet available on BARD. Granted, it does not happen often, but it happens. Most of the time I simply hope that book will be made available in the near future, but sometimes I just want it now.

That happened to me this week. Someone We Know by Shari Lapena was recommended to me but was not available on BARD. So I downloaded it from bookshare. I downloaded the book to my Voice Dream reader app on my iPad.

Voice Dream will read to me, if I so choose. Sometimes I set Heather to read, sometimes Paul, and sometimes Salli. There are so many to choose from. Each of these speaks in a manner and style that is comfortable for me.

Voice Dream is not just a reader. There are additional features to help the reader get around the book or document, such as highlighting, setting bookmarks, a dictionary, and writing notes. Everything is searchable, too.

A light tap on the screen will expose controls along the top and bottom of the screen. At the top are speech and audio settings as well as other controls. At bottom are the playback audio controls.

Lots of hand gestures are available to help the reader move quickly and easily through every book and document.

Last but not least, Voice Dream imports books from various sources like bookshare and Gutenberg. It imports articles from web addresses and from scanned documents.

Voice Dream is assistive technology that puts everyone on the same page.

Thank you for your response. ✨

Please Share

People who are blind or visually impaired can do anything! Sometimes we do things differently.

This video is dedicated to all people who are blind or visually impaired.

Thank you for your response. ✨

Please Share

Remember to label all of your bottles containing homemade cleaning products. Use a bold indelible (permanent) marker and/or a braille label maker.

Be safe and save money!

1. All Purpose Cleaner

Keep a bottle of all purpose cleaner handy. Wipe fingerprints from walls and dirt and spills from tile floors. It is great for removing grease and scum from kitchen cabinet doors and hardware, and cooktops too.

Spray all purpose cleaner in pots and pans after cooking and let stand while you enjoy your dinner. Then wash pots and pans as usual, but with amazing ease.

2. Carpet spot cleaner

Apply a few drops of dish detergent to the soiled carpet area. Scrub with brush, even an old toothbrush. Let stand for 5 minutes or so. Rinse with just a little clear water. Blot dry.

3. Shower and bath cleaner

4. Ice Pack

Fill a good quality zippered sandwich bag ¾ full with Dawn. Remove excess air. Place in freezer. This DIY ice pack will be soft and malleable and will remain cold longer.

5. Clean your eyeglasses

Just place one drop of Dawn on each eyeglass lens, rub with fingertips over both sides of the lenses, and rinse clean. Dry with a microfiber cloth.

And my favorite…

6. Unclog the toilet

Pour about a cup of Dawn dish detergent into the clogged toilet bowl. Let stand for about 15 to 20 minutes. Then flush. Repeat if necessary, but it probably won’t be necessary.

BONUS:

7. Bug spray

Fill a spray bottle with water and add just about 2 teaspoons of Dawn. Shake. Spray directly on targeted insect. Bugs do not die instantly, but still quickly.

_________________________________________________________

Do you have a favorite Dawn dish detergent DIY? Please share. We would all be happy to hear about it.

Thank you for your response. ✨

Please Share

Do you see what I see? Can you see what you can’t see? What is it, and how do you know?

Visual impairment is a spectrum. It is seeing something between all and nothing.

The following video gives first hand information about what some blind and visually impaired people see.

What do you see?

Thank you for your response. ✨

Please Share

I have braille books to give away. All of the books I am offering are UEB (Unified English Braille), all used but in excellent condition.

I am restricting this round of giveaway books to US addresses only. I will be mailing them “Free Matter” and I am not sure how international mail works with Free Matter at this point. My apologies to my international friends.

The Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution – in one volume

Club CSI: The Case of the Digital Deception – 2 volumes

Conundrum – a puzzle magazine (word search, Sudoku, etc.)

Update: These books have all found new homes.

Please Share

So here are 9 ways I have found to hold things close.

Phone stand.

2. Flexible Arm iPad stand

3. Belkin Stage Tablet stand

4. Bamboo Book Stand

I love bamboo because it is ecologically friendly. This book stand is super sturdy and holds even large or heavy books open so that the pages are flat. I prop this up to where it works best for me.

5. Bamboo Laptop desk

More bamboo, and still loving it.

This bamboo laptop desk can be placed over he lap when seated on a chair or couch, or even sitting up in bed. I love the look and feel of this, its versatility, and its small convenient drawer. It can be used as a flat table or angled in four different positions.

6. Portable “tabletop” desk

7. Small Tablet Stand

8. Recipe Holder

9. Arms

When you want to hold a person close, it is your arms that are most appreciated. Hugs, everyone!

Talk to me! I would love to hear from you.

Thank you for your response. ✨

Please Share

1. Good lighting. Everything starts with good lighting. Use room lighting, spot lighting, and even motion sensor lighting in dark areas, like inside cabinets.

2. Food Prep Tray. Place cutting board, utensils, and foods on a food prep tray, a tray with a lip around it. You will spend less time searching the floor for things that bounced, rolled, or fell.

4. Two-sided cutting board. A cutting board with a black side and a white side provides contrast. Use the side that has the most contrast with the food you are cutting or chopping or dicing or slicing.

5. Sauce pans. Sauce pans contain food and spatter better than fry pans. The end result will be the same, but less food will slip, slide, or spatter over the sides.

7. Mandoline. Keep your fingers safe from sharp blades by slicing with a mandoline. Not only will your fingers and fingernails stay protected, but you will end up with uniform slices of fruits and vegetables, and more.

8. Spice jar labels. Index cards (cut to fit) with spice names written with bold markers can be wrapped around spice jars and secured with a rubber band. See blog post “Spice Things Up” for details.

10. Spice ladles. Spice ladles can be dipped easily into spice jars and other condiments for removal of just the right amount. Avoid spills and waste. See blog post “4-Inch Ladles” for details.

11. Double spatula. A double spatula makes turning pancakes, french toast, hamburgers, and more, an easy task.

Bonus

Your personal assistant – Alexa, Cortana, Siri, etc. Ask your personal assistant to set a timer for you, read a recipe, or suggest substitute ingredients.