TSB Members are meeting by phone on Tuesday mornings from 10:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. The free phone call number is: 605-468-8020 access code 969009 # (pound sign).

AUGUST

3rd: Our own Mike King will sing and perform the oldies on his guitar.

10th: Barbara Macpherson, We will listen to the inspiring podcast, “Overcoming Obstacles of blindness” by Eric Weihenmayer, who has climbed seven peaks. We will also be discussing how to get better organized.

12th: TSB Board Meeting 10:15 a.m., Biscuit Country Café, 7026 E. Broadway

17th: Bob Kresmer, “All about NFB, National Federation of the Blind, State Convention” followed by a Pizza lunch. We’ll stay until noon.

17th: Manny Celis lesson on iPhone on Zoom, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

24th: TBA

31st: Lupita Hernandez “Achilles Heel and cultivating a positive attitude”

SEPTEMBER

2nd-5th: NFB State Convention. It will all be on Zoom. There is free registration; sign up at https://az.nfb.org/convention-registration/

7th: State Representative, Daniel Hernandez

10th: TSB Board Meeting 10:15 a.m., Biscuit Country Café, 7026 E. Broadway

14th: Sergeant Jeremy Williams, Tucson Police Community Resource Officer

We will Back on the phone conference line for three weeks. The phone number is 605-468-8020 access code 969009# (pound)

21st: Larry Johnson – Blind Author, 5 books on BARD ACB advocate

21st: TSB Training on iphone with Manny Celis, on Zoom, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

28th: TBA

October 5th: TBD

October 12th: Back at church – 6565 E Broadway – Janet Dylla, Desert Low Vision, Bringing the latest technology and many other talking items for the visually impaired.

October 20th: Gaslight Theater performance of “Frankenstein.” There will be dinner at Little Anthony at 4:30 PM The play doors open at 6:15 PM

November 9th: TSB Annual Meeting: Board of Directors Election, Presidential Report and Treasurer’s Report, Proposed Budget, Thanksgiving Luncheon

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

President’s Message by Barbara Macpherson

TSB members will enjoy a hybrid schedule of programs. We will be at the church, 6565 E. Broadway, from August 3rd to September 14th. Then we will be on the phone conference line on September 21st, 28th, and October 5th returning to the church on October 12. I hope to schedule a couple of field trips in September.

We are still selling Jim Click Raffle tickets. The raffle tickets are $25 each or 5 for $100. You may win a great prize, but the real winner is TSB since all the money raised goes into the TSB treasury to fund our programs. Please sell the tickets to your doctors, family members, and friends. Please contact Tom Young
(520)721-1029 to get tickets.

Our job as visually impaired individuals is to advocate for ourselves and educate others about blindness. I encountered a new nurse at my doctor’s office who had never met a legally blind person before. She thanked me for giving her instructions that she can use for other visually impaired individuals.

 

Annual Meeting Tuesday November 9, 2021

TSB will hold the Board of Directors Election. Members will also hear the President and Treasurer’s Report and vote on the proposed budget.

If you would like to run for the Board of Directors you need to let President Barbara Macpherson know by October 1st. Your nomination must be approved by the board. According to our bylaws, you need to attend Tuesday meetings, pay your dues, and be in good standing.

At the meeting, members will enjoy a traditional turkey lunch with all the trimmings with two choices of pie. Mark your calendar; the TSB Board encourages all members to attend the annual meeting.

 

Eye Talk by Annie Schlesinger – Being Organized, Part 3

We’re not organized yet; this article will give more of my thoughts about it. Less is easier to manage and a well-thought-out routine allows time for relaxation, fun things, and less anxiety.

In the kitchen, clear counters are better. Take items out and put them away; you will be able to find the item later. Bins and trays keep supplies in their place.

Measuring dry or liquid ingredients on a tray makes cleanup easier. A liquid indicator such as “Say When” is good when pouring liquids. A round plastic fishing float can be used for cold liquids. Find these floats in sports department.

Pay attention to knife storage. I used to have a wooden counter top block for storage but don’t have counter space for it now. I keep my sharp long knife in a drawer, sharp side down, wedged in a space next to the silverware tray. Paring knives go tip down in a heavy cup-like container in a corner of the counter.

If you take long-term medications see if your pharmacy has automatic renewal options. I receive some medications by mail. The label can be read by a machine that was given to me.

When I leave the apartment, I lock the door with the key and make sure I always have my key with me.

I have two identical purses, one is for summer, and one is for winter so that items are always in the same pocket or compartment. I use a Crossbody bag and rarely set it down when I am out; I might forget the bag or not see it.

For taxes I plan to sort items in envelopes; I may need some help with taxes.

Spots on my clothing may not be seen by me so I try to avoid getting them. I often wear a chest protector (bib, crumb-catcher). I did some beading on a cord, attached an alligator clip and use it with a napkin. Hey, a fashion statement! I gave one to my brother and he uses it, and even takes it on trips. (He likes the pearls.)

I have many things around the house marked with bump dots or 3D paint. For example, I put dots on top of electric cords that need to be lined up a certain way. Similarly, my microwave has bump dots marking the controls. My mailbox in the mail room has a bump dot on it. My answering machine, TV remote and telephone all have dots besides the standard one on number 5. I have marked my thermostat and space heater controls with dots. Instead of bump dots, 3D and puff paint works well on some items.

3D paint dots in braille letters are used to mark my clothing and hats for color. PenFriend© laundry stickers and attaching safety pins in a code are among some of the ways to mark clothing. There are commercial products or apps identifying colors – but you should try before buying.

In my community laundry I place a cutout from a magnet sheet on the washers and dryers I am using. I have customized these with my name using 3D paint. As there are ten washers and ten dryers this is a help for me. One sighted person has even adopted this idea.

New apps are coming out all the time and I try to check out all the ones I hear about that might be useful. Networking and belonging to groups help keep me up-to-date. Several apps help me read print and identify objects. There are also stand-alone machines that read print.

And finally, being organized helps us live more worry-free. My memory is not as good as it used to be and I can easily get distracted. If you make it a habit of returning items to their designated spots, you will easily be able to find it again. Control equals satisfaction!

 

What’s New at Amazon

The fourth generation of the Echo Dot is shaped as a sphere and has better sound speakers. It sells for around $40. The Alexa voice on the Echo Dot can now speak slower or faster. You can also send your shopping list to anyone on your contact list. The Echo Show models have a screen with a camera.

There are three Echo Shows, with the Echo Show 5 model being least expensive. There is also the 2nd edition of the Echo Show 8. and the newest Echo Show 10 model which features a camera that follows you around during a video chat. There are a number of really neat features available.

For example, the “Show and Tell” feature is available on all three Echo Show models. You hold up a can or box and say “What’s in my hand?” and the Echo Show will try to identify the object through its database and OCR recognition. You can have the screen read to you by using “Voice View” which is similar to iPhone’s, “Voice Over” and uses gestures. The latest is that you can put a Ring Amazon Camera in your peephole and see the person out at the door on your Echo show. For more information go to:
www.amazon.com/accessibility www.amazon.com/alexaaccess

Amazon Disability Help Line, 888-283-1678, Staff will help you order items from Amazon and Amazon Alexa Tech Support: 888-299-7571

 

A Story about Jenna

Jenna sometimes hugs Phillips for 20 minutes. My Divine Bovine Jenna the Cow and her twin brother were born on a North Carolina dairy farm in 2018. Female calves with twin brothers are often infertile, so Jenna was set to be killed shortly after her birth. Fortunately, the dairy farmer’s 16-year-old daughter convinced her dad to let her find a home for Jenna instead.

When Jenna was just three days old, I drove from Williamsburg, Virginia, to Durham, North Carolina, in my Subaru to pick up the little calf. I named her after the wonderful farm girl who saved her life. Jenna was so sweet and tiny curled up on a blanket in the car, and I was too nervous to stop during the ride home. Sure, she had a few accidents on the road, but nothing could dampen my spirits at having a chance to rescue this little girl.

I fed Jenna three bottles a day for six months and spent many nights in the barn to make sure she never felt lonely. She loved to circle and chase me at bottle time. When it ran empty, she would headbutt my stomach to try to get milk out of me. I’m pretty sure she actually thinks I’m her mother. Jenna still loves to play headbutt, where we put our heads together and push. She usually lets me win. Occasionally, she shakes her horns and knocks them into my head and feels bad as soon as she realizes she hurt me. She has so much fun pretending our strength is close to equal, even though she could easily throw me across the yard if she wanted to. But she is always ready to break for hugs. Hugs are one of her favorite things. She’ll press her head into me and just hold the position for 20 minutes.

If I don’t come outside early enough to get her in the morning, Jenna will walk around the house from window to window and then stand on the back porch mooing for me to come out and play. She wants to be included in absolutely everything I do, whether it’s working in the yard (often to fix something she knocked down) or eating in the kitchen (where she watches through the window). When Jenna was little, I would bring her in the house for carrots. She no longer fits through the doors, so we feed her carrots through the kitchen window, our carrot drive-through. I take her for walks around our city. Tourists always do a double-take at the man strolling with a cow in a bright pink harness. Jenn, at 1200 pounds, loves to meet new people. She also gets to show off how she learned to shake hooves for alfalfa treats.

Life isn’t about surviving the storm,
but how to dance in the rain.
The grass isn’t greener on the other side of the fence;
it’s greener where it is watered.