Saturday, November 27, 2010

no support

So this should be a happy post, telling you all of my success at NUI maynooth, instead of which, it's anything but. Let me start from the beginning, and once again, i'm looking for your opinions, as they really were helpful last time i asked you to post, and you did.

I got up at 6.30 this morning, and left my house at about 7.15 or there a bouts. When i stepped outside the door, i couldn't believe what my cane, and my feet, were feeling. snow! "Oh my god, am i mad? should I just turn back:? i thought to myself, but then i remembered hearing such great stories about NUI's disability supports. i also was meant to give an IPhone demo today to some perspective visually impaired users, which it turned out, got canceled because of the weather, but not knowing this at the time, i decided to soldier on, not so-much for the demo, but i was excited and looking forward to NUI. My journey there was far from simple...

Luckily, i made it around the first corner on my route without incident. This was only luck, because the snow made it very hard to hear anything. After this, i continued on for a few minutes, but was starting to veer a bit because of my inability to get sound shadows. A very nice man spotted me, and also told me to get back onto the path, and he then proceeded to help me the rest of the way to my bus stop, and wait till i was on a bus, which was very nice of him i thought. Let me mention while i'm here, that Dublin bus have made the great decision, on the 123 bus, to introduce talking stops, this now means that just like the luis, every stop on the bus is now announced, and it is fabulous. I decided, instead of getting out at O'Connoll street, which i had originally asked the driver, that i would get out at the college green stop, and have something to eat in Starbucks, after which, i would get a taxi to connelly, in time for my train to maynooth. As soon as i got off the bus, my adventure began. i stepped up the step and reached for the door of Starbucks to open it, only to find it was locked. After this, i quickly made my way back to the stop, and got a 19A bus to O'Connoll street, and the driver very kindly let me off in a place he wasn't supposed to. It was raining and thundering at the time, so guess he was just trying to make my life easier. Then, i had to get sighted assistance to cross the road, as it was impossible to find the tactile markings which denote the lights, in the snow. After this, i asked the guy who had helped me across the road, to take me to a cafe i go to regularly, in the hopes i might get something to eat, no such luck though, this was closed also.

With this, i decided to opt for the taxi option, thinking i would just get something to eat in connelly station, before catching my train. I asked the driver to take me to connelly station, only to be informed, that the trains were not running, because of some damage to the lines due to lightening. I then decided to see if i could get a private bus from a bus station nearby. I would quickly find out, not only was this not possible, but the option i took was a lot easier, and is very readily available should i wish to get there again, dublin bus service maynooth, and i took a 67. i arrived at the bus stop at about 5 past 9 or that, and unfortunately due to the way things were scheduled, ended up waiting for the student who did come and pick me up as soon as he could, at this point i wish to point out, he couldn't have been nicer, and the access office of NUI did a good job with their assigning of him to me.

When he did pick me up eventually, we went to campus, where we had something to eat, and i, in true blind fashion, spilled coffee all over one of the legs of my jeans. This wasn't two much of a big deal though, and we made our way to the first of many stands.

I met some lovely students there, and i also attended some talks. Social science which is just not for me, Psychology, which i'm glad i went to, because, although i talked about studying it in the last post, i don't think it's for me either. There are just some things i'd rather not know the answers to, plus i don't think i have the ability to be clinical and detached, like is sometimes needed in this field.

I was completely wowed however, by computer science, and software engineering. I would just love to know how to write programs, and i seen a really cool way they teach you two, they do it with robots. You sit at a computer, and you can program the robot from there. They had one firing out marbles, and another that could find a can of beer pick it up, and bring it to you! all be it, a little slowly.. I'd also love to understand computer codes, i'm so enthused about it all, well, at least i was..

When i came home this evening, my aunt was here, and i was talking to her about the course and stuff. When i said i was going to move out, which i'd said to my mam a few nights ago, and which she wasn't happy with, she flipped again. The usual why would i want to move out when i have a family here stuff.

I didn't like that she was doing this, as i felt she was putting a downer on my, until then, good day. But then came the icing on the cake. After a little more probing i found out, that she doesn't think i'll stick the whole degree course out. Why? because i've canceled contracts for stupid things like broadband, and probably because i upgraded to the iphone 4 having only had the 3gs for not so long. I personally, don't see what any of these things have to do with me doing a degree?

Anyway, now, i'm feeling deflated, and just don't know what to do.
Have any of you ever faced a similar situation?

Please help me out with this one

Thanks
Till next time

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Have I finally decided what i'm going to do?

First of all, I want to say a big thank you for reading and commenting on my last post, to those of you who did, and to those who just read, thank you also.

I've been deliberating about what i wrote about in my last post over the last few days, i even rang guidedogs to see what their status was on living with people who i didn't know, and it turns out, they don't recommend it. This left me thinking a few things, but now, i think i've decided what i'm going to do.

I am going to a university that i'm thinking of studying at next year, and if i like it, what i might do is see if there was some part time course i could do for next year, during which time i could apply for my dog, before i go into my degree. I will try for an apartment on my own, and see how that works out. I suppose really for me, it's my only choice, unless i find some very nice person to share with in the mean time.

The courses i'm thinking of looking at this saturday are community and youth work, and psychology.

I will write and let you all know how it went, and also on saturday i'm doing some demo work with iphones for interested perspective users.

For now, signing off, and till next time :)

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Calling all Visually Impaired people

so, this post is mostly what it says, and intended for visually impaired people, because i am looking for a bit of advice. In particular, i would be seeking advice from those of you, who have a guide dog. I want to know, when you got your first dog, where were you living? at home? in halls of residence at some college? in your own apartment/house? Those of you who have dogs and live with parents, i wouldn't really be looking for your stories, because as those of you who have looked at this blog before, know, my first dog came home to a family situation, and this just did not work out, just my situation. I'm thinking of moving out, into a house/apartment share, and then applying for my second dog. Ideally of course, i would love my own apartment, but current economic times dictate that circumstances are otherwise.
Opinions much appreciated, as well as your own stories. Do you think sharing with other people and having a dog can work out? do you think it's necessary for the first year of the partnership for it to just be you and your new guide?
Look forward to reading your responses.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

9 months later!

So here i am again, this time 9 months after my last post, i swear i really have to start writing here more often. An awful lot, once again, has changed since my last post. I'm writing this on a mac. I've completely switched to apple products now. i have an IPod, an IPhone, and now, a beautiful new macbook air. I pimped it up a bit, so i intend on making it do as my main machine for a long time. The great thing about this mac, is that it's completely built around flash storage, which means there are no moving parts at all in the machine. It's ultra slim, portable, and so light i can't get over it! to learn more about macbook air you can check out, http://www.macbookair.com
I received a custom made case for my macbook, from a company in america, San Francisco to be precise. if you need any sort of custom cases for computers or phones, do check out http://www.sfbags.com you won't be disappointed. Their service is absolutely fabulous.

Now my major news for the moment. i have had a job coach from fas for the past few months, but it is proving difficult for her to find anything in the way of jobs for me. The reason i got her in the first place is because of my disability. As it is so quiet on the job front, i'm very seriously considering going back to college next year, to get a degree. I also want to apply sooner rather than later, for my second guide dog, so looking at ways of making that happen. I haven't decided what i will do yet on the dog front, but i will have updates in future posts.