Disability & Blindness
Light
People, myself included, have been trying to figure out what I can and can’t see. There is no constant answer, no definitive statement; it’s a paradox. I’ve come to terms with the mystery that on one day in certain conditions things are great and I can function well visually. On other days… notsomuch. One of […]
Why I’m Out
Why on earth do I identify openly as a blind person? That according to most people who have shared their own fears with me is the worst thing ever. When I came “Out” as a blind man, it was very difficult. I had grown up believing that if I could hide my blindness that I […]
Growing Up Blind
I read this little book. More of a pamphlet really on blind children and their development. I was going to the University of Alberta at the time, trying to study computer science. Oh Well. Had these great libraries I was curious so I looked. The book was very cool and described some behaviors that I […]
SNL
The folks at Saturday Night Live are stupid. Humor and comedy is generally best at someone else’s expense but. Generally there are limits of good taste. I think these limits were passed. I can sluff off a blind joke made to me privately or in public, to a point. There is a point where its […]
How Do I Know Its You?
Do you really want to know how I identify people? Well, O.K. We’ll go through each one of the senses and I’ll let you know things that help me to know who you are. Smell. This is a big one. I remember how someone smells and have found people from the wafting of their perfume. […]
Reverse Prejudice
I hate sighted people. Well that’s not really true but occasionally I am very derogatory to sighted people in general. I have been known to say things like “sighted people all look alike” or “don’t trust a sighted person for directions”. But this is all in jest. Its like the good humored blind jokes I […]
I Hate Being Blind
There are days I just can’t take it anymore. Knowing how differently I view the world How different I think How different my experiences are. How different I am. I hate it. I want to belong I want to fit in I want occasionally to be invisible I want to be able to do the […]
What Makes It Work
I have had to find my own definition of who Kyle is and living with being blind. I couldn’t be a typical “man”. Male models don’t account for variance or difference or individuality. I couldn’t go and be the macho oil field rough neck drinking beer and chasing woman. Gross exaggeration my apologies but I […]
Disclosure
Disclosure of my disability has always been problematic. I’ve tried the extremes being blind or hiding my blindness and not trying to live blind and as always the truth lies in the middle. At one point I wouldn’t disclosing my blindness. A friend offered that people might think I’m lying about other things if I’m […]
The Blind Way
Many people think I am inflexible. That its my way or the highway. That I am a hard nosed SOB. Its too funny I was talking with someone recently and they finally put it into stark contrast for me. Actually explaining it to them put it into stark contrast for me. The Blind Way Podcast […]
