Legally blind nonbinary crone, vet tech, fantasy and horror writer, lifelong nerd. Raised by hippies, lived in an intentional community for 12 years, was Goth before it was cool. Makes things out of yarn.

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Joined 2 years ago
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Cake day: June 20th, 2023

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  • Cane for me. Would like a dog but it’s just not practical.

    I’m at a crossroads with mobile right now, have always been Team Android but got an iPad Air after I went blind and am considering switching to iPhone for my next new phone, just for the convenience of being in one ecosystem and not having to remember three whole sets of gestures and commands.

    Current PC is Windows only, but traditionally I like a dual-boot Windows/Linux system. I have yet to try Linux as a blind person and only just got the PC working again, am in the process of learning NVDA’s quirks and making my stuff accessible again.

    Haven’t learned Braille yet. It’s on my to-do list, but that list is like seven leagues long.






  • I bought myself a long cane before I was even diagnosed Found it incredibly helpful in so many ways, I love its reach and feel like I’m holding a staff when I’m not moving. What I bought was was like collarbone height, and it’s perfect for me. I move fast when I can, and the cane lets me do that.

    (ETA: I had the feeling “collarbone height” was inaccurate, so I just checked and my cane is actually a little over shoulder height. I think when I was doing my original research for the cane, collarbone was what I was advised, but I added a couple of inches.)

    When I finally had O&M training, my instructor looked at my cane and seemed super hesitant, saying it was pretty long for me.But by the end of the session he said it was actually perfect for me. I do have to go slower than I used to, and he told me to slow down several times, which really did help me but doesn’t come naturally to me. But at least I don’t have to stoop and mosey with a long cane. Between my limited field of vision and the long cane I can get around really well most of the time.


  • MiahtoBlind MainSo how is everyone doing?
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    2 years ago

    Hi, I’m VixenMiah, but these days I feel more like a crone than a vixen so I’ll just go by JustMiah or Miah. Doing okay, I’m able to work and am still picking up assistive tech. I got my PC working (although still get BSOD every so often) and tried looking for games on Steam after I got NVDA working. Still trying to find games but there is hope. The Lapp is also so much better for writing than my iPad is and I really want to get ambitious about a book I’m writing - so that’s a big help. We struggle on. I’m adapting but my vision is getting more and more truly fucked. Without I’m finding screens harder and harder to use and relying mostly on screen readers.

    Yeah, never ask me how I’m doing unless you have time for like a cup of coffee.

    Gotta say I do love screen readers. I talk to machines and computers all the time, and it is nice that they talk to me now. I feel like I’m on the Enterprise. Still looking for the perfect voice though…