Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Hobby & potential friend inspiration? (self.Blind)
submitted by sk1ttl3s
I'm posting this on behalf of my partially sighted husband.
From birth he's been afflicted by colobomas of both eyes, which came with a stellar case of nystagmus. His documented prescription is about 20/200 & 20/400 - legally blind. He does not drive, but will ride a bike when poised to, or he has an electric scooter as well.
However we live in Montana and transport via himself is limited to about 3m a year so he relies on myself, ride share, etc.
However he doesn't LIKE to do ride shares and things if he doesn't absolutely HAVE to.
So his question to the community. What are your hobbies and activities that get you involved and interacting with others and making friends outside of your home?
This is understandably hard, he's a 40yr old legally blind male in Montana.
From birth he's been afflicted by colobomas of both eyes, which came with a stellar case of nystagmus. His documented prescription is about 20/200 & 20/400 - legally blind. He does not drive, but will ride a bike when poised to, or he has an electric scooter as well.
However we live in Montana and transport via himself is limited to about 3m a year so he relies on myself, ride share, etc.
However he doesn't LIKE to do ride shares and things if he doesn't absolutely HAVE to.
So his question to the community. What are your hobbies and activities that get you involved and interacting with others and making friends outside of your home?
This is understandably hard, he's a 40yr old legally blind male in Montana.
siriuslylupin6 2 points 2y ago
Self development typology? It’s fun depends how serious he wants to get in to it and soul searching and understanding himself I wonder if there’s a wss group there. I don’t like them but that’s often a good social method not the best self development method but it’s more a social thing. He has to learn the stuff it comes with a self development hobby,. Understanding who he is learning his strengths and weaknesses.
DrillInstructorJan 2 points 2y ago
Judo, if there's a place nearby. I like to run with a guide; if your other half can see well enough to run a scooter I guess he's probably able to run alone (he has my envy). I play guitar for a living, so it's not exactly a pleasure anymore, but that's what happens when you turn your hobby into your job! I know someone who's seriously into musical theatre and goes to a musical theatre group.
Personally, I have no problem using uber or whatever. If it's that or just not do things, I'll take the uber. I work freelance in all kinds of random places and so I more or less have to.
A lot of the things that take up my time are work related and if that wasn't there I'd be super bored.
Personally, I have no problem using uber or whatever. If it's that or just not do things, I'll take the uber. I work freelance in all kinds of random places and so I more or less have to.
A lot of the things that take up my time are work related and if that wasn't there I'd be super bored.
liamjh27 1 points 2y ago
Hey, what’s your go to method for learning stuff on the guitar? I’m getting back into it after a bit of a break when I used to be able to read tabs etc. Now that I can’t I’ve been trying to just pick things up by ear but I’m not good enough yet. Then I find a lot of youtube lessons either teach as if you’re a complete beginner for every song which is fair enough, or they just dive into ‘so play this, followed by this then this.’ Which I also can’t follow.
DrillInstructorJan 1 points 2y ago
Not being able to read music costs me a lot of work and there's no nice way to say it. I learn by ear, I have no choice. A lot of my living is bass guitar and you might think that's good because you're developing something yourself to fit an existing track. While I have done that, a lot of it is very specifically composed stuff for libraries and commercial projects or for musical theatre, and in that case you have to play what they want played, they want the book and you will get corrected if you drift off sometimes. In the case of commercials or libraries it will be original music so it won't be on youtube!
I have two choices. Sometimes they'll send me music or much more rarely tab, and I'll forward it on to a buddy who can read it and play it on a keyboard then send me the resulting mp3 file. I have two or three very good friends to whom I owe a lot for this and I buy them a lot of lunches. Generally it doesn't take them long and I obviously don't ask them to do huge stuff. Of course it's easier if the client can send me over a recording of it and since most people compose in Sibelius or something like that they can do that. I've had a couple of odd reactions but just asking nicely seems to work. Oh, and it helps if the person making the recording is a guitarist or understands how guitar works, then they can call out any annotations or let you know if an inversion is unclear or something like that.
So basically I get a recording, or I get help to make a recording, and I do it by ear. People say learn braille but there's no way this stuff would ever be available in braille anyway. They wouldn't have the facilities to do it. The biggest challenge is doing stage shows where again, they really want it by the book and you just have to learn the whole thing which is a bit of a feat of memory. I have turned down lead guitar jobs on stage shows which I would desperately have liked to do because I am not that crazy!
I have two choices. Sometimes they'll send me music or much more rarely tab, and I'll forward it on to a buddy who can read it and play it on a keyboard then send me the resulting mp3 file. I have two or three very good friends to whom I owe a lot for this and I buy them a lot of lunches. Generally it doesn't take them long and I obviously don't ask them to do huge stuff. Of course it's easier if the client can send me over a recording of it and since most people compose in Sibelius or something like that they can do that. I've had a couple of odd reactions but just asking nicely seems to work. Oh, and it helps if the person making the recording is a guitarist or understands how guitar works, then they can call out any annotations or let you know if an inversion is unclear or something like that.
So basically I get a recording, or I get help to make a recording, and I do it by ear. People say learn braille but there's no way this stuff would ever be available in braille anyway. They wouldn't have the facilities to do it. The biggest challenge is doing stage shows where again, they really want it by the book and you just have to learn the whole thing which is a bit of a feat of memory. I have turned down lead guitar jobs on stage shows which I would desperately have liked to do because I am not that crazy!
Amonwilde 2 points 2y ago
I've been getting into homebrewing, which is a lot of fun. You might also consider herbalism / foraging, which might be great in your area, woodworking / carpentry, music, running, or gardening. He could also get involved with local politics or volunteer. Honestly, once you get into a mindset of getting excited about stuff, the list is pretty much endless. These are all things that even totally blind people regularly do, so if he thinks he can't do them he shoudl get over it and stop using blindness as an excuse. :) Biking 3-4 miles is really not that intense, I regularly run 6 miles and I am 20/800, though I do tend to run around in circles and/or stick to really predictable routes.
sk1ttl3s [OP] 1 points 2y ago
He does regularly exercise, and he's a SAHD to 4 daughters between 14y-5y so he's plenty busy.
He was more or less wanting some new experiences that maybe he or we haven't thought about for a potential hobby or past time. We just discovered RC car drifting and he's considering that, but then realized there's probably a whole plethora of OTHER things that people enjoy. Why not ask what others enjoy doing, who have similar limitations.
He was more or less wanting some new experiences that maybe he or we haven't thought about for a potential hobby or past time. We just discovered RC car drifting and he's considering that, but then realized there's probably a whole plethora of OTHER things that people enjoy. Why not ask what others enjoy doing, who have similar limitations.
Amonwilde 1 points 2y ago
Makes sense. A lot of people come on here saying "I'm blind and bored," basically, so maybe I'm a little defensive :)
Wooden_Suit5580 2 points 2y ago
Are there any blind or low vision community centers in your area? I have found a lot of good friends by going to those places. I have been blind for the last five years. Finding and making new friends is very hard to do when you’re blind. Seek out resources in your area for blind people. I know many states have something called Beep Ball. It is like baseball. But it is for blind people. The ball beeps and everybody in the field is either blind or blindfolded.
Wishing you the best
Wishing you the best
blind_cowboy 1 points 2y ago
Hunting! You live in MT. You have no idea how bad I want to elk hunt there.
sk1ttl3s [OP] 2 points 2y ago
Though we are really having a ton of fun with axe throwing!!
sk1ttl3s [OP] 2 points 2y ago
Hahaha it's funny you mention that. We're the city kind of Montanans that don't enjoy freezing to death to kill things lol
oncenightvaler 1 points 2y ago
I take the bus a lot of places whether it's down town to see my friends or over to this improv theatre and cafe, or over to the mall, the library, the karaoke restaurant.
I am lucky in that the church, the coffee shop, the movie theatre, and some good restaurants are all in my neighbourhood.
However: I would suggest that you and your husband look up Meet Up. They may have some Zoom meetings in these difficult Corona virus times.
I am lucky in that the church, the coffee shop, the movie theatre, and some good restaurants are all in my neighbourhood.
However: I would suggest that you and your husband look up Meet Up. They may have some Zoom meetings in these difficult Corona virus times.
sk1ttl3s [OP] 1 points 2y ago
That's a great suggestion thanks! We'll look into the app! Our bus system is pretty good and he uses it in the summer. Come wonder it's just a different ballgame.
I just wish it were more robust. We have 8 routes and it runs hourly.
I just wish it were more robust. We have 8 routes and it runs hourly.
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