Gayle Unplugged
Go to the Perkins Store Homepage.
A message from Gayle Yarnall, Director, Perkins Products:
Welcome to the lighter side of Perkins Products. This part of our website is also known as "hints for real life". We will cover real life and how blind people cope with the situations that occur about fifty times a day. I do not claim that all the ideas you find here will be mine. I will take them from any place I find them. Be careful what you say to me because it may show up here. Some of these were submitted by other blind people. If you read this you will know who you are. Thanks for your help.
(Gayle Yarnall is herself blind and uses in her daily life many of the very same products sold by Perkins Products. Click on the entries below to read Gayle's latest thoughts.)
Encounters of the Blind Kind
I have received several requests from sighted people about how to handle encounters with blind people. In this section of our website, I will try to answer some of the most commonly asked questions, as well as some less common ones. I will try to keep this on the lighter side and still manage not to offend anyone.
Playing the Blind Card
I have always believed in playing the cards you are dealt. We don't really have any control over the dealer so we have to learn to play the hand.
Embarrassing Moments
If you ever get more than three blind people in one place it won't take long before the embarrassing stories start spilling forth.
Losing the Technology Battle
I have been working with adaptive technology since almost before there was adaptive technology. I used to be able to stay one step ahead of things but, alas, things have changed. I am willing to admit that I can't keep up with computer technology; But who can? I am fortunate to have a great staff who helps me stay above water.
A Month of Language Immersion
I have been trying to teach myself Spanish for two years. I have made a few trips to Ecuador and each time I promise myself that I will learn Spanish before the next trip.
Get Your Share
A few months ago I made an amazing discovery. As you already know, along with travel, gardening, and food, my favorite pastime is reading.
Conversations with Satellites
Everyone knows how much I love daylight savings time and how I celebrate the day it arrives. Well, this year it came ridiculously early. I can’t even pretend it is spring, not in my wildest dreams. However, this year’s arrival gave me a new surprise.
A brand new box of crayons
Over a week has passed since the big announcement that is going to change my life. I think today is the first time I have had some quiet time to really think about what is happening.
Adaptive Technology Consulting to join forces with Perkins School for the Blind
Dear Friends, I am thrilled with the plan for Adaptive Technology Consulting to join forces with Perkins School for the Blind.
My New Best Friend
It seems as if I do a lot of writing about travel or reading. The great thing is that the two things can be so easily combined. I have a wonderful new reading tool that just happens to travel very easily. This wonderful device has also cleared a few shelves of my book case.
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