šobservations and humor
Three Things I Thoroughly Enjoy as a Synesthete
I donāt think being a synesthete gets blogged about as often as it should. I personally find my multi sensory experiences actually give me a knack for looking at situations from different angles. It also carries a special relationship with, if not talent for words and music. Iāve three of my favorite experiences here to get the ball rolling, and this may be the first of a series of long and short-form posts that communicate my experiences with Synesthesia. With that, letās get on to the big three, to coin a phrase.
1: Early Morning and Evening swims
Thereās a lot at work here. First, thereās the texture of the water. It feels like liquid circles when I touch it. It feels like the most flexible wrapping material when Iām in it.
Thereās also the combination of aromas. Thereās chlorine, used suntan lotion, meals being cooked in other apartments and laundry soap sometimes. These combine with the texture of the water to help create a relaxing experience.
Finally, thereās music if Iām playing it, the sounds of outside if Iām not. These sounds create their own textures which combine with everything else Iāve just described. I think Iāll save sounds to textures for another post.
2: Climbing into Freshly Laundered Bedsheets
These are already pretty soft. Combine that feel with some fabric softener with the right scent, and this is a quick and easy way for me to relax. It can be further enhanced for me by showering before bedtime. More on certain smells and the textures they cause in future posts.
3: š Laying on Someoneās Chest and Listening to their Heartbeat
Here, the heartbeat creates a nice, warm soft and reliable texture. It makes the person seem substantial to me. It also provides a nice undertone while we watch a movie or something.
The texture of the personās arm enhances this experience. It provides a tangible corollary to the intangible Iāve just described.
Conclusion
I named three experiences I find extremely enjoyable as a person living with synesthesia. I feel thereās enough groundwork here for future posts on this topic and will probably strive to have at least one out per week. Do you also experience synesthesia? What are some of your favorite experiences? See how you can contribute to the conversation below.
š The fact of the matter is I’ve pretty much quit social media. even my beloved mastodon feels overwhelming these days. I do think I’ve truly found my home at micro.blog. I don’t scroll through FB, Instagram or Threads timelines. I just follow the users that interest me from those platforms.
I Just hacked Sighted People!!!
For all my kindred spirits in the blind community, I’ve just figured out how to hack sighted people. Next time they forget to provide an accommodation, try saying, “Thank you for paying me the complement of forgetting I am blind. Nevertheless, i am blind.” then tell them what you need. It wakes them up just enough.
Mature Reflection Concerning Apple's Disrutptive ipad ad
After thinking about it, here’s what I’ve decided about the Apple #iPad ad that stirred the pot:
Aple is known as a disruptor. Because our society approaches certain topics with outright polarization, the only way to continue being a disruptor is to meet society where it is. In other words, the company wanted to wake us up and it worked. We’ll all remember even if we don’t actually watch said ad.
š I’m frustrated with the universe in general; it’s my stasis. Sometimes, I just let loose a big sigh and we all nobody can do anything about it.
š It’s Saturday afternoon. What are you doing in your home?
Let My Changeling Go! A memoir of Championing Discord in the Blindness Community
I want to take a minute to express my displeasure (growing whenever I think on it) with Discord. To some of you, it will seem like not a big deal. For those of you who have experienced something like this, youāll understand. Iām not actually trying to get something done, Iām just talking about it to talk about it.
Background
I wrote my guide for using Discord with screen readers. I expanded and maintained it until 2022 when I became too ill to keep up with the changes, give participation to feedback in Discordās accessibility server, or write 300 words a week to correct terminology and descriptions for UI changes that were minor, but could potentially cause screen readers to behave unpredictably. For my time and dedication and work to convince as many members of the blindness community as possible to embrace Discord, I received a T-shirt with their logo just before they changed said logo.
Username
I was also a Nitro subscriber and had been for a few years when Discord changed their policy concerning usernames. Prior to, I was Changeling#0001. I checked in preparation for the change, I researched and found that the accounts with changeling in their names, the one where the name was just changeling and no other words were inactive. When it came time for me to choose, I found one of the inactive accounts had gotten my preferred username, Changeling.
No Reply
I contacted support and explained. I then politely requested a change be made so I could have my username. I sent that email back in April of 2022; no response has come. I even tried DMing the account owner and asking if theyād mind switching since they werenāt using the account.
Turning Point
This is when I decided ed that no longer would I offering my services as an accessibilitye consultant for free. Compensation neednāt be monetary, but it needs to go beyond the proverbial CokeĀ® and a smile. See my about page for ways get in touch.
Your Turn
Has this ever happened to youou? Share in the replies.
All Hopped Up
I finally figured out why this week has essentially been Hell Week for me and anyone who had to deal with me in any capacity: The new meds the doctor gave me can cause elevated hostile behavior and feelings of anger. it’s insidious, though, because it’s not something that just happens. In my case, it played on things i normally find irritating and boosted my response to those. It’s like how in Season 4 of Supernatural when Sam basically gives his brother 20 years of ass kickings because he’s all hopped up on Demon blood. Notice how this gets filed under The X Files because šš» Andrew Dab. I don’t even care if I spelled his name right.
What We Worry About: A Repost of someone who is exercising their right to be disgusted
I don’t necessarily agree with the tone of this post, but I do the sentiment. Also, this is my way of reminding you living blind is not a case of God bless us, and we don’t all sit around eagerly awaiting some afterlife where we get back what we never had. This is what we worry about. Sit with that on your next long commute that takes significantly longer by bus, why don’t you. You should.
Something You Didn't Know About me 05/16/2024
Something you didn’t know about me…
The first experience I had that showed me I shouldn’t have to fight for accommodation was not actually by anyone in my office or in the field of blindness and low vision. It actually came from the LGBTQIA2S+ community. I used to be a mod for the Discord server for of Sounds Fake But Okay. Before that happened, though, I had occasion to request that they add alt text to their photos. Not only did they not argue, they added descriptions on every social media as well as their online store so I could support them by purchasing their products and know exactly what I was born. Regardless of where we all end up, it was a thing that happened, and will never unhappen.
People who dismiss Gen Z just for being Gen Z need to get off my lawn.
š Yes And
š Yes And
Definition
Pronunciation: Yes. AND!
Derived from the shorthand of the first rule of improv.
No questions. Always respond with Yes and… Before adding more detail to said improv.
Simplification for expression of the often complex state in which two conclusions are true at one time and are technically thought of and are not necessarily exclusively separate from each other, meaning these two conclusions can always be true at the same time, but many people cannot function in a way that allows for true validity of both conclusions, usually for reason of bias, inexperience, or yes and. Depending on the situation, there can be more than two valid conclusions. Bias, inexperience, pride, self-preservation, yes and.
Being able to function in a state of yes and is an indicator of emotional maturity if not good or gradually improving mental health.
Other examples not given as many yes and situations involve socially polarized statements and ideas typically found allover the place.
Then and Now: On blind social media users and their use/choice not to use profile pics, complete with much deeper message for readers who are a step ahead.
šš§š¼āš¦Æ Since my newest frontier into the Fediverse, I’ve become aware of just how many blind and visually impaired folks are out there with no profile pics. I remember a time, it seems so not long ago when I remember it, when someone in the blind community would make an argument for why we all need to have profile pics. Then, a bunch of users (I won’t hurt anyone’s dignity by calling them people when they act this way) would dogpile on the person–enough said, okay? What’s important is it was not a random occurrence.
The trend I am seeing now is, it’s accepted that blind people may not always have profile pics. I hope so. If we can have a subtle shift like that, there’s still hope for other… Shifts.
Are you seeing this, too?
#š Something Most People Don’t Understand About Me
If I’m cursing, disagreeable as some might find it, you’re fine. If I start using formal words and saying things like “ma’am” or “sir”, run. It means i’m beginning to detach from you and view you as a threat/target.
Sonos: Pride cometh before the customer experience.
The Mirror Lesson
I found this post on Mastodon and thought it was too good not to share.
Bathroom A private school recently was faced with a unique problem. A number of girls were beginning to use lipstick and would put it on in the bathroom.
That was fine, but after they put it on they would press their lips to the mirror leaving dozens of little lip prints. Every night, the maintenance man would remove them and the next day, the girls would put them back.
Finally the principal decided that something had to be done. She called all the girls to the bathroom and met them there with the maintenance man. She explained that all these lip prints were causing a major problem for the custodian who had to clean the mirrors every night. To demonstrate how difficult it had been to clean the mirrors, she asked the maintenance man to show the girls how much effort was required.
He took out a long-handled squeegee, dipped it in the toilet, and cleaned the mirror with it. Since then, there have been no lip prints on the mirror. There are teachers, and then there are educatorsā¦
The Rabbit Listens, The Goon Knows
Finished reading: The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld š
I won’t spoil it by including the message of the story, but I will say it’s a good one. I was thinking, am I a good rabbit? In the bunniverse, I’m the goon. I listen, but I also have a chaotic thought process and energy which yields results that create forces and ideas not ideal for all riders.
That’s okay, The Bunniverse also has this overlord–
Did I say overlord? I meant benevolent caretaker.
Anyway, she calls herself The Good Fairy. In a world where the caretaker has to put “Good” in their name, I’d rather be a goon, even if it is the punishment for not following the rules. If the rabbit listens, then the goon knows not to trust someone who needs to put “Good”. Similar self-praising adjectives should also apply. The same with people smile too much, always talk in a happy voice, always insist on keeping it positive, etc.
So when the song that features She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is sung, I wonder how many people memorize a moral that was told to them. The moral being follow the always follow the rules of the one who takes care you or be turned into a creature your group, your society finds objectionable, apparently the worst possible outcome in this scinario.
Good Fairy?"
I also hope there are those who listen and follow the rules based on a trust factor. I’ve always valued being trusted more than I value being liked. I think that’s why that song annoys the holy Hell out of me.