Do It Myself Blog – Glenda Watson Hyatt

Earlier this summer I shared my temporary work space in gray, windowless CubeLand. I’d like to now share my bright, corner office where I spend way too much of my time.

With windows facing south and west, light floods in on sunny days. On gray winter days, the lime green walls keep the space alive and cheery.

Some of the features that make my work time a little easier and more comfortable include:

1. Spill-proof silicone keyboard: A must for this workaholic who eats at her desk. No more gummed up keys!
2. Traxsys joystick: Easier for me to control than a mouse. And, it doesn’t cause hand pain like using a mouse does.
3. Wrist pad: Placed on the topside of the keyboard (rather than the bottom), I slide my hand along the pad while tying with my left thumb. It places my hand in a slightly different position than without the pad, which reduces the strain.
4. Belkin KVM switch: Allows me to switch between my two computers; the latest with a 6-core processor and 4G of RAM was a surprise from my husband upon my return from CubeLand. Such a sweetie!
5. Extension cord with switch: Flicking the switch is much easier than twisting a small knob to turn on my lamp.
6. Oxford dictionary and thesaurus: Obviously a necessity for any writer to have handy. Sometimes I do look up definitions online, but I still like using a real dictionary and thesaurus. They also serve as a visible reminder that I am a writer.
7. Seedlings growing in a can: Conference swag from Accessibility Yahoo — the best swag I’ve received yet. Most of that stuff ends up in the hotel room garbage can while packing.
8. Wiskas All Natural Temptations: Treats to keep my cat content while I am trying to work. Product placement perhaps, but if it results in a blog sponsor, bonus! But I really do keep a package of cat treats at my desk.

In terms of software, these are my favourites:

• Sticky Keys: A feature available in Microsoft Windows that enables me to do a multiple-button command (like SHIFT + M) one button at a time.
• WordQ: Word prediction software that saves this left thumb several keystrokes. The “read” feature is handy when proofreading my writing. WordQ finally replaced my beloved EZ Keys.
• TextAloud: The text-to-speech tool I use for creating the audio files for my presentations.
• SnagIt: A handy screen capture and graphics program that I use almost daily.
• FreeMind: An open-source mind-mapping tool that is largely, if not totally, keyboard operable. I use it for keeping track of everything I have on the go and everything I need to do.

And, of course, my office wouldn’t be complete without Faith, my Chief Feline Officer, in her position at my desk.

I don’t recall when the perk was first implemented, but my CFO insists on it every time I return from errands outside of the office.

Let me explain…

My CFO, aka Faith, my Chief Feline Officer, greets me at the front door and then jumps on my indoor scooter before I even park my outside one beside it.

She assumes the position and then waits…for an invigorating back massage; the duration of which is directly proportionate to have long I have been away. I was there for a while after my two weeks in Mississauga.

Rubbing her face on the scooter controls gives a new meaning to the phrase “face off”.

She does not not relinquish my scooter until she is adequately massaged.

(The only sounds are background noise, one meow, and purring; hence, no captioning.)

While responding to a message in Facebook from a friend, a text chat message popped up:

“hi auntie glenda”

Auntie who? Oh, right, that’s me!

The message was from one of my young nieces now on Facebook. While we chatted about going camping, roasting marshmallows and shopping for makeup, I realized this was the first conversation I had had with my niece.

Every other time we’ve been together, which I can count on one hand with a couple of digits leftover (the tough part of having family spread out across Western Canada), a third person was needed to translate Glenda-ish for when I did say anything, which was typically little.

She and I now have a way to develop a connection and be “auntie and niece”. The most impressive aspect – and for which I am thankful – was she initiated the chat herself. A high water moment ensued while typing.

Auntie Glenda needs to brush up on near-teen conversation topics so as to no come across like she is playing Twenty Questions.

One day at university, many moons ago, I was heading towards the residence’s main door as a man with a white cane was coming out. He couldn’t see I was there and I couldn’t step to the side. We collided.

i ran over his foot. He was understandably surprised and bewildered by what had just crushed his foot. I felt awful.

Jokingly he said I owed him my name, at least, for running over him. A fair request I thought and I gave my first name.

Having been double-blessed with a significant speech impairment and a less-than-common name, he, of course, didn’t understand it, even after several attempts.

Since he hadn’t seen me in my scooter coming at him, whipping out my low-tech, no-battery-required alphabet card would have been futile.

Jack began saying the alphabet, “a b c d e f g”

“Yes.”

“G? Okay. a b c d e f g h i j k l”

“Yes.”

“g l?”

“Yes.”

“a b c d e”

Five minutes later he had “Glenda”. We stayed on a first name basis. After a brief conversation of yes and no questions, he limped off on his way to class.

Since then I have given people with white canes and guide dogs a wide berth. I wasn’t avoiding them, not exactly. I was taking the easy route while minimizing inflicting personal harm.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago: while in Mississauga for work, I had the opportunity to meet Jennison Asuncion in person – a meeting I was apprehensive about because he is also visually impaired. I wanted to avoid running over another blind man.

Like so many relationships nowadays, we met somewhere online – Twitter, a web accessibility forum or elsewhere – at an unmemorable point in the past. Technology makes our disabilities compatible while interacting online.

It was the face-to-face interaction I was unsure about. However, Jennison was amazingly good at understanding Glenda-ish and, because we already had a certain degree of familiarity, of intimacy, we had a meaningful conversation.

When he did get stuck on a word or when I wanted to give a somewhat longer response, I turned to the Proloquo2Go ap on my iPad and used the speak feature for the first time. As online, this iPad ap worked great in bridging our two disabilities.

Thanks to Jennison, I now know I am able to communicate with individuals with white canes or guide dogs. Future collisions of disabilities will be mitigated.

Recently a friend commented to me that people don’t get together as much nowadays because they are sitting at their computers with Facebook, Twitter and such.

i say the opposite is true: I am meeting people because I am sitting at my computer with Facebook, Twitter and blogs.

This evening, Darrell and I opened our home to Mark Horvath from Los Angeles, California.

I met Mark last year at SOBCon (Successful Online Business Conference) in Chicago. I attended SOBCon for the second year in a row because I knew, respected and trusted co-founder Liz Strauss through hanging out at Open Mic Nights on her blog. Through Liz, I became to know, respect and trust co-founder Terry Starbucker.

Meeting Mark at SOBCon and hearing his story, I realized we shared a special bond: each of us has taken our unique circumstances, which others may see as debilitating and depressing, and we have turned them around for the greater good. As Reverend Robert Schuller would say, “We have turned our scars into stars!”

Having experienced homelessness (on Hollywood Boulevard, no less!), Mark is now turning the spotlight on those living on the streets – who we tend to ignore as we walk past – by sharing their stories via social media. Mark has criss-crossed the United States, sharing hundreds of heartbreaking as well as uplifting stories on Invisible People TV.

Thanks to support from PetroCanada, Delta Hotels, General Motors, the Government of Canada and others, Mark has begun a three-month trek across Canada to bring light to Canadians living on the streets, in the alleys and in the shadows.

Facebook, Twitter and such are tools. How they are used is in our hands. If used wisely, they have the power to connect people, to embrace friendships and to change the world. If used wastely, we become the tool.

While sitting at your computer, please follow Mark (@hardlynormal) on Twitter, like invisiblepeople.tv on Facebook, view Mark’s photo stream, and then go out and make a difference in someone’s life in any way you can, today.