Do It Myself Blog – Glenda Watson Hyatt

Earlier today, Lorelle VanFossen, my new found friend from BlogWorld, delivered WordCamp Portland’s keynote on how WordPress is changing lives. At Lorelle’s insistent request, I whipped up this video for her keynote. Enjoy!

In today’s guest post, Damien Patton shares a speech he recently gave at a college explaining why his company has chosen to embrace and push accessibility standards on the web:

Hello Everyone,

I’m Damien Patton, founder and CEO of FindAnyFloor.com, the Web’s Flooring Authority. I am often asked why I created an information portal for the floor covering industry. My answer usually surprises everyone as it is not what people expect.

Last year, in the summer of 2007 I was lying in bed searching the internet for ideas for my next venture. For whatever reason I came upon WebMD.com. Those of you not familiar with WebMD, it is a FREE medical resource for consumers and physicians alike. Coming from both a high tech and floor covering industry background, it immediately dawned on me, Where is the WebMD of Flooring. I spent the next couple of months searching the internet with a team of professionals to discover what type of floor covering information was on the internet and how it was presented to consumers as well as floor industry professionals. It soon became clear that there was a large void of unbiased, free information, on the internet for flooring consumers and professionals in one central place. In order to find a lot of information, you have to go through dozens of sites and most of the time the sites contradict one another.

The idea for FindAnyFloor.com was born.

Although the above was the catalyst for the idea, it is certainly not what propelled us to who we are today, and this is where we surprise a lot of people. While researching this site I met a woman at a high tech trade show who was disabled through complications during birth, resulting in mobility and speech disabilities. She just so happened to be selling a book that she had written called “I’ll Do It Myself.” Not only did I buy the book, I went down stairs in the convention center and read it in one sitting. I may have missed a few of the trade show classes, but the book gave me one of the most valuable educations I ever received. I, like many people, had no idea the limitations the internet has with regard to people with disabilities. Those of us that are not disabled may take for granted that we are able to search most sites without issue, and at our own pace. Can you imagine if buildings no longer had handicapped facilities such as restrooms, ramps, elevators, & hand rails? I couldn’t either. But this is exactly what most of the internet is like for those with certain types of disabilities.

Imagine a world where you can’t read what’s on the web, you can’t hear the sounds from video files, you can’t navigate through menu’s to other parts of the site; you have just experienced what the majority of websites operate like to those with visual, hearing and mobility disabilities.

The US Government has a standard for their websites that they must be accessible to everyone. This standard is called 508. Although this standard doesn’t apply to non-government related commercial websites on the internet today, I feel strongly that more has to be done to make the internet accessible to all. This is why FindAnyFloor.com is committed to becoming 508 compliant by the end of 2008. It is our goal that others in the online flooring community will take note of the 60 million people in America alone that have some type of disability that may affect the way they use the internet.

From the floor covering industry we are planning to launch a large green living website that incorporates all types of eco friendly building materials as well as items used in everyday life. Our mission will be to create to the largest green site for consumers that will be accessible to all, again hoping that others in that industry will follow suit. It would be great if the concept of creating accessible websites became viral. In the next 5 five years, let’s hope we are looking at a whole new internet, one that is created for everyone and is accessible to everyone.

Glenda’s note: I love when people get the need for web accessibility! If things go according to plan, I will be meeting Damien and some of his team at BlogWorld today. And I’m looking forward to working with him to ensure FindAnyFloors.com and other projects are Section 508 compliant. (See, the trip to Vegas was a business trip!)

Today’s guest post is courtesy of Judy Brown who is a black belt in the Shotokan style of karate. In her day job, she provides writing and home business consulting services through her business Creative Purrsuits.

Wheelchair Self-Defense Tips

Keep in mind that the main goal in any self-defense situation is to get away from your attacker as quickly as possible. Here are a few ideas for distracting or disabling your assailant:

1. Be aware of your surroundings. When sitting in your chair in public places like airports, or other large open areas, try to sit with your back to a wall. This will give you a clear view of anyone coming toward you and you won’t get attacked from behind.
2. Develop an aggressive attitude. Just because you are in a wheelchair criminals think you are an easy target. If you look alert and aware you may discourage an attacker. If not, be prepared to use reasonable force to defend yourself. Think about it beforehand, are you willing to physically injure someone to create an opening so you can get away?
3. Use the attackers own force against him/her. When you are seated in a wheelchair, any opponent will tower over you in their standing position. In order for them to attack you, they have to lean over. When the attacker is in a bent-over position, grabbing you or your clothing, he is off his center of gravity. It won’t take much for you to grab hold of your attacker’s hair or clothing and take a quick push backward. This will cause him to fall forward and while doing so, it is likely that he will let go of you to avoid falling. Get yourself out of there FAST!

Use Your Chair as a Weapon

1. The biggest weapon on the chair is the footrest. Raking this down the shins is very painful and should discourage most attackers.
2. Slam the footrest down on the instep; you can break bones if you do it hard and fast.
3. Pushing the chair back (hard and fast) is effective on attackers who come from behind you. The handles often are just about groin high, so make it count.

I don’t advise that you roll out there looking for trouble just to see if these techniques work, but do practise the techniques at home and give some thought as to how you can adjust your mindset. This sounds easy, but most people have an aversion to actually hurting someone. If you get yourself into thinking about all this BEFORE you have to deal with an attacker, you won’t have to think at all if it happens, you’ll just react instinctively.

Bags are packed. Kitty-sitter arranged (thanks Uncle Bob!). Three guest posts scheduled. And an appropriate panic level attained. Darrell and I are ready to leave bright and early Monday morning to begin our journey to Las Vegas for our belated summer vacation and for BlogWorld!

I am really looking forward to meeting many invisible friends in-person in Vegas. However, meeting face-to-face may induce some apprehension in how to deal with Glenda-ish, my unique speech pattern caused by my cerebral palsy. These tips may alleviate some of that apprehension:

• Relax!
• Like with learning any new language, Glenda-ish takes time and practicum to learn. No need to apologize if you don’t understand something I have said.
• I absolutely don’t mind repeating myself if you haven’t understood something. Please ask me to say it again. If your response to "You have a booger" is "Oh, that’s nice, dear," then I’ll know miscommunication has occurred!
• I will have my laptop with me and I can type out the word or two if we really get stuck.
• Once you have a few drinks, my speech becomes amazingly clear!
• If our conversation becomes lengthy, let’s take it to email or text chat, after BlogWorld, where I can communicate much more effectively.

See you in Vegas!

After living in this home for nearly 7.5 years, I have finally figured out how to keep this kitchen fairly clean and tidy. Don’t use the dishwasher!

Allow me to explain:

With only the two of us, it takes us a few days to fill the dishwasher. Unless it is then emptied right after the cycle is done, the clean dishes sit in there for a day or two — something else seemingly more important needs doing. Meanwhile, dirty dishes stack up in the sink and on the counter; a fact I’m not proud of, but how things are.

However, I have discovered by washing the dishes myself each evening, that bottleneck of a dishwasher is avoided. By spending 15-20 minutes cleaning up after supper, the next morning I wake up to a tidy kitchen. What a way to greet the day!

And, standing at the sink, washing the dishes gives me some standing time, which makes my legs much happier. They no longer hurt and jump around while I’m trying to fall sleep.

No doubt, I’m saving a bit of hydro, too!

Almost out of dishwashing soap, yesterday I splurged and bought a bottle of Ultra Palmolive Aromatherapy with lavender and ylang ylang essences to try. I figured if I am washing dishes, it might as well make it as pleasurable as possible. Besides, the stuff is purple – my favourite colour!

Which time-saving device is causing you stress?