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Below are the 37 most recent journal entries recorded in
Earle's LiveJournal:
| Sunday, June 14th, 2009 | | 4:14 pm |
| | Saturday, January 24th, 2009 | | 8:35 am |
Has It Really Been 67 Weeks?
Ok, I can't believe I'm actually posting!!! It's true, I'm really alive!!! lol I was just looking, and apparently I haven't posted in 67 weeks. Is anyone even still reading this thing? Oddly enough, I still read my friend's page all the time. I just haven't been posting. I don't really know where to begin, so I'll start off by saying I have a new accessible cell phone. It's an older phone. The phone is a Motorola Q running Windows Mobile 5.0. It does what I need it to do, and I can update the phone in a year anyway. This means that I'm using Mobile Speak, and for the most part I'm happy with it. The only problem is, they need to improve their access to web pages. They don't have very many keys for navigating the web. This is one of my biggest complaints about the product. You can't skip by heading, or skip to the next block of text or anything like that. It really makes using the web a little awkward, but it's still doable, and I do it all the time. I find that I've been using text messaging quite a bit, and I love it. Speaking of text messaging, I have twitter if anyone wants to add me. My name on twitter is rowdyamerican. Come to think of it, I haven't tweeted in a while either. Shame on me. :d I really do need to start updating all of these things again. My twitter has been updated more frequently than the lj though. Besides the cell phone, I also got Mobile Geo, and that's the new gps software from Codefactory. It's not a bad product, but it has a long way to go, and a lot of work still needs to be done on it. The thing I like about this product, is it allows me to have my gps and cell phone all in one unit. I'm using it with the Holux m1000 receiver, and for the most part, this is a good combination. It's quite accurate, and it's helped me out quite a bit. Like I said, this product has a long way to go, but for the first version, it's pretty good. Peterson is still doing well. He just turned 5 in September, but he still acts like a puppy. He got ill last May or June, and I was extremely worried about him. He had to stay at the vet for a few nights, and at first they thought he had some kind of growth in his stomach. He was dehydrated as well. He had a couple of ultrasounds, and he was on medication for almost 2 months. To this day, we aren't sure what caused the illness, but he's ok now, and shows no signs of slowing down. He still tries to get things off the ground, so of course, that tends to make him sick. I don't think he'll ever stop that. Despite all of that, he's a good guide and I wouldn't trade him for anything. It's hard to believe that I've had him just over 3 years. Where does the time go? One of my latest addictions is facebook, and it's probably one of the reasons I haven't been updating lj or twitter that much. There's just so much to do out there. I'm on the site whenever I have a spare moment. I might let fb import my lj, then update this thing on a regular basis once again. I always have liked writing in here, and it really is a great way to let things out, and just ramble when I want to. Anyway, back to fb. If you aren't using it, you should be. In my opinion, it's much better than myspace, orkut, or any of the other ones out there. I have accounts on a lot of the other ones, but honestly facebook is my social networking site of choice. It always has been, but ever since myspace started expecting you to submit a captcha every time you log in, I haven't used it that much at all. Not that I really used it anyway. With facebook, I've managed to connect with people I haven't seen, or spoken to, since I was a kid. I've met so many new people as well, and they have so many accessible applications, that it really is the way to go. If anyone wants to add me, just let me know. Especially if you play Metropolis or Zoo Builder. lol Seriously, anyone is welcome to add me. There's some more personal stuff that I'll get into at some point, but for now, I just wanted to put something out here. I have a lot I want to say about my personal life, but I just wanted to come in, and say hi to everyone, and let you know that I'm still alive and kicking. I will update very soon, especially now that I'm going to link to fb. Everyone take care, and I'm glad that a lot of you have still kept me on your friend's page. Honestly, I thought a lot of you would have deleted me since it's been so long since I updated. Talk soon. Current Mood: awake | | Tuesday, October 9th, 2007 | | 11:55 am |
I can't believe how long it has been since I've updated this thing. It's so hard to believe that I haven't updated since Jan. 31st. Oh well, I guess it's time for me to post something. I wonder if anyone will still read this thing. I guess you will, if I'm on your friend's page. lol Life has been fairly good as of late. I can't really complain. I still have Peterson, and he is doing fine. His work is good for the most part, but he's always looking for stuff on the ground. I guess some dogs are just like that, and no matter what you do, it isn't going to change. Over all, I'm very happy with him. I did have to move the cat food, because he kept getting into it. I have a friend staying with me for a few months. She is planning on going back to school, but she needed a place to stay in the mean time. There's nothing going on between us, we are just friends. I'm glad I can help her out though. I miss my privacy, but it's only for a little while. In the next couple of weeks I'll be getting a new computer system. In fact, it's already been ordered, I'm just waiting for it to come in. It should be here any time. I'll write another post with the specs when I get a chance. All I'll tell you for now is, I'm getting Windows XP Pro. I'm not ready to jump into Vista just yet. It's too new for my liking, and I want to wait until it's been around a while longer. Thanksgiving has just ended. I really didn't do a whole lot. In fact, I just stayed home. My mother has been sick, so I didn't get to see her. She had a small stroke a couple of months ago. Luckily, she is doing much better. She doesn't have all the feeling back in her left side, but the doctors think it'll come in time. She's improving rapidly, so I'm encouraged by that. I've been doing a lot of travelling to the states. I'm even thinking of moving there, but I need to look into that, and see just how hard it would be, to make that happen. I've been messing around on facebook quite a bit, so if anyone wants to add me, feel free to do so. A couple of weeks ago I set up a twitter account, so if anyone wants to add me to that, my username is rowdyamerican. I guess I'll go for now, but I really will try to make a regular appearance out here. I'll be back with the specs for my new system later this week. I need to check on a couple of things, so that I can make sure I'm giving you the right info. Take care all, and I'll update soon. Current Mood:  optimistic | | Wednesday, January 31st, 2007 | | 5:13 am |
Some Food for Thought
Technology is constantly changing. It is more important than ever before, that blind and visually impaired consumers have access to the latest and greatest pieces of hardware and software. I have been a Jaws user for many years. I don't know if I will continue to be a Jaws user or not. In my view, Freedom Scientific has really dropped the ball, the last few years. Jaws is an awesome product, but it isn't all that it could be. I'm sure many will agree, that FS tech support isn't very supportive at all. If Freedom isn't going to pay attention to consumers, and give us what we want, they could start to lose their place in the adaptive technology market. We need, and deserve, cutting-edge solutions to help us keep up with today's technology. Read the following news from GW Micro, and give me your thoughts. I'd be interested in knowing, what other people think. Before I post this news piece, I want to make it clear, that I have nothing against Freedom Scientific, or the Jaws product. In fact, I still use Jaws. I'm just posting this, to give people something to think about. Window-Eyes First with Windows Vista Jan-30-2007 Think Window-Eyes First - This is the first time in the history of computer technology, where a full-featured screen reader is ready on the same day as the general release of a new operating system. No other screen reader is ready. In July 2000 at the summer conferences GW Micro demonstrated Window-Eyes reading Adobe PDF files. No other screen reader was ready. In September 2001 at the WCD exhibition GW Micro demonstrated Window-Eyes running under Windows XP. No other screen reader was ready. In March 2002 at the CSUN conference GW Micro demonstrated Window-Eyes version 4.2 utilizing Flash technology. No other screen reader was ready. With the January 2003 release of version 4.21, Window-Eyes was the first to implement Display Chain Management, the standard that allows applications such as screen readers and screen magnifiers to co-exist peacefully. No other screen reader was ready. In March 2003 at the CSUN conference GW Micro demonstrated Window-Eyes running under Citrix MetaFrame XP, Microsoft Terminal Services and Microsoft Windows XP/2003 Professional Remote Desktop. No other screen reader was ready. When Window-Eyes 4.5 was released in September 2003 it had the first and to this date the only error reporting system available in a screen reader. This error reporting system improves stability and reliability, which are critical to a productive, enjoyable computing experience. No other screen reader was ready then and no other screen reader is ready today. In November 2005, the release of Window-Eyes 5.5 offered full support of Mozilla Firefox running DHTML applications. No other screen reader was ready. December 4, 2006 GW Micro released Window-Eyes 6.0 with Microsoft Office 2007 support and support for the new ribbon interface. No other screen reader was ready. Today - January 30, 2007 GW Micro released a public beta version of Window-Eyes that will run under the new operating system, Windows Vista. This is the first time in the history of computer technology, where a full-featured screen reader is ready on the same day as the general release of a new operating system. No other full-featured screen reader is ready. Think Window-Eyes First because we strive to be the First and you should not have to wait. We are leading the way, just as we have for many years - innovating, changing with new technology, giving you, the customer the true freedom to choose the latest software when you want it. To download a full public beta version that anyone, even non-Window-Eyes users can try, go to www.gwmicro.com/beta and download your copy today. For our clients with computers running Windows 2000, XP or 2003 Server there is a separate public beta download, which includes various improvements and performance enhancements. When you download your version, please make certain you are choosing the correct file. Remember, this is a public beta version - please let us know about any issues that you may find. We listen and respond to our customers and our goal is to provide the finest quality screen reader possible. Current Mood:  curious | | Monday, December 18th, 2006 | | 2:21 pm |
An Update
It’s been so long since I’ve updated, so I thought it was time to get back out here. First of all, Peterson is doing great. His guiding just gets better and better. It’s hard to believe, that I’ve had him for over a year now. Time flies, that’s for sure. We really have bonded very well. I couldn’t be more pleased with our progress as a team. Peterson knows all of our regular routes, and he’s really good at knowing what I want him to do. We are really a fully bonded team I think. There’s always room for improvement, but overall, we are doing fine. I’m still sharing the computer, so I don’t get on as much as I’d like to. My messenger and Skype contacts must think I never sign in. Actually, I haven’t been on any of the messengers very much lately, but I hope to be on more than I have been. I’m getting a new computer next month. I would have had it sooner, but I was in the states for a couple of weeks, and that slowed things down. Now that I’ve mentioned the states, I guess I need to explain why I was there. I went to Indiana for Thanksgiving. This was my first American Thanksgiving, and it was awesome!!! My main reason for going to Indiana was to meet someone. We have been talking on and off, for about 5 years, and decided to meet. It went much better than I ever could have hoped for. I am worried about the distance, but I really think we can make this thing work. If all goes well, I’ll be going back in February. I’m thinking about flying next time, but it’ll depend on whether or not, I can find a cheap airfare. The bus trip was ok, but I don’t know if it’s something I’d like to do every couple of months. It was a 31 hour trip, by the time you add in all the transfers. They don’t exactly take the most direct route either. I had to go through Tennessee to get to Indiana. It was crazy!!! I’ve been looking around, but the cheapest flight I’ve found was $430 Canadian. I guess that’s not bad, but who knows, maybe there is something even cheaper out there. Like I said, Thanksgiving was great. Nikki’s family really pulled out all the stops. I’m used to having big meals, but their dinner was beyond big. They had over $75 worth of desserts alone. Can you believe that? The meal was more than I could eat. Believe me, I tried. I filled up my plate, and ate as much as I could. Of course, I save room for dessert. We had left over for the next few days. They had about 30 people there for dinner. Since I was there for Thanksgiving, I met most of the family. I was really nervous. I’m always worried about first impressions, but from what she said, everyone liked me. I think it’ll be easier going back in February, since I’ve met everyone. Hopefully, there’ll be less pressure on all of us, and we can all concentrate on being ourselves. Since I’ve been home, I’ve been doing a lot of reading. I’ve been reading a lot of technical stuff, so I won’t bore you with the details. I’ll go for now, but I will try to get in here again soon. I’ve been reading my friends page fairly regularly, so that helps me keep up with what’s happening with people. I’m going to eat, so I’ll be back later. Current Mood: content | | Thursday, October 26th, 2006 | | 12:08 am |
| | Sunday, September 3rd, 2006 | | 9:18 pm |
| | Sunday, August 27th, 2006 | | 9:40 pm |
| | Wednesday, August 9th, 2006 | | 12:31 pm |
The Ipod Shuffle
So far, I am really happy with the iPod Shuffle. I finally have the computer working properly, so I've been able to play with the shuffle quite a bit. I've been using the Jaws scripts for Itunes, and they are pretty good. At the moment, I am only using the demo version of the scripts, but they do what I need them to do. Actually, I just purchased Anapod Explorer, so I doubt I'll buy the scripts. With Anapod Explorer, you don't have to use Itunes to put stuff on the iPod. The good thing about Anapod, is it'll work with any iPod, as long as you buy the universal version.. It only costs $30, so that's the version I bought. I had a few minor problems, when I first installed the software for the iPod, but they were easily fixed. When you install the software, you'll be asked to enter your 11 digit serial number. All you have to do is, make sure you get some sighted assistance reading the number. The only other thing is, your screen reader won't put you in the edit box to type the number. The only 2 ways around this are: get sighted help, or do what I did, and use the regular mouse to left click until you find the edit field. It really wasn't that hard. All I did was restrict the Jaws cursor to the current window, and then, I kept left clicking and moving the mouse until Jaws said edit type in text. ?After the install, everything was fine. I've been putting different tracks and podcasts on it. I've found that being on the bus isn't quite so boring now. In a couple of months I'll probably buy a bigger iPod and give the shuffle to a friend that wants it. I really have to thank ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) tallinfor recommending Anapod Explorer. It really is a great little program. Itunes isn't bad, but I like selecting music and pasting it into Anapod Explorer. It really does make things a lot easier. I'm going to go for now, but I just wanted to check in, and tell you all about my experiences with the shuffle. Current Mood: happy | | Monday, August 7th, 2006 | | 9:59 pm |
| | Saturday, August 5th, 2006 | | 1:23 am |
| | Wednesday, August 2nd, 2006 | | 2:36 am |
Can't Sleep
It's about 20 after 2, and I'm still up. Actually, I'm thinking about a lot of things. Mainly past relationships for some reason. I've been thinking about all the mistakes I've made, and what I could have done differently. I guess I'm wondering, where I'd be today, if some of my past relationships had worked out. Thing is, I don't even know why I'm thinking all this crap. It's not like I can change the past. Even if I could, I wouldn't want to. I'm not saying that I don't like the people I was with. I'm just saying, that they obviously weren't the right people for me, or we'd still be together. I don't know, just one of those nights I guess. I also wonder if I'll ever find "the right person". I hope I will some day. I've actually been playing around on some of those dating sites. I'm not really expecting to find anyone that way. I'm just checking it out, to see who's out there I guess. You would be surprised at the number of people out there. I've had some great conversations, but nothing more than that. Even if I was looking, I don't know if anything would have come out of those sites or not. It looks like I'll be getting the iPod on Thursday now. We've had trouble hooking up, because of the heat. I think Thursday will be the day, so that'll be cool. I can't wait to get it in my hands. I'm going to try different things, and see what works best for me. Rockbox really does look like a great alternative, but we'll see how it is, once I install it. That's about it for now, but I'll update again soon. Take care everybody. Current Mood:  crappy | | Saturday, July 29th, 2006 | | 1:34 pm |
| | Friday, July 28th, 2006 | | 1:29 am |
| | Saturday, July 22nd, 2006 | | 12:04 am |
| | Wednesday, July 19th, 2006 | | 3:01 pm |
One Of Those Days
Ok, it's official!!! Today is one of those days, that you just want to end. I was up late last night because I couldn't sleep. So I am really tired. I had a few things to do today, but none of them are getting done. The main reason they aren't getting done is my hot water is off. It seems like every few weeks the hot water is off in this building. Can't they fix it? Can't they just get it right? Don't we have anyone who knows what the problem is? I also found out, that one of our ellevators isn't working. We have 3 of them. This is a 30 floor building and we have 3 ellevators for each side of the building. One side is for the high floors, and the other is for the low side. I happen to live on the low side, and one of our ellevators is broken. This means every time I take Peterson out, I have to wait longer. When we finally get on, we stop at almost every floor. I wanted to go to the bank and the vet, but that won't happen today. I'll be waiting until tomorrow. I'm not going out, without having a shower. In other news, I've signed up for a couple of dating sites. Like I said, I'm not necessarily looking for anything, but I'll see what happens. I'm just exploring my options. It's not like I'm looking to jump into a relationship. I just want to broaden my horizons, meet some new people, and make some friends. Well, I'm going to go and do some obedience with Peterson. At least it is cooling down a bit. Bye for now, and I'll update later. Current Mood:  pissed off | | Tuesday, July 18th, 2006 | | 3:49 pm |
Another Update
Wow!!! This is unusual for me. I'm actually updating again. It's been really hot the last few days. I don't just mean hot. I mean extraordinarily hot. It's crazy. I'm always saying that I love the heat, but this is nuts. I haven't had Peterson out very much, but he's ok. He doesn't even seem to be bored. We've been playing and spending time together. I'll probably take him out for a long walk when the weather cools down a bit. I'm about to start reading a new book that I just received from acorna_catand I'm looking forward to that. I haven't been reading very much lately, so it'll be good to get back into it again. Yesterday, I purchased the voice mail feature for Skype. I had it a few months ago, and finally got it back again. It's pretty cool. I was using Sam, and that's the skype answering machine, but with the skype voice mail, you can get messages when you are off line. I also like that you can send messages to people that don't have voice mail, as long as you have the feature. Skype is an awesome piece of software, and I use it all the time. I'm going to go for now. I just wanted to drop in, and complain about the heat. Take care, and I'll write soon. Current Mood: hot | | Saturday, July 15th, 2006 | | 9:33 pm |
| | Wednesday, July 12th, 2006 | | 5:46 am |
| | Tuesday, February 7th, 2006 | | 4:44 am |
I'm Back!!!
I finally decided it was time to update. Did you miss me? Oh come on, I know you did. Lol Actually, there hasn’t been a lot going on, as of late. That’s part of the reason I haven’t updated. Most of you know I broke up with my girlfriend a couple of months ago. We are still friends. It’s hard, but with some time, I think we can maintain a friendship. At least, I hope we can. If you’re looking for dirt on my ex, you won’t find it here. Sorry to disappoint all of you. I know how much we all love to read crap about other people. Notice I said “we all”? I was including myself as well. Seriously, there is nothing bad I can say about Sassie. We both made mistakes that contributed to the break up. I know what mine were, and she knows what hers were. At least we can be friends. I wish her nothing but happiness, and I really hope she finds that special someone. So now I’m single again. In some ways, it’s hard to get used to being single again. I have a lot of friends to hang out with, but it’s not the same thing. I’m sure some of you will know what I mean. I don’t mean just the physical stuff either. I know a few of you that will automatically think that’s what I’m talking about. I won’t lie, I do miss that, but there’s a lot more to it. I really wonder if the right person will ever come along. Does she even exist for me? Who knows? I sure don’t. For now, I’m just enjoying hanging out with friends, and having fun. I’ve been doing a lot of flirting lately, and I guess there’s nothing wrong with that. Actually, I like it. It’s interesting to see, just who will flirt back. I’ve had some people flirt with me, that I never would have expected that from, but that’s cool. It’s really helped to make me feel better. I’m not saying, I need a woman to make me feel good about myself, but if you think about it, we all like it when a person gives us special attention. Peterson and I are doing very well. I can’t do an update, and not talk about him. He’d feel so left out, and he just might walk me into something. Lol He wouldn’t do that. He loves me, and I can feel our bond strengthening, more and more each day. I brought him home in October, and I’ve seen so many improvements already. He still tends to get distracted, but the gentle leader is helping with that. I think, that’ll be a temporary measure, just until I get things under control. He’s scavenging a bit more than I’d like him to, but I think, we’ll work that out as well. Peterson is really showing me more of his personality. He’s an energetic dog that loves to play. I think, I sometimes forget, just how young he actually is. I’m so used to having a seasoned dog, that I forget he still has a long way to go. I feel extremely close to him though, and I have no doubt, that we’ll work things out. In other news, Sassie is going to be in a play this weekend, and I’ll be going to check it out. Tickets are $10, and if anyone is in the Toronto area, and you want to see a play, let me know, and I can give you more info privately. I’m going to go for now, but I’ll try harder to update on a regular basis. Thanks for reading this, and everyone, take care. Current Mood: content | | Wednesday, October 12th, 2005 | | 6:59 am |
A Brief Summary of The Last Week
Well, this is a long overdue update, and I would like to apologize for that. The last week at Guide Dogs, was really busy. I won’t go into detail about routes we did, but I’ll talk about graduation, as well as coming home. During the last week, we basically finished up, and worked on any problems we were still experiencing. We worked in busy areas, and had a couple of night walks. There were several lectures, but I think most of us were looking forward to graduating, and meeting our puppy raisers. One highlight of the last week was our self orientation. This is where you are dropped off somewhere, and you have to find your way back to the training lounge. I was really nervous about this. The area was still fairly new to me, since we’d only been working in it, for less than 3 weeks. I was so sure I’d mess everything up. Luckily, Peterson and I were fine. Once they dropped me off, they gave me a hint about where I was. After walking about half a block I found a man who told me which street I was approaching. I also asked him which direction I was facing. Once I had this information, I was able to plan a route in my head, and get back to the training lounge. There were times when I had doubts about whether or not I was going the right way, but we got to a particular point that seemed very familiar to me, and I was almost positive we were going the right way. As it turned out, we were going the right way, and that experience really increased my confidence level with Peterson. On Saturday, we got ready for graduation. Before graduation I had a chance to meet the puppy raisers. It really was an awesome experience. They are really nice people, and they had a lot of great stories to tell about Peterson. I realize now, just how much more you get to know about your dog, by interacting with the raisers. Graduation itself was quite emotional. A lot of graduates cried, and I was almost one of them. I really didn’t expect it to hit me as hard as it did. When I was thanking everyone, I almost broke down. I was just so happy, and so relieved that I had made it through. Overall, I had a great experience at Guide Dogs, and I definitely plan to return in the future. The plane trip home went very well. Flying didn’t bother him one bit. We’ve been home for a couple of days now, and we’ve already had some interesting incidents. I’ll write more, on another day. I’m still tired, and have a lot on my mind. I just wanted to give people a quick summary of my last week. I’ll give more details, near the end of the week. Thanks for understanding. Current Mood:  tired | | Sunday, October 2nd, 2005 | | 7:25 pm |
A Long Update
First off, I want to apologize for not updating yesterday like I said I would. It’s been busy, and lately I’ve been really tired. Before I get on with things, I just want to thank Veda for all the info on Peterson and his siblings. I think it’s important to know as much as I can, and it means a lot to me, that you’d dig around and get that information. That information will also help someone else in my class, but I’m sure you already know that. Lol Now on to Peterson and I. Wednesday morning Peterson and I worked on a university campus. Things went smoothly, and he was great around all the people. There were a lot of students going to class, and he pretty much ignored them all. Even the people standing around drinking coffee, didn’t distract him too much. Wednesday afternoon, we had our mid-class conferences. It is a time where we can bring up any concerns we may have about working with our dogs. The instructors can also give us feedback, and express anything they think we should work on. The conference was pretty good. I really didn’t have any concerns. There are a few things I wanted to work on, but they are minor, and some of those things, have been addressed since the conference. and After the conferences, we went down to a fenced-in area, so that we could let our dogs loose, and play with them. I had a lot of fun, and Peterson did as well. It was a great stress reliever for both of us, and it felt good to see, that he comes back to me when I call him, even though he was loose. Wednesday night, we had our first night walk. We have 3 of them altogether, but one of those is optional. Peterson treated it, like a regular walk. It didn’t bother him, that it was at night. I was nervous, but by the end of the walk I felt better. The route was fairly short, and not too complicated. Thursday morning was pretty boring in my opinion. We worked in sidewalkless areas and on country roads. The only problem we had was, Peterson kept drifting away from the side of the road. I don’t use them a lot, so it’s not a big deal. Thursday afternoon, we had our vet consultations. It’s a chance for us to have a brief chat with the vet about our dog’s history. It also is a chance, to get their current weight. The consultation was fine, but I did find out that Peterson has sensitive feet. He’s had 2 of his pads infected, but they were treated, and are fine now. The vet said, that because of the climate I live in, he may need booties in the winter. We’ll see how things go. I always bathe my dog’s feet in warm water in the winter, so it may not even be a problem. On Friday, we spent the entire day in San Francisco. We had a great day, but we worked pretty hard. In the morning we worked on some busy street crossings. I like to do that, since Toronto has a lot of them. Peterson really keeps me straight when I’m crossing, and that’s definitely a good thing, since I have a tendency to veer. We had lunch at a restaurant. I had a couple of burritos. They were pretty good. In the afternoon, we had a chance to try revolving doors. We didn’t have any problems with them, but it was obvious that Peterson didn’t like them. He was really quite hesitant about going through them. We also worked on trains. Since Toronto has a subway system, this is something I definitely needed to do. He had no problems with them, and I really felt comfortable with him on the train. These doors stay open longer than the ones in Toronto do, but I’m sure he’ll get used to it. Friday night we went to see a play called Wait Until Dark. It originally was a movie in the 60’s I think. It was really good, but I did miss Peterson. We couldn’t take our dogs with us, since we are still in training. If we had instructors with us, we could have taken them, but since we didn’t, we had to leave them behind. It was the first time I left him alone, and I was worried about him, but luckily, everything was fine. I had a great time. The play was awesome, and we actually got to meet the actress that played the blind lady. Yesterday morning, we went to a lagoon and did obedience. He was a little distracted by the ducks, but overall, he did ok, and I was able to get him back on track. I also went to Radioshack to look at Ipods. I didn’t buy one, but I was looking. In the afternoon, we did a bus to lounge. They offered a long, medium, and short route. I took the short one, because my legs have been stiff lately. It was about a half a mile or so, but my legs weren’t too bad when we finished. My legs have been pretty stiff lately, and I’m not sure why. At home they stiffen up from time to time, but they are worse here. I think it has something to do with the sidewalks here. They are really uneven, and that’s been hard on me. Oh well, we only have a week to go so I’m sure everything will work out. If they continue to be stiff, I’ll talk to my doctor about it, when I get home. Well, I should go for now. Peterson needs some water, and I have to check my email. I’ll write soon. Current Mood: tired | | Saturday, October 1st, 2005 | | 7:13 am |
A Quick Note
I know I haven't posted lately, but things have been really busy. I will be writing a full entry later on today. There's a lot to report, so I'll be back later. | | Tuesday, September 27th, 2005 | | 6:58 pm |
Tuesday's Update
I thought it was time for me to give another update. Sunday was a day off, so there really wasn’t much to report about Sunday. I basically spent the day relaxing. Yesterday was quite interesting, because we had traffic checks. This is a part of guide work that really shows you what your dog can do. I’m glad to say, we got through it with flying colors. My dog handled every check we got. He backed me up when he had to, and he completely stopped when it was necessary. At one point, we had a car behind us, and he had to speed up suddenly. Yesterday afternoon, we spent some time getting around a grocery store. It was pretty good, and he wasn’t too distracted by the food. Today we worked on the city busses. Peterson was great, he sat down when he had to, and didn’t try to get up. He didn’t even let all the people get to him, he did his work and didn’t let anything stop him. This afternoon, we worked on escalators. That may seem minor, but it’s actually quite important for a guide dog. You want to make sure that they get off them quickly, and that they are really close to you, while on the escalator. We also had to be sure, that their nails were short enough, and that the hair on their pads was trimmed. After the escalators, I went to an ice cream shop. It was our first chance to work independently. Peterson was good, and so was the ice cream. Lol Before I wrap things up, I thought I’d comment on a few of the comments I received since I don’t have time to reply individually. First of all, I want to thank everyone for reading this. I really didn’t think I’d get this many readers. I’ve received a lot of comments, as well as private emails, and all the congratulations, and good wishes mean a lot to me. It’s good to know, that my experiences are influencing some of you to get a dot. It is a big step, but once you make that decision, you’ll be glad you did. As far as choosing a school is concerned, do your homework, and ask as many questions as you can. There is no right or wrong school, it’s all a matter of personal preference. I’m really happy to see that puppy raisers are reading this. The puppy raisers do such important work, and without them, we wouldn’t be where we are today. I want to say a big thank you, to all puppy raisers out there. You are an important part of the training process, and deserve as much of the credit as anyone else does, for the way these dogs turn out. As an aside, I heard from someone in my class, that her old puppy raiser reads this, and I’m looking forward to meeting you at graduation. I think it’ll be cool, to meet someone who reads this. Sassigirl is fine. In fact, we are happy, and doing better than ever. I miss her terribly, and look forward to getting home, and seeing her again. She is everything to me. Well, that’s it for now, but I’ll be back soon with another update. Current Mood: content | | Saturday, September 24th, 2005 | | 2:59 pm |
Saturday's Update
Things are going very well for Peterson and I. We’ve done a few more trips since my last update, and he still continues to be a great worker. In fact, I would have to say he’s an excellent worker. I’ve never felt so confident, so quickly. It really is a great feeling. Sometimes, you just know that something is right, and this is definitely one of those times. Yesterday we did a lot of building work. It was pretty good. I had the chance to see how he would act on stairs and elevators. Since I live in a big and busy city, it’s important to know how he will be. We also walked, and like I said before, he’s doing a great job still. Today we did obedience by a pond. I think this was quite distracting for all the dogs, but it gave us a good opportunity to make sure we could keep them under control. For the most part, he was pretty good. He was distracted, but after a few corrections, he was fine. It’s really not hard to regain his control. We also did some residential travel. I liked having some time to see how he would act on quieter streets. He was good, and he safely got me passed bushes, as well as dogs that were distracting us. The highlight of today, was our first bus to lounge. This is where the bus drops us off, and they tell us where we are, and how to get back to the lounge. It’s also an opportunity for us to work our dogs, without the instructors right behind us. I was nervous, but at the same time, I was excited. Peterson did a great job. I remembered the route, and he got us here safely. In fact, I’m writing this from the lounge. I was so excited about the whole thing, that I wanted to tell all of you about it, right away. Other than that, things have been good. We talked about ear cleaning and teeth brushing today. These are things that I have dealt with before, but it doesn’t hurt to get some refreshing. Once again, I just wanted to thank everyone for commenting on this. I do read all the comments, but it’s been too hectic around here, for me to reply to them all. We have a day off tomorrow, and I really need it. The bottom part of my legs have really been tightening up, and I think that resting them will help. Keep those comments coming, and I’ll write soon. Current Mood:  hyper | | Thursday, September 22nd, 2005 | | 7:25 pm |
A Peterson Update
Well, as you can see, I haven't been updating daily like I promised. lol I want to, but sometimes, things just happen. We have had 6 walks together, and things just get bettter and better. Our first walk was amazing. There is no other word I can think of to describe it. Peterson is a very smooth walker. His pace is perfect, and we really seem to know each other. Our first route was only a few blocks, but it felt good. Our second route, was pretty much the same. Yesterday, we did our third and fourth routes, and things got even better. Well, that's not completely true. We had a few minor problems, but I'm glad we had them, because it really has made him respect me more. Even the instructors can see that. One problem we had, is Peterson was starting to make turns before I even commanded him to. Anyone who knows anything about Guide Dogs, knows that this can be a serious problem. I had to rework one turn, 5 times. I also had to give Peterson a high collar correction because of a dog dog that was in a car. That was a real turning point for us. I gave him the correction on my own, with no prompting from the instructor. It just seemed like the right thing to do at the time. The instructor was happy with my choice, and she said, that it really made a difference in Peterson's attitude. I agree, because today, his work was great. He didn't try to turn before I told him to, and he didn't have any problems with dogs. This afternoon, we went to a coffee shop and that was good. It gave me an idea of how he'll act in public, and so far, I'm happy with what I see. We also got our toys today, and I can tell you, that Peterson loves to play. It really is a great stress reliever for them, and they all need that. We spent a good hour playing, and we will play again later. I've also been grooming him, and he loves it. My old dog, wasn't crazy about grooming, but Peterson can't get enough of it. Overall, things are going great. He is a great worker, and everything I could ever want in a dog. It just feels like the right match for me. I feel confient in our work, and I think it'll get better and better. We also are allowed tow work them in the building now. I've been waiting for that, for a day or so now. It's great to be able to work him to the dining room, and computer room. No more walking slow because I'm trying to hear where people are. Now, I can leave it up to him. I also want to thank everyone who commented on my last entry. It's good to know that people are reading this. I'll update as soon as I can. Current Mood: happy | | Monday, September 19th, 2005 | | 8:34 pm |
My New Dog
Well, it's official!!! I have my new dog. He is a yellow lab named Peterson. He looks like he's almost white, from what I'm told. Peterson has floppy ears, and they look like toasted marshmellows. From what I can tell so far, he is a very outgoing, and playful type of dog. That's exactly what I wanted. I also wanted a bigger dog, and he is, so that worked out as well. He is 25 inches, and 81 pounds. Much bigger than my last dog. I haven't worked him yet, but tomorrow is the first day for that. I've worked him out tto the relief area, but that's about it. So I guess you could say, that I've had a bit of a feel as to what he'll be like to work with. So far, so good. After I received him, we went back to my room and played for a while. I think we both had a good time. He is a very vocal dog as well, and I don't mind that. In fact, I like it. We spent a lot of the day doing juno work, and obedience training. Finally, in the afternoon we got our dogs. The day really dragged on. He's currently by my feet licking himself, and making little noises every now and then. As for yesterday, I was too tired to write. Sorry about that. I will try to update daily though. The flight was pretty good. Normally, I hate planes, because of what they do to my hearing, but this flight was different. I did a lot of reading on-line before I left, and read about some earplugs called earplanes. I read several reviews and thought I might as well try them out. I'm glad I did, because they work like a charm. The last time I flew, I couldn't hear propperly for a couple of days or so, but this time, I had no problems. I felt some slight popping, but nothing major. Well, I should go for now, but I'll update tomorrow. If you have any questions, just comment, and I'll reply. | | Sunday, August 14th, 2005 | | 10:42 am |
A Bad Cane Travel Experience
I wanted to thank everyone for all of the comments on my entry from yesterday. I received a few comments in my journal, as well as through email. I guess people are still reading this lol. I will definitely be keeping a record of my experiences at Guide Dogs. I didn’t realize how many people would be interested in reading about it, but it looks like there will be a lot of interest. I’m going to try and podcast as well, but that all depends on if I can get everything up and running before I leave. I had a bad incident yesterday, while at the bus terminal. They found my friend’s luggage, so we went to pick it up. On the way back home, I had an incident while crossing a street. I was crossing the street, and somehow I veered into some traffic. I am normally a good cane traveler, so I really don’t see how it happened. I’m not just saying I’m a good traveler. I’ve had mobility instructors, and guide dog instructors say I am, as well. Some have said, I’m one of the safest travelers they have worked with. I really don’t understand what happened out there, but I messed up big time. One thing I know for sure is, it’s time for a new dog!!! The rest of the day was pretty good. We went out for coffee with friends, and basically just hung out. I came home and got caught up on email. I was really behind, but it’s finally been dealt with. Well, I’ll go for now. Be back later. | | Saturday, August 13th, 2005 | | 10:13 am |
Summer Happenings
I haven’t posted in a while, so I thought I’d drop in. The summer is already almost half over, and it’s just gone by so fast. It was a busy summer, and that’s probably why. Right now, I have a friend visiting me from Texas. She’s been here, about a week already, and things are great. She lost her luggage, and she’s finally getting it back today. It took 9 days for them to find it. Can you believe that? I guess that shows how unreliable the bus company really is. The visit itself has been good. We’ve been spending a lot of time with friends, and she’s met a lot of new people. I’ve spent a lot of money, that’s the only drawback, but I guess I can’t complain about that. Sometimes, these things happen. I wish we’d eat at my place, more than we have been, but I guess that’s just how it goes. She’s here for about another 2 weeks. Another big thing that’s happening is I’m going to get a guide dog. I’m going to California on September 18th, and get home, October, 10th. That should be really exciting. In fact, I’m getting pumped up already. I’ll try to write regular posts, just to let everyone know, how things are going. That’s if anyone is still reading this. Lol ... Oh well, if nothing else, at least I’ll have a record of my time in California. I’m thinking of doing a podcast of my time in California. I know that other people have done that, but it doesn’t hurt to hear about different experiences. Darcy and Holly did a great job of covering Holly’s experiences at Leader Dog. Well, not much more to report, but I’ll update later. I hope everyone is having a good summer, and I’ll be back soon. Current Mood: content | | Sunday, July 3rd, 2005 | | 5:24 am |
I'm Back
Well, I haven't posted in a while, so I thought I'd get back out here. I wonder if anybody will even read this. There's been a fair amount going on, and that really shouldn't be hard to believe. The last time I posted, was when I retired Hillary. I've finally applied for another guide dog. This time, I'm going to Guide Dogs for the blind, in California. Well, I think I'm going there. I have filled out an application, and I've had a home interview last Friday. Things went very well, I think. Last Friday, it was really hot, and I had to do a juno walk. For those who don't know, a juno walk, is when you walk with an instructor using a harness. It's a little strange, walking with a person, and holding a harness. I think the really strange part, is when you have to talk to them, like they are a dog. Overall, things went very well. He observed me using my cane for a while, then we did the juno work. He liked my cane skills, and said the juno work was fine. If all goes well, I should hear back in a couple of weeks, as to whether not, I was accepted. Speaking of canes, I really hate using mine. Not because I'm ashamed of it, but because it really is a slower way to travel. At least it is, in my opinion. It's also an awkward way of travel, I think. It's been a huge adjustment going back to using a cane, after having a dog for almost 8 years. When you do it, you really notice the difference, in the 2 methods of travel. With the cane, you run into so many more obsticles, than you ever would with a dog. Part of my problem is, there are times when I veer while crossing streets, and that can be confusing. I guess I'm making it sound like I'm a bad traveller, but really I'm not. I'm not the greatest, but I can hold my own, and I can get anywhere I need to go in Toronto. I'm just saying, that I travel slower with a cane, and I'm really looking forward to having another dog. In other news, I've been playing a new game called ESP Pinball Xtreme. I actually pre-ordered the game almost 2 years ago, and it just came out last week. I'm still waiting for my registration key though. I've been playing the demo, but you can only play 2 of the 6 tables. Luckily, I'm visitting friends this weekend, and I've had a chance to play the other 4 tables. This game rocks!!! I'll be playing it constantly when I get my key. Looking forward to making the high score board. lol We've had a great weekend so far. We've had a lot of good food, and good conversation. My friends are really good about letting me use their computers. In fact, that's how I'm writing this entry. I can't sleep, so I thought I'd update. I also got my hair cut, this weekend. It needed cutting, believe me. My hair is really curly, and it grows very fast, and thick. Needless to say, I got it cut short, because it's easier to manage, and it looks better. At least, that's what I'm told. It must be true, because some of the younger girls where I got my hair cut, said it looked "hot." That was an eago booster. I don't get too many people saying, I look hot, so it made my weekend. I've been mentioning it, every chance I get. Well, I'm going to go and play Pinball, but I'll be updating regularly, once again. I've missed writing in here. Be back soon. Take care. Current Mood: energetic | | Friday, April 8th, 2005 | | 2:18 am |
Test
This is just a test entry for ACB radio's Main Menu program. | | Sunday, March 13th, 2005 | | 8:40 pm |
How Do I Say Goodbye?
Well, this is probably one of the saddest days of my whole life. Today, I retired Hillary. She was my dog guide, for those who don't know. I was with her, almost 7 years. It would have been 7 years on the 26th of this month. This whole entry will be about Hillary, so if you don't want to read, you might as well leave now. I wasn't expecting her to be gone so soon. I really thought I was going to meet the family, and give her to them, in a few weeks, but it didn't work that way. I'm comfortable with the way things happened, and I really appreciate all the work that the lady who found Hillary a home, put into it. I'll never be able to thank her enough. I'll talk more about Hillary's new family in a minute, but for now, I just want to remember, some of the special times I had with her. There are too many to mention here, but I'll give afew highlights. I'll never forget the day I brought her home. She really wasn't a big fan of planes. As soon as we got on it, she started shaking and panting. I did everything I could to calm her down, but nothing was working. She shook, and panted all the way home. Luckily, it was only an hour long flight. Even dog cookies wouldn't help her. Hillary was always a nervous dog. When we got home, a friend of our family's picked me up at the airport. There were 2 elderly women, and neither one of them could believe it, when Hillary guided me around some posts outside the apartment building. They were completely amazed by her. I guess in some ways, I was to. It's a whole new concept, putting your life into the hands of an animal. You have to completely let all your fears go, and give them your complete trust. When you do that, you really bond as a unit. Many times, Hillary new what I wanted her to do, before I told her. It was as if she could read my mind. There were so many times that the weather was bad, and she always made sure we got home safely. I can remember times, when I couldn't even feel the sidewalk, but she always made sure we were on the right path, and she always made sure we were safe. We've been lost together many times, but between the 2 of us, we always found our way. It's amazing how calm you are, when you know your dog is with you, and looking out for you. Hillary was even part of my second wedding. Her harness was decorated with flowers, and she was in all the pictures. She probably looked better than I did. lol She was involved with every aspect of my life. That's because she was such a major part of my life. Throughout the 7 years, we were hardly ever apart. The only times we were apart, were after her opperation she stayed with friends, while I went to my school reunion, and she stayed with family, when I was on my honeymoon. My mind is running through so much at the moment, that I can't write it all down. I will write down more Hillary stories as they come to me. I'll tell you about her family. I met them today for the first time. Actually, I met the husband and wife, but not the 2 children. They were really nice. they told me, how excited their 9 year old daughter is, about having a doggie. They said, she even cleaned her room, so she must have bben excited. How many 9 year olds, clean their room without being asked? They were so open to listening to my advice. They paid close attention to what I had to say, and they asked lots of questions. I like that, because it showed me, how interested they are in Hillary. They weren't in a hurry to leave. They actually took the time to talk to me, and listen to what I had to say, and that meant a lot. Hillary was jumping all over them, as soon as she saw them, and you could just tell, how much she was looking forward to spending time with them. The were really prepared. She has her own bed, and they bought her other things as well. From what I was told, they are all going out, to buy her some new toys. When I put her in the car, she was wagging her tail. I kissed her on the top of the head, and said goodbye. I then started crying. I couldn't hold it in, and didn't bother to try. I know she's happy and that's all I care about. I'm torn up inside, but I know it's for the best. They told me, I can call any time I want to see how she's doing, and they said, I could even see her as well. I'll give it a few days, then I'll call, and see how she's adjusting. I'll always love her, and I'll never forget her. I love you, Hillary. | | Wednesday, September 29th, 2004 | | 4:12 pm |
An Update On Me
Well, I haven't posted in a while, so I thought I'd take some time, and do it now. I'm settling into my new place slowly, and I seem to have good and bad days. There are times, I love living alone, but there are times, when I absalutely hate it, and wish things were different. That's part of the reason, I haven't been on line very much, I just haven't felt up to it. One minute, I'll be happy, and the next I'm so depressed, that I don't think I'll ever get out of it. I just haven't been good company lately, but I'm trying to change that. To top all of that off, I just had to re-format my computer again, because it got messed up. I might actually be getting a new one. This one, does nothing but cause problems for me. I may go through this rent to own place I know about. It's not the best way to do it, but it's a way, that I can afford it. Hillary is doing good. She's my Seeing Eye dog, for those who don't know, but she's slowing down even more now, and that's making me think more and more about retirement. That's another thing, that's eating away at me. I'll go for now, and I'll try to update more frequently than I have been. Current Mood: lonely | | Monday, August 16th, 2004 | | 6:41 pm |
Odds and Ends
I know it's been a while since I've posted, but I've been busy. Just thought I'd post something, so that everyone knows, I'm still alive. lol Well, one thing that has been keeping me busy, is that I've been moving into a new apartment. It's actually starting to look and feel like home. We got the place cleaned up on Friday, and all of my furnature came as well. My family has been very supportive through the whole move. It was really nice, to see them pull together, and help me. I guess that really shows you, that when the chips are down, your family will be there. My internet will be connected on Friday, so I'll be able to post whenever I want to. Then, you will get sick of me. lol Actually, I'm looking forward to posting, on a regular basis. I'm going to go for now, but if all goes well, I'll be back Friday. One more thing, my phone gets connected tomorrow, so if you want my number, call the cell and let me know. Actually, I think I remembered to give my number to most of the people who read this, but if I haven't, and you know me well enough to have it, then call the cell. Be back soon. Take care, and have a good week. | | Saturday, August 7th, 2004 | | 2:31 pm |
Problems With Friends
Well, this must be my week to have problems with friends. I just met a couple, about 3 weeks ago. They seemed like nice people. They are quite a bit younger than I am, but we got along very well together. If you were paying attention, you'll notice, I used the word "got". Well, let's just say, they aren't what they seemed. We have spent a lot of time together, in person, and on the phone, and I really thought that we were close. As you know from reading this, I've been in London for the last week or so, tying up loose ends, and preparing to move into my apartment. I found out last night, that these people I thought I could trust have been talking about me, behind my back. They are saying, that I gave out their address and phone number, and if you know me, you'll know, that's not what I do. I've never done anything like that,and never would. The whole thing, is fucked up. Yes, I swore, but I'm really pissed. Why can't people be, who they say they are? Why are some people so fucking fake? I just don't get it. I have to admit, that I have met some good people though lately. I've been messing around on this dating line in Toronto, and I've met some interesting people out there. Don't think anything weird, I'm not looking for a relationship or anything, I'm only in the friends cattegory. I mainly go out there, because, it's just another way, to meet some new people. For the most part, I no this entry has been negative, but I'll be back later, and hopefully, in a better mood. Current Mood: angryCurrent Music: none | | Wednesday, August 4th, 2004 | | 10:53 am |
An Early Morning Update
Just thought I'd get in here, and do a quick update, since I didn't write anything yesterday. I've really been busy, getting things ready to move, from London, to Toronto. I just found out, that my phone will be hooked up, on the 17th of this month. Luckily, I'm getting Sprint's unlimited long distance plan. I make so many long distance calls, that I'll need it. Since I've been getting things ready to move, I've discovered, that I really do have a lot of junk. Believe me, a lot of it, is being thrown out. Anyway, I should go for now, but I'll be back later, to write more. Current Mood: tiredCurrent Music: none | | Monday, August 2nd, 2004 | | 10:27 pm |
My First Try
Just trying this out for the first time. I think I'll be doing a lot of writing over the next couple of weeks. I have a lot going on, and I think this will be a great place to vent. I won't get into everything now, but let's just say I have a lot of crap going on. Some of you, will know what I'm talking about, and the rest of you, will find out, as we go. At the moment, I'm in London, packing some stuff, and getting ready to move. I have a lot of mixed emotions about everything, but I do know, this is for the best. Things can only get better from here. I'll go for now. I just wanted to try this out, and put something up here, but I'll definitely be back later. Current Mood: frustrated |
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