First Wood Shop Project

I have completed my first wood shop project today!! Even though it was just a practice project, I still felt proud when I was done.

This project was called a Grid Board, which I explained in my last post about how I did the lines and first holes. After I completed the steps with the scrape tool and hammer, I moved onto the drill press. I would find the hole and rest my finger at the bottom of the hole, which would be used as a guide to line up the drill bit to the hole. Once I felt that the drill was lined up with the hole I placed my left hand on the board to hold board steady. I would measure with my right hand to make sure I had at least 2-3 finger spaces between my hand and the drill bit. After I felt that I was secure I took my right hand and went up to where the on/off buttons were located. I started the drill then slowly reached with my right hand to the right of the drill and pulled the handle down to 6 o'clock, while counting in my head five seconds so I wasn't doing it too fast, then pushed the lever back up once the drill made the hole. Then, I would slide my hand back across to the left and turn off the drill. I leave my hand on the off button until the machine has come to a complete stop, then I moved both hands to my board and clean off the wood chips and inspect my work. I learned that when the board would turn a little it meant that the drill bit was lining up with the center of the  hole I made with the scrape tool, if it didn't do that I was either right on or way off. I had a few that didn't line up and I knew that I was either lucky or way off mark....off the mark was more like it. I  could have re drilled my holes that were off the mark, but I wanted to be able to see what it looked like with some mistakes and I also felt good about my end result that I didn't want to tamper with it, :). Next project is a name sign. Remember, I did this blind folded! WOOT WOOT

The lines are from using a scrape tool, small holes are from hammering in scrape tool and larger hole is from drill press

End result, only a few off :) My instructor uses the horseshoe game  idea on how to count which ones count as a miss

Drill Press

Wrap Up of Week Two

The end of week two I accomplished a couple things that seem small, but I see them as stepping stones to something bigger.

Wood shop, I have completed my grid board. This project was to practice using the Click Rule. I had a 6x6 piece of wood, a scrape tool and a small square. I was to measure an inch from the side and then line up the square until it rest evenly to the wood and ruler. Then I removed the ruler and held the square down with my right hand while I used the scrape tool with my left and pressed down and scrapped a line using the square as my guide. I have to do the scrape tool a couple times since I need to be able to feel the line I made once I was done. I  continued to repeat the process until there were five lines across the board an inch apart. I then turned the board and did it again. After I was done, I had made grid lines on the wood. I put the ruler and square away and was left with scrape tool and a hammer. I used the scrape tool to find where the two lines intercepted by feeling how it drops into a hole. Once I found that spot I would double check it by feeling to see if there was a vertical and horizontal line matching up. Once I decided that I had the right spot, I held the scrape tool with my right hand and took the hammer in my left. I used the side of the hammer and did two taps and two hard wackes to hammer down the scrape tool. After a couple good wackes I rotated the tool in a circle to create a larger hole and loosen it out of the wood. I repeated this process until I had created a hole for each intersection. The next step is using a drill press and drilling a hole all the way through were I made the holes. I learned about the drill press and got a touch of how it feels and what things I need to remember when I use it. I will post a picture of my finished product!

Mobility, my instructor told me the directions of where the Jackson gas station. The first part, I was on my own since we had walked it once already and she wanted to test me on what I had remembered. Then, when I was in new area she explained what was around me, what to listen for and what I would have to feel for in order to not get lost into a parking lot or alley. Once I found the gas station, she taught me how to get to the door without having to cut through and get in the way of cars and the gas pumps. Mainly, what you do is you find the outside of the parking lot/building and follow it. You make an L shape route to the door depending on how the building is placed. She said that I did a great job and that I have good orientation skills and that I know how to navigate well. Also, she told me that she usually breaks up that route into segments, but she felt that I would do well to do it all at once. I only got lost in a couple of parking lots from drifting off to one side without realizing it until I ran into a car. She taught me to stop where I am and listen for traffic to get a sense of where the sidewalk is and make my way back. When I crossed the street I did well. I didn't drift off into traffic or the road and most of the time hit the other side straight on. That still baffles me and I can't believe that I'm doing that because last time I had mobility, 10 years ago, I would drift and be way off target. My instructor is good, she is encouraging and reminds me that I'm doing well. I think she will help me with my anxiety and lack of confidence.

ADL- I took the tips that I learned about measuring and made Baking Powder Biscuits.  I did all the dry ingredients without spilling any, mainly because I scooped it out and leveled it with my finger. The shortening was done a different way. They use the cubed shortening since there is no easy way for a blind person to get it out of the container without making a big mess. Since the cubes come in 1 cup unlike butter, I had to cut it for my recipe. I was taught to take both my hands and rest them both on top of the cube, with no spaces between my fingers. Where my index fingers touched meant it was the middle of the cube. I left my right hand there and used it as a guide to place the knife in the right spot to cut it. Then I checked to see if both pieces were the same size, which they were, so I did good! I used a pastry cutter to mix in the shortening with dry ingredients until the batter was in cracker crumb size. Next was measuring the milk. I used a cereal bowl to use as the "catcher". I placed the measuring cup in the bowl and rest my finger on the edge of the cup and making sure my finger was somewhat leveled. I took the cup to the mouth of the milk carton and lowered it down together until it was in the middle of the bowl. I poured the milk and stopped when I felt it hit my finger which indicated that it was full. I surely thought that I was going to spill a lot of milk but I didn't!I think there was probably a tablespoon of milk that spilled over. After the milk was mixed and the dough was formed, I had a cookie sheet to use as my area to kneed the dough and roll out. Using the cookie sheet makes the flour stay in one spot and easier for us to use our touch to keep center. We don't roll the dough out, I pressed the dough with my fingers and used my sense of touch to feel if it was an inch thick. I used a cup to cut out circles. I learned how to mark the oven so we know where the buttons are, we don't mark them all. You mark the main ones and then you learn what is to the left, right, top or bottom of the bump. When I put the cookie sheet in the oven, I didn't think I did anything differently than usual. I used the edge of the sheet to locate the top rack and once I felt that the sheet was rested evenly on it I pushed it in until my hand felt the rack. How did I know that they were done? Good question, I asked that too! I set the timer for what the instructions asked for, 12 minutes. When that time was up I removed the sheet from the oven. I rested my covered hand on the edge of the sheet and used it as a guide for my uncovered hand to find a biscuit. You don't press down on the top of the biscuit, you squeeze the edge to see if it feels doughy or not. If it doesn't then they are done, which mine were. Oh, you are probably wondering how I read the instructions, silly me! They were on a disc and playing on a CD player and I would pause it after one step of instructions.

Tasty!

In Braille I am slowing making progress but it is getting tough. All the dots seems to run together and hard to distinguish what the letter is, then I am having a hard time formulating what the word is in my mind.

Until next time!!!

Week Two of Training

I started off my second week of training to a bad start....severe migraine and stuck in bed with a mask over my face. I was disappointed in having to miss a day of class already. We don't know what is causing the migraines, but think it has to do with my eye condition. I am currently trying to figure out my issuance issue so I can possible see a headache specialist.

Today in classes I started to do training, exciting since orientation and assessments get boring. :)

In wood shop, I learned how to use a Click Rule, which is a adaptive tool for the blind to use to measure. There are 12 long bumps that go across the rod that symbolizes half inches. Then there 8 clicks in between each half inch to measure to the 16th. We use are fingers to count the inch marks and listen to the click sounds. Below is the picture of the ruler. Also, here is a link to a video that a school did to explain how to use the ruler, since I'm having a hard time explaining it in my own words without showing :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzRfV2RZTCw

Many people asked why they have wood shop as a class and think it is a silly idea and dangerous. And of course you do because we are doing it blind folded. But just imaging being in our shoes and being able to accomplish working a power tool or even being able to measure a piece of wood. The measuring may seem small, but it something that we can do without having to ask someone for help. It is all about feeling independent and not having to rely on others for everything. It is a good feeling for us, a sense of a small accomplishment.  It gives us confidence and makes us rethink that nothing is impossible, we just have to try it and make adjustment for it to work. Making adjustments, doesn't mean we are not capable, and it doesn't mean that we can't do the job as good as a visual person. You have to give us a chance and show that even with adjustments we can do the job just as well.

Below is the link to the commission's website about the industrial arts class.

http://www.icbvi.state.id.us/industrial_arts.aspx

In orientation and mobility we have just worked on cane technique and learned the walk to Winco, not blind folded so I can find it on my own if need be.

ADL, activities of daily living, I started to learn how to feel and identify which measuring cup is which and same with tablespoons and teaspoons. I learned how to place my hand on the measuring cups to feel for the liquid, tomorrow will be practice day with real thing. We were shown ways to get oil or vanilla without pouring. Their solution is keeping the oils/vanilla in a small tight lid Tupperware bowl and taking a pair of metal tablespoons/teaspoons and bending the spoon part until it is level. Then, it is kind of like a ladle and you dip it into the bowl of your liquid instead of pouring. Smart idea I think! Never would have thought of it! Also, another tip they gave was when we are pouring anything other than liquid that we place the cup in a bowl so we can funnel the extra stuff back into the container and not waste it.

Braille class, I started over on Grade One which is the alphabet. I am on letter R now. It has been good to refresh my memory on them, but also to retrain my fingers how each of the dots feel. Each letter is called a Braille Cell and each cell consist of six dots, a series of dots creates a letter. It is hard to feel the bumps to determine what letter it is since they are so close together. It is hard to not "scrub" with my finger up, down, left, right just to figure it out. When reading Braille you are suppose to lightly touch the dots with a finger from left to right. All I can say is...FRUSTRATING! It is the hardest class next to mobility. Hopefully the touch will become easier as I keep practicing.

The Dark Dots Represent Letter

Computer class, I am learning all the short cut keys on the keyboard so I don't have to use the mouse. The reason for this is so I can use the program called JAWs or Magic which is a screen reader. You use keyboard strokes to work your computer and listen to the program so you know where you are on the screen without looking at it. The use of the keyboard strokes are also faster than using the mouse.

That is my update for now!

Training Center First Two Days

Good Morning! First Day of Class

My Schedule!

On Monday, January 6th, I moved to the dorm rooms at the Idaho Commission for the Blind and Vision Impaired to start my training. I will be taking five class every day, plus a job readiness class on Thursday instead of one of the classes.

People ask, are you excited? I am, but also I am very nervous because I'm going to have to face daily what I try to ignore everyday-that this is reality and I am going blind. It is going to be emotionally and physically draining at first, but hopefully over the next couple weeks it gets easier. When you first come in your don't know what to expect besides that you are going to be learning. What you don't expect is how it will be taught, how will you get along with the others, is it going to be easier this time or tougher, am I going to be able to retain it all...so many questions go through your mind. I know that I need this training because it will be helpful and useful even if its not something I need right now. My biggest question is, will this make me gain my confidence back and did I choose the right time in my life to do this? I won't know until I'm done. The training goes in terms, three months, and to me that is not a lot of time to learn and be comfortable with it especially Braille and mobility. So, who knows, I might stay longer or I might surprise myself.

The instructors are very nice and helpful. They know what we are going through since some of them are going through it themselves. They have all been through the training, it is a requirement to be an instructor. All the teachers have some sort of vision loss or are blind except the mobility instructors and wood shop teacher. They mean business, but also want it to be a fun and not a horrible experience. Their motto is "We can do it any where, any time, any condition." Every morning we meet for updates and jokes so the day is started off with a laugh. It seems like they are all easy going so far and not intimidating at all, which makes it easier to ask questions and not be embarrassed to share your fears or concerns you have personally.

In all our classes we wear sleep shades. We are to use our cane and sleep shades all day in every class unless we are told to take them off. The reason for this is so we can retrain our brains to create a mental image of what we are doing or feeling. They want us to be able to paint a picture in our minds, so we can "see" it in our own way and be successful. Everyone is shocked and they don't understand when I tell them that I am taking wood shop blind folded. The teacher says they have found that it is a confidence builder when you realize that if you can use power tools that you can do anything you put your mind to.

My Sleep Shades, No Judging! :)

I live in the same building as the training center. The men live on third floor and women on the fourth. We each have our own room then share kitchen and living room area. There are more than one kitchen and living room so you don't really end up having to share much since there is only three of us on each floor. The classes are on the second floor.

Wish me luck!! I will update you on my experiences and try and get evidence of wood shop! :)

My Small Bed

Tried to Make it Feel Like Home

View From Room