A personal reflection on adapting to sight loss, auditory overload, and the ongoing search for quiet in a noisy world.
Category: Accessibility
Musings from a Blind Man: When Safe Havens Fall Short
Hospitals are meant to be safe havens — places where we’re supported when we’re at our most vulnerable. But my recent experience showed me how easily that safety can slip away when accessibility and empathy fall short. From a warm, inclusive anniversary trip to a very different hospital ward, this week reminded me just how much the people around us shape whether we feel safe… or unseen.
Resilience: The unique way we all adapt to change
There is this common misconception that people “on the spectrum”, especially children, lack the emotional intelligence for empathy. This couldn’t be further from the truth, and I honestly believe the sooner these silly and insulting assumptions are put to bed, the better. Before I go on, can we also confine the term “on the spectrum” …
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Musings from a Blind Man: Excluded by design
Sunday mornings tend to be my morning to get up first and feed the animals. I quite like it because it gives me a couple of hours to potter around downstairs, pop some music on and generally ease myself into the day. I have had to adapt so many ways I approach everyday life that …
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Assistive tech, the turmoil of choosing between accessibility and privacy
I have a confession to make – I do not own a smart speaker. Not only that, but I have no intention of getting one. If I have my way, no Alexa, Google Nest or Apple HomePod will ever be brought into my home. The thought of having a device constantly listening into my conversations, …
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Flight Free part 3: The Train of Monte Cinto
Quite often as a holiday gets close to an end and you begin getting your things ready for the trip home, there is that sense of melancholy that tomorrow you will be back home and the holiday will soon be a distant memory. Not this time, as we had our final swim in the rooftop …
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Flight Free part 1: Happy anniversary
Last year my wife of 17 years and I celebrated our anniversary by going out for dinner with the kids at Hard Rock Cafe in Piccadilly Circus. This isn’t our usual choice for a romantic anniversary meal but there was a special reason for being in London on a warm August evening. We were due …
Musings from a blind man: the power of perspective
As I sit here on a Sunday morning on the eve of my 44th birthday, I can’t help but smile. As usual, I’ve been woken up by the telly blasting through our bedroom floor as William watches some random rubbish on YouTube. We normally turn the TV down before bed, but forgot last night as …
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Musings from a Blind Man: Turn up and Go
Original post from January 2024 I decided to do a little experiment today as Chester and I took a solo trip to visit my eldest at university in Kingston. It’s quite a straightforward trip on South Western Railway from Reading with just a single change at Twickenham. So what’s the experiment? Turn Up And Go …
Musings from a Blind Man: Blind Grillin’
There’s nothing like a warm Saturday afternoon to take advantage of sitting outside (albeit wearing a thick hoodie to combat the chill) with some music in the background and a large joint of pork smoking on the grill. Slowly cooking a side of meat takes a lot of time and patience and it is the …
Blind Man with a Backpack 