Hello 2019
Hello 2019. 2018 ended with a thud. I lost my job to my position being eliminated or correction: rolled into another position in California. That was my New Year Eve precursor. The new year started in uncertainty and sadness. I had to take the first two weeks to handle my health because I was fading fast. Maybe one day I will write about it, but for right now today is not that day.
This website is focused on my adventures as being visually impaired, legally blind with myself and my guide dog. I have so many plans to try to continue that mission and passion this year. I still have not ran in my first 5K with Roxy. It is a lot harder than I thought. I am a novice as will as my guide dog. Right now, the Ohio landscape is covered with ice and snow and my sighted guide partner is busy with work. Once the ice melts and my sighted guide schedule lightens up, I am looking forward to running with Roxy. Here are my adventure goals for this year. I have to be fiscally responsible because I am unemployed so the list may be long but I will feel accomplished if I check these off my list.
1. F(un)employment period
My severance is quickly hitting to zero and I have filed for unemployment and still have not heard if I got approved for that benefit or not. I am praying that I do not have to cash in my 401K savings to keep my head over water but I at least have that as a plan b. I have been applying, and updating my resume so much but no bites at all. So this is definitely one of my biggest journeys for this year. This is my vert first experience of being disabled and trying to find work. I was working for the company when I became disabled so I never had that experience of being unemployed and trying to find work. I have heard horror stories from some peers, and I know this is going to be a long process. I already experienced bias during some interviews. I want to continue my work in Project Management and I know that I will have to prove myself before I can get pass the initial interview stage it seems. But while I am working on that....it brings me to my next "adventure"
2. Be my own boss
If no one will hire me regardless of how bad ass I am and capable with all the technology I use to use a computer, phone, etc. Hell, Let me figure out how to work for myself; be my own boss. So I have a couple of projects in conception that I want to do; but need to figure out have to turn those concepts into reality, money making opportunities for myself. In includes ideas of social media, Low vision/Blindness initiatives, Telemedicine opportunities, Public speaking, Etsy/Art creativity, writing a novel, continuing my studies with Braille and learning Spanish. This list definitely keeps me busy:)
3. Cross Country Skiing trip (Ski For Light YMCA in Granaby, CO)
I met someone last year at the No Barriers Event who was totally blind that shared this event with me. She is going too and I am looking forward to meeting up with her again. This organization provides sighted guides for different levels of skiers with blindness and some mobility issues to learn how to ski with the landscape of Colorado mountains behind them. I already applied and was granted a 400.00 scholarship towards travel costs. I have everything ready and only have to confirm one more thing. But I am leaving for Colorado to ski on January 27th and will be back February 3rd. I will make sure to document this trip to share on my website. Roxy will not be joining me on this trip, just me myself and I with my white cane.
4. Finally Roxy and me to run in our first 5k
It is my goal one day to run a half marathon, partially with Roxy and the rest with my sighted guide. But I am a novice runner and need to start some where. So I want to get 4 5K runs under my belt this year. The races I already pre picked. I want to participate in the following:
Lady Tutu5K and Little Princess Dash on April 6th, PetPromise Rescue Run on May 25th, Hilltop USA on July 6th, and lastly run like a girl on September 28th. I have been very health conscious, eating plant based, my flexibility and doing dance.
5. Visit the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
I want to tour different lighthouses in the area, sharpen my blind photographer skills with sound and use the small peripheral vision I have. Paddle board in the lakes, camp, family vacation with the dogs. I just want to be very outdoorsy and embrace my inter frontier woman.
6. Go to my second No Barriers event in June 13-15th at Lake Tahoe.
No barriers last year was the catalyst of so many things for me. My creativity has been on a high since then. I have painted, drawn, taken pictures, danced, just trying everything that made me happy when I had sight. I am relearning how to do with my disability. I want to go back, not as a newbie but as a alumni and meet more people, learn and absorb more inspirational stories. This event has become my mod year recharge of confidence building in myself.
7. Continue working hard in braille, Jaws,. voiceover software
I have been out of work for 3 weeks and of course had to turn in my Apple MacBook Pro. I cannot afford one. And it is so true, if you do not use it, you lose it. All the quick keys I did so effortlessly I am forgetting......it is breaking my heart because I worked so hard to learn it. I am using my husband's windows laptop and will be buying a windows laptop soon as well. Because I favored mac laptop over two and a half years during my work life I let my Jaws skills wane and it is a monster trying to learn on my own again. But I will not give up I cannot especially if I want to find work in the future. I am using dictation now and my husband is such a huge up with posting things and spell checking everything until I can use Jaws like a pro. Braille, I been practicing since early last year. I want to be literate and not have to get everything in a auditory version. It is a art to reading braille and I definitely want to be a proficient artist in it.
8. Mental Health/Spirituality
I need to love myself again and connect to things better and manifest things into reality. I have started on my path to healing and want to continue.
9. Lastly, travel to Thailand for a yoga retreat
The resort has different times when they host this yoga retreat and I want to go to the one in December to end my year in reflections and positivity.
This is a long list but I am working hard to make 2019 about experiences, building confidence and empowerment in myself and letting go of the things that no longer serve me. What are some of your adventures you have planned for 2019?