On Day 3 I'd like to concentrate on Personal Development Tools you can use to help create the life you want.

These are all websites or apps you can access from anywhere to envision and start on the path to what you actually want to do with your life.

TED
​TED is a non-profit website where you can go and learn about a variety of different topics to learn from. There are also Apps to download that will provide captions for these TED Talks too.

Mindbloom
A website that helps you enhance your life on whatever area you want to work on. They have several different ways to improve, whether through inspirational texts to your phone, a "life game" to play, or growing a "tree" to see where you want to go in life.

Udemy
Udemy has over 40,000 courses on pretty much any topic you want to learn about from the comfort of your computer or phone. Some of them are free, but the majority of them are videos or audio without captions or transcripts. But you could ask the course provider if they're willing to provide you with one.
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Vision Board & Vision Board Deluxe are two apps you can download for making a personal, portable collection of your values, goals and dreams. You pin your pictures, quotes, and such.

​Meetup
Meetup is an website where you can find a social group of like-minded people and interests near you, Find about what you want to learn and actually go out and meet new people and learn together.

Social Media
Social Media is so large out there that there are many groups whether on Facebook or Twitter that you can find and join and learn just about anything with others. Share ideas and meet people from the privacy of your own home.

So get started on the path to self-improvement and life goal making, meet new people whether in person or online!

Moving can be a huge hassle for anybody, but if you have a disability, there are certain aspects of the process that present a higher level of difficulty. There are, however, things you can do to help make the process - from looking for a new home to moving in - less of a headache. Below are five tips to do just that.

1. Use Moving Apps

There are quite a few apps out there for helping you move. You may find that these have varying degrees of accessibility, so their usefulness may depend on your specific disability, but there are quite a few options that can help you get your ducks in a row when it's time to relocate. Most of them provide Apple and Android versions, but be sure to double-check that they support your mobile device.

2. Ask Your Real Estate Agent The Right Questions

Make sure to ask your real estate any questions you might have about a potential home. Don't be afraid to ask questions about their actual opinion about things either. Redfin suggests asking:

• What they like about the home
• What concerns they have about it
• If they think the price is right
• How long it has been on the market
• If there are any repairs needed

3. Be Sure Needed Facilities Are Nearby

When you're looking for a potential home, one thing you'll want to keep in mind is the proximity to facilities that you need, such as medical offices, people and services you rely on for assistance, or even the grocery store. It doesn't hurt to make a checklist of all of these and keep that in consideration as you house hunt.

4. Scope Out Dangerous Obstacles

It's a good idea to keep an eye out for any dangerous obstacles that may be problematic for you either during the move or in day-to-day life. Look for these when you're looking at a potential home, but also ahead of moving day once you've decided on where you want to live. This could be something that isn't immediately obvious such as an uneven sidewalk.

5. Ask About Discounts

Anne Miller at Moving.com recommends seeing if movers offer any discounts. "Don’t be shy about asking if a firm offers a special deal," she writes. " It can make the difference between keeping your sanity or elevating your stress levels. Nick Baucom, the founder and president of Two Marines Moving, serves the Washington, D.C. area, including the Maryland and Virginia suburbs. His firm moves disabled veterans for a 50% discount, if they’ve been at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center or the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD. That discount often means the veterans can afford full packing services, if they choose."

Whether you're a veteran or not, services may have discounts that apply to you.


Aimee Lyons, a native to colorful Austin,Texas, is a creative Jack of All Trades. It makes sense that a young creator from a city like Austin would want to form a supportive community for other innovative minds. That is why Aimee started DIYDarlin.com, a place for artists, crafters, and the like to share ideas and inspiration. A painter and vintage stylist, her work is her life, and Aimee continues spread that same passion.

I have just finished publishing my first e-book at Smashwords. It's called "Navigating Life with Low Vision - Coping & Adjusting to Living with Vision Loss". If you or a loved one is losing their vision due to Macular Degeneration, Glacoma, Usher's Syndrome, or any other way (more explained in the book) please get this book for them!

I also would like to thank Jon Savage of JonSavageGallery for the cool cover art! Please check out his other works.

Happy Reading,

Tracy,
One finds limits by pushing them" ~ Herbert Simon

I was notified of a Campaign for a new product coming out called the Talkitt. It's an unique product that's not your typical off-the-shelf speech recognition software. This App is pattern recognition, catered to each speaker. 

"For example, a person with Cerebral Palsy might say ‘sho-ko-la’ when he really means to say ‘chocolate. The app will recognize that based on the user’s own personalized, pre-recorded dictionary.” says Danny Weissberg, the cofounder and CEO of Voiceit (who created Talkitt).

I think this is a great alternative to the traditional picture boards, the "touch & speak" , or the "eye movement typing" methods out there. 

They're currently have a campaign to fundraise for this great idea, so go check them out at IndieGoGo Talkitt Campaign. Their Homepage is at www.talkitt.com.

This would help those with Speech Challenges, such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS/Lou Gehrig's), Cerebral Palsy, Stroke, Brain Injury, Autism, Parkinson’s Disease.

Who knows it could probably help some Oral Deaf and Hard of Hearing people too. As you know with my "Deaf Accent" that Siri hates me Heh.

Tracy,
"One finds limits by pushing them" ~ Herbert Simon

OCTOBER 7, 2014

ABILITYJobs.com is offering a Virtual Job Fair on Tuesday, October 7th from 1:00pm - 4:00pm EST.

First, go Register for the event on the Registration Page.
Second, Show up & Sign in on the event's date and Virtual Chat with the Companies for job openings or potential career paths.

Who Should Attend the Event?

• JOB SEEKERS WITH DISABILITIES seeking new career opportunities
• STUDENT JOB SEEKERS WITH DISABILITIES students ready to begin their careers 
• JOB SEEKERS WITH DISABILITIES that want to learn more about opportunities for advancement

See you there!
Tracy,
"One finds limits by pushing them" ~ Herbert Simon

Most of the time at Doctor's offices if you received bad news such as Cancer, or a life-threatening disease, you're given aftercare resources that include counselling and emotional support, etc. But what about after a major Hearing or Vision Loss Assessment? They just go "Here's your new glasses/hearing aid" and send you off. 

Some may refer you to places that sell Assistive Devices. Sure, that's great but these doctors need to realize there's an emotional impact here too. There's no such thing as "being prepared" for a major hearing or vision loss. Losing your Hearing or Vision has such an emotional punch and you can feel things such as:

• Losing me Independence - You'll start feeling like you won't be able to do the most basic things anymore and everyone will have to do everything for me.
• Losing my Privacy - I'll have to have someone else do all my banking and bills and they'll know everything about me.
• Losing my Self Confidence - I never needed to depend on anyone before, 'll be nothing but a burden on everyone around me now.
• Losing my Job - I'll have to quit now, how am I going to support myself, my family?
• Losing Love Ones - I'll lose family and friends because who wants to be around me now?

Now those of us who are already Deaf, Blind or both will look at this and go, as my Dad would say, "That's Bull-Pucky!" We can do everything independently and MORE! We'll do it a different way, and may take longer to do it but dammit we get it done! Sure, sure we'll need a little "help" once in a while, but we're not curled up on the floor drooling like some "newly diagnosed" people might think, Heh.

Anyway, my point is that Doctors and Professionals need to realize the emotional impact these diagnoses have on their patients. Make a list of local agencies that serve the Deaf, or Blind community. Refer them to websites such as VisionAware, or ALDA, or a multitude of other websites, as well as Counselling services.

If you're newly diagnosed yourself.....then trust me, it ain't that bad.

Tracy,
"One finds limits by pushing them" ~ Herbert Simon