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Little Quack | Registered: September 3, 2008 11:08:32 AM
Fur Affinity is where I learned the full potential of what became the foundation of Coping With Limitations Through Pony. These being 'acceptance', 'understanding', 'empowerment', and 'community'.
There are few places where one can be their true selves without feeling the pressures of real life. Especially if you, like me, have a 'limitation' in which causes you to be treated in a negative way by the general public.
My 'limitation' is 100% blindness. How am I able to be on FA? It is thanks to technology known as a 'Screen Reader'. The one I've learned is called JAWS and stands for Job Access With Speech. The current speed in which software and web-sites are being updated are making the use of a screen reader harder-and-harder due to lack of consideration for 'Accessibility Testing'. However FA has not let me down by keeping updates to a minimal. It's been the most accessible site for me to use since 2008!
My goals here are to make friends, write stories, and enjoy the wonders of art through those kind enough to provide me 'Image Descriptions'. The imagination can go a long way and I strive to leave comments that reflect what I am inspired by in every work.
It should not be anything new to anyone, but I should mention I fall within the 'Baby Fur' community. I find diapered cartoon animals extremely adorable and delight in having my character, Yosh, interact with characters of all interests and backgrounds. (I gradually lost my sight since birth. So this is how I can utilize image descriptions to formulate images, stories, etc. in my head)
My real name is Matthew S. Palumbo. Why share this? I've grown tired of being shamed for both my 'limitation' and my liking of padded undergarments. It's hard to shame when you're open about it. This is also the name I've used in the self-publication of various books I've worked on with friends. (No profit / career... yet. However I do hope to make a humble living from my writing at some point.'/I])
Yosh, to me, is that part that helps me not give in to all the negativity someone, like myself, goes through when out-and-about with the general public. People can ignore me, not notice I have the trademark sunglasses on while walking a harnessed Seeing Eye Dog, give me unpleasant looks ([I]As described by my son and why he does not like to go on shopping walks with me), etc. Yosh counter-balances all this by giving me a degree of 'synthetic happiness' wherein life is simple through being a happily diapered dino-duck instead of an anomaly of human society.
I've held 3 full-time jobs between 2006 and present. However all have been lost due to my diminishing / lack of eyesight, compatibility issues with adaptive software and proprietary software, and/or flat out usage of my 'limitation' against me for public ridicule and approved discrimination.
Why do I keep saying 'limitation'? Because, as most know themselves, the right tools can enable most to perform right up there with those who do not have conditions they never asked for. It is the lack of making such tools available in which makes for a 'disability'.
I hope you are able to gleam insights on self-confidence, motivation, friendship, and cuteness from my little space here. Please feel welcome to Note me if you ever want to talk as I strive to help others cope with their limitations through the arts.
There are few places where one can be their true selves without feeling the pressures of real life. Especially if you, like me, have a 'limitation' in which causes you to be treated in a negative way by the general public.
My 'limitation' is 100% blindness. How am I able to be on FA? It is thanks to technology known as a 'Screen Reader'. The one I've learned is called JAWS and stands for Job Access With Speech. The current speed in which software and web-sites are being updated are making the use of a screen reader harder-and-harder due to lack of consideration for 'Accessibility Testing'. However FA has not let me down by keeping updates to a minimal. It's been the most accessible site for me to use since 2008!
My goals here are to make friends, write stories, and enjoy the wonders of art through those kind enough to provide me 'Image Descriptions'. The imagination can go a long way and I strive to leave comments that reflect what I am inspired by in every work.
It should not be anything new to anyone, but I should mention I fall within the 'Baby Fur' community. I find diapered cartoon animals extremely adorable and delight in having my character, Yosh, interact with characters of all interests and backgrounds. (I gradually lost my sight since birth. So this is how I can utilize image descriptions to formulate images, stories, etc. in my head)
My real name is Matthew S. Palumbo. Why share this? I've grown tired of being shamed for both my 'limitation' and my liking of padded undergarments. It's hard to shame when you're open about it. This is also the name I've used in the self-publication of various books I've worked on with friends. (No profit / career... yet. However I do hope to make a humble living from my writing at some point.'/I])
Yosh, to me, is that part that helps me not give in to all the negativity someone, like myself, goes through when out-and-about with the general public. People can ignore me, not notice I have the trademark sunglasses on while walking a harnessed Seeing Eye Dog, give me unpleasant looks ([I]As described by my son and why he does not like to go on shopping walks with me), etc. Yosh counter-balances all this by giving me a degree of 'synthetic happiness' wherein life is simple through being a happily diapered dino-duck instead of an anomaly of human society.
I've held 3 full-time jobs between 2006 and present. However all have been lost due to my diminishing / lack of eyesight, compatibility issues with adaptive software and proprietary software, and/or flat out usage of my 'limitation' against me for public ridicule and approved discrimination.
Why do I keep saying 'limitation'? Because, as most know themselves, the right tools can enable most to perform right up there with those who do not have conditions they never asked for. It is the lack of making such tools available in which makes for a 'disability'.
I hope you are able to gleam insights on self-confidence, motivation, friendship, and cuteness from my little space here. Please feel welcome to Note me if you ever want to talk as I strive to help others cope with their limitations through the arts.
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Comments Earned: 22884
Comments Made: 26499
Journals: 823
Comments Made: 26499
Journals: 823
Recent Journal
Duckling's Got A New Job!
5 months ago
Hamha!
I've been kind of quiet lately for a number of reasons. The most notable is that I have been preparing to start my brand new job as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC)!
The short story is that I applied for the job back in February, interviewed for it in March, and was officially offered the job this past Wednesday, April 30th. My official start date is Tuesday, May 27th.
What is very interesting about getting a job as a VRC is that I will be working for The Bureau of Blindness & Visual Services (BBVS) of Pennsylvania! This is the same agency that has helped me to adapt through providing tools and training to enable me to succeed despite the various stages of vision loss I had up until and beyond I became 100% blind. Knowing that I will be able to provide similar services to people with visual disabilities gives me great joy. I feel my personal experiences as someone who gradually went completely blind coupled with my customer experience with BBVS for over 27 years should allow me to provide a level of care and understanding in which will empower all those who are referred to me as their VRC.
The only real obstacle for my new job is how I will get to and from work. There is a bus service that picks up about a 15 minute walk away from my home. However, this bus arrives at approximately 6:30 AM and has been known to completely drive by the bus stop unless you "flag it down". This bus would get me about a block away from where I am to work. The getting home part should be the same, except in reverse, but I have yet to be able to verify this. It does not help that calling customer service for the bus tends to not yield very insightful data on how I can, as someone with no eyesight, successfully utilize the bus as a mode of transportation.
What I am hoping for to overcome the transportation worries is that I am still eligible for a program through Social Security known as Ticket To Work. The Ticket To Work program would allow me to retain all the services I currently have available to me for approximately 9 months as I acclimate to the job. The one service I have that is most notable is door-to-door paratransit services to get to those places I want to go to that are not medical related. I'm currently waiting to hear back from those involved with the Ticket To Work program to see if I will be eligible for the 9 month trial work period. Past experiences with using Ticket To Work point to me being able to successfully use the paratransit service while Lucca and I work together to find more reliable transportation to and from my job. Wish us luck!
Thank you all for your friendship and support. Of all the jobs I have had, I feel the most confident about being able to retain this position as a VRC. My boss is also blind and has a Seeing Eye Dog, which is a very positive sign that my physical condition will not negatively impact how I am treated as I use a variety of tools and services to perform all of my job responsibilities.
Your Pal,
---Yosh E. O'Ducky ;)
I've been kind of quiet lately for a number of reasons. The most notable is that I have been preparing to start my brand new job as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC)!
The short story is that I applied for the job back in February, interviewed for it in March, and was officially offered the job this past Wednesday, April 30th. My official start date is Tuesday, May 27th.
What is very interesting about getting a job as a VRC is that I will be working for The Bureau of Blindness & Visual Services (BBVS) of Pennsylvania! This is the same agency that has helped me to adapt through providing tools and training to enable me to succeed despite the various stages of vision loss I had up until and beyond I became 100% blind. Knowing that I will be able to provide similar services to people with visual disabilities gives me great joy. I feel my personal experiences as someone who gradually went completely blind coupled with my customer experience with BBVS for over 27 years should allow me to provide a level of care and understanding in which will empower all those who are referred to me as their VRC.
The only real obstacle for my new job is how I will get to and from work. There is a bus service that picks up about a 15 minute walk away from my home. However, this bus arrives at approximately 6:30 AM and has been known to completely drive by the bus stop unless you "flag it down". This bus would get me about a block away from where I am to work. The getting home part should be the same, except in reverse, but I have yet to be able to verify this. It does not help that calling customer service for the bus tends to not yield very insightful data on how I can, as someone with no eyesight, successfully utilize the bus as a mode of transportation.
What I am hoping for to overcome the transportation worries is that I am still eligible for a program through Social Security known as Ticket To Work. The Ticket To Work program would allow me to retain all the services I currently have available to me for approximately 9 months as I acclimate to the job. The one service I have that is most notable is door-to-door paratransit services to get to those places I want to go to that are not medical related. I'm currently waiting to hear back from those involved with the Ticket To Work program to see if I will be eligible for the 9 month trial work period. Past experiences with using Ticket To Work point to me being able to successfully use the paratransit service while Lucca and I work together to find more reliable transportation to and from my job. Wish us luck!
Thank you all for your friendship and support. Of all the jobs I have had, I feel the most confident about being able to retain this position as a VRC. My boss is also blind and has a Seeing Eye Dog, which is a very positive sign that my physical condition will not negatively impact how I am treated as I use a variety of tools and services to perform all of my job responsibilities.
Your Pal,
---Yosh E. O'Ducky ;)
User Profile
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Dinosaur / Duck Hybrid
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