In this magnificent age of computer technology, people are using ipads, iphones, blackberries, touch screens, windows, all great stuff. I do have windows and a cell phone, and a land phone, answering machine, but that is neither here nor there. Of course, I know that many people, including me, read online news, google reader, which my blog appears on, and some read these and even long novels, from iphones, ipads and computers. They are downloaded, and I have seen it demonstrated, how you turn the pages with a touch screen, which is awesome.
People, young and old are texting, sexting, skyping, chatting on line, facebooking, twitting, etc.. But, you know what? I never thought there was anything more sexy and cool, as a man reading a book, yes a book, you know, those things with paper pages, a spine, back and cover, hard or soft, with maybe even a jacket, or dust cover? I used to, and still do, in a limited way, due to my vision, read out of books, but I used to read one after another.
I know this tells how old I am, but like many of you, when I was in college, you actually had no computers. You researched out of books on shelves, even used card catalogs, which are now obsolete, which is good I suppose. I mean, when I call the state library for talking books for the blind, I know they are looking at a computer, not a card catalog, and now we have digital books for the blind. I read all the time. They make a great little machine just for the blind. It is free, and it is really easy to use, has braille on it. The cartridges are the size of cassettes, and slip easily, in and out, having print and braille on them. Of course, the thing is, you have to be legally blind to get this stuff, which takes medical proof, in case anyone out there, thought I was faking it. You would not believe how much blind people, even totally blind people, get accused by some asshole of faking it. "Are you really blind?," says the moron.
"Let me take your car for a spin. I hope you have good insurance." That will shut the assholes up pretty quick.
I had some idiot ask me, "did you have eye surgery?"
Quite earnestly, I said, "no, I have retinitis pigmentosa," naively thinking he was asking a legitimate, not smart ass question.
He said, "Well, I thought you were like ninety percent blind, and you seem to be getting around just fine."
That time, being quite annoyed, I said, "it's none of your business," and he went away. Ninety percent? Where did that come from? Even the eye doctor said to me, there was no way to measure my eyesight, because it was so bad, and I am totally blind in one eye, but ninety percent? Where did that number come from, I wonder?
I went to a nondenominational church, with my son. I guess they call it evangelical. The minister, a nice lady, said to me, "the Lord can heal your eyes."
I smiled and said, "thank you." But, truthfully, I thought it was okay to be the way I am, and the Lord really is not going to heal my eyes. I guess it was equivalent to telling a child about Santa Claus, only a little worse, because I am an adult, and I know that is a bunch of hog wash, bologna, to say it nicely. But, I need to get back to books and reading, and off my soap box about how people are jerks to blind and legally blind people, and how they do not understand retinitis pigmentosa, and have no wish to learn. Why should they? It is not their problem. It is my problem, and it was my father's problem, my kids' problem, and a bunch of other people's out there, even if a low percentage of the population. By the way, there is a type of RP, which causes deafness as well. It is called usher's syndrome. Again, back to books and reading.
On these cartridges, I have read everything from political biographies, to memoirs, to Deepak Chopra, to Neil Donald Walsh.
As well, I have read many novels.
With young people, not only does it seem like they are not interested in reading much, any more, but they do not seem interested in science, mathematics, history, geography, American literature, English literature, and so on, any more. They all want to be singers, actors, actresses and models, or something like that. Singers think they are musicians, but not in my book. People think they can just be a rock star. A good voice, and no real training, does not make one a musician, or even a singer, when one has no discipline, only a sense of entitlement, and over indulgent parents.
Believe me, I am not knocking computers. I love mine, and I like having a cell phone for emergencies and convenience. I just wish young people would read. I am sure I am generalizing, but I just think it would be nice if America's youth were more educated, and less sophomoric.
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