

### OPTIMIST!

### Eugene J van Wyk MCSP

Smashwords Edition

Optimist!

Copyright 2017 Eugene J van Wyk MCSP

All rights reserved

Cover Design Copyright © Laura Shinn Designs

http://laurashinn.yolasite.com

_Optimist!_ is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. It may not be copied or reproduced in any manner without express written permission of the author.

_Optimist!_ is a work of non-fiction. Though some of the cities and towns actually exist they are used in a fictitious manner for purposes of this work. All characters are works of fiction and any names or characteristics similar to any person past, present or future are coincidental.

CONTENTS

Preface: These Are Cameos Of My Experience And Encounters, As A Sight-diminishing Or Even A Totally Blind Enthusiastic Professional Person

Chapter 1: Sunset, A Reflections On Blindness And Where It Often Doesn't Lead!

Chapter 2: Why Not Join Me In An Experiment With Being Blind And Deaf?

Chapter 3: A Blind Vision

Chapter 4: A Post Protruding

Chapter 5: The Ride In The Very, Very Dark, Dark with a Very Dark, Dark Man

Chapter 6: Enchantment In A Silk Dress

Chapter 7: Hammersmith, London, In The Shade

Chapter 8: It Is My Bus!

Chapter 9: London By Day And Night

Chapter 10: Shower Size On An Earphone Cord

Chapter 11: The Ghost Tradesman

Chapter 12: Thank God For Progressive Blindness; The Advantage Of The Disadvantage Of Progressive Blindness

Chapter 13: The Advantage Of Blindness, And Other Disadvantages

Chapter 14: The Sculptor Who Couldn't Stand; Lost Perspective

Chapter 15: The "You can't do it" People Of The World

Chapter 16: Underground Trip

Chapter 17: We Donna Speak Zee Englishee

Chapter 18: Wisdom And Lack Of Insight Prevails

Chapter 19: Reaching Out To Give A Healing Hand

Chapter 20: Visually Impaired Folks Are Subject To The Ever-present Matters That Irritate, Frustrate And Make Them Feel Dislocated From The Broader Society!

Chapter 21: Succinct Biography, Eugene J. van Wyk, MCSP (Chartered Physiotherapist, London, England)

Other Books By The Author

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Preface:

These Are Cameos Of My Experience And Encounters,

As A Sight-diminishing Or Even A Totally

Blind Enthusiastic Professional Person

As these events have been stored in my mind, you will notice that they extend over a rather wide time frame of encounters, observations and experience-absorbing times and places!

With increased life expectancy, all of us, who have sight, may one day, face the prospect of the darker side of life, even diminished or lost sight.

These vignettes give a perspective on the Advantage Of The Disadvantage, of Gradual Sight Loss - AND harvesting The valuable lessons of Optimism. Sit back! Read! Use your vivid imagination, as a paintbrush, to fill in your background imagination details, based on your very personal experience and emotions, at the time of reading.

I almost never read anything, without using this remarkable "tool," to enhance the picture, conjure up by the fertile and splendid imagination of the Author concerned! I have yet to come across details given by any author, about the "background setting" when they sat down to put concepts to either paper or electronic format!

If, for no other reason than to act as a "memory," for myself, where available, I give a brief "settings" description before each Cameo. Like with our experiences, the Readers can be most helpful with their active feedback; giving authors stimulating and fertilising new and brilliant ideas.

As I have pointed out in one of my other books about Spinal Care, (My Precious Spine And I), I regard the person sitting next to me in the aircraft, as a wonderful Life Experience Library! They know, chances are that they will never meet me again; thus they open up and tell remarkable things, stories and stimulating episodes in their personal lives.

If you are a fortunate, positive minded person, you too, are welcome to please contact me!

Regards.

As always, don't forget to have some fun! Also make some Health and some Mon!

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Chapter 1:

Sunset, A Reflections On Blindness And Where It Often Doesn't Lead!

Often, when I read a book, I wonder what the author was doing, where they were doing it, what were the circumstances, the prevailing political and financial circumstances, the general ambiance, the surrounding noises and much more.

So, in keeping with my state of both brevity and curiosity, I have attached only a very limited amount of "Writing Background" to my writings.

Blindness is a very flexible and diverse set of possible conditions. These conditions, in turn, are housed in a similarly diverse group of folks! These people too, have a very wide potential scope of abilities and capabilities!

In the "normal" society, you find the following categories!

Of course, among disabled or blind folks, these groups are also present.

Some can do, some can do more, others can do even more! Some want to, others are not too keen! Some want to be on life's stage; some don't want to be on any stage!

Don't forget that there are also the disabled and blind folks, as depicted by no blindness experienced, sighted fellows!

Although these "experts" may have the necessary academic qualifications, they still lack in depth, practical, day to day, ever-changing and on-going first hand blindness in-the-field experience!

Here, the problem, is that it is totally impossible for a non-blind person, for example, who has never eaten an apple, to give an accurate description of what an apple tastes like!

Put another way: it is all very well to write your experience, based on your investigations and reading, about what it is like to kiss a girl! Only if you have actually kissed a girl, will anyone be prepared to take your account as really meaningful and accurate!

Whatever expert you are, you can't print experience or prosperity!

Nevertheless, we are grateful for the folks who take a keen and quality-of-life enhancing interest in the affairs of their fellow disabled and blind citizens!

Thanks to all of you, we appreciate and reap the benefits of your dedication and enthusiastic outreaching hands!

If you, as a disabled or blind person, have a clear, investigating, unprejudiced and enthusiastic mind, the sky is the limit! What you can reach for, is really your personal limit! Just go for it, and you'll be rewarded beyond your expectations!

So, be the enthusiastic driving motor of your progress! Change your thinking; open the doors; it's up to you!

What is good for the ear, surely also must be good for the soul. Someone's negative, or uninformed opinion of you, does not have to become your life directing reality.

I'm very fortunate, because I did not have to live within the context of what another person's view of me was.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Chapter 2:

Why Not Join Me In An Experiment With Being Blind And Deaf?

(Sitting down to have the traditional Sunday morning breakfast of scones, tea - for my wife Tineke - and coffee for myself. A slightly overcast, but very dry, Sunday 9 February 2014 8.45 Port Elizabeth South Africa.)

The venue for this little experiment can be either your lounge, garden or even a nearby beautiful park!

Sit back with a sound-eliminating device over your ears and a blindfold of some fashion over your eyes. Relax and let some of that very precious time gradually slide by!

Now, faithfully record in your mind, what you experience; the missing items as well as any new observations or hearings! Store this away in your favourite memory file - and often refer to it, when you meet someone with a disability, including folks with either sight or hearing loss!

Now, don't be afraid to extend a hand or a voice to such fellow earth-dwellers! You may very well be surprised by what your outreach may have unlocked!

This is a good learning curve to experience, first-hand, or should it rather be, first-ear, what sight and hearing loss really means!

Are you really blind? Yes! However, I have always had the good fortune of successfully harvesting the advantage of the disadvantage of being blind!

Now I'm waiting with some mixed degree of optimism and scepticism for the advent of Bionic Vision! It may come rather like: "All of a sudden I could see a little flash of light. It was amazing."

Although I very firmly believe that "Sight" for many folks, is really on the nearby horizon!

I very firmly believe that all people are entitled to come to the Health And Wealth, light, irrespective of their gender, race or age!! Therefore, believing that knowledge is not knowledge, unless it is passed along, I very firmly believe in Self-Empowering my fellows -- particularly the young people about both their Health and Wealth!

Always focus on health-orientated thinking and eating patterns.

Of course, there are always the folks who say: "Why build a dream, if it cannot be obtained!"

The optimist in me, often looks back at unobtainable vistas of the past!

Example: "You will never fly;"

"See someone in another house!" Television!

"Speak to someone in another country!"

What about the telephone?

"They will never be able to treat that!"

Have a very close and reflective look at the advance of medicine, quality-of-life technology and the scope of human ingenuity!

I still believe, that the best possibility, is rectifying, or replacing, the retina, thus using the already in-place information transmission facility.

With many of the proposed technologies, there is always the built-in factors of both the unforeseen consequences, and the time-related obsolescence and the always present risk of "Hospital-acquired Infections!"

It may come as a slight comfort to know that bacteria can themselves get sick. They too, are sometimes infected by bacteriophages, (or simply phages] a type of virus. A virus is a strange and unlovely entity - "A piece of nucleic acid surrounded by bad news" in the memorable phrase of the Nobel Laureate Peter Medawar. Smaller and simpler than bacteria, viruses aren't themselves alive. In isolation they are inert and harmless. But introduce them into a suitable host and they burst into business - into life.

About five thousand types of virus are known, and between them they affect us with many hundreds of diseases, ranging from the flu and common cold to those that are most invidious to human well-being: smallpox, rabies, yellow fever, ebola, polio and aids.

Our lifestyles invite epidemics.

The enquiring public no longer is left in the dark. they question the interpretations and, in particular, of the expert's interpretations.

Yet another very important facet to consider, is how a person, who has never been able to see, will perceive the new vision and the information that it will send, to their visual part of the brain?

Surely, the person who has experienced progressive sight loss, will still have retained their vision experience, in terms of what the "Sight World," really looks like!

Imagine the following scenario:

"Well George, the procedure has been a success! At least, judging by the numerous tests and evaluations we have done!"

"However," George replies, "Although I have been prepared for the outcome of this venture, I'm still rather confused, lacking insight, understanding, converting my tactile experience map into a new, sight-driven map!"

"I appreciate your concern," the highly experienced surgeon-engineer says.

"You know," George continued, "My past getting about was based on my learned tactile map in my brain! I heard people talk about smiles, glitter, shining, derelict looking, dishevelled looking, untidy, bland, looking exhausted, moonshine, starlight, clouds, dust storm, colours, mountains, flowers, horizons, depth, heights, animals of various types, flames, beauty, ugliness, valleys, hills, and so many more concepts! I even recall, some folks saying they saw stars in someone's eyes! But, as you may anticipate, to me, all these were just vague and far-off ideas! Really meaning nothing to me!

"True, George," Edridge said. "But you will have to be rehabilitated! Learn what the old-time words now mean, to you as a newly sight-gained person! I can only imagine the very, very wide field of experience you must now catch up with and master!"

George got out of the chair, still somewhat uneasy about his balance. He cautiously strolled over to the window! Turned his head several time, now cautiously "looking" outside.

"Fortunately," he said, "I was so very lucky, my parents showed me trees by taking me to a gardening facility with bonsai trees; I was really impressed! I also had the good fortune to use miniature toys, such as cars, buildings, ships, trains and many more as examples of the things I could not see!"

George was quiet for a few seconds. "There's something up there! It is!"

Edridge looked. "It's the sun!"

"You mean," George replied, "That thing that I only experienced as that heat on my skin?"

"Quite so! However, never, never ever look directly at it! It will damage your ability to see!"

Now George realised that there was a steep, maybe even a prolonged learning curve ahead for him and his family.

He returned to the chair. Felt for the chair-side little table with magazines and books on it. He took the top book, felt the texture of the front cover. Smiled when he looked down at it. There it was, a distortion of impressions, suspecting them to be colours, maybe, even a picture of something!

Of course, George was well prepared for the possible learning events that would now be available as a sight-gained person.

It is two years later!

George had adapted, well, had been very, very positively rehabilitated following the sight-gained procedure. In fact, one of his new hobbies is picture painting!

At the Sight Rehabilitation Centre, it soon struck him that it was much, much more easy for folks who previously could see, but had lost their sight. They were quicker to retrieve their previous sight value system!

In life in general, are you, as a blind, disabled or sighted person, either a giver or taker?

OR, are you fortunate in being a well balanced person?

Never squander a top quality negative opinion - harvest it for all it is worth!

When last did you invite a sighted person for a meal, coffee or tea? If you did, I sincerely hope that you too, were a giver - undertook to pay for the goodies and service!

Similarly, when did you, as a sighted person, last invite a blind person for a social event? Did you use the "shame" word? Were you really embarrassed or ashamed to use the "see" word? For example, "did you see that good TV program last evening?"

When in conversation with a blind person, just be your normal and courteous self! Freely use "see," as you would, in conversation, with any other person! You will feel much easier at ease, and, of course, there will be no embarrassing pauses in the conversation!

Why not rethink and review your attitude including the use of your word attitude, towards blind and disabled folks?

Similarly, Why not rethink and review your attitude including the use of your word attitude, towards sighted folks?

What about concepts such as: light, dark, dawn, sunset, sunrise, pale, colours,

What about "I saw her point of view?" Or, "Now I see matters in a different light!"

What really is seeing? What is sight?

Words are like paint brushes. You can use a single word, a combination of word brush strokes to give a different meaning, shade or colour.

"I see your point of view!" Has that point of view got a colour, mass, taste, shape Can I touch it? If I accidently drop it, will it break? Will it hurt my toes, if it falls on them? Has anyone ever stolen your point of view? Did you retrieve it? Or is it lost!

Has anybody actually tampered with your point of view?

As you may already have observed, certain aspects are not necessarily always visible from a single point of view.

Similarly, the concept of "I think," opens up yet another challenging source of explaining!

The more one thinks, the more one begins to think and the more examples of these types of words come to mind.

Just look at the previous sentence!

Yes, I really do "see" TV programs. My wife interjects the necessary descriptive or explanatory words here and there.

The language of "see" really has a very wide spectrum of applications! Some good, some vague, yet others shameful and embarrassing!

Well, in practical day to day terms, it means much more than the conventional to perceive with the normal eyes. Don't forget to catch sight of!

You consult with your health care person, and he or she responds by saying: "I can't see any other way to treat it"

"He's seeing another specialist now."

"I must go and see what Verelese is up to"

"I see trouble ahead"

When you really think about it, have that perceived trouble got a colour, shape, smell or any similar tactile attributes?

"They see each other from time to time." Once more, this also applies to two blind persons!

"I can't see how this helps us"

"I'll go along to the club, and see if Jim is there."

By now, you too, will appreciate the variety of connotations linked to words. So, always use them selectively and with great caution!

Again, think of the possible far-reaching, impact-making effect, these new, nebulous and alien concepts will have on a person now being able to see for the very first time!

Are you really prepared to be able to venture into the new world of "Now I can see?"

If the time comes, the successful technologies are in place, good fortune whatever your decision!

These concepts surely must be very alien to a person who now can see, but, previously cannot see!

Now it is your turn! The very important question is: If opportunity presents itself, would you be ready or available to embrace the health risk-assessed quality-of-life possibility of "seeing?

Before answering that important question, keep in mind that changing from not being able to see, to being able to see, will also have its social and economic advantages and disadvantages!

For some folks, the status quo will be the much easier choice. Others will select the choice the new technology brings to their assistance!

Whatever your views or choice, good fortune for the road ahead!

In terms of the latter aspect, I was extremely fortunate, in that at a very early age, "Lightening Struck!" This is when it occurred to me, that my sight is really only on a loan basis! I had no idea, at what rate it would or could deteriorate!

"Bugger Blindness," then became my Quality-Of-Life guiding factor!

I then decided to do all I could that my present sight allowed - and even much more!

Of course, there is a variety of techniques and technologies, that offer rather good looking prospects!

I have tried in vain, to get feedback on quite a number of folks, who have had "Bionic Sight" procedures done! Sadly, no comeback!

I firmly believe in being very proactive, both as far as my health and wealth are concerned!

Therefore, I always take advantage of contacting professional folks, who are at the leading edge of whatever interests me!

You too, are invited to move into the driver's seat of your particular disability, and to always keep on contacting the "experts" about present progress in the field of your particular disability!

In the following email, I deliberately changed the name of the person in question!

Attention: Professor. Subject: Grandpa, Will You Still Be Blind? Sunday 9 September 2012

Dear Professor,

I sat watching and captivated - rather, listening - to a video at 3:40 on the afternoon of Friday 7 September 2012.

Off the internet, "Bionic Eye" Restores Vision in Blind Woman."

The lady suffers from degenerative Retinitis Pigmentosa, a hereditary disease that caused her to lose nearly all of her vision.

This jumped at my interest in this subject rather like a very powerful magnet.

I compliment you and your dedicated team on your insight, determination, vision and steadfast belief in your objective to help people! Not, of course, forgetting your patients!!!

I take a keen interest in technological developments - particularly nano technology and compressing of electronics storage facilities. I note that there is an American company that is at the leading edge of compressing storage space to yet another shattering degree.

I am curious whether you anticipate, in view of the possibility of much enlarged pixel capacity, that almost normal sight might be in the pipeline?

(Judging from your press release, I take this in fact to be the case.)

At present, I am almost retired from active private Physiotherapy practice.

Both my wife and myself take a very keen interest in what's going on in the international investment arenas \- including many of the modern-day technologies and techniques that will soon become the "Next Big POSSIBLE QUALITY of life Enriching thing" to invest in. Nevertheless, as I always say: "The more I know, the easier and better I live." I append a little writing reflecting my experience as a RP person.

You will notice my reference to the possibility of artificial sight and what your Bionics Institute is doing, a considerable time ago.

My attitude is quite simply, that almost nothing is impossible provided one is both motivated and has the determination to use and improve on the present day expertise and technology.

O, with reference to Subject: Grandpa Will You Still Be Blind?

We visited our children and grand children living in New South Wales, Australia, in March 2012: Little 5-year-old Jesse asked: Grandpa, Will You Still Be Blind?

Well, immediately it sprang to mind that it's only a matter of time before I, like many other folks, will possibly have the modern-day aids of sophisticated electronics resolve some of our dysfunctions.

I am versed with the work already been done in Australia with reference to hearing loss! My particular interest lies in the field of "eyes." I also have a condition Retinitis Pigmentosa.

Some years ago, - in fact in 1969 - I suggested at a local interest group meeting, that: "I envisage ultimately that the retina will be bypassed with electronic optical stimulus transferred from the necessary external receptors to the brain. This to be in the form of direct contact with the optic nerve."

Well, the enthusiasm and determination of your individual workers, motivated by your organisation's future vision, is certainly compacting the time horizon to the advantage of a wide and varied keenly awaiting spectrum of international patients - not, of course, forgetting their family and associates.

I will be keeping a very keen ear on future developments. Particularly, on interviews with your present patient.

Reflecting her personal observations - if that's the correct word - on the world around her!

Wishing all of you good fortune with keeping a focused eye - or eyes - on the Ultimate goal.

Landing on the moon was a major technological achievement. Giving sight to millions!!! Well, Need I say any more?

Regards,

Eugene van Wyk, MCSP

Chartered Physiotherapist, London, England

Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

Motivated by the rather disquieting figures about declining sight and possible ultimate blindness, I wrote a few short articles - maybe reflecting stories - under the title of Splendid Sunset - And Brightening Hope And Experience! These are cameos of my experience and encounters, as a sight-diminishing or even a totally blind enthusiastic professional person. Sit back! Read! Become involved!

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Chapter 3:

A Blind Vision

(Friday 17 February 2012)

Cold. Deprived. Bleak future. Hellishly Scared.

It was deep in the heart of winter. The house was large, inviting and certainly warm and snug.

The trader's entrance - yes, there still is one, is long, with a canopy of trees and tree branches. This, in turn, deprived the passageway of light during the night-time.

It is a time of mounting political instability; diminishing job opportunities; rising expectations for those without a regular source to provide either food or accommodation.

Early morning I cautiously stepped through the two doors leading via a courtyard to the "trader's entrance." It was extremely cold, dark and very quiet. However, the sliding latches of the two timber doors made a disquieting noise when I moved them. I lingered. Opened the final door and slowly reached with my right hand.

"What on earth is this?" I almost shouted. Something warm and soft. No movement.

I pressed down harder; suddenly reaction came.

Scared, but alert, I requested the half-sleeping character to get moving; sooner rather than later!!!

On reflection, the risk of being physically attacked; even worse, being the victim of a knife attack dawned on me.

It's ten years later. Little has changed for the deprived. Well, little other than in the minds of the self-enriched elite.

It is for many still Cold. Bleak future. Hellishly Scared.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Chapter 4:

A Post Protruding

(A hot and very humid Friday 24 February 2012)

The high velocity fiend; Cycling in the clean mountain air on a beautiful, post-rain and lovely-smelling landscape was most enjoyable, stimulating and a reason to reflect on my good fortune to live in liberating and elevated farming community. James, my metal horse, also seemed to take matters in his stride; a wheezing sound came from his tyres on impacting the still wet and excitingly muddy road.

I left home going nowhere in particular. Knowing, once I had reached my undetermined destination, I would be delighted with my discovery. It felt really very good, the sun, sound of the birds now too enjoying their frolicking and choral exuberance.

On turning right from my father's business, I followed the gradually rising dirt road; ultimately took the turn to the right once more, and ... yes!!!

This is where the fun would start. It was downhill; no one in my limited sight or remarkable earshot.

"Let's fly!" Each time the peddle presented itself for yet another application of horsepower, I thrust down as hard as I possibly could; the "singing" of the tyres on the wet dirt road now acquired a stimulating, yet ominous and enthralling sound! It was a long, undulating slope; broken periodically by a hump engineered across the pathway at a slight angle to act as a mechanism to drain the rain water off the dirt road's surface.

Excitedly, but still concerned about safety, I periodically "rang" the handlebar-mounted bell - augmenting this with a rather frequent "hooy!!" to make sure any pedestrians took note of the fiend in progress!

Why the hell not head for old Phil's homestead? The problem of course, on reaching it, would occur once I was invited inside - well, my "darkness vision" necessitated that I dreamed up a plan to make sure that I would stay outside - in the beautiful and brilliant sunlight.

By now, I was "freewheeling" at, what to me appeared venturing on breakneck speed. The air must have been saturated with moisture. Sound seems to carry a long way in this post-rain situation.

Suddenly the deep throated sound of a vehicle hit my ears. My high-speed chase came to a gradual halt; then the vehicle passed and I once more mounted my friend James.

The afternoon angle of the sun in the sky, always dictated the latest point in my various ventures at which I should return home. not pay due attention to this fact, would literally land me in the dark.

It was time to return. In terms of cycling, mostly, where one goes down, one certainly must go up! James's "engine" was well trained; no problem; I took the uphill in my stride; enjoying the late afternoon sounds that somehow seemed to protrude from the encroaching night. It was pure reverence. No people, no wind, just the low tone of the tyres on the wet road.

Ultimately, I reached the pinnacle, from where it would be slightly downhill to our home. Alongside this stretch of road, grew tall wattle trees; casting thick shade across my pathway. My bell and warning voice took care of the areas in which I had limited - even worse - no vision.

Faith conquers most obstacles even more than mounting pessimism!

On reaching my father's shop, I turned left, up a slight incline, saw the utility van!!!

"My goodness" I thought. "What hit me?" James continued on his way hitting the back of old Phil's utility minus his keen rider.

Unobserved by myself, were timber fence post protruding from the back of the loading bay of the vehicle.

The pain was so severe, but I immediately realised what must have happened. In fact, the intensity of the pain, gradually intruded on my consciousness.

What was much worse, was the sudden audience and cries of help that focused on my demise! With the pain increasing, I decided that it must have been more than one post that hit me!

Dignity is a most demanding fellow to have on board one's arsenal of feelings.

However, with the application of cold water, "Dettol" antiseptic, and a good deal of family sympathy, I fortunately made it down the track of the following years; and, most gratifying, without any facial scarring.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Chapter 5:

The Ride In The Very, Very Dark, Dark with a Very Dark, Dark Man

(Wednesday 22 February 2012)

For me, schooling was a rather varied and taxing as well as a unrequested "learning curve!" On account of various reasons, it was deemed best for my "education" to have an experienced teacher aunt, to guide me into the world of knowledge and the ever-expanding universe of acquiring even more knowledge and wisdom!!! At the time, it seemed even to me, to be a process of getting me away from the much loved and well-known farm and its equally well-known geographical outlay.

Initially, I was fortunate to go to the local town's primary school. This too, was accompanied by the dusty travel in a transporter converted to house the farm children on their way to the school. Come wintertime and rain, the roads were slippery, muddy and somewhat precarious to negotiate.

I well recall the smell of the apple in my food box; the snugly fitting cap and the inability to read anything on either the blackboard or any of the lesson books. Fortunately, ignorance kept, as often is the case, frustration and the vision of impending doom at bay!

At that stage, the early 1950's, there was no readily available information about what, or how, parents could take care of their disabled or blind child's education and preparing for a meaningful job-situation! In fact, there was very little care-givers helpful information available! Of course, as always, parents tried whatever they thought would address the blindness disability!

(I cannot over-emphasise, that people believes largely determines what they do. therefore, it is really critically important for parents of disabled and blind children, to get someone to shine the information light in their lives as early as possible! This should also include all other adults in the child's life. Here the focus should be on positive facts and beliefs about disability, blindness and what disabled and blind people in the workplace, can do.)

So we took off on a very, very long and dusty road to a village, where it was reported that many people had been cured!!! Well, nothing ventured, nothing possibly gained! The only really enjoyable facet of that excursion was the fun we had at the hotel!

At our farm home, we had neither running water or even hot running water. Of course, the hotel had all these luxuries in abundance! As was drippingly, - water running down the passageway - testified, we took full advantage of that!

As for the "mud-baths;" I must have been at the wrong sight-restoring facility!

In my case, that meant going to three schools; intervention of a spell spent with a aunt, who tried her best to get me up to standard! Only then, was I very fortunate to ultimately be placed in a school, specialising for blind and visually impaired children!!!

For me, this move really was the opening of so many opportunity doors! We had a very good library! I took to reading Braille much like a duck would take to water! Fortunate I really enjoyed being exposed to information and literacy skills, during the early days as a Braille reader.

(Of course, now there is the approach of integrating disabled and blind folks into the mainstream educational system!)

Time and leading-edge technology has not been asleep! Right now, the beauty is that one can have so many books in electronic format, for easy accessing and enjoying!

Back on the farm, I could ride my tricycle - and later a James bicycle - at leisure on the open roads.

However, the powers that be - my parents desiring the very best for their little son - then came up with the bright idea of "outsourcing" me to a well-qualified and very strict teacher-aunt. They too, were farmers; made matters somewhat easier and more like feeling at home.

I vividly recollect the strong intimidating smell of pencil lead in aunt's "office." The winters were extremely cold; in fact, often ice formed on the puddles, even on the watering canal.

On my later reflection, it must have been socially isolating for the young couple being stuck on the equally isolated farm. On some bright summer's evenings, they would venture across the river to pay a social visit to the nearby homestead. Of course, I would not be left at home.

The footpath meandered past a poplar grove; the leaves gently massaged their neighbour's back; the wind would play it's organ melody at the top of the system; leaving those of us at the dark bottom to wonder what might be hidden ahead of us.

When the sun set, my view of the world was limited to whatever I could see in my imagination. Thus fortified and laden with a fair amount of trepidation, I felt somewhat unsure when it was proposed to visit the neighbours across the dark, cold and deep river. Fortunately, at that premature stage of navigation, I already had the advantage of the crew behind me directing me in the total darkness to go either to the left, right or somewhere in between.

For me, however, the "dangerous" section of the excursion came when we got to the petrifying poorly constructed and maintained timber bridge. Cross struts were laded across longitudinal support beams. With lack of regular repair, some of the struts were "missing!" Imagine someone walking ahead, followed by the lantern-swinging folks behind giving directions!!! "Turn more to the left! Wait, not so far! Yes, now you're on your way!" What trust I must have had in them!!!

On one of these occasions, when I visualised myself floating away in the deep, cold and fast-moving river, it occurred to me that it might just be a rather splendid idea to relocate to my grandfather and grandmother's nearby farm. This presented logistical problems. Not least of which was the fact that there was no direct - at least known to me - road or footpath.

Also, the terrain still is well endowed with plenty of rocks, an abundant array of wild life - not excluding dangerous snakes.

Fortified by the child-like lack of fear, I designed my way out of the "aunt's" well-intended and strictly executed educational regime. I felt liberated, fearful, exhilarated knowing I would be most welcome at grandpas!

With no plans b or c in place, I decided to take the courageous step without informing anyone about my plans. Timing of the venture certainly did not take into consideration planning about the exact departure time on my emancipating journey. It must have been summertime; I don't recall feeling extremely cold. I made good progress. Bird life was abundant and stimulating to the ear.

Then misfortune struck. Very rapidly the sun set; progressively and rapidly limiting and restricting my view of the dangerous world.

What about the crevices the not so friendly snakes, the possibility of falling into a deep pool of water!!! Carry on relentlessly, or simply realise the practical and not so desirous situation at hand.

Common sense prevailed. "Stick where you are; surely they will find you; what about the sure to come hiding." Night life fell around me; a different sound arena intruded on the day's outgoing sound panorama.

I sat on a stone, reviewing my rather precarious situation.

The aunt in question, was a rather stern, well-opinionated lady! What will my parents think and do?

Fortunately, all was not lost. Somewhere in the distance, I heard my name being called. At first, I turned my head to focus on where the sound might come from. It was a long way away; intermittent; piercing and penetrating; fluctuating up and down the sound octaves; then high; then low; then sadly quiet. grew tense; fearing the lack of security during the night; maybe, even not being found at all!

The now pleasant days at my original small town school sprang to mind; the smell of the apple in my food box; the ride in the school bus; the security of insecurity.

Then, suddenly, a new sound. Similar to the first, however, now coming from a different direction. A deeper, more resonant voice.

"Where are you!!!" A slight evening breeze started up. The voice fluctuated; carried nearer and farther away by the change in velocity of the slight wind.

Then it occurred to me. Nearby, on the way to my grandfather's farm, was a "Ghost House." A chill crept up my spine; were the "Ghosts" out there, looking for me?

Something moved behind me; silence; yet again the cry: "where are you" This time, a third voice appeared on the scene. It sounded gruff, maybe annoyed; may even be angry!! It too, ebbed and waned; the wind started blowing harder; I began to feel cold; afraid and repentant!

Could the ghosts possibly be having a party; a search party for me; if I joined them, what would become of my body; after all, what would a near seeing little body be worth to anyone?

I became philosophical. Realising maybe the end, as I now knew it, would be approaching; what excitement would that reveal? Or, was there any excitement or new experiences to be looking forward to?

Something touched my right foot. I jumped and almost fell off the stone. Then ear shattering quietness! The stone retained and radiated the day's sun's heat.

I felt safe; knowing that that particular stone must have been right here for many decades; even for all times!!

Many years later, a neighbourhood little boy did an interview with me about my life. "Is there anything you're afraid of?" he asked.

"The fear of not knowing probably is most people's greatest fear," I told him. Adding: "Never be afraid of asking, researching, broadening your horizons, electing to be the master in charge of your future and destiny!" I think, that too, must have been my saving grace that rather dark, darkest of dark nights.

Suddenly, without sound warning, I heard the "cracking" of a well-cared for leather saddle; the deep breathing of a horse; a man's deep voice: "So, Here you are!!!" Fear flowed from my exhausted little body.

A very dark, dark, dark gentleman reached out for me; took me in his arms; gently lifted me on to the horse; seated me in front of him.

"We're going home!!!"

Can I ever forget how that Friendly, dark, Dark of darkest man on a darn, dark, dark horse and equally dark and dark of darkest night saved my life? Certainly not!

Wherever you are - maybe up there in the darkest or lightest of nights, whoever you were, a million thanks.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Chapter 6:

Enchantment In A Silk Dress

(Tuesday 6 March 2012 written at our son's home in our bedroom, while "the Enchantment in a silk dress" is drying her hair, prior to us having dinner with the Heydenrych's at 7 this evening.)

In London, England, 1961 I qualified as a Chartered Physiotherapist. This qualification was the key to a personally very stimulating, quality of life enhancing and rewarding career. At this early phase of my life, my studies and stay in England, introduced me to "Democracy In Action". Not only democracy, but the larger world of cultural life. The theatre, magnificent concert halls and orchestras; the wonder of outdoor concerts in some of London's finest parks.

Often, on reflection, I think back with fondness and appreciation, to the enormous impact my stay in London and England had and still has on my life; and the lives of so many people that I had the fortune to associate with.

A Precious Gem in hand!

In 1958, I voyaged to London, England, for my stay as a physiotherapy student. By now, although certainly in no position to afford a diamond, I had heard and learned much about their wonderful attributes. Little did I realise that I, potentially at least, had something infinitely more valuable, sparkling and warm-hearted at hand.

In 1963 circumstances and fate intersected. For the first time, I physically met a young lady with whom I had been corresponding since 1957. We were literally worlds apart; yet intuitively and emotionally closely focused during the intervening years. During our correspondence years, the virtue of "knowing we would never meet," proved to be an enormous prejudice-killing and "getting to know" one another factor.

Romance, nurtured by mutual respect, a romantic view of life, and an innate belief in where we wanted to go, blossomed.

Enchantment In A Silk Dress!

Fortune directed me to the most enchanting, assuring, liberal, empathetic, always cheerful and optimistic "Enchantment In A Silk Dress." The setting was Johannesburg, my attending for a course prior to getting a lovely Labrador guide dog.

The confluence of subliminal wishes, backed by the merging of circumstances that I thought would never occur, brought me in direct physical contact with my long time and humourous correspondent, Tineke.

The enchanting and tactilly pleasant young lady in the silk dress, took immediate possession of my good future fortunes and happiness.

The spark kindled, established a warmth-generating fire that withstood the various bumps of life.

December 1964, I joined forces with the young lass and multi-facetted diamond, Tineke, in what became a remarkable and very happy marriage. Key ingredients in this successful marriage, is our appreciation of the "little bits of fun and pleasure," that we enjoy by eating out; having coffee or tea at various places; not taking quality of life for granted; getting out of routine; the ability to leave room for the parallel development of the partner's interests and personality. Above all, our active sense of humour that soon deflates any tendency of an inflated ego. And, retaining an uncluttered core belief and value system.

In January, 1965, we cast our meagre financial resources on the tides of fortune and commenced our first physiotherapy practice.

At the time, medical and public ignorance about "What Physiotherapy Could Do to Enhance the Quality of Life of "patients-clients" was alarming! However, with myself as physiotherapist and Tineke as the always buoyant, friendly, empathetic and irrepressible receptionist, we soon built up a successful practice and wonderful rapport with the medical fraternity of the day.

To the medical folks and the public that we had the fortune to associate with, over many years and in various countries and cities, we owe an enormous debt and gratitude. Only as our practice career evolved, did it become clear how many shortcomings there were in our preparation for our respective professional roles. And yet, thank goodness, our colleagues, peers and associates were always helpful and accommodating without being condescending!

Fortunately, I soon realised that one does not make mistakes; one is involved in a learning curve. Only those who do not see this, make "mistakes!" No "mistakes," no practical learning. Humour, empathy, technical skills, soothing, relaxing background music, and the liberal exchange of information, have always been an integral part of my practice.

I have always endeavoured to stay clear of a formal clinical atmosphere and attitude in my practice. To my patients/clients, I'm known as Eugene. This facilitates the easy flow of the most important, and often "authority-concealed" valuable background information, concerning the patient/client's "problem!" People feel freer; not intimidated by status or setting. In fact, an extended family atmosphere characterises our place of work. This, of course, provides for a pleasant, relaxing work-place atmosphere. It is much appreciated by our mostly modern-day tension-laden patients/clients.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Chapter 7:

Hammersmith, London, In The Shade

(Monday 27 February 2012, my long-time friend Mike Streeter's birthday - spoke with him this morning - "when I got a mat in front of my door, I knew expenses would follow!" Turned 75 today.)

One of the wonderful and exciting bonuses of progressive sight loss, was that it turned out to be the key to horizons and encounters beyond my dreams! The opportunities were there; if only we knew how to mine, process and enrich ourselves via this vehicle. Somehow, I almost missed the buss. But that's a story for a future pastime.

"Here's Charlie's bike," my friend said with mounting enthusiasm. He had his right hand on the back seat of his tandem machine, a very splendid and an impressive richly endowed tandem with a gear system second to none.

I hesitated; thinking of the intense volume of traffic, the ever-present possibility of the sun suddenly being sheltered by a cloud formation, maybe even rain.

"You can easily follow us," he persisted. "I'll wear my bright shirt, we'll move slowly, no problem!!" By now I had already acquired my own less luxurious Claud Butler tandem and was accustomed to the vehicles frying past us.

The fortunate part of England at that time, the late 1950's 1960's, was that it appeared that most British folks were also cyclists, thus being very considerate to the folks on two wheels. Dangers and failure were concepts that resided in a far-off country, if in fact they existed at all! What's more, my friend's girlfriend was in the driver's seat of the tandem; surely, she'll not take unnecessary risks, or worse, even lose me! Nothing ventured, no experience gained!

As students, we resided in a beautiful, elegant and imposing building designed by Sir Herbert Baker. It still is located in the equally beautiful, tree-rich and splendid Holland Park.

London by foot, backed by my always stirring quest to learn more and examine what's around the next corner, soon rolled out a map of the surrounding areas in my mind. Gradually, as time passed by, my further ventures enlarged and almost permanently engraved this wonderful terrain and it's highlights in my memory.

Of course, following my friend and his girl friend seemed a trifling matter. It was exciting, peddling through Holland Park Road - "I think that's the name - turning left in to Abbottsbury Road and ultimately joining Kensington High Street where we turned right to head for Hammersmith. Our progress was unencumbered; the London Busses made their way belching diesel fumes, London Taxies eased their way about the traffic, all in a orderly manner.

Suddenly my enemy struck. A deep "shady patch, the heir to a well-leafed clump of trees; the motors of the vehicles still continued roar behind, in front and next to me. Always mindful of not inadvertently harming or even killing myself, I simply eased to the left side of the road, hit the kerb and realised safety for the time being was at hand.

My friends soon noticed my absence. They came to my rescue; we turned back home - now in the well sunshine endowed streets.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Chapter 8:

It Is My Bus!

(Tuesday 6 March 2012 Written at Gerry's back porch with the kids in the pool. Tineke having been instrumental with the interest shown by the boys in the use of the calculator!)

At best, shopping is for most of us a tedious and frustrating venture. Particularly so if the shopper can't read or even see what's on the packaging or shelves. Even worse if one is conscious In the simple matter of selecting matching colours when one wants to buy a suitable dress, shirt or colour matching clothing.

A very well adapted and "mobile" lady related her experience as follows: "I wanted to get to a well known shop in Oxford Street. To do so, required catching a 88 bus.

I queued up in the traditional British queue; keenly waiting for the next bus. Several came and left." By now, her tension grew; the queue behind her grew longer.

"Excuse me," she addressed the person ahead of her. "Could you please tell me which bus is this?"

"It's mine!" Came the prompt reply, as she jumped on to the bus.

The lady in question was none the wiser, other than the fact that the respondent was a source of non-information.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Chapter 9:

London By Day And Night

(Tuesday 28 February 2012)

The outdoor concerts in the parks set the scene for a engaging and delightful transition to romantic and culturally enriching entertainment. London during the 1950's 1960's certainly was the centre of beautiful, gracious, all-captivating and enchanting theatre, musicals, concerts and a bewildering variety of stimulating cultural activities. Also, it was extremely "Very post-war British!!" The gradually rolling dark of the night put a different perspective on humans and their way of acting.

Yet, waking up on a winter's morning with the traffic that had come to a standstill on account of the "Pea soup Fog" heralded another day that soon would prove to be fatal for many old folks with respiratory problems.

Leaving our beautiful and elegant Holland Park residence, one was suddenly struck by the ferocious and disabling nature of the "Pea souper." You could taste the stifling and choking fireplace-created body polluting sulphur in the air. As if that was not punishment enough, the snow would gradually settle on your heavy protective overcoat; creating a landscape of cotton wool silence on account of the absence of both motor vehicles and aircraft. Gone was the beautiful light of summertime; replaced by the somber grey of both dress and the grim exteriors of the buildings with the year's deposit of the coal-burning muck floating in the air.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Chapter 10:

Shower Size On An Earphone Cord

(Started writing this little article at 4 pm Australian time 7 am South African time on a flight from Sydney to South Africa.)

I'm for ever on the lookout and quest for articles, structures, concepts and ideas that might improve the quality and ease of life of my fellow citizens. Labour constitutes a large portion of the daily work's undesirable activities. Thus, whatever can save both labour and body strain - particularly Back Strain - is always very high on my interest list.

By some unusual coincidence of a sudden onset of a hearing problem and the crossing of the misfortune of not having a measuring device at hand, the one suddenly supplemented the other.

I had learned that a hearing specialist in Germany might be able to successfully address my hearing problem. Although I consulted three local ear nose and throat specialists in my home city, I was none the better informed about my sudden onset of a marked degree of hearing loss in my left ear.

My health advice is always consult with at least two - maybe even better - three different specialists about any health problem for which surgery or any expensive procedure may be prescribed. Fortunately, in my case, at least the gentlemen concerned were honest in concluding that they were not sure what caused my "problem." Coincidence often walks hand in hand with future fortune or success.

However, to reach that fortune, one has to be proactive, in investigating what's available, that might just help you being successful or even better, how to get either health relief or better health. Again, the intersection of knowledge and an investigative mind, showed me the correct direction to take advantage of what Low Level Laser Therapy might offer in my specific instance.

By now, I had personally been working with Low Level Laser Therapy over an extended period. The results, in a growing field of health conditions, was growing.

Remarkable work had been done in Russia by the Internal application of Low Level Laser Therapy to patients with hearing problems. However, locating the gentleman who had done the work, was shielded in inaccessibility.

The next best thing to do, was to go to Germany to consult with the world's leading authority on the use of Low Level Laser Therapy for the treatment of a variety of hearing problems. (That's a story for another time!)

(This is a verbal photograph of some of the features of the luxury hotel Murcure Minchen.)

When a normally sighted person walks into a strange or new room, if they are observant and curious, they immediately take in the details of the shape, colour, outlay, contents and much more about the particular room. On the other hand, the person without sight, entering the same room, either has the accompanying person or one of the hotel staff, to give a brief verbal picture of the room and its contents.

I have noted with delight, the tendency to put Braille signs on the inside of elevator units. However, what I find rather frustrating, is that the signs are put rather low - maybe 100 centimeters from the floor! Even worse, no consideration is given to the fact that the blind person, will have to bend their wrist straining backward at a very acute and uncomfortable angle to be able to read the Braille. If only, the plaque was placed at say, the adult's chest height, at an angle from the unit's wall, we too, could enjoy reading the indications.

Taking note of the ease of immediate visual observation of a room and its contents, this is a Braille Picture of the room in question at our hotel during this trip.

The four star hotel, Murcure Munchen.

The first impression, was that the four star hotel, Murcure the lift is rather small.

It was winter. Cold, snow on the ground.

We landed at Munchen - did the required course of treatment and returned to Munchen for a few day's exploration prior to returning to South Africa. After returning to the station, we Found the luxury hotel Murcure nearby - took note of the minute up's and down's to negotiate with a mobile suitcase in tow. At the four star hotel, Murcure the lift is rather small. Went on 2, 30 minute city tour, including 290 meter high - highest tower in Europe with spectacular views. Enjoyed Eur1.80 cone ice-cream at observation platform - 200 meters up.

BMW museum nearby - open on Saturdays 10-8 - accessible via underground to station Olympia. Had good dinner with Munchen beer and coke at Pizziera near hotel.

Hotel room 219: Exit lift, turn right short distance, turn left and then right again to get to room 219 on the right.

Door lever-type handle. (The other two doors, have old-fashioned round metal knobs.)

Access to both room and electrical supply and lighting, via the access card inserted on the left.

Room layout: Enter by pushing door - hinged on left, open against the storage cupboard. The latter consists of: Hanging space with ordinary timber top-hooked hangers, some with clothes clips to grip garments. In the middle: shelf space above the fridge.

On this space are the glasses for the drinks as well as a bottle-top opener and a pad to write what drinks you took from the bar. On the right: top shelves with an extra blanket at the bottom.

Also supplied: a pair of bedroom slippers.

The bathroom: Opposite the cupboards: Has a 30 by 30 cm terracotta square floor tiles.

I'll return to the shower facility in the bathroom. included is a loudspeaker linked to the TV. Further, it consists of the full-length passage-side-mounted mirror, 2 wall-mounted knobs for hanging towels, then the standard towel rack.

The shower cubicle - note: 10 cm higher than the bathroom floor - is of a marble-type yellow with marble streaks \- solid material. This is rather interesting: Consisting of the entrance door half meter wide, then a 12 cm thick glass half meter wide section adjoins the half meter wall to the right of that. On this is mounted the lever-temperature and flow control.

Adjust to the left for warmer.

Mounted against the meter back wall, is the detachable large showerhead. In the shower, one stands on a 30 by 30 cm solid square and the drainage runs off its edges.

This particularly interested me: there is no shower door or curtain. The entrance has a lip of about cm 3. No water spilled on the bathroom floor.

Round shelf-mounted hand basin, with the front edge of the cupboard cut away towards the toilet, with the toilet to the left of it; the panel flush mechanism, just above and behind the toilet, must be pressed till it has completed its function.

Above that are two round plastic lid-type things that are inserted into holes - probably toilet ventilation.

The two-paper role toilet holder is mounted against the shower glass. left, is the door less shower. Here is also a hair dryer.

The bedroom: Enter the bedroom through the door that swings to the left into the bedroom. behind this door, is a "riempiesmat"-type storage shelf, (processed skin strips unit) on which the one leg extends with a curve, 10 cm above the seating area. The strap width is 5 cm, and there are four of them. Spacing is 5 Cm. The straps fold over the end-bars and are secured underneath between the end-bar and a timber screwed to the end-bar. The floors are cut to the right standing angles.

Further along is the table - on which I am writing 18.24 on Friday December 2, 2005. The backside of the table, under the wall-mounted modern picture are the two power points, shielded by a flap-down two part timber "lid." To the left of that, as part of the wall-mounted unit above the table is a book storage facility.

On this metal-framed timber-topped 1, 5 meter wide by 1 meter deep, table, which fits under the wall-mounted picture-book-and-power-point unit, is a folder containing writing requirements.

At the table is one timber-framed, leather-covered chair. To the right of that, is the flat-screened wall-mounted plasma longitudinal Philips TV - tending to give people wide heads - set on which CNN could be heard.

BBBC commences at 7 in the evening. Against the wall opposite, is the bedside cabinet, then the double bed followed by the next bedside Cabinet. Along the bathroom wall, is the double couch with the floor-standing square-shaped shade to the right of the couch.

Colours: Wallpaper yellow; furniture dark timber; curtains and bed cover orange; carpet orange stripes.

Impressed by the lack of Thud-thud-thud experienced while lying on my hearing-loss left ear on ordinary pillows. these pillows, the smaller Sanprocare and the larger Muhldorf - are down-filled. Will enquire off reception where one can buy them. In fact, bought a small down-filled pillow and found it most helpful in removing the "pounding of the heart" noise while lying on my left side.

Learned off CNN: 11.23 James Dean - who died in a motor accident in 1955, while driving a Porsche evidently have a serious visual problem.

Once ask: "Is that you?" Someone was sitting a few yards away. James was a teenage rebel - The Boy Next Door, but not quite like the boy next door.

Another part of the anatomy Of the hotel Mercure:

Downstairs toilets: Enter from front door, up two steps, turn 90 degrees left on carpeted floor, straight ahead for men's.

Enter: two hand basins on left with plenty of hand towels; fluid soap dispenser to the left of the basin; flow and temperature regulation to the right, beading the bow overhead spout.

Through the next door, turn sharp right and enter the toilet, role paper dispenser on right - note the latter easily slips off holder on account of the upward slip of the end of the metal holder.

Roller paper towel available.

Now sitting downstairs with quite a number of other folks, after 7 779m walk, whiling away the time till four.

At our hotel, - Hotel Mercure Ordered 2 club sandwich - three slices of wholegrain bread, held together by a knitting-needle-like plastic prong and two cappuccinos with the always present chocolate and bitter cocoa-covered bean, wrapped in paper. Here we have in extremely futuristic tapered white cup and square saucer.

The recess for the cup on the saucer is off-set from the centre. This allows for a place for serving some of the delectable cakes.

The right-handed cup has a flat-strip-type handle, comfortably accommodating the hand. he coffee and tea spoon, twisted on itself, is bent to form a groove near the bowl. The coffee spoon rests on its side - having the bowl facing the drinker. On the right edge of the cup, handle pointing down - but not touching - the saucer.

With the classical music in the background, Tineke is reading the demise of GM in America, in the International Herald Tribune - dated Friday 2, December 2005.

Returning to the cutlery: The knife, too, is twisted on the blade - thus having the Flat, broad edge of the handle against one's palm - feels most unusual.

(Was the service, eats and drinks plus the subdued background music really very good? Superb!!!)

Yesterday, I found it very noisy, with the wet under the traffic wheels on the streets.

Trip from hotel on underground, to airport 60 minutes. arrive at airport 4,25. Much snow on the suburban homes. Train ride very smooth.

At airport, head for D. On the way, passed along grass-like black rubber walkway, through huge revolving doors with trolley. Reached Iberia's terminal at D, via three mobile walkways and an escalator.

Booked in at 5.

(First time had my Braille Lite (Notebook) computer examined by the airport security division.) "Her ankle is blind, "I know it!"

Got stripped of some of our clothing - very hot inside.

Many Christmas decorations - including huge variety of real trees.

Airport toilet have no separate "disability" facility - apparently included with the usual.

Walked 10 782 meters.

At departure lounge, however, "disability" toilet facility is available.

Due to heavy traffic at Munchen airport, the flight will be delayed 20 minutes.

My keen interest in motoring and motoring history, necessitated that we trudge through the cold, rain and snow to visit the BMW Museum. This is where - at least I suspect - the "over indulgence of coffee" suddenly hit me with frightening impact.

By nature both my wife and I are rather frugal when spending while travelling abroad. at the hotel, Breakfast was served with the impressive cups, saucers and most impressively designed tea and coffee spoons. Once more, to save expenditure on hot drinks later in the day, I had at least four cups of coffee more than I should have had.

We walked to the underground station. Procured the necessary tickets and ... suddenly I felt as if I were going to pass out. It was hot on the underground, we were probably overdressed and well equipped against the rain, snow and low outside temperatures.

My caring and always extremely concerned and helpful wife Tineke, noticed my pallor; asked almost fearful: "are you alright?" I felt Alarmed; no, much more than that. We cared about what might happen in a strange country, strange procedures and who knows what expenses.

(It is during one of our passes through this particular underground station, both of us wearing our rucksacks on our backs, me following Tineke at arm's length, that someone blocked me off from my link with Tineke.)

This was at the time that quite a number of politically active self-destroyers apparently were using rucksacks as vehicles for their utterly destructive bomb missions. The query always remained with me whether this was in fact a deliberate intersection by the vigilant security officers who wanted to observe my reaction when my guide was suddenly and unexpectedly parted from me? Or, was this simply an attempt to learn whether I was in fact really blind or just pretending to be blind?

(Many visually impaired or totally blind persons certainly do not appear by their physical looks, to really be blind. This is confusing for both the individual concerned as well as for the members of the public seeing such a person. Often, it's only on more intimate and closer association that the truth about the person's sight obstacle becomes clear.)

Be it as it may, I still remain most grateful to the security folks who do all they can to make sure we reach our destination unharmed and in safety.

Determined, nevertheless, after a few minutes, I "recovered," and we were on our way to the BMW museum.

Back at the hotel, Even better, of course in terms of labour saving, was the design of the bedroom shower. The striking feature of the shower cubicle was the absence of either a door, curtain or even a high step to access the unit.

It suddenly struck me that I had no measuring device at hand to take the measurements and design of the cubicle for future reference. Fortunately, I had my computer earphone headset at hand and used that to do the necessary markings with knots on the wire. To this day, the markings remain "knotted" in place.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Chapter 11:

The Ghost Tradesman

(Written and inspired by today's very unexpected and pleasant visit by our long time friend and professional associate, dr. Win Smit, presently working and living in Toowoomba, Queensland. Now located to Perth Western Australia during 2016.)

(Our bedroom office, 200 Water Road, Walmer, Port Elizabeth South Africa at 8, 30 on Tuesday 3 April 2012.)

In 1965 we enthusiastically commenced our first physiotherapy practice on the third floor of one of the commercial buildings of the then most popular Main Street, Port Elizabeth.

The layout of the facility was rather simple. The waiting room had the advantage of plenty sunshine in the afternoon. Across the corridor, were the two inter leading treatment rooms.

To keep overheads down, we acted as self-appointed consultants on matters related to starting, running and expanding this new venture.

Nevertheless, I had the enormous advantage of one of the leading orthopedic surgeons giving me his blessing and advising: "You just go ahead; there is enough work for you as well!" I had been associating with this most generous yet practical gentleman at my previous place of work at a specialised school, where he acted as a consultant.

In later years, I realised that in many of the fields in which we were "self-appointed consultants," we lacked insight but had an enormous amount of self confidence, persistence, a keen liking for our fellow folks and, of course, the burning desire to make their lives less painful, even pain free and enhancing their family's quality of life.

Originally, when setting up the practice, we deliberately omitted the word (Goals" from our plan! Instead, the focus was to be on giving a friendly, up-to-date expertise and service in a nice and cosy setting! As Tineke often recalls: "Service, courtesy and friendliness were always the foundation of our happy work success!"

Also, on later year's recollection, it became quite clear that at that time "only the Rich" had access to how money and investments worked. That "secret" was well ensconced within the circles of the top privileged and flourishing circle of society. Our overriding domestic and work-related concern was always to keep the "bottom line" within our budget. Consequently, we were all the staff the practice required at the initial phases.

An alarm beam system was installed across the waiting room door. This served the purpose of "informing" me whenever someone entered the waiting room during my wife Tineke's absence.

"I'll soon be back," she informed me, slipping into her "purchasing manager's" role.

I was busy treating a patient in the treatment rooms section. Down the corridor, I periodically heard the cutting of the guillotine of the tailor, as he prepared the cloth for yet another well-dressed gentleman.

Suddenly, the buzzer at the waiting room started buzzing. I stepped across, nothing! I returned to attend to the patient. Again, the persistent and interrupted buzzing. Once more, I proceeded to enquire. Again, no person present. I assured myself that it could not possibly have been the sun that shown on the detector. Yet, again, for the third and frustrating fourth time, the alarm went berserk!!! "Must be a defect," I consoled myself.

"I'm back," she informed me.

"The goods are in the office!"

I related my frustrating experience to her. We checked and cross-checked the mechanism. Nothing seemed to be at fault.

Further down the corridor, Brian, our friend, was operating his health aids business.

"Did that fellow come to you as well?" He asked when next we met.

"What fellow?" I asked.

"That deaf salesman with his communications board!!!

Tineke burst out laughing. "You mean," she said, "that ghost!" At last, "communication" between the deaf and the blind explained.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Chapter 12:

Thank God For Progressive Blindness; The Advantage Of The Disadvantage Of Progressive Blindness

(7.40 at Jerry's breakfast table on Wednesday 7 March 2012 - wet and cold, much flooding in NSW - Jerry has day off, kids watching TV.)

Okay, I already hear you asking the rather loaded question: "Are there really advantages or disadvantages, to sudden or gradual sight loss?" Memories fade with the passage of time. That is, unless these memories are frequently recalled and, where necessary, visually re-enacted.

Many folks have the devastating experience of sudden sight loss. With a life-changing event, such as sudden blindness, it is particularly difficult to adapt and attune to the new situation at ages beyond 40 years.

I vividly recall the case of a highly qualified British medical specialist who suddenly one late night, on his way home, ran into a roadblock sign. he did not see it. Only then did he realise that the end of his gratifying and rewarding medical career was at hand.

Fortunately, this gentleman had enormous internal resources of both insight, a sense of reality, optimism and yes, a supporting wife. can hardly imagine the shock and devastating effect, on his social and personal standing and financial rating. Yet, he persisted and made good of the rest of his life.

As I have already highlighted, in the late 1960's - in fact 1969 - at a public meeting of concerned visually impaired folks, I suggested that sooner or later the "damaged dysfunctional" retina will be replaced by a electronic bypass device that should provide a functional degree of sight. modern-day electronic technological, miniaturisation and surgical advances has brought that vision much closer.

One of the advantages, of the disadvantages, of progressive blindness, is that it enables one to have had a broader, sometimes more colourful and intensive view of life. However, the onus remains with the person experiencing gradual sight loss, to retain their visual memories, by frequent recalls of colours, the concept of space, depth, width, height, perspective of subjects relative to their background and surrounding landscape. fortunately, the advantages manifest themselves when conversation refers to everyday subjects such as mountains, trees, animals, flowers, landscapes, cities and a much wider variety of images.

In view of the possibility of future electronic sight assistance, I firmly believe and practice, almost daily recollection of subjects, natural phenomena, the ebbing and flowing of the tides, flight of birds, a blazing fire on a cold night, and many more.

One of the advantages, although the curtain is a little thicker each day, one has the choice of recalling what went on life's stages; the actors, their actions, the backdrop to their performance, the ever-changing lighting, the slight nuances of their movements, the subtleness and implied meaning of their gestures and the development of your own imagination.

A secondary problem arises, when a person experiences sight loss; but does not lose all sight. in other words, does not go completely blind.

I do not recall any scientific validation of my observation that often partially sighted persons tend to be more negative than totally blind persons. Of course, that might just be my limited reading of the wider field of sight-handicapped persons. Nevertheless, it appears that with partial sight, one is mobile to a degree, yet cannot execute social functions and activities that should be easily done with full sight. as the totally blind person, at least in this respect, experiences a much easier encounter with executing these social integration activities; maybe though, with the assistance of a sighted spouse or partner.

I had the gift of both worlds. he ability to see, the ability to see and think, the ability to place myself in someone else's experience and misery world. The ability to have more insight and think independently.

To have had my thought processes seeded by so many splendid thinkers, authors, entrepreneurs and not to forget those who stimulated my progress and independence by their negative attitudes and thinking. in my case: Thank God For THE Advantage Of The Disadvantage of progressive Adaptive blindness.

The danger of financial information blindness, is when people cannot read numbers; so they are dependent on someone else to read the very, very personal financial statements! Or, even worse, someone else's opinion about their personal financial state.

Well, so much for the Danger of Blindly Following Well Meaning Advice.

I quote from my book: Title: (Health and Wealth Beams).

Shining Light In Dark Health and Wealth Corners.

Rubber Ceiling - Your RESTRICTING ceiling; My Floor Real Or Imaginary?

The University between Your Ears.)

(There is an unseen international hand that, despite consulting with "experts", politics or international money fears, also dictates the final survival formula for most of us! That's the common sense formula, that says, once one has self-empowered yourself about both health and wealth: when all else is considered, the bottom line is, that I must take care of myself, my future and my ultimate retirement requirements!)

In my case, yet another advantage, is that it allows me not to be ignored, or invisible as a person with a disability. Of course, there are folks, who are not blind, who believe that being blind, and cut off from the world, is the worst fate.

Once more the advantage of careful and attentive listening! If you have lost sight, the features that previously were obvious on the face, is there in the voice: The tiredness, the anxiety, the smile, the laughter, the suppressed excitement. Those impressions, based on the enthusiastic voice seem to be just as accurate as those of sighted people. The capacity of the voice, to reveal the spirit, the sense of humour, and the personality, is truly amazing. What does it tell you? Is the voice sparkling and intelligent? Or is it colourless? Does the voice depict the climate and ambient temperature? Is there really light and shade? Can you hear fun? Is there tinkling melody, humour, gracefulness, accuracy? Is it gentle, attractive, amusing and varied?

Please listen very, very carefully! On the other hand, do you note that the voice is sounding tired and lazy? Is it very, very hard on the ear? Is it flat, drab and monotonous? Can you notice that the speaker is a keen reader, using libraries, paying attention to their way of speaking? Is the range of vocabulary poor and used without real and meaningful precision and sensitivity? Do you note a marked degree of pessimism?

Once you have experienced diminishing or total loss of sight, these will be features that will be very valuable to you!

One of the other advantages, that I acquired as part of my "Disadvantage" package, was the fact that I was fortunate in being exposed to literacy skills, during the early days as a Braille reader. As I've mentioned, I'm always on the "collecting information" phase whenever I notice something that could be of quality-of-life value down the track! That's part of my mission as a quality-of-life improvement engineer!

More important, we must ask, what ideas about blind people the sighted readership, can gain by reading my personal observations about being blind? How is this fitting into the society at large; and even more importantly, how the "sighted" folks can accommodate their fellows?

Only a very small number of blind people wish to stand on the public platform! In fact, they too, like obscurity. However, they also do not like to be regarded as an isolated island, a walking frame, wheelchair, crutch, or guide dog!

To the well-adjusted folks, that I have met, blindness is incidental, not of cardinal importance.

Judge not the spirit by the architecture and design of the disabled or disfigured body it inhabits. Regard their spirit as equal to yours. By doing this, you will infinitely diminish someone's physical disability.

A blind-folded diagnosis of the blindness and disability crisis often lies at the root of the job and dignity destructive cycle. Those who are blindness, disability, health, Financial And political ignorant, will never know that they are being abused. What's much worse, they don't know that they don't know.

"Those who are skilled in combat do not become angered. Those who are skilled at winning do not become afraid. Thus the wise win before the fight, while the ignorant fight to win." Zhuge Liang.

What is disability?

With the development and spreading of Democracy In Action, many previously hidden physical and mental so called abnormalities, are now also getting to the front of the information stage! They too, demand exposure, understanding and empathy!

For example: Is the ability to conveniently conceal arrogance a disability? Or, is the ability to conceal abusing and mishandling your partner or spouse, a disability?

Is conceit and dishonesty a disability?

However, a basic picture of the more conspicuous disabilities, are a limitation of an essential life activity, such as walking, seeing, hearing, breathing, or even thinking.

Unfortunately, often, when you have an obvious disability, everyone concentrates on the negative - what they think you can't do.

Now interestingly, kicks in the financially liberating and growing focus on working from home!

Discard the prevailing idea, that staying at home, means you are unemployed. In fact, now is your chance to be much, much more productive, happy and non-conspicuous as a disabled or blind person!

Just recall the devastating natural catastrophes that struck various parts of the world, by way of earth quakes, solar interference with the power grid and various forms of internet and communication downtime.

Often, this resulted in individuals, and even companies, realising how much better off and safer they are by having their workers area-diversified and doing their jobs at home!

In fact, with present-day high speed connectivity, relatively easy to use and cheap but very powerful computers, more and more folks, realise that they can now be liberated from the need to commute to work and back to their homes!

Although either blind or disabled, rather embrace the very important concept, that now you can be, or are the Chief Financial Officer of your Family! Indeed, it is a job for whoever has the best skills, and is attracted or best suited to the opportunity.

The conspicuous restricting disability boss, is no longer at the front of the employment stage! If you believe that you can do, be my guest, - well, the stage is yours, go ahead; the stage now is yours!

Keep in mind, that if at first you don't succeed, this is part of your experience-gaining and opportunity opening venture. Certainly not a failure!

Often, the community doesn't really understand that blind and disabled people can also have full time jobs. All they need, is the provision of a suitable opportunity!

Of course, your disability can be socially isolating. Take, for example, a blind person attending a large and noisy party! Often you have no idea who is standing next to you - eats plate in one hand and a glass of something in the other hand! In fact, with the prevailing loud noise, that person may feel totally socially isolated - despite so many folks in their immediate neighbourhood!

Yet another, sometimes humours situation, arises when the blind person is in conversation with the now departed person - a conversation with the ghost in residence! (No pun intended!" The answer: reach out and touch the person on the shoulder! Say something like: "George here!"

Presto! You have made meaningful contact - that person now knows you are there - and a splendid conversation is about to kick off!!

The public perception of someone with sight loss, is of a stereotypical Blind person, who sees nothing, wears dark glasses, reads Braille and either uses a white stick or has a beautiful and very clever guide dog. Maybe, is even wearing non-matching socks, out-of-date clothing and displays a rather poor posture! "Oh, and please don't forget - really cannot speak for themselves, and has no worthwhile intelligence.

The majority of people, who are visually impaired, still have some degree of functional and useful vision. Only 4 percent seeing nothing at all. However, only 3 percent of blind and partially sighted people, read Braille.

Bridging this "Island In A Crowd," situation requires some serious social re-engineering! Often, the prevailing social model of disability, sees the issue, mainly as a long-term prejudice and socially created problem!

What should be done?

The object is a matter of the full and meaningful integration of disabled or blind individuals, into society.

Always keep in mind, that Any disability, is not an attribute of a particular person! Often, it's a complex and very varied collection of conditions, many of which have their origin in the social environment.

Also, don't forget that some folks and their families and budgets, have multiple disabilities costs, to cope with!

A two-pronged approach may be very liberating for the disabled folks!

In the first instance, the particular person should be in charge of their fortune - wherever possible! They should be very active in all areas of social life.

Next, there is the very important collective responsibility of a democratic society, to make the quality-of-life and environmental user-friendly modifications necessary!

Social change, at the political level, now becomes a question of human rights.

Often we hear that "The biggest problem with blindness is the attitude of sighted people." Again, frequently we resort to that "old friend" Mr. or Mrs. blame!

An Independent Mobility Dream Come true?

In 1981, my brother-in-law, John, in Australia, took our automatic Mercedes for a spin.

The title of the on-board cassette recording: "Auto-trac 1981." Fortunately, John, with a very good sense of both humour and occasion, immediately was on the same enthusiasm frequency! This vehicle was being navigated via a satellite navigation system - called Auto-trac 1981.

The recording was of a rather high standard \- depicting the various turns, slowing down, accelerating, braking, and overtaking and so on!

To my utter regret, the cassette found a New Owner! Well, that's my rather sad loss!

However, as we are aware, the next phase of transport, is right now reflecting that, that dream and sketch, is now possible in real life-saving action!

With the aid of refined and getting less expensive technology, blindness and restricted mobility, is becoming less and less of a mobility factor!

Of course, blindness also has this disadvantages! Blindness is also a hampering, mobility-restricting physical and social characteristic.

However, with the right approach and with the right rather expensive leading edge technology support, and advanced training in dealing with the situations you meet in your daily life, blindness can be reduced to a matter of nuisance value. That very much depends on your attitude to the "problem" of being blind.

As we know, some nuisances are bigger, more intimidating, more irritating and more dominant, than others! However, if you are really determined, have a really good support system in place, blindness no longer has the exclusive power to dominate and ruin your life.

Is the future already the past? Has it run past most of us, quite unnoticed or even without us harvesting the fruits it had on board?

Not really! We must consider the technologies as a trailer to be hitched to our requirements, our needs and obviously, our budgets!

There always will be sceptics! As I often repeat: we must really learn from them!

If you have been flying recently, your apprehension about self-driving cars, should already have been put to rest! Consider that when flying in a modern day passenger aircraft, the bulk of the distance travelled, was under the safety concerned Automatic Pilot!

Always remember that the possibility of the possibility is really not too far-fetched!

Now consider the possibility of using another part of your anatomy, for example part of your skin on the face, as a receptor and transmitter of images to your brain!

Will the eyes always be the focal point of our seeing? Not necessarily!

I pull aside the curtain for you to consider the presentday reality of the following technology:

The technology i am talking about, is known as Hyper Imaging!

As you know, _Sight_ is our most important sense, but our senses are often very distorted and limited!

Humans normally only see a fraction of the actual light spectrum.

The exciting news, is that new Hyper Imaging technology is already available to enable car drivers to see through fog, snow, or at night!

Combine it with the rapidly developing artificial intelligence, and Hyper Imaging will become a very handy tool to warn blind users about obstacles ahead.

Fortunately, this technology is not limited to sailing, flying and driving!

The creative thinkers and designers, are already applying their minds to the possibilities that are way beyond several mountain ranges.

The dream of enhancing human vision, has become a new and dynamic industry that is about to radically change the world as we know it, for those who are interested, it will also become the driver of new wealth!

Within a few years, less expensive emerging portable imaging devices will help us see beyond the domain of visible light to reveal valuable insights or potential dangers that would otherwise be unknown or hidden from view.

The new technology will enable us to see beyond visible light and enable us to see and understand the world around us!

These compact and versatile technologies will be widely available throughout our daily lives, giving us the ability to perceive or see through objects and opaque environmental conditions anytime, anywhere, In other words, developers expect humans will either wear or carry devices that allow them to see through walls, clothing, through fog and snow, or even analyze complex chemicals in the terrain around them.

Here is the rather interesting possibility. Eventually, these devices could be fitted into the human brain through neural nests. Advanced humans with these devices, could land a jet in the fog, see a person hiding in a building through the walls, or even see deer on the road around a sharp corner.

Yes, Super Vision is already a reality.

Think back, because _that_ ability was long considered pure science fiction.

No one really expected people would be able to see through walls and clothing, and certainly not without the aid of a massive and very expensive machine.

Now they can.

You may recall, that Back in 2009, a huge security motivated controversy erupted over the installation at airports, of full-body scan devices that could see through people's clothing and show their actual skin, as well as anything hidden.

In other word, like Superman, the agents could see you naked.

They could also see any hidden devices you have under your clothing!

But now much more compact and sophisticated devices are being designed and manufactured.

The new devices, especially when combined with artificial intelligence software programs, have the technical potential to open a wide field of possibilities!

Do not forget the avenues that the development of robots will open and are already opening.

As you can see, The quality of life enhancing future of Hyper Imaging is huge.

It will have a very wide impact on so many aspects of our daily life, manufacturing, growing food, not to forget the social impact.

It will prevent deaths from car and plane crashes.

It will help with combating crime, farmers with improving their crops, and the medical profession with early detection of possible diseases.

New Hyper Imaging devices will be much smaller, easier to use and less expensive.

The role of Ai and Augmented Reality.

The new technology being developed, contains New very high density, high performance, sensors, that are being bundled together, in a single small platform.

These sensors can capture any object, even if it is concealed by fog or darkness!

The miniaturisation of these devices, will surely bring them within the economic and day to day use of many folks. Who knows what may be ahead for blind or visually impaired folks?

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Chapter 13:

The Advantage Of Blindness, And Other Disadvantages

Okay, once more, I already hear your question and concern! Of course, the daily impact of impaired vision cannot be underestimated, although it can be easily overlooked. Fortunately, increasingly, people are proactive about their very important health care.

However as far as older people are concerned, they often have the health and wealth handbrake on full throttle. they are less likely, than younger more active patients, to make demands of those working in health and social care.

If you are one of the older folks, who are in contact with health and social care professionals, you should always inform them that you have fallen. Also, inform them that you are experiencing some difficulties with your eyesight.

Is there really both an advantage, and disadvantages to progressive sight loss?

Let's first look at the perceived negative side of our ledger!

Blindness has the following heirs: Restricted job opportunities; Mobility constraints; Possible Social Isolation.

In the home, the following often are also of a nuisance value: Not being able to read information on food or medicine packing; Modern-day electronic equipment is focused on touch technology to operate them - example in the kitchen: the laundry machines, microwave unit, cooking and baking units, time settings. don't forget operating the hi-hi and TV units.

What about pouring a cup of tea, making a sandwich, completing a crossword, reading the always present bills?

There's always the enhanced risks of falling \- either over something on the floor, down a step, catching your foot on a carpet, being the victim of a poorly lit area!

Remember that with deteriorating vision, Falling is not necessarily an inevitable result of ageing, but the risk of falling exponentially increases as people get older.

Here's something to think about! Visual impairment affects about 10 percent of people aged 65-75, and 20 percent of those aged 75 and older. it is further estimated that about a third of unfortunate people aged 65 and over, will sooner or later fall at least once a year.

Now look at one of the possible side effects of longevity! That fracture-potential figure rises to approximately half of those aged 85 and over.

Older people with sight problems, are not only more likely to fall, but often also have no one to help them get on their feet, should they have fallen. They are also at a much greater risk of traumatic multiple falls, compared to their, often much younger, fully sighted peers.

Another risk factor, that now manifests itself! That is Polypharmacy. This is the practice of prescribing several drugs to one person at the same time, which is also a risk factor for falls in older people.

Regular and frequent medication reviews in patients, also play a very important role in preventing falls.

Of course, we are much more than just an electro-mechanical unit!

When considering the needs of the elderly, it is also very important to be aware of the role of psychological issues, such as the very real fear of falling. If you are scared of falling, does it set the stage for a fall? Common sense suggests that for some older people, having a fall makes them apprehensive and scared of once more falling.

The unfortunate sting in the tail: they then reduce their daily levels of physical activity, which, in turn, increases their physical frailty.

As far as blindness is concerned, it's worthwhile to consider that vision also plays a very important role in stabilising balance. Impaired vision has also been associated with postural instability in older people.

As I have highlighted in my book My Precious Spine And I: Poor, or badly placed, domestic lighting is a contributory risk factor, in the occurrence of falls. Therefore it is very important to highlight the importance of lighting levels within the home.

Good lighting, non-slip steps, and a grab rail, is particularly important on stairs.

This is rather survival-captivating: It is reported that the largest proportion of falls are due to falls from stairs or even single steps. over 60 percent of deaths result from accidents on stairs!

I really dislike the stair system, seemingly designed around a central post! It means that in practical terms, each step is actually wedge-shaped - the narrow part of the wedge, being near the central post! Which, in turn, gives one a less stable step to rest your foot on! Sooner or later, gravity will have you falling - maybe catastrophically!

Let's now look at the positive aspect of possibly addressing the shortcomings of blindness! For starters, rest assured that it will come at some financial increasing and persistence price! In fact, having some form of a disability is mostly a financial anchor round the family's neck!

There are countries where disabled folks have access to government financial support!

On the other hand, few visually impaired folks have access to playing golf, flying their own aircraft, driving an expensive vehicle, lavishly entertaining and having many more expensive hobbies and toys!

There are many not so very expensive aids that can help disabled folks! Just go on the internet and look at what's available at, for example, The RNIB (Royal National Institute For The Blind) in London, England! Visit the website of The American Foundation For The Blind and gain some more information!

However, remember that a range of social services, may also be provided by the government authority. his can include care-giving services, such as home care, care management nursing, rehabilitation, podiatry, dietetics, small aids, nursing aids, day hospital and day care.

Of course, it's extremely important to always take very good care of the care-giver!

Parents Re Care-givers. parents of disabled people, are also at risk of being the victims of the care-giving role, they play at home. They too, have both body and spiritual demands! Don't ignore these very important care-giving folks! Often, they simply don't pay the necessary attention to their own physical and spiritual requirements!

Remember, there is no cut-off phase, in the disabled persons financial and personal support life! The really focused and caring, care-givers simply cannot stand back and let the disabled person fend for themselves!

As to avoid the possibility of further discrimination, any organisation for the blind or disabled, should work for an open society for all! The focus should be on the ability to live independently and take constructive part in society.

The factor of Health Care Isolation!

Periodically we have to take our ailing or painful bodies to a hospital!

This can be a rather challenging venture, depending on whether one has a sighted partner or friend, who can describe the new location in which you will find your blind body!

Also, one never knows when a immediately requiring emergency might strike!

Keep in mind, that at most hospitals, the staff are not trained to cope with folks with any degree of blindness or any disabilities!

For most folks with marked visual disfunction, there really is no mobility or orientation problems at their usual place of either residence or work!

However, should a health emergency, suddenly and most unexpectedly, kick in, they can find themselves in a blind spot, at the hospital, as far as there mobility or spacial orientation is concerned. The fear of not seeing or knowing in new surroundings, probably is most people's greatest fear.

Never be afraid of being afraid; if you still have the ability of talking, asking leading and informative questions, persist to do away with being afraid! The medical and health care staff, are also normal people; they too, are mostly really keen to learn from their patients!

Therefore, asking, researching, broadening your horizons, electing to be the master in charge of your hospital stay future and destiny!

This is so very, very important! i repeat: In the first instance, the particular person should be in charge of their health and well being fortune -- wherever possible! They should be very active in all areas of in-hospital life.

Next, there is the very important collective and necessary responsibility, of a democratic health care society, to make the quality-of-life and environmental user-friendly modifications in hospitals, for blind and disabled patients!

The very important social change, at the political level, now becomes a question of all human rights. Obviously, including the human rights of both the disabled and blind members of society!

Only You are in charge of your Health and Financial future; if you don't keep it going, who else is?

This is so important; I repeat: Only You are in charge of your Health and Financial future; if you don't keep it going, who else is? Wile you are staying in hospital, you have a specific objective, a specific health and time frame, a specific dignity and personal valuation need.

You consult with your health care person, and he or she responds by saying: "I can't see any other way to treat it"

"He is seeing another specialist now."

"I must go and see what Verelese is up to"

"I see trouble ahead"

When you really think about it, have that perceived trouble got a colour, shape, smell or any similar tactile attributes?

"They see each other from time to time." Once more, this also applies to two blind persons!

"I can't see how this helps us"

"I'll go along to the club, and see if Jim is there."

By now, you too, will appreciate the variety of connotations linked to words. So, always use them selectively and with great caution!

Again, think of the possible far-reaching, impact-making effect, these new, nebulous and alien concepts will have on a person now being able to see for the very first time!

Are you really prepared to be able to venture into the new world of the unknown hospital and the folks working there?

I firmly believe in being very proactive, both as far as my health and wealth are concerned!

I too, have had some episodes in hospital! However, I always approached this venture with an open, optimistic and yet careful mind!

Therefore, I always take advantage of contacting professional folks, who are at the leading edge of whatever is my present health care concern!

You too, are invited to move into the driver's seat of your particular disability or illness, and to always keep on contacting the "experts" about present progress in the field of your particular disability!

I repeat this very, very important concept: My health advice is always consult with at least two -- maybe even better -- three different specialists about any health problem for which surgery or any expensive procedure may be prescribed. However, to reach that fortune, one has to be proactive, in investigating what's available, that might just help you being successful or even better, how to get either health relief or better health.

Again, here is the common sense formula, that says, once one has self-empowered yourself about both health and wealth: when all else is considered, the bottom line is, that I must take care of myself, my future and my ultimate retirement requirements!)

In my case, while in hospital, yet another advantage of being proactive is that it allows me not to be ignored, or invisible as a person with a disability.

Those who are blindness, disability, health, Financial And political ignorant, will never know that they are being neglected and abused. What's much worse, they don't know that they don't know.

Apply for Citizenship to Another country!

In the past, you thought you have a Disadvantage hurdle to jump over! Well, think again! All of a sudden, there is yet another, seemingly much higher fence or wall to jump over!

Look at it from this point of view! You may already have family living in the New Country! If you have been visiting the New Country, over a good number of years, this may stand you in good stead - particularly if you are already fluent with the language and social customs of the New Folks!

(If you seriously consider relocating to another country, may I suggest that you first read my Pragmatism-based book: My Precious Spine And I. the contents of that book is based on our practical experience, about what and what not to do, if you wish to locate to another country.)

Take advantage, when locating to a New Country, to acquire the discipline, to clean out all the negative, energy-draining people in your life.

Now, in the new country, reach out to the positive and quality-of-life-enhancing and keen folks! Don't continue to carry that energy-sapping quality of life depriving chip on your shoulders! It collects dust and insects; creating a view-obstructing cloud about it. Your family and friends, too, can trip over it and get injured!

Of course, fortunately, all of us have our containers of prejudices, likes and dislikes! However, many of these prejudices shrink melt away, evaporate to make space for even much better ones, or simply sit there in our minds, minding their own business!

The very mind-broadening value of travelling, and sometimes where possible, living in another country, is a certain remedy for prejudice-down-scaling or even prejudice destroying! We really need to get out and explore life without borders to really experience life in action! But few folks bother. Some of us have a strong-glue-applied chip on our shoulder; or both our shoulders. Maybe, even a very heavy tree trunk. Others have a larger and more varied collection, housed on our backs, in the backpack! The more modest prejudice collectors, are mostly content with having their "goods" stored on a wheelbarrow! Then there are folks who firmly believe that they should collect so many prejudices, they actually require to obtain a trailer to drag along in life!

(A note of caution: you always need exercises! Run away as fast as you can from these folks!)

Not just any old trailer! Maybe, a double-decker four-wheeler very heavy unit!

For applying for Citizenship of a New Country, You may well fit into one of the following categories!

1. Travel with a backpack - in which all your Minimum Disadvantages are packed. Here your disadvantages are really almost of no application consequence! You also don't appear to be blind!

2. Next, You may have to obtain a two-wheel trailer!

3. Maybe your perceived "baggage," really requires a four-wheel somewhat larger trailer!

In the latter two trailers, you will more likely than not, find the following suitcases: A very large red unit standing mid-way on the front of the trailer! Fortunately, this case also contains your prejudice file, past work and income-generating files and details!

There are other suitcases, for example, the one containing your Creative Ability Hobbies and work that you have done in that area!

Next, there is likely to be a compact, well-guarded case, containing most of your Health And Wealth Equity. That's over and above what's on your laptop and note taker!

You and your partner love reading! Well, many of your books are also relocating! They are in a rather large blue suitcase. just waiting to jump out at your next destination!

Next, there's a large well-sealed box! Document's, documents and even more documents! That's, if you have not yet transferred then to an electronic storage facility!

Then, there's the somewhat concealed yellow case! This is most unusual! Therefore, the "inspectors" will immediately head for it!

(Keep in mind that the Migration Department of the New Country, may well already have seconded one of their top assessors, to come and have an in-depth, on-premises evaluation, at your home!) Again, always be courteous very and friendly - being very, very honest!

One should take it for granted that the official visiting your home has already done their background homework, about your past and future potentials. His is a very, very, very important meeting! You really don't want to be a financial burden on the New Country! You and your family must be your best! Including focusing on both your speech and clothing! Don't squander this very valuable opportunity!

Once you are in your New Country, make a very positive effort to integrate at all levels. of course, it's inevitable. There will be things that pushed you away! These are things that you really did not like! On the other hand, the New Country actually Pulled You to it! Be glad; take full advantage of all it offers! If you have been successful in your application, well done! You've got a remarkable asset called determination and diligence!

However, although you may have had a very empathetic migration officer, who both did your at-home interview and the officer at the point of entry into the New Country, you may yet not be successful, in your Citizenship application! No reason to give up! There are various countries that welcome retirees with open arms!

Of course, there are a few basic and straightforward requirements!

The only real limitation to a wider understanding of what's happening around us is the methodical planning and enthusiastic executing of a free to travel and to relocate. Either in your present country or become an international citizen.

In the winner's circle will be those who are both keen, willing and able to grow throughout their lifetime. to win in the future, you must pay the price of self-empowerment and controlled spending now. You've got to prepare yourself; develop yourself for the winners circle.

How I Lived My Dream... and How You Can, Too.

I'm not too keen on trying to reinvent a much better wheel!

There are some really very good retirement publications.

Recently we have relocated to a retirement facility, in another city! Hence us not being too actively involved with travelling! However, despite our new location, we have actually done a good deal more of travelling - not forgetting all the other music and cultural involvements.

In the past I also subscribed to a very informative publication: The International Living Lifestyle. wider horizon lies ahead - I must re-subscribe!) Right now I subscribe to the free International Living Postcards. Your daily escape.

For example: If you and your partner are very keen travellers, why Not Subscribe to the International Living Lifestyle Today?

For most of us, relocating is a money-sucking as well as a energy and determination demanding venture! Forget not the many possible frustrations that soon will manifest themselves!

The very important question that must be answered, is What Is Happiness For You?

(Remember, often our misery and lack of happiness, is actually housed in our minds! We simply cannot run away from it! Therefore, trying to run away, by relocating, with the same mind set, certainly is not the desired and very expensive option available!)

On unpacking in the New Country, well, well! The surprise: There's your old Mr. Misery or Unhappiness, glaring at you!

However, go ahead, and measure your state of happiness - or lack of happiness - using the following yardstick!

To put it succinctly, the answer should fit into the following:

Are you really happy with your partner? Is your partner really happy with you? Are you really happy with your work?

Are you happy, or will you be happy with the climate in which you live, or hope to live? Are you happy, or do you think that you will be happy, with the political system under which you live, or hope to live? Are you happy, or will you be happy, living in a country, who's culture, language, moral and religious values, safety and security, are what you strive to get?

What about your very important sense of humour? Your food and the dishes you like to eat? Are you happy, or will you be happy, leaving those ever-present daily nice things, your favourite foods, dishes, drinks and friends behind?

Are you happy, or will you be happy, living in a country with increased prospects of devastating cyclones, earthquakes, flash-floods, mud land-slides, snow storms, fire storms, and sand storms, ice and flood storms?

What about the prospect of a life-consuming Tsunami?

Recently it came to my attention about a married young engineer, who obtained the necessary migration clearance and the prospect of a "Secured Job" in the New Country! However, when he got there, the job had evaporated! His financial resources too, were rapidly declining! I'm still waiting to learn the final episode of this potential disastrous story!

Under these circumstances, there also is the increasing risk of a happiness and money-sucking divorce! Remember, the grass on the other side, always looks much greener - because it has had a very generous application of manure!

Sometime, it's much better to live in a sad country with happy people, than to live in a happy country, with very negative and sad people!

If you are thinking of relocating, it seems to be a logical consideration to use the services of a registered employment and Citizenship acquiring agent. It further also seems very wise, if you are a property owner, rather to let it for a period, rather than selling it!

Even after a considerable time in the New Country, you may now learn that there are circumstances and situations, that continue to irritate you. There's no harm in returning to your previous country! You will now be smarter, wiser, also having made very valuable associations, friends and business people.

Forget not the value-adding new leading edge technology skills, that you would have acquired!

It's always very, very important to check and make really sure what's at play, in selecting to relocate to another country!

There are two factors to consider:

1. What is the really strong force that's pushing you away from your present country? What are the prospects of that bad force, being altered for the good, in the near future? Who is really behind the bad things that are happening in your country? Do you really believe that there is the necessary will to make your country a place of desire?

Is there a competent honest, trusted, political leader, who has the necessary intelligence, who also can give the necessary change of direction? How long will it be, before the necessary citizen uplifting change in direction, is in action?

2. What is the really very strong force, that's pulling you, your desire for your family's safety and security, your skills and abilities, to the New Country?

I believe that James A. Michener, a well-travelled, very observant person, gave us a most valuable assessment yardstick.

Assessing Nations: (This Noble Land - My Vision for America: James A. Michener.

1. Has the nation been able to create a stable society?

2. Does the nation provide a reliable money system? This is essential to the orderly progress of a nation. Individuals should have the right to expect that the money they save today will be of comparable value ten years later. When inflation strikes, it is the middle class of the population that suffers the most, and the lower and upper classes seem to survive with minimal damage. Since I am a member of the middle class, I shy away from those nations that cannot guarantee the stability of their currency.

3. Does the nation have a political system that ensures peaceful transition of power from liberal to conservative and vice versa?

4. Does the nation provide its citizens, especially the young, with adequate health services?

5. Does the nation provide effective schools, colleges, universities and schools for industrial training? A nation that allows its schools to become ineffective dooms itself to a secondary position when competing with the workforces of other nations. Children have enormous potential that can never be brought into effective use without the most careful and persistent training.

6. Does the nation provide free libraries? "Learn and earn!"

7. Does the nation provide adequate employment opportunities for the young person as he or she approaches adulthood?

Obtaining a first job is a crucial step in the maturation of a teenager who has just left high school or a young man or woman who has been graduated from college. the leap into adult citizenry starts with a job. Young people must not be deprived of the vital opportunity of working for a living, of actually supporting themselves and perhaps a family and of becoming contributors to the nation's wealth as well as consumers of it. The scholar, who cannot find employment, can become a social menace; any young person who is denied work and a living wage, can become a walking time bomb.

8. Does the nation provide a financial-taxation system that helps keep the difference between the very rich and the very poor at an acceptable level, and does it encourage the development of a moderately well-to-do middle class of entrepreneurs? I deem this to be one of the crucial responsibilities of a society, and I am appalled at nations like Mexico that generate considerable wealth, but refuse to distribute it up and down the economic ladder. the failure to develop a sturdy middle class is a sign of weakness, one that condemns a society to mediocrity at best and revolution at worst.

9. Does the nation provide churches for the moral guidance of its people and especially its leaders? I believe that a society requires moral values and the conviction to abide by them.

10. Does the society provide recreational opportunities?

11. Does the society provide access to museums, opera houses, symphony halls, theatres, parks and zoos? Music, the theatre, dance, sculpture and painting, form the benchmark by which cultures are judged. The girl or boy, who discovers the world's intellectual treasures, becomes open to endless adventures and self-improvement.

12. Is the nation able to balance the different cultural and ethnic and racial groups, within its society, and does it treat all such groups equitably?

13. Does the nation provide an orderly system, whereby the interest of the aged are protected from the ravages that overtake them?

Yes, you have got good sight! However, fortunately, I've got insight and imagination.

We are not, or should not, be defined by our visual impairment. We are, or rather should be, defined by our determination and ability to overcome it.

The limited vision syndrome. shine the educational light in dark places.

There are valuable times when silence has the loudest voice.

The following really requires repeating! When I was a physiotherapy student in London, England, I vividly recall meeting and working with a splendid gentleman, a medical specialist, who also was the victim of progressive sight loss. He had, in my opinion at the time, a burden that would have pulled lesser folks down! He was a middle-aged fellow, fortunately, with a very good and caring support domestic background. Because he was a pragmatic, get on with life fellow, the more sight he lost, the less he realised what the loss was!

What are the prospects of artificial vision?

I believe those prospects are a reality - not too far off in the future!

Earlier on, I addressed the subject of possible artificial or bionic vision.

Curiosity, determination and leading edge technology, will conquer blindness even more than bravery.

The old law of an eye for an eye, leaves everybody blind and muddling in the dark. Not forgetting the risk of falling over the sleeping guide dog!!! Yes! And even fracturing a hip!

We must never be losing sight of blindness or of the possible future risk of blindness.

This is very, very, very important! We must expunge the concepts that blind or disabled people, can or cannot do any worthwhile jobs! Rather, we should very actively and forcefully propagate positive beliefs, about blindness, disability and what blind and disabled people can do.

The good news, it appears, is that it takes an awful lot to extinguish a species. The bad news is that the good news can never be counted on.

It's one thing to have a sighted person speak "on behalf of the blind!" I believe it's far more effective if the sighted person has their say, then the "active-in-life" blind person takes over! Speaking from a personally sound and assured financial position! Then the listening folks can ask questions, express reservations, have many prejudices resolved.

After all, who would you rather believe? The person who gives a detailed commentary about what a particular fruit tastes like - from an article that they have read. or, would you rather trust the experience, relater, by the person who actually has been handling and eating the particular fruit? This person will certainly add more of their experience by including details such as: how easily the juice trickles down your chin, is it easily chewable, has it got an after-taste, is this particular fruit also available in both a canned and dried format?

I have already mentioned this aspect of views about the blind, as often portrayed by sighted persons, sighted experts and many other categories of "It is my view," type of well-meaning folks!

You be the realistic judge!

Keep in mind that for many blind or disabled folks: that their life is not determined by the way their body functions or looks.

To all those skeptics, who believe, that they are the unfortunate victims of their circumstances, just investigate and look around! There are really so many very, very successful and outstanding folks who can motivate you! Keen people, who can show the door, to a new life where almost nothing is impossible."

Yes, believe it or not, many of those folks are also blind or disabled!

In fact, be very, very careful not to let someone convert their ignorance visions and dreams, into your future misery and financial obligations.

Has not the world not already enough pain and disability, without making a pastime of income generating disability and mock-pain? I can always replace my motor vehicle! I have but ONE BODY to serve me the SPAN of a LIFETIME!

Often a motor vehicle accident fuses all the petty pains, sustained into one broad mass of aches, - one great pain - one collective body of discomfort, with a vast, homogeneous financial anticipation animating it.

I'm extremely fortunate. I am not a pain, pessimism or disability-specific person.

How do you define "health"?

To me, health is much more than the presence or absence of the conventional disease. health means having a practical sense of humour, being happy, living, enjoying and working within the daily framework of what you have - that some regard as handicaps - age, illness, disability, etc. to also enjoy the daily optimum functioning that is possible for you as an individual.

Longevity on the horizon! Another somewhat concealed aspect of the longevity prospect, is that more people may be filing for longevity-associated disability!

Folks with some disability, can assure you, that having a disability, is rather money-sucking!

However, disability or not, if you do not wish to down scale during the rest of your retirement life, it will be very convenient rather to have more than to have less money!

If you have a disability, it is for certain that there will be growing ongoing expenses down the road.

Fortunately, one of the important points about money, is that it allow you the choice of available aids and freedom, not make you crazy with getting even more.

Once you have acquired the necessary self-supporting skills of making money, you have to keep it and make it grow. Because, staying in the same financial and investment place, amounts to going backwards.

Remember, that having a positive mind in a handicapped body, is so very much more powerful, than having a negative (handicapped) mind in an un-handicapped body.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Chapter 14:

The Sculptor Who Couldn't Stand; Lost Perspective

(Monday 19 March 2012, Wrote in the lounge of Jerry's home Kincumber NSW afternoon of Monday 19 March 2012.)

"I manage quite well on my own," he replied.

We were fortunate to have visited his home where he lived on his own; taking care of the daily requirements and, at all times, being optimistic and reflecting a deep seated sense of humour.

Philip was a rather smallish but very successful and enthusiastic artist. Latterly, he was denied the full perspective of his work in progress on account of his diabetes related lower leg disability.

In the city and country in which he was living, he made a valuable contribution to the artistic world, particularly the field of sculpting.

"You know," he reflected pensively with a degree of loss, "I just don't have the perspective of the work in progress, now that I no longer can stand and do the sculpting!!!" As he pointed out: "What is art but a way of seeing?" The nature and severity of his diabetic ulcers were of such a degree, that made it almost impossible to use artificial aids to help him regain the necessary height to retrieve the lost perspective.

Still, he persisted; continuing to do the necessary background investigation into the subject at hand.

He frequently related the historical background on which a particular piece of sculpting was based.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Chapter 15:

The "You can't do it" People Of The World

(Written on a cold and wet Wednesday morning at Jerry's breakfast table at 9.40 on Wednesday 7 March 2012 - just met Steve Sheldon the Manual driver instructor at Jerry's Awesome Driving School, also on motorbike. Finished on a cool afternoon, on the back porch at Jerry's at 5.45, on Thursday 22 March 2012.)

The permanently "glued to the same seat" folks - who believe their present restricted world is all there is to gaining a wider view and experience.

(It occurred to me when I suddenly woke up at 12.20 on the morning of Tuesday 20 2012, at Our son's Australian home, that I have written this essay for myself. Yes. That's correct. It would be an easy reference to visit now and then! However, if my children and particularly our grand children should be eavesdropping at the keyhole, I would be delighted and very happy.)

I have retired from active practice at the end of May, 2015. Unexpectedly, suddenly our experience-based services were in demand more than we'd anticipated. Not of course, that this causes a headache. On the contrary, our fortune once more was reflected in associating and helping so many friendly, enthusiastic, and keen to get better folks.

Our thanks to each and every one of you, for keeping us in meaningful contact with the realities and fun of life!!! The only remedy, then, would seem to re-locate, if one wanted to get away from the demand on our assistance. Thus this address to myself!!

It's my experience that past negative experience and baggage is a real problem when you've got paradigms shifting all around you.

If you wish to broaden your vision and insights into the wider world out there, you might just find that sometimes an exit door is really an entrance into a much richer and rewarding world. You can put past experience to good use by latching on to the new experiences based on the next circle of acquaintances rich bank of knowledge. You will soon learn that all opinion in good men and women that you now meet, is but knowledge in the making. If you want an account of your worth, count your friends.

Don't underestimate the latent potential that travel or late-years relocation can bring to you for the long-term growth of both your personal value system and your money. Presence is more than just being there. You have to actively make contact, integrate and use the local system, including a free library, to enrich yourself.

Remember, your knowledge will grow as the amount of enthusiasm, travel and money you invest grows. Even more important, particularly when you retire, you owe it to yourself to remain mentally stimulated by being involved with something that keeps both body and mind at the sharp end of active live.

Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are.

It's a very good idea to undertake an interview with yourself to learn what latent abilities there might still be to be mined or improved.

We do not remember days; we remember exciting and uplifting moments. So, go out there and create recollection pleasant and uplifting memories. They are the fertiliser of future stimulating idea creation moments. Save them. Cherish them; let them grow and develop into their own futures.

Perfectionism is the enemy of creation, as extreme self-solitude is the enemy of well-being.

To err is human; to sometimes admit it, superhuman.

A modest man is usually admired if people ever hear of him.

Persistent Curiosity will conquer fear even more than bravery will. * We tend not to choose the unknown, which might be a shock or a disappointment or simply a little difficult to cope with. And yet, it is the unknown with all its hidden disappointments and surprises that is the most enriching.

Don't sit on the sideline! You must soon get proactively involved to have a meaningful impact.

Reverence for the past experience and learning curve, is important, but so is regard for the future.

Everything looks impossible for the people who never try anything. Half the failures in life arise from pulling in ones keen horse as he is about to leap. That's the fate of so many "If only I did" folks.

If you take early proactive action, you have the advantage of being exposed and opened up to a perpetual state of ignorance and thus a lifelong hunger for more ideas, more knowledge, more good thoughts, more challenges, more of everything.

If you can't overcome your present problem or dead-end venture, you must strike out in a new direction with everything you've got. You see, we all have failures and regrets. The question is what we do with them. We can either sit and wait for even more time to pass and never to be retrieved. Or we can simply get moving and be the master of our own future.

No one that I know of, has ever excused his way to success. There are no secrets to success. It is the result of persistence, enthusiasm, determination, preparation; hard work, learning from perceived past failure. If early in your courier, you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying small stones. Top performers in any field get to the top by confronting things they are afraid of.

There are things ruling our lives that do not conform to rules of reason. Struggling against obstacles makes us strong. Confessing a lack of control is not a defeat. It is the first important step towards victory.

Right key ... wrong key-hole. So often, one stands at a "door" which simply does not open. Either you can continue with the hope that one day - maybe - someone will open it for you. Better, however, is simply to change tack. Move on. There are many, maybe even better, doors that are waiting for your entrance to a much better world. Hope is good; however, to bank on "hope" alone for success, is rather futile!

YOU'VE got sight. I've got insight, determination and imagination. There are lots of people who mistake their restricted, underdeveloped and limited imagination for their memory.

Most achievers know that success is less a matter of talent than of working hard and remaining undaunted by failure. Don't aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally.

People generally quarrel because they cannot argue. Negotiation is the art of the possible.

When our two children were still quite young, we decided to implement a program that could improve both their constructive reasoning and uninterrupted speech ability.

On 4 slips of paper, we wrote a "Subject."

These subject papers were then placed in a container; each of us drew a `Subject." We would then, in turn, get the opportunity to speak for 60 seconds; without oohing or aahing, and without hesitation.

This taught particularly two most helpful attributes:

Firstly, you could not be intimidated by the rest of the family.

Secondly, it taught the ability to think and to speak uninterruptedly on your feet.

In later years, both our children had no fear or hesitation to speak their minds in any situation - including public speaking. In fact, our self employed son is often called upon to address large numbers of people on matters related to his business.

Live so that your family and friends can defend you but never have to.

What I'm looking for is a blessing that's not in disguise.

Misery loves company. The chronically unhappy, problem seeing, opportunity missed persons are the very type you should at all cost stay clear of. they suck information, energy, zest for life, optimism, a sense of humour out of you!!! Even worse, they don't make an attempt to feel or do better!! They are best left to their own demise; where they will enjoy the negative and depressing and unstimulating delights of being miserable!!

Call it a confluence of positive ideas, a convergence of the negative and destructive powerful vortexes controlling our economy, evolution, whatever, but it's happened this erosive way since the beginning of time.

Necessity is the mother of taking calculated and well researched chances.

Everything can be taken from a person but one thing: the freedom to choose their attitude in any given set of circumstances.

Remember, Somewhere in the world there is defeat for everyone. Some are destroyed by defeat, and some made small and mean by victory.

Greatness lives in one who triumphs equally over defeat and victory.

Principles are there to help one, to motivate one, to guide one, not to imprison or restrict one.

Remain true to your valued principles. Be consistent in your truth system. Walk your talk.

You can't improve on the truth, rough as it is. Some people value the truth so much that they prefer to use it as little as possible.

Often one is invited to a party. Gradually, as the fun increases, often well lubricated by the application of too much alcohol, the noise level increases to the extent that normal interpersonal conversation becomes almost impossible. That's when the noise pulls an audio sheet over us. However, my innate curiosity punctures it.

Mostly the idea of gaining valuable information, just floats around, waiting for a suitable moment to engage with someone who also appears to have a problem with the excessive noise level.

Happiness is an attitude ... not an acquired condition. Be enthusiastic. Nothing of importance and consequence was ever achieved without enthusiasm.

Igniting opportunity. Opportunity often reaches out with a keen and empowering desire to take us on board. However, frequently we are glued to our present safety and comfort seats; mostly anchored there by both the high quality of the glue, other "Expert" people's perceptions, the perceived fear of what might be around the next corner.

Nothing in life is to be feared. it is only to be investigated and understood.

Mystery, is to lend power to something that may, in the long run, be proven to have no power, other than what we give it by our own fears. Fear magnifies the problem. Understanding diminishes it.

I am surprised by how few folks either develop or implement an annual financial and long term objectives budget.

Wealth and experience is something we create. Quite simply, real investment savvy people increase their wealth by living within their means and systematically saving and investing money - ideally in a tax favoured compounding manner.

We are not defined by our financial situation. The important thing is this: we are defined by our ability to overcome it.

We all do some evil in our lives but we hope that it averages out.

Remember, FIRST-HAND experience is the only real teacher. All informed opinion in good men and women is but knowledge in the making.

As always: continuously educate yourself first. It is dangerous, time wasting, opportunity destroying and expensive to hire someone if you yourself are investment and financially educationally challenged in your knowledge of financial matters.

Initially, while you are on route to educate yourself about how money and related matters work, if you in the meantime do decide to hire someone, you'll be much better prepared by educating yourself and you'll be more focused in your questions and better able to assess the person's investment track record and confidence. However, when you do decide to get a financial and investment advisor, make sure the person has the necessary up to date and valid registration qualification and papers as well as giving you access to their investment track record. do Avoid unlisted investments without a long standing and good track record. Above all, stay clear of "Get Rich Quickly" schemes; mostly, these "Schemes" are designed to get rid of your money in a highly risk laden fashion!!!

Outsourcing your ideals, objectives and thinking. I firmly believe that all of us have an innate ability to be successful in one or even several facets and aspects of life. Provided, though, we retain our in-built and guiding mechanism to reach our goals.

Analyze and make progressive thinking. People who have experienced disaster, failure and setbacks, often are better motivated and equipped to forge ahead stimulated by their past negative "learning curve." Although avoidance of failure is a greater motivate about seeking success, it should only be a guide line and certainly not a threat to prevent one from going ahead with reaching out to optimise your objectives.

Very important: Always remember, Someone's negative opinion of you does not have to become your guiding reality. Often, these "opinion wheeling persons" have a flaw in their makeup, are predisposed to being critical without the necessary informed background knowledge.

Early in life, I fortunately learned that I did not have to live within the context of what another "expert" person's view of me was. Success is to a large extent, due to a creative and "out of the box" thinking imagination. And the imagination of a fertile and ever enquiring mind, is always on the prowl for ventures of success.

Don't discard the importance of your "gut feeling," it has your ultimate well being, success and survival at heart.

There is much merit in keeping controlled aspects of the sub-conscious at bay. However, only use your thought police to keep check.

False hope; false pessimism.

Possessing a keen and hungry mind is not, in itself, a guarantee of success. We plan, engineer and make our success.

With the passage of time, the acquisition of a broader view of life, my heart sank at the thought of eternal work before a jury of chronically prejudiced saints.

One of the fortunes of having either limited vision or even total blindness, is that one develops a wider and often more informed view of life and its complexities. This reduces the Limited vision syndrome. Enabling one to Shine the light in dark places.

Change is a friend ... not an enemy. Be aware of the folks who believe that almost nothing is possible. They might just be the victim of the prevailing thought processes: Or even worse, intoxicated with orthodox thinking, preferential prejudice, favoured autocratic attitudes, tinged in no small measure ... with a hyper-inflated ego.

One should plan to win, otherwise you insult your opponent.

Change is incessant. Often the situation remains the same, changing just the scene, prices, actors, time and place.

Character contributes to beauty. it fortifies a woman as her youth fades.

Being a very keen and open minded listener, reader and investigator, I've gradually acquired lots of quality of life information medication. This covers a very broad field of activities that daily impact on our lives. Not forgetting, of course, the possible long term health, political and financial trends that will influence our future quality of security and life!

Soon, I realised that the free market around the world means that people have an innate right to the fruits of their labour and the right to dispose of this fruit the way they see fit. Invariably, our past rather wide and diversified travels made it equally clear that we no longer are citizens of a particular country. The world has shrunk; our vistas and experience gathering ventures too, have widened.

We now live in a society in which ever widening choice is sovereign. But often our perceived fears of the unknown, do not enable or allow us to exercise that choice correctly. As we know in business, Many a opportunistic venture and adventure optimist has become rich by buying out a pessimist.

A broader knowledge is the key to enriching our lives. no empowerment either of our health, finances or happiness, is so effective as self-empowerment. What we do not understand, we do not possess.

One way to get the big picture is to look beyond the specialist. Consult generalists-internists and family practitioners. More and more, experts claim that medicine has become so specialised that doctors seldom see the whole patient.

Bear in mind ... I'm buying their skills and expertise ... not their ego.

We don't know who we are until we see what we can do. There are times when silence has the voice.

We enjoy a wide variety of music, the spoken word, particularly comedy, and fully subscribe to the idea that what is good for the ear must be good for the soul.

In the course of my Physiotherapy practice, it soon became clear that with an open mind, empathetic attitude and a keenness to pay attention even to the smallest "complaints" of the patients, one has greater impact on others by the way you listen than by the way you talk.

Recall that the local library is always at hand to lend valuable sources of self-empowerment. Without libraries what have we? We have no past and no future.

An age is called dark, not because the light fails to shine, but because uninterested, unfocused, restricted thinking people refuse to see it.

Times will get tough.

Remember, You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.

I am horrified by a culture that burns libraries and other public or private assets to reach their political ambitions. What thinking lies behind that?

With the aid of books, and using your imagination, is the one time in life you can really go anywhere.

Keep in mind, that it is almost impossible to perform against a declining economy; irrespective of your skills, experience and ability!

"Everyone lives by selling something," wrote Robert Louis Stevenson.

Investing, at its heart, is a deeply optimistic and intellectual activity. It requires a steadfast decision for you to forgo the enjoyment of your money today, in the hope of earning a lot more to enjoy in the future. That's where the young have the enormous advantage of "The time Factor" on their side. That's where the eighths miracle "The Power Of Compounding" kicks in.

A day or two, or a week or two of postponing acquiring pain does not alter the positive things that are going on in the worldwide economy. however, earlier investing, sooner brings one into the growth pattern which will enable you to better access your desires at a later state.

All great success comes from an intense desire and focus on selecting the right things. Dedication is magic; and strategy is about mustering that focus and dedication then single-mindedly galvanising your resources behind it.

Never let the negative circumstance of "the know it all" people and everything around you keep you down. His is so important. I repeat: Never let the negative circumstance of "the know it all" people and everything around you keep you down. If you want to excel, I firmly believe you can.

For the adventurer, remember: New stimulating opportunities are coming your way. you have to reach out; you have to seize them.

Be focused: know that you can create that which you want and that which you need. Not only for others, but for yourself as well.

During the course of my profession, I often heard the comment from older folks: Lack of money will make you miserable - especially as you grow older. Remember that age is only a number. Yesterday's valuable time has gone down the river, and you cannot get it back.

It's never too late to Change the mind set and then taking the necessary self-empowering action to become investment and finance knowledgeable.

A while ago, I recall hearing of an elderly lady, who was under the mistaken impression, that they had no money worries. Her husband, who always took care of matters financial, passed away.

Now the investment and finance illiterate wife learned about her debts. Not to be intimidated or financially ruined, she registered at a local university, graduated, took care of her own affairs and paid off her debts. I admired her successful undertaking. Particularly the persistence and motivation to reach her goal.

When you are young, Time and the eighth miracle of compounding, is on your side. Money can always come and go, but lost time you cannot get back.

At the age of 17, you have what's known as compound interest going right for you. If you're to put just a hundred Dollars a month right now into a good unit trust, and you did so every single month, till you're sixty-five, you would have about three million Dollars. But if you wait just a few years till you're twenty-five, you'd have only one million Dollars. Note that the 8 years investing delay, cost you two million Dollars.

The message of money that we pass down to our children and grand children - that message must be a message of more, NOT a message of LESS! With an early savings program in place, you will soon gain the advantage of financial self-discipline and the associated fruits that come with it in later life.

Remember, You have to look within, never to do without. Only You are in charge of your financial future; if you don't keep it going, who else is?

This is so important; I repeat: Only You are in charge of your financial future; if you don't keep it going, who else is? You have a specific objective, a specific time frame, a specific need.

In life, when one door shuts, consider it a blessing, a stimulating pointer to get a better future and go towards another door. Because, if you are prepared, and persist, there simply has got to be a door that will open for you. No opportunity and investment door is ever on automatic mode. You have to be persistent, to keep your faith in yourself, to keep the courage to be successful and both spiritually and materially rich. Only the well prepared, enthusiastic and diligent will find a place at the table of the rich. No great thing comes to any man or woman unless he or she has courage.

Always associate with achievers, focused and positively people.

When a brave man or woman takes a public controversial stand, the spines of others are stiffened.

Courage is contagious. so too, is pessimism!!! Avoid the chronically pessimistic leaches of life. They only collect and never deposit in life's saving boxes!!

I have found, that if i have faith in my dream, my idea, and in myself, I usually win out.

Maybe time will come when you will join the Digital or international investment nomads. In fact, with your zest for self-empowerment education, you will soon find that you will become the Curator and custodian of new investment technology ideas.

The message for the "you can't do it" people of the world. And the permanently "glued to the same seat" is that: When things are moving fast, standing still is the best and surest way to get flattened and run over.

Don't let someone convert their ambitions and dreams into your financial and time consuming frustrating obligations.

I vividly recall being victimised in my earlier years. We had just got married. Funds were extremely limited. I had a "secure Job" at a education facility.

I broached the possibility of setting up my own private Physiotherapy practice with the "Authorities" of the day at the system concerned.

"You will be casting your bread on the tide of insecurity," was the absolutely reassuring and authoritative opinion. If I am, by nature, a contrarian. "What fun we will have," I told my young wife, "If we try to get going. If it fails, well, we go on a world trip." (On later reflection, we often wondered where the funds for that "world trip" would come from?)

Unfortunately, for the prevailing "Authorities," our private practice venture turned out to be a huge enriching, world widening and rewarding success!!

Always remember: Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

Create, and bank, pleasant memories of this very day. Because this is some future day's past delightful ""good old days" day. As time goes by, more and more folks tend to recall "The Good Old Days." As is the case with financial investing, the earlier one starts to make and collect pleasant event's memories, the more fun one can have in later life. At least, of course, reflecting on the past with a keen young audience - children and grand children, at earshot.

Just last evening, WEDNESDAY 21 march 2012 I spoke with a long time friend Mike Streeter who once more emphasised this very fact. He is in the process, of writing his past collection of letters, into a file for his family and friends.

Bravery is the undiminishing capacity to perform properly even when scared half to death. If one advances confidently in the direction of your dreams, and endeavours to live the life which you have imagined, you will, rather sooner than later, meet with a success unexpected in common hours.

If you have built castles in the air, your creative work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the solid foundations under them.

I recall a patient relating that he has a friend in a neighbouring city. "Well, we're in the building industry!" "What do you fellows build?" "Well," he smiled, "We build castles in the air. I build them. He paints them!!!"

Somewhere, there is a lesson to be learned!

They can conquer who believe they can.

It is only by assessing, revaluating and by examining and re-examining, your long held and steadfast prejudices, opinions and ideas, that you can progress. The greatest of all short comings and personal faults, I should say, is to be falsely conscious of none.

The danger of outsourcing your personality, creative and wealth building thinking. With so much information targeted at the individual via the media, there is the growing danger of becoming the subject of losing your common sense. Remember, your common sense is there to act as your guiding internal gut feeling system. It is there to take care of your well being, your happiness, your success and your good and lasting marriage.

The world is shrinking very rapidly. So too, is the barrage of possible destabilising influences aimed at our happiness and finance.

It's my experience that prejudice and narrow-minded baggage is a real problem when you've got fast moving paradigms shifting all around you. It might be the choice between stagnation, or Igniting a life-changing opportunity.

If we apply ourselves to good evaluated opportunities and apply ourselves with well motivated diligence, the future will deliver the opportunities.

Avoidance of perceived possible failure, is a greater motivator about seeking success. Failure is not a disgrace. The only disgrace is not to try.

You had first to believe in your idea, and plan before you could eventually see the fruitful results of your resolve and belief. It often is said that We really don't learn anything from our experience. We only learn from reflecting on our experience.

I believe that approaching our harvested experience, with a mind set of learning from it, we certainly can learn something valuable from our experiences.

Don't trust every financial adviser because you are never powerful in life until you are powerful over your own money; how you think about it, feel about it and invest it.

Important: Too many financial advisers have their own best financial interest at heart, NOT yours. And if you don't know, how would you know if you had an honest one or not!

This good advice often takes the form of advising selling shares and buying new shares, to get the commission - a sure way of earning constant income irrespective of what the market is doing.

If you procrastinate and postpone and wait, all that happens is that you get older and less inclined to experience a new adventure.

Everything can be taken from a person but one thing: the freedom to choose their attitude in any given set of circumstances.

Nothing makes us more vulnerable than loneliness - except greed.

Two days ago, I spoke with a lady and asked her whether they would move into a retirement facility?

"Certainly not," she emphatically replied. "I have an old aunt living in a retirement home. She is lonely and dislikes the many rules and regulations that govern her life."

There is also the growing impression that many of the retirement facilities also have a growing element of "greed" built into the ultimate price for using such establishments.

Find opportunity in failure. Failure is not the falling down but the staying down. You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try.

A keen and imaginative sense of humour helps us to untap the hidden creative potential, to overlook the unbecoming, understand the unconventional, tolerate the unpleasant, overcome the unexpected, and outlast the unbearable.

Is changing direction really failure? I repeat: (with a caveat when retired) Is changing direction (when retired) really failure?

Insecurity breeds greatness. Insecurity is the fellow who is forever keeping an eager and keenly motivating eye on our progress through life and all it has to offer.

It is certain, that you won't ever find a super achiever anywhere, who wasn't, or isn't, motivated, at least partially, by a sense of failure and insecurity.

Don't procrastinate, because spending more time, costs even more of your valuable and limited time and money.

Are you successfully losing money on schedule? This is a very valid question.

The more I converse, and listen to folks who have progressed along their life's highway, the more I become convinced, that most of us march along a highway, with fixed achievement markers. These include: very expensive education, preparing for a job, selecting a life's partner, having children, caring for their future educational, health and security needs; acquiring "the trimmings" of our financial success. However, many of these "Markers" turn out to be the factors that we later revisit only to find out: Are you successfully losing money on schedule? This is where acquiring the "absolutely necessary" Markers, drained our valuable productivity related human resources currencies away.

Think of the absolute need to have "the latest vehicle; a larger home; more expensive holidays; acquiring health-destructive habits that become a strain on the budget at retirement; and, of course, the emotional and financial self-destruction of the first, second or even the third divorce!!!" Here the "unglued" person has the advantage of moving away from what they don't want but moving towards what they want. In this situation, to adapt quickly to prevailing negative circumstances, is more important than planning.

A man or woman should so live that his or her happiness shall depend as little as possible on expensive external things. Again, I emphasise: Acquire only habits, and a way of living that you can sustain in later life. Particularly during the often financially and health declining years of retirement. Also, establishing early in life, the most valuable habit of working with an annual expenses budget, creates a fertile ground for future financial and happiness security. It is a rather simple matter, to sit down, look through your expense habits, draw up a list of categories, and allocating to each category, what was spent the previous year; then projecting where cuts should be made, and allocating the necessary funding to that category. The total sum required to meet your future year's obligations are then quite clear. It simply is a matter of being disciplined and determined.

From this life saving and enriching habit, one soon learns the truth that what gets evaluated, adapted and measured, gets better managed.

Success is about knowing where to go. And, most important, what to do once you get there!

Never leave a place where you're having a good time to go somewhere else where you only think you'll have a better time.

However, prior to a move, always do the necessary investigation. Where possible, contact persons who have first-hand experience of the place you wish to relocate to. Still much better, make a point of spending some time at the proposed new venue to get the general feel of the activities, people, finance, and a whole list of other matters that are important to you and your family.

Always remember: things that matter most, must never be at the mercy of opinions and things which matter least.

"Perseverance and determination is no guarantee you'll succeed. But without it, it's almost guaranteed you won't." A mind troubled by doubt cannot focus on the course to victory. Nothing in the world can take the place of perseverance and determination. Talent will certainly not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men and women with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The well known slogan, "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.

It has been my observation that most successful men and women get ahead during the time that others procrastinate and waste. Every noble work is at first impossible.

Heights by great men and women reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.

If you only knock long enough and loud enough at the correct gate, you are sure to wake up someone. Early in life, reach out and learn how to co-operate with what seems to be the inevitable.

Remember that anything important cannot be really learned in the classroom. It must be learned by taking planned action - making mistakes and then correcting them. That's when wisdom sets in.

Wisdom too often never seems to come, and so one ought not to reject it merely because it comes either in a different guise or late. Preconceived opinions, ideas, favourite prejudices and notions, are the locks on the door to wisdom. The greatest of all gifts is the ability to estimate problem things at their true worth.

The best and surest way to keep moving forward is to keep learning.

The rung of a ladder is never meant to rest upon but only to hold a man's foot long enough to enable him to put the other somewhat higher. Thomas Henry Huxley.

When you find yourself in an unhappy career trap, how you climb out may ultimately be more important than how you fell in.

If you have but one wish, let it be for a creative and liberating idea. Impact-making ideas, are the raw material of success and progress. Ideas matter, but in the long term, results matter more. Everything first takes shape in the form of a dream and an idea. But an idea by itself is worth nothing. An idea, like a machine, must have good design, enthusiasm lubrication, power, insight, a vision applied to it, before it can accomplish anything.

The men and women, who have won fame and fortune through having an idea, are those who devoted every ounce of their enthusiasm, determination, strength and every dollar they could muster to putting it into successful operation. The evolution and history of mankind is the history of ideas. Examine the history of the development over the past 150 years. Look at the people who were the ultimate world changing thinkers and doers; check their progress.

Despite negative and possible destructive opinions, they simply persisted achieving their dream's outcome.

An invasion of armies can be resisted, but not a good idea whose time has come.

Politically speaking, there is a time to admire the grace and persuasive power of an influential idea, and there is a time to fear its growing hold over us. The time to worry is when the idea is so widely accepted and shared that we no longer even notice it, when it is so deeply ingrained and rooted that it feels to us like plain common sense.

At the point when valid objections are not answered anymore, because they are no longer even raised, we are not in control: we do not have the idea; it sadly has us.

For many people the prospect of change seems such hard and intimidating work.

Future financial security and growth demands a temporary surrender of instant gratification to obtain long term security.

The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to dismiss and overlook.

A man or oppressive system, can't ride your back indefinitely unless it's bent. Always walk tall, look things in the face and remember: Perpetual optimism is a powerful compound force multiplier.

The more I move about on this planet, the more it becomes clear that the average person is so busy with their day-to-day survival activities, that they have very little interest or time to note what's going on about them, beyond their country's borders or even, sometimes, sadly within their own household.

Our society has inundated us with the importance of importance. We have been conditioned to believe in the big, the fast, the expensive and the far-away.

I'm still convinced, that if you have to move even ten inches from where you are now, in order to be happy, you never will be.

Often we are so blighted by limiting vision and tradition. This is also manifested by the fact that there is no expedient to which a person will not resort to avoid the taxing labour of thinking.

The larger the island of acquired knowledge, the longer the shoreline of wonder.

Once more, this is where travel and learning about new destinations and what they and their peoples offer, adds to the shore line of experience.

Fortunately, No mystery is closed to an enquiring and open mind.

Ignore the professional and chronic pessimists who want to bring you down and stand in the way of your ambitions and dreams. When you feel somewhat down, maybe not quite seeing the bright side of life and you believe that you don't think every second, minute, hour, or day is a good day, just try missing one.

Always be aware of the Foolproof systems that do not take into account the ingenuity and persistence of detractive fools.

Don't let your precious individuality be stolen! Also, don't outsource or, lose your individuality. Education, tradition and society may persistently try to iron it out of you. Don't let that "individual" life saving spark be lost; it's your only real claim to survival, fame and importance.

The man or woman who engineers and makes his or her own opportunities is, bearing a catastrophic accident, almost always a sure-fire success. I often highlight the fact that the self employed person is only a motor or other form of accident away from disaster. With that in mind, it is yet another reason to become self-empowered and implementing a pro-active health and compounding investment plan to take care of such an event. Of course, there is also insurance cover to mitigate financial ruin.

As part of life's survival philosophy, next to knowing when to seize an opportunity, the most important thing in life is to know when to forgo an advantage.

Some people so treasure the truth that they use it with great economy.

Remember to regularly have fun, focus on a sense of reality and humour and never underestimate your own activities as a source of humour and laughter. Don't put off being happy until some future date. It might just turn out to be too late.

We've met and learned from many folks in various parts of the world over the past half century. It always struck and impressed me that those who reached out to their fellows, always got so much in return. What you give, you get.

The biggest fortune and blessing that one can possibly hope for is to be one of the fortunate people who can say: He who enjoys doing and enjoys what he has done, is happy.

It is not the revolution that destroys the machinery of the family, workplace or industry, but the internal friction. Therefore, a problem well stated is a problem half solved.

Shut out all of your negative past, except that which will help you weather your tomorrows. Worry kills more people than work - because more people tackle it with determination and super enthusiasm. If only they "attacked" their personal and work relationships with equal enthusiasm, a less stressful and more rewarding life would be the outcome.

What is a road to success? Of course, there are as many roads to success, as there are individuals! However, why not start with Good Connections, Know-how and the freedom of PERSONAL liberty? Health and money self-empower yourself; master them and you've mastered life. Most folks, these days, are penalised because they are over trained in one particular skill. They go into massive educational debt; to learn the skill... hoping the need for it outlasts them. With rapidly changing technology, demands and people's needs, so often it doesn't. Sadly, they lose faith in their ability! They go broke, and unfulfilled. Few folks have an ability toolbox, filled with experience-based Know-How. That's far less than a generation ago. Now they've learned to live by depending on others. In the long-term, that's really not good! I anticipate that one of the doors to future employment success, is to get there via a scheme of in-job mentoring! For example, a learn as you earn, apprenticeship program. Life really is very simple. The first, and important, thing to remember about life is don't worry about it.

There are only two things to worry about: either you're successful or you're not successful. If you're really successful there's nothing to worry about. If you're not successful, it's a learning curve! If your health is good there's nothing to worry about. However, if your health is really bad, there are only two things to worry about. Either you're going to live or you're not going to live. Either you're going to be able to afford to live or not! If you can afford to live, there's really nothing to worry about!

Finally the good part: if you don't live, you've only two things to worry about: either you're going to heaven or you're not going to heaven. If you go to heaven, there's longevity. Again, there's really nothing to worry about!

However, if you go to the other, somewhat warmer place, well, you'll be so busy exchanging and swapping "good ideas," and shaking hands with all your old-time friends, you really won't have time to worry!

Also, I have noticed that it is part of most people's armament to be fashionable. They too, must have something to worry about. If not, then surely something is amiss.

Very important: to try and be Mr. "Please All" is certainly the formula for discarding your own individuality and in-built common sense. Remember: the key to failure is trying to please everybody.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Chapter 16:

Underground Trip

(Tuesday 6 March 2012 writing from our son's New South Wales Kincumber home - Kincumber back porch garden table \- while John is installing the new dishwasher - 10.25 AM.)

Moving about in the free well-expanded space of farm life, seemed to me to be just part of unimpeded life. Ingrained in my "map" of the farm areas, were all the possible problem and hazardous spots; that's if the movable ones hasn't been relocated.

I now found myself living in the vibrant, cosmopolitan, ever changing and "dangers-loaded" world of the "Underground" transport system. Once more, no problem for me. I had the company of a partially sighted friend who fortunately, had a similar degree of sight in the darker recesses of the world, not excluding the "Underground!" However, in the far off shady area of my mind, was lurking the threat of one day embarking on the trip to the college on my own.

There were two transport choices: either undertake the journey to bus or "underground." As might be expected about any city, there is yet another "underground" system. This facilitates the passage of the "arteries, nerve links, water supply system, sewerage systems, and a myriad more inspection and maintenance corridors. Of course, access to these second underground mazes, often was via a "manhole" on the sidewalks.

The workmen would lift the "manhole" cover, place a flimsy metal barrier around it and disappear into the darker aspects of their daily ventures. This is where "a stitch in time saves nine" struck me forcefully.

More for the benefit of my fellow citizens, I used a white cane to indicate that I could not see. This had several ramifications: often it was assumed that not only did one not see, one also was mentally dysfunctional, could not speak on your own behalf, and certainly had no idea where you were heading!

Returning to the "manholes" - which, incidentally, by now undergone a radical name change on account of the modern-day "gender correctness" that also had its influence on a vast array of other names.

"Watch it mate!!!" A warning that saved the embarrassment of joining the unsuspecting workman down stairs.

I mention this simply on account of the fact that where I came from, a person would also keenly reach out with a helping hand to retrieve you from a hole or similar hazardous situation. That is, once you had fallen into the trap!!! Yes. The London workers split second warning made a huge difference; face and grace saving for the impaired person.

Dressed in my heavy overcoat, heat-loss protection headgear, briefcase and the "public warning" white stick, I ventured on to the sidewalk, took a reluctant breath of the thick London smog, and set forth on my single person venture to get to the place of study, preparation for a profession and, Future Financial independence.

Again, the map of the route in question, was well established in my mind's eye. How many streets to cross, how high the curbs were, how many steps before I get to the entrance to the "Underground." Fortunately, here too, was yet another sensory indicator via the heat wave that came from the underground station. I felt quite self-assured, indeed rather cocky, progress was under control.

Coming from the jovial Africa, where folks invariably would talk, laugh and even shout across a distance at one another, I was struck by the silence of the commuter crowd, the thrust of the air pressure wave generated by the oncoming train, the roaring of the electric motors driving the units, the opening and closing of carriage doors and the frequent warning "Mind The Gap!" I simply and, I hoped, elegantly stepped aboard the Circle Line's train.

Fine, no problem. In fact, as not to inadvertently sit on a fellow passenger's lap, I decided to remain standing near the door.

In no time at all, I gathered from the discrete rustle of news papers that the commuters were indulging in acquiring either a higher blood pressure, preparing for the day's financial activities or simply enjoying the cartoons.

"Excuse me," a friendly lady's voice said, while she gently touched my left arm. "Where are you going?" I was stunned.

I could not recollect the name of the station I was heading to. Either I could respond with: "Sorry, I not speak Engresh!"

"I know exactly where I'm going, however, I've forgotten the name of the station; in fact, it's the fifth station.

"Of course, Great Portland Street," she kindly filled in my memory gap. Sheer coincidence, she was heading to the same destination; kindly and very efficiently gave me a non-embarrassment helping hand. What enchantment, what beauty could have escaped my good fortune that day?

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Chapter 17:

We Donna Speak Zee Englishee

(Tuesday 6 March 2012 Written on Jerry's back porch with the kids and Tineke in the pool - this evening having stimulating dinner at a restaurant with our longtime friends the Heydenrych's dentist.)

Life and splendour in London is unchartered territory. It reveals its often enchanted story one moment at a time. A little time spent in Kew Gardens could turn out to be both recreational and certainly most enjoyable.

During the summertime, the English countryside is a beautiful, enriching, romantic and enchanting experience to bank and add to one's catalogue of future pleasant memories. This collection remains with me and always rekindles the gentleness, unselfish and beauty yielding generosity of the English countryside.

In the summer, a few of us would get together, scan the Friday papers for the "walking Trails" for the next day. Fortunately, at least half the keen walkers had sufficient daytime sight to be able to help any person requiring assistance.

One intriguing aspect of the outlined trails, was the fact that distances were indicated in, what I suspected to be a typical British way, by, for example, reading as follows: "Stroll for 70 yards, turn left, follow the edge of the woods for a hundred yards, turn right, cross the style, walk for a short mile, turn left once you have crossed the road, then walk for another long mile." In 99 percent of these lovely and spiritually uplifting expeditions, all went according to plan; no injuries, nobody got forgotten somewhere along the "trail," or was even attacked by some indigenous wild life.

However, on this particularly hot summer's Saturday, we followed the new course; gradually noticed the mounting thirst and wished we'd soon get to a country inn for the necessary refreshment. Luck was on our side. No pub, however, a rustic farm-type kiosk soon manifested itself to our leader. On closer examination, it turned out that all the cool drinks were stored on racks behind the "barman" and way out of the limited sight of any of our group.

Louis resolved the problem with a stroke of brilliance. "We Donna Speak Zee Englishee."

The lady behind the counter courteously responded by reading the names of the various cool drinks on display.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Chapter 18:

Wisdom And Lack Of Insight Prevails

(Sunday 26 February 2012)

Christmas dawned where I lived as a child much like any other hot day. The difference, though, was that a child expected something out of the ordinary; after all, didn't Father Christmas come by on our farm sometime during the past night? The previous night, one kept awake as long as possible; listening to the shrinking of the metal roof, the victim of the preceding day's extreme heat, prolonged drought and hopes of the farming communities.

In fact, one also put out a bucket of water and some fodder for Father Christmas and his reindeers!!! Alas, to no avail; try as I might, the day before Christmas's physical activities over laden by the anticipation of "what's to come" soon overtook my desire to ultimately meet with the most generous and travelling man on the planet. Custom was to hang a pillow slip somewhere in one's room - preferably at the end of the bed; expecting "The Great Man" to somehow unnoticed, slip a huge surprise into the empty pocket.

The rest of the house was quiet when I woke up very early; cautiously I gently examined the pillow slip! I was not disappointed.

I soon unwrapped a beautiful red fire truck. Also, there was a large slab of chocolate!!!

This was to be a rather exciting day. My friend - call him Sensation - invited me to have lunch at their home. Nothing unusual about that. After all, they lived about three hour's cycling away; nothing upsetting other than the severe heat of the day and the hilly dust roads to be traversed. We agreed to meet in the village near their homestead; then I would make my way to their farm accompanied by the young fellow.

What uninhibited and most enjoyable freedom to move at my leisure and choice of destination! The heat intensified, the early-morning's birds had done their joyous singing and now retrieved to their resting spots in some shady trees.

The hospitality of my friend's parents was only superseded by the enormity of the lunch served; plenty of every home-grown vegetables, an abundance of meats and ultimately desert to make one feel even bloated. At about three o'clock, with the sun blazing and the farm animals quietly resting, I mounted James and we were on our way home. Fortunately, my friend decided to come part of the way. on approaching the river crossing bridge, I suddenly realised that James's breaks were not working. No problem. on the other side of the river, there is an uphill; surely that will bring me to a stop. My safely getting home had to be engineered, one way or another.

Fortunately, my friend had a rather strong length of twine with him.

"You go ahead; I'll follow and act as your break. I can handle that!" Not a bad idea, I thought.

After all, we would just keep the tension between the two cycles under control and all would be as easy as pie. Not taking up the "slack," turned out to be my literal ultimate downfall. I was cruising at a somewhat accelerated velocity ahead of my friend. What fun! To compensate for the lack of air-conditioning on my bike, by now I had already taken off my shirt. The dust kicked up by a passing vehicle soon settled on both of us as well as the roadside trees and shrubs.

Suddenly I took an involuntary headlong dive on to the course gravel road; sliding along on hands and knees; with a goodly amount of my weight also being taken on my upper chest and abdominal area. Blood, and surely polluted dust mingled with ease. Pain soon manifested itself; what now? Shirts and handkerchiefs soon took care of the bodily wounds; the initially splendid idea once again was implemented.

However, now the speed of progress was markedly decreased. On reflection, it turned out, that the tension between the two bicycles had not been kept steady, the twine dropped behind my machine's back wheel, jammed progress and delivered me with a resounding impact on the dirt road.

Miracle above miracle, I neither got infection or retained bodily scars as an investment in a very foolish breaking system. That was my last exciting long distance bicycle trip without breaks.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Chapter 19:

Reaching Out To Give A Healing Hand

"Good God! You must seriously be considering committing financial suicide," the head of the health department declared.

It all came so naturally; after all, I was trained as a Chartered Physiotherapist, the spin-off seemed logical to help and make the quality of life easier. As was the custom at the time, anyone in "authority," had been at some pains to cultivate a rather impressive pessimism about venturing into private practice or for that matter, into any Private entrepreneurial venture. My always present pure optimism and maverick personality, forced me into the position where "The decision was taken ... in for a penny, hopefully in for a good number of pounds and satisfied "patients."" The prevailing avarice attitude of the archetype money lending banks, made access to financing a private practice, particularly of a health care discipline, almost unknown to them impossible.

"Dr. Mac on the line for you."

"Eugene speaking, can I help?"

"I have a patient with a back problem, pause. "can you help?"

Good gracious, the first call, we have just commenced the practice.

"Of course," I almost sounded too enthusiastic.

The problem, however, was that I was still busy assembling the required treatment couch components pre-cut to order.

In 1965, this was my introduction to a very rewarding and gratifying career as a privately practising Chartered Physiotherapist.

"The newest member introduced to my Fortune System Marriage was at hand to expedite the rather rapid assembly of the back traction unit.

"He's here," she said, meaning Dr. Mac's patient.

"God, help," I prayed. The reinforcement of the traction couch had not yet been done. Fortunately, all being well, the initial treatment if requiring traction would be of a low magnitude.

My previous experience with dealing with patients, was under the time consuming shield of the Public Sector. A tall, well-built man stepped somewhat hesitatingly into the treatment room.

"Eugene," I said enthusiastically, extending my right hand.

"Joe," came the raspy voice whilst gripping my hand in a vice-like almost hurtful grip.

He responded to my history taking of his back problem, by commencing at the very earliest recollection of the onset of his Pains. Well, time and enthusiasm was on my side, I could listen.

"I've had this pain over here ..." He grabbed my right hand and almost destructively drilled it on to his rather bony lumber spine. Preserve my fingers, was the thought that first struck me. On further clinical examination, it transpired that his back was the heir to many and abusive episodes of disregard for spinal care.

Joe paused pensively. "Do you ... do you think you can help me?"

Carefully couching my response, I recalled sound advice: don't trust too much luck at the outset of any enterprise.

"As your spinal dysfunction history indicates," I replied, "you are obviously aware of the longstanding and progressive nature of the condition." Joe acknowledged with a grunt.

"I don't want any operation," he said emphatically. "I've seen too many of my friends suffering!

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Chapter 20:

Visually Impaired Folks Are Subject To The Ever-present Matters

That Irritate, Frustrate And Make Them Feel Dislocated

From The Broader Society!

Now, let's get back to four things, that most irritate blind folks about being blind: These irritating and frustrating matters, are as diverse as the folks that I contacted to get their points of view - and, more important, their honest input about the factors that most caused them concern!

The first thing that struck me, on explaining my request, was their utter surprise and a little silence, that someone should actually ask such a question.

I must emphasise that I highlighted the fact that they had the choice to either partake or to keep their views to themselves! Happily, and fortunately, almost all of them sounded very eager, once I explained my reason for the fact-finding venture. (Only one gentleman did not come back to me - as was undertaken!)

Folks, as I promised, no names! However, thank all of you so much - I found the undertaking both educational, self-enriching, humourous and enlightening!

The best part, believe it or not, not one of the people I spoke to, manifested the presence of a "Chip On The Shoulder" during the conversation! What exceedingly good fortune!

What do you think are some of the things that really irritate, upset, frustrate, Blind or Disabled Folks?

I, too, have often pondered this particular issue!

Well, as not to be left in the dark, I spoke to 10 Professional, Technical and self-employed Blind folks. Ensuring that I would like them, if they agree, to please highlight the Four things that most irritate, frustrate and cause them to experience a degree of frustration.

Well, I got even more than four things! I grouped the overlapping and duplication factors together!

The following was reflected, in no particular order of importance!

1. The first person highlighted lack of good and reliable public transport. Then the personal security re banking and ever-changing access to software and facilities.

This person also mentioned the super-modern disability toilets at a very modern shopping centre. The facilities at the Disability toilets, are all automatic and, to get out, one must press the button on the inside of the door to open, and be able to get out!

(Well, before hand, she did not investigate the possible hidden exit trap! Therefore, did not know where the button is located!)

"You must sit down right here!" You get to the airport or a similar place, you are then rather forcefully, and against your will, admonished "You must sit down right here!" (It is also very advisable, when flying somewhere, to make sure you are in the know about the various functional buttons in the aircraft's toilets!)

(I recall the very good fortune, when flying in Australia, with Qantas! The aircraft outlay, was presented in Braille!)

This person also related about a blind couple in England who cannot find the dirt bin's lid, that got blown away!

I quote from her rather comprehensive and thought-stimulating and provoking email: (I include my thoughts in brackets.)

Hi Eugene.

Hope this finds you well and ready to listen to my long list of personal peeves about being blind.

I am sure that by now you have realised that I am definitely not one of "the Super Blind" who find blindness a welcome opportunity to prove to myself and others that I enjoy the challenge of being able to do anything and everything that sighted people can do. . Actually, Most of the time I find it just plain inconvenient and rather frustrating.

(Could not agree more!)

Keeping in mind, that I am the rapidly maturing product of over protective and loving parents, who, chose to send me to a normal private school run by nuns. My school years were not very happy ones, which probably explains some of my phobias and attitudes to life.

(My experience about protective un-informed but well-meaning parents, is that I too, first went to 3 "normal" schools, and a teacher-aunt before ultimately locating to a school for the blind!)

Now that you have made me think about blindness in general, I would probably divide my reactions into four main emotions.

They are Situations that make me smile or laugh. Embarrassing or just plain awkward. Inconvenient and frustrating. Sad and regretful.

So, here goes!!! Remember, you asked for it!!!

1. lack of independent mobility. Not being able to drive - pop down the road to the shops - just go for a long walk - do things for friends and family - pop in for tea and a chat with friends.

2. Lack of Privacy - Not being able to go to the doctor on one's own - buy underwear alone - shop alone for a surprise gift for my husband - having to have my letters and personal things read to me - Having to ask someone to take me to the toilet when out and about and figure it into my planning when travelling.

3. Financial independence - visiting the bank on my own - drawing money without being watched - sorting out statements and investments independently - sorting out tax - Feeling that I have to explain Money that I spend.

4. Lack of spontaneous movement - not just being able to jump up and move around in company and in places outside one's own home.

5. Lack of eye contact - which makes it very difficult to make contact with others in social situations and groups. This really limits starting conversations and spontaneous social interaction. The inability to see facial expressions and body language also inhibits normal contact.

6. Not knowing what I look like especially when going out - not knowing what others look like and what other people are wearing. Often worrying if one is dressed appropriately or becoming old fashioned and frumpish. Not knowing if ones clothes match or have a obvious stain or mark on them.

Knowing that if I keep asking family and friends, I am afraid to become irritating and they will always tell me that I look okay.

7. Shopping - Never being able to simply walk through shopping centres and shops to enjoy seeing what is available. When taken shopping, one is very aware that one has to know what you are looking for in advance while not knowing what the choices are. Time is also usually limited, to fit in with the kind person who is helping one shop. Often ending up buying something that one does not really want, to please the person helping you.

8. The expense of blindness - assistive equipment is very expensive and when shopping one is not able to look for best prices due to the limited time and patience of the person helping you.

(The reality of blindness in some countries, is that the government of the day, often really does not either care or know how to solve or aid the blind with the necessary funds to enable them to have access to the very helpful, but expensive, electronic aids!)

I do get so tired of always having to feel grateful to others for their help even if they tell me that it is a pleasure.

9. New Inaccessible technology - Despite the fantastic difference that technology has made to our lives, many websites are now becoming more inaccessible and limiting because of so called upbraiding. Home appliances are nearly all becoming digital and impossible to use.

When looking for a new microwave it took me over a year to find one that I could use and was not totally basic and even too small to take a dinner plate.

10. (The isolated island phenomena.)

Being left to stand on my own in a shop or unknown place while my husband or friend goes off quickly to fetch or look at something. Not knowing how long it will take and not being able to move as one does not know what hazards are around or even if one is facing a wall.

11. (The social isolation, yet in a crowd!)

Being sat down in a chair or at a table, while my husband or friend goes to fetch food or to speak to somebody at the other side of the room. One feels so conspicuously alone and not being able to get up and move around, makes one feel trapped.

12. Having to learn to have patience and wait to be helped - Even although my husband and others are happy and willing to help with things like reading instructions on food when I am cooking, reading labels, identifying colours etc. One has to always wait for the right moment, as it is nearly always the wrong time and risk of interrupting something much more important.

When knitting, I sometimes wait a week or two for somebody to visit who can pick up a stitch for me.

(Rather interesting that she mentions a stitch - Again, my empathy! After all, a stitch in time - Once more, we should really be very proactive where ever we can!)

Actually Eugene, all the above really makes me sound rather disgruntled and fault finding.

(On the contrary, whenever we met with this lady, she always sounded and portrayed humour, self-sufficiency and a sparkling personality!)

In fact it is really not so bad and I am so fortunate to have a wonderful husband and supportive family.

(We are so very, very, very fortunate to have at our sides the compassionate, understanding, observant and loving partners!

You may not always be aware of it, but we Really, Really appreciate, value and love you! Also, of course, you are always ready to guide and direct us. To open doors, gates, to help us cross fences, describe the settings on a theatre stage, give on-going subtle play evolvement comments, and maybe describe dresses and cars, beautiful vistas, faces and so much more! I nearly forgot! "What make of car is that?" "It is a green one!")

I do feel sorry for partners of blind people. They also are restricted by us and it must be very difficult and limiting at times.

(I really sympathise and appreciate the following:)

My real sadness however has been not being able to be the mother and grandmother that I would like to be. Missing out on so much. Right from their birth and through all the special moments in their lives. Not being able to react to their smiles. Not being able to watch them play and interact with their friends as they grow in confidence.

Trying hard not to be over protective and anxious about their safety, and not restricting their independent development through one's own limitations. Not being able to watch them when they take part in their school concerts or on the sports field. Not simply, pick them up and take them for an ice cream or shopping on one's own. Missing out on all those "look at me mommy" moments and seeing when they are sad or unsure. All that and so much more.

I do think that being a blind mother might just be emotionally more difficult than that of a blind father. Or maybe they both have their own special challenges.

(All this is very informative; giving one a good overview on so many aspects that we mostly don't even consider! Thank you lady, for your focusing that valuable laser beam in some of those dark and hidden corners, related to the frustrations and irritations sometimes experienced by blind folks!)

Well, I must stop now or this which was going to be a short list will turn into an epistle.

Best wishes to you both.

(I well recall my young grandson asking me: "grandpa, will you always be blind?)

(Well, who knows, in this regard, I have contacted experts on the leading edge of artificial sight, and I can assure you, these diligent, dedicated and always helpful folks, are out there, trying their very best to one day, make us see! The advent of neural-transmission may someday give many of us a much better degree of sight!) Unfortunately, I tried to get some feedback from folks who have been reported to have had some form of sight restored via modern technology. Sadly, never got any feedback or even what the long-term outcome is!)

2. This very independent person, found that unexpectedly finding things where, they were not left! Another irritating factor, while walking on the sidewalk, was bumping into the car doors that were left open. And, among other unexpected things, dog droppings on the pavement.

Then there is the access to digital facilities, which is very expensive.

There is also a perceived reservation, that because you are a blind professional, you may not always know everything. Fortunately, this individual, have not got many problems!

3. Blindness does not preclude this person from his interest in woodwork! It also would be nice to step into a hardware shop and look around.

In his profession, he experienced frustration, on account of mounting red tape and legislation problems!

However, and this is very important, he would really be delighted to see the beautiful girls on the beach. There is also the question of ease of access to reading. Many of the modern-day domestic devices and equipment are digital display operated. This too, is yet another source of frustration!

(However, I have noticed that some manufacturers are keeping this problem in mind when designing their next line of products!)

Fortunately, he is very happy with the world-opening I-phone on hire.

Then, there is the importance of deciding how much, and of which food to eat! It would be very nice, if one could be dishing up your own choice of food, at home as well as when attending a party or at a self-service restaurant!

4. A theme that obviously, often was highlighted, is the problems related to ease of transport and shopping. If this dynamic professional fellow, were still younger, he would like to play cricket.

5. Now here's a very fortunate young Fellow! He really has no hang-ups - dynamic young fellow - transport not too much of a problem - he has a girl friend with a vehicle.

When working out of town, the only problem is transport, transport, transport!

He also has no problems with people focusing on his blindness. He also has ease of access, to information in print or the net.

6. Again, the social and physical restricting factor: not being freely mobile - not being able to drive. And, of course, not being able to freely walk into a shop - example dress and book shop - and browse.

Being in a crowd, not knowing who's standing next to you - that person may even have evaporated - yet, you're still talking into the hole in the air; the ghost person!

Freely reading!

(Here too, one is very fortunate if you have access to the many sources of free on-line libraries or books! This pragmatic lady, is rather practical and cautious.)

7. here we have someone, highlighting the following: ease of person-to-person social communication. On the sidewalk, dog mess, really putting your foot in it!

Ease of access to information about the goods and products in the shops!

In business, lack of eye contact. Deprived of the potential financial and social advantages of golf. Forget not the impact of social isolation.

8. Once more, this lady focused on the lack of good and reliable public transport.

The following, is also a very and legitimate personal concern! Lack of privacy re reading personal letters, for example, love letters and bank statements.

Fortunately computers, print to speech software, makes this easily accessible.

What about people talking to someone, in fact, meaning to talk to you, as if you are not there!

This is really a forehead bumping event: leaving doors half-open.

You ask someone "where are you?" The brilliant answer: "Over here!"

Maybe, when approaching your vehicle in a parking area, if the driver tells you that you now are either behind, in front, the left or right of the vehicle, could save some frustration!

Talking about things where things should not be.

The children are having a splendid, although rather loud and splashing time in the swimming pool, just behind the pool safety wall! The master of the house, elegantly and very carefully, steps out of the garage also to enjoy the sounds of the kids frolicking in the pool!

Please set the following scenario in your mind!

Quite unexpectedly, gravity forces the blind gentleman to very rapidly lose his balance, headed for a bicycle lying on the ground!

The first point of contacts, are the endless metal spokes! Then, there also seems to be an endless supply of tubular frame metal, including the oily chain and the handlebars!

Wherever you feel, the cycle is there - in abundance! You ponder for a moment, but Wherever you feel, the cycle is still there - in seemingly growing abundance!

Fortunately, this frustration, embarrassing laughter provoking episode, also demonstrates the ruggedness of the construction of the long-time mode of transport - the bicycle!

Oh yes! The gentleman, with a good sense of humour!, also "saw" himself from above!

I fully agree, these really are often frustrating problems! However, let's not just let them irritate us! Let's rather be pro-active, reach out to the necessary authorities, manufacturers and societies and agencies, with the necessary problem solving proposals!

All of us have our very own ways of doing things to minimise problems and frustrations! We have our own very important and quality-of-life lessons that we have learned from our experience.

However, if anyone's quality of life is improved by emphasising the following hints, I would be very happy!

A few handy hints, that come to mind, are the following:

1. Sooner or later, we move into a new home! For a visually impaired person, this can be a mighty source of irritation, frustration and sometimes even feeling lost in the new home!

If you are one of the fortunate blind folks, who very easily can visualise the outlay of the new home, good for you!

However, yet another way of getting the outlay picture, is to have someone assist in cutting out shapes of the various rooms, passageway and so on. Using a thickish cardboard, you can now put the puzzle together - presto, you should now have a good idea about the floor plan of the unit!

(Once more, see the practical information about locating and moving to another place or country, in my book: My Precious Spine And I also available at www.smashword.com.)

(The following I also emphasise when staying in a hotel: Make sure you know where the safety escape routes are! In fact, keep a low profile, the nearer the ground you stay, the better!)

There are so many high rise structures around these days! If something goes wrong with them, for example an inferno fire, there's always the risk that the adjacent structures will also be affected!

Following such a fire, there is the added risk, of the remaining structure falling over! Again, when you look for new accommodation, the further away, the better!

Therefore, a very important consideration, when looking for a new home, is to make sure you know where the fire extinguisher, the sprinkler system, a smoke detector are located or are in fact available! This could be a life saver in the event of a devastating fire!

The 45 degree fixed wall in the building. Often, to utilise the available floor space to good advantage, when designing the building, a cupboard is installed in such a way, that the cupboard doors, are at a 45 degree angle, to the passage way. Initially, to a blind person, the lack of the normal straight-edge, guide, can be rather confusing!

The 90 or 45 degree welcoming for a forehead bump door:

If somebody walks ahead of you, and courteously opens the door for you, just keep your forearm parallel to the floor, across your body, in front of you, making sure your arm hits the door - no injury!

Another face-bumping trauma situation, to avoid, is incorrectly bending down to pick up an article that has fallen.

(I have often wondered how much time I have spent locating fallen articles? That time surely, is now added to the longevity!)

The correct way, is to bend hips and knees, keeping the trunk upright and straight, avoiding any possible sharp edges or protruding missiles. Of course, first try and locate the fallen item, by gently making a sweep with your foot, in the area where you believe gravity deposited the article!

Also keep in mind, that if you really walk tall, you are at much less risk of bumping your face!

The danger of hidden in glass fragments and splinters! If a glass object falls, breaks and fragments, the risks are that a skin-penetrating cut can occur; bleeding follows, and the possibility of infection is there!

One of the safer and better ways to retrieve the glass fragments and splinters, is to prepare for the venture.

First, make sure you have strong sole shoes on! You don't want to have a glass fragment penetrating your foot!

Next, prepare the plastic bag lined waste basket. Use a strong bag, or, maybe even better, line the container with two bags!

Next, use a broom to sweep the fragments into a corner.

(At all times, protect your "eyes," your hands!)

Scoop up the cornered fragments, using a plastic scoop, aided by a hand brush.

Now tip this collection into the plastic bag lined container. Then carefully squeeze the air out of the plastic bag, that you have removed from the waste paper container.

There will almost always be some glass splinters remaining on the floor, somewhere along the corner.

Finish the project by using the vacuum cleaner to slurp up those fine glass splinters!

Now head for the recycle bin to do away with the plastic bag and its contents.

(However, please remember, when next you clean the vacuum unit, that hidden in there, are some of those glass splinters!)

Well, the forehead bumping traps are never all accounted for! Or are they really?

While visiting a splendid holiday resort, I met yet another two of these vicious ready-to-pounce fellows! Bending over the bathroom basin, to brush my teeth, I had a near-miss encounter with a bridge-of-the-nose cutting fellow. None other than the sharp-edged glass shelf, mounted at a suitable height above the basin, to be able to give me a full-blow cut at about mid-nose level! Fortunately, always being ready to retaliate with experience, I had anticipated this little cutting-edge device possibly being in waiting for me!

We were staying in a double story unit. The timber, metal-frame supporting, stair system, leading to the top floor, intruded into the lounge.

You've already guessed it! One's first encounter with the stair system, would be walking under it, from the "open" end. Then would follow, a subtle, somewhat neck-extending and forehead bumping experience.

Fortunately, on entering the unit, my always danger-observing wife, immediately cautioned me about this "Risk," thus, I was well on my way to also enjoy the stay!

2. The always lost set of keys: make, or get, a key-holder to fix somewhere near the front door - and hang the keys on this little rack! Check the availability of sound-producing item locators! One of these can also be fixed to the keys!

3. Colour-coded socks: either tie the pair of socks together or get a little plastic square, with a cross cut across it, and insert the matching socks through this cross cut!

4. If you are "looking" for something on the kitchen or any other surface, rather begin feeling at the front end of the surface, and moving back - no risk of pulling the article off the work surface!

It is also a very time saving and handy idea, to either make or get, a paper-towel holder and to fix it somewhere in the kitchen under a cupboard, above the work surface. It is so handy to be able to reach out and find the paper towel role in place.

Similarly, fix a number of adhesive-fixing hooks against either the wall or cupboards, for hanging drying cloths!

Don't forget to also fix a screw-lid opener, under one of the kitchen cupboards. These units have a V-shaped gripping area, enabling various size bottle-tops to be unscrewed!

While transiting from the kitchen to the dining room table, carrying a potentially hot and skin-burning pot of tea, to safeguard another person, it is also a good idea to keep the hot container near your body, and forming a protective circle around it with your other arm!

There always is the risk of a fire! Therefore, please locate a suitable fire extinguisher in the kitchen, where it will be very, very easy to locate, if required! Don't forget to install a suitable smoke detector outside the main bedroom, preferably near the ceiling!

5. Memory on call: I find using a small, inexpensive digital recorder to have at hand, is a valuable asset for taking notes! Of course, there are a wide selection of similar devices available.

6. Bad Memory File Or Folder: This is such a very valuable facility to create on your computer or note taker.

There are so many names of things, people, places and much more, that we do not frequently use. When you come across such information, simply store in either a file, or if it is a file, in the "Bad Memory" file or folder. I really find now and then consulting this, a very useful memory stimulator!

7. Eating out: One often wonders what on the menu?

Fortunately, many restaurants have their menus on-line.

(One of my "making good memories for the future," hobbies, is to collect restaurant menus! It is such an eye-opening venture to now and then, check what was on offer, the price and the really nice gastronomic recollection!)

I believe that some blind folks follow the routine of someone telling them what's on their plate at 9, 12, 3 and 6.

Speaking about what's on the plate, the following springs to mind. A remarkable blind fellow I know, would say, when putting the fork to his mouth, but nothing on the form, "Hmmm! This is Sheffield!"

(However, don't be too surprised if someone with a sense of humour, turns your plate around!!!)

If table etiquette that is followed, your wine glass should be placed at the top end of where the knives are placed - usually on the right-hand side of the plate's location! Caution here, prevents the wine being spilled on the table cloth!

Fortunately, mostly, knives for cutting steaks are extremely sharp, hopefully, the steak is also really tender!

In many restaurants, potato chips - those longitudinal devices, are served with the steak! Here, a potential drawback, is the risk of actually poking the chip up your nose! Well, that's if you are not careful!

To avoid this catastrophe, if you feel you have a chip on the fork, simply rotate the fork, you will very soon realise in which direction the chip is pointed.

If you go to an Italian restaurant, often part of the delightful dish contains rather long (spaghetti) components!

I find it very useful to first cut across the plate, then turn it 45 degrees, and repeat the cutting process! Mostly, now the splendid dish is in bite-sizes - not trailing down the front of either your dress or shirt!

Bona Appetite.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Chapter 21:

Succinct Biography, Eugene J. van Wyk, MCSP

(Chartered Physiotherapist, London, England)

Qualification: In London, England, 1961 I qualified as a Chartered Physiotherapist.

This qualification, was the key to a personally very stimulating, quality of life enhancing and rewarding career. At this early phase of my life, my studies and stay in England, introduced me to "Democracy In Action". Not only democracy, but the larger world of cultural life. The theatre, - the golden age of musicals and plays - magnificent concert halls and orchestras; the wonder of outdoor concerts in some of London's finest parks. Not to forget, feeling safe in your home, accommodation, on the streets and sidewalks, the transport systems and the public parks.

Often, on reflection, I think back with fondness and appreciation, to the enormous impact my stay in London and England had and still has on my life; and the lives of so many people that I had the fortune to associate with.

In 1958, I voyaged to London, England, for my stay as a physiotherapy student.

So Far And Yet So Near!

It is interesting to note how much transport time, and costs of transport, have changed during the time that I sailed to England and the time I flew back to South Africa! The voyage to Southampton, England, took about 12 days and nights! It was a very happy adventure. Recall the many friendly and helpful fellow passengers who were always ready to give either a word or a hand!

The communal ablution facility had a fresh water saving facility - a bowl of fresh water was placed on a timber support, across the bath tub. One actually bathed in heated sea water!

(In later years, we went on a voyage on the luxurious Queen Elizabeth QE 2. And what a contrast!)

On reaching the New World, excitement and apprehension, running in tandem, were foremost in my new venture sights! Fortunately, two fellow students, both with a good degree of sight, were seconded to meet and escort us to our new splendid and very elegant accommodation, at 79 Holland Park, W. 11.)

Down the track, I acquired a Claud Buttler tandem, again, this time, I had to enlist the help of a driver, fortunately, once more, Jody, the fellow who also met us at Southampton, to collect the machine in North London.)

When I qualified, I realised that I must take full advantage of being in England! So Far And Yet So Near! From the outset during my stay in London, I decided to always use my holiday time to visit places of interest in The British Isles! To broaden my expertise, I also worked at two centres for Cerebral palsy children in the London area!

Returning to South Africa - now flying - I once again, worked at a school for Cerebral palsy children!

(A rather interesting aspect of commercial passenger aircraft design, at that time, was the installation of a "Frosted" window in the toilet! I often wondered who would have the audacity to actually look into the flying toilet at the cruising height - or even when the plane was on the runway.)

After the most pleasant and mandatory period at the school, I ventured into my first private practice in South Africa.

Next, motivated by family links, the next venture, was to go into private practice in the enticing Australia. This was a very wide stimulating and most information, wider view of life and experience refreshing time!

Not to forget the enormous and most impressive sound impact, of actually sitting among the orchestra, during the inauguration of the Sydney Opera House organ, spellbound listening to CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS Symphony Number 3.

Our sincere thanks, although a few years later, to the staff at the Opera House, who, despite being fully booked, graciously accommodated us among the orchestra! You have imprinted this event as part of our "Make future Memories, to recall," program. This is one of our audio highlights!!!

This was the inaugural recital series 1979. We enjoyed many a concert in this splendid and remarkable venue!

During our tour to Melbourne, we enjoyed the most interesting, captivating and gastronomically outstanding evening trip on a tramline Restaurant! The restaurant goers, or should they be passengers, really took to the passing vistas, downing their favourite drinks and, of course, enjoying the delights to eat, that were on the offering!

In many ways, it was reminiscent of our days of going to school by train - however, those were steam-operated locomotives that did the very arduous and energy-exhausting tugging along, the young passengers enjoying the now and then fragments of coal flying into their eyes and faces!

Melbourne also presented beautiful parks, a lovely concert hall and the many enchanting and captivating statues to be found here and there in this clean and well-organised city!

In nineteen eighty, while working in Australia, I was exposed to, and met with, the concept of Low Level Laser Therapy Technology and a Holistic approach to patient/client "problems." At that stage, I was often numbed by a dozen, or more, converging prevailing treatment paradigms and prejudices. So entrenched in these prevailing rules and regulations, was I, that I sometimes failed to appreciate the potential of the new technologies at hand. Suddenly, the curtain of preconceived ideas, bias and approaches, was drawn aside.

Then, once again, it forcefully struck me, that there is no gratifying music until the bow of experience and the fiddle of expertise are brought together. At that early phase of the Low Level Laser Technology Evolution,, it once again dawned on me, to be aware of the danger of the "Groove Syndrome!" when viewing and considering, the armament for patient care, at my disposal.

(The difference between a Groove and a Grave, is the Depth.)

We attended the very stimulating Second International Low Level Laser Congress, held in Kansas City, U.S.A., during September, 1998. Again, the merits of leading-edge technology, as a tool to help patients/clients, was highlighted by the excellent papers presented, and the practical feedback from the pragmatic colleagues and "Practitioners at the Coalface".

My early, and longtime association, with the care of "Recent Trauma," either under the guise of Sports Medicine, Industrial Injuries or Motor Vehicle Accident Victims, soon focused my attention on enhancing the holistic quality of life of my patients/clients.

At the other end, of the pain, disability and age spectrum, I dealt with many more mature, experienced and elderly people, who very frequently were so grateful that physiotherapy intervention and age-adaptive advice, made their lives that much more pleasant.

I very firmly believe that all people are entitled to come to the Health And Wealth, light, irrespective of their gender, race or age!! I also believe that all peoples, are entitled to the advantages of early appropriate physiotherapy treatment, rehabilitation and lifestyle advice, to enhance the quality of their lives. This, of course, includes our senior and elderly folks, who, so frequently, are told: "It's only old age, my dear! You'll have to learn to live with it!" And are thus deprived of the enormous help, and quality-of-life enhancement, that physiotherapy can provide to make their lives a great deal more pleasant and easier.

We did extensive international travel, taking our children with, while they were still young. Visiting 33 countries. In later years, it always amazed us how much they learned during those early years of travel.

Present outside Interests: Although we have retire, rather, transitioned, We enjoy the tranquility of our Retirement Facility home; the lovely garden and the variety of birdsong in the garden. Tineke has a passion for observing the variety of birds that come to enjoy her gastronomic goodies put out for them! We enjoy the bird's chatter, take note of their danger-accelerated take-offs when they suspect danger is about to strike! Of course, for her, gardening is a therapy and source of great pleasure.

We are pro-active supporters of the performing arts; and attend the theatre, musical concerts; read extensively both fiction and non-fiction.

Both of us really take enormous pleasure in the works created by artists, authors, musicians, actors and actresses! Whoever you are, where ever you are, please be assured that we are among the many folks who really enjoy and appreciate your talents!

I spend considerable time each week, reading both via my many on-line libraries, and professional magazines, to keep up to date about scientific developments, that might, and do, impact on my various interests and profession.

Early in my professional courier, I realised that, to be reliant on my practice only for income, set the stage for a possible income generating catastrophe, down the line!

Fortunately, my wife has a bent for analysing and using statistics and numbers, as part of her many interests.

So, many years ago, we anticipated the possible financial pitfalls that lay ahead! We embarked on self-empowerment about health and money-management, and learning how and what money really is!

For us, this is the transition - the very stimulating mutual emphasis on both Health and Wealth Self-Empowerment!

Special courses, congresses and seminars attended and undertaken: Now that we are "retired," we make a deliberate point of attending lectures, and interesting and stimulating events, that relate to both Health and Wealth management. And, of course, taking care of our Health and Wealth retirement future!

Both of us take a keen and active interest in becoming Health And Investment Literate. To this end, we attend investment seminars, read extensively about the subject and have at hand some very good satellite information channels.

During our work in various cities and countries, We have gained and harvested, much practical, pragmatic, diverse and valuable information.

Therefore, believing that knowledge is not knowledge, unless it is passed along, I very firmly believe in Self-Empowering my fellows - particularly the young people about both their Health and Wealth!

I attended various Courses on Manipulative Therapy; "Sports Medicine"; Several Practice Administration and Management seminars; Acupuncture and Laser Therapy (Sydney, Australia 19801.)

The Second International Low Level Laser Congress, held at Kansas City, U.S.A., September, 1998, (at which I co-hosted the final day's afternoon session).

Cardio-pulmonary-resuscitation (CPR) 1999. Numerous weekend courses relating to on-going professional education.

The creative side of me enjoys woodwork, wood-turning and writing.

Our emphasis is very much on keeping a balanced life style by doing moderate exercises: walking and swimming.

(As I have mentioned, we now have retired! However, the sting in the tail: our beautiful and well-functioning new resort, although initially included in the design, has no swimming pool!)

We are focusing on health-orientated thinking and eating patterns.

The future: We live by the philosophy, of living day by day, allocating to each very stimulating "problem," it's due time and energy. Also, we have found, that, as one door closes, invariably two other doors open, providing infinitely more stimulating and life-enhancing opportunities.

Although, now retired from fulltime physiotherapy practice, both of us are still enjoying the life-sustaining habit called work! It keeps us fit, and in contact with the people and realities of our time and place. To us, our work is a mutually enriching and enjoyable life-extending pastime.

There is a growing realisation that experience, and experience-acquired expertise, is an enormous valuable equity source for any business. This slots in well, with my longtime belief, that a "Health and Happiness Danger", often lies in "compulsory retirement!" Our future, therefore, lies in continuing to provide service via the "Author-liberating" E-book publishing now so readily available!

I always wish to enhance the quality of our fellow citizens lives and expectations, based on the dissemination of the collected knowledge and experience. This is about how my profession of physiotherapy, has opened opportunity doors, and now can underpin those expectations.

To make it easy for you to learn more about me, please link directly to my personal book page at Smashwords.com.

There you will also learn more about my other publications, and even what may be available free of charge for some time!

Regards,

Eugene and Tineke van Wyk. MCSP

Chartered Physiotherapist, London, England

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Other Books By The Author:

My Precious Spine And I – _A Self-Help Manual For You And Your Spine_

The 2013 eBook edition, is available at:

<https://smashwords.com/books/view/309498>

What Is Your Status And Fortune Worth Without The Support Of A Well Looked After Back?

Don't forget to have some fun!!!

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Health And Wealth Beams – _Fear Health And Wealth Future?_

The 2013 eBook edition, is available at:

<https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/733411>

In your health and financial life, you are the driver and head coach. If nothing else, at least make sure you disinherit the government. Also, keep in mind, that diluting and dividing wealth dissipates it and generally makes it less useful.
