Category: Daily Living
I'm usually good at searching through the blind tech catalogues to find what I want but am hoping someone here could give me a place where I can find a better deal. I'm looking for either the full sheets or the roll of post-it-sized labeling paper. I have a labeler, but would prefer the sheets so I can put them in my braille writer, since it's much easier for me to do it that way. Basically, I want to mark my food, especially the stuff that I make and then put in the freezer. I have a Voxcom and although I love it, I'm always using the cards. I figured it would be easier if I just put adhesive paper on the containers so I know what's in them. Also, has anyone here tried the paint pens and the tactile paint sold at Independent Living Aids? If so, what is it like? Can the paint that's not in the pens still be used for writing or, say, for making a map? I was going to buy more bump dots for my microwave and some for my toaster oven. But is it a better idea to use the paint pens, since the paint won't fall off oas the dots did on my microwave r perhaps melt from the heat as they might do on the toaster oven? Finally, I'm looking for two things for the kitchen. The first is a little thing called a potwatch. basically, it's a glass disk that you throw in water and it rattles when the water is boiling. As advanced as I can get with cooking, I still find that boiling water can be a pain if I'm not paying attention to it or if people are talking, thereby making it difficult to hear. The final thing is one of those cutting boards. I got one a long time ago from the New Jersey Comission of The Blind and my mother and I absolutely adore it. it looks like two cutting boards put together, but you can't take them apart. it has very good rubber grips that insures it won't go anywhere. The only problem is that I don't know where they bought it. Can anyone please help us with this? Thanks.
One place yu might try for this stuff is Dale cambell's Blind Mice Mart. www.blindmicemart.com. Even if you can't find the exact items you're looking for perhaps he'll be able to suggest some alternatives. For example, he has these chopping boards that can be rolled up somehow, or more accurately folded, so that they are easier to carry over to a skillet, to throw in your chopped ingredients etc. Just a thought anyway, hope it helps.
Cheers,
Simon
Thanks! I didn't know about that site! Do they resell stuff too? There are some vintage, mostly nondaily living things that I want as well, and I've always been interested in blindness products resellers. There used to be this site called out-of-sight.com that was offered some wonderfully unique products, but they went down a few years ago and I could never find a suitable replacement. Anyway, I'll definitely check out this new one and add it to my list of sites.
Do you know anything about their affiliate program? Do you have to have a website or company to join or is it provided for you? They were talking about helping people become entrepreneurs and I'm always looking for such an opportunity, provided it's lagitament.
tiff, i'm all for blind technology and assistive advances and all, but for instance, a 25 cent bottle of puff paint from walmart will do the same as the bump things for your microwave. you can also get clear contact paper from an office store that would probably be cheaper than the actual labeling sheets through a blind vender. i'm not sure on that possitively but check into it. like i use card stock for braille paper because it is cheaper and i notice no difference. as for the other stuff, i'm not sure.
Pipi has some good points there tif, well worth considering. The affiliate program is something I'm also looking into. Heard nothing back as yet though, having sent in the form to join before the holidays. See what you need to do is write to Dale, and ask to become an affiliate. He'll then send you a form to fill out to get you up and running. Yes, you do need a website, as how it works is he then, when you are accepted into the program, sends you a link, which you then refer people to along with a code that you create, (a bit like an online shopping coupon). They then quote that whenever they buy from him, and you get a percentage of the sale. Make sense? If not ask Dale and he'll do a better job of explaining it lol.
Thanks to both of you! I was thinking of contact paper, but was worried it might not work well in the braille writer cause it's a bit thin. Still, it's worth a shot and anything cheap is good. I'm all for substitution if it works. *smile* As for the affiliate program, that sounds wonderful and alot easier than I thought. I wonder if I could use my LiveJournal, if you're allowed to have multiple sites. The reason I thought of that is that I have alot of blind and visually-impaired friends on there who might need to go to a site like that. If not, maybe something like Google Add Cents. I heard that's a good site. Anyway, don't wanna cross into the job hunt category here. lol
Hi, Tiff. I'm a little confused about the cutting board thing. Sounds like you're describing a regular cutting board. Pretty much all cutting boards you buy at the store have rubber feet so they don't slide all over. And I've seen some that fold in half like I think you're describing, to make them easier to store. I've never heard of a cutting board specifically for blind folks. I've also never heard of the "Pot watch" you describe. I'll have to google that out of curiosity now.
I've got one of those boil alert disks that you put in the bottom of the saucepan and rattles around when the water starts to boil. I got that from RNIB in England.
No, thNo, this one doesn't fold up. It's solid, but it looks like two put together. It has a whole in it to make it easier for hanging and the surface isn't a normal wood, but a rough material, I guess to make it easier for cleaning. I know it sounds like any other cutting board, but that's the best I can describe it.
You might want to consider using regular paper labels if you don't care about stuff being transparent. Sticking a piece of tape/contact paper or whatever over the braille tends to make it last a little longer as well.
About this boiling water have you just put your hand on the pots handle? You can feel when water boils if you can't hear it due to noise. Also if your cooking honey Thou shalt pay attention. (smile)
Forereel is right about feeling the vibration of the boil by putting your hand on the pot handle. I just hadn't thought to write that.
I don't think there are cutting boards designed for blind people but the blindness catalogs used to sell one that had raised sides so you're less likely to have something roll off the table, which can happen to sighted people but they're more likely to see it happen than find it mouldy a week later. And it had a tapered end sou you could kind of just pour what you'd been cutting into a bowl. What I really like for ease of cleaning and being more sanitary are the glass cutting boards. Yes, they must be some kind of treated glass so they don't scratch and chip when you cut on one. I really love the one we have. As much as I like the feel of cutting on a nice wooden board, they are a bear to keep really clean and even more so to keep from warping unless you get the expensive two inch think ones. I know someone who is much more the cook than I am who has these new plastic boards that are very thin and can be easily stored out of the way, and she has several so she can have one for cutting meat and one for garlic and one for fruit and veggies that she doesnt' want to have absorb the garlic. Too fussy for me and I think the glass board isn't absorbing garlic either.
Thanks to all of you for your help and suggestions. That water thing is really embarassing, especially for someone who adores cooking as I do. I'll try the hand idea. I think I may have and stupid me, didn't think of it. I think those boards are plexiglass but don't quote me. Mine is one of those two-inch-thick ones. rofl I should just scan in a pic of it and post the link for those of you who can see well enough to recognise it. It doesn't have a brand name cause I asked Mom, but it did come from one of those catalogues. As for contac paper, I thought that was a wonderful idea, but when I told her about it she said it brings bugs. Still, the tape and paper one is great and I'll try it out. anything that works, cause this labeling thing is driving me mad!
i have one of those boil discs that devision of blind services got me and i absolutely love it! especially when i am doing other things around the kitchen and need to be alerted of the water boiling. i also have a tactile cooking timer that they got me as well. both my husband and i use it even though he can see very well.