The Second Day

Not exactly the way I expected the day to start! It was the day start from hell, sorta, kinda.

The hotel is actually very nice. The staff has helped me get around, helping me teach petunia the way. they’ve helped get Petunia out to do her business. Oh yeah, Petunia is my guide dog. grin.

I had a nice cup of coffee in the common area near the lobby, and felt the day was starting off fine.

Then came the fun. I was supposed to be taking the hotel shuttle to the Center for the Blind for this ZoomText Fusion class. Uh oh. The shuttle was so tall, that I could not step into it. I have a fused knee and an artificial knee, and it was too high for me. Definitely not a wheelchair accessible shuttle. Not that I need a wheel chair, but I need an accessible way to get in. lol. So, back to the lobby and the front desk we go. Yippee. The desk clerk, a very nice woman, called a taxi, and specifically told them that I needed a sedan, a vehicle I could get in. Did they send such a vehicle? Um, noooo. They sent a van, again, not something I could get into. Aaaaaaaahhhhh
111 So, the nice desk clerk called again, double emphasized the need for a sedan, and off I went to wait again. And wait, I did. And wait I did. And again, yes, indeed I waited. We called one more time, and finally, at last, as I was teetering on the edge of despair, rage, tears, anguishh, dramatic mood swings and tears, the cab arrived. And off to the center we went. Only a mere forty minutes late. Sigh. Ah well.

I’m what one might call a tiny bit anal about punctuality. Just a tiny bit. I don’t feak out when I’m late, no not me, never. Okay, so I do. I was ready to go by eight AM, class starting at nine, at a center a whole long five miles away Forty minutes late, when it isn’t my doing, makes me crazy! But at last I arrived, and the purpose of this whole adventure could begin.

Fortunately, nobody was upset that I was late, and I didn’t miss too much. The instructor, Mark, brushed it off, and just let me get seated and went on. There are four other people in the class, and I enjoyed getting to know them all, working with them, laughing with them.

ZoomText Fusion is an adaptive technology software package, combining the ZT screen magnifier with the window Eyes screen reader. I need to learn it for my job, because the program I know like I know my own name is a different program. And I’m not going to use this blog to talk about the program. This is just about my time here taking the class.

We dealt with a lot of interesting topics, somethings very familiar much like the program I know, but other things were different, and I was fascinated, interested and 100 percent engaged in the class. I love learning new things, giving my brain new fodder to chew on, trying unfamiliar stuff. So, if today was any indication, I’m going to have a marvelous time.

For lunch, we all ordered pizza, and we got to know each other a little bit more. I know each of my fellow students and Mark are people I would enjoy socializing with, as colleagues or friends.

The afternoon was more training, where I learned some cool new techniques, and where I had to remember not to use the techniques from my other program. I love the challenge!

I shared a classmate’s Uber ride and didn’t have a problem at all with them accepting Petunia. I got back to the hotel, and Kayla, the very nice evening desk person, helped me get Petunia relieved. I was going to go down to the happy hour social hour but I’m pretty tired, and we’re in the midst of a big thunder storm, and I didn’t want to take Petunia, my thunder fearful girl, didn’t want to make her guide in that situation.

I’m now kicking back with a glass of red wine, some turkey, cheddar and crackers, a couple yummy home made cookies, watching CNN’s coverage of the Republican convention.

Tomorrow, another day of class, a night with friends, and most likely more wine and cookies!

So, though the day didn’t start off, giving me a great impression of this adventure, the day ended up being fantastic, wiping away all the stress and anxiety from the morning.

Let’s keep our fingers and paws crossed for a better start tomorrow!

Oh, and if anyone cares, I’m reading, the Ivy Crown, by mary Luke, an historical fiction novel about Katherine Par, sixth wife of Henry VIII, a woman I admire greatly!