[optacon-l] Re: hello from former Optacon teacher Judy Adams
- From: "Pam Drake" <pamdrake@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 9 Jan 2009 19:49:23 -0800
The restaurant was named Stickney's. I used to enjoy their fried onion
rings.
What a time that was! I was there in late 1975, one of four students
sent in that class from the Social Security Administration. Best thing
I ever got from that job aside from the paycheck of course, and the
retirement funds which I withdrew when I left, using the money to buy my
own Optacon in 1979. I still have that one, though it needs work. I
have managed to acquire two more over the past few years.
I don't remember you, Judy, and it could be that you were gone by the
time I got there. I haven't followed this thread fully, but have saved
the messages for future reading.
The director of training at the time was a very nice lady by the name of
Kay or Cay Miller. She was so patient with me.
My learning curve was pretty steep the first week, and I had family
friends in the Palo Alto/Mountain View area. I had been out to dinner a
few nights, and when she asked to come by my room I was sure she was
going to tell me I wasn't making it and it was time to pack up for home.
Well, nothing could have been further from the truth. Cay gave me an
assignment for that weekend. Anything! I said. I really wanted to
learn this machine. Her assignment was to plug the Optacon in on Friday
afternoon, which advice was given before we understood the nature of
NiCad batteries, go to San Francisco as planned with the other three
students who had planned this along with me, and not to touch the
machine till Monday morning. I had been ready to forego the trip; but
she told me I was trying too hard, putting far too much pressure on
myself.
On Sunday night I could hardly wait to get back to the Optacon, and for
the next week my progress absolutely soared! What a great trip!
I went back in 1981 and got the teacher's certificate; in fact, one of
the Optacons I now own belonged to a friend whom I trained under
contract with her employer. While I'm on that subject, the other
belonged to a friend whom I hadn't seen for many years, who had it in
the back of his closet and gave it to me for nothing more than a gift
box of mixed nuts, which was all I could get him to accept. I had all
my Optacons worked on by Richard Oehm, and was lucky enough to have
gotten the two additional ones from people I knew, so I knew they had
been at least stored properly, if not used.
My! What memories!
Pam Drake
-----Original Message-----
From: optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:optacon-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of JBliss Judy
Sent: Wednesday, January 07, 2009 9:45 AM
To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: hello from former Optacon teacher Judy Adams
Dear Don,
Well, my memory isn't what it used to be, but your name is familiar too.
Did you come to training with a dog? Early training was done at a local
hotel on El Camino Real whose name slips my memory (it was a name
familiar to a local restaurant nearer University Avenue in Palo
Alto...The Flamingo??)...it had an all-night restaurant, and and an
outside pool near the restaurant. And there was a small footbridge that
connected the rooms in one area of the hotel (that wrapper around the
restaurant), that you had to cross the parking lot, and then you were at
the restaurant. I remember doing mobility around the footbridge and
pool was a hassle and once one of the guide dogs fell in one evening
after training, slipping under the fabric or soft plastic cover over the
pool one winter, as I recall, but got out OK.
Do you remember the names of the other students when you were training?
What work did you go into after Optacon training? Are you still using
the Optacon to supplement other access tools?
Thanks for your response, and for keeping in touch.
Judy
----- Original Message ---------------
Subject: [optacon-l] Re: hello from former Optacon teacher Judy Adams
From: "don bishop" <w6smb@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 14:12:05 -0800
To: <optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Hi Judy,
>
>Your name is vary familiar and I'm sure we crossed paths at tsi at some
>point as I got my first Optacon in 1972 and received training in Palo
>Alto (or was it Mountainview). Training was at a hotel, the name of
>which escapes me after all these years.
>
>Anyway, welcome to the list.
>
>Don Bishop
>
>
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