Author: Pam Harris, "blind" writer

I am legally blind due to macular degeneration, but that isn't holding me back. Sure, there are some things I can't do, but there are many that I can. As a retired teacher and principal, I still want to help others, whether they are dealing with vision loss, caregiving, health issues, and circumstances we face as we age. Life has taught me invaluable lessons, so I hope to help others on their journey, along with some fun blogs along the way!

School — funny?

by Pam Harris, "blind" writer

algebra humor

The fun is about to begin! (Teachers who read this are saying, “What???”)

Seriously, funny things happen at school. Kids say funny things. Teachers do and say funny things. Nothing wrong with that. We need more laughter at school. We need more laughter in life.

Years ago, when I was teaching high school French, we had a lesson involving animals. The textbook had a picture of the animals with the French words underneath each one and a bubble with the animal sound. You know, how we depict a dog as saying “Bow wow” or “Arf.” One student raised his/her hand (trying to protect the student’s identity) and asked, “Do animals in France make the same sounds as animals here?”

Or the time I was teaching and a student raised her hand. “Mrs. Harris, did you know you have two different shoes on?” I looked down. Yep, sure enough. One black flat with a pointed toe and one black flat with a rounded toe.

When a principal I once worked with made announcements, he occasionally said something that cracked all of us up. Not on purpose. It’s just what he did, the way he said it. And we loved it. It started our day with a good laugh.

At in-service last year, our principal brought in a magician of sorts who also had an important message, designed to encourage us and get our batteries recharged for the school year. It may have been one of the best in-service sessions I have ever attended. I left that session relaxed, having laughed until I cried, and inspired because of the man’s message at the end.

I encourage my fellow teachers — along with myself — to laugh more. Laugh more with our co-workers. Laugh more in the classroom. Find the humor when you can. Don’t stress over the small stuff. Don’t take yourself or your situation too seriously.

Laughter truly is the best medicine!

Teacher humor photos found on Pintrest.

teacher humor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Technology, love it and hate it

by Pam Harris, "blind" writer

Wow, technology. It has really rocked my world. In some ways good, others not. I’m not totally used to it. I like listening to CDs and the radio instead of downloading songs to my phone. It drives my sons crazy. “Mom, you and Dad are so behind the times!” They just shake their heads when my husband and I give people directions to places. “Or they can just put it into their phone,” they say. Oh, yeah, forgot about that.

It’s just that I don’t totally trust technology. It doesn’t always work. And they keep changing everything. About the time I get used to doing things a certain way, they change it. Did you know you have to pay to keep Word up-to-date now? And those smart phones don’t stay smart forever, and you are “forced” to upgrade more often than you’d like? Thanks to cell phones and the internet that I feel I absolutely MUST have, I will be working for the rest of my life just to pay their ever-increasing charges.

They’ve got us right where they want us. We need what was once a luxury. I’d rather do without television than internet. After all, I like reading books on Kindle. I like keeping up with what’s going on in the world. I like skimming Facebook to find out who had something amazing for dinner. I can even watch TV programs and YouTube videos.

The truth is, though, I could do without all that. I could go back to going to the library for my books (just wish they had more large-print versions), go back to basic cable with very few channels (in which case my husband would be devastated), drop a cell phone entirely (rely on my landline), and read the newspaper to find out what’s going on in the world.

And I can use a road map. Bet those young millennials can’t do that!

 

Six degrees of separation

by Pam Harris, "blind" writer

Sometimes I like to play the six degrees of separation thing. You know, supposedly there are only six people between you and someone else, specifically a famous person. It is kind of fun. For some celebrities, I don’t have to go far. Elvis, for instance. I once interviewed Gordon Stoker of The Jordannaires, an extremely kind gentleman that I wish I could have known. He sang back-up with Elvis for years. The picture above is of me and June Juanico, one of Elvis’ girlfriends in the 1950s. Yes, I bought her book. Ten years ago.

We once followed Jane Seymour around on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. She smiled at my husband. He walked on air the rest of the day.

I even know a guy who has worked in the federal government and rubbed elbows with all of the presidents from Clinton until now. Well, I guess he’s around President Trump. Then again, maybe not.

A local young man played football with Peyton Manning. In Tennessee, that’s pretty cool. No, that’s really cool. If Peyton ran for president, the Vol nation would vote for him. Guaranteed.

Okay, I’m going to randomly select someone. No, I’m going to call my son, and he’s going to randomly select someone. (Pause for phone call. He’s at Walmart in the town where he lives.) He just told me Tom Hanks, my favorite actor.  Oh, that was too easy. My son knows someone who met Tom Hanks.

But other celebrities are more of a challenge. Give me a name and let me see what I can do. It may take research, but I’m up for the challenge. And what about you? Do you have a six-degrees story to share?