Julia and I have both been cranking along with our schedules for the week. The appointments of course being nonnegotiable unless a client cancels.
But… All in all, both of us are actually ahead of the game with the three things we want to do daily as a couple, individually, and professionally. For whatever reason, “We both feel more motivated than usual!”
The tip Julia gave me about using Siri to create my to do list is working like a champ, too. I’m getting the hang of the Notes app in my iPhone, largely thanks to my wife’s little pointers.
I was shocked as all hell when Julia started telling me which VoiceOver commands to use to navigate the app. Outside of places like the NJ Commission for The Blind, adaptive software venders, the folks in the accessibility department at Microsoft, and Apple’s people, “No sited person in my life ever cared enough to learn things from my end of the equation.”
When she saw my jaw drop, Julia just looked at me and asked, “What? I’m not supposed to know how you use your phone or something?” Then the light must have switched on because she said, “No fucking way! You help everyone around you with their shit! You’ve never had so much as a sighted girlfriend walk you through stuff using your own methodology? What a bunch of mother fucking bitches!”
She then came over to me and said, “I’m sorry. I probably shouldn’t have said that. But I can’t believe no one ever put their selves in your shoes for longer than a few minutes in their life time. It just blows my mind.”
She then gave me a really big hug and held on for a long time. When she finally let go she kissed me gently and said, “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” I told her. I was just surprised to discover that you were into me that much.”
She giggled and said, “Oh baby! If that took you by storm, you haven’t a clue just how into you I really am.”
She then kissed me again for a long moment to emphasize her point. “Thank you,” I said. “I really do appreciate it.”
Julia said with a warm glow in her voice, “Well… It’s only right. We are a couple and you take the time to understand my world, challenges and all. How thick would I have to be not to want to return the favor, especially to a man who has done so much for me? It’s rare that you even ask for a ‘Reasonable Accommodation’ as we’re working on stuff together.”
She then continued, “I also learned the basics of using Windows with keyboard commands. And… Yeah… I see why you use Narrator as a secondary screen reader and JAWS as your main driver. JAWS definitely gives you more options than Narrator. But… If Microsoft keeps it up… Yeah… That could change, as you yourself have already told me.”
She then started laughing. “This isn’t a dream Babe. You and I are wide awake, feeling fine and in perfect health.”
When I finally found my voice again I said, “Well… It looks like I’ve got some catching up to do.”
My wife came close to me again and took both my hands in hers and held them to her chest. When she spoke again it was in a voice that was soft yet firm. But I could tell she weighed every word. “You do more than enough. You don’t have to carry anymore weight in this house than what you already do. You’ve never left me feeling alone with my limitations and you should never have to feel like you’re alone with yours. Not now. Not ever.”
Julia Is a pretty intense woman when she’s making her position clear and it’s just best never to argue, especially when she knows she’s right. So, I simply nodded and kissed her back in reply.
But… Even now as I write this… I still have to shake my head in joyfully bewildered amazement. My wife really took the time to learn the actual software I use, as I would use it? Holey Fuck! “I really did win the lottery on our wedding day!”