[optacon-l] Re: Hi, Optaconers

  • From: Laurel Jean Walden <laurelj@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2015 08:53:06 -0500

Hi, Robert.

Congratulations on all of your accomplishments with the Optacon and getting 
back to using it on a daily basis.

I learned the Optacon when I was in the first thru third grades and had been 
exposed to cutouts of print letters, numbers and punctuation signs from my 
preschool years, although I am a Braille reader. So, reading print with the 
Optacon came pretty naturally to me.

I have a mail reading station next to my front door with access to my Optacon 
and shredder. So, when I go thru my mail, I can breeze over everything with the 
Optacon and decide what gets shredded and what gets a closer look. For larger 
documents, I use my OCR, but love the Optacon for going thru my mail. I use it 
to proofread checks when I have to hand write them, and to make sure that my 
mailed correspondence is printed and addressed properly. It is great for making 
sure that the delivery addresses of bills are aligned properly with the little 
windows in those return envelopes.

That is just the beginning of my adventures with the Optacon, and I know that 
others on the list have done much more than I have. But, I can't imagine my 
life without it.

Keep up the Optacon and blessings on your day.

Laurel in South Carolina





> On Feb 26, 2015, at 1:54 AM, Robert Feinstein <harlynn@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
> Just wanted to make a few comments.  this is Robert in Brooklyn.
> 
> I had one of my optacons made to work only on electricity by Richard and
> it works beautifully.  I have been using it quite a bit, and getting back
> to my former optacon using self.
> 
> I am convinced that we who use the optacon are truly lucky because we have
> a really excellent idea not only of what print is like, but how things are
> arranged on a page, or how a check is laid out, etc.
> 
> I find that when I get mail, I read at least half a page with the optacon,
> and then use my sara reading machine.  That way, I keep in practice, and
> take advantage
> of both systems.
> 
> I received a check today, and it said "only valid with two authorized
> signatures".  I could read where it said "authorized signature" and it
> said it twice, and I could feel that the check had been signed two times.
> This really was incredible for me to be able to do.  Is this piece of
> information important, probably not, but I truly got a kick out of knowing
> it. 
> 
> I think that if the optacon had been marketed by explaining what one could
> read, instead of concentrating on speed of reading, it might have done
> better.
> 
> I had no idea of what print was like, but thanks to the optacon, I know my
> letters, numbers, and can read things that are underlined, and even a bit
> of italics, although that is very slow and difficult for me, and I don't
> usually spend the time to try to decipher it.  But regular, clear print, I
> can say I am doing quite well.
> 
> By the way, I tried to use other fingers besides my index, but can't make
> anything out.  I also discovered that I was keeping my letters a bit too
> large, and making them smaller, so they take up less room on my finger,
> enables me to read better.
> 
> Do many of you use your optacons on a daily basis?  Do you think it would
> be harder to manage without an optacon?  Are you glad you learned it?  Do
> you use it in conjunction with a scanner or reading machine?  Did you know
> print before getting your optacon, or did you have to learn the letters
> like I did?
> 
> Warmest regards,
> Robert in Brooklyn
> PS: I remember one question from the optacon manual: What time is it when
> an elephant sits on an optacon?  time to get a new optacon.  When I was
> learning to use the optacon, that took me about 8 minutes to read.  (sad
> smile)
> 
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> 
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> 
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> 
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> 
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