A matter of choice

Dear Bonnie, 

We blind people have placed so much emphasis on employment as our measure of success, that we overlook just what being successful is really all about. 

If we had an annual award for The "Most Successful Blind Person", I would submit your name as the outstanding example of what we blind folk are striving to accomplish. 

Thank you Bonnie, for telling us your success story.  And no, you are not bragging.  That's sort of funny, isn't it?  We tell our story and then feel the need to run that little disclaimer. 

Bonnie, you have said nice things about me in the past.  Well, the same back to you. 

 

Carl Jarvis

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Bonnie Blose

To: acb-l

Sent: Friday, March 09, 2012 5:31 AM

Subject: [acb-l] A matter of choice

I live on Social Security Disability and manage  to save money of
which I am very proud. My living situation is unique in that I rent a
three bedroom farmhouse for $250 a month. I use well water so have no
water bill and at present pay only $5 a month for garbage although
this will soon go up since I will be getting service in my own name.
I have minimal food stamps and do have assistance with heat, although
the amount goes down every year since more and more are in need.
I gave up direct TV, yes, I know, I did have a satellite, but I gave
it up because of a disagreement I had with them about service offered
I felt new rules they had resulted in a break of the contract between
us.  I parted ways with them and have never been happier. I don't
have cable for two reasons. First, I watch very little television,
and most important, it is not offered here. I use a digital box with
an old television. I do have all the frills for the phone because I
want to and because it makes doing Books And beyond easier. I pay $25
or thereabouts for electric. This is decided on a monthly basis by my
landlord because the house I live in shares a garage and he didn't
want to separate the two.
I eat out very little, pay for transportation for appointments or
very occasionally to go out to lunch. I use a  food pantry and go
with a very good friend each month. I am on an independent living
board including several committees and am given transportation to and
from those meetings.

Are there things I'd like to have? Absolutely. Since I am such a book
lover, I would dearly love to have audible.com, but since I pay for a
maintenance  agreement for a Braille display, anti virus protection,
two boxes on a voice mail system and book share, it has to wait for a
bit. It is a sacrifice I have to make.

I lived for many years with a man who ruined my credit a long story I
won't go in to here. I paid off delinquent land taxes and an
outstanding loan and was told by the person at the loan company I was
an amazing woman in that I paid back what I owed and stuck to it.
I've since paid off another loan and got a new refrigerator through a
friend who put up a cd as collateral to cover the cost if I didn't
pay since she and her husband were co-signers. I paid it in a year
with no late payments. It is the first new one I have ever owned.

When on my own quite suddenly after the death of the man I mentioned
above, I found used appliances that were refurbished by a local man
in another town. Through him, I got my first washer and drier, stove,
and refrigerator. I paid them off over several months  and thought
always and still do about what I could afford before I did  it. I
will admit I sometimes borrow $10 or $20 from friends but always pay
it back and that happens at the end of the month only.

I worry about being a single person and the increased medical needs I
may have as I get older or what would happen if I couldn't care for
myself and ended up in a home but like many try not to think about it.

I do keep up with medical checkups and bills and have used on two
occasions the charitable programs local hospitals offer. I didn't
want to, but a very close friend said I should. A pinched nerve and x
rays and their cost helped me decide she was right. Instead of the
therapy I was told to have, I did range of motion exercises so I
wouldn't have that cost. Time will tell if that was wise or not.

I don't expect my son to take care of me but will use what I can in
resources available. How does one live on a limited income? It's done
with a responsible attitude and thinking about what you need as
opposed to what you want. Sure, I'd love to have more of the
technology others have but I don't need it.

On the other hand, a local woman impressed with me, I don't know her
name, called a computer store telling them she wanted a computer
built for me. She did and I will be forever grateful. I was saving
for one, but it alleviated a lot of pressure and fear for me.

I do have a cell phone I really don't need very much. It's my luxury.
I know this is very detailed, but it is my belief a person can live
on a limited income by using alternate resources and by being very
careful about how they spend what they have. We all have things we
thought we would use but don't sitting in closets or cupboards.

I hope you will not see this as bragging on my part. I do work very
hard at what I do. My rent is low, and that makes all else possible.
I am more fortunate than most in that, and I know it. ON the other
hand, I lose out on cultural things I would love and don't go out as
much as I would like, but it is worth the sacrifice for now. I plan
to move someday, but I will not take the Missouri Blind Pension route
because it is not that state's responsibility to take care of me or
make my life easier. There are many poor people in this world, and
the majority are not blind. I feel for all of us.

I have learned that I can do more with what I have than I thought,
that I can learn more than I thought I could. One requirement is
living with little is having a mind set that says you will make it
all happen somehow, although you may not quite know how. A poor
person lives with uncertainty but is rich in many ways. I am rich in
friendship and have a good mind and positive attitude about life.
Like the financial aspect of my life, it makes much else possible. I
wouldn't be anywhere without it.

The best way to live with little if a person must is not decide you
absolutely must have a certain amount but make the most of what you
have. I use a crock pot a lot and am a good cook. I make lots of
soups and casseroles. It is not always easy, and there is always the
fear something I won't be able to handle will come along, but that
may be true for everyone.

In all the discussion about this, I thought the best response might
be to just say in detail how I do it. Please know I am not trying to
brag, but I am proud of what I do accomplish, give back to the blind
community of which I am a part in all the ways I can and to the
community I live in as well.

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