About

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Image (c) 2016 by Charlie Cottrell, all rights reserved.  Used by permission.

Hello.  I’m the Little Blind Girl, also known as LBG.  I’m little (size-wise, not age-wise), I’m a girl, and I’m legally blind, which makes the whole facebook/blog thing a little tricky.  However, with the ever-advancing technology available to aid the visually impaired, I am venturing into the blogosphere.  I haven’t found many blogs addressing the issue of low vision, so feel free to give me a shout if you find one or you have one.

That isn’t my whole life, though; in fact, it’s only a small part of it.  I have a wonderful circle of friends and family, and most people don’t realize I can’t see well unless I tell them.  I also get to bypass the whole appearance obsession since I can’t actually see what anyone looks like, including myself.  Don’t ask me how I managed to be a makeup artist while I was in school.  All I can tell you is that overly-sensitive fingertips give me some mad blending skills. Skills?  Skillz? Nah, I’m not that cool.

I’m also an INTJ, according to the Myers-Briggs type indicator test.  To unpack that:  I am Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, and Judging.  My type is sometimes called the Strategist or the Mastermind, and we’re apparently uber-rational.  The internet tells me that, as a female INTJ, I’m essentially a unicorn because INTJs make up less than one percent of the female population.  It actually makes total sense that I would be the unicorn type because I’m rare, I’m fantastic, and I can stab idiots with my head.  I should have seen it earlier, especially when I started to poop rainbows.

According to the Chinese zodiac, I’m also a Monkey, or at least I was born in the year of the Monkey.  A monkey is essentially the opposite of an INTJ.  Think robot (INTJ) vs. trickster (monkey).  It’s okay, really.  Ceaseless inner conflict keeps life interesting. How can I reconcile these disparate aspects of my being long enough to avoid the butterfly nets, you ask?  I have no idea.  Let’s find out!  Meanwhile, if you still don’t understand what an INTJ is, here is one of my favorite examples of my personality type in action (the INTJ is the one in green, if you couldn’t tell):

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(Comic © 2000-2016 of Explosm, LLC)

But what I really am is what I said in the beginning:  a little blind girl.  To me, the world is fuzzy.  I like it that way.  I just assume everyone is gorgeous and the world looks amazing.  I’m sad that I may go completely blind someday, but I know there are benefits to blindness as well as drawbacks, and I have hope that before the lights go all the way out, there will be some way to save my vision.

88 thoughts on “About”

  1. My daughter spent 12 years legally blind. On her 16th birthday they tried her on a different kind of contacts. (she is 17 now) She can see, however, her sight continues to fade. We are hoping it will level out before nothing helps her anymore. She too loved the fuzzy world. She never worried with her looks or others. She listened and pictured them to their voice. She never looked at people because she could not see them so they automatically assumed she was stuck up and wanted nothing to do with her. She was able to draw with a computer tablet which lead to a part time job with a website from down under.

    I find your willingness to branch out into the blog world an awesome testament to your courage. I will keep you in my prayers along with my daughter.

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  2. This is a great blog.. I have a friend Pranav who lives in India and who I met on a Traveleyes holiday – here’s a link https://www.traveleyes-international.com/ . He is blind and has a blog on here too.. http://techesoterica.wordpress.com/ he is VERY techy minded *smile* and uses some specialist equipment which he writes about on the blog. We met in Iceland and it was the best holiday I have ever experienced.. I’ll follow this blog with interest. You have a great way of writing.

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  5. I’m glad to have stumbled across your blog. It takes a lot of strength to put yourself out there, and you write wonderfully. Writing is a great way to really connect with people you otherwise wouldn’t have (it’s pretty good for venting too 😉

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  6. Hi, Chris! Glad I found your blog. Funny! We “see” people almost the same exact way–tall, thin and gorgeous. Easier that way! I’ll be “seeing” you regularly on your blog. You write so well!
    Barbara

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      • Forgot to ask you if you use a screen reader? Enough vision to not need one yet? From the beginning, I’ve used JAWS and have been thinking of investigating others. Enjoying your blog!

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      • Yes, I use a screen reader. Don’t know what I’d do without it! Or them, I should say, as I’ve tried a number. It takes some getting used to, but definitely worth it. Thanks! I hope you continue to enjoy the blog.

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  8. For a writer to be speechless means a lot. I was very touched by your “about” description, and I love how you describe yourself and your world. You remind me a lot of Caroline Casey in her TED Talk called “Looking Past Limits.” It is a phenomenal speech! I have watched it multiple times, and it never gets old. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyBk55G7Keo Her words are incredibly powerful.

    Your words also remind me of a girl I met about a year ago named “Devina” (she renamed herself). She was the first legally blind person I ever met, and I didn’t even know it. We were at a dancing/painting class, and I had no idea until she told me. We had a wonderful evening, and I learned a lot from her courage and boldness: http://6monthstolive.wordpress.com/2010/03/14/day-123-sights-unseen/

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    • I’m deeply flattered! Thanks so much. I have to say, living with myself every day as I do, I rarely find myself at all impressive, so it’s nice to hear good things from others. Yeah, us legally blind people work pretty hard to keep it from being obvious. Like I said, there are good things and bad things about it. I wouldn’t choose it, but since it happened to me, I might as well find the silver linings!

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  12. I like that you live in a fuzzy and optimistic world. I also like that I’m a supermodel in your world 🙂 But mostly, your writing is hilarious (in the one post I’ve read so far), and I look forward to reading more!

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  13. I love your “half full” attitude towards life–aka “fuzzy” believing in the best in what you find in people. Very uplifting and refreshing. Thanks for checking out my site, and I look forward to following yours.
    Happy Pages,
    CricketMuse

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  17. Love your blog Chris! I’ve often thought about how screen-centric daily life has become, and wondered whether it would make it more difficult for a blind person to participate. So I’m really encouraged and inspired by what you’re doing with this blog! On top of which your writing is great, and I love your wry sense of humor. Great blog handle, too. Keep it up!

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    • Definitely! Yeah, it’s getting easier as more and more aids for the visually impaired come out, and existing ones get improved. It’s nice not to have to feel cut off from that part of life anymore.

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  20. Well, wouldn’t you know it–the day I nominate you for the Beautiful Blogger Award you drop a post all about your upcoming pro status for swearing. We will overlook that tiny indiscretionand concentrate on how much more fun the world is with the addition of your pithy outlook and wry commentaries. Do try to tuck in your &*&%4^^ when you come up to the podium to accept your award–yes? No, Meryl Streep slip ups, okay?
    Ha and Blue Skies,
    CricketMuse

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  28. Hi Chris

    I love your blog and I just wanted to let you know that I’ve nominated you for a blogger award! Check it out at http://www.dailychoicesaddup.wordpress.com There are some rules for receiving the award however, so I’m passing them along (not sure how well I adhered, but what can you do?!). (1) thank the blogger who nominated you (2) include the links to their blogs, (3) include the award image in your post, (4) copy the award image to your site, (5) give seven random facts about yourself, (6) nominate 15 other bloggers for the award, (7) when nominating other bloggers include the links to their sites, and (7) let those bloggers know they’ve been nominated.

    ps. you don’t have to publicize this after moderating…I just couldn’t find an email for you!
    Hope you have a great week!
    Elaine

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  31. Wow, you are an amazing girl Chris. I accidentally stumbled across your blog and I am so glad I did. I struggle with stupid stuff in this world and to be faced with what other people endure or rather how happy other people are with much greater obstacles than me, put stuff in my life into perspective and humbles me. Thank you for that. I will definitely visit your blog again!

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  36. Wow. I began reading your blog. loved it by the end of the first post and then thought ‘wait. what? this girl’s not blind. maybe she’s speaking figuratively.’ You have a view on life that’s waay better than those of us who can see. and maybe it isnt just your cross that’s made it that way..I think you’re a naturally wonderful person and a laugh riot! You inspire me.

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  38. Pingback: Gratuitous Cyber Hugs | Obscured Dreamer

  39. When I first read that you thought the world was fuzzy, it made no sense to me that you were an INTJ. Then I realized you were literal. I’m an INFP. Rarely literal. Also rare since I’m a male. You look like you have an interesting blog.

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    • It’s hard for sighted people to comprehend, which is weird to me. I think it’s a total benefit. Anyway, I like JAWS pretty well, but the reality is that I’ve just got to put up with more mistakes than I’d like. Small price to pay to be able to communicate with people, so I can’t complain! You?

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    • Not familiar, but it has the sound of something I’d like. I’ll just point out, while I’m at it, that the INTJ in the cartoon is actually trying to help. (I never convince anyone with that argument!)

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      • It’s funny you say that because I often play movies or shows I already know on the computer and just listen to them while I do other things around the house. Lectures on You Tube are my favorite. Trust me, you’e not missing much in current cinema as a blind person, most of it’s better with one’s eyes shut, anyway–Ha, ha!

        One of my favorite sites is Style Like U. It’s run by a mother and daughter. They interview lots of women (and a few men) about their clothing styles and their lives and some of the stories are just amazing.

        My favorite is the What’s Underneath series; I’ve included a link below. They have one person sit on a wooden stool against a plain brick wall and speak into the camera about their life. The person answers general but personal questions. As the person talks, they are asked to remove one article of clothing after another until they are sitting on the stool in just their underwear. It’s very moving to experience someone revealing themselves, both literally and figuratively. The older women are an inspiration in learning how to give zero fucks.

        http://stylelikeu.com/category/the-whats-underneath-project-2/

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      • You’re very welcome. It’s one of those rare gems on the internet that women need to disseminate among themselves. Here’s another and it’s one of my favorites. It’s Eve Ensler, author of “The Vagina Monologues,” telling the story of how a tribal African woman laid it out for her about feminine beauty. I call it Love Your Tree.

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  43. Ahh heyy! I’m little (in age and size – I’m 16), I’m blind and I’m a girl. I don’t really blog about blindness itself – I just blog about life, but blinness crops into it. I love your about page and blog – you just seem so funny and relatable 🙂

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