I think I have done okay in the literacy department, since I have a PhD from Ohio State, have written several books and numerous articles, and had a weekly newspaper column for a few years.

When I was in the second grade, a very wise teacher told me that I should not worry much about how I would do things when I got older. She understood that blind kids are very clever, creative and persistent. Her idea was that I would figure out how to do those things I really wanted to do. For the most part, she was right, although I never did figure out how to play baseball without running a high risk of a bloody nose.

Braille is a potentially wonderful tool as was my forty-five pound tape recorder and as are my guide dog, my iPhone, and the other amazing tools and resources now available to me. If asked to trade one of them for real Braille literacy, I am sure I would not trade in my iPhone, my guide dog, NLS, Learning Ally, and several others, although I probably would give up… – I guess I will need to give that proposition a little more thought.

Do I wish I had learned Braille as a child? Sure I do, along with wishing I had figured out a safe way to play baseball.

Your podcast is totally terrific and probably would not be nearly as interesting in Braille.

Thank you.