Today is 3
rd December 2013 -
International Day for
People with a 'Disability'.
The following interview was requested by
Amanda Socci for her
‘Creative Gal’ blog – which I thought I would share with my
readers in
celebration of this special day!
“Any
time we help create shared vision and strategy
we
empower ourselves and others.” Anon
What
inspired you to
write about your vision-impaired perspective?
There are two main reasons why I write from my
vision-impaired perspective. One is to dispel some of the myths
sighted people
have projected on to me in terms of what they think it is like
to live with
blindness. By writing from my vantage point, it is like opening
a window and
bringing a fresh outlook for them to consider. In this way,
knowledge creates
empathy and understanding for the whole community.
The second reason is a strategic one: as a
writer seeking to
carve a niche, my life experience provides plenty of scope to
speak in the genre of memoir writing. I am also known to be
an opportunist
and gladly seize the day.
Has the
loss of your
sight at age 15 changed your perspective on life?
I think losing my sight during my teen years
did make me more
determined to reach for my goals and not to take on board the
label of
‘disabled’.
Being placed into a category by society
is one of my
continual challenges.
As sight fades I have learned to trust my
inner vision – to
trust my intuition and to trust in the goodness of others. When
I have been
openhearted with the world, my expectations of good come back to
support me –
my blindness brings kindness.
Your
blog post
“Kaleidoscope of Sound” is aromatic enchantment in an envelope
ready for all to
enjoy. How do sounds make you feel?
I can’t imagine being without the world of
sound – it is my
sanctuary. I began my early years thinking I would
become a
singer. I have
taught children’s choirs and love singing in harmony.
One of my roles these days is to help my
partner, Harry, in
his CD recording studio. My nick name is ‘big ears’ because I
can pinpoint the
slightest of errors that sighted people can’t hear until I point
them out (a
bonus for our musician clients).
Our spontaneous recording of a Kaleidoscope of
sound’ (You
Tube clip) is included here. The beauty is you can enjoy the
mystical sounds
Harry and I were inspired to sing from within the cave of a wine
vault, the
ancient stones of a castle perched on the Pyrenees
and an empty sacred church in a French village.
You have
invented many
clever phrases on your blog. One I like a lot is blind tradie
toolkit.” How do
you come up with original phrases?
Coming up with a meaningful title or catchy
headline is one
of my creative passions.
I can spend hours, and even days, mulling over
key words and
can become obsessed to find the right sequence of words. I like
playing with
words too, and changing their order. Often this can create a
title with a
double meaning. If the title sparks a flame of excitement, like
panning for
gold, I polish the words a little more and soon discover the
nugget I was
searching for.
It is crucial to pay attention to the words of
others in
little phrases, quotes, lyrics – and candid conversations.
I collect words that spark my imagination,
little gems that
jump out as shiny and meaningful and I keep them on file.
The main point when choosing a title is that
it must serve a
purpose for the reader – how will they benefit by reading the
story? The right
words are like the golden threads
that
adorn the story with intrigue. That is why I take time to weave
my titles.
You
define humor with a
powerful definition that everyone should adhere to.
You also
come to the
conclusion that blindness is an attitude. This stuff is too
good to fester
quietly on a blog with little fanfare. Would you consider
turning these nuggets
of wisdom into bookmarks, greeting cards, book covers, journal
designs, or the
like?
I hadn’t thought of all those creative
possibilities.
That’s a great idea – the world needs to hold on to humour in
difficult times.
Looking for the funny side when at times I can
cry with
embarrassment or frustration has become one of my most valuable
tools in my
“blind tradie tool kit”!
Being blind is an ongoing challenge, I don’t
deny that but
the attitude I choose on a daily basis is the point of power. I
can accept the
cards I have been dealt and enjoy playing in the game of life or
throw down the
cards and spoil the fun for everyone. The card I love to deal
out the most is
the joker card!
What do
you teach? Do
you work full-time?
How do you manage to write for two blogs,
teach, and care
for your family?
I never sleep (only kidding). I used to work
as a teaching
artist and taught literacy through music by creating
children’s
choirs in two
primary schools in Melbourne.
I am a bit of a butterfly though and seem to
fly off to other
creative projects as they attract my attention. So
for the past
few years, I
have been devoted to learning the craft of writing and building
my writer’s
platform in the worldwide web of creatives.
I caught the blogging bug in 2011 and haven’t
looked back.
Sharing stories from a vision-impaired perspective is an
opportunity for me to
discover a wider landscape of readers...until I hear the call
back to the real
world. “Mum, I’m hungry.”
Drats. My family have had to cope with rushed
meals and
occasional take away dinners, a scarcity of clean socks, or a
limited larder
and at these times of housekeeping crises, I do have to balance
my time and
prioritise my family’s well-being over my desire to meet writing
deadlines.
One last word for thanking you, Amanda. Being
included in
your creative circle of friends and followers is a real gift
which I receive
with gratitude.
Best wishes to all, Maribel
 |
While
writing this post, my laptop
charger blew up…
where there is a will to write, there is always
a way! |
Tell us your Poss-Abilities, we'd love to hear from you
For the full interview, please go to
© 2013
Maribel Steel
