ACB Tuesday Topics

This is a reminder for you not to miss being a part of evaluating 2021 now that it's gone! Tuesday Topics will happen for the first time in 2022 on January 4 from 7 to 9 PM. It will in fact be our third attempt to talk about the year that will be was by the time we do the program. Without my knowledge, the Tuesday Topics folks and other friends of mine decided that it would be nice to do an issue of Tuesday Topics consisting of recollections from friends of mine surrounding my birthday. Today I turned 76 so it was a celebration that occurred on my birthday eve. It was wonderful to see how many folks turned up and how many who couldn't be there who sent good wishes. There are lots of heartwarming greetings and stories during the show last night and, while it may seem a little egoistic, I commend it to your attention. I was very surprised and amazed by how many folks came to the birthday bash! Thanks everyone!

2021 has been quite a year! We have had lots of events occur! There were lots of things we can be proud about and perhaps some things that we would like to have changed.

I thought it might be fun to do a really wide-ranging program on the best and the worst. Perhaps it will become the first of an annual happening! What was the best song you heard? What song absolutely drove you crazy it was so bad? What about books? Was there a particularly cool book you read in 2021 which you would like to share? It doesn't have to have been published this year though it would be cool if it was. What about the best television show? What even happened for people who are blind that was cool this year? Was there a big visually impaired bust you'd like to share with us and I am not referring here either to breasts or statues!

Did you discover a new app this year that is really cool? Did you find a new store you think we should know about? Did you meet someone you think was cool you'd like to tell us about?

If it seems to you that this show is wide open, you are a discerning participant. Every year has a character all its own! 2021 is no different! If you had to think of a single word for this year, what would it be? Our Tuesday Topic this week is everything 2021! We need you to share your 2021 with us and to comment on our 2021 highlights. Was it a "very good year" or can we hardly wait till it fades into yesterday on January the first!

# This week, many friends of Paul Edwards gather to wish him a happy 76th birthday. This was a big surprise to Paul and it turned out to be a wonderful and memorable 2 hours.

tonight, then, will be New Year's Resolutions! What can we do in advance to make it more likely we can actually make them more than remembrances of things past was March? What are good resolutions? Have you made some resolutions which you have kept religiously or which you have spectacularly failed to keep? We want to hear about your Resolutions History!

If we exhaust this topic, I thought it might be fun to do a first pass concerning climate change! Is it real? Does it have special consequences for people who are blind? Should ACB be doing anything about it? If so, what? If not, why not?

# I thought it might be fun to see if folks have run across particularly cool presents for blind people this year. I will talk about a few but would welcome calls from sellers of products or folks who have thought of or bought cool presents.

First, welcome back to the co-chairs of the Audio Description Project Committee, Kim Charlson and Carl Richardson. They have both been guests in the past and have kept you informed of what the ADP Committee is up to at various points over the last year. Paul also welcomes Barry Cronin, who will be playing a major role in the gala. These three folks know more between them about audio description than most of the rest of us put together.

You can support the AD Awards Gala and ACB’s Audio Description Project by donating here or call 1-888-444-8320 to make your donation by phone.

# Get your holiday shopping done. Hear about current ACB affiliate fundraisers and from Leslie Spoone about the upcoming holiday auction.

All of our discussions will center around holidays! How do blind people feel about Halloween? How do blind parents handle the holiday? What about blind children? What was your experience as a child with Halloween? Did you like it? Were you nervous about it? Did you like parties better than trick or treating?

And then there are other holidays! Thanksgiving! Christmas! Easter! Valentine's day! How are those holidays for people who are blind? How were they for you when you were a child? How about now that you are an adult? Are holidays worse or better for people who are blind nowadays? Join us as we explore celebrating Halloween and other holidays! Perhaps celebration is not the right word!

# Are we being protected by white cane laws? How should we handle white cane safety? October is also Disability Employment Awareness Month. The employment rate for people who are blind remains at 30 percent, leaving 70 percent of people who are blind not employed. Why is that? Can anything be done to fix it?

During the first hour I want to talk about the new wave of covid 19. Is it different from the earlier one? Is our country handling it well? Has it affected people who are blind more? Where do we think we go from here?

Join Paul to provide your feedback on this year’s ACB convention and for a discussion on state and special-interest affiliates.