Hello dears.
I've been thinking about doing something like this for a while, but I don't know how well this thread would be received, so...I think I'll try firstly lol.
Basically, I thought of making a small place where we could help each other. No idea, ask each other questions, give tips, tricks, advice, ask questions, all that.
What do you think? Do you want this topic to continue? Do you think it's a good? Bad idea?

this is a great initiative. one place for tips and quaries. better than creating a separate topics for our questions. and sometimes it isn't resolved or doesn't even noticed.

I stumbled upon this topick. so my question is how to label spices and where to get those markers. if I want to change the bottle lets say I want to put sugar into salt bottles will the markers come off.

Personally I think it's better for me to create a ceperate topic if I want to ask a playroom off topic question, not here. Otherwise what's the tea room for? No offense to your idea of course, but that's just my perspective.

Who went off topic?
If you’re refering to to the question of how to label spices that is still in the right topic since she just wanted tips and advice and this is all about tips and advice: living as a blind person.
I don’t have the answer to the question but hopefully someone else will.

Hey guys. I think this is a wonderfull topic! Let's answer the first question from my point of view. Personally, I'd sort spices out to my liking. For instance, let's say I have 10 boxes with spices. So, why not to sort them out in the alphabetical order? If you are looking specifically for a marker, you could use the braille markers. A coil with a tape you can write on with your braille machine is usually sold in some kind of tiflo shop.

What's up guys. Well, I have a tip for everyone here, it works for me, and I hope it helps everyone.
When I want to know what's in a container, like a box, or even one of those small pots, I usually rattle, and depending on the sound, I can tell. There is also a way to open the pot, wet it or take a little of what is in the pot to find out what it is, but this second way has become obsolete, at least around here.

I had a question if I order alphabatacaly how will I distinguish between salt and sugar. also they feal just the same.

Salt before sugar because Sa comes before Su and taste it if u r not sure

Here's how I solved that problem. I have a spice rack with 25 jars, each labeled in Braille from 1 to 25. I made a list of all the jars and the spices in them: Salt is 1, black pepper is 2, garlic powder is 3, and so on. Over time, you memorize the most important numbers anyway, and now I usually don't even have to look at my list anymore. When I want to put a different spice in a jar, I just find the jar's number on the list and update the spice name. This way, I don't have to make new labels every time I change the contents of my spice jars.Oh, and because 25 spices are not enough, of course, I have a few more spices which I put in other jars that look different from the ones on my rack. Those have no labels. But the more frequently you use your spices, the more accurately you'll be able to distinguish them just by their smell. So you could just label things like salt and sugar, and spices you use rarely. That should be enough.

thanks will try it. it can also be used to organize vegetables or fruits in containers. also it can also be used to arrange my cloths. nice universal system.

Wow that's a nice one. Where can I buy a rack with 25 spice jars? :D

Amazon has several options. I think there are even spice racks that have 28 jars.

I have another question. how do you pick out maching colour cloths. be my ai tells the discriptions of the clots how to know whith clothe are matching in patern or colour.

I certainly don't have 25 spices yet, But I think I'll have them once I decide to cook Butter Chicken.
For now, I label the ones I don't use often with manual braille labler.
The ones I use often, Either by location or by smell.
Also, the shape of the container / packages.

Hello guys!
There is a solution that might answer both questions, and everything about labeling in general.
The braille labels and the personal system methods are both useful in a way, but many types of labeling devices already exist on the market. Don't know if you heard about things such as Pen friend and other voice based devices. You simply get a special identifier and some small labels. You basically atach a voice recording with the name of the object to that little sticker. From that moment on, you will only have to rub the device against the label to play the small indication you or someone else created.
Milestone even has an accessory for their recorders. It is called Fame and it can help you identify clothing colours.
The inconvenients of all these might be:

1. You need to make the recordings/do the labeling first, so either you should know the objects very well or identify them in the first place, either someone should do it for you.
2. The storage on these devices is quite limited, so you might not get the desired space for all your needed items.
3. You will always need to buy labels, except for the Fame thing, which works differently, I didn't get a chance to see it in action.
4. You need to carry that identifier around as you will need it, which might not fit all circumstances of daily life.
If there are other apps or tips to help in this issue, I would be glad to know them. I only know that Orcam can identify colours as well, but who can get that? I struggled to do that, till a program to obtain it for free was available and I missed it, well, my luck.
Regards!

how do you cut something into smaller pieces with a spoon and pick up the same cut piece from the plate to eat it. for example, you have a piece of cake on your plate, how to cut and eat it little by little. when ever I fumble trying to do this, my parents tell me to use my hands even though I ask them to teach me how to do it properly. its not their fault as eating with hands is common here in India, but I wan't to learn. I am sure my sighted friends will be more than willing to teach me, but I am too emberased to ask.

Yeah... as someone also from this country and blind, it did take me quite a long time to figure this particular one out, and I will say I am still not perfect at it. I also learned it from some sighted people and it wasn’t my parents lol. They did try explaining, as did several others, but I just couldn't get it until someone did that just... 'clicked'.
I don't know how well I'll be able to explain it when I can't actually show you hahaha, but I'll try:
If you're using something like a spoon, the part that would cut is not the front curved portion that goes in your mouth when you eat, but the side portion. So when you want to cut something, say ice cream or cake, you hold the spoon out in front of you with that tip portion held out in front of you. Then you make sure that your cake, icecream, chicken piece, whatever it is, is held in a stable position on the plate, relatively centered so that it won't move too much and be at risk of falling off the plate or scattering when you cut it. For this to work properly, you need it to be mostly still.
Then, holding the spoon in that similar horizontal position, press the side portion into the food item. Again, the sides as you are holding the spoon, just push that down, not the tip. You keep pushing until you feel it break through the food and then slowly start shaking it and moving the spoon side to side a bit. The idea is to stab deep enough to where you have divided the food, then to split it you move the spoon so that it breaks open. You jiggle the spoon, you move it from side to side, try different things until you find your 'groove'.
The pressing of the spoon can also take varying amounts of effort depending on what it may be, or sometimes it may feel like it's not working so don't lose confidence. Sometimes food is harder to cut, particularly with a spoon which isn't really the implement to cut things, so just keep at it. Again though, make sure your food isn't at the edge of the bowl, plate, etc., because if it cuts suddenly it can splatter everywhere.
Anyway, as I said, it's difficult to explain this in text and without showing you lmao, so I hope it made sense. Feel free to ask if you have any questions.

When you're just getting started and want to make things a bit easier, I'd recommend using both a spoon and a fork. You can use the side of the spoon to slice the food, as described in the previous post, while holding the fork in front of the spoon with your other hand. The fork prevents the piece from falling off the plate, and you can also use it to gently push the food towards and onto your spoon. This method works the other way around as well, and depending on the food, I find slicing with the side of the fork even easier than using a spoon. Over time, you should be able to find out what works best for you.

Yeah. To make sure, rather hold your plate with the other hand, especially if it is small or if the cake or icecream you have is in a complicated presentation shape.
I cannot tell how I learned it, I am not perfect yet, I am sometimesusing my hand as a help, but less often than I did in the past.
However, cutting a piece of steak or something can be even harder sometimes.
These things are frustrating, but we have to deal with them and not feel as embarassed. Expressing our feelings regarding these things can help, not to mention going to more events and feeling integrated.
For example, I partied till 4 am last night, it was my final highschool year cellebration event. Teachers, students, no matter who, I had fun with everyone and dropped my emotions after a while. People also help in this matter, like some can be more supportive than others, but only few can understand our frustration, as common as it may be among us.

this slicing problem is with me as well. but I some how manage that. the other big problem I have is mixing rice with curry and pulses. especially when served in the plate the food spills out of plate while I do that. since its common in India to eat with hands, but I would love to do that with spoon as well. its embarrassing, especially in large gathering.

what I do is that I take spoonful of curd or curry and place at the center. then with the back of the spoon I move it across. if I reach the end of the plate I might know. I push it diagonally not strate.

thanks for the inputs guys. @shell I think you did a great job explaining, will try it out and hopefully post an update on my progress.

How do you remember people by hearing them mostly I cant remember their names while meating them after a very long time. they feel bad and its personal to them.

honestly I don't know. you see, its easy to remember with whom we constantly have conversations. plus, the people should also understand that we also are humans, and can forget things and people.

I have almost no problem with that, I mean, just some anxiety from time to time.
I am not sure how, but sometimes I can even remember people, feel them, just by their presence. Also, a hand touch or a smell can help.
Indeed, I also have moments when I cannot remember people just by the voice, cause well, sometimes, either the voice gets a bit changed, either it gets modified in my mind, but yeah, I can deal with it. The hardest times are at parties or in places with loud music, when you can hardly recognize some people, especially if you did not interact with them in other closer contexts, but basically, it also happens with relatives or closer dudes, especially those who are very alike.
Also, sometimes, my family members, especially my mom, can see if I am in such an embarassing situation, not by facial expression or something, I am usually neutral, but by other indicators I never knew.
As a joke, I just hope we will remember each and every person in here after a while, like I don't want to get embarassed, oh no :)

Hi all,
At the outset, I find this topic extremely helpful.
I have a question that I have been waiting to ask. How do people with blindness sign on paper when they grew up learning braille and virtually no handwriting skills?
Any tips and advice would be highly appreciated.
Thank you in advance.

Get a metallic sign guide, learn the letters of your name. Then you can.

I always use thumb empresion. its useful and anyone can coppy my sign if I use a sign guide. like if I am signing and a person behind me can watch what I am doing. its risky for bank statements.

Personally I sign although I have an extremely bad handwriting. I think its more secure than thumb impression. Given the technological advancements in fingerprint sensing, and our relyance on those on phones at various points, I think there are much more exact records of thumb impression than a signature. By the way, without the help of technology, even if someone is looking at your signature, it cannot be copied. Your pen just moves ever so slightly during your signature, and everyone has a unique style of that.