[Jobs] Hi Dave

[David Evans]

Dear Marshal,

I have been legally blind since I was 16 years old.  I got all of my degrees 
after that.
I have worked at allot of different jobs over the years including pro auto 
mechanic, machinist, sheetmetal worker, welder, Fireman/Para-medic, rifle 
range director and a engineer.
Now I am working as the Consumer Advocate for one of our local Para-transit 
carriers after being retired and out of work for twenty years.  It was not 
my blindness that forced me to quit my job as an engineer, , but the lack of 
Public Transportation services to get to work.
I had to give up my last engineering job after I had to stop driving.  I 
drove for 20 years and 9 months and was legally blind the whole time.
I was in deep denial about my blindness and learned how to cheat and get 
around the eye test for driving and for being a Para-medic.
In fact, I did not know that I was legally blind until I was 20 years old 
and had already worked as a Fireman/Para-medic for 2 years.
I did not know I was blind, but only thought I had some little vision 
problem.  I ignored it and learned to work around it.
I was a good athlete and lettered in 5 sports in high school and was on the 
'68 U.S. Olympic Team, the '69 N.C.A.A. National Championship track team 
from San Jose State and the Pan American Team.
The problems with my vision were never anything more than something I had to 
live with and figure ways around.
I learned to not listen to the people who told me I couldn't do something. 
That just made me more determined to show them I could.
I have been very lucky in my life.
Some day I am going to write a book about it.
As for jobs you can do to make some extra money, that is  up to you.
You can sell vitamins over the internet.  sell stuff on E-Bay or since you 
must be mechanically inclined, to be a piano tuner, you might try selling 
and installing under the sink water filters.  That is if you have some basic 
understanding of plumbing under a sink.
I did this for a while and made great money at it as well as a residual 
business changing them out when they needed changing a year or so down the 
road.

You might even get a job selling pianos in a store if you know how to play 
too.
If you can play, there is always playing in a club or bar at night or on 
weekends.
I know blind people who do this and make good money.

Well enough for now.  I am likely boring you by this point.
It is nice you are on the list and I will look forward to chatting with you.

David Evans, NFBF
MV transit
Consumer Advocate
Nuclear/Aerospace Materials Engineer
builder of the Lunar Rovers and the F-117 Stealth Fighter
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "pianotune05" <pianotune05 at comcast.net>
To: <jobs at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, August 14, 2006 2:11 PM
Subject: [Jobs] Hi Dave


HI Dave,
Thanks for the e-mail.  It sounds like you're doing a great deal for folks 
in Florida. I'm glad to see you're in the NFB.  I joined this past Saturday.

As for what I do and want to do, they are one in the same. :)  I trained one 
on one with another piano technician here in Chicago to become a piano 
technician. I'm finished training however. My wife and I moved up here last 
month in order to embarking on my new career.  Our one year old son Mark is 
doing great with the transition, but the transition from easter time to 
central time is one he hasn't gotten used to.  He gets up at 6:30 am and 
thinks its 7:30 am. I'm glad we didn't move to California. :)  i'm working 
hard on building up customers and its slow going.

So I joined this list hoping to find some ideas on what I can do as a sight 
impaired person to find supplimental work to fill in the gaps.  Working fro 
home is a challenge having a one year old around.  Any ideas would be great. 
I met someone on another list who mentioned vending machines.

So what prompted you to become interested in the sight impaired/blind?  I 
think it's great! :)  I'm sure I'll talk with you soon.  Take care. and have 
a great reast of the day.
Marshall


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


> _______________________________________________
> Jobs mailing list
> Jobs at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/jobs
>