Learning Ally also known as Recording for the blind and dyslexic

               I have been using Learning Ally so long that when I was first introduced to this great program it was called recording for the blind and dyslexic. So during this post I will be using recording for the blind and dyslexic because that is what I grew up using. Even though they are now Learning Ally.

               I am writing about this program because I have used them through out my life. When I was in middle school I was given the gift of recording for the blind and dyslexic. At that time in my life I know it was going to help with my school work and I  would be more independent . I think and believe that my parents wanted me to be self-sufficient. I could get all my school books on tape. There was four sides on one tape, so I had to use a special tape player. I had a tape player at home so I was able to take my tapes home and do my homework at home and was very much a normal kid. During the summer I was able to order books to listen to just for fun.  This was the first time that I was able to read books on my own. Up until this time my mother would tape books for me to listen to on my own. She was always willing to read out loud to me. Being able to listen to a book with out my mom was something I was excited about. There was one down side to getting books on tape. There where no trending books like the baby sitters club. 

               My family moved the summer of my 8th grade year. I thought I was going to have to give up this new found independents. I was told that I would not have to give this up at all I got to keep my tape player and I was able to continue using recording for the blind and dyslexic through high school. I had to still use the tape player at home to get homework done. When I graduated I ones again thcought I would have to stop using my membership. I did not understand how a life time membership really worked. 

               Through College recording for the blind and dyslexic played a smaller part of my life. It was hard to get my textbooks on tape because the schools would always be using the up to date textbooks. I didn’t have much time to sit at home and listen to books on tape. However, the new thing was buying a CD player from recording for the blind and dyslexic and getting books on cd. I did that for a few years.  I was disappointed that I could not get books that where on the New York best seller list. So I spend my own money to get books to listen to. In my mind this was just one more thing that I did to keep my love of reading books.  After college I started using Audible to listen to books. I only had to take my phone with me where ever I went.  No more tapes or cd’s. 

               It has been about 18 years since college, and I still had my tape player. During this last time I moved I was going to send my tape player back to the state. When I called recording for the blind and dyslexic I learned that they where now called Learning Ally and they were not using the tape player any more. The person on the phone told me that I could just get rid of my tape player. I thought that was weird, but I did what they said. 

               This past summer when Harry Potter and the chosen child came out. I learned that the book was not going to be on audible and there was no way I was going to be able to read it. I was very disappointed at the whole thing. I started to read other books from Nora Roberts, Ally Condie, Diana Gabaldon and many other books. I work at a job that I can listen to music and books all day. I have a lot of books through audible. I get to listen to them over and over again. It’s the best thing I have ever bought 

               Last week I was thinking about Learning Ally just because. I went looking on the App Store and Oh my goodness there was an app for Learning Ally. I down loaded it and I was very happy to see it was very different from what I remember. It is all Digital now. The big question was “does learning Ally have the new Harry Potter book?” The answer was YES!!! so for the last week I have been able to follow along and listen to Harry Potter and the chosen child. I still can’t get a lot of my favorite authors, full Series of books, or more trending books for adults. So I will be keeping my membership for Audible. 

The first of the year the first post

Today is Jan 1st 2017 and I should be getting ready for bed, however I thought I should share this photo that I took last summer. It’s one of my favs from last year.

I really want to go back to the same spot during the year to see what it looks like when the weather changes. I might just do that this year. 

Here is one of the pictures that my family really likes

Here is a pitcher that I took after the photography class last summer. It is the Stone Archbridge in Minneapolis Minnesota. The class that I took was very beneficial and I learned a lot of stuff. I only have my cell phone camera and I still am getting some really good pitchers. 

Start something different

This year has been one that has had many good things. I have moved out of an apartment this year. I had some really good times in the apartment. I still can’t believe we where in that place for more then 10 years. My husben and I are very happy to say we have a house. My job is going well. Over all this year has been very good. With a new beginning, I thought that I would really give it a go with blogging again. This time around I was thinking that I would not take it so  seriously.Yes there are some big things that I might talk about but I will not try and blog every day, my life dosen’t have the time to blog that much. With that said I have a few days off work and for christmas I got a new Ipad that I love. I have been talking to my husben about trying to find a new or old thing to help me unwind. I was also trying to explain myself to someone about who I am and who I was at one time. When I was talking to this person I told her that I was a blogger at sone time. I loved to blog years and years ago. It was a great way for me to express myself. I stopped blogging because I didn’t find it fun anymore. Life changes and I moved on from that. She said to me have your ever thought you would go back to it? I said no. however, the more I think about it, the more I think I might like to do it again.  

This past summer I took a class of photography and think I’m getting really good. So I might share photos here or on my other blog. I might even share them on both. The teacher of the class said something to the effect of it’s great to take the pictures but if know one gets to see tham then why take them. So for Christmas I framed a picture that I took for my parents. It looked really good. I’m sorry I didn’t get a pitcher of it I am hoping that mom or dad will send me a picture of it.

What I am thankful for

To night I am thinking of all the things that I have to be thankful for. There are just so many to choose from. However, family is the top one on my list.

Family can be many things like the people who you were born to or the people toy grow up with. Family can be your loved ones or people you work with. As I look at my life today family is important to me because with out family I would not be the person I am today.

I am still here

There has been many times that I would have loved to start writing again. However, I have changed in so many ways that when I read back on some of these postes I don’t even know that person anymore.  I am still here and I am still thinking about writing again.

What no hot water for a week.

We have no hot water for a week. I am going to mom and dad’s to get a shower in at night. If we wont hot water we need to boil water or put it in the microwave. This whole thing takes me back to a memory of living in California when I was a little girl. My parents had button a new house and we had to move in even though other houses were not ready to be lived in. Our house was sold and we had to get out.

In the new house we had no power for the house. So Mom, my sister, and I had to go to the babysitter’s house and take showers. Dad got his at work. Back to the not having hot water this week. I had to go to my parents house to get my shower in tonight. I do not know what the morning is going to be like. I need my shower to wake me up.so if I live through this whole thing it will be a good thing.

A week of many up’s and down’s

Today was a day of many up’s and down’s. Mom was set to have her pacemaker put in some time today. The doctor saw her last night and was going to work on her today. He was hoping to get her in this morning.

I went to work knowing that I was going to leave when Dad called me. At about noon today I went to church and left my phone on. Dad did not call until after work, I went right over to the hospital. My dad, grandma and my aunt Toni where there. Mom went in at about 2:45 pm and the doctor came out at about 8 pm by that time my sister had gotten there. When the doctor came out and had great news. They were able to put everything that they needed to get in her. “Aka one less surgery” We all went up to her room in the ICU. There was lots of tears, that were happy tears. A lot of stress was let go and it all come out in tears. The three of us left her after 9.

It’s been 5 years

At the beginning of trying to move forward, I told myself that if I could write a letter to the Doctor that hurt me. I would know that I have been able to process the whole thing. It would be even better if I could use his name in the letter. Well it’s been 5 years cents I stopped the abuse. It’s been 4 years that I spoke for all the other people that he hurt that could not speak up for them selfs for one reason or another.

I have only been able to come up with this.

Dear Dr,

I have to tell you that you have hurt me so much and you have changed my life forever. I will never for give you for what you have done to me and my family. I have gotten to the point were I am able to say that. . .

After this point I just can’t write any more. I start to cry and feel like he is still abusing me. Maybe I will be able to write more next year.

GOOD POINTS

All the EMDR that I do every week is starting to work.

I am able to write a bit more then I could last year.

This past week has been hard on my family and me

This past week I was going to be going up to the cabin for the first time. Well that is not what happened. I’m ok about not going up north but my family and I have had so much to take in this past week. My mom has been in ICU for about a week now. It’s been so hard for me and my sister but for my dad it’s been even harder to see him look like he has just lost a part of him. She is in the best care I know that and I know my family knows that. It’s just so hard to see her in a room and not be able to talk to any of us. She had to get her pacemaker  out because something was wrong in the place where it was. She had an infection. Because of the infection they have not put anything back in side of her. (I really don’t know all the ins and outs of the pacemaker). She is making progress every day and getting better. It’s still hard to know that I can’t just pick up the phone and call her.

I am writing this post to just tell everyone how much I love my mom. How much it hurts to see her laying down in a bed and not be able to talk to us when we come in. I have said this on my face book page and I will say it again.

I believe in God. I know he has plans for me and my family. But I need my mom so much, so can you please, let her guide me still here on earth, for a long time.