Facebook sign in page extract, 15 June 2016
After a lot of thought and advice I finally decided to join Facebook. To be honest, it was when my cousin in Australia joined and we realised we could post family photographs.
Initially the friend who helps me with this blog activated my page on Facebook but I was still too unsure to know what I wanted to post. Unfortunately, Facebook is not very accessible to people with VI and I was, and still am, afraid of making mistakes.
Instantly cousin, her five adult children and other relatives befriended me. Photographs appeared of happy and healthy looking people on beaches, in parks and other photogenic settings. There were dogs and horses. It was like being in receipt of those Christmas letters which show everyone leading action-filled glamorous lives. It provided a wonderful window into their lives and I loved it because even though there were many people I did not recognise, I could fill in a narrative from what I already knew about them.
And then other friends started befriending me. Friends with common interests … general, political, cultural and humorous. Links appeared to other sites some of which made me laugh and most of them interesting.
It was time to bite the bullet. I went to see Lindsey, technology advisor at the Centre for Low Vision at FOCUS, Birmingham. With infectious enthusiasm she taught me the basics of Facebook. At this stage she has not persuaded me to use Voiceover which still terrifies me after my experience of switching it on and being unable to persuade it to switch off! This means that some of Facebook is visually inaccessible to me. Never mind, I can read posts and post messages with the help of my magnifier.
With Lindsey I discussed what I wanted to use Facebook for, who I wanted to befriend and who I wanted to see my posts. We decided to restrict it at this stage to just family and close friends. As my immediate family have chosen not to be on Facebook I have decided not to post photographs as I think this would be an invasion of privacy.
However, I am really enjoying looking at other people’s pages, following up links and engaging in comments. At the moment I am very much enjoying the satire and serious discussion relating to the European Union In/Out Referendum.
When I am more confident I may set up a separate page to link to this blog.
Do you subscribe to Facebook? If so, how accessible do you find it? What is your favourite use of Facebook? I would like to know how other people with VI manage
AOB
Listened to
This Must be the Place by Maggie O’Farrell narrated by Thomas Judd and Penelope Rawlins. Excellent, well written book about an incognito American film star and her Linguistic Professor’s long term relationship set in rural Ireland and mercifully free of Irish stereotypes.
The Aftermath by Rhidian Brook narrated by Leighton Pugh. Interesting novel set in Germany in 1946 about an English officer and his family who take over a German family’s home but allow them to live in part of the house. This takes place during the de-nazification process and demonstrates the hunger and depersonalisation of Germans at that time. Very humane view of a defeated nation but never quite engaged me.
Birthday celebrations held at the beautiful Old Downton Lodge Hotel in Ludlow.
Other birthday celebrations still continuing. Oh, those calories but lots of fun.
Old Downton Lodge courtyard, May 2016
anewlookthrougholdeyes.wordpress.com 
I auto post all my blog entries to Facebook which saves having to tell people about them twice, which might be something to look into if you don’t do it already. I love the strands of connection it allows you to have – games of Scrabble with old school friends, seeing a friend check in to an airport and knowing something’s up and being able to get in touch to check how they are, etc.
Thanks, Liz. That sounds a great idea and I will look into it. It is fun to find out how other people use Facebook and share their ideas and posts. It is early days for me and lots to learn.
Bridget, you are always learning and trying new things. I begrudgingly joined FB and my blog link automatically posts. I still don’t always understand all the possibilities and Unfriending and the social politics of Liking and everything, but it does offer new connections. Hope you are well and enjoying the emerging sunshine when you are not immersed in the Brexit referendum updates.
Good to hear your positive remarks, Susan. Facebook is weird..all those photographs of jolly people slightly repels me but then there is a lot of interesting and amusing stuff. If you can find on Facebook, Bridget Morris, you will see what weather we are having! Rain and floods. I may auto link but still working things out. As for Brexit, I am terrified we will vote out. I think people have no idea of the consequences but it is a close run thing. Fingers crossed for Thursdat!
I will refrain from the “keep calm” jokes. Will you be writing your thoughts post vote?
Hmm. Very disappointed and sad. I’m still digesting the result. Can’t sleep! A cynical campaign. I may write about it later. In the meantime I have been posting on Facebook. I find it hard to believe our usually liberal and tolerant country has believed the misinformation fed to them about immigrants which has been fed to them by Farage and his supporters and the media. There are reasons, of course…poverty/austerity and poor education come to mind. Thank you for asking, Susan. These are unhappy times.,