Vision Quest Stories

Vision Quest Stories 2010
Anyone who is blind or visually impaired will tell you there are many ways to see. Eyesight is just one of them.
Nevertheless, without sight a person lives with extraordinary challenges. 
Starting at the Virtual Guide Dog Center (VGDC) in Second Life, participants will embark on a series of explorations designed to help them experience what it is like to function as someone who is visually impaired in Second Life (SL). Their companion on these journeys will be Max the Virtual Guide Dog. There they will also meet Madison, a woman who was able to come to terms with being blind with the help of Max.
Participants will be asked to share their thoughts, feelings, and personal experiences/stories in a wide variety of formats throughout the Quest. Their contributions will be shared at the Helen Keller Day celebration on June 19, 2010 and preserved as part of an ongoing Story Garden and Display at the Virtual Guide Dog Center.
WHEN: The 2010 Vision Quest begins Saturday, June 12 at 8:00 am SLT
WHERE: The Virtual Guide Dog Museum and Information Center on Storybook Island: 
WHO: Open to anyone in Second Life
HOW: Participants are encouraged to join the "Adventures in Vision" group so that instructions on how to complete the sections of the Quest can be sent to them each day. If you don't have room for a group, visit the Vision Quest Center each day to pick up instructions.
LENGTH: The Vision Quest will run from Saturday June 12 through Thursday June 17th. Friday, the day before Helen Keller Day, will be used to gather submissions and prepare them for presentation on Helen Keller Day.
SUBMISSIONS: Submissions can be made to the Quest in one of four ways:
1) Post to this Wiki (you must have an SL account and log in to post)
2) Drop your submission into the mailbox at the Vision Quest Center in Second Life
3) Email Jenaia at Jenaia.morane@gmail.com
4) Post photos you have taken to the Helen Keller Day Flickr site: 
Participants are also encouraged to Tweet and post information and pictures to their Facebook, MySpace, Ning, and blog pages. If you blog, please take a moment to let us know. We will be blogging about this as well on the Virtual Worlds Story Project blog: . Please feel free to drop us a line there as well.
RESULTS: While this is not a competition, submissions will be used to enhance and expand the Quest, with the best being placed in the Story Garden at the Center.
Question? IM Jenaia Morane or Saxet Uralia inworld or email Jenaia at: Jenaia.Morane@gmail.com
See you on the Quest!
==Dog Vision Quest Stories==
Dog Vision Quest Stories
== Human Vision Quest Stories==
Human Vision Quest Stories
In RL, I have a service dog due to neck surgery in 2004. I was in two car accidents two weeks apart, which left me in severe pain and unable to turn my head or use my upper body very successfully. Subsequent surgery removed the discs and fused my spine, which eradicated the pain, but did cause some nerve damage. As a result, I tend to drop things very easily. My service dog is with me at all times, which enables me to be independent. Without my dog next to me, I would not be able to pick up the things that I drop. My dog has no limits as to what he can pick up, including a 20-oz unopened bottle full of water! He has been with me for six years; I cannot imagine life without him. My constant companion and my best friend; he tells me when I need to take a break and when I need to get some exercise. He tells me when he needs a break as well. He loves hanging out under my desk at work and sticking his head out to be pet by whoever walks by.
However, I can see that suddenly being blind would have its repercussions as well. Instead of running everywhere, I would have to slow down and just "be" in the moment. Listen to the sounds around me to figure out where I am and what direction I need to head. Smells would also be important; I can follow smells to the kitchen or find flowers or know I'm on a street corner by the smells of the cars and people around.
==Helen Keller Day==
Helen Keller Day