Ambiguously Blind

⚠️ **WARNING** This episode contains gratuitous dad jokes! 🤣  Since we last connected with Bradford and Bryan Manning, they have both become fathers. They stop by to answer some wacky questions from John, talk about fatherhood and entertain us with some finely hand-crafted dad jokes. Bradford shares his experience with the encouraging advancements made in testing for severe genetic conditions including Stargardts disease.  After swapping parenting techniques and funny stories the brothers talk about the quintessential item in their catalog, socks and how much fun they’ve had selling them on QVC.    GET YOUR #DONTWAIT MUG! :: https://amblind.creator-spring.com/listing/destiny-dont-wait-black?product=1565    :: PODCAST LINKS :: For show notes, guest profiles, photos, blog and more information, visit AmbiguouslyBlind.com and connect on:    Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin  Like what we're doing? Support us: Buy Me A Coffee  This is a listener supported podcast.  Please consider donating to build and sustain our community  :: EPISODE LINKS ::  2BB's First Episode (#36) ::: https://www.ambiguouslyblind.com/two-blind-brothers/    Two Blind Brothers Website :: https://twoblindbrothers.com/    :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The great Jack Chen stops by to share his sight loss story and how a simple podcast episode with Dan Berlin turned into a documentary film and bold social action campaign to fundamentally alter the way that employers think about talent in the blind community. Both blind, Jack and Dan knew that their positions as Assistant General Counsel for Facebook and CEO of a large food company were not aberrations. They set out to prove to the world that people who are blind could be successful both on and off the bike, in the saddle and in the boardroom.   The gripping documentary film, Surpassing Sight, parallels their journey of building a team to tackle the toughest cycling race in the world, RAAM (Race Across America), with their equally grueling journey through the employment world.      GET YOUR #DONTWAIT MUG! :: https://amblind.creator-spring.com/listing/destiny-dont-wait-black?product=1565    :: PODCAST LINKS :: For show notes, guest profiles, photos, blog and more information, visit AmbiguouslyBlind.com and connect on:    Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin  Like what we're doing? Support us: Buy Me A Coffee  This is a listener supported podcast.  Please consider donating to build and sustain our community  :: EPISODE LINKS ::  Jack's Guest Profile :: https://www.ambiguouslyblind.com/guests/jack-chen/  Jack's Podcast ExcelAbility :: https://teamexcelability.com/  Surpassing Sight Movie :: https://surpassingsightmovie.com/  ::

The last time we connected with adventurer Jill Wheatley she was in Kathmandu, Nepal preparing to ascend the world’s eighth highest mountain, Manaslu. This time, we find Jill in Canada. She stops by to recap her last two years of climbing and tell us what she’s up to next. During the discussion, Jill catches John off guard with some well-placed dad jokes. Fun and laughter ensue.    GET YOUR #DONTWAIT MUG! :: https://amblind.creator-spring.com/listing/destiny-dont-wait-black?product=1565    :: PODCAST LINKS :: For show notes, guest profiles, photos, blog and more information, visit AmbiguouslyBlind.com and connect on:    Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin  Like what we're doing? Support us: Buy Me A Coffee  This is a listener supported podcast.  Please consider donating to build and sustain our community  :: EPISODE LINKS ::  Jill's Guest Profile :: https://www.ambiguouslyblind.com/guests/jill-wheatley/  Jill's First Episode (#39) :: https://www.ambiguouslyblind.com/jill-wheatley/  Mountains Of My Mind Website :: https://mountainsofmymind.com/  :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

John and Erin are joined by Chef Regina and Stan to help tackle the age-old question. What do you want for dinner tonight? After dishing some priceless marriage advice, Regina and Stan talk about how they handle dinner and share some practical ideas to make meals easier for anyone. While Stan admits he’s still learning after 38 years of marriage, both he and John find that a timely pizza can save the day.    GET YOUR #DONTWAIT MUG! :: https://amblind.creator-spring.com/listing/destiny-dont-wait-black?product=1565  :: PODCAST LINKS :: For show notes, guest profiles, photos, blog and more information, visit AmbiguouslyBlind.com and connect on:    Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin  Like what we're doing? Support us: Buy Me A Coffee  This is a listener supported podcast.  Please consider donating to build and sustain our community  :: EPISODE LINKS ::  Regina's Guest Profile :: https://www.ambiguouslyblind.com/guests/regina-mitchell/  More episodes with Erin :: https://www.ambiguouslyblind.com/guests/erin/   

Aerin, sorry I mean, Erin once again joins John for the fifth installment of the hypothetical question series. While indulging in a bottle of Dreaming Tree, Erin decides to change her name, settles for $1,000 per day for the rest of her life while wearing socks to bed. Fun and laughter ensue. What would you choose?  GET YOUR #DONTWAIT MUG! :: https://amblind.creator-spring.com/listing/destiny-dont-wait-black?product=1565  :: PODCAST LINKS :: For show notes, guest profiles, photos, blog and more information, visit AmbiguouslyBlind.com and connect on:    Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin  Like what we're doing? Support us: Buy Me A Coffee  This is a listener supported podcast.  Please consider donating to build and sustain our community  :: EPISODE LINKS ::  All Hypothetically Speaking Episode ::  https://www.ambiguouslyblind.com/category/hypothetically-speaking/  More episodes with Erin :: https://www.ambiguouslyblind.com/guests/erin/     

Media producer, voiceover artist, public speaker, consultant and longtime philanthropist, Michele Spitz, stops by to have a couple of laughs and discuss her passion of advocating for media accessibility and disability inclusion and awareness. For over 10 years, she has been dedicated to funding audio description and post production accessibility grants to ensure that media content is equally accessible to low-vision and blind audiences. From ballet films to Beatles documentaries and Academy Award Ceremonies, Michele seems to have done it all. Because she believes that art can heal the world, she doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon.      SIGN UP FOR THE DON'T WAIT LIST :: http://www.dontwaitlist.com/  GET YOUR #DONTWAIT MUG! :: https://amblind.creator-spring.com/listing/destiny-dont-wait-black?product=1565  :: PODCAST LINKS :: For show notes, guest profiles, photos, blog and more information, visit AmbiguouslyBlind.com and connect on:    Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin  Like what we're doing? Support us: Buy Me A Coffee  This is a listener supported podcast.  Please consider donating to build and sustain our community  :: EPISODE LINKS ::  More About Michele :: https://www.ambiguouslyblind.com/guests/michele-spitz/   

Aaron, sorry I mean, Erin once again joins John to pose more humorous hypothetical questions. In a twist, Erin gets herself in trouble when she brings a bottle of wine from Schitz's Creek which earns the distinguished “E” rating for this episode. So, hide your kids and hide your wives as Erin gets food poisoning while John is barefoot in a public bathroom. Fun and laughter ensue. What would you choose? SIGN UP FOR THE DON'T WAIT LIST :: http://www.dontwaitlist.com/  GET YOUR #DONTWAIT MUG! :: https://amblind.creator-spring.com/listing/destiny-dont-wait-black?product=1565  :: PODCAST LINKS :: For show notes, guest profiles, photos, blog and more information, visit AmbiguouslyBlind.com and connect on:    Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin  Like what we're doing? Support us: Buy Me A Coffee  This is a listener supported podcast.  Please consider donating to build and sustain our community  :: EPISODE LINKS ::  More episodes like this :: https://www.ambiguouslyblind.com/category/qa/  More episodes with Erin :: https://www.ambiguouslyblind.com/guests/erin/   

Amazingly, Erin is back with another round of hypothetical questions for John. Although there are no “scandalous” questions this time, things get weird as John is topless, allergic to elderly people and on the top bunk by the end of the episode. But, fun and laughter still ensue. What would you choose?    SIGN UP FOR THE DON'T WAIT LIST :: http://www.dontwaitlist.com/  GET YOUR #DONTWAIT MUG! :: https://amblind.creator-spring.com/listing/destiny-dont-wait-black?product=1565  :: PODCAST LINKS :: For show notes, guest profiles, photos, blog and more information, visit AmbiguouslyBlind.com and connect on:    Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin  Like what we're doing? Support us: Buy Me A Coffee  This is a listener supported podcast.  Please consider donating to build and sustain our community  :: EPISODE LINKS ::  Becky Werner Meningitis Foundation :: https://stampoutmeningitis.com/beckys-story/    More episodes with Erin :: https://www.ambiguouslyblind.com/guests/erin/   

Sheryl Ellis, a Certified Professional in Human Resources and a recognized expert in Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) stops by to discuss how she helps employees and employers understand how to apply the ADA to a workplace accommodation situation and how employees can research, request, and negotiate an accommodation with their employer while successfully managing their health condition and being productive employees. In addition to attending the same high school and college, although a couple of years apart, John and Sheryl discuss their shared but different experience with meningitis while attending Texas Tech University.   GET YOUR #DONTWAIT MUG! :: https://amblind.creator-spring.com/  :: PODCAST LINKS :: For show notes, guest profiles, photos, blog and more information, visit AmbiguouslyBlind.com and connect on:    Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin  Like what we're doing? Support us: Buy Me A Coffee  This is a listener supported podcast.  Please consider donating to build and sustain our community  :: EPISODE LINKS :: Guest bio & social links: Sheryl Ellis ::  https://www.ambiguouslyblind.com/guests/sheryl-ellis/ Augmented HR Services :: https://aughrs.com/  The Happiness Trap ::  

After an exciting & somewhat cryptic podcast and book update, Erin is back with another round of hypothetical questions for John that force them to choose the better of two bad options. Things get tense when Erin poses a “scandalous” question and is shocked with John's answer. After determining John was kidding, fun and laughter ensue. What would you choose?   GET YOUR #DONTWAIT MUG! :: https://amblind.creator-spring.com/  SIGN UP FOR THE MAILING LIST :: https://www.ambiguouslyblind.com/  :: PODCAST LINKS :: For show notes, guest profiles, photos, blog and more information, visit AmbiguouslyBlind.com and connect on:    Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin  Like what we're doing? Support us: Buy Me A Coffee  This is a listener supported podcast.  Please consider donating to build and sustain our community  :: EPISODE LINKS :: Becky Werner Meningitis Foundation :: https://stampoutmeningitis.com/beckys-story/   

Dylan Rafaty’s personal mission is to increase opportunities by opening new doors so that everyone can have an overall better quality of life. He stops by to share his unique personal journey, being born with both significant hearing loss and early struggles with eating. Dylan’s formative school years weren’t much help. So, he learned to self-advocate and took matters into his own hands. Then wrote Occupy Special Education, Children Should be Seen and Heard, a book that chronicles his experience and helps school districts and educators better understand how to ensure students with special needs succeed. After countless volunteer and entrepreneurial ventures, Dylan will be starting the Doctor of Education program at the University of Southern California in a couple of months.   GET YOUR #DONTWAIT MUG! :: https://amblind.creator-spring.com/  :: PODCAST LINKS :: For show notes, guest profiles, photos, blog and more information, visit AmbiguouslyBlind.com and connect on:    Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin  Like what we're doing? Support us: Buy Me A Coffee  This is a listener supported podcast.  Please consider donating to build and sustain our community  :: EPISODE LINKS :: Guest bio & social links: Dylan Rafaty ::  https://www.ambiguouslyblind.com/guests/dylan-rafaty/ DylanRafaty.com :: https://dylanrafaty.com/  

Morten Bonde returns to talk about life after publishing his book, Sentenced to Blindness, Now What, which chronicles his journey from hopelessness to possibility and liberation from sight loss due to Retinitis Pigmentosa.  Since leaving his career at the Lego Group, Morten has become a meditation teacher, mindfulness instructor and TEDx speaker with an ambition to captivate, influence and motivate people to take back control and become the master of their own life. Morten talks about the course he created, Inner Peace in Outer Chaos and how mindfulness enables people to develop an awareness of their breath, their body, their thoughts, and their surroundings to anchor themself in the present moment, focusing on what is happening right now, rather than getting caught up in thoughts about the future or the past.    GET YOUR #DONTWAIT MUG! :: https://amblind.creator-spring.com/  :: PODCAST LINKS :: For show notes, guest profiles, photos, blog and more information, visit AmbiguouslyBlind.com and connect on:    Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin  Like what we're doing? Support us: Buy Me A Coffee  This is a listener supported podcast.  Please consider donating to build and sustain our community  :: EPISODE LINKS :: Guest bio & social links: Morten Bonde ::  https://www.ambiguouslyblind.com/guests/morten-bonde/ Inner Peace in Outer Chaos :: http://www.innerpeaceinouterchaos.com/ MortenBonde.com :: http://www.mortenbonde.com/  Morten's TEDx :: https://youtu.be/LFkrPRZFRXg   

Ms. Wheelchair America, Ali Ingersoll, stops by to share her personal journey as a C6 Complete Quadriplegic that began with a shallow water diving accident. Ali’s captivating personality, relentless drive and belief in paying it forward, are all on display as she shares about the work she does for the disability community and inclusion for all humans in the corporate world as well as the basic rights she tirelessly fights for daily with health insurance providers. Ali sheds light on taboo topics with her unique style of dark humor and along with John shares a desire to bring her message to a TED Talk stage.    Get your #DontWait Merch: https://amblind.creator-spring.com/  :: PODCAST LINKS :: For show notes, guest profiles, photos, blog and more information, visit AmbiguouslyBlind.com and connect on:    Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin  Like what we're doing? Support us: Buy Me A Coffee  This is a listener supported podcast.  Please consider donating to build and sustain our community  :: EPISODE LINKS :: Guest bio & social links: Ali Ingersoll ::  https://www.ambiguouslyblind.com/guests/ali-ingersoll/ Unblinded Link: https://fb.watch/jI8VUPxgkh/  

Vice President of Marketing, Stephanie Jones, stops by to talk about how the Menus4ALL app puts over 850,000 accessible restaurant menus in the palm of your hand. She then takes John for a test drive with the app to demonstrate the ease of use and empowerment it provides as well as a great Memphis BBQ restaurant. Stephanie also shares her unique story of sight loss due to a condition called Pseudotumor Cerebri and discovers a striking similarity to the cause of John’s sight loss. As a Braille instructor, Stephanie gives John his first lesson and underscores the importance of Braille and how it works with technology.   Get your #DontWait Merch: https://amblind.creator-spring.com/  :: PODCAST LINKS :: For show notes, guest profiles, photos, blog and more information, visit AmbiguouslyBlind.com and connect on:    Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin  Like what we're doing? Support us: Buy Me A Coffee  This is a listener supported podcast.  Please consider donating to build and sustain our community  :: EPISODE LINKS :: Guest bio & social links: Stephanie Jones ::  https://www.ambiguouslyblind.com/guests/stephanie-jones/ Menus4ALL :: https://www.menus4all.com/   

Mary Mammoliti, host of the Kitchen Confession Podcast and the Dish with Mary TV Show, stops by to share her personal journey with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) and how she confronted her imposter syndrome, stopped saying sorry and started finding ability in her disability and smiling all the time. Mary found that spending time in the kitchen was therapeutic and launched Mary 2.0 and the podcast and TV show to work with sighted chefs and share adaptive cooking tools and techniques. Mary also answers some hard-hitting questions from John while gracefully deflecting ridiculous Canadian language jokes.  Get your #DontWait Merch: https://amblind.creator-spring.com/  :: PODCAST LINKS :: For show notes, guest profiles, photos, blog and more information, visit AmbiguouslyBlind.com and connect on:    Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin  Like what we're doing? Support us: Buy Me A Coffee  This is a listener supported podcast.  Please consider donating to build and sustain our community  :: EPISODE LINKS :: Guest bio & social links: Mary Mammoliti ::  https://www.ambiguouslyblind.com/guests/mary-mammoliti/   Kitchen Confession Podcast :: https://www.kitchenconfession.com/   

“Marketing publicist”, podcaster and advocate, Lis Malone stops by to share her personal journey with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) and how she developed a #DontWait mindset to move forward through the uncertainty of her diagnosis and future. Lis and John compare notes on brushes with danger and reflect on the tough decision to surrender their driver’s licenses, and its underlying impact on one’s psyche. She also talks about the good time she has as the lone female and American voice on the long-running AT Banter Podcast. Lis, a New Jersey Devils enthusiast, makes a side bet for this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs and manages to get John to speak a distinct four-letter word just after the puck drops, earning the distinguished “E” rating for this banter-filled episode. As a professional marketer and publicist for authors and their books, Lis has worked with many authors including New York Times Best Selling Authors, Steven Hartov and Jerome Preisler, both of whom she mentions in this discussion. Get your #DontWait Merch: https://amblind.creator-spring.com/  :: PODCAST LINKS :: For show notes, guest profiles, photos, blog and more information, visit AmbiguouslyBlind.com and connect on:    Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin  Like what we're doing? Support us: Buy Me A Coffee  Visit LisMalone.com  This is a listener supported podcast.  Please consider donating to build and sustain our community  :: EPISODE LINKS :: Guest details: Lis Malone: https://www.ambiguouslyblind.com/guests/lis-malone/ John Grimes AT Banter Episode: https://atbanter.com/2023/03/15/at-banter-episode-327-john-grimes/ 

Co-host of the AT Banter Podcast, Ryan Fleury, stops to share the story of how his sight was abruptly lost in an accident and the new found direction his life took thereafter. Ryan and John discuss assistive technology and how AI and Chat GPT,  will be a game changing technology for the blind a visually impaired. A musician on the side, Ryan shares a song he wrote that was turned into an audio described music video.  :: PODCAST LINKS :: For show notes, guest profiles, photos, blog and more information, visit AmbiguouslyBlind.com and connect on:    Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin  Like what we're doing? Support us: Buy Me A Coffee This is a listener supported podcast.  Please consider donating to build and sustain our community  :: EPISODE LINKS :: Guest details: Ryan Fleury: https://www.ambiguouslyblind.com/guests/ryan-fleury/ AT Banter Podcast Website: https://atbanter.com/  White Cane Records: https://www.whitecanerecords.com/  John Grimes AT Banter Episode: https://atbanter.com/2023/03/15/at-banter-episode-327-john-grimes/ 

Patti Wukovits and Alicia Stillman, two mothers who each lost their young, healthy daughters too soon to a now vaccine-preventable disease, Meningitis B (known as MenB). High school senior Kimberly (Patti’s daughter), 17, died one week before her graduation. College sophomore Emily (Alicia’s daughter), 19, died just 36 hours after her first symptoms. Both Kimberly and Emily had received the MenACWY vaccine, the MenB vaccine was not yet available to help protect them from MenB.   In 2014, to educate the public about meningococcal meningitis and MenB vaccination, Patti and Alicia each established their own foundations named after their daughters. Both mothers have since joined forces under the Meningitis B Action Project to make sure other parents don’t needlessly suffer the same fate.   The objective of the Meningitis B Action Project is to: Empower young adults (and their parents) with information to talk to their healthcare provider about Meningitis B and the vaccine that can help prevent it. Encourage healthcare providers to discuss Meningitis B and the MenB vaccine with their patients. Increase awareness of Meningitis B on high school, college and university campuses Engage policymakers to ensure broader access to the MenB vaccine. :: PODCAST LINKS :: For show notes, guest profiles, photos, blog and more information, visit AmbiguouslyBlind.com and connect on:    Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin  Like what we're doing? Support us: Buy Me A Coffee This is a listener supported podcast.  Please consider donating to build and sustain our community  :: EPISODE LINKS :: Guest details:  Patti Wukovits: https://www.ambiguouslyblind.com/guests/patti-wukovits/ Alicia Stillman: https://www.ambiguouslyblind.com/guests/alicia-stillman/ Meningitis B Action Project: https://meningitisbactionproject.org/  The Kimberly Coffey Foundation: https://www.kimberlycoffeyfoundation.org/  The Emily Stillman Foundation: https://www.foreveremily.org/   

Founder and President of the Together Achieving Dreams (TAD) Foundation, Kathryn Webster, stops by to share her unbelievably unique sight loss journey and the humbling moment she became comfortable with herself. Kathryn explains TAD Foundation’s three pronged approach to increasing employment in corporate America for the blind and low vision community by bridging the gap between potential and possibility.    :: PODCAST LINKS :: For show notes, guest profiles, photos, blog and more information, visit AmbiguouslyBlind.com and connect on:    Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin  Like what we're doing? Support us: Buy Me A Coffee This is a listener supported podcast.  Please consider donating to build and sustain our community  :: EPISODE LINKS :: Guest details: Kathryn Webster: https://www.ambiguouslyblind.com/guests/kathryn-webster/ TAD Foundation Website: https://tadfoundation.org/  Chad Foster and Blind Ambition: https://www.ambiguouslyblind.com/chad-e-foster-and-blind-ambition/   

Director of Strategic Partnerships, Billy Parker, stops by to explain how NSITE is a one-stop-shop for blindness employment. A spinoff of the National Industries for the Blind (NIB), NSITE works with employers to identify potential candidates who are blind, visually impaired, and/or veterans. From there, NSITE assists with accessibility needs, onboarding, and training, then prepares both parties for job placement. Their work does not end there; it continues with ongoing support to accommodate changes in accessible technology and employer requirements.  Billy and John also discuss how remote work opportunities have been a game-changing element to today’s workforce and how accessible technology benefits everyone.   :: PODCAST LINKS :: For show notes, guest profiles, photos, blog and more information, visit AmbiguouslyBlind.com and connect on:    Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin  Like what we're doing? Support us: Buy Me A Coffee This is a listener supported podcast.  Please consider donating to build and sustain our community  :: EPISODE LINKS :: Guest details: Billy Parker: https://www.ambiguouslyblind.com/guests/billy-parker/ NSITE Website: https://nsite.org/  Blind Grilling Experience Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/blind-grilling-experience/id1515334158  Flame Boss Website: https://www.flameboss.com/