Hello from a place that is old to me, but new again: the DSB Career and Training Center, formerly known as the North Carolina Rehabilitation Center for the Blind. I suppose they consider the modern name more descriptively accurate of the services offered here. This place is located on the campus of Governor Morehead School for the Blind, and I am to receive an evaluation to provide insight into which kinds of job I might wish to search for in the future.

Why have I been missing from these pages for as long as I have lately? Well there’s a really good reason for that, but I am not at liberty to go entirely into detail yet. Let’s say a wonderful side-opportunity for some freelance writing has fallen into my lap, and I’ve been brushing up on how to compose solid articles. Hopefully you will be able to see some of these articles, from me and others, in the coming months. That is exciting, and interestingly it developed just as my DSB counselor and I were ramping up plans for this evaluation.

I can’t say I’m completely certain what will happen here. Their handbook says standardized testing, perhaps. Computer assessments, and I guess some kind of vocational component. I remember coming here in 1996, and staying in Cox Dorm as I am now. The place seemed old and the stairs narrow and hot, with carpeted rooms and a giant, single bathroom for use by everyone on the floor. Surprisingly though, they have now renovated it into suites, with each containing a bathroom that has a shower and toilet. This is in some ways nicer, but it also means that only one person can get in there at a time. I’ll be interested to see how much demand is placed on the facilities.

I arrived, after commuting the arduous seven miles from my Cary home. I kind of wondered why I had chosen to stay on campus exactly, but dinner dispelled any uncertainty I had about that. It’s about the networking. I spoke with people and informed them about some of my freelance stuff, while also hearing from two twins (we could tell they were by their rhyming names) who were in the Randolph Shepard Vendors of America Program. I know little about this, except that they train blind and low vision people to load snack machines at various businesses. It seems to be a good establishment, but takes a while to complete certification. The twins have been here since January and will remain till June. I also spoke with an individual who is seeking voiceover work, and suggested that he take a good, hard look at NPR. Overall, it was an uplifting conversation for us all, as we’re fighting the same battles.

So however this ends up unfolding, of course you will hear about it. More coming, probably tomorrow.