For my 62nd birthday, I'm doing something I've never done before: participating in an organized race.

I signed up for the 8K during Philadelphia Marathon Weekend, and I'll be walking the nearly five-mile course using my white cane. I explain what convinced me I could do it, why my biggest concern isn't my legs but my cane hand, and why finishing matters much more to me than my time.

I'm also raising money for the National Federation of the Blind. If you'd like to support my 8K, visit https://www.david8k.com/.

I also share an update on Ziggy. After finishing chemotherapy and then dealing with an intestinal blockage, he's finally starting to act like his lunatic self again.

Top Takeaways

• I'm participating in my first organized race on my 62nd birthday.
• I'll walk the Philadelphia Marathon Weekend 8K using my white cane.
• My biggest physical concern is keeping my cane hand working for nearly five miles.
• I'm raising money for the National Federation of the Blind through david8k.com.
• Ziggy is in remission and showing encouraging signs of getting back to his old self.

What You'll Learn

• What made me believe I could handle an 8K.
• Why walking thousands of daily steps isn't the same as walking a race course blind.
• The accessibility challenge I'm anticipating with my white cane.
• How a conversation at Wills Eye turned into an unexpected sponsorship.
• Why Ziggy's recent behavior has given us some much-needed encouragement.

Connect With Me

Website: https://www.iCantCU.com/302

Social media: @davidbenj

Email: iCantCUPodcast@gmail.com

Voicemail: 646-926-6350

You can leave a message of up to three minutes. Please include your name and town.

Support the Podcast

The links below are affiliate links. When you click them, I may earn a small commission.

• • • I edit the show with Descript and love it!: https://www.iCantCU.com/descript/
    • I process all audio using Auphonic: https://auphonic.com?source=dgdesignllc

• • • Ray-Ban Meta Glasses: https://amzn.to/4hmlp4v
    • Rokid Style AI Smart Glasses: https://rokid.sjv.io/c/4693780/3736905/45256
    • PORADAY Blue Sunglasses worn in the episode: https://amzn.to/4uoBESB

I bought Pocket because it seemed like the perfect device for me. It could record conversations, create transcripts, and pull out action items and to-do lists. The biggest selling point was the ability to use it with phone calls.

Unfortunately, the hardware was not the problem. The app was not accessible enough for me to use the features I needed, so I returned it.

That experience highlights a bigger issue I face whenever I consider new technology. A great device can become useless if the app that controls it is inaccessible.

I also talk about a very different accessibility experience. When my Mac nearly ran out of storage and became difficult to use, ChatGPT helped me diagnose the problem and work through the fix in Terminal. It was a strong reminder of how valuable AI can be for people who are blind or have low vision.

I also share details about the NFB of Pennsylvania scholarship raffle and give an update on Ziggy as he continues recovering after chemotherapy.

Accessibility has to include both the hardware and the software.

As a blind consumer, I have to consider accessibility before buying new technology.

AI can provide real independence, from describing images to helping solve complicated technology problems.

Return policies matter because accessibility problems are not always obvious right away.

Why I returned Pocket.

Why taking notes during phone calls can be difficult when using a screen reader.

How ChatGPT helped me fix a major storage problem on my Mac.

Why I believe AI can be such an important accessibility tool.

How the NFB of Pennsylvania scholarship raffle works.

How Ziggy is doing after chemotherapy.