Dispatches | August 11, 2008

This morning my husband startled me with one of those questions that because they are so odd and come out of nowhere can really alarm you: “If I had to have my eyes removed, what would you do?”

I almost asked him where the idea came from, but then decided I might not want to know.  Instead I told him I thought it would be harder on him than on me: he’s very visual; I’m verbal.  He likes to look at things; I like to think about things. 

Still, I have fretted on occasion about losing my sight.  How would I edit? Read?   Write?

In recent years I’ve worred a lot less because technology offers so many solutions for the differently abled.  I bought my first IPod recently so I could listen to books while I ride my exercise bike.  If I couldn’t see, I’d just listen while I wasn’t biking, too.

I could even listen to TMR.  We’re the only literary journal (to our knowledge) currently producing an audio version of the entire content of every issue.   And to enhance our increasing commitment to literature in the audio format, we’re sponsoring our second annual audio competition, with categories for voice-only literature, narrative essay and documentary, and with a new video category this year.  To find out more, click here.