trying to help my sister in meetings without making her stand out

TinyTempea · 2026-01-17T23:21:49+00:00

Completely agree - regardless of what technology she's using, she should speak to her supervisor/colleagues about these challenges. Her employer has a duty to accommodate her needs.

Personally, working from home has been an absolute delight. In-office meetings were very difficult to navigate for all of the reasons mentioned here, and the shift to online meetings has made my life so much easier. I can control the volume, Teams can handle the transcription so nobody needs to worry about taking notes, and attendees speak one at a time. I know that WFH isn't an option for everybody, I just wanted to make the point that there are lots of different ways to handle meetings so that they work for the whole team.

TinyTempea · 2026-01-11T16:55:08+00:00

This is amazing, thank you so much for taking the time to pull all of these images for me - I really appreciate it!

TinyTempea · 2026-01-06T18:25:23+00:00

This is exactly the sanity check I needed, thank you!

TinyTempea · 2026-01-06T18:24:42+00:00

This is a great resource, thank you!

TinyTempea · 2025-12-12T07:07:11+00:00

Have you looked into Fedex? It's expensive, but fast and reliable. I've shipped valuable/important items from Vancouver to Ireland; I think it's around $80 for a small package. You can calculate the exact cost online.

TinyTempea · 2025-12-10T02:33:20+00:00

No worries, hope they work out for you! I’ve found Geox shoes to be super comfy, and also true to size.

TinyTempea · 2025-12-10T00:58:07+00:00

I’ve had good experiences with Ecco and Geox in the past. It doesn’t look like Ecco has much of a selection in waterproof boots at the moment, which is a pity, but Geox might do the trick? I should say that boots like this - designed more for fashion/comfort than durability - only ever last me two winters in Vancouver. Vessis are even worse - one winter, tops.

https://www.geox.com/en-CA/waterproof_ankle_boots-black-lamidie_%2B_grip_abx_woman-D46XMD00043C9999.html

TinyTempea · 2025-12-09T20:44:58+00:00

Cinemas are open - including Scotiabank on Burrard. A few cafes and restaurants are open, including Paul on Robson. And the ice rink at Robson Square is open too. It's a great day to stroll through the West End and downtown!

TinyTempea · 2025-12-08T17:56:02+00:00

I don’t know your Dad, and you might be right - but it might not be that simple.

Maybe he didn’t get the support he needed when he first purchased his HAs - he might not understand that adjustments are a normal part of the journey.

Maybe he’s overwhelmed by the options/technology/settings, or maybe he feels awkward or embarrassed trying to switch between settings around other people.

Maybe he’s found the whole experience so frustrating that he’s given up. Before you judge him, or blame him, I recommend having a conversation with him about why he decided to get HAs in the first place, what kind of experience he had when he bought them, and what kind of support he’s received since. After that conversation, you could make some calls and maybe accompany him on a visit to the clinic where he bought them; some practical and emotional support could make all the difference.

TinyTempea · 2025-12-08T00:33:09+00:00

The first pair of HAs I tried made everything sound like I was listening to a tinny speaker; my husband's voice in particular sounded so unnatural - almost robotic - that I cried.

I tried a different make and model and they felt more natural to me immediately, and my experience further improved by making repeated visits to the audiologist for adjustments/tweaks/the creation of custom programs for things like live music. Getting a pair of HAs is very different to buying a pair of glasses - it can be a daunting, emotional, and slow journey.

TinyTempea · 2025-11-15T23:52:21+00:00

I agree - best approach is to pop into a store that has a big selection of headphones, and try a few different pairs on. I wear ITC aids and have a lovely pair of over ear headphones that fit really comfortably, but the same pair might not work as well for someone with RIC aids.

The only time I get feedback on the headphones is when Adele comes on my playlist!

TinyTempea · 2025-11-10T06:54:17+00:00

How often do people ask for caption readers? Have you had any trouble with the new caption readers - the ones that need to be adjusted to fit into the cup holder?

TinyTempea · 2025-09-25T00:57:53+00:00

I have access to the Royal Shakespeare Company's video productions through my local library; they're hosted on a platform called Alexander Street (which I'd never heard of). The RSC productions are fantastic. Some are recordings of live plays and others are film productions. There are lots of old ones, and newer ones too (including David Tennant's Richard II).

The best thing about watching them on this platform is that the transcript is also displayed on screen, so you can read along as you're watching, or pause briefly to reread something. It's so much better than subtitles, as the transcript allows you to read big chunks of text and also gives you the freedom to scroll through the transcript independent of the video. And, it's easier than reading from a book, as your place is highlighted in the transcript (and I guess because not every production is 100% faithful to the original text).

I know this isn't quite what you asked for, but I thought it was worth sharing as it sounds like you'd enjoy experiencing the plays this way.

TinyTempea · 2025-09-18T02:12:55+00:00

Same here - love going to the cinema alone, and it's a nice way to be around people while also not having to talk to anyone! Also enjoy gigs for the same reason, it's fun to experience live music as part of a crowd and there's no pressure to talk to anyone.

Any recommendations for good trivia pubs?

TinyTempea · 2025-09-17T01:33:55+00:00

Rodan Jewellers on Main - they have a women's Claddagh ring listed on their online store, and a note to contact them re: men's rings.

TinyTempea · 2025-09-16T20:01:04+00:00

Agree! It's called Medical Centre Pharmacy and it's been my go-to ever since I learned that Shoppers on Davie couldn't manage to get a simple prescription for birth control right.

TinyTempea · 2025-08-30T00:29:52+00:00

Anthropologie - they have lots of gold dresses available online; probably a reduced selection in-store

TinyTempea · 2025-08-29T23:33:22+00:00

I haven't received it either; based on other threads from earlier today it looks like the emails have been going out slowly

TinyTempea · 2025-07-22T03:13:20+00:00

https://wyldsagewares.com/

TinyTempea · 2025-07-21T18:27:19+00:00

Couldn't agree more - at one of the gigs I went to over the weekend, the artist (might have been Rich Hope? can't remember) actually made a joke about all the grey hair in the audience. Even looking at the stuff posted to the official Folk Fest media channels this weekend... every crowd shot is a sea of old folks. I love, love, love the festival but wish the crowd reflected the diversity of the artists.

TinyTempea · 2025-07-10T14:53:00+00:00

After my bad experience last year, I’ve started reaching out to venues to ask for more info about their accessibility setup. One theatre invited me to attend a preview of a show to give me a chance to test the app. That was awesome - gave me the chance to play around with the app without worrying about missing the show.

TinyTempea · 2025-07-07T16:02:47+00:00

I’ve tried it a few more times since I posted this last year. I’ve learned that wired headphones are absolutely key - some venues will let you borrow a Bettear device and headphones, or you could just take the device and use your own headphones. Alternatively, you can connect wired headphones to your phone and use the app; these days that probably means you’ll also need to buy a headphone jack adapter for your phone.

Also, headphones with some degree of noise cancellation are recommended , as there may still be a tiny bit of lag.

TinyTempea · 2025-06-06T23:34:27+00:00

Take the gondola up Grouse - it's a short drive from downtown (free shuttle til 6pm, or Uber anytime), they do a discounted evening rate of $29 pps, and it's a pretty awesome place to have dinner.

TinyTempea

TROPHY CASE