- From: Katie Haritos-Shea <ryladog@earthlink.net>
- Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2001 22:10:00 -0400
- To: "3WC WCAG" <w3c-wai-gl@w3.org>
Part of the reason we convey information to others is the hope/intent of storing that snippet into the brain and memories of our audience. A sharing of personal knowledge or experience.............. IMAGES: Though I am visually sighted, I did not want to see the images of people jumping out of windows of the WTC, and maintain that recurrent disturbing visual picture in my memory. Just because the information is available in greater "richness" does not necessarily mean that we should want to take it in that fashion. It is a personal choice. TEXT: When I finally felt the need to update my information about our new reality, I chose text, a newspaper, because I felt it to be more controllable..............I could stop reading and put it down before it became too overwhelming. It was the bite-size way that I could handle items, that made this mode best for me. Personally, I would like a choice............and I believe that providing alternatives is just that. OLFACTORY: If and when we can associate "smell" as an alternative or enhancement, will be a great day for me...............but only as it relates to my memories of how a loved one, or a favored meal, a special flower, pertains................I want the choice of filtering it out when the discussion or memory of Girl Scout latrines come up! AURAL: To hear my loved ones on the phone saying that they are safe and alive was the most accurate and comforting way...........(in the absence of actually being together)...........to assess their true situations. The fear and uncertainty transgress the physical lines. And, the concreteness of how "alright" someone is, is preserved. Sound has it's own powerful ability to store everlasting impressions. There are numerous experiences in my life that I recall solely by the words of someone imprinted in my brain. Though other information was available, the vision of the person, for instance, is not remembered. The brain has chosen to imprint this memory as the verbal sound of their voice, or the rumble of the train, only. This information was potent enough without all the other extraneous senses adding noise to what was apparently mostly an aural event to my brain. Often, it is the sound of someone's voice that provides the most comfort to me, above all other modes. I am certain that I will never be able to hear "Aidlewise" (German song about the flower, sorry I butchered the spelling), without thinking of the Alps in the movie the Sound of Music. That same song would mean something else to another. TOUCH: When and if.......................... SPIRIT: When and if.......................... My ideal web page/memorial of this last weeks experience would have a fiery-red sky with the sun setting over the Olympic Mountains on Puget Sound...............transgressing to the dark evening sky with millions of hopefully sparkling stars, as the background image........................the smell of fresh pine trees and a wood-burning fire..................the sound of sea-gulls, the gentle lap of waves on the shore, a slow cautious freight-train passing bye, and the murmur of families out on an evening walk.............a soft pleasant wind on my cheek, a scruffy silly dog nuzzling my side. The spiritual affect, would be a comforting hug..........<h1>The qualities that bind us are stronger than the differences that divide us</h1>, the remaining text carefully floating over the page in <cite> tags.............."If we don't go on with our work at this meeting, then the terrorists have succeeded........" Gregg V., "Is it going to be OK mommy? I don't want you to fly anywhere........" Veronika & Sabrina H., "I think I want to go home and be with my wife, she is very disturbed by this, and doesn't want to be alone........." Charles M., "How can I sit here and non-chalantly eat a nice pleasant meal as people are dying in the rubble?" Wendy C., "cmn wonders if the United States military shot down the plane in Pennsylvania.........." irc post, "Free apples for those who hope that the United States will not resort to violence..........." Sign on table at a farmers market, "Let me in my fu**ing house........" John B. after a long struggle to return home from overseas, "We have all been reminded of the ugly face of hate and violence..................what face do you want your loved ones to remember you as wearing?.................." Katie HS
Received on Monday, 17 September 2001 22:19:36 UTC