Blind Luminations

It's Labour Day and The Blindnamic Duo are finally back to end the summer in style!

Looking on the bright side of life, Marc and Jan are reminiscing on how The Blind Avenger's vision-loss has created some unintended mishaps. It's a podisode featuring ferris wheels, foot stomps and air hockey, so come have a laugh and listen in!

In a tale of love and marriage, The Blindnamic Duo are sharing how they make things work on this week's podisode!

The Blindnamic Duo are back and have plenty of ground to cover!

How is Marc preparing for a revolution and what is Jan doing to help paint a picture for him? We're  reviewing Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution, talking Instagram photos and making a big announcement. Be sure to listen if you're on the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) and looking for a way to share your story!

The Blindnamic Duo are back and row row rowing their boat gently down the stream!

Okay, so it isn't THAT kind of stream but Marc and Jan still have plenty to talk about. Find out what they thought of streaming a concert on their latest Quarendate, how the Guiding Goddess is readjusting to work and what almost left The Blind Avenger in a "crappy" situation.

We've got all this and a bag of potato chips in our latest podisode, so come join the fun!

The Blindnamic Duo are taking flight once again!

Leaving the serious content for their website, Marc and Jan decided to keep things light with this week's podisode. Going in with no particular topic, the two ended up having a lengthy discussion on the portrayal of diabetics in TV & film. Aside from that, hear about the Guiding Goddess trying to steal her husband's cane and why you shouldn't mess with The Blind Avenger!

You're not dreaming, The Blindnamic Duo are back with another dose of podcasting fun!

On this edition of the Blind Luminations podcast, Marc and Jan are having a slumber party! Get on your PJs, grab your pillows and freeze someone's underpants! (Okay, maybe don't do that last one...) The two are talking about blindness, sleep and dreams so don't nod off.

If that wasn't enough, the masked husband and wife team are also covering what they've been up to in the past couple of weeks. What are they watching? Where are they eating from? How are they keeping busy? There's only one way to find out!

The Blindnamic Duo is back and better than ever!

What have Marc and Jan been up to since the world got turned upside down in March? In their first podisode of the pandemic era and second season, the two focus on how their lives have been indirectly changed by Covid-19. From financial fears to impaired interactions, the Guiding Goddess and Blind Avenger have a lot to catch-up on!

The two also detail some changes that will alter the very fabric of this show. Oh yeah, Marc shares what he went through to promote the freshly minted second season too... or something.

They aren't the Jeffersons, but this week The Blindnamic Duo are moving on up!

Jumping back almost seven years, Marc and Jan discuss what it was like to move out three weeks before their wedding. What makes an apartment more enticing for someone who is blind? Which aspects does moving have in common with the disability? Why isn't it always a good idea to whistle while you work? How did The Guiding Goddess adjust to living with a blind man and what things do they both need to be aware of?

We cover these aspects of assimilation and more as The Blind Avenger also follows up on two burning questions from last week's podisode. What are you waiting for?

Links we mentioned on the podcast:

While moving day has been moved, The Blindnamic Duo are making this podcast fast an furious!

Due to complications surrounding her midnight shifts, Jan and Marc decided to push back the podisode about moving in together. As a result, the two discuss what they've been up to instead. From watching the most amazing film with a blind protagonist ever (spoiler: it's Blind Fury) to getting fat for religious reasons, there's still a lot to cover in this short podisode.

Along the way, the married couple also discuss counting severed body parts, whether or not Brooklyn's a suburb and how Marc chooses his sunglasses. (There may be a digression or two in there for good measure as well.)

They may be late for Valentine's, but The Blindnamic Duo still thinks it's a great day for a blind wedding.

On this week's podisode, Marc and Jan talk all about what went into planning their big jump into holy matrimony. What extra steps were required to make the big day accessible for someone who is blind? You might be surprised at the answers. Covering almost everything from the proposal to the first kiss and beyond (Get your minds out of the gutters, sickos,) this podisode is stuffed tighter than a wedding bouquet!

We also share plenty of random asides and stories along the way. This includes the Tesseract/cosmic cube, how Marc picked out his groomsmen's tuxedo colour and (along with Jan) ensured their wedding ceremony wouldn't set the church on fire. Also, did we mention watching Velocipastor? Okay, so maybe we buried the lead there.

It's a dirty job but someone has to do it. Good thing The Blindnamic Duo are back and ready to get serious!

This week, Marc and Jan are getting into the nitty gritty of finding a job when you're disabled. sharing some personal experiences, the two also cover why certain solutions don't always work and how things tie into social assistance. At the end of the day there ain't no party like a blind job party so get ready for an in depth discussion about employment. Disabled workplaces represent, yo!

All kidding aside, we get a bit more serious than usual but still maintain the charm you've come to know and love. How did Marc over think himself out of a job not once but twice? What would he do to gain an advantage over Jan in an interview? Why is she obsessed with car metaphors and what makes our podcast absolute rubbish? There's only one way to find out!

The Blindnamic Duo are back and ready to rock the 2020 premiere of the podcast!

After a short hiatus, Marc and Jan have returned with an action packed podisode filled with stories from their holiday season: How does a blind man participate in axe throwing? What happened during an apartment-wide power outage along with the consequences? How did The Blind Avenger's audio descriptions help the Guiding Goddess' movie going experience? (It's a story of Marc taking the lead for once!)

We also talk stinky onions, birthday/holiday parties and getting doped up at the hospital on this pot pourri of of a podisode. It's like a Christmas gift in mid-January!

The Blindnamic Duo are celebrating their 25th episode in style and it's... educational?

Covering how Marc got into college, he and Jan lay out how The Blind Avenger earned his degree at the school of hard knocks. Why did the former head of journalism refuse to talk with the beacon of blindness? How did the future journalist still slide into the program? What extra obstacles did he face due to his disability and why couldn't his skills speak for themselves? 

If you take anything away from this podisode it should probably be "don't piss Marc off!" In addition to these questions, we allude to future hurdles he didn't see coming (no pun intended,) discuss an amazing Christmas lights show in the area and Jan starts singing... again. (Oh the humanity!)

What fun is a relationship if there isn't a little bit of stabbing once in awhile?

While it may sound sadistic, The Blindnamic Duo is actually covering how Jan and Marc manage the latter's diabetes. Find out how The Blind Avenger checks his blood sugar, gives himself insulin and listen to an audio demonstration of both! It's the perfect solution for those who have always wanted to hear a blind man get stabbed and bleed while being too queasy to watch!

Beyond this immersive experience, find out why blind diabetics have great  relationships, lots of sweets and like noise. Marc and Jan are making up for lost time so strap in and get some audio sweetener! (Did you think we were going to promote sugar here?)

In a podisode that pits fact against fiction, The Blindnamic Duo explores the reality of blindness when compared to its portrayal in entertainment.

Learning more about their unique thoughts, Marc and Jan pick each other's brains about perceptions of the blind in pop culture and beyond! What characters did The Blind Avenger find empowering and which depictions were not so great? How did the Guiding Goddess view the visually-impaired in different forms of media before and after she met Marc? What creates a fully-fleshed out character with a disability and how is Hollywood dropping the ball when it comes to representing visual-impairment? (Here's a hint: There isn't just perfect vision or nothing, folks!)

The two also delve into several anecdotes while tackling some classic scenes with blind characters. All of this before talk of how others take certain content, an actor's responsibility when playing disabled characters and how Marc's sighted days influence his opinions of past films.

This week The Blindnamic Duo are exiting the blind shrine and taking a trip to the mouse house!

That's right, almost two weeks after its launch, Marc and Jan are ready to give their initial thoughts on Disney+! What accessibility issues is Marc having, how has Jan benefited from some of the accessibility features (despite being fully-sighted) and what content have they enjoyed the most?

Both The Blind Avenger and Guiding Goddess break down what Disney got right and what they still need to work on in this jam-packed episode. If that wasn't enough, we also welcome our first ever guest contributor Matt Dierckens. Find out what another blind user of the service thinks of their Apple TV app.

We cover this, shout-out our youngest fans and share someone's issue with The Blindnamic Duo parking in an accessible parking spot... despite having a permit on full display. (Gee, who's blind now?!)

We're boarding the polar express and getting into the holiday spirit on this week's podisode!

It's time for The  Blindnamic Duo to talk all about the trials and tribulations of Christmas shopping! Hear the extra steps Marc has to take when buying for his sighted wife as a blind man. On the flip side, hear how easy it can be for Jan to buy something for him without his knowledge whatsoever! While both things require craftiness, they create very different situations as well.

From going across the city with friends to hiding gifts in plain sight and figuring out workarounds along the way, this week's show has plenty of stories to keep you amused as visions of sugar plum fairies and jingle cats haunt your nightmares. Just think of us as the Christmas brightener-uppers!

Beyond this, The Blind Avenger and Guiding Goddess also talk about gifts of Christmas past, different surprises beyond the holy season and Wendy's bacon mushroom melt again! (This includes our first ever retraction... we're still open to a sponsorship though if you're listening, Wendy's.)

Where does Marc get all of his wonderful toys? Find out as The Blindnamic Duo explore the fantastical world of accessible technology!

From computers to phones and smart speakers to talking pen thingies, there's a lot available to help the blind with everyday tasks. Hear all about some of the things Marc uses to make his life a bit easier and what Jan thought of some of his accessible tech when she first met him. What are some of the ways the blind read money? How can they get information on food packaging and even the colour of clothes they wear? Why wouldn't Marc ride in a self-driving car? It might not be for the reason you think!

Although there's more accessible tech than we have time to cover in one episode, we do our best to tackle information about the computer, internet, cell phones, smart devices and beyond! All this and the celebration of a podcasting milestone. Whatever could it be? There's only one way to find out!

Don't be a dingleberry: Make your earholes happy  by subscribing today and downloading our latest podisodes as soon as they're released. (Oh yeah, Marc also rants about the addition of ham to Wendy's bacon mushroom  melt... not realizing it isn't even available in his own country. Who would want to miss that?!)

Stop the presses, The Blindnamic Duo are back to break a story that will change things forever!

Okay so maybe there's a bit of fake news in there, but we are definitely back with some audio fun for your earholes. Join Marc and Jan as they get into the former's career as a journalist while being blind. Why did he choose this field? How has Jan helped along the way and what payment has she received? Also, what opportunities has Marc missed out on due to his disability?

We cover lots of ground, serious and silly, on this week's podisode. From not knowing he sat side by side with Jan for weeks in college to her (awful) sound effects for winking, this one has plenty of late breaking news! Don't be a dingleberry, subscribe, download and get ready for us to talk all about Marc's accessible technology next time too.

First there were episodes and then we introduced the podisode. Now we're proud to present our very first... Janisode!

That's right, Lumineers! Jan is ditching the dead weight and striking out on her own. Join the Guiding Goddess as she explores The pods for applause and shares her thoughts on the podcasts she's recently listened to. While it isn't a full episode, it definitely packs a punch! (Would you expect anything less from one half of The Blindnamic Duo?)

From gypsy funerals to Canadian true crime, listen to this first (of many) bonus Janisodes! Stay tuned for our next podisode as well. The Blindnamic Duo will discuss what it's like for Marc to be a blind journalist soon!

Links To Podcasts Jan Mentioned

On this week's podisode, The Blindnamic Duo finally crosses the line!

No, there's no controversy here... well aside from Marc forgetting the difference between the Amish and Mennonites. This week the blind guy and his sighted wife Jan talk all about the wonderful world of signatures and documentation when you're blind. The only lines getting crossed here are the ones Marc can't see on the page! (Get it now?!)

Although an episode devoted to signing papers may not sound exciting, it leaves room for lots of diversions. How is Jan sabotaging Marc's friendships by not letting him sign his name? How do blind people vote in an election? Why is it so fun to joke about Marc driving and what oath does Jan take more seriously than Ryan Reynolds in a Green Lantern film?

There's only one way to find out all this and more: Download and subscribe to Blind Luminations now! Don't be a dingleberry, make your earholes happy. and listen up! (You know you want to.)

After taking a week off, The Blindnamic Duo are back... and this time it's clinical!

Although Thanksgiving isn't until Monday, hear about how Marc was recently carved up... but in a fun way! From minor surgery to various tests, he and his sighted wife Jan explore what it's like to be blind or a caregiver when dealing with various medical situations.

How did Jan bond with Marc's specialist? What interests her about when he gets bloodwork done? What sound did the blind guy make during his barium swallow test and what made both of them feel like they peed themselves? (It's really not as gross as you think.)

Getting healthy can be a scary thing but we make it fun! Don't be a dingleberry: Subscribe and download our latest podisode for the answers to all of this and more!

Links We Mentioned This Week

This week on the Blind Luminations podcast, Marc and Jan are discussing some recent adventures!

The Blindnamic Duo attended a couple of public events last weekend and are ready to break down their experiences. First up is the Canadian premiere of independent film Last Call, directed by the area's own Gavin Michael Booth. Following this, we're all about getting our comic on by covering the Windsor Comicon. Hear about Marc and Jan's adventures, how he shot a stormtrooper in the head... repeatedly and  what should be considered for events like these. The two also cover stairs (quite thoroughly) and how perceptions of a parking garage can change depending on eyesight. (Is that Jason hiding behind a pillar over there?)

The podisode era begins with all of this and more, including a shout-out to the podcast's youngest fan! Don't be a dingleberry: Listen and subscribe wherever great podcasts are found.  Next week we'll be getting healthy and discussing Marc's experiences undergoing different medical tests and procedures. (The best was the time it felt like he wet his pants!) 

Links We Mentioned This Week

This week on Blind Luminations we're talking about how Marc learnt to be blind.

While most of his teenage friends were taking their first steps into adulthood, Marc was literally learning to navigate his surroundings after going blind at the age of 19. Join us as we go  into our way back machine and explore a time before Marc met Jan in college.

Find out what the blind guy did to adapt, what he thinks of friends who left him behind and how long it took for him to get truly comfortable with being blind. As a bonus, hear some methods for how the blind sort their clothes and what goes into picking the right white cane.

The Blindnamic Duo tackles all these stories, details and more (like freaking out friends with your old pair of eyeglasses) along with a major announcement that will change the very face of this podcast... forever! Don't be a dingleberry: Subscribe and listen today!

Links We Mentioned This Week

This week The Blindnamic Duo is going meta and talking podcasts!

Where did Marc and Jan hear about the medium, what shows have they previously hosted before abandoning them and why? Also, listen to the blind guy talk about how he edits this podcast without several useful (but inaccessible) apps at his disposal. Just ignore the parts where Jan makes it sound as if words like "podisode" or phrases such as "bloat the head" are a good idea. (Did we mention that Marc not only edits the podcast but writes its show notes as well?)

All of this plus discussions about scripting vs. winging it, our roles in putting together each episode, how podcasts replace magazines for the blind in the bathroom and more await! Listen, subscribe and be sure to come back next time when we talk about how Marc learnt to be blind. It'll be a great way to celebrate our turn as Podbean's podcast of the week!

Links We Mentioned This Week

In honour of children skipping merrily back to school, The Blindnamic Duo is all about books this week!

From narration to braille or productions with sound effects to text-to-speech, there are several ways for the blind to enjoy a good book. Marc and Jan explore their experiences with certain formats, services and explain the situations each one creates. What do both prefer and why?

How does Marc enjoy comic books and what happens when he has to explain them? How can his reading habits spoil a book for Jan? When do things become more challenging and why should Thanos read children's books? We also digress into talking about church and the size of Marc's head somehow.

Listen and subscribe today for all this and more! We also  introduce a brand new member of the team as they kick off phase one of the Blind Luminations Podematic Universe! (Be sure to listen to the end of this episode as well... unless you are still trying to avoid Avengers: End Game spoilers for some reason.) We'll be back next week to talk about podcasts.

Links We Mentioned This Week

This week the Blindnamic Duo are getting down to business and talking accessibility on the internet!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but why does it sometimes need more than 100 characters? Marc gets fired up about captchas, Jan relates the internet to architecture and the two delve into the staggering statistic that 70% of websites are inaccessible to the blind.

All of this, plus find out what it feels like when robots cry. (Here's a hint: They see sparks!) Listen and subscribe to get all future episodes as soon as they are released. Next week is all about books, so prepare to find out how Marc and Jan get their nerd on!

Links We Mentioned This Week

We're out of the wilderness and heading inside for more fun on vacation!

This week, the Blindnamic Duo covers its many experiences with vacationing indoors. What are the perks of travelling with someone who is blind? What experiences are interesting for Marc? Where have he and Jan's various trips taken them and what were some of the things they weren't ready for?

We've got the answers to all of this and more, along with anecdotes about making Marc think it's raining, receiving an offer of cash on a street corner and why he hates his grade five music teacher so much. (He's not too crazy about Celine Dion either!)

We also tackle our first question ever from social media, exploring what it's like when the blind guy is under the influence. Subscribe and listen now for a jam packed episode! 

Who's that lurking in the bushes near your camp site at night? Don't worry, it's just the blindnamic duo!

Returning from their two week hiatus/vacation, Marc and Jan are refreshed and ready to podcast! In the spirit of their time away, the two are covering what it's like to camp blind. With plenty of asides in between, find out why Marc gets strange looks in the washroom,, learn how Jan became his "little pyro" and what the two did when they got locked in a shower. (Spoiler alert: It involved lots of yelling.)

Enjoy these and more camping trip stories on our brand new episode. Be sure to tune in next week when we cover travelling blind and share with your friends in the meantime! It's sweeter than smores and has way less calories.

While we might not be as funny, Blind Luminations his the Seinfeld of podcasts this week!

As Marc and Jan scramble to get ready for their vacation, the two had to make some hard choices. The result? A pre-camping trip podcast about nothing! Without a topic of the week, the blindnamic duo covers any random subject their little hearts desire. Accessible parking follow-up? Check! Stealing a blind man's cane? Check! People thinking Marc and Jan are siblings? Check! Marketing ideas to monetize this thing? Double check!

As you can tell, we've still jam packed as much content into this shorter episode as humanly possible.  (Don't worry, we'll be back to our usual format next week with The Episode About Travelling Blind!)

As a famous cat once said, "It never hurts to help!"

While that usually ended in disaster for him, this week's episode of the Blind Luminations podcast proves that a little bit of thought goes a long way. Hear Marc and Jan tackle (and sometimes rant about) accessibility awareness. The two go through their experiences in dealing with unintentional issues and outright jerks. (Here's a hint: Don't create your own parking spot between two cars that are parked in accessible parking spaces!)

Anyway, after deciding on a title for the episode, the two cover lots of ground. This includes rants about blocking sidewalks, why putting a patio set between a ramp and accessible entrance is a bad idea, the need for streamlined accessibility standards and how not to get your tail lights caned. (I'm just saying... we have two different stories of people creating their own parking spots here!!! Why would anyone in their right minds think this is okay?!?!?!?!)

Calming down now... lack of sleep and lots of pent up anger make this one our longest episode to date. Be sure to tune in and tell all your friends about the fun we have together! :)

From apps on your phone to  landmarks on the ground, there are many ways to navigate using objects  and with sounds!

After realizing they didn't cover everything the day after their last episode (at 3 in the morning no less,) Marc and Jan are back with some more navigating fun! Find out how Marc actually navigates in a grocery store (no, he doesn't just drive a cart by himself,) what he  would do without a guide, the proper technique to using a cane, which objects cause him the most pain when he runs into them and which mistakes are (or aren't) funny.

If that wasn't enough, we share how Marc provides directions to drivers despite being blind, his ability to sense if someone's travelled too far and why his brain is superior to everyone else's... well except for the whole being blind thing. Yeah, that's a pretty big one.

Links mentioned on the podcast:

The Dixie Chicks once sang about wide open spaces but sometimes it's not as easy for the blind.

On this week's episode Marc (The Blind Guy himself) and his sighted-wife Jan talk about the trials and tribulations of public spaces. From avoiding clubs because of noise and learning how to navigate a massive pop culture convention, we tackle it all.

Why is the mall a source of anxiety for Marc and like a parting of the sea for Jan? Just how important is a good navigator really? When should a blind person not joke about threatening to hit his wife? Then there's the most important question of all: What happens when your guide forgets what they're doing and leaves you behind? (Okay, so that last one is oddly specific, we admit.)

Either way, we have the answers for all of these questions and more, so get your earholes ready for some audio goodness!

The Episode About Described Video

Ever wonder how a blind person "watches" movies or TV without being confused by what's going on?

Fret not faithful Luminati, your two favourite lumineers are here to light the way! This week, Marc and Jan are going to the movies and getting descriptive to give you the answers you want. Find out what descriptive video is, how it works for movie theatres, TV screens, streaming services and what benefits or drawbacks there are with this solution for the blind.

We've come a long way from Jan describing 40-Year-Old Virgin to Marc (yes, there's a totally awesome story behind that, by the way) but there's still plenty of work to do! All of this and a follow-up to The Episode About Eating Blind await, so click, subscribe, download and enjoy our theatre of the earholes that we call a podcast!

It's time for a Care Bear countdown! Here's a new episode in 5, 4, 3, 2... 1!

Oh wait, did we get that wrong? On this week's episode, Jan actually bares all about caring. More specifically, the sighted half of this relationship shares her perspective on being a caregiver to a blind husband. Beyond dealing with the normal things that make a marriage with Marc annoying, she also has an entirely different set of issues to deal with. How does she do it and what impact does it have on the couple's marriage?

Also, Jan looks at disability as a love of country music, how she thinks anyone can do what she does and probably better (she's not a great caregiver-- examples given!), and looking toward the future because she thinks they have it easier than others without disabilities.

The Blind Luminations Team (BLT? Hmmmmm... I smell a branding opportunity) don't claim to have all the answers, but they aren't afraid to be honest either. Enjoy all of this and more in our latest episode of the podcast.

There ain't no feast like a poutine feast!

Inspired by their recent trip to Poutine Feast Windsor (YQG represent yo,) Marc and Jan are breaking down their favourites before getting into the messy, juicy, delectable topic of food! Well, more food actually... 

The two go over what it's like to eat when you're blind and you might be surprised at how much your eyes influence your mouth. How do you tell someone where their food is on a plate? Why do restaurants give Marc anxiety? What's available to help food preparation for the blind? What are the advantages when it comes to not seeing food? It's all in this (strawberry) jam packed episode so listen up, buttercup!

It's a touchy feely episode this week... but not in the way you might expect.

Marc and Jan are ready to talk about their busy weekend before getting into the nitty gritty about the touching... oh the horror of all the touching! Anyway, ever wonder how someone's personal space evaporates after they go blind? If so, this episode has you covered! It's all about stranger danger, cold pricklies, perception and pet peeves this week so come along for the ride. (Just don't touch us... okay?) 

Break out your party hats and do a jig because The first episode of Blind Luminations is finally here! Hoping to shed a little light on blindness, Marc (the blind guy) and his sighted wife Jan talk about their experiences dealing with this disability.

Kicking things off with the winning topic of a social media poll, the two go in depth about how Marc became blind in the first place. Listen to some of the initial struggles he's gone through and continues to deal with some 18 years later. Of course there's plenty of fun along the way as well: You can't beat stories about Dr. Evil as a male nurse and a flatulent hospital roommate!

0:25 Host introductions

1:33 What this podcast is all about

2:18 An explanation for Marc's blind sketch episode art

3:55 How we decided on this week's main topic

5:40 What Marc and Jan have been  up to

15:23 How Marc went blind

32:31 Assorted comments about Marc's story

44:57 How listeners will influence future shows

48:16 Where to find us on social media

50:11 Clips in Overcast app for iOS

51:58 Final goodbyes and credits

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