Identity - an extreme cartoon thought

Your deaf/hh identity is not my deaf/hh identity.

Each of us has an identity that we can relate to each other but just because you have a particular viewpoint doesn't mean all must have that viewpoint. While one viewpoint can be considered extreme, others may not see it as so. And so the story goes.

I much rather see that each individual succeed on his or her own terms using the preferred approaches when it comes to communication and language choices. Even if it means using a variety of technologies to help improve our face to face communication with hearing people. Each of us interact differently based on our upbringings, amount of hearing loss, our experience with people, our comfort zones, our personality, our educational background, our preferences, our preferred use of a technology and so on. Just because you have one view of things at the pulpit doesn't mean all others must follow or agree with your viewpoint. Some of us actually do have a mind of our own.

Opinions vs Hate

Fans and followers of my blog, simply put, there are those who make the opinions and then there are those who try and shut them up rather than to agree to disagree. There are some people who cannot tell the difference between hating a blogging (i.e. acting jealously towards someone) and opinion (have not personal feelings towards the person but commenting on the subject matter). Why, when challenged of their sensibilities by those who dare to ask the hard questions, do many get angry and nasty instead of offering alternative arguments? If you look at some of JJ Puorro's responses you can tell he does a good job of simply disagreeing and stating his arguments rather than resort to the petty tactics of attacking a blogger for attack sake like so many are inclined to do. But once a fling or name calling is done in an otherwise good argument whether responding in a comment box or writing in a blog does the argument quickly become worthless. The argument loses out. It immediately becomes clear the focus is really about a vendetta-like mission whose obsessiveness becomes apparent through a series of veiled and not so veiled personal attacks in the effort to shut some people up.

Not a very smart thing to do.

In the world of blogging, it is impossible to please anyone. This is increasingly apparent in the Deaf blogosphere. Even if you become the nicest person in the world and say all the kind kudos and warm praises will you still find people who will take the time and effort to show their disdain and hate towards you. Simply because they don't like what they're hearing or seeing. And they'll use those reasons as a justification to hate you as a blogger and make their mission to target you specifically based on hate instead of simply agreeing to disagree.

For me as a hh/deaf blogger, I don't need to worry about other people's feelings towards me. People will either like what I have written or they don't. No point in worrying, afraid of stepping on somebody's toes. I'd rather remain true to myself in expressing on what I want to say and not be afraid to ask the hard questions however unpopular it may be. Not everything is a bed of roses. But I will continue to write as I wish as a hh/deaf blogger. I still have lots to contribute in the coming days, months and even years. No one is being forced to read my blogs. Yet some readers keep coming back and bray even more which begs the question. Why keep returning if you know this blog may upset you? Why continue with the petty act and charade? Why act like 7 year old kids thinking you own the playground and if you don't have it your way you then proceed to a DEFCON 4 temper tantrum by throwing yourself on the ground writhing like a slug covered with salt? And I'm the adult watching the kiddies and this farce outside of the playground.

Opinions vs Hate.

Which one are you? Attack the argument or attack the person?

Which is better? UbiDuo, a laptop or a tablet for face to face communication?

Watch this funny yet instrumental video and decide which technology is better for easy to use face to face communication between deaf and hearing people.

Passing thru......

My quick thoughts on several things.

I noticed (that goes without saying) that some culturally deaf people continue to have this obsessiveness toward anything with the name "AG Bell" attached. There's a sense morbid enjoyment over his obituary, too. Yet many are planning to protest at the Omni Hotel in Washington D.C. this July 21 - 23 where AG Bell will host the Listening and Spoken Language Symposium. My advice? Bring lots of bullhorns and make lots of noise. Noise can certainly get people's attention.

A friend of mine told me about the Green Lantern movie. He watched it and said it wasn't really that good. I shrugged even though I don't really care for those kinds of movies and don't have the need to watch them, either. I later learned about the Green Lantern pledge. I shrugged. My friend then showed me about a few YouTube videos of adults Green Lantern fans reciting the Green Lantern pledge hoping to win the Green Lantern video contest (a winner already announced after I did a quick Google search). I think it has to do something with promising to eat their oatmeal cereal every morning and drink their milk. How quaint. Now, kids I understand who like to emulate and act out their favorite super heros but to see grown adults act out their fantasy on being the Green Lantern? Isn't that a bit regressive? If you want to be a real hero then better to be a fire fighter, EMT, a search and rescue person, or be those who serve in the Armed Forces than to dream of a fictional character that will never come true. No matter how many Green Lantern rings you have.

To infinity and beyond!

Will deaf and hard of hearing people migrate away from Facebook? Nah. Maybe some culturally deaf people but then again many do prefer reading since it's faster to type and read what's said at a glance, and it's quicker to post, too. FB remain to be wildly popular among friends, relatives and family members and a good place to see what's happening in their worlds.

Deaf Jeff is sure one weird fellow. He likes to do all this cryptic messaging, song and dance type routine in his blog, regarding certain individuals as the target. Which is fine and dandy since that is how he expresses himself, including his two YouTube videos for "hearing people only" that have him speaking with his voice but no captioning or transcript. Irony is all I can think of here if not hypocrisy which is kind of like the Tim Riker thing, too. But each blogger to him/herself. Just like how I prefer to do my own sort of thing in my own blog and vlog on how I want to express myself. But, of course, I get the usual wailing from those who don't like what I have to say or opine. You can't please everybody. I understand that already. 

I've come to the conclusion that tossing about the a-wordism around which is nothing but a crutch word to use when one is unable to make any real or valid arguments and must resort to such a word against other deaf and hard of hearing people they don't like. That's pretty much the bottom line. And that is pretty much in the same format as playing the race card but the irony goes further when it's aimed at another person with the same skin color. The same goes for deaf against deaf. Something like what Deaf Pundit has done. A seemingly cogent argument gets blown out of the water once the a-wordism is tossed about. I'd say it's better to be proud and be the better person than to hold such eternal grudges.

And, oh, what do you think of Marlee Matlin's new 7-Up poster?

Marlee Matlin's New 7-Up Poster Ad

Very nice. And cool graphics, too. Feel the love, man! Feel the love!

Be proud!

Drink 7-Up!

Be proud....

There's a difference between being proud of who you are versus being proud of what you are when the latter focuses on what's missing about yourself versus the very being that makes you...you. Just like the whorls on your finger tips, each one is unique, so is each person. But being proud of who you are focuses on the whole you regardless of whether you have a hearing loss, vision loss, stuttering condition, loss of the legs or a paraplegic, a missing appendage or any number of conditions that may limit one's life. Acknowledging your condition is part and parcel of your whole being but it doesn't define you completely. Limitation doesn't define your successes. It's who you are that defines your successes. It's your drive, determination and faith in yourself. One can succeed despite his hearing loss.

Now, to say "despite" does not necessarily mean to hate one's hearing loss but rather that a person is undeterred by his or her deafness whether one wears a cochlear implant, hearing aid or none at all. That's how I see it. I see it as something that's progressively positive which is dependent on a lot of things. Just so happens deafness is merely a part of life's challenge.

I think some deaf people are naive whenever they talk in terms of the a-wordism. They don't realize what they are saying or doing to other deaf/hh people. I feel many do toss that word around recklessly just so they can feel better about themselves. A way to somehow legitimize themselves as being the "better group." A de facto group that must be mimicked and worshiped. All that reminds me of a purity test for people with hearing loss must meet or be forever branded just because they can hear better, have a particular communication preference or have alternative viewpoints. It's really sad whenever people behave like that.

All that brings me to this.

I say it's better to accept a person for who he/she is rather than to judge him/her for what he/she is when it comes to deafness. You see, I accept a deaf/hh person if she is comfortable with her speaking skill even if she doesn't know sign language. I accept a deaf/hh person even if he believes that SEE is the better sign language for him and other people, even for kids. I accept a deaf/hh person who prefers ASL and doesn't feel the need to speak. I accept a deaf/hh person who opines that hearing loss is life-limiting. And the same goes conversely when others say it isn't life-limiting.  I accept a deaf/hh person who believes that deaf babies need to have a cochlear implant or not at all. There are many valid points they all present but there is no need to use the a-wordism against other deaf and hard of hearing people. I may disagree but that is as far I'd go. I present my own viewpoints and opinions.

I think those who recklessly toss the a-wordism around against other deaf/hh people because they didn't like their viewpoints or opinions have some kind of self-esteem issues. I think many are constantly trying to legitimize themselves as a group and so they must resort to using the a-wordism...... alot. If not that perhaps a certain ego or jealousy may be a factor for behaving that way. Or perhaps they are unable to argue on merits alone and must resort to ad homenim by appealing to one's prejudices, emotions, or special interests rather than to one's intellect or reason. Whatever the manifestation as a reason for the justification on using the a-wordism against other deaf/hh people, it's all part and parcel of the whole legitimization process by de-legitimizing others. An attempt to legitimize one group as "de facto" while all others are irrelevant. Rather reckless, I'd say.

You see, I'm the better person because I have no need to accuse or go after other deaf/hh people by using the a-wordism out of spite. Intellectually and emotionally it does not make any sense. It has simply become an emotional crutch. An attempt to prop up and legitimize themselves at the expense of others.  A deep-seated need to whip out that a-wordism because doing so makes them feel better. And that, my friends, is a poor excuse and a serious problem by those who must deal with their own self-esteem and personal issues.

Am I proud to be deaf? No, that's the wrong tack because saying that focuses on what's missing or lacking. Instead, I'm proud of who I am. I'm just a guy who happens to have a hearing loss who wears a hearing aid. A guy who is fluent in speaking the English language and sign language. A guy who can hear. A guy who loves playing ragtime piano. A guy who succeeded in a lot of things in life irrespective of hearing loss. A guy who is a confident person who wishes to express himself in a different way.  A guy who understands that in life things can change for the worse or better. I know where I stand. I'm proud of who I am. And that is something that people will never take away from me no matter how many a-wordism is used against me. It's irrelevant and has no merits. It has simply become a crutch word in the name of the "legitimization" game.

Speaking effortlessly

In a previous blog I brought up about listening and speaking by kids with cochlear implants where in videos (see here and here) I was simply amazed at the children and teens' voices and the effortless ability to speak. I could actually hear their full inflection, pitch and intonation of their accented (Australian) voices as opposed to hearing American kids with cochlear implants (they do just as well, btw). These weren't kids who struggled to speak but did so rather fluidly. Granted, the ability to speak effortlessly requires training and practice in the very beginning for a child with hearing loss whether with a hearing aid, cochlear implant or not (e.g. with very mild hearing loss). That part we know.

However, some people persist into thinking that just because a person born with a hearing loss would end up unable to speak effortlessly. And that such speaking cannot become 2nd nature or natural for him or her. I think this thinking is simply a misplaced perception thinking the impossible. To speak effortlessly is to speak without thinking where words simply flows forth fluidly. It can become natural for a person who is deaf or hard of hearing to speak, and over time be able to speak fluidly and effortlessly. Granted, I'm not speaking that this is true in ALL cases but there are indeed deaf/hh people out there who can and do speak effortlessly. I'm making the acknowledgement that it's the early exposure on talking and making the practice on the proper enunciation during the early years on speech development. No one ever got on a bike as a child for the first time and rode it flawlessly.

The captioned video below is Vint Cerf speaking effortlessly. He was born with sensorineural hearing loss and wears a hearing aid. He is known as the "Father of the Internet." As you can tell, he speaks effortlessly. His words are enunciated clearly. And speaks fluidly like any other hearing person.

Walk the walk?

I'm promoting this anonymous comment for my blog here. That comment was made in Death of Deafread. Why am I putting it here? Because I liked what he/she wrote and makes a few succinct points about "awdism" and such.

I could also state the situation in the other direction. Deaf/hh people who prefer speaking and listening (regardless of whether they are also fluent in ASL, and have a Deaf wife and Deaf friends) are considered to be hearing wanna-be's. Deafhood supporters call them colonized and dysconscious awdists who have been brainwashed by AG Bell and OOOO (Oral Only No Other Option). Cochlear implant manufacturers, surgeons, hearing aid manufacturers, audiologists, speech teachers, oral schools, etc., are all elements of a massive anti-deaf machine bent on eliminating deafness, Deaf people, and ASL. and lining their pockets with money in the process. I'm not making this up. These are Ella's exact words. According to her, there is no middle ground: One is either Deafhood, or one is an awdist.

it isn't mudslinging to point out these public statements by Ella. I watch all her vlogs. I haven't taken any of her statements out of context. they may not be on the Deafhood web site, but they are on ASL Ella's YouTube channel.

it isn't awdism to point out what Ella and other Deafhood supporters have said about Marlee Matlin and her support of the Starkey Hearing Foundation. it isn't awdism to point out facts about Gallaudet University. I *get* that Deaf people are protective of our cultural institutions. Yet, by saying rapes have happened at Gallaudet, that it means Deaf people are bad, Gallaudet is bad, and I disrespect Deaf people by saying so, simply... isn't... logical.

Deafhood supporters feel that their cultural values, way of life, and very being have been and are under attack by so-called technological and medical advances. And so, they react in emotional rather than logical ways, such as Jeffrey did here. I understand where he's coming from. Yet, they don't seem to realize that Deaf Culture and ASL have survived the horrors of Milan 1880, oralism, and the use of hearing aids.

I liked what the first Anonymous @6:01 pm said about "We cannot help any older generation of deaf who suffered ... and still hating and blaming AGB their language problem because they have some persecution complex issues to deal with."

That's exactly what's going on. That's why folks like Ella, Jeffrey, DonG, et al, deserve our compassion rather than our scorn. Like you said Mike, they talk the talk but don't walk the walk. If they are examples of Deafhood, I don't want any part of it.

Another Anonymous

Happy 4th of July everyone!

Happy Fourth of July!

Balderdash Challenge

Ah, that word, "balderdash." Love the way it sounds. Instead of saying, "Nonsense!" one can say with a British accent by uttering the word, "Balderdash!"  I think it make conversations a bit more lively by throwing in some British words and phrases what I think is a hoot to say them.

A spot of tea, sir? No!? Well, I'm gobsmacked!

Anyway, back to my original line of thought my "Balderdash Challenge."

It's really simple and it's based on some people's anti-sentiments about my blogsite or rather more specifically about some of my blogs I've written. According to some hand-wringers' claims (see here) that my blogs are not, um, "compatible" with some of their ideological reasoning when it comes to publishing my pieces in Deafread (according to some people who commented). And my challenge to those people is simply this. Find my blogs that you think are not "compatible," make a list and explain in detail why the case. And when you do, be sure to present it somehow so the public can see it such as in your blog. Talking about it doesn't prove anything unless you have actual proof with your interpreted version on why one of my blog isn't "compatible" for Deafread. I'd say "good luck" with that endeavor otherwise it'd be all hooey on your claims of such on the effort for censorship.

Oh, one reason why I choose the word "balderdash" is because of the neat piano ragtime piece called, what else, Balderdash, written and performed by the famous, stupendously and naturally gifted ragtime pianist Tom Brier. Love to have that piano music sheet.



And, oh, don't use this video as an example against me because otherwise it'd be a bunch of, well, piffle.

Again, a spot of tea, sir?

The Death of Deafread

I just find it funny whenever the words like "balderdash" and "poppycock" are expressed, especially if its done with a British accent. There are many synonyms that go with it like "flapdoodle," or "humbuggery" which is just as funny. So are the words like "crapola," "crock," "drivel," "fiddlesticks," "rubbish," "hokum," "hooey," "malarkey," "tosh," "piffle," "taradiddle," and, probably my favorite, "twaddle" because it sounds so funny when one says it. Why am I bringing up those words? Well, in a word, Deafread. Or more specifically it's the moaning and gnashing over Deafread's aggregator site and how it supposedly cause the a-wordism to overflow. The problem is that it's an aggregator site. It does not discriminate. In fact, there is a disclaimer saying,

"DeafRead does not endorse any of the blogs by the mere act of publishing."

Secondly, it publishes anything that's related to hearing loss, Deaf culture, deafness issues and so on. No where does it says "Deaf people only" or "Deaf culture only" in bright pink neon letters. And so these frothing of mouths over what Deafread publishes is a bunch of, well, twaddle. The idea of Deafread is to allow a variety of viewpoints, opinions, experiences, and perspectives to be published by bloggers and vloggers who are either hard of hearing or deaf, or have a connection to those people. There are bound to be unpopular opinions, perspectives and viewpoints to be blogged. That just goes with the territory.

Lately I haven't been keeping up with all the readings over the last few months and I'm a bit behind on what's going on. It's like riding a roller coaster. You just want to get off for awhile and have a picnic on a green grass by the lake for a calm and peaceful moment.  Do I want to get back on that roller coaster? Not really but I do have my own thoughts and opinions on a lot of things and so I blog.  Just recently someone told me to go and check out Jeff's blog. I asked why but told me to check it out anyway. And so I did. Nothing unusual. Just that Jeff is being Jeff. Just a lot of bitching. And he has every right to say what's on his mind, however cryptic it may be. I wasn't sure where to look but I suspect it had to do with what started the conversation was J.J.'s comment on Deafread, myself and Candy on the problem of trying to enforce a-wordism in an aggregator site. That was confirmed by my friend when I asked for clarification if this is what he was referring to. The discussion continues with Jeff, Deafpundit, Dianrez, Ann, and a few others jumping in. From the looks of it comes down to is people somehow trying to find a way to control Tayler's Deafread. That sort of thing has been going on for some time.

First there was a group of Deaf people that wanted to get rid of "deficit thinkers" from Deafread in order to control views seen and heard in the Deaf community via Deafread aggregator site beginning in 2007.

They tried that and....failed.

Another year passed and suddenly a new idea on the effort to control Deafread's content and that was to try and force Tayler Mayer to institute guidelines in DR by implementing the "a" word. And attempt to heap social guilt on him. But Tayler realized it'd be an impossible job to enforce that concept because there is no acceptable definition and it was just a cover.

They tried that and.... failed.

So after three years of trying to control Deafread people as a last resort boycotted DR by walking out as bloggers who were once linked in the Deafread aggregator list.

And so what I'm seeing is another round of discussions on finding ways to try and control Tayler's Deafread aggregator's site according to their demands.  Yet Ann makes a good counter point.

There's the other side of the coin, Jeffrey.

There are some Deaf-centric ppl who actually criticize and deride those deaf who choose to hear and speak. Mind you, I KNOW I'm deaf and don't pretend to be otherwise. Yet I don't go around criticizing those who use ASL and are culturally Deaf as inferior.

The prob is that some ppl, regardless of language preference and hearing technology or not, cannot respect the choices others make for themselves and are comfortable with. That's what it comes down to.

There would have to a "deafism" guideline, if an *udism guideline is to be adopted in DR.

Fair's fair, but oh, what a headache to enforce such guidelines...

Just because I don't discuss ASL/sign language in such breadth and detail with lofty praises does not mean I have a disdain for it even though I do sign. Even my daughter signs. Ditto my wife. And even my friends whether they sign in SEE, PSE, SE, or ASL.  Granted, I am comfortable speaking and listening, and I prefer that communication route because that is what I do daily with my other friends, relatives, family, co-workers and people in general as well. I have my preferences and nothing about superiority.  If that were the case then I wouldn't have friends in the Deaf community. I simply would not want to interact with them. Remember, having a preference does not equate with superiority. Just because I see things differently does not mean that the Deaf community ought to be extirpated or that ASL be vanquished or shunned. I just have a differing viewpoint and perspective on these things, and the people I wish to associate with in the deaf and hard of hearing community, and Deaf community. There are people who do not like my blogs. And then there are people who do like my blogs. These people happen to be Deaf, deaf, hard of hearing and hearing. Nothing new there.

This is a problem on the internet because it's easy to judge people from behind a screen and thus I must remind myself constantly the caveats of using the internet versus meeting people in person which can result in a totally different perspective about the person. Each person who reads a blog read it differently than the next person. The reader forms a picture about the blogger. And if it's something that the reader doesn't like about the blog piece for whatever reason it can leave a negative impression about the blogger based on his or her interpretation. But the next reader may come off with a positive impression. No matter what, people will either like the blog piece or not. Despite that fact what doesn't do any good is to target people like Deafpundit did by calling certain known deaf, hh, and Deaf bloggers the a-wordism. Only this time people are attempting to use the a-wordism as the de facto reason or guideline for removal from Deafread under the guise of "non-conformity." In other word, finding another way to encourage censorship. This is just as bad when John advocated for the removal of "deficit thinkers" from Deafread. Like Ann said, "but oh, what a headache to enforce such guidelines." I agree.  And I think it all boils down to absolute control one way or another come hell or high waters. 

In case you're wondering at this point on why I'm writing the word "a-wordism," it's my way of disagreeing on how such a word is used against other people for political and ideological purposes in the attempt to harm people whether done consciously or subconsciously because of prejudice or hate.  I recognize that discrimination does exist against people who are deaf and hard of hearing which is why I favor technology to help bridge that communication gap. I favor all kinds of communication and language access because there is no one shoe size fits all.  It is a complex issue in a complex community of people with hearing loss from all walks of life.

As for Deafread, perhaps people would rather see the aggregator site die and shut down for good rather than see it continue as it were? Maybe it's time that Tayler shut down his site once and for all? Maybe it's time that Tayler repent to the Deaf gods for his transgressions and get his 50 lashes across his back?

Poppycock.

Fiddlesticks.

Piffle.

Drivel.

Twaddle!

Making Music with a Hearing Loss: Strategies and Stories

That book is now available in Amazon. I'll be getting a free copy of it since I'm one of the several deaf/hh musicians who were interviewed for that book. My narrative can be found in the final chapter of that book.

There are many texts on music and hearing loss, but what makes this volume unique is that it does not require the reader to have any previous background in hearing science. It is written in non-technical language for the layman, and begins by explaining how the human ear hears sound. It covers the interplay between music, speech and hearing devices and discusses hearing conservation for musicians. The final chapter contains inspiring narratives from eleven deaf or hard of hearing musicians belonging to the Association of Adult Musicians with Hearing Loss. These eleven stories describe using a variety of strategies to integrate hearing loss and music making. Musicians new to hearing loss, hearing-impaired adults wanting to learn a musical instrument, audiologists, music educators, and music researchers will also find this book a valuable addition to their library collection.

I'll be waiting with great anticipation for my free copy. If you are deaf or hard of hearing and enjoy music, this will be a great book to have. If you have a hearing loss and is considering on wanting to play a musical instrument, don't let your hearing loss stop you. And if you do play a musical instrument....don't stop! Keep practicing and find other like minded people who enjoy playing music with their musical instruments.

Quit yer bitchin.....

dFor a person with a hearing loss going to college for the first time will come to the realization (mostly the parents' realization) that cost of college just keeps getting more expensive with each passing year. The best thing to prepare well ahead of time by researching all of the available and possible scholarships and grants that can help keep expenses down. There are some 2.7 million local, state and national college scholarships and grants worth over 19 billion dollars for free! Imagine that. There are several possible scholarships or grants a deaf or hard of hearing person can apply for.

Each of these organization or institution has the right to define the eligibility criteria in order to qualify for a scholarship or grant such as Alexander Graham Bell's which provides about 18 or so scholarships each year to qualified applicants. But what happens when deaf people find out about AGB and do not qualify?

"Life is soooooooo unfair!" (*rants* *rants* *throws self on floor and proceed to Defcon 4 temper tantrum*)

That's pretty much in a nutshell. Unbelievably so.

People need to learn to move on and keep digging when it comes to searching for free money. There are scholarships and grants available that have nothing to do with hearing loss or disability. In fact, there are tons of them! If you are a female and want to study law, there are scholarships/grants out there for that. African American? Yep. Good at sports? Sure thang! Even kids of deceased parents can tap into scholarships specifically for them. Are you a single Mom and going to college? Yep, there's a grant for that, too. Amazing. Just about almost anything you can think of there's a grant for it. And you can tally up those grants worth $300, $150, $500, $800, $100 and so on. It can add up quickly when you "nickle and dime" your grants together over time.

How about pound the pavement for a change instead of trying to find something easier that focuses directly on a person's own hearing loss? Look around. Invest your time and energy and dig up these valuable scholarship and grant resources that are worth over $19 billion dollars. How can you get that piece of the pie to help with your college expenses? Simple. You dig around for it like you would panning for gold along a creek. Be sure to give yourself at least a year's time to dig up these gold nuggets before attending college and make a note when to apply for them when the time is right.  And do not stop looking. Just because you have a good list of possible grants or scholarships doesn't mean you stop looking because not you may not get that award after you apply. It's best to keep looking and add more to your list of grants and scholarships. 

Bitchin' about AGBell's scholarship award program regarding its eligibility criteria is simply a big waste of time. AGBell has every right to define those criteria for eligibility purposes just like any other scholarships or grants you apply for.

Time to stop crying like a baby over that. Let's be an adult for a change because going to college is an investment of your time and resource. Spend it wisely.  Know where to look and get that gold nugget you were looking for.

Good luck for 2012 and beyond. You'll need it.

Swim or pee at your own risk

Ah, summer has arrived! Temperature warming up this morning and should reach into the upper 70s today with sunny skies. After many months of cloudiness and rain this is welcome news. And as each week passes with more sunshine and increasing temperature until before you know it the temperatures are into the 90s. And this means what? Time to hit my new found and very popular swimming hole on the East Fork Lewis River that's an almost an hour's drive (depending on the traffic) south which is so much better than going to a public swimming pool. All that reminds me of what public swimming pools were like in the past. And the latest round of elitism that's been hitting the golf courses.  What is it nowadays? An open society or a closed one? A "members only" or a place regardless of signing, speaking or hearing ability status?

I think there are plenty of room for people who have communication preferences regardless of hearing loss status in a community of deaf and hard of hearing people.  Focusing on whether people are "Deaf center" enough or not fosters elitism. This can get confused with pride. And to put into perspective for those who "qualify" would be allowed to go to a public swimming pool only that it is not so public to begin with. Might as well put up a sign that says this if one has to go to a rest room:

Just to be fair these things have gone the other way around, too.

At least there wouldn't be any misunderstanding on whose Deaf over those who are deaf and hard of hearing ("not so Deaf"), right?  But if you want to swim at a public swimming pool or need to pee at a public rest room there should not be a sign that discriminates in such a fashion, right?

I certainly hope so.

Dufur

Dufur, Oregon, an old agriculture town that is close to my heart. A town with a lot of fond memories while as a kid growing up. Each summer from Tacoma, Washington my folks took me, my sister and brother to see our grandparents, uncles, aunt and cousins in Dufur, The Dales, and my mother's girlhood farm house that sits between Dufur and Tygh Valley. My mother and father grew up in Dufur and eventually got married. Dufur is a town that's easy on the eyes with picturesque views of open fields and hills with the ever present Mt. Hood in the distance. A town whose smell, look and feel harken to the days when life was simpler.

                Looking toward the west while Dufur is to the east. Mt Hood is off in the distance behind the clouds.

                                             An old truck behind a house named "Fort Dufur."

 Fort Dufur house. I'm not sure what the history of this house but it is an abandoned one. Sits next to the historic Balch Hotel.

Old theater or auditorium seats stacked in the back yard behind Fort Dufur house.

Inside an old bus used by the Portland Police.

My old swimming hole near Friend, Oregon which is about 13 miles south of Dufur as the crow flies. Every summer while growing up my family would go there to swim along with my uncle and aunt.

Swimming hole is anywhere from 5 feet to 8 or 9 feet deep.

Found it! The last time I swam here was back in the early 1970s. Took me a few hours to finally find the place deeply tucked in with the basalt canyon. I know the name of this creek but I won't mention it here. After all, it is my "super secret" swimming hole.

Jump in! The water is fine. It was warm enough, upper 70s, and sunny with some wind. The water was cold but refreshing. You have to hike a steep trail that you can barely make out down 200 feet into the canyon to get this spot. And hiking back up can be chore if you're not up to the task.

This water fall is not a vertical waterfall but it cascades down a 30 to 40 degree angle and goes into a small pool before cascading into the larger pool. You can take an inner tube and slide down this waterfall for some fun.

Beyond the pool is the "The Chute" you can float down on while it cascades into a few pools.

Because this is a dry country poisonous snakes are known in the area. This isn't a rattlesnake but a poisonous snake called the Hypsiglena torquata.

An old school house used as a community center in Friend, Oregon.  You can see the two outhouses to the right of it.

His and her outhouse.

Inside the old school house. There's an old piano in the corner. I played on it and the sound reverberated throughout the whole school house. The school house is an open building where anyone can go in but there is a sign inside the entrance that says please not to vandalize the place. It looks to be well kept. Very few people come out of the way to Friend, Oregon.

 

Playing ragtime...songs of the past that matches the old school house. 

The picture quality isn't so good in my blog but you can see those same pictures (and more!) in Flickr that comes with better resolution and quality. Enjoy!

A quack and a liar

Here's a captioned video clip of Charlie Brown and Lucy that I put together by myself. . There are some things to watch out for when it comes psychiatry. Even Charlie Brown doesn't quite see it and still he succumbs to such quackery and dishonesty each and every time. As a deaf or hard of hearing person, what are some of the things you can do to avoid the same mistakes Charlie Brown makes?



As for me, I'm like Schroeder. Just sit down at my piano and enjoy playing my ragtime and early jazz pieces. And on occasions, when I'm into it, play some classical pieces. It'd be cool to hear Schroeder play some ragtime pieces. One can only imagine.

The new deaf generation....listening and speaking.

Cochlear implant technology has enabled a whole new generation of deaf people enabling them the ability to speak, listen and understand the spoken word, and acquire a language. Below are two split videos of a documentary of deaf children who were outfitted with cochlear implants while very young. They were interviewed later on in life as pre-teens and teenagers and talking to them, you wouldn't know they were deaf. These group of deaf people are the next upcoming crop of new generation of deaf people with cochlear implants.

In the documentary, those children and teens are from Australia where all of them grew up with all of the inflection, pitch and intonation in their voices with an apparent Australian accent. When that happens you know for fact that early intervention works and that cochlear implant provides that very access to a world of speaking and listening, and spoken language acquisition. For parents of deaf babies to watch this documentary would prove to be powerfully insightful and full of hope for them that anything else wouldn't be anywhere near as convincing. This documentary points out that cochlear implants do work and that early intervention is the most important key of them all because of the brain's early plasticity development. Parents would be the glue to make it all work.

Be sure to watch all of the video documentary before commenting so that you can be properly informed on what was covered in the video.

Part I
http://youtu.be/0lmCuyrgc80

Part II
http://youtu.be/ttd2l9J9oqE


When I watched that documentary I was simply amazed at the children and teens' voices and I could actually hear their full inflection, pitch and intonation of their accented (Australian) voices as opposed to hearing American kids with cochlear implants (they do just as well, btw). The difference was hearing their Australian accent vs American accent. Which means one thing, cochlear implant does work even to capture the accent of their (hearing) native spoken language. Not only just speaking but listening as well. The boy with the rocket ship doesn't need to look at his teachers' mouth (i.e. lip reading) to have a conversation. He even understood the electronic voice in the space rocket announcing a countdown (5, 4, 3, 2, 1...blast off!) and the boy would hear that and lifts the rocket up.

Early intervention is the key and parental involvement must play a huge role in this. Not doing those things would simply be left to chance. All this is from an aural and oral development point of view I acknowledge readily. I still see that signing such as SEE, SE, PSE or ASL can play an important role for deaf and hard of hearing children although perhaps in some areas not as critical to others (e.g. profoundly deaf vs those with mild hearing loss at 30 db). It's simply up to parents to make an *informed decision* before moving forward. And we must accept those parents' decisions. The decision does not rest with anyone else. Yet this documentary video will prove to be compelling to parents of deaf babies by providing them the biggest hope and a confirmation that it does work.  How can you compete with that when it comes to speaking and listening development?

"Being your best advocate"

That was a phrase coined by Stephen Hopson, who is deaf and became the first deaf person in aviation history to earn an instrument-rated pilot's license, spoke as a commencement speaker in front of the graduating high school class at Clarke School in Northampton. He told students that his life and accomplishments were proof that you "have to be your own best advocate."

Stephen Hopson, the first deaf person in aviation history to earn an instrument-rated pilot's license, told students that they had to stand up for themselves and ignore naysayers in order to succeed.

"If you do, your life will change and your life will change other people's lives. You have that power," he said.

Hopson, who was born deaf, also had a successful career as a Wall Street stockbroker and is now a writer and inspirational speaker.

And that's true. There will be naysayers who will attempt to detract your efforts  by negatively saying what you do will not work or succeed, especially against deaf people such as those in the global microbrand business. Jason Curry, CEO of sComm, is an example of that by "being your best advocate." He believed in his vision that a new product of his will help deaf and hard of hearing people communicate better with hearing people without the need of a sign language interpreter. And he did exactly that by designing a patented communication face-to-face device called "UbiDuo" which made its debut on April 22, 2006 after starting up his business in 2002. Most new businesses fail within 5 years but in the face of a downturn economy Jason's business continues to thrive and grow only because he became his own best advocate. That is key on ensuring success along with drive and focused determination. If you believe then you can succeed.

Marlee Matlin and her hearing aid experience

Marlee Matlin gives us an understanding why she wears her hearing aids in both ears and the reason she supports the Starkey Hearing Foundation on providing free hearing aids to kids around the world.

If you're in Minnesota or nearby, or can fly in, you can always attend the July 24, 2011 "So the World May Hear" 11th annual gala with celebrities and musicians stopping by to watch, celebrate, and perform. Last year, with their 10th annual Gala they raised a record $7 million dollars, the most ever. In 2009 they raised $4.6 million dollars with each succeeding year earlier raising more money than before.

This year 11th gala includes the ever present Marlee Matlin, former president Bil Clinton, Randy Hogan, and Doug Pitt as Honorees with hard hitting performers Miley Cyrus, Reba Mcentire, Garth Brooks, Meat Loaf, and the Kevin Costner & Modern West country band.

With Marlee Matlin's extensive coverage about her hearing loss as a deaf person on Celebrity Apprentice has raised her profile as well as awareness on hearing loss. I'm sure the 11th annual Gala "So the World May Hear" will raise even more money beating out the $7 million dollars raised in 2010. And provide even more hearing aids and services to kids around the world. Watch their latest captioned video of their visit to one of the towns in Africa they visited in 2010. 

The million dollar whine....

People need to stop whining about Marlee Matlin's $1 million dollar charity contribution via The Celebrity Apprentice show to the Starkey Hearing Foundation in their own utter befuddlement over on why she didn't contribute to NAD or some other organizations. Best to put your money where your mouth is if you are so darned worried about NAD not getting enough money. As for Starkey HF, I simply see evidence of them being a successful organization than anything else.  I've no need for these hokey, wild-eyed conspiracy theories about Marlee Matlin, and Starkey Hearing Foundation. Better to focus than to whine.

All this boils down to simple math if ya'll want to see $1 million dollars put into, for example, NAD's coffer each year.

Let's use 5,000 people who can contribute to NAD as an example. That's $200 per person per year. Or just under $17 per month if you prefer to contribute monthly. Are you telling me that a mere 5000 Deaf people are unable to contribute basically a few dollars a month to NAD? That's 100 Deaf people from each state in the United States that can contribute if they are so concerned about NAD or where the money "should be" going.

Which is it, folks? Complain and worry about NAD or other organizations not getting enough money for more and better advocacy while complaining incessantly on how Marlee Matlin should've forked over the $1 million, or actually have the balls to do something about it? BTW, you don't have to be a member to donate. 

As for me, I am more in line with HLAA's philosophy.  And more good news on "Walk4Hearing" fund raising goal. They are at 30% of their goal on raising $1.2 million dollars. At least they're doing something positive that reach across all folks with a wide range of hearing loss.