Earthquake!

ASL class last night was certainly interesting. Right in the middle of learning how to express major life decisions, the earth moved. We could hear it before we felt it. The students had a few seconds to reconcile the sound of vibrating windows before the shaking started. Once Mr. G felt the movement (he can't hear the windows or the shaking furniture) he was under the desk in a flash.

For those of you who do not know the campus, we are in the Fremont hills. The building is older than I am, with one ancient elevator. My classroom is on the 4th floor, the top floor.

The movement felt like a shaking first, followed by a rolling motion. It seemed to last a very long time. I have lived in this area all of my life, and I can say this is the second largest quake I can remember. Thankfully nobody was hurt and I don't think there was any damage.

Mr. G dismissed class so we could get out of the building, in case of any significant after-shocks. Once we were outside, I tried to call family to report that I was fine. My cell phone kept giving me "network busy" errors. Once I got home, the news reports continued to highlight that many people did not have cell phone availability. I was able to make a call on a friend's Verizon phone, since my Sprint phone was out of commission.

Today my wife, who is from the Midwest, is freaking out about the possibility of another large quake on the Hayward fault. I think she is on her way to the emergency supply store as I type. I suppose it is good to be prepared since living in California means there will be more quakes. Nobody knows when, but they will happen.

I continue to be amazed by the power of Mother Nature.

Hiatus

I did not realize how long I have been away from my little blog. It has been a busy month for me. Aside from being on campus 2 nights a week, I have been attending a handful of deaf community events.



9/21 Deaf Coffee Chat

9/29 Deaf Awareness Day at Great America

10/5 Feast For The Eyes at CSD

10/12 DINGO at CSD and ASL Meetup

10/19 Deaf Coffee Chat

10/20 CSD Homecoming Game


Next weekend is the annual Deaf Expo at the Pleasanton Fairgrounds. This is a huge event not only for the community, but also for vendors and communication services. On my list this year to buy is a linguistics book, an interpreting book, and any fun ASL swag I can find.


I promise to post more, even if it is just a snippet here and there...

Card Games

For class tonight we had a quiz (surprise) and then moved on to card games. The educational piece of this was to show how to explain rules in ASL. Rules could pertain to driving and roadways, customs, and... card games.

Mr. G taughts us to play Gin Rummy and Texas Hole 'Em. I have learned that deafies have a harder time keeping a straight face - likely due to their natural inclination for visual expression.

We divided into small groups and laughed as more than one person ended up with cards on the floor as they tried to shuffly a brand new deck. After 52-card pickup, we moved on to Gin. I actually won this game.

As for the poker, it was much harder to understand visually. Eventually we got the basics of it, complete with value-less chips to toss into the pot.

It was a fun way to pass the remainder of class...

September ASL Meetup

Last Friday evening was another great gathering at the Dublin Starbucks. We over 10 signers attending, from ASL1 students who are just learning their basic phrases to 2nd and 3rd year Ohlone students. The more advanced students had a good time chatting about our teachers and experiences with the beginning signers.

Towards the end of the evening a woman and her daughter happened into Starbucks. The little girl - age 7 - quickly noticed us all signing and motioned for her mother. It turns out that Mom (and Dad, not present) moved to Dublin fairly recently from Texas. They are both deaf, but their daughter is hearing.

Students at all levels in the circle were mesmirized watching this little darling (with the most animated face and deep dimples I have ever seen) sign faster than any of us. She was so excited to visit with us all. We were all astonished, and humbled, to see how fluently she signs at such an early age.

We explained to the new signers that the daughter was a CODA and that ASL is her first language. Her mom told us that she had started signing around the age of 7 months.

I continue to be amazed at this beautiful language and the genuine kindness of the Deaf Community members I am meeting...

Deaf Etiquette

I found this bit of info when searching online for information on Deaf Etiquette. It came from the Rochester Institute of Technology website. There is more than what I have copied below if you are interested...

http://www.rit.edu/~257www/tips/primer.htm

Communicating with Deaf People: A Primer

This is designed as a basic guide for hearing people who want to communicate with deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. It is condensed from the National Technical Institute for the Deaf's publication "Celebrate Diversity. "

Customs and Courtesies of Conversation

Deaf people appreciate the efforts of hearing people to learn and use sign. The slow communication speed is a common experience of anyone learning a new language. A deaf person will understand a hearing person's message even with mistakes, just as a hearing person will usually understand the spoken message of a person just learning English who makes some mispronunciations and grammatical errors.

Good lighting, unobstructed vision and a non-distracting, non-glare background are essential environmental conditions for successful and comfortable visual-based communication. A table in the middle of the room forces people to stand in a circle and provides them with a full view of each other. Loud noise interferes with successful and comfortable auditory-based interaction.

Facial expressions are a critical part of communication because they convey the emotions and tone of the conversation. Signing without facial expression is similar to monotone speech. Also, using voice and mouth movement helps a deaf person who has some lip-reading skills and/or residual hearing. However, a loud voice and exaggerated mouth movement interferes with understanding the voiced message.

Getting Attention

Some of the ways to get the attention of a deaf person are to tap the person on the shoulder, wave hands, flash lights or stomp feet on the floor. Deaf people may use these methods to get the attention of others. If one person can't get the attention of the intended person but does get the attention of someone near that person, the signaler may point to the person wanted and the nearby person may tap that person on the shoulder. Your shoulder may be tapped in the process of getting someone else's attention.

Interrupting a Signed Conversation

Deaf people usually do not have private conversations where they can be "overseen," so a deaf person knows it is OK to watch for a pause in a signed conversation, interrupt with a gesture, deliver the message and leave. Hearing people, however, will not watch what they believe to be a private conversation, and will stand by, waiting to be acknowledged. If you do this with deaf people, they will not understand your intention and will continue their conversation. To interrupt a signed conversation, make your desire known by eye contact and gesture without waiting for a pause, then stand by without observing until the person you want to talk to turns to you.

Animate, Elaborate…

Class last night was dreadfully hot - no air conditioning or fan, and the windows did not even open. Being stuck on the 4th floor of an old building with poor ventilation made it really hard to concentrate on the 3 hours of material presented.

We are working on classifiers in story telling. Mr. G's parting words were that we all needed practice. We need to be more animated when we describe situations and tell stories. We need to elaborate more and paint a colorful picture for our deaf viewers. Since they cannot hear the tone of voice or oral emphasis, we need to show this with our movements. This makes perfect sense, in theory. It is the execution that I struggle with.

I am generally an introverted person. You will never catch me as the center of attention in any situation. I hate it when people sing to me at restaurants on my birthday and I never speak in front of crowds. I have always tried to "blend in" and work better "behind the scenes" in situations. I clam up if more than 3 people are listening to me. It makes me very incomfortable to have all those eyes on me. I feel exposed and analyzed. I hate it.

Therefore, the thought of over-exaggerating my movements and facial expressions is something I struggle with. I am getting better with facial expressions. It is the body animation that I will struggle with. It is natural for deafies, but for a shy hearie it is all new. All part of personal growth I guess…

ASL103, Class 2

As I predicted, Ohlone takes their ASL really seriously! This class structure is much more focused and challenging than any of the other ASL classes I have completed. Aside from a strict attendance policy and twice as many Deaf Event requirements, we also have to log 20+ hours of lab time.

The instructor seems to be genuinely interested in the success of his students. I foresee him being rather strict, yet fair and personable at the same time. He came out of the gate with hands flying, but I have come to expect that. Every instructor I have had has started off their class at 110%. It was explained to me once that this tends to "weed out" the students who are not genuinely interested in the class. While I do not know if this is an intentional approach by my current instructor, it had that effect. There were quite a few students in the room with a "deer in the headlights" look. I will be curious to see how many people stick it out after tonight.

If I survive this class, I know I will learn a lot from him.

I think my lenghty and varied ASL experience should show I am serious about learning this language. I have always gone way above and beyond the requirements in my previous classes. I have read books not required and gone to classes and workshops on my own time and expense. I have invested a great many years into ASL. Funny thing is, I still don't have a reason WHY...

Read Any Good Books...?

For those of you who have asked me which books on ASL and Deaf Culture I own, here is a visual listing:

I have a few more not pictured. Somebody once called me a big "ASL Dork" - not sure if I should be insulted or complimented. One of my prior teachers told me I had more books on ASL and Deaf Culture than any hearie she knew. That one I will consider a compliment...

New Class Starts - ASL 103

Tonight starts my next level of ASL instruction. I will be at Ohlone every Tuesday AND Thursday night for class.

Last week I went to the campus to pick up my parking pass. Now understand it has been quite a few years since I have been on campus. I remember it was a bit of a hike up from the parking lot. OMG - it took me longer to climb the 157 steps than it did to drive to Fremont from Pleasanton! The 157 steps up was also from the closest empty parking lot. I think it is fair to assume I will not always get the first parking spot closest to the stairs in the closest lot. Perhaps if I don't have a heart attack, I may actually lose some weight this semester. Once is gets dark and rainy, it is really going to suck.

It was an odd reality to be up higher than the palm trees.

Tonight there are 5 of us who are supposed to be taking the class together. We were all classmates, and now friends, from our previous classes at Las Positas. It is comforting to be going into a new school already knowing a few people. We plan to carpool as much as possible. Plus I think there is safety in numbers as we leave the campus at night.

I have been told that the cirriculum at Ohlone is much more structured and challenging than that at LasPo or DVC. Hopefully I can keep up.

Deaf Coffee

Last Friday I went to my local Starbucks for the monthly Deaf Coffee Chat. There were only 8 people this time, and I am happy to report that I was the only hearie there. It was nice to have the smaller group and actually be able to visit and keep up with these native users.

The prior month, there were 33 people at Deaf Coffee! Over half of them were ASL 1 students who had to cram in a "deaf event" for their summer class. This is fine, as long as the visitors actually participate. Unfortunately, most of the visitors just sat there motionless. Worse yet, there were a couple who not only did NOT participate, but they started and gawked or chatted verbally with their friends.

Folks, Deaf Coffee is not the Zoo. Staring at or making fun of the deafies is so rude. It is the few people like this who ruin the fun for everyone. I now have seen for myself and understand why my Deaf friends tell me they do not enjoy it when the Baby Signers show up.

Lesson for today: If you show up to a Deaf event, remember you are a guest in their space. Be respectful and participate, with your hands. Talking to your friends can be accomplished some other time and place...

Deaf storyline on All My Children…

I originally read the below article and was thrilled to hear they would be featuring a deaf-focused storyline on AMC. Employing Deaf actors is a huge plus. Then I read on further to learn it was going to be centered around Cochlear Implants. Sigh...

Well, I guess any exposure is good exposure. At least they are going to hire Deaf actors...


All My Children will cast deaf actors and actresses surrounding a storyline about a toddler who becomes deaf as a result of a car accident, it was announced by Brian Frons, president Daytime, Disney-ABC Television Group. As the parents cope with their son's condition, they will explore a variety of medical options, including Cochlear implants. In the episode to air on August 15, the show will introduce Walter Novak, its first deaf character for this story arc, who will be played by Bob Hiltermann, a deaf actor.

"This storyline gives us the opportunity to explore the emotional challenges and real-life decisions facing the parents of a child who has been permanently injured. We will go on a heart wrenching journey with our characters as they learn about the current medical options and obstacles facing their child who has become deaf. In the tradition of All My Children's hallmark storytelling, this is a story of strength, love and hope," says executive producer Julie Hanan Carruthers.

One Life to Live star Kassie DePaiva has been consulting with All My Children, sharing her real life experiences raising her son, James Quentin ("JQ"), who was born profoundly deaf. At the age of 18 months, JQ received his first Cochlear implant, and received a second implant at the age of eight.

JQ is now 10 years old and attends mainstream schooling. As a part of All My Children ongoing commitment to this topic, JQ will guest star in episodes featuring Erica Kane's (Susan Lucci) talk show, New Beginnings, which will be dedicated to the theme of deaf children.

These episodes are set to air on September 20, 21 and 24. The show will also produce episodes featuring support groups for parents with deaf children. Deaf actors and actors who have received Cochlear implants will be cast in all applicable roles. The show will be consulting with the League for the Hard of Hearing and will air PSAs is support of the organization.

All My Children has established itself as a leader in daytime dramas as one that educates through entertaining. Over the past three decades, viewers have watched the characters deal with both social and personal issues, including abortion, HIV and AIDS, substance abuse, eating disorders and many more. In 2000, television history was made when All My Children became the first daytime drama to incorporate a lesbian character as a contract role. In 2003 another historic moment was made when the show aired daytime television's first same-sex kiss between two women in a loving relationship. In 2007 the show became the first to chronicle the coming out story of a transgender character.

All My Children celebrated its 37th Anniversary on January 5, 2007. The program has successfully maintained its popularity and continues to be one of daytime's most compelling dramas. All My Children took home the 1998 Emmy Award for Outstanding Daytime Drama Series, the third time the show received this top honor, having also garnered the award in 1994 and 1992. In 2004 the show also received its third consecutive Emmy Award for Outstanding Daytime Drama Series Writing, its third Writers Guild Award and its fourth GLAAD Media Award in March 2007

Shortage of Interpreters (NY Times Article)

Saw this article in the NY Times about terps in the Court system. Seems like becoming an interpreter could be financially rewarding. Still, I don't know if I have the emotional detachment to robotically bridge the two languages.

The article shares information about the shortage of terps, a situation that is not specific to NY alone...



Judge Spotlights Shortage of Interpreters for the Deaf
New York Times
Published: August 10, 2007

The prevailing custom in the New York courts is for sign language interpreters to work in tandem: one translates the rapid-fire arguments of courtroom life, while the other gets to rest weary hands.

There is, however, a shortage in the courts of sign language interpreters, so this buddy system does not always work, according to court officials. Yesterday, a judge in Queens took note of the shortage, writing a memorandum that explained why he had awarded an interpreter who was forced to work alone twice his daily rate of pay.

The judge, Justice Charles J. Markey of State Supreme Court, gave the higher rate to Gabriel Grayson, a certified American Sign Language interpreter. It was after Mr. Grayson had translated for a deaf plaintiff at a six-day civil trial in June involving a personal injury case. Mr. Grayson had told the judge and other court officials in Queens of the normal two-interpreter setup, but agreed to work alone, for a bit more money, after officials could not find another interpreter to relieve him.

The judge’s memo was entirely self-motivated. No one at the trial — not the plaintiffs, Farrah and Bibi Wahid, nor the defendant, the Long Island Rail Road — disputed that Mr. Grayson should receive the higher rate.

In fact, in his 13-page decision quoting experts on the deaf (and a former lord chief justice of England and Wales), Justice Markey explicitly said that he was trying to call attention to what he considers a worthy cause.

The memorandum, the judge wrote, is intended to explain the court’s decision in signing the order for the increased pay “and to throw a spotlight on the disturbing lack of skilled ASL interpreters in the courts.”

That lack, according to research laid out in the judge’s memo, has a number of causes. First, he wrote, the court interpreters must often wait months to schedule an examination with their certifying body, the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. The exams are expensive, the judge wrote, as are the dues that interpreters must pay or else risk losing certification.

The court’s rate of $250 a day is not competitive compared with pay rates for similar duties in the private sector, he explained. Justice Markey also pointed out that interpreters are rarely given cancellation fees when they work in the courts, where hearings can be called off without notice at any given time.

Justice Markey noted the “explosion of employment opportunities” for the certified interpreters at video conferencing events — a much gentler form of work than the nonstop world of the courts. While there are no official studies of sign language interpreters in the New York legal system, Justice Markey quoted a study from Nebraska that said 65 percent of all assignments for American Sign Language interpreters in that state’s courts went unfilled.

Back in New York, he said, even in Rochester, which has the largest per capita deaf population in the country (the National Technical Institute for the Deaf is there), only a limited number of certified court interpreters are available.

Justice Markey made specific mention of Kathleen Rozanski, a deaf woman in Rochester who filed a federal complaint in 2002 related to the handling of her divorce.

Justice Markey wrote that Ms. Rozanski’s lawyer did not hire a certified interpreter, but instead relied on notes, telecommunications devices for the deaf and family members familiar with sign language to communicate with her in court. In her complaint to the Justice Department, Ms. Rozanski said these alternate methods of communication had led to higher legal fees. Federal officials agreed, finding in a settlement with the lawyer that attorneys must provide interpreters to communicate with the deaf.

Gordon Hewart, the lord chief justice of England and Wales from 1922 to 1940, once wrote, “A long line of cases shows that it is not merely of some importance, but it is of fundamental importance, that justice should not only be done, but should manifestly and undoubtedly be seen to be done.”

Justice Markey wrote, “With increasing societal awareness and sensitivity to the plight of deaf persons in the courts, we can add to Hewart’s famous dictum that justice, in the form of courtroom proceedings, must also be clearly heard and, for the hearing-deprived, must be unmistakably interpreted so as to be undeniably understood.”

Tutoring...

A big thank you to my former instructors for recommending me to tutor their current students! I have had numerous emails in the last week from ASL students wanting help preparing for their finals. This is wonderful for me for two reasons - I get to share what I have learned from my years of studying ASL & I get some cash out of the deal…

There are two students I have met with a few times now, and they seem to be inproving very well. When I first me them, before their midterm, they were on the cusp of failing. I am happy to report that they both scored over 90% on their midterms, after two meetings with me. I guess I am doing something right.

I am planning to meet two more students this weekend to prepare for their finals. Hopefully they get the same result…

Deaf Performing Artists Network

Fabulous Video for deafies and hearies both. Go see this...


http://www.d-pan.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=36&Itemid=45

Root Canal...

Ever had one? Unless you have, then you don't realize how badly it friggin hurts!

To compound my problems, the bad tooth is #3, which means it is an upper tooth in the back next to my already ringing ear. The pain and pressure from the tooth are now intertwined with the pressure and noise in my right ear. This week I am living on antibiotics and vicodin, counting the days until my endo appointment on Monday morning.

Those of you that know me well, know I absolutely love my ASL classes. Tonight I hurt so bad that I am missing my last class at Berkeley City College. There is no way I can sit upright, let alone sit through a ride on the BART. I certainly can't drive medicated.

Therefore I will go home and whimper to myself while I wait for the next dose of vicodin to kick in...

"MindField"

I am always looking for new books relating to Deaf Culture to add to my own little library. This book was referenced on a blog I read somewhere (sorry I can't remember where). Anyway, it arrived today. I am anxious to start reading it, especially since I am 3rd in line in my house to read Harry Potter...

MindField by John F. Egbert

What would happen if most American’s became deaf almost overnight? Chaos? Financial collapse? Both?

MindField is a thrill ride, an incredible message of hope within a Tom Clancyesque novel. Perhaps the world would be better if we all had to listen with our only our hearts.

Book Description

What would happen if most of the people in America became deaf almost overnight? Chaos? Financial collapse? Anarchy? None of the above?

MindField is a thrill ride with a message; a premise torn right out of today’s headlines. A terrorist cell ignites an aerosol dispersion of what is thought to be deadly bacteria—spinal meningitis. It quickly spreads from a small town in Montana to nearly 30 states, eventually affecting more than three million people—an epidemic of nation-threatening proportions.

However, the problem isn’t death—it’s deaf. The physical symptoms of the disease disappear after three weeks, the only remaining tragedy is all those who are stricken become permanently deaf—a common side effect of spinal meningitis.

The United States is turned inside out, now a country where millions of the inhabitants can’t hear. An underground government is formed deep beneath the NORAD facilities in Colorado. A catastrophe of unimaginable proportions—or is it?

MindField is a fast paced, plot driven suspense novel with a pleasant surprising, and incredibly potent message about the way we might live our lives if we all had to listen with our eyes and hearts, and how the world might be a much better place for it.

I will post more about it as I start reading...

Child Advocacy...

Recently I was very pleased to be invited to join a new nonprofit group called SNAPS...

Please join SNAPS -- Signing, Networking, and Advocacy of Parents and Siblings, a newly formed nonprofit group -- as we welcome you to a free workshop that will teach you specific strategies for successfully parenting children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, and helping them feel like a part of the family. The event will be this Saturday, July 21st from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Rincon Valley Library in Santa Rosa.

Barbara Street, a Marriage and Family Therapist who is a parent and counsels children who are deaf and hard-of-hearing along with their families, will offer a free 2-hour workshop on how to improve communication within families with children who are deaf and hard-of-hearing. At the same time, SNAPS will provide a supervised playgroup for your children (deaf and hearing) so you can focus your attention on the workshop.

Following the workshop, SNAPS will have an hour discussion for parents, teachers, other professionals and the deaf community about how our organization can better serve families with children who are deaf. Some of our ideas thus far include information regarding IEP support-learning, what you can ask for from the schools, IEP advocacy (a person to go with you to IEP meetings), sign language classes, parenting support groups, Cochlear Implant support groups, and after school care for children who are deaf and hard-of-hearing and their siblings. What do you need as a parent? How can we help you? Be a part of making SNAPS an organization that provides your family with what you need to thrive!

Unfortunately I am unable to attend this first event. I did tell the person who invited me that I am very interested in this group and the focus they are describing. Perhaps it will "catch on" and thrive enough to expand in to other geographic areas, like the Bay Area.

So I suppose if I am going to get involved with groups like this, I should temper my opinion on CI's. I still believe that deaf children need to be exposed to their Deaf community, from the earliest point possible. This means educating the parents on ASL communication and Deaf culture. I hope to someday be a bridge for these parents, helping them learn to sign to their babies and introducing them to the differences between the cultures.

Tinnitus…

Oh.My.God this is annoying! The constant buzzing and swishing sound in my right ear. The unbalanced feeling. The pressure. Learning to live with this continual background noise is becoming challenging...

Tinnitus: tin-night’-is or tin’-it-is (either pronunciation is correct)\ n. [L., tinnire to ring]: the perception of ringing, hissing, or other sound in the ears or head when no external sound is present. For some people, tinnitus is just a nuisance. For others, it is a life-altering condition. In the United States, an estimated 12 million people have tinnitus to a distressing degree.

Tinnitus comes in many forms:

* Some of the most common include a sound of crickets or roaring, bzzing, hissing, whistling, and high-pitched ringing.

* Other types of tinnitus include a clicking or pulsatile tinnitus (the noise that accompanies your heartbeat).

* The most common type of tinnitus is known as subjective tinnitus, meaning that you hear a sound but it cannot be heard by others.

It is especially bad in quiet environments - like trying to read or sleep. I am finding myself asking family to repeat themselves since I am just not hearing them. I need to be looking at the speaker now. I can't hear from across the room or down the hall anymore. Even if I do hear the sound from the other room, it is often mistaken for some similar word. The other day, Purina (as in cat food) sounded like urine. Also, medication became vacation. I am tired of saying "what did you say?"

I feel like I am listening to earphones with the right one malfunctioning. It is distorting the sounds I do hear. At least my exposure to deaf/hoh people has improved my natural communication patterns. I am already in the habit of looking at someone when I speak to them. I try very hard to maintain eye contact (which is hard for a hearie). I have stopped looking away when I am speaking or putting my hands on my mouth/chin. I rarely talk with gum anymore.

I already talk with my hands in loud environments where I can't hear easily (restaurant, amusement park, concert). It is just instinctual. Now I am doing it more and more. I also find myself naturally turning my head to the right, thus trying to listen with my left ear more.

I am not one to run to the doctor very often. Unless I am pretty sick, I avoid anyone who can stick me with a needle. This is getting to the point where I am going to have to break down and make that doc appointment. The pressure is giving me headaches, which I am already prone to.

I used to find a lot of comfort in locking myself in a quiet room to think or read or just nap. It was my rejuvenation. Now that is even interrupted by my noisy right ear...

Cochlear Implants in children…

This is such a debated topic in the Deaf Community. With that said, I know I have absolutely no rights or experience with which to base comments on this. My opinions are completely my own and I do not presume to judge anyone who does choose to implant their child. That said…

How on earth can people choose to cut open their child's head like that?

I do not profess to be a religious person, more of a spiritual person. I am of the belief that if _____ (insert your Deity of choice - God, Buddha, Mother Nature, etc.) wanted me to have a deaf child, then I am in no position to argue that destiny. I was blessed with two healthy children, now teenagers full of spunk and attitude. They are both hearing. Some say I should call myself lucky. I wonder sometimes, would I have done anything different of one of them had been born, or became, deaf?

No Way!

To me deafness is a character trait, like green eyes or left-handedness or homosexuality. It is part of who the person is meant to be. Does it make life harder - hell yes! I do not deny that at all. Even with the challenges deafness presents, I am still confident I would not cut open my child's head in an attempt to provide some artificial hearing. As a lesbian, my life is harder than many. I am discriminated against in many areas. But it is who I am and what my destiny is. My mother would not have put me through some unnecessary surgery to alter my hormones and make me desire men. Yes, being straight would make my life easier, but it is not me.

I have read the debates on both sides of the CI issue. I have watched "Sound & Fury" multiple times. I find it fascinating that the CI issue polarizes so many people in the Deaf community. I know the "optimum" time to implant a child is while they are young, but what if that is not what they would want? I know a few Deaf adults who were implanted as children. As soon as they could, they stopped using the CI. They told me that it was intrusive and painful. They resent their parents for destroying any residual hearing they may have had. As adults, they tell me they would have never chosen this for themselves.

Perhaps my opinion stems from the fact that I love ASL and the Deaf culture. I find it to be a robust and rich language and culture, full of life and color and history. I would be proud to have a child as part of this community. I do not see deafness as something to be fixed or cured or pitied. There is nothing WRONG with being deaf.

I wish more hearing parents would educate themselves on ASL and Deaf culture before they take the advice of medical professionals who claim a CI would make their deaf baby "normal" again. The CI does not make a deaf child hearing. The child will always be deaf. I think it does a disservice to these children to not expose them and their families to the richness that the Deaf community can provide. Not to mention, it will save them from having their skull cut open!

Teaching...

I am finding that many people assume I want to become a teacher when they find out I am taking additional ASL classes. I also know the idea of a hearie teaching ASL is a very touchy point for many deafies. Let me clearly tell you now - I do NOT want to teach ASL!

I do know that some hearies are wonderful ASL teachers. They are near-fluent in their ASL skills or are CODAs. They demand a "no-voice" classroom and provide an optimum ASL learning environment. I have no problem with this at all.

What does strike me as odd is the hearing teacher who takes a handful of ASL classes and then professes to be an ASL instructor.

My first two classes were from a hearing teacher who was not a native user. It was a noisy classroom with instruction often in spoken English. I know enough now to know that there is no way you can learn ASL properly if you are hearing English at the same time.

I have a deaf friend who teaches ASL. She is a native user and is a wonderful teacher. My friend expressed a common feeling among her community about hearies teaching ASL:

Some deafies are curious why hearies are learning ASL. Some may be offended if you want to teach at deaf school because they feel that hearies take away jobs from deafies. Sometimes I get irritated when some hearing ASL teachers who are NOT native ASL. They teach at public school or community college. That is not right. Just because they completed a few semesters of ASL classes does not mean they are Fluent.

However, I know a few hearing ASL teachers who are near native and do follow the NO VOICE philopsophy but most don't. What's the point of teaching ASL if English is used in the classroom??

I completely agree with her assessment. From a hearie student perspective, I can tell you that learning ASL in a no-voice environnment is the only way to do it right. I would never dream of attempting to teach ASL. I am not qualified nor would I want to take a job that a native user could do so much better.

So if I am not going to teach (which I am not) then the question remains. Why am I so drawn to ASL and why does it get under my skin so much? What am I going to do with the language skills I am learning…?

Check them off my list...

So the meeting with the Ohlone counselor turned out better than expected. She said that I was fortunate to have taken so many gen ed classes 20 years ago. All of my classes transferred and almost fulfilled all of my gen ed requirements. Thank God I finished the math, english, history, psych, etc. I do have to take about 4 classes (2 of which are PE - which is completely screwed).

Once those are done, I can focus on the additional ASL/Deaf Culture classes I need to get the AA in Deaf Studies. I am already 12 units into it, so it is better than starting fresh.

This Fall I am registered for ASL 103 on Tuesday AND Thursday nights. I am also taking a Nutrition class online since it meets a Science requirement. I will also need a Fine Art class (one of the online classes was History of Rock Music - how this will help me in my job I dunno...)

The remaining classes I need fall under Cultural Diversity, but those can be the two Deaf Studies classes I need anyway - Deaf History and Deaf Culture.

Still not sure if I want to pursue interpreting or perhaps something else related to working with the Deaf community. The Ohlone ITP Program is very intensive and not something I can do while working during the day. Plus, being a Terp does not feel do-able yet. Perhaps when I am more confident in my ASL skills.

It was nice to learn that this will not take me another 10 years to complete. The counselor said that I was in better shape returning after 20 years than anyone she has seen before...

Idioms...

Like any other thriving and evolving language, ASL has its own share of idioms.

Idiom - noun: A speech form or an expression of a given language that is peculiar to itself grammatically or cannot be understood from the individual meanings of its elements.

In English, we use idioms all the time. I never realized how often until I started learning ASL Idioms.

Imagine for a minute English was not my primary language. It would be quite hard to understand phrases such as:

bite off more than one can chew
don't count your chickens before they're hatched
make a mountain out of a mole hill

ASL idioms are no different. Idioms were the topic of my first two classes at Berkeley City College, as well as a 3 hour workshop I attended over the weekend.

I especially like learning the idioms because they are not in any of my textbooks. Knowing not only the specific signs, but also the meaning helps when I am at a Deaf Coffee night or some other event. If someone signs “train go sorry” or “funny zero” I now know what they mean. The idiom sings make sense if I am able to understand them conceptually, and turn off the English grammar in my head…

Alphabet Soup...

A.A.
B.A.
B.S
B.S.Ed
Ed.S
M.Ed
M.S.,
M.A.
Ph.D
M.A.T
M.A.T.E.S.O.L

MJ Bienvenu, Associate Professor of ASL & Deaf Studies; B.A., English, Gallaudet College, M.A., Linguistics, Gallaudet College, Ph.D., Union Institute & University; Special Student, Gallaudet University; Special Student, University of Maryland

John B. Christiansen, Professor of Sociology; B.S., Carroll College; M.A.T., Antioch College; M.A., University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee; Ph.D., University of California, Riverside

Cynthia Edwards, Assistant Professor of English; B.S., State University of New York, at Geneseo; M.A., Ed.S., Gallaudet University; Ph.D., University of Maryland

Paige Franklin, Assistant Professor of English; B.A., M.A., Gallaudet University; M.A.T.E.S.O.L.; American University

Kurt Metz, Assistant Professor of Psychology; B.S.Ed., Shippensburg University; M.A., Gallaudet University; Ed.S., Auburn University; Ph.D., University of Kentucky

I am really struggling with this need for a degree. I know all the arguments – I work in HR. It all just seems akin to a hamster running on a circular wheel. I take all of these “general education” classes because some decision maker says I need them for my degree. I fail to understand what impact a class on astrology or bowling or history of rock music has on my daily life.

I have to spend my time and money on classes and be away from my children, just to tick a requirement off a sheet of paper. Tuition, books, parking, gas – all things I have to invest my limited resources in to meet this societal expectation.

It has been 20 year since I graduated from HS. I have had 20 years of life experience molding me into the tax paying citizen I am today. I have run a house, bought and sold property on my own, had children, accepted and declined jobs. I have single parented my children. I have been a nurse, a counselor, a chauffeur, and a cook – often times all in one day. I have no fancy piece of paper with my name on it and those coveted abbreviations. Is my life and my experiences and my time any less valuable than those highly educated folks above who do have the degree? Now don't get me wrong, I respect those people who have the drive and energy to continue learning. They work hard for their degrees and I applaud their accomplishments. I just think there needs to be some credit for "life experience" in the absence of the degree.

Working in HR, I see that many people hold degrees in fields of study that have absolutely nothing to do with their job. A close friend in the IT world has her degree in early childhood education. Perhaps the tolerance she learned at school while studying the best approach for teaching toddlers helps her with the stubborn IT egos in the office. My former Vice President for a medical IT solutions company had his degree in zoology. I can’t strike any parallel between selling hospital data infrastructure solutions with the study and care of zebras.

Yet I keep running up against the same wall – I need a degree in order to “progress” in my job. I need to get this damn piece of paper in order to gain the higher credibility and paycheck.

So tonight I am off to Ohlone to meet with a counselor. Hopefully some of the 38 units of school I finished almost 20 years ago will be transferable. It would be nice to have a bit of a head start ticking the classes off that requirement sheet.

Tonight I will talk with the counselor about their A.A. in Deaf Studies. Hell, if I do have to spend my time and money on the piece of paper it may as well be in something I value. Bossman would challenge why I would waste my time in Deaf Studies. He would probably prefer I take Business Administration classes or at least Liberal Arts. Screw that. Realistically the AA Degree will not benefit me in this current job at all. (HR VP even frowns on people who get a Ph.D. from University of Phoenix. It is not a “good enough” school)

At least the Deaf Studies focus will keep me in classes on a topic I care about. Then I can get that coveted piece of paper and perhaps move into a field that values me for more than answering the phone.

I love these lyrics from a song by the Indigo Girls:

I went to see the doctor of philosophy

With a poster of Rasputin and a beard down to his knee

He never did marry or see a B-grade movie

He graded my performance, he said he could see through me

I spent four years prostrate to the higher mind, got my paper and I was free.

Tonight I start on my journey towards that freedom…

Crossroads...

At the age of 38, I still don't know what I want to "be when I grow up." Is that normal? For various reasons having to do with money and family, I did not go to college right after high school. Rather I went to work full-time and took some junior college classes at nights. I was 18, and like most my age, thought I knew everything. I was making really good money and had my own apartment, plus a new car. Why on earth would I want to quit work and go to school full time?

Now I know why.

To go to school now is a pain in the ass! There is no winning lottery ticket in my pocket, so school has to fit around full time work and two teenagers. The thought of writing papers and researching and reading and studying - oy!

I did crank out about 38 units at the junior college, before I got married. At least SOME of it is out of the way. But - get this - I still need to take a PE class! Pleeezzz. Can't 15 years of chasing children count as phys ed?

I am really enjoying my ASL classes, and am starting to look at continuing education past the ASL classroom. I took the plunge and registered for ASL and something else this Fall. Cultural Anthropology. Apparently it is something I can mark off the requirement list somewhere.

So I finish the general ed classes I need for a 2-year degree - then what? My boss here in the HR department is not going to do anything different or pay me any more.

I need to find my passion, and then perhaps the required education will seem worth it. Maybe a mentor who can help me define what it is I want to do. For right now all I want to do is learn to sign...

Summer Enrichment 2007

Now that I have finished ASL 2B at LasPo, I have maxed out on classes available close to home. It is important to me to keep my signing skills current, so I enrolled again in a summer series at Berkeley City College. This is the same school had a vocabulary class with in Summer 2006, just a new name and fancy new building.

This class is intermediate level conversational skill building. The 5 week series is taught by Ramona Galindez, the same instructor I had for vocabulary class last summer. Ramona is like a Deaf Whoopi Goldberg, dreadlocks and all. She is funny and has the best facial expressions. I really enjoyed my classes with her last year, and look forward to this year as well.

I am taking the class with a very dear friend of mine. We spent the 45 minutes or so on the BART laughing and signing. We got a few looks from the weary evening commuters, but not many. Signing in public helps me to get more comfortable with my facial expressions and body language. I know that some people will be curious and look, which I am learning is fine. Since I am a basically shy and introverted person, it is a bit of a stretch for me to sit there making "funny faces" during my conversations.

Anyway, last night we covered ASL Idioms. I especially like learning things like this - things not in the text books. It is the "real life" slang and phrases that I want to understand. Helps me keep up with the conversations at Deaf events.

Next week is going to focus on fingerspelling and ASL numbering systems...