I'm thinking about getting a new cell phone soon, but it has to be hearing aid compatible. I use a Windows Mobile device right now, which isn't compatible, and I don't have my hearing aids yet. It's got to have a keyboard for good texting! What is the best phone in your opinion?
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
Thank you for your Support
This vlog is a response to the nasty comments that have been left in "Your Deaf Muslim Sister".
My Husband Is Learning ASL!
My husband has decided to learn ASL, I'm soooo happy! I bought him a book tonight that comes with a dvd, and he can practice with me. I'm glad he wants to take the time to learn more about the language I prefer to express myself in.
Going Deaf Goes To The Cinema
It was really a great day out today (above 40 degrees!), so my husband and I decided to go on a date. We wanted to see a movie since we had not been in a very long time. I don't go to the cinema often, not only because of my hearing, it's more like I have other things to do. So today was to be a special treat. I called ahead on my videophone to see if what I wanted to see was playing (yes), and was it captioned.
Back in Seattle where I'm from, I had alot of access to deaf and hoh services, so when I went to the cinemas, i was used to asking for headphones or rearview captioning devices. Rearview captioning seems to have not been implemented in my small Illinois town. the lady had no idea what I was talking about. I then asked about headphones to use, and she said yes, they had them for use. I quickly got me and my husband out of the house and we went off to the movie.
We got there, and my husband asked for the headphones for me. After a little bit of aimlessly walking about, the ticket agent decided he should finally ask someone where they were located (it had been about 5 minutes since we had asked). He came back, and there sat a device with one ear bud on it. I thought alright, let's just get to the movie, no fussing.
We got into the theater where the movie was playing, and tried to put the one ear bud into my best ear and listen, but it was nothing but static. i thought well, it must be just because it is the pre-show. So I waited until the feature came on, and I tried again, all different channels. Still didn't work. I sat and watched to movie, got enough of it to understand it, but not fully.
I spoke to the manager who refunded my money, but I didn't even need that. I told her the ear bud was not a great idea, but she informed me it was new. I don't have my hearing aids yet, but I'm pretty sure when I got a theater, i don't want to take one off just so i can put an ear bud in.
The rest of the evening went well, but I just had to post my experience today. I'm saddened by the fact they have a thin veil of accommodation in regards to deaf and hoh patrons. They do not have open caption nights. They said no one came to them, so they stopped doing them. So ask you, if you have a cinema near you who gives you good service and accommodation, let them know you appreciate it. When they have open captioning movie night, go. If people don't go, they will say there is no need. There IS a need. Don't let them take away something they took away from my town.
Back in Seattle where I'm from, I had alot of access to deaf and hoh services, so when I went to the cinemas, i was used to asking for headphones or rearview captioning devices. Rearview captioning seems to have not been implemented in my small Illinois town. the lady had no idea what I was talking about. I then asked about headphones to use, and she said yes, they had them for use. I quickly got me and my husband out of the house and we went off to the movie.
We got there, and my husband asked for the headphones for me. After a little bit of aimlessly walking about, the ticket agent decided he should finally ask someone where they were located (it had been about 5 minutes since we had asked). He came back, and there sat a device with one ear bud on it. I thought alright, let's just get to the movie, no fussing.
We got into the theater where the movie was playing, and tried to put the one ear bud into my best ear and listen, but it was nothing but static. i thought well, it must be just because it is the pre-show. So I waited until the feature came on, and I tried again, all different channels. Still didn't work. I sat and watched to movie, got enough of it to understand it, but not fully.
I spoke to the manager who refunded my money, but I didn't even need that. I told her the ear bud was not a great idea, but she informed me it was new. I don't have my hearing aids yet, but I'm pretty sure when I got a theater, i don't want to take one off just so i can put an ear bud in.
The rest of the evening went well, but I just had to post my experience today. I'm saddened by the fact they have a thin veil of accommodation in regards to deaf and hoh patrons. They do not have open caption nights. They said no one came to them, so they stopped doing them. So ask you, if you have a cinema near you who gives you good service and accommodation, let them know you appreciate it. When they have open captioning movie night, go. If people don't go, they will say there is no need. There IS a need. Don't let them take away something they took away from my town.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Censorship? You bet!
It took me a while to catch up on the week's news about censorship on DeafRead but I didn't think it was going to happen to me. Of course, it happen to happen to my most important post. Last night, when I made the Deaf Sister post, I wanted lots of people to comment, get the most exposure out there because i know and understand that not a lot of deaf, even hearing people don't understand about Muslims and Islam. So i put the video out there as my way of saying "hey, it's okay to ask questions, I will do my best to answer them, go ahead." My blog post was accepted onto DeafRead at 1:06am according to my aggregator.
I woke up this morning feeling great that I had made that post. It was a semi-accomplishment for me. Anyway, I checked YouTube first to react to the comments, all positive, yay! Then I checked DeafRead to see how many people from DeafRead went to the post here since I had seen it had been posted. It had been taken off the site.
Why censor something so important that I'm giving information to other deaf who don't really know about Muslims, just like their hearing counterparts? I'm trying to help the community. Isn't that what we are all here for?
I woke up this morning feeling great that I had made that post. It was a semi-accomplishment for me. Anyway, I checked YouTube first to react to the comments, all positive, yay! Then I checked DeafRead to see how many people from DeafRead went to the post here since I had seen it had been posted. It had been taken off the site.
Why censor something so important that I'm giving information to other deaf who don't really know about Muslims, just like their hearing counterparts? I'm trying to help the community. Isn't that what we are all here for?
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Your Deaf Muslim Sister
Many people have asked me why I am Muslim and I've gotten some really rude comments from both hearing and deaf. If you have any questions at all regarding Muslims, please ask. I'll do my best to answer them. Please support your Deaf Muslim Sister!
Friday, January 25, 2008
Deaf, Muslim, and Darned Proud
I've been searching an awful lot on the internet today and yesterday and I can't seem to find a good sign for Muslim or Islam. The most interesting one I found was in Dutch Sign Language:
http://www.gebarencentrum.nl/videos/gids/43426.mpg
Currently, I'm leaning toward that sign, or the 2nd sign in my video blog (if you haven't checked it out, please do so).
Please send me a vlog, let me know what your sign is for Muslim or Islam! I'd really like to identify myself without my sign being two m+bomb :(
http://www.gebarencentrum.nl/videos/gids/43426.mpg
Currently, I'm leaning toward that sign, or the 2nd sign in my video blog (if you haven't checked it out, please do so).
Please send me a vlog, let me know what your sign is for Muslim or Islam! I'd really like to identify myself without my sign being two m+bomb :(
Re-reading History
Last night for my reading, I decided to go back into my list of deaf books and re-read "Train Go Sorry" by Leah Hager Cohen. I haven't picked this book up since I finished reading it for an assignment in high school. I'm 25 now. Ouch! So it was time to pick it up again. I don't think the first time I read it, I understood that in the beginning of the book, Leah was hearing and telling of her experiences acquiring language at the Lexington school. The ease at which she didn't know she was picking up sign, just that she was. I felt that same experience when I walked into my first ASL class. It was a sigh of relief. I finally could use a language i was being understood in. I can speak perfectly, was raised hearing, realized I lost some hearing later in life. i have a strong connection to ASL though. I can express myself in ASL like i can't in English. Once I found ASL, I was truly free. I only made it through the 1st chapter of the book last night, but I'm eager to re-read what I had missed the first time. I'm sure it's as amazing as what I felt last night.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Pah! For PepsiCo!
Today, PepsiCo and Lay's Potato Chips announced that during the pre-game show on FOX sport of the Superbowl on February 3rd, they will air a 60-second advertisement entirely in ASL. There will be Open Caption for the ASL-Impaired.
The ad will feature some deaf employees by the company, which makes me very proud. They didn't not hire actors to fill the places of workers.
Coming out of yesterday hearing stories about Steak and Shake doing wrong, it's nice to see a company, a very large one, to be doing very well for the community. Recently I had seen a Sprint commercial, both the girl and father are deaf we are told in text, but the only signs we see are the ILY.
Here, we can see on a big stage, in front of everyone, a good ad for a good company, and a great community who are striving to keep the language alive.
The ad will feature some deaf employees by the company, which makes me very proud. They didn't not hire actors to fill the places of workers.
Coming out of yesterday hearing stories about Steak and Shake doing wrong, it's nice to see a company, a very large one, to be doing very well for the community. Recently I had seen a Sprint commercial, both the girl and father are deaf we are told in text, but the only signs we see are the ILY.
Here, we can see on a big stage, in front of everyone, a good ad for a good company, and a great community who are striving to keep the language alive.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
The Deaf Label
Labels and I have never really mixed. Growing up, I was never the "in" crowd, but I wasn't an outcast either. Now that I have been diagnosed with significant hearing loss, things have started to get more difficult, not easier.
I grew up H/hearing but had many problems due to ear infections, which led to ear tubes, drainage, and scaring. I think this contributed largely to my hearing loss. In my Junior year of high school, they offered American Sign Language as a foreign language, so I took it and loved every minute of it. I was top of my class for both years in ASL and went on to continue my studies at Seattle Central Community College.
There is where I learned about Deaf culture and what the label of "deaf" meant. It seemed clear then. Today I sit and think about it constantly. I'm very proficient in ASL, to the point where when I get angry, I can't even speak anymore, I just sign. I have "deaf speak" among people that I know. But yet I fear that since I grew up H/hearing, I will always be seen as hearing. I know I'm not Deaf. But am I deaf? I can talk. I can't hear some things, and need aids. What makes me hearing? I've immersed myself in culture so deep, then found out I've got significant loss. Am I to suffer the same fate as those with CI's?
Please send me your comments, suggestions, anything. I really want to know what you guys have to say about my situation. Thanks.
I grew up H/hearing but had many problems due to ear infections, which led to ear tubes, drainage, and scaring. I think this contributed largely to my hearing loss. In my Junior year of high school, they offered American Sign Language as a foreign language, so I took it and loved every minute of it. I was top of my class for both years in ASL and went on to continue my studies at Seattle Central Community College.
There is where I learned about Deaf culture and what the label of "deaf" meant. It seemed clear then. Today I sit and think about it constantly. I'm very proficient in ASL, to the point where when I get angry, I can't even speak anymore, I just sign. I have "deaf speak" among people that I know. But yet I fear that since I grew up H/hearing, I will always be seen as hearing. I know I'm not Deaf. But am I deaf? I can talk. I can't hear some things, and need aids. What makes me hearing? I've immersed myself in culture so deep, then found out I've got significant loss. Am I to suffer the same fate as those with CI's?
Please send me your comments, suggestions, anything. I really want to know what you guys have to say about my situation. Thanks.
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