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Black and deaf, golfer chases his dream is a nice story. I remember reading that Tiger Woods had many challenges in becoming a pro golfer simply because he was black. This guy is not only black, but also deaf. I hope he doesn’t encounter barriers, but who knows? We’re rooting for him.
This story breaks your heart and makes me thankful I’m an American. The treatment of deaf children in developing countries doesn’t surprise me.
Carter Bloodcare rules. I donate blood on a regular basis, or try to anyway. Carter makes it easy to set up an appointment as it can be done online. The donation appointment form, however, doesn’t play nice with Firefox. No biggie. I’d rather use IE than to navigate a recording to schedule an appointment. You can show up without an appointment, but you may have to wait.
Furthermore, you can check your cholestrol test results and check the date of the next time you can donate blood on the Web site. Now, if the organization would let me fill in my meds and answer the questionnaire online before I go. That’s my least favorite part of the appointment.
Know those postcards you get from non-profit organizations asking you to call if you have clothes and other items to donate? I prefer it when they leave a bag because it means they’ll drive by whether or not you call. I got a surprise the last time I received a postcard. The postcard said you could schedule pick up online.
I didn’t get my hopes up, but I went ahead and submitted the form. The organization arrived on the scheduled date and hauled away bags of donations. I’m grateful to any organization that prevents my making a phone call.
I’ve been taking tennis classes and signed up online. The center charges a $2 online charge, but it’s worth it as opposed to drive there and back using up $2 worth of gasoline. I can sign up for more sessions the next time I’m there for class.
Amazon has excellent customer service. The company’s reps respond within 24 hours and almost always resolve your concerns with one or two emails. Never had to call them on the phone in all these years (and my first Amazon purchase was in 1995). Recently, I received toner for my photo printer and it didn’t work. 30 days since shipping had already passed and yet, Amazon still sent a replacement and paid for the return shipping.
Maybe if more businesses would rely on web-based applications, we wouldn’t have to deal with phone systems, waiting, and incompetent customer service reps.
Alicia mentioned audism in a recent comment and it was the first I heard of the word. Audism, like racism and sexism, is discrimination against deaf people.
Wikipedia provides examples of audism:
Deaf people cannot write well because they are deaf or because English is not their first language.
Deaf people cannot be successful without the aid of hearing devices like cochlear implants.
Deaf people who can speak well are more successful or smarter than those who can’t or don’t speak.
Deaf people cannot perform well in sports due to their loss of hearing, which is related to the sense of balance.
Deaf people cannot drive.
I’ve heard some of these, but not the sports reference, which surprised me most considering sports was my thing during my kid years. I only remember of ONE instance where my hearing loss embarrassed me in a sports situation and it happened during basketball practice not a game. We were warming up and I was practicing on the far end of the gym. Coach called us to huddle and I kept on practicing. Blush.
Calling the ball in volleyball and softball was never a problem. I also played soccer and dabbled in tennis, golf, and racquetball. Heck, I was a referee with TCU’s intramural sports program in my freshman year in college. I loved it.
I didn’t realize this till much later that sports is most likely responsible for my confidence. Had I not played, I may not have had as much confidence or successes. My daughter was at volleyball practice and I saw a chance to play with a volleyball. Whenever I watched her team practice, I wanted to go out on the court and join them.
Anyway, when I got warmed up — I felt more confident, outgoing, and talkative. One of my fondest childhood memories is earning an MVP (most valuable player) award twice in one softball season (once for the team and once in a tournament).
My son had a baseball game last Saturday and it brought back a few softball memories. I got a little too excited when he hit his first double (he struck out every time at the last game, so I couldn’t help it). I also play catch with him trying to help him improve. We got oil for his glove just like my dad did for me. Oiling gloves is easier today as we just spray and leave it. Dad would pour the oil on the glove, spread it evenly, stick a softball in the glove, and put a rubber band on the glove.
I’d probably enjoy coaching kids, but I’m not comfortable with the thought (Ironic, isn’t it? Sports made me more confident and outgoing, but not coaching.). I’m not comfortable with young kids and the stares I get from them when I talk. No, I’ll just be a parent and watch my kids play.
Back to audism. Many times when I misunderstood someone who doesn’t know more or asked to repeat something, I’d get looks of “Are you stupid?” During group conversations, I’d get lost or ask someone what the topic is — and get looks that clearly stated I’m inferior.
I’ve taken up tennis in the last couple of weeks (since that’s what most adults play around here) and it’s been great to get back into a sport.
That’s why I have stuck with blogging after all of these years. People judge me by my thoughts and nothing else.
Ah, it’s good to laugh about the whole thing with this hilarious comic of Gallaudet President Jane K. Fernandes (affectionally known as JKF… OK, so it’s a shortcut not an affection) receiving an Extreme Makeover comic from Dan McClintock’s Cartoon Blogs. More good stuff. Thanks to Alicia Lane for the pointer.
I was pleased to read about my favorite hockey team, Dallas Stars, donated to Dallas Hearing Foundation and other charities. The team has a foundation known as the Dallas Star Foundation that awards grants to local children’s charities in support of a variety of needs. “The grants focus on a myriad of worthy causes such as heath services for disadvantaged youth, educational and social issues, family suppers, and crisis intervention,” said Dallas Stars Manager of Community Relations Claire Kinzy. The team awards grants twice a year.
The Dallas Hearing Foundation received a $9,200 grant to help the organization continue providing hearing aids to children not eligible for cochlear implants. “The DHF clearly supports and is dedicated to enhancing the lives of the children which it serves through providing medical services. In addition to aiding children, the DHF has a well defined and established plan of action for use of the funds, including directly providing children with hearing aids and other tangible services,” Kinzy added.
Stars are not only champs on the ice, but also in spirit.
Yesterday, the kid who wanted to play baseball. Today, the students who want an education. Deaf Students File Lawsuit Against USU. Suddenly, I feel like we’ve jumped back in time.
I graduated college over 10 years ago (yikes!) and even then, American University (AU) had an office for students with disabilities. I spent my freshman year at TCU and got notetakers there. Some good. Some bad. I needed a strong one in economics and got someone who was an economics major, but his notes stunk more than a garbage bin on a hot and humid day.
I just remembered a notetaker that I liked and had for a few classes while at TCU. Tracy. She had the stereotypical girl’s cursive handwriting with big, neat, and round letters. She was thorough and thanks to her, I did well in Ben Proctor’s U.S. history class.
At AU, I don’t remember too much about notetakers in the classes not related to my major. For my major, I believe I sat next to folks and reviewed their notes or made copies. By the time you take classes in your field, you see the same people and they’re easier to approach for help than strangers.
Oh yes, I had notetakers for my literature classes as I’ve got the notebooks to prove it. My handwriting wasn’t that nice. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever had a “handwriting style” except for my signature: Meryl ——————. It used to be Meryl K. Ev ————. Then in the last few years (I guess since I got busier with three kids), I got lazy and blurred away the K. Ev.
It’s a trip whenever I read my journals that I’ve been keeping since I was a sophomore in college at AU. My handwriting has a life of its own like newscasters’ hairstyles. When we watch Barbara Walters or Katie Couric flashbacks, we see a new hairstyle every year. Yeah, that’s my handwriting. Yet, my siblings and my parents all have distinctive handwriting. I even remember my grandmother’s.
Maybe using a computer for the first time at 10 had something to do with it. My daughter’s handwriting isn’t typical of a pre-teen/teen girl’s handwriting. It’s shocking Paul isn’t a doctor. He writes like one.
Anyway, literature. Notetaking. Back on track. I took two lit classes in one semester. How dumb was that? I read more books in that semester than I had in a year. I loved the classes though. Should’ve just taken them in separate semesters instead of trying to spend all my waking hours outside of the classroom with a nose in a book.
Not so back on track. Well, I made it through college with a good GPA. I wouldn’t want to go through it again. I love education and plan to go back for a masters… online. Unfortunately, more colleges are adopting online lectures using VoIP. Which puts me at a disadvantage again. Just hope Texas Tech won’t do that as the university has a program I’ve got my eye on. Just need to gain 10 hours a week before starting.
This is unbelievable. Deaf Ballplayer on Kauai Fights for Right to Play. I thought we came a long way from such events. For goodness sakes, it’s been over 20 years since I was 11 (And I started playing not long after Title IX in 1972, so you’d think I’d have more resistance then than today.) and there was no question as to whether or not I should play.
But there is one difference between the Kauai boy and me: he used an interpreter (his own dad!). No matter — it doesn’t affect the game to have an interpreter.
Courtney started a fascinating conversation with Being Deaf and thinking. The entry brings up an interview I did with a reporter years ago. How the topic came up, I don’t remember. Somehow, our conversation turned to when I talk or think, I can “hear” words in my head. But I had hearing aids to help me “auralize” words. What would I think if I had never heard a sound in my life? Anyone out there who has been in this situation?
For instance, I’m thinking of the words I type and “hearing” them in my head. Do all hearing people do this? I thought of the word “apple.” I hear it. Sometimes I see it, but more often I hear the word than see the object. Perhaps, this is because so many words don’t have a tangible including tangible as well as is, are, our, quick, and so on.
Gallaudet Board Chief Steps Down (may need free registration. Here’s a source from the school) stating stress and “numerous aggressive threats.” The article also reports that Fernandes has no plans to step down like the original candidate selected prior to I. King Jordan’ selection. The students protested. The candidate stepped down. Jordan became president.
I’m all for the students speaking out against something they don’t like. However, I’m questioning the validity of this protest as it sounds like they’d protest anyone selected and find a reason to do it. One resource indicated they protested because they were no minority candidates. Well, last I checked, being a woman was considered a minority.
I read Fernandes’ bio and she has a most impressive background in deaf education. Let’s Move on is right on and I think it tells the real story that the rest of us are missing.
Update: Please read the comments. Finally got insight! Even I think Gallaudet’s board made a big mistake now.
While working for the federal government, I remember discovering that of all disabilities and differences (other than mental retardation), deaf employees had the lowest average salary. So I’m not surprised to read that Third of deaf people without work.
Like Helen Keller said, “Blindness cuts us off from things, but deafness cuts us off from people.” I believe it to be true even with my ability to talk and lipread. When I attended conference calls, I felt cut off from those on the other side of the line and had to rely on those in the room with me.
Read an article in The Dallas Morning News that the latest reason the students don’t like the president-elect is because she’s not “deaf enough.” She knows the perfect deaf person is one who is born of deaf parents, marries a deaf person, and has deaf children. Wow, lots of pressure on genetics.
The president-elect is married to a Gallaudet professor who is hearing and has hearing children. Obviously, her husband knows sign language, and she can’t help it if her kids aren’t deaf.
The first reports indicated the students didn’t like her demeanor. That has more merit, I think. What are the chances you’re going to find someone qualified for the president position that comes close to the “perfect deaf person?” The president-elect is a current employee with the university, so students are familiar with her.
So far, the administration doesn’t look like it’s going to back down and neither are the students. We watch and we wait.
I read about the $44 wheel chair in Reader’s Digest some time ago. The fact the guy made an effort to invent something much needed and make it affordable amazes me. Wish we could do something like that for hearing aids. Maybe it’s possible, but I’m no engineer.
With the popularity of American Inventor, perhaps the company will have a second edition and we’ll see more inventions along these line. There was a guy who had a flosser for those who can’t use the regular flosser. He didn’t make it to the final 12, but I’m betting companies are noticing those who don’t make the finals and calling them up. I hope so.
Speaking of the show, the final four inventions are:
I think the bike should’ve never made it this far. I hated that the toilet seat filter people had to go up against the baby car seat. The baby car seat looks amazing and I hope they pull it off. I’m interested in Word Ace as I love games, but for $50?
Seeing people lose their jobs or going bankrupt during the show was terrible. I hope that those who didn’t make it to the final four got noticed and perhaps, saw some benefit come from the show. Haven’t spent much time trying to find out what happened to them, especially Jodie (Headliner).
Students are not happy with the new president selected to replace I. King Jordon who is retiring. The committee selected a deaf person and female, but students protest because they believe Provost Jane K. Fernandes didn’t pay attention to their wants and needs.
They also say the selection process was racist because none of the top three candidates was black. No winning with this group. This time the committee picked a deaf person AND female. Before Jordan became president, the students protested the president selection because the first choice wasn’t deaf.
It’s great they’re speaking up and being heard, but this racist thing is a little too much. Who knows how many applied. Maybe none of the black candidates was deaf. I don’t know enough to comment.
More on the story from The Washington Post, but it requires free registration.
