The Goblin Road

Writing distracts a writer from writing
The Goblin Road I’ve been neck-deep in my writing projects lately, and I kept finding that writing other things distracts me from writing what I enjoy writing the most. Whew, what a mouthful of typewritten words. I have to admit that, although I frankly did enjoy writing it, I was happy to complete the short story Secret Signs. […]
Sat, Sep 17 2016

Secret Signs: Part 4 (Conclusion)
The Goblin Road By J. Parrish Lewis Part 1     Part 2     Part 3  Part 4 For nearly a week, Alice’s intended consequence for her mother, a perpetual cold shoulder, crumbled slowly until she gave in to her reality. No words, no apologies or favors, would get Alice what she wanted. She knew this because […]
Fri, Sep 09 2016

Thoughts on a Saturday morning
The Goblin Road You know, I got up this morning with a plan to write a post about something. Nothing specific, I just figured I was due to write a post, which meant coming up with a topic of something I WANTED to write about. Nothing comes to mind. I’d rather work on my fiction, which means working […]
Sat, Aug 27 2016

When I was the isolated deaf kid
The Goblin Road When I was in High School, I spent the majority of my time alone, feeling invisible. At lunchtime most days, I’d get a couple packets of Nutty Bars and go to my little space in the Art classrooms, purposefully isolating myself rather than feel invisible in the cafeteria. For the first two years, I at […]
Thu, Aug 18 2016

The good things about you
The Goblin Road I’m the kind of person that puts too much thought into trying to be a better version of who I am. I was thinking about this last night, while driving to the store, because driving’s an excellent time for pondering life’s mysteries, including the mystery of why people so hard on themselves. Why am I? […]
Sat, Aug 13 2016

Your laughs are music to my eyes
The Goblin Road The other night I was talking with my daughter, Ladybug, and she laughed at something I said. I forget what, I say lots of silly things and once in a while I get a genuine laugh instead of the groan that follows a Dad Joke (which, by the way, I’ve developed an appreciation for, because […]
Sun, Aug 07 2016

Self-doubt banshees and paralyzed monkeys
The Goblin Road I have lost track of the number of times I have opened up the computer to write and let myself be paralyzed by the blank screen, or opened up my sketchbook and let myself be paralyzed by the blank page. When I started this website, it was going to be whatever I wanted it to […]
Fri, Aug 05 2016

Secret Signs: Part Three
The Goblin Road PART ONE: In which Alice learns about a new Deaf Student PART TWO: In which Alice meets Wren, a Deaf Boy who teaches her some ASL Secret Signs: Part 3 By J. Parrish Lewis By the end of the week, she knew how to make the alphabet with her hands, just like Wren could. She […]
Sat, Jul 16 2016

Secret Signs: Part Two
The Goblin Road For Part One: CLICK HERE TO READ Secret Signs: Part Two By J. Parrish Lewis She saw his backpack first, outside the speech therapist’s office where kids who had speech therapy were always directed to drop them. It was worn around the edges, broken zipper and bore the attempts of doodling with markers too fat […]
Sat, Jul 09 2016

Secret Signs: Part One
The Goblin Road Alice. The girl does not move. Her gaze remains fixed on the particularly bright line of green that she has drawn to represent the horizon. A vibrant green, it makes her smile. This is her favorite color and she will use it again, often, and with abandon. This is a color she will throw herself […]
Sat, Jul 02 2016

Make what you do matter to you
The Goblin Road I think a lot about how to use the minutes and hours of my life in meaningful ways, at least meaningful to me. Like anyone else, I both use my time well and I waste time. I work toward shifting my choices toward using the time well, though it seems that’s not always within our […]
Fri, Jun 17 2016

Teach your deaf child to be thirsty for knowledge
The Goblin Road I am asked by parents of deaf children for guidance on how to help their children succeed in life. I’ve already written plenty about the need for completely accessible language at home, with American Sign Language as the foundation no matter what else is chosen to accompany it, and I’ve written about tips for teaching […]
Sat, Jun 11 2016

Grief
The Goblin Road Grief catches me in the back of the throat. That’s where the pain resides. I don’t know why this was, but that’s what I felt, trying to hold myself together while my grandfather lay in bed dying in his apartment in Seaside, California. I arrived two days ago, after getting the word the day before […]
Tue, Jun 07 2016

Preaching to the choir in the echo chamber
The Goblin Road Yeah, I know, that’s kind of a weird title for someone who is deaf, since I can neither hear a choir nor an echo chamber. But I’ll use these words because it’s the best I have available to me. I’ve been thinking a lot about what I have been doing with Munky Mind for the […]
Sun, May 22 2016

Snapshot: Shadow puppets and funny faces
The Goblin Road This is just a snapshot, a short glimpse into a moment of my life.  Monkey wanders over to me, dragging his blanket, the one that’s white and fluffy on one side and black and velvety on the other. It is mid-afternoon, and his homework is done, so he is wearing a smile. I sit on […]
Thu, May 19 2016

I am looking for peace in washing dishes
The Goblin Road Some time ago, I noticed that when I do the dishes, I am automatically tense. I breathe more shallowly, and my shoulders and neck are taut with tension. I realized that this has been the case for a long time, perhaps since I was young, but I never really examined this very closely. I just […]
Mon, May 16 2016

Into the wild backyards
The Goblin Road When I was a kid, fences seemed unimportant. Boundaries never really crossed my mind. I reveled in the freedom to explore not just my own neighborhood, but all the neighborhoods in walking or biking distance. When I was 5 years old, growing up in Columbia, Maryland, the sidewalks were a bit like the road in […]
Thu, May 12 2016

When the deaf community takes over the world!
The Goblin Road /////This is TOP SECRET. Do not share.///// Here’s the plan, Stan. World Domination by the Deaf Community (includes EVERY country, not just America) will commence during Deaf Awareness Week this year. It will be swift, requiring only that we hypnotize all non-signers with our native signed languages while staring deeply into their eyes. The key […]
Sat, May 07 2016

Your deaf kids and the dinner table
The Goblin Road This is a post for hearing parents of deaf children, who have not learned to sign. I write this knowing that you love your children and that you try very hard to make the best decisions you can for your children. This is not a post to bash you for your choices, but to perhaps […]
Wed, Apr 27 2016

When you hire a deaf employee, you make our world more...
The Goblin Road Deaf people are generally underestimated. When I say “generally” you need to interpret that as “really quite often, unfortunately, even though it shouldn’t happen.” This is true in the general population, and this is true with those who are in the position of hiring new staff for companies. We are underestimated, and as a result […]
Tue, Apr 19 2016

The writer in the current
The Goblin Road The writer sits on his green couch, keyboard poised on the soft pillow resting on his lap. The blank screen intimidates him and will not back down from his insistent stare. He wonders what will come forth, if anything will come forth, for doubts have multiplied of late. Self-doubts about his talent, fed by fearful thoughts and the […]
Fri, Apr 15 2016

Plugged in and disengaged
The Goblin Road I should write this post on a typewriter. I’d even be satisfied with the word processor I had back in high school, an awe-inspiring machine which had this tiny screen that showed two or three lines of text that you could EDIT. I mean right there on that minuscule screen, you could edit it. Without […]
Sat, Apr 09 2016

We can’t win by hate
The Goblin Road Hate is a poison as much for ourselves as it is for those we would use it against like a weapon of words or actions. It is a poisonous and treacherous waste of our own effort. It lacks the capacity for positive change that a nonviolent approach has. Minds are not usually changed for the […]
Wed, Apr 06 2016

AG Bell has got it all wrong, but we can win hearts and...
The Goblin Road Sadly, it wasn’t an April Fool’s joke that AG Bell (as we tend to call the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing) decided to diminish the achievements of Nyle DiMarco by essentially saying they needed to “dispel the myths about deafness.” In reading their article, I felt sick. I felt […]
Sat, Apr 02 2016

The more aligned you are with your values the happier you...
The Goblin Road At some point in life, most of us develop personal values. We get this idea in our heads about the kind of person we’d like to be or the kind of life we’d like to lead. If we’re real go-getters, then we’ll achieve this kind of life. The truth is that we throw all kinds […]
Wed, Mar 30 2016

Hearing educators of the deaf, listen to us
The Goblin Road Sometimes we have the best intentions, but we’re focusing on the wrong thing. Are you willing to consider the possibility that, just maybe, you have focused on the wrong thing? I know, that sounds harsh, perhaps judgmental, but I assure you that I’m writing this with respect for you. I know so many of you […]
Sat, Mar 26 2016

Come on, invent these for the deaf
The Goblin Road I know you woke up this morning and thought, “What can I invent today that’s going to make the lives of deaf people simply amazing?” Well, have I got some ideas for you! (and psssst … I want 10% of the profits. Thanks.) HOLOGRAPHIC INTERPRETERS, YESSSSSSSSS! We deaf folks really just want to understand what […]
Sat, Mar 26 2016

I laughed at my thinning hair
The Goblin Road I’m serious. I looked in the mirror and I saw, for the thousandth time, the stealthy retreat of my hairline and the patch of thinning hair that spoke this message to me: You are getting older, J. For years, I noticed the gradual change in my hairline with a bit of dread. It didn’t matter […]
Thu, Mar 24 2016

Every faith should be accessible for the deaf
The Goblin Road I had a dream once, an actual dream, where I died and went to Heaven and they made me hearing again. I was angry in this dream and demanded my deafness back, because it was a part of who I am. Not the entirety of my Self, but a part that may be more integral […]
Mon, Mar 21 2016

Story Stew #1: Light and Unseen Shadows
The Goblin Road Author’s note: On my Facebook page, I asked readers to give me various elements of a story that they wanted me to include in what I call a Story Stew. I’d take their ingredients and mix them together, adding in my own elements to create a short story. Below is a first draft, unedited at […]
Sat, Mar 19 2016

I don’t need to hear to drive my car
The Goblin Road 1991. At 16 years old, I finally got my Driver License. I say “finally” because I had spent most of my 15th year daily polishing my 1971 Volkswagen Beetle with Turtle Wax. Daily is not an exaggeration: that car SHONE like a white hot sun. I bought the Bug, which I named Herbia because it […]
Tue, Mar 15 2016

We want captions, yes we do
The Goblin Road Try this for me. Turn off your sound. Then, for the next few minutes, perhaps 5, I would like you to actually do the following rather than imagine it: go to YouTube and watch a video or two without sound. Choose at least one that has auto-generated captions. Go on, this post won’t be going […]
Sat, Mar 12 2016

When you learn to sign, you fight loneliness
The Goblin Road This is not a post for the deaf community. This is not a post for parents of the deaf, or interpreters, or anyone already involved with us, though you may agree with I have to say here and it may apply to you. This is really a post for (just about) every hearing person in […]
Wed, Mar 09 2016

I’m not ignoring you, I’m deaf
The Goblin Road [checks out the price on the cashier’s screen] [fishes in wallet for debit card] [thinks where is that card, oh crap did I lose it, oh there it is] [looks up and notices cashier and bagger looking at him like he’s being rude.] “Is plastic okay?” asks the bagger, tersely. “Ah, yes. Thanks.” The world […]
Sat, Mar 05 2016

The best leaders care about everyone
The Goblin Road I don’t think I have written about politics on this site. It’s just a minefield, you know, because people seem to either have strong feelings about political issues or they don’t pay any attention. I am not going to try and sway anyone to vote for someone other than in your own party, if you […]
Thu, Mar 03 2016

I can’t always lip-read you, and please stop shouting
The Goblin Road Here’s the problem when I write about anything regarding deaf-centered topics: you might assume that we’re all the same and that what applies to me applies to everyone else that’s deaf. This isn’t the case. So. This is a post that’s going to have a disclaimer: What I have to say isn’t necessarily true for […]
Tue, Mar 01 2016

Transcript of the 527th Galactic Presidential Debate
The Goblin Road The following transcript for the 527th Galactic Presidential Debate is furnished courtesy of Pi42 News Channel, the host of the recent debate. Visit Pi42 News Channel on the Galactic Wide Web at gww3.14159265359.com Former Secretary of Global Relations Helena Caldon, Sen. Benny Sandberg (I-Earth) and former Pollux Governor Darnell Rum participated in Sunday’s Pi42...
Sat, Feb 27 2016

For the love of all that is good and holy, lift the toilet...
The Goblin Road I would be ashamed of my kids if they ended up being one of those guys that didn’t lift the toilet seat in public bathrooms. You know who I am talking about, the ones who somehow just don’t care or think it’s funny. Or something. I don’t know what it is. I don’t understand it. […]
Fri, Feb 26 2016

ASL Interpreters and your deaf buddies
The Goblin Road Hi. It’s me, the deaf person you just met. We’re out, right now, at a deaf social event. You’re an aspiring interpreter, dreaming about the day you feel confident enough to go out there and interpret for a living. You’ve got passion, fire in your belly, a yearning desire to be in a field where […]
Tue, Feb 23 2016

Your deaf kids and the hearing world
The Goblin Road The other day I was asked by a father who cares very much about his daughter how he could help her deal with the struggles of communicating with hearing people during everyday activities. As he put it, he is concerned about her “transition into adulthood” without his being there to help. As a father of […]
Sat, Feb 20 2016

Ready or not, ASL interpreters?
The Goblin Road At some point in time, whether it has already happened, or it will happen one day, you decide to be an ASL interpreter (or if you’re in another country, whatever your country’s signed language is) and you hopefully feel a spark of excitement. Perhaps you are a CODA, a child of Deaf adult(s), and the […]
Wed, Feb 17 2016

Where you can find me to tell me your thoughts
The Goblin Road I love to write, and I enjoy knowing what others think and feel about my written works. Sometimes I want to entertain, to make someone smile, to laugh, to join others in feeling. Sometimes I just need to express myself, to seek that cathartic feeling, and find peace in the act. I love to tell stories. […]
Mon, Feb 15 2016

Stop saying you sign badly
The Goblin Road I see this all the time, paired with looks of dejection or at best, an awkward sheepishness. I sign badly, sorry… My ASL is so awful… I forgot a lot… Sorry, I am slow… You don’t sign badly. I don’t care if you only know a few words. Apologizing to me is pointless and is […]
Sat, Feb 13 2016

You are always you, no matter how much you change
The Goblin Road I have thought a lot about how we change as we grow up, but still remain ourselves. I see it in my kids as the years go by. They learn new skills, their faces and bodies grow, their thoughts and behaviors slowly shift toward who they will eventually become. At the heart of it all, […]
Sat, Feb 06 2016

This is what happens when kids don’t watch television, I...
The Goblin Road Spider Monkey pirate lizard of Sherwood Forest A photo posted by J Parrish Lewis (@jparrishlewis) on Jan 29, 2016 at 4:04pm PST I love imagination. And when kids can use their imagination in combination with a box of random costumes, you get even more creativity. We don’t have TV reception at our home. No cable, […]
Fri, Jan 29 2016

I’m not really a poet, but I sure had fun writing a...
The Goblin Road Awhile ago, a little over a year, I started entertaining myself by rewriting one of my favorite poems by Edgar Allen Poe, the famous poem you probably know: The Raven. At first, I was just going to do a simple version, but as I was writing it, I was challenged to actually take the time […]
Tue, Jan 26 2016

I went grocery shopping and opened my eyes a little bit more
The Goblin Road Strictly out of curiosity, I decided I’d make two grocery shopping trips today and figure out how much money I’d save if I go to WinCo, which is known for being cheaper, versus going to Save Mart. I’m going to be honest. I don’t like WinCo’s produce section. It’s large, yes, but I find the […]
Sun, Jan 24 2016

You’re probably not going to learn ASL unless you...
The Goblin Road Excuse me. Someone said you’re all learning ASL? Hi. Nice to meet you. Yes, I AM deaf. I just wanted to come over here and introduce myself, because you’ve all been sitting over here in this corner chatting in voices with each other instead of coming over to meet us. It’s okay, I understand. It’s not […]
Sat, Jan 23 2016

I hate LOL but I give up. LOL, you win.
The Goblin Road In 1996, when I first started seeing LOL, I LOLed a lot. It was LOL LOL LOL all over the place in chat rooms. LIke every other sentence. I must have thought the world was hilarious. As the years passed, LOL started to annoy me. A lot. I said, “LOL, shut up! Be gone!” and […]
Wed, Jan 20 2016

The Rabbit List: Getting Control of Rascally Habits
The Goblin Road If you’re a human being, you’ve got habits. Actually, if you’re a living creature, you’ve got habits. I’m not sure that non-living creatures have habits, unless you want to call a rock’s sitting there on the ground as the rock’s habit and water flowing in a river as the water’s habit. Wait, let me rein […]
Wed, Jan 06 2016