Signs of the Times

Good Question
Signs of the Times Now that all has been said and done, I can now tumble on. The hills to the east shine with the light of the One. Yea, Fremont has been good to me. Thank You.I look east and feel my children calling me. I reflect on my stay here as I brace myself for the next stretch of this journey.Now, whereto shall that fool tumble on?Such reckless abandon!Oh Lordy...That's D.B. S...
Media Art and Storytelling Tech Culture Mon, Jun 29 2009

Sitting by the Side of the River
Signs of the Times I recall doing a post back in February of 2007 titled, Water and Deaf. In this simple post I discuss my own interpretation of the deaf journey. This very interpretation can be applied to the story I am about to tell. You see, prior to hitting the westward road and getting on my way to the Pacific Coast, I was meddling in a world without American Sign Language and g...
Language Art and Storytelling Culture Tue, Jun 16 2009
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Holier than Thou
Signs of the Times I have to admit that I have been amused by all the talk that has been going around regarding holism on deafvideo.tv and DeafRead. I also find it quite entertaining to see someone change their screenname so many times through certain episodes of fiascos.Aye...Man at work.Cover up the potholes. In my mind, my own way of looking at it, a true holist does not go on to...
Language Culture Fri, Jun 05 2009
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ASL-Proficiency = English-Deficiency?
Signs of the Times After some discussion, drama, debate, and a little dialogue:I found some information about research done in the state of Illinois by a woman, Dr. Jenny Singleton. In this research, there were bits and pieces I found needing attention or inquisition.I happened upon a short summary of this research and would like to share with you what I've read and what I think. Perh...
Language Culture Fri, May 15 2009

Responding to Berke
Signs of the Times Jamie,I can connect with this story (Worse Than Last...Not At All) and I have experienced such emotions, as you described, during the eighties and early nineties. It rings very true.As for today, I can only guess that it might be better for deaf children (implanted, hearing aids, ASL user) but I must admit, it is hard for me to imagine that such disregard or discrimi...
Audism Art and Storytelling Education Culture Mon, May 11 2009
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Dictionaries, Facts, and Languages
Signs of the Times
Language Fri, May 08 2009
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ET Phone Home!
Signs of the Times Mom and Dad,You know how I'm always bitchin' about this and that when it comes to this ignorant hearing world? Well,..I wanted to write you a letter. A note. A little something because hey, who doesn't like a letter from a loved one?I've many an idea.Hmmm,Remember all the hype about the word:"CHANGE"? Well...this is something I want to expand on.If anything has to c...
Language Audism Art and Storytelling Education Tech Culture Tue, Apr 28 2009

It is what it is
Signs of the Times Deaf People are here to stay!So shut up and accept it,as signs always cross their way.The doctors are here to stay!So shut up and accept it,as audism continues to lead them astray.Do Do?Accept?Tolerate?Same. Same.War of words.War of signs.Words.Signs.*Out the Door*What of feelings?What of beings?What of experience?Yearsand yearsYears and yearsYearsand yearsYears of he...
Audism Art and Storytelling Tech Culture Mon, Apr 27 2009
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Now, that is a Horse of a Different Color
Signs of the Times We've beaten that old grey mare and oh, she ain't what she used to be. I reckon she'll just rot in the middle of street and no one wants to do a damn thing about it. Let's not forget that when she was alive she galloped mighty well and she hardly ever faltered. She was a strong filly from the start. Naturally ready to run free and appreciate all there was to see o...
Art and Storytelling Tue, Apr 21 2009
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Dearest Kim,
Signs of the Times I really enjoyed your letter and I thank you for an awesome sharing of perspective. It is nice when one can take the time to genuinely respond to a letter.As my grandmother says to me:"To get a letter, write a letter."How True.Your letter shares with us the experiences you have had past and present. I do not see you as a late deafened person but as another ray conne...
Language Education Culture Mon, Apr 20 2009
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Dear Friend,
Signs of the Times I direct this letter to you as a member of our online community. Please welcome it with an open mind and a clear heart. We are like classmates, yet let me use the word, Deafmates. I believe you could agree with me on that, aye?So to begin,...I know it is frustrating when not understanding what one is saying as they are using a language you cannot receive. I unders...
Language Audism Culture Sat, Apr 18 2009
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The Attitude
Signs of the Times “You’re better off now with an implant than when you were without. You can now function in the world as you should. Your implant gives you opportunities that those poor deaf kids without implants will never have. Oh darn, I love you more now that you can hear me express my love for you. If it wasn’t for your implant, you’d just be a poor deaf child like those kids who...
Language Audism Tech Fri, Apr 17 2009
DeafPundit, LaRonda, MS liked this

The Business of Making Hearing
Signs of the Times I just watched a documentary called, “The Business of Being Born”, and I’ll have to say that it blew me away. It gave me a good understanding of what the medical industry has done to women and allowed me to see the parallels in how this industry has treated the deaf. It was interesting…Now let me attempt to keep this simple:Midwives : ASLWomen : DeafDoctors : Oralis...
Audism Culture Sat, Feb 28 2009

A Positive Experience for Everyone?
Signs of the Times I was reading an article written by US News and World report where a study had been conducted by the University of Chicago over a period of several years in Nicaragua. I found this study to be interesting because it discusses how deaf children naturally create their own sign language before ever being exposed to the more sophisticated national sign language.Researche...
Media Language Culture Wed, Feb 18 2009

The Amazing Race: Understanding vs. Ignorance
Signs of the Times Please read the following comments posted by one blogger:"I cannot presume to know how the young man feels about all of this, but if I was a 20-something guy, I think that the last thing I’d want is for my middle aged mother to speak for me, or be my only link to the world.""Here is a young man — by all appearances attractive, bright, ambitious… yet he is stuck with h...
Media Language Culture Tue, Feb 17 2009

You Versus Me: The Dilemma Before Our Community
Signs of the Times You versus MeYou live in the "normal" world.I live in the real world.You live for them and theirs.I live for us and ours.You can hear and speak.I can speak and sign.You communicate with one.I communicate with both.You call it deafness.I call it being Deaf.*silence*It’s not about you or me.It’s about Our Community.
Language Art and Storytelling Culture Mon, Feb 16 2009

Who are my friends?
Signs of the Times Let me just begin by saying: I met this really pretty girl who doesn’t know how to sign. Aye, I first saw her walking across some street in downtown Ojinaga and whoo, she was really moving. Today was an interesting experience to say the least. There was a breeze that swept up some dust as the palm trees swayed down the median that divided the two directions of trav...
Art and Storytelling Culture Sun, Feb 15 2009

Rachel,..Can we be friends?
Signs of the Times I HAVE to express my sentiments at this moment because I was just reading the comments on Jodi's blog and there is one particular commenter on there that makes me utterly sad. I need to explain why I feel sad for this young lady. You see, she is a very passionate advocate for the cochlear implant and the AVT approach. She is a successful result of it. Great! I'm ...
Language Tech Culture Fri, Feb 13 2009

If only the hearing would hear what is here...
Signs of the Times If you wish for people to refrain from using a word like audist,.."It's getting old."Consider, first, removing the attitude behind such and perhaps you will see less and less of the word being thrown around like it has been.When I see people say such things like:"Move F O R W A R D!"It reminds me of when I was being told to accept the circumstances as a deaf child. W...
Language Audism Culture Sun, Feb 08 2009

The Deaf and the DPS of Texas
Signs of the Times Check it out! Last week I went to the Department of Public Safety (DMV in Texas) to renew my driver's license. Well,..I began to fill out the application that the woman gave to me and on there was the question:Does applicant have a health condition that may impede with their ability to communicate with a peace officer? Yes or No. If yes, what is the condition?I mar...
Language Art and Storytelling Legal Culture Wed, Feb 04 2009

Yesterday and Today
Signs of the Times After reading some Deaf History, I decided pick out some particular quotes I read that made me compare the yesterday with the today and see if there has been much change in the attitudes of the hearing people who specialize in educating deaf children.Back in the 1890’s:“Government derives its power from the consent of the governed- but not when it comes to the affairs...
Audism Mon, Feb 02 2009

Us Deaf People
Signs of the Times Hearing people don’t give a shite what a deaf adult has to say about their own experience growing up. You see, in my own instance, I am one of those success stories for hearing people and their ideals. I can speak and lip-read fairly well. I can be a fake hoo. I can fawn after the lips of the hoos, make sense of what they are saying and keep playing. Now, becaus...
Language Audism Culture Sun, Feb 01 2009

Is that right?
Signs of the Times Often, I see hearing people misuse their words. Or should I say, "Often, I see hearing people misunderstand the actual meaning of words."? Words that do not particularly apply to them.Let me see...Such words include but are not limited to:Hearing Impaired.Hard-of-Hearing.Deaf.And then there is technology that hampers with these definitions and truths or as one could...
Audism Culture Sat, Jan 31 2009

Bell's Precedent
Signs of the Times Today I want to include a few quotes that I know many of us have already come across before. I feel that by including them here on my blog, I would be helping other people, the many ignorant ones, see what ideals are deeply rooted in the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.These are quotes from A.G. Bell himself:“We should try ourselves...
Language Audism Culture Fri, Jan 23 2009

The Ability to Hear(t)
Signs of the Times And then,I came to be me again when I remembered… I was outside with my own two feet on the ground. The ground that has held me and carried me since day I was born. It is the very ground that holds the sound of life, the heartbeat that flows in the breath of the wind. So, what can I say about it now?Well, just that I remember.I listened. Hers was the voice that I f...
Art and Storytelling Tech Culture Wed, Jan 21 2009

Played, Swayed and Driven Away: The Story of a Sell-Out.
Signs of the Times I want to write a note to myself today. You see, I thought it’d be a good idea, since you know, I’ve got issues. I figured writing down me thoughts would help me better see what I have gone through. So here goes:I’m often not accepted and usually feel rejected. I ain’t and I am.There are some days I wish I had the balls to simply pull the trigger, jump off the cliff...
Audism Culture Wed, Jan 21 2009

Questions for P and M: Your C.I. Child
Signs of the Times This is a simple posting of a comment I made in response to a mother of a deaf girl who had an implant and is also learning sign. I felt it would be a worthy enough thing to post here. Here is what the mother said in respose to my blogpost, Discrimination by the Implantation Station:"There are too many issues going on at once here. Why can't a parent give their chil...
Language Tech Culture Sat, Jan 17 2009

Discrimination by the Implantation Station
Signs of the Times I'm going to take the time today to write on what I know to be quite true. You are welcome to put in your two cents but you cannot convince me that I am wrong. For starters, I would like to bring your attention to the word: DISCRIMINATION.One had thought of me to be a discriminator when I expressed my disgust at the implantion of deaf babies and the industry behind ...
Language Audism Education Tech Culture Sun, Jan 11 2009

An Implantation Station
Signs of the Times If you know me, you know I absolutely despise the unnecessary implantation of deaf babies. I have been called many names and things for having such a radical stance on this issue. Online and in poison.So be it! Nice to meetcha! I love ya!Now, I don’t know about you, but from my observations, Deaf Village should actually be called Deaf Villain. The reason why I say...
Media Language Education Tech Culture Wed, Jan 07 2009

Accept Your Deaf Child.
Signs of the Times I was reading an old article that was written in a West Texas newspaper, The Odessa American, back in August. One thing caught my eye:"Kathy Hollmann, director of speech therapy at the Permian Basin Rehabilitation Center, said she's worked with about five patients who got the cochlear implant, but she wasn't very impressed with their ability to speak with it. The kid...
Media Language Tech Mon, Jan 05 2009

Dotting My Eyes
Signs of the Times There is one that doesn't listen while there is also another that is fed up. Those in between become the rope in this endless game of tug-of-war.Can you Love Deaf as a Whole?Can you accept Deaf to be of many abilities?Can you learn to listen to one another without needing to hear? Can you embrace the other without needing to feel superior?From my eyes (I's), Hoos of...
Language Audism Mon, Dec 29 2008

The Straitjacket Diary #17
Signs of the Times It was the Fall of 1995.Five...Five...Five...You see, I'm married to a beautiful deaf woman from the Garden State, Joisey that is. I met her for the first time when I was visiting the Free State, the Land of Mary. She was the cutest thing you ever saw! At least that is how I remember her at the time we first met. She was 14 going on 15. She moved and signed with ...
Language Art and Storytelling Culture Sun, Dec 28 2008

Johnny Bashes Audism
Signs of the Times Don't hear the train a-coming,yet I see it coming in.Take a swig of some Alpine,...and let me begin...I'm tuckin' audism in,with the lies they live on.Know that train always goin'on down to San Antone?When I was just a babyMy mama told me, "Son,Always be a good boy,don't ever play with trains.And this is something you should know,if not, you will die! Cross them there...
Audism Art and Storytelling Culture Fri, Dec 26 2008

The Battle of the Bulger
Signs of the Times “Prisoners of Silence”, you say?How could it really be that way……when all you’ve known is sound.Words like these hold no ground.You have ridiculed the Deaf and the dead.You’ve implanted many a baby’s head.Opened them up and filled them with dread.“Who am I?” and “Where is home?”, they’ll say.When they will ask we know not which day.Some day…it is very much certain.The...
Language Audism Art and Storytelling Education Culture Mon, Dec 22 2008

Don't tell me it is NOT a hearing world!
Signs of the Times I've said this before,..and I'll say it again,..and again,..and again,..Until you....*ahem*Sure, hearing people are capable of learning signed languages.Yet they hear.Yeah, hearing people are able to listen to us.But do they?Aye, hearing people can embrace diversity."Read my lips."They want to.They need to.They try to.They fail to.We get to talking to one another.You ...
Language Art and Storytelling Culture Sat, Nov 01 2008

Hands!
Signs of the Times Howdy You!
Language Art and Storytelling Tue, Oct 21 2008

Confessions of an Audist
Signs of the Times I confess that I have an English speaking ability.I confess that I speak Spanish, it is quite a luxury.I confess that I use my voice more than I can Be.I confess that I come from a hearing family.I confess that I’m profoundly deaf, you see.I confess that I am just a trained monkey.I confess that I act normally.Understanding partially….I am never free.Judgment comes fr...
Language Culture Mon, Oct 13 2008

Manipulative Modernity: Water and Deaf
Signs of the Times Link to a 15 minute vlog. Grab some coffee. Make some tea. Roll your smokes. Stay awhile. Vlog discussion on the possible causes of misunderstanding between Deaf and deaf. The manipulation by hearing ideals etc. Go here: [link]
Language Education Culture Wed, Aug 13 2008

A Cochlear Implant is a....
Signs of the Times One hearing man told me....
Tech Mon, Aug 11 2008

And the Deaf will rise again!
Signs of the Times Hands Hands HandsASL.YouTube link if the video doesn't work: [link]
Language Culture Wed, Aug 06 2008

The Unknown Lower Canyons of the Big Bend: Day One
Signs of the Times “So are you in? Or are you out?” asked the first Jeff to the second Jeff.To which the second Jeff replied, “You betcha!”So my story starts right here and there, to the lower canyons of the Wild and Scenic Rio Grande. Aye, aye mateys,.. ye have yet to see and hear of places strange and queer. The desert terrain calls upon us.Come here and come forward, into the depth...
Language Art and Storytelling Culture Tue, Aug 05 2008

The Package
Signs of the Times Something I received in the mail...
Language Audism Culture Sun, Jul 27 2008

We are the Future of Deaf babies because...
Signs of the Times We hold a fire in our every human being. Inside. The Core. The Center. Being.So who are YOU?Ability +/-The Haves.The Have-nots.Do about it?Be.aye,..Let It Be.What is it?Being Deaf.Aceeptance?Seldom...You accept when you see that real eyes realize real lies.We are the future of Deaf babies because we continue to light up the darkness, our hearing norms. We burn wi...
Language Art and Storytelling Education Culture Sun, Jul 27 2008

Bell was a Fisherman.
Signs of the Times Interesting story...*chuckle*
Art and Storytelling Fri, Jul 25 2008

Language and Intimidation: Why some people leave DeafRead.
Signs of the Times
Language Audism Culture Sun, Jul 20 2008

DeafRead, Forest Fires, and Personal Vendettas
Signs of the Times After all is said and done...I'm still here. I've been struck by some serious life changes and I must apologize to everyone who has wondered where I have been. I'm sorry.Choices happen, plans change, and the storm rolls through.So, now, where to jump in? Hmm,.. from what I've gathered, a whole lot of shite went down in our beloved deaf community and people are leav...
Language Culture Sat, Jul 19 2008

A Bully in the Community: Mighty Mouth!
Signs of the Times P.S. It probably wouldn't matter if Mike lost his hearing ability because he'd be quick to say: "I want an implant!" No questions asked!
Language Tech Culture Wed, Jun 18 2008

Mighty Mouth: The Super Unhoo!
Signs of the Times I just saw a movie of Mighty Mouth, the super unhoo, strolling near Dog Canyon in the Sacramento Mountains. In this cartoon Mighty explains the difficulty of being a cartoon in a real world. He explains to the many illustrators that they should not worry how their cartoons turn out because they can always modify or change what they don't like about them as they draw...
Audism Art and Storytelling Tech Culture Wed, Jun 18 2008

ASL, Captioning, and the Puppetmaster.
Signs of the Times Hello!*ahh*Excuse me.*removing the plant in the way*Thank you.Okay, I'm here today because we have been discussing Closed Captioning.CC Closed Captioning, read my lips can? CLOSED CAPTIONING. CC.Perfect!You know those who speak and hear?Those who throw upon us the English language.You know Deaf people?Can they skillfully write in English?Yes, there are.In fact, many o...
Language Audism Tech Culture Mon, Jun 16 2008

Unhoo and the Rolling Hoos
Signs of the Times Testing... Testing...Testing One Two ThreeTesting... Testing...Testing One Two ThreeBa-Ba-Ba Bar-bara Ann...Ba-Ba-Black Sheep...Ba-Ba-Ba...Bah! Bah! Bah!That's the sound of rejection.Riding down the Alcan Highway, we're rolling onward towards the Last Frontier. Me sisters are playing make-believe and me folks are tuned in to the radio while I'm juggling thoughts in m...
Language Audism Art and Storytelling Culture Sun, Jun 15 2008