SpeakUpLibrarian

Astronaut Signs from the International Space Station
SpeakUpLibrarian Expedition 23 Launch Day (201004020023HQ)Originally uploaded by nasa hq photo From the NASA website 7/22/10,"The International Space Station has had guests from all over the world, representing myriad languages. But until NASA astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson came aboard, one language was still not represented. Said to be the fourth most commonly used language in the...
Thu, Aug 05 2010

My New Glasses
SpeakUpLibrarian Here's a look at my new glasses. I found a pretty pair with a little more pizzazz than the black frames I had previously (which, by the way, are still lost). I went all out on this new pair. They are scratch resistant and anti glare for my computer work. They are also the lightest lenses available. I had to pay a lot extra for that but I figured it was worth it. Aft...
Mon, Aug 02 2010

Finger Spelling Inspired Art Project
SpeakUpLibrarian While I'm on the subject of crafts, I wanted to share this picture my son made at school this year. His assignment was to create a picture featuring his hands. He chose to illustrate finger spelling in a colorful, fun way. For anyone unfamiliar with ASL, the hands below are spelling out R-U-S-T-Y, the name of our dog, from the perspective of the person signing. Yes, I...
Thu, Jul 22 2010

An Amazon Adventure
SpeakUpLibrarian This week a group from Hear the World is exploring the Amazon in Peru. Phonak and Global Explorers teamed up to offer this first Hear the World Expedition. Here's a quote from their flyer: The acoustical environment of the Peruvian Amazon is a complex symphony exploding with life where one's ability to listen is increasingly magnified. The capacity to hear is a fundam...
Tue, Jul 13 2010

Traveling in London with Hearing Loss
SpeakUpLibrarian My trip to London last month was the first time I had traveled abroad since being fitted with hearing aids. Visiting a foreign country always provides challenges and I honestly wondered how my hearing loss would affect my ability to communicate and participate in all the activities I had planned. The good news is that I did just fine! Everyone I dealt with in London w...
Thu, Jul 08 2010

London: Meeting Deafinitely Girly
SpeakUpLibrarian I hope all of you are regular readers of Deafinitely Girly. I find her blog fun to read because of her wonderful sense of humor. She has an extremely active social life and everyone in her life has a descriptive nickname in her blog posts.I was thrilled when she agreed to meet us at our hotel for dinner one evening. There was one small problem. I didn’t have any idea ...
Thu, Jul 08 2010

An Echo in My Ear
SpeakUpLibrarian Since Wednesday night, I've been experiencing an echo in my left ear. For the last week and a half I've had an upper respiratory infection. On the weekend I had a very bad nosebleed. I think this is what has led to this new symptom. It is so annoying. I made an appointment with an ENT doctor but I can't get in for 3 weeks. Have you ever experienced this or known someo...
Fri, Jul 02 2010

London: Meeting Tina (Funny Old Life)
SpeakUpLibrarian While in London, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet Tina aka Funny Old Life. We met on a Sunday afternoon at the Imperial War Museum. I chose this venue because I knew my son would be well entertained exploring the museum on his own while I had a chat with Tina.I met Tina at the museum's front entrance. I already knew what she looked like from photos and that she...
Thu, Jul 01 2010
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HLAA Convention
SpeakUpLibrarian This past weekend, I went to Milwaukee with friends for the 2010 HLAA Convention. As it was my first hearing loss convention, I wasn't sure what to expect. Overall, I enjoyed the social aspect of meeting other hard of hearing people and getting to know better some that I had only known online previously. Some of the workshops I attended presented material I already kn...
Mon, Jun 21 2010

London: Double Decker Bus Tour & London Eye
SpeakUpLibrarian Our first activity in London was riding on a double decker bus. I was really excited to do this as it was my first time. We were driven around central London for an hour and a half with the sights we passed identified through an audio tour we listened to on headphones. I was very happy to discover that I could hear the descriptions just fine although I had to remove m...
Wed, Jun 09 2010

'Show Us Your Hearing' Photography Competition
SpeakUpLibrarian Hear the World is sponsoring a photo competition with a chance to win a Polaroid 300 and have your photo featured in the award-winning Hear the World magazine! To enter, submit a photo of yourself or a friend or family member posed with one hand cupped behind the ear. You can see photos of famous people who have modeled this "Pose of Conscious Hearing" at this link on...
Sat, May 29 2010

Hearing Aid Care in Summer
SpeakUpLibrarian SUMMER SUN AND JOYOriginally uploaded by WeirenaA reader wrote to me yesterday and asked for tips on taking care of his hearing aids in the summer. With sunny days and rising temperatures in the forecast, this is a timely topic to discuss.Two basic things to avoid with hearing aids are heat and moisture. Where I live in the midwestern United States, the summer months ...
Fri, May 28 2010

Watching a Film in ASL
SpeakUpLibrarian Tonight I had the unique opportunity of viewing the ASL film Gerald at an event sponsored by a local deaf organization. I had never watched a movie entirely in ASL before. This film was audio free - no sound whatsoever. I found myself liking that aspect a great deal. Whenever I watch a movie that has been captioned with the sound effects included, I am distracted by t...
Mon, May 10 2010

A Bit of Heaven on Earth Day
SpeakUpLibrarian I received this indoor decorative wind chime recently from a dear friend. What made it even more special was I had just read a beautiful blog post by Elizabeth on wind chimes. Do you know what wind chimes sound like? The laughter of angels according to one second grader she teaches. You can read the full story here. I believe the angels laugh at us. Do you? Have a bl...
Wed, Apr 21 2010

Wearing a Hard of Hearing Badge
SpeakUpLibrarian I won this badge from Liz for a contest she sponsored on her forum. It reads "Hard of hearing. Please speak clearly." So far I've worn it twice at work during my reference desk shifts. It's fairly small and discreet. The only people who commented on it were two of my male coworkers. Even though, I had my hearing aids reprogrammed, I am still having trouble hearing peo...
Mon, Apr 19 2010

The Clean Slate Approach to Hearing Aid Programming
SpeakUpLibrarian Erasing the Blackboard.Uploaded to flickr by Goodbye Tomorrow.Recently I have been hearing some voices on radio and television as "tinny". There seemed to be a ringing sound behind the words they said. Concerned about this, I made an appointment with my audiologist to find out if perhaps my hearing aids needed repair or reprogramming.I was assured right away that ther...
Tue, Apr 13 2010

Happy Easter, Everyone!
SpeakUpLibrarian One-eared chocolate bunnies (3769) [crop]Originally uploaded by jdunlevyDo you think this chocolate bunny is hard of hearing?If you're laughing, thank Jonathan who planted this idea in my head.
Tue, Mar 30 2010

I'll Be the Eyes, You Be the Ears
SpeakUpLibrarian One silver lining to my hearing loss is that I have become more sensitive to challenges that people with other disabilities have. For example, one of my work friends has mobility issues. She often complains to me about objects she finds carelessly set in her way. Things that can be easily walked around but are an obstacle to someone on a scooter. I don't think anyone ...
Sat, Mar 27 2010

Funny Mistakes While Listening to the Car Radio
SpeakUpLibrarian I was driving in to work yesterday and listening to a Christian radio station. A female announcer began a promo for her talk show that would be on at noon. She said the question of the day was "What's the hottest thing in your purse, ladies?" I was puzzled by that choice of topic until she went on to explain that women tend to carry a lot of stuff around with them and...
Wed, Mar 24 2010

What to Expect When Getting Hearing Aids for the First Time
SpeakUpLibrarian I have been contacted by someone who is getting her first pair of hearing aids soon. I want to give her some friendly supportive advice without overwhelming her with information on hearing loss.So far I've suggestedGet adjusted to your aids slowly.Begin wearing them in quiet places.Use your own comfort level as a guide to how long to wear them rather than a set schedu...
Thu, Mar 18 2010

Hearing a New Sound
SpeakUpLibrarian Canada Goose 2 Originally uploaded by SewerDocAs I was walking in to work the other day, a Canadian goose flew overhead. It was flying very low and wheeling around in the air above me. I heard a rhythmic whirring sound and realized it was the sound of the bird's wings flapping strenuously. I had heard the sound of geese calling but had no idea that it was possible to ...
Fri, Mar 12 2010

Renewing My Driver's License
SpeakUpLibrarian My driver's license was just about to expire, so I thought I'd better head over today to the DMV to get my renewal. Since there's a branch in my neighborhood, I didn't give it much thought. I assumed they'd be open on a Saturday. Wrong! I was so mad when I found that out at 10:05. I had taken my time getting ready and had dragged my son with me so he could get an idea...
Sat, Mar 06 2010

Apparently I'm NOT Musically Inclined
SpeakUpLibrarian Megan of Hearing Sparks recently wrote about some interesting music tests she found online. Ever the optimist, I thought I would try it out and discover that maybe, just maybe, my hearing loss isn't as bad as I think it is. Well, that didn't happen. I flunked the tests royally. Actually, it shouldn't have been a surprise to me. I've noticed a big difference lately in...
Thu, Feb 25 2010

Making Plans for Milwaukee
SpeakUpLibrarian I'm planning to attend my first HLAA Convention this summer in Milwaukee. Will you be going?Read more about HLAA Milwaukee here.
Wed, Feb 24 2010

Sign Language for Everyone
SpeakUpLibrarian Today my hearing loss support group had a fun meeting. We got together to watch the DVD "Sign Language for Everyone: How to Talk to a Person Who Can't Hear" starring Anthony Natale.If you haven't seen it before, this video is a friendly introduction to American Sign Language. Throughout the film, Anthony teaches signs to some new hearing friends who imitate his signin...
Sat, Feb 20 2010

New Additions to My Blog Reading List I Highly Recommend
SpeakUpLibrarian Eh? What? Huh? written by Elizabeth AKA (e. Her blog is devoted to hearing loss issues. She has written recently about ASL interpreted videos, common misconceptions about hearing aids, and rear window captioning. I've enjoyed seeing photos of her hearing aids decorated with various kinds of stickers.Hard of Hearing Canadian is a blog about coping with late deafened he...
Thu, Feb 18 2010

Win a Year's Supply of Hearing Aid Batteries
SpeakUpLibrarian Wouldn't it be great not to have to purchase hearing aid batteries for a whole year!That could be you if you're the lucky winner of Steve's giveaway.The rules of his blog contest are simple. In a blog comment, answer two questions and leave a suggestion on how you think his website could be improved. The two questions are 1)How long have you been wearing your hearing ...
Sat, Jan 30 2010

In Case You Were Wondering....
SpeakUpLibrarian In case you were wondering, I thought I'd provide my regular readers with a few updates on topics I've posted about over the last year.First of all, I didn't get the job I tried for recently. I never heard from the library but I did hear from a coworker that someone else got it and the online job posting has been removed. Oh well. I have mixed feelings of disappointme...
Wed, Jan 27 2010

Being Realistic or Selling Myself Short?
SpeakUpLibrarian A friend pointed me in the direction of a job in my town that pays significantly more than what I make now at my job in another town. When I first looked at the job notice, I dismissed it outright because the position would require more interaction with the public than I have in my current situation. Then I looked the ad over a second time and realized that on paper I...
Thu, Jan 14 2010

Liz's HOH Forum
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Tue, Jan 12 2010

"Naked" at the Information Desk
SpeakUpLibrarian The snow that has been hitting other parts of the U.S. arrived here yesterday. We're expecting accumulations up to 13" before this storm front passes by.This morning I got up early to go outside and shovel my driveway. It was quiet as all of my neighbors were still sleeping. Rusty kept me company as I shoveled for the next 45 minutes. When I was finished he had accumu...
Thu, Jan 07 2010

Best of 2009 Speak Up Librarian
SpeakUpLibrarian Best Pop ArtBest Amazing Race for recapsLuke Adams is the first deaf contestant to run the Amazing Race.He and his mom, Margie, finished 3rd.Best Video posted from YouTubeBest PoemTinnitus isTheInteriorNoiseNo one else ever hears. AnInner earTingling that ringsUnceasing. TheSecret soundtrack of my life.Tinnitus is by speakuplibrarian is licensed under a Creative Commo...
Wed, Dec 30 2009

Beware of Loud Toys Underneath the Christmas Tree
SpeakUpLibrarian tyranny Originally uploaded by 1001thingsDid you know that playing with loud toys poses a risk to a child's hearing? If not, here's some facts you may want to know.Almost 15% of children ages 6-17 show signs of hearing loss. The acoustic standard for toys adopted by the American Society for Testing and Materials is 85 db for most toys and 65 db for toys held close to ...
Tue, Dec 22 2009

Hotels and the ADA: Information for Deaf and Hard of...
SpeakUpLibrarian If you are traveling this holiday season and will be staying in a hotel, you may want to be aware of what services a hotel is required to provide you by law. According to the U.S. Department of Justice,"Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), hotels and motels must provide effective means of communications for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing to ensure...
Sun, Dec 20 2009

Sprint WebCapTel: Have You Tried It Yet?
SpeakUpLibrarian I learned about Sprint's free WebCapTel service at a recent hearing loss support group meeting. As I tend to avoid telephone calls as much as possible, I was intrigued by the idea of being able to hear a caller's voice and access a captioned version of what the caller said on my PC. I had never tried a relay service before. Instead I've relied upon turning my telephon...
Mon, Nov 16 2009

Photo Fun for Friday: Butterfly Garden
SpeakUpLibrarian In this photo you can see the blur of thisbutterfly's wings in motion. Butterfliesare tricky subjects to photograph. Watch your step! I visited this butterfly garden with the specific purpose of obtaining the answer to the question, "Are butterflies deaf?" I have seen websites online that say they are and some that say they aren't, but I haven't gotten a definitive wo...
Thu, Nov 12 2009

If Harry Potter had a hearing aid...
SpeakUpLibrarian If Harry Potter had a hearing aid, instead of program settings there'd be spell settings:Reparo to fix any malfunction.Nomore Uhdawax to clean it.Vox Heliuma to make Draco's voice sound like he'd been inhaling helium.Amplifario to make Hermione's helpful whispers in class louder.Maybe with a deluxe model, he could even use Translatia Comprehenso to understand foreign ...
Wed, Nov 04 2009

Fun ASL Video with Captions in English and ASL
SpeakUpLibrarian This video is FUN to watch! I really appreciate the time the signer took to add the captions in ASL below the English captions. When I was taking my sign language class and had to sign sentences in front of the class, that's how I wrote them out on my paper. First in English, then as ASL concepts. It reinforces the idea that ASL is not "English in the air".Thank you t...
Fri, Oct 23 2009

Speak Up for Equality: The Story Behind the Shirt
SpeakUpLibrarian Jelly modelling the t-shirt she inspired me to make.I am not a lesbian. But I'm proud to say I have a friend who is. Since becoming late deafened, I have learned how much it means when someone who isn't deaf or hard of hearing advocates for captions, insurance coverage for hearing aids, and other issues important to the deaf/hoh community. In that spirit, I would like...
Fri, Oct 02 2009

Hearing Aids Maintenance or How I Bug My Audiologist
SpeakUpLibrarian Today I visited my audiologist for a maintenance appointment. Usually I wait until one of the ear pieces on the end of the eartube has broken before scheduling an appointment. But this time, nearly eight months has passed with everything intact and I thought I'd better check in. I also wanted to discuss my program settings with her.As always, I came into the office fu...
Wed, Sep 30 2009

New Site for Captioned Internet Videos
SpeakUpLibrarian Ask and ye shall receive. Matthew 7:7Just last week at work, I was complaining to my coworkers about the lack of captioning for Internet videos. I get annoyed to find a video story online that I'd like to know more about only to discover it's not captioned.Did you know that YouTube is the 4th most visited website in the world? Without captioning, this incredible sourc...
Wed, Sep 23 2009

New Season of Heroes Features Deaf Actress
SpeakUpLibrarian Heroes season 3 starts tonight on NBC. On several episodes this fall, a deaf actress named Deanne Braye will be appearing as Emma. According to her website, it's possible that she will be featured in the second episode on September 28. She will appear for sure on episodes airing October 5, 12, and 19th. Mark your calendars. To learn more about Deanna Braye, visit her ...
Mon, Sep 21 2009

Jennifer Aniston Plays Deaf in "Love Happens"
SpeakUpLibrarian For my deaf readers, this is what he says in the clip:"Excuse me, I'm sorry.""Hi, uh. Do you remember me from the hallway upstairs? You dropped your pen." [She says nothing.]"Um. Would you like to have a cup of coffee?" [She looks over his shoulder at a cardboard cutout of him.]"Ah, right. Um. Well, we could bring him along if you want. Double your pleasure."[She sign...
Sat, Sep 19 2009

Picnic Brings Together HLAA and ALDA Support Groups
SpeakUpLibrarian Over the weekend, I attended an HLAA/ALDA picnic at a park in Indiana. Some of you who have been reading my blog, may remember the picnic from last year where I brought my dog along with me as an icebreaker. This year I felt comfortable enough to venture out on my own. Upon arriving at the busy park, I wondered if I was in the right spot as there were youth soccer gam...
Tue, Sep 15 2009

Humor T-shirts for the Hard of Hearing
SpeakUpLibrarian Hi, everyone! Welcome to the launch of my new enterprise, Speak Up Librarian Shop. I've created a line of T-shirts for hard of hearing men and women that express our communication needs with grace, humor, and a little bit of attitude.As I wrote in my last post, I believe strongly in personal safety. None of my t-shirts will identify the wearer as deaf or hard of heari...
Thu, Sep 10 2009

Don't Be a Target
SpeakUpLibrarian Target on His HeadOriginally uploaded by zoom in tight Recently I attended a self defense for women workshop. I have been feeling particularly vulnerable lately due to the fact that I can no longer hear people walking up behind me. I wanted to learn what to do if I were taken by surprise by someone with an intent to harm.The most important lesson I learned was to esta...
Tue, Sep 08 2009

Oops, did I hear that?
SpeakUpLibrarian My problem isn't saying the wrong thing. It's hearing the wrong thing and then repeating it back because I think it's funny. I've gotta learn to save these gems for an appreciative audience like those of you reading these words. At least I hope you think they're funny.So, here's my latest lulu...Yesterday I was working at the reference desk when a coworker who was goi...
Thu, Sep 03 2009

Hearing Aid Market: Off to a Good Start
SpeakUpLibrarian Hearing Aid Market is a wonderful new resource for the hard of hearing, especially those in need of free or discounted hearing aids. Created by Steve of Deafness and Hearing Aids, Hearing Aid Market is designed to connect those who have unwanted hearing aids with the people who can use them. Unused and unwanted hearing aids can be sold through the site but Steve encou...
Thu, Aug 27 2009

Captions, captions, captions!
SpeakUpLibrarian [Trumpet fanfare: da da da daaaa]At long last, we have a television in our home with captions. [Cheering]Here's my first impressions: I love, love, love captions. I can't believe how much I was missing without them. The captions that are perfectly in sync with the dialogue are fabulous! In my first evening of watching, I noticed commercials seemed to have the best cap...
Tue, Aug 11 2009

Reflection on Hearing Loss
SpeakUpLibrarian I've Forgotten What It's Like...to hear the phone ring from another room.to unintentionally overhear a conversation.to comprehend the lyrics of a song heard on the radio for the first time.to sense someone's presence behind me.to catch the punchline of a joke at the same time as everyone else.to understand an urgent whispered secret.to choose a seat in the back of the...
Sat, Aug 01 2009