Alicen Noselli

January 1st, 2010

2010-01-01T21:53:00.004-05:00

A new year.
Filled with exciting things.

Hearing Loss Association of America.
Rockland County Task Force for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
Walk 4 Hearing.

Past Semester's grades were FABULOUS!
Needless to say how hard I worked for these grades. (patting self on back)
Sociology A
Acting A
Speech A
Psychology A
English Lit B (my editor was on leave, lol)

Winter session is .... Sociology - Deviant Behavior.

Full Load next semester ~
in addition to extra curricular activities above.

English Lit (children's lit)
Voice and Diction for public speaking
Ballet - yes, Ballet. For the refinement.
Human Sexuality - (tee hee) Required for the sciences.
Tennis - for fun! ...and I need 3 gym credits.

Which leaves ASL 102 the 2nd half of main course and asl 201 (cultural aspects and advanced asl) and two Gym classes...
Hey, I'm saving the best for last!

Then off to .. paid work? More education?
Oh the possibilities!

WOW

2009-12-12T20:26:00.002-05:00

I've decided that I'm going to see a group in Westchester NY that has implanted the new Cochlear Nucleus 5 in a friends two year old. Mom seems to love it but implanted baby loves to rip it off! Not used to the wearing of the device yet, i'm sure.
Window shopping - not commiting to anything. Besides, I'm not sure if it's available in purple!! or pink for that matter!
The tinnitus in my left ear is making me crazy. I can't hear over it and when I turn up the volume on my aids, the ringing gets louder.. LOL figures! Which is why I'm visiting the Westchester ENT. If the ringing gets any worse I wont be able to wear hearing aids in that ear anyway, so next step is CI's.
On another note - Officially on the board of the Westchester Chapter HLAA, on the Rockland County Task Force for the Hearing Impaired and Deaf Communities, volunteering, all while packing on 17 credits and getting A's and B's. Who's busy? Me? Hell yeah. But I love it. Wouldn't have it any other way.

Fulfilling a dream next sememster and taking Ballet.

Twitter

2009-08-09T20:55:00.002-04:00

You can find me on Twitter I'm @alicen45. Also, keep in mind that I'm trying my damnedest to get my future rolling so if you come across or know anyone who is hearing impaired please let them know about my VOLUNTEER services. and they should contact me at alicen45@hotmail.com.
I will help anyone who needs assistance!

Time

2009-08-09T20:44:00.002-04:00

Time. It seems to be something I'm in serious shortage of lately!
With good reason I assure you. I'm helping an elderly couple get back on their feet. Joyce has a bum hip and needs to have a full hip replacement, so I took her for xrays to see how much damage has furthered in the last 11 years since she last saw her orthopedic surgeon. Yeah, she's been waiting forever, and now her right leg is 2" shorter than the left. Arthritis caused this apparently. After the appointment we got her a new walker, because she insists on being independent and not ride in a wheel chair. OK. So were getting blood work done in the am. Gyula too. Gyula has to have a full range of heart testing done tomorrow. When we were at the doctor's last, they did an EKG, and his heart was erratic. So, tomorrow he's getting another ekg, a sonogram, a MRI or catsckan and Did I mention he's Deaf? Yeah, profoundly so. But an Oral Deaf person who needs to read lips or have things written down for him. Which makes things hard for him and communication. I've also gotten in touch with the "center" formerly League for the Hard of Hearing in NY about getting him hearing aids which, are a federal requirement prior to Cochlear Implantation. Already in touch with NYEE about that one. First his heart needs to be under control, then the rest can follow. So tomorrow should be interesting. By the by, did I mention that these are my parents? Oh, well, gotta start somewhere right? So for my first Advocacy role it's MOM and POP. Lots to do, Lot's to do.

2009-07-22T13:34:00.002-04:00

Facts About Hearing Loss

FACT: Approximately 10% of the U.S. population or 31 million Americans have a significant hearing loss.

FACT: Over 90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents.

FACT: 30-40% of people over 65 have some type of hearing loss

FACT: 14% of those ages 45-64 have some type of hearing loss

FACT: 15% of children between the ages of 6-19 have a measurable hearing loss in at least one ear.

FACT: Hearing loss occurs in 5 out of every 1,000 newborns.

FACT: Exposure to a noisy subway, for just 15 minutes a day overtime, can cause permanent damage to hearing over time.

FACT: Hearing aids can offer dramatic improvement for most people with hearing loss.

FACT: A mild hearing loss can cause a child to miss as much as 50% of classroom discussion.

FACT: Listening to an MP3 Player at high volumes overtime can cause permanent damage to hearing.

FACT: With early identification and appropriate services, deaf children can develop communication skills at the same rate as their hearing peers.

FACT: Noise is one of the leading causes of hearing loss.

FACT: Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) affects 50 million people in the United States.

FACT: Babies are never too young to have their hearing tested.

FACT: Speechreading is the more current word for lipreading.

FACT: People with hearing loss wait an average of 7 years before seeking help.

FACT: Only 16% of physicians routinely screen for hearing loss.

FACT: 15 million people in the United States with hearing loss avoid seeking help.

FACT: 1 out of 3 people over age 65 have some degree of hearing loss.

FACT: Approximately 3 million children in the U.S. have a hearing loss; 1.3 million of them are under the age of three.

*Copied from the Center for Hearing and Communication @chchearing.org

Robert Pattinson

2009-07-17T15:06:00.003-04:00

Currently filming here in the Big Apple,
Mr Pattinson is surrounded by hoards of over active hormonal girls.
They are a constant at the set, disturbing more than just the actors but the production assistants and crew.
I feel bad for the poor kid.
Yeah, he's attractive.
And talented...
I finally found the lyrics to his music on the Twilight CD.
Now, I understand what the guy is saying.
I would love to work on the Twilight next film. I will fly my own ass out there! lol
Having a part of Stephanie's story would be very fulfilling. (Even if it's just an "innocent" witness to the Volturi's Royal flop).

Thank You Stephanie Meyer!
I had a very difficult time putting those books down.
I guess I was obsessed like the rest.
What girl doesn't want a beautiful, talented musician, with a (perfectly reasonable) flare for overdoing things to protect her?

Who doesn't want to be obsessed over?

The real actors that portray the characters we love.
Kid shouldn't have to run, and get tagged by cabs.
Or have to hire body guards to protect him from the masses of teenage flesh.

Don't get me wrong folks, I loved the movie too. But a certain amount of respect for the actors please.
I know this will fall on Deaf ears.... lol

Diets

2009-05-27T15:27:00.001-04:00

Oh. My. God. The diet I've been working on for a while now, has me brimming with tears of Joy. I tried on a dress in a smaller size today to find that I needed a SMALLER dress? A size 4?
I haven't been a size 4 since high school! (long time, I assure you).
I am so happy. Now I can eat a bit larger proportions to sustain the current weight.

CI Hybrids

2009-05-26T18:18:00.003-04:00

The trial that I mentioned in my last post was a Hybrid technology for users with residual low end hearing. The group that I evaluated with was very optimistic about this trial and have had success with it.
The implant is shorter than the normal for the Trademarked full implant but, it is just as long as other companies full implant.
Hmm... That's kind of weird right?
In any event - I would not have to be re-implanted should the remainder of my hearing deteriorate, (which is highly likely). So it is worth considering. Just one day at a time.
I'm not really being hard on myself. Just allowing for my emotions to surface. I am doing what I can to make my life and my family's lives better.
Educating the masses! Hot deaf chicks rule~!

Cochlear Implants

2009-05-25T18:41:00.002-04:00

I bit the bullet and was evaluated for Cochlear Implants.
What an emotional torrent that followed suit!
I'm not being forced into making any decisions but there is definitely pressure to assimilate. 'They' want me to be involved in a trial for my specific hearing loss.
I'm not rushing anything. Dealing with the emotional aspect of this first and foremost.
It's amazing, Humanity that is. How we take things for granted and even poke fun of other people for their disabilities. That is, until it happens to us.
I remember calling my father all sorts of names, and being really nasty to him - because he couldn't hear. The shame I feel now for my actions is almost disabling in itself.
Karma?

Grades and GPA

2009-05-25T17:50:00.002-04:00

Let's get things straight first.
Do I really care about the GPA? ................Well, yeah.
Not enough to retake some classes, though. The only class I will retake is the Algebra class, of which I failed by 7/10ths of a point. Ridiculous.
Never the less, I don't fail any classes and my GPA will bounce right back up. Currently my GPA is 2.9 (ick) despite the F in math. So, I imagine once the math is retaken and passed, this will change.
ASL 101 - A
English 102 - b+
Anthropology is a C. ( only because of the sick kids, mind you) English too. It should have and WOULD have been an A, If I had someone to care for them while they were sick. Never mind the car accident.. ugh.
Still thinking about RIT as an option for my masters.

Book

2009-05-09T13:46:00.004-04:00

I've decided to write a book. Yeah, I know. Wow. Whether or not it gets picked up and tossed around the summer selection of next years reading list.... yeah, we shall see. I'm clearly looking forward to sharing my insight and information about going deaf and deaf culture. I have editors galore that are looking forward to my success.
I can only promise you that I will write the book, whether or not I will make it fiction, non fiction or something else in between is a whole other story..
More later and ....
thanks for listening.

Lunacy

2009-04-09T10:02:00.004-04:00

I think yesterdays little episode correlates directly with the full moon over head. It went way past a silly little sadness, and quite frankly scared the hell out of me. I'm still slightly melancholy today but, workable. The big boys are home today and are a great distraction to emotion outside of the frustration, of course... lol
I guess the anger that stems from being hearing impaired got to me more than I had previously believed. I have scheduled my evaluation for cochlear implants at the end of the month. Magic pill, miracle or vampire venom apart I think this is the only option for me in reality.
On a positive note, the bunnies are out and I caught a great pic, enjoy....

Feeling pathetic

2009-04-08T11:06:00.003-04:00

It's amazing how much a movie can affect you. I just watched Twilight again. Now, I feel like a pathetic little girl still searching for the night in shinning armor Or, vampire in glistening skin. I know, I subjected myself to yet another fantasy. A life outside my own. Different - Ethereal, majestic.

Unlike my own which I find rather hum drum.
OK back to reality - that painting is not going to finish itself!

Back with a Vengeance

2009-04-03T09:44:00.004-04:00

WTF? Where have I been? OH, my god. (mine not yours). I have been thoroughly inundated with school work, homework, sick kids, sick spouse, car accidents, sick self, and a general malaise that carries over from exhaustion! This school semester I have been completely bogged down with CRUD. Most similar to pond scum, crud is the everyday yuck that can get in the way of a good education or even life. I miss having 2 minutes to think to myself! Alrighty, enough complaining.
Making things better~ reading a lot of books to help me in my career choice of the future and learning as much as possible about deaf culture. I really have learned quite a bit of sign language and wish that I could practice more but way too many people in my life do not know even basic signs. I've instructed my spouse that it's time to learn so I will be practicing in front of him and the children. Like it or not, I'm going deaf. Even if the approval for Cochlear Implants makes it's way over to me, I will still be deaf.
There is no going back (unless of course miracles in science happen).
OK, so I'm off to the Dr. With what I think is Bronchitis.
Vacation week next week so, I expect to get a good bit of reading in and handing in my paper on Deaf Culture to my Anthropology Professor.

Addendum to Rosie

2009-01-28T18:36:00.003-05:00

I write this in the wake of Rosie's passing. I write "you" to signify her.

The last time I saw you was at Maddy's 2nd birthday party.
Vivacious as ever and so full of Joy. No thoughts to the battle with Cancer that you fought and won. That's just another piece of you, who you are. Your passing raises a well of tears that cannot be quelled. Taken from earth in a swift slap of fate. I remember you at 18, when we challenged our hair to mysterious heights. Of course, you won every time. You were always a stunning girl. Envied by many~ including me. Not just for your external beauty but the beauty in your heart. The kind of beauty that cannot be conveyed with words. There will never be another human being like you. Unique. Beautiful. Vivacious. Charming. Elegant. Rosie.

Rosie

2009-01-28T18:28:00.004-05:00

Rosie,

I will never get to say "Good Bye" to you.

I will not be able to tell you how thoroughly beautiful you are.

I will not be able to tell you how much joy you have brought to others.

I will however, remember you with love in my heart.

Rosie,

Rest now, peacefully.

Still

2009-01-27T14:11:00.002-05:00

I have no idea as of yet why those fireworks were set off. That aside, school is great!
I love my classes, especially American Sign Language. I get to use what I know. In addition, I can learn more about it and be able to apply it with friends who are hearing impaired and deaf. It's amazing how life twists and turns, where you end up, what you end up doing with your life.
I'm really glad I'm here. In this place. Now.
I've been informed by my English teacher that I along with the rest of the class, will be starting a new blog on our English readings. I will probably cut and paste some of it for you to read as well.
Really looking forward to an awesome semester.

Fireworks

2009-01-24T19:24:00.002-05:00

What reason could there possibly be for fireworks in January? Some one set em off what seemed to have been just a block or two away, and I cant figure out WHY? Yes, they were pretty for the 30 seconds that they were going off through the trees but, it's January folks. Other than the 1st African American President - I cannot think of a reason for such celebration. They were not the back yard flickers either, I'm talking Full scale, floor shaking, lightning style fireworks. I live in suburbia, with a house 500 feet away from me that burned to the ground about 5 years ago. Um, what possessed these creatures to light em off? I will have to find out and report back here because this seems like a dangerous adventure.

Activity?

2009-01-24T11:55:00.003-05:00

Non. I have been drone and dull. Save for the various shopping trips and errands, I have been completely inactive. Monday morning will change all of this. Monday school starts up again and I am looking forward to being out of the house yet again. The importance of getting out and speaking with others is relative to ones personality. Mine requires many facets of friendships and social gatherings. Of which I have not fed lately. To feed the machine you need to have sustenance on which it will survive. It's mid winter and there is nothing but snow and ice. Snow and Ice have no vitamins.

Tuesday

2009-01-18T15:48:00.003-05:00

Tuesday the mighty Barack Obama will take the oath into office as our president. No doubt that his speech will crescendo on "hope". Leaving the many who attend, screaming and crying for change. There is a lot resting upon this man's shoulders.
I will be among the many who watch the inauguration. My niece will be at the actual site. Taking pictures as the first Black American President takes the oath into office.

Cultural Anthropology?

2009-01-16T17:03:00.003-05:00

Could there somewhere be a Deaf Culture Anthropologist? That Might be me in a few years..
I've dropped the two business classes that I had signed up for. Taking up Cultural Anthropology and American Sign Language 101.
Alicen Noselli PhD. Cultural Anthropologist? I'll let you know if I like the class....
Anthropology is: archaeological research, analyze development of languages, and significance of verbal and non verbal communication in our daily lives. Study of human diversity and universal values, fostering intercultural understanding, stimulating concerns about the issues of cultural change and continuity in one's society.
Sounds good on paper.

Pondering

2009-01-15T19:00:00.002-05:00

After spending the day reviewing employment fields and masters degrees, I'm more confused than ever. I did a simple test to address which fields would be best for me. It turns out that service industry, and health care are not my best fields, writing and artistic values are. Is there a writing job for the hearing impaired that I don't know about? I guess writing a book about it would help but, I'm not sure I want to sit at a computer all day and night typing away...like I usually do. Huh? Wait, a job that pays me to do what I'm already doing...?

Masters Degree

2009-01-14T21:28:00.002-05:00

Yeah, I'm thinking about what Masters Degree I want to carry on my shoulder. I know a lot of "kids" that just get out of school, decide to go another route after college but, I'm not going to. I want to be sure that what I choose is appropriate for the kind of work I want to do. Which is... Oh, I don't know. I know I want to work with people like myself that have hearing related issues, and perhaps the deaf community itself but in what capacity? Whether it's in the educational, vocational, or non profit organizational kind of way, I need to start planning this route to my masters.
I've gotten the "can do" kudos from a good friend of mine and she sees a brighter future for this meek little introvert. (yeah right!) Thinking about other schools as well with more direct education in my desired field. RIT has MA's listed that might be closer to what I want. but getting to RIT, means getting my BA first. Suny purchase might offer me the opportunity to continue at my college in Rockland (satellite) with a BA in Business, then....? My friend thinks Vocational Rehab in the Hard of hearing world might be for me... Hmmm... much to ponder..

Veggie day 3 or 4......

2009-01-12T20:41:00.002-05:00

I had thought that going veg would be really difficult given my attraction to all sorts of meats but, I find that despite the occasional hankering for a slice of bacon I've been really good. Although I must admit, I really wanted a bacon egg and cheese this morning. NO, I didn't do it. Pictures flash across the screen in my head and those cravings are squelched rather quickly. Again for those real life horror stories, see PETA's "Meet your Meat" video.
This weekend, I dropped the meat from my dishes, and tried a new veggie chili non-carne. Which was really good with a little red hot! Also a lentil and rice dish with caramelized onions.
Today brought me to the organic section at the supermarket. They have a whole isle and a half devoted to organics, and health products. I made some purchases. If you've ever shopped with three hungry, cranky children, you would understand why it took a while. I did buy meat products, but not for me. I have never eaten spam, nor will I.
So the whole idea of a veggie life is growing on me. It's not that difficult, when you remember the video... I think a weekly viewing will be a well set reminder of why I'm doing this.

Analogy to vegatarianism

2009-01-11T12:54:00.002-05:00

After speaking in depth with my husband about my desire to learn more about veg life, he proposed an analogy, the diamond trade.
If it's not right to eat animals, then it's not right to buy diamonds. We agree on this matter. Since the African "blood diamond" trade and slavery, murder, abuse are tied together, I'm opting out of diamonds too. (Not that I ever was really into it)
If you buy a diamond from a dealer that got it from a legit mine, where nothing like those atrocities ever happened, Is it OK?
No, it still feeds into the supply and demand of the diamond trade, perpetuating the whole trades' issues. So slavery, murder and abuse continue. People killing people over rocks, does not sit right here either.
Please understand that I am not trying to change your views or desires, simply expressing my changing, evolving opinionated views.
Joe also raised the question about animal testing, finding a cure for the hearing loss I've suffered and I must say, I would go deaf rather than suffer an animal to this kind of torture.

Opportunity

2009-01-10T21:20:00.002-05:00

It was confirmed that when/ if my essay should be accepted into the Beacon 2009 conference, my pluralism grade will go from a "b" to an "a".
I thought this was a great opportunity anyhow but, up the GPA, YEAH, SURE!
The $100.- prize won't even pay for the gas, tolls and hotel but... Oh the Notoriety.
I am looking forward to all of my collective editors having an input so WE win this F*cker!

A thought on vegetarian life.

2009-01-10T20:37:00.003-05:00

I had tried to go vegetarian in my early twenties. The whole idea of animals being killed for my diner didn't sit right with me.
I'm revisiting the whole idea again, after a friend told me to watch a pretty little video of slaughter house action. Lovely. If your curious, check out Peta's website, meet your meat.
I pledged to 30 days of meat-less-ness.

I grew up with chickens and Pigeons. Not for eating the birds but the chickens were for the eggs. The Pigeons were just cool.
We at one point had a piglet, who we named "pinky" in the basement, with no lights and a small confined area about 3 ft around. At the age of 5 or 6, I didn't know why we weren't allowed to play with him, but we snuck in there and played anyhow.
Pinky ended up on our diner table. I don't think that I would have chosen to eat my friend, if I had the choice.
My parents grew up over seas in rural areas, where they were taught that this was the norm. You can rest assured, that I will not subject my kids to this behavior. I will not follow in the footsteps that I detest. After watching the video, I'm not so sure that I will force my kids to eat any meat either.
But I will start checking into farms that are free roaming, vaccine and veterinary caring, organic and other things. This would be a good time to research this fully. I am a mother, and like many other mothers, want what is best for my children. I will be happy to share my findings with you.
I had another friend who suggested that some meat packagers actually dyed their meat to make it look better, and more palatable. I did a little bit of research on this and found this to be somewhat true. Packagers can dye meat that is ground, for purposes such as sausages, cold cuts, burgers and hot dogs. Packagers can also use carbon dioxide to keep meat looking fresh longer.
My friend mentioned that her daughter is allergic to certain food dyes, and I talked a bit about how we changed our oldest son's diet to minimize dye exposure.
The minimizing has had a great effect. He can focus better in school and at home. Which I am extremely thankful for!
My first meal for day one without meat, was egg noodles with white asparagus and Brussels sprouts (aka green globs of evil). I never did like them but my kids do, and that's good! Since I didn't make dinner tonight I had no choice in menu. I ate the Pierogies and the carrots ~not the pork chops.
While I continue to research the whole vegetarian life, I will share my bits and pieces with you. Especially what my vegetarian pediatrician has to say. At the very least I will be educated in matters of consumption.

I don't mind being wrong...

2009-01-09T16:49:00.003-05:00

Especially when It's in my favor! How does a "D" in Science turn into a "B-" ? Don't know, don't ask. Just take it and RUN.... So my official grades are lower than I expected. But, well within a good GPA. Business B, English A, Pluralism and Diversity B, Science B-.. Like I said, no questions on the Science thing... Just gonna Shhhhh.... right along here... and hope.....no one notices....

GPA - Currently 3.175 - Is that good?

Next up~ Algebra for Beginners, English Comp II, Business Ethics, and Marketing.

Now that I've had some time to think about what happened with the Winter session classes, I'm OK. I'm good with it now. I fought the blues with a stint of retail therapy!
And that's all I've got to say about that........ Untill I post pictures, Of course.

Winter Session Classes II

2009-01-07T19:16:00.002-05:00

I'm trying to keep up with other posts that I've written here. I did in fact drop my winter session classes. There were a lot of tears involved because I am an emotionally volatile woman. Having a hearing impairment, and dealing with limitations can drain you emotionally. I hate having a hearing impairment. I'm sure many of us do. I seem to have a more difficult time with it when it makes me look bad, though. At least this is how I perceive the situation. I've stopped feeling sorry for myself and I'm considering transferring to a more Hearing impaired friendly scenario.
Rochester Institute offers on line courses. They also have a deaf campus for deaf and hard of hearing students. While I don't think that traveling that far would work, the online courses may be just what I need. I need to feel confident in my work, and get many more A's... Since my science class won't transfer credits because of the d, I'm OK with taking another online science course. maybe something environmental or sound centered. While I am considering RIT, I haven't committed to it yet. I have more thinking to do, and advice from people I trust to go over and review.

Apology

2009-01-07T19:12:00.003-05:00

I'm sorry for all the bright colors. I realized just how difficult it must be to read while having a blaring pink screen distract you! Since the purpose of the blog is to attract readers not scare you away, I've decided to keep it simple. Let the posts themselves be the attraction, not the color.

Ice Storm

2009-01-07T19:04:00.002-05:00

I figured I would test out my new camera on the ice covered trees outside today. I think I've captured just what I hoped. The Japanese Maple is my favorite but the pine looks nice too.

Winter Session Classes

2009-01-05T16:46:00.003-05:00

For those of you who don't understand what it's like to have a hearing impairment, be glad. I am very disappointed in the thought that I may have to cancel my winter session classes because both of my teachers are women with light voices. Since I've lost my high end hearing it is especially difficult hearing "chicks". Even with hearing aids. I'm going to attempt to make adjustments and hope they work. Otherwise, I may have to cancel out these classes. Stay tuned for more drama. On the flip side, dropping off the kids and coming home to nap might not be such a bad idea...

Th view on the drive home

2009-01-04T19:04:00.001-05:00

I really wish I could tell you how I felt at this point. The mountains in the distance, are so pretty! Both pictures were taken at the same spot. Now you can see why I chose this camera!

The Birkshire mall

2009-01-04T19:03:00.002-05:00

I just liked the art that was in the Birkshire, Massachusetts Mall. It towers over an area where stores intersect. The trip was very nice, and quiet. I ate this morning at a cute bakery / cafe in Lenox called "Haven" . The food was fabulous, I had the spinach lasagna. And a cappuccino to rival starbucks! I don't think that waiting for the food made it worthwhile though. after an hour and people who were in back of us on line got their food, we checked to see where our was. My lasagna was cold, I was disappointed. But starving! It tasted great so i overlooked it's chill factor and ate the entirety. I didn't have room for the brownie I picked out when we were in line...sniffle. It got to be too late in the day to go over to West Hartford School for the deaf. I was disappointed but, I plan on taking another trip up there just for that. The drive home was pretty. I took a different route than I had taken to Massachusetts. I posted other pics of the bridge that scared the crap out of me. All in all a very nice trip, and I got my filet at Dakota, too. Very happy about that!

Fish oil

2009-01-02T17:46:00.003-05:00

While fish oil comes highly recommended from my pediatrician, I do not think that it's very beneficial if you can't keep it down!
I hate fish, and fishy-ness. I haven't eaten fish since I lived on City Island 15 years ago. Why the hell would I get a liquid fish oil supplement? I don't know. It's nasty.
The kids, they eat sushi, what do they care? They like it.
Please don't make the same mistake that I did and think that the flavoring would "cover" the fishy-ness, because It wont!
I'm off to Massachusetts! I hear "Dakota" calling me.......

Beacon 2009

2009-01-02T09:14:00.003-05:00

In writing for the Beacon 2009, I am requesting information from you, my readers. If you know of reputable sources that I can include in this I would be sincerely grateful. I am writing on the impact of being hard of hearing/ disabled, has in the workplace. Information I need would be company's that hire people with disabilities, knowing that they have those disabilities. Other company's that may have had issues with hiring in the disabled area of the work force. In other words, if they got into trouble because they wouldn't hire someone with a disability. Any information will need to be cited, so please include where you got the information so that I can track down the citation. Much appreciated folks! Looking forward to hearing from you!

New Year Post.

2009-01-01T12:26:00.003-05:00

I want to start off the new year on a good note. So here it is, my first post of the new year. Life is unfolding quickly for me. I am very thankful for the opportunities that have presented themselves. Like school for instance. I never envisioned myself going back to school, ever. It took someone who didn't even know me from any other Jane Doe, to make me realize, you're not done till you're done. Life is a school. We all learn from our experiences.
I learned that Elephant Ears, come back from the dead. I don't necessarily have a black thumb for house plants.... I can vacuum the entire downstairs in less than an hour... Oh, the possibilities! Great things lie in wait...

A New Year.

2008-12-30T17:50:00.003-05:00

2008 has been a seriously eventful year! I've taken on a previous employer through the EEOC, started college after 17 years, and have grown so much inside. I am thankful for 2008. I look forward to all the challenges that 2009 has to offer, I will rise up to those challenges and face them head on. Classes start again on Monday for me and I'm looking forward to it. I may not write as much for the next couple of weeks because classes will be every day. But when I do write, I will have stuff to say...
I wish you a very happy new year!

Incredible sunset.

2008-12-28T18:31:00.003-05:00

On our way home this evening from Brewster, I noticed the sun peeking through the clouds. It had been a rather warm day at 62 degrees and cloudy. The trip was uneventful other than arriving and leaving. For this I am thankful. Driving up the street to our house the change in the skyline was so dramatic and beautiful I had to capture it in sequence. For your viewing pleasure, I introduce the sunset.

Painful fun?

2008-12-26T19:02:00.003-05:00

Ah, the use of oxymoron's in the evening... True though. The Wii has been the center of our attention this holiday. Last holiday it was the xbox 360. This year the whole family gets involved. Even me. There's bowling, golf, tennis, baseball, and my favorite game "Boom blox". This is a seriously fun game.
Do you recall the joystick for Atari, which just moved left right up down? Well, imagine holding a small remote like a tv remote, that knows how you move by infrared lights. Really cool.
I've kicked much butt on the blox game. Hence the pain. You really have to move around with these puppies. There's no simple left right up down. The faster you throw, it gets interpreted to the remote and hits the target faster, and therefore harder. My freaking arm hurts! I haven't worked that hard for a game since softball league, when I actually played softball.
I'm glad for the upcoming intensive Pilate's class. Getting toned up after all this time will help with a lot of things, like rollerblading, snowboarding, tennis, and basketball. Bring it on. This girls ready for some fun...

Xmas Day.

2008-12-25T23:41:00.001-05:00

Love the dress,,,

Xmas 2008

2008-12-25T23:38:00.002-05:00

Xmas Eve, Playing with my new toy. I love this camera~!

The Sony Cybershot with the 10x Zoom. I took a self portrait and regret the mess behind it...

Damn, I need a basement! Or at least more closets...

Holiday Joy

2008-12-25T19:39:00.005-05:00

Merry Christmas!

I hope you are enjoying your holiday!
I am glad it's over. Now I can get back to the other things in my life that need tending to. I have to write a 10 page paper for the "Beacon" contest on the life and times of the hearing impaired. WOW. 10 Pages. What do you write about for 10 pages? I think that I would have to incorporate all of my previous papers into one huge one..
Time for a strategy.

Snow boarding

2008-12-22T23:03:00.002-05:00

Did I mention I tried to get down with my bad self and do a little snow boarding yesterday? Turns out the board was in the shed. Which protected it for the summer - sort of. My pink flowers are no longer pink. I had thought I left it out of the shed for it to warp over the summer. Lucky me! No warping!

Did I also mention that my husband made a RAMP for the kids to go flying over with their sleds? I am a novice boarder (at best) and way out of shape apparently. Cause~ I could not, stay up on the damn board!
I think I was just too afraid of going over the ramp! I caught some loft shots of the boys and will share them tomorrow. Maybe I will get back on the board for xmas, and stay away from the ramp.

Christmas Cheer!

2008-12-22T21:54:00.003-05:00

Let's all say a big fat toast to Christmas and all that it stands for! Shopping, cutting people off and flipping em off too. No, No, No, It's about people going out of their way for someone else without expectations of thanks. Like the fact that some nice lady pushed a cart out of my way so I could pull into a parking spot, I yelled "Thank you".
I filled the package store with my own sarcastic brand of cheer, "I'm not too late am I?" Picking out my selections, Cuervo of course, it's accompaniment, margarita mix. A bottle of Godiva Liquor, and a handy 2 oz. bottle of scotch. In case of emergency break glass. or as it stands, plastic.
So while I write this, I am happy to say that it's becoming a more pleasant world! My niece arrived safely and we get to go shopping tomorrow for, well, stuff.
I know, vague. The kids still believe in Santa so I ain't gonna spoil it so quick. It's one less thing i can threaten them with.. "Don't make me call Santa and tell him how you're behaving!"

Have I fulfilled my niceness obligation 'cause I got a shitload of crappy from today..
If you don't want to hear about crappyness. STOP READING NOW.

Ever change a tire in freezing cold temperature? No? Neither did I. I was lucky enough that my husband put the tire in the car and the donut on the wheel. (yay)
Like everyone else these days, we're trying to save a buck. We bought our tires at BJ's. How long could it take to plug a tire? 5 minutes? Turns out the puncture was in the wall of the tire and they had to replace it. OK. It's under warranty, "great". The sign said a two hour wait. OK - no big deal I'll walk over to the mall entrance and see what kind of shopping I can get done. Started in Best Buy checked out the camera's and coincidentally picked out the one I want for xmas. Sony Cybershot 10X zoom. I tried them out and this one had the clearest shots for what I want to do with it, which is whatever floats my fancy at any given time. Looked at the Wii stuff. Headed out to the rest of the mall. Bought some things, for friends and ate a bite to eat. Before I know it it's 2:45. Um, I gotta go get the kids. Lets go get my car. Um, no not ready yet? It's been 4 hours! It's still up on the lift and gonna take another 15 to 20 minutes.. I don't have 15 to 20 minutes. I start with the phone calls. "ma'am, there's a problem with the hood." I hate being called Ma'am. Whatever - what's the problem? "The hood won't stay shut." I guess they were tying to be nice and take a look at my fluids or whatever. They tried tinkering with it and can't get it to stay shut. OK, By the time I got a hold of mom to get my little guy at daycare, the big kids need to be picked up from school. Mom's gonna come and get me in my van. She calls me 15 minutes later, After she knocks on the neighbors door cause she can't figure out how the damn emergency break works. After I explained it to her, I managed to get a hold of my babysitter. Who totally saved my ass. And is getting a really good present for x-mas!
Mom finally gets to Bj's but forgot that I was at the tire place. Anyhow, I get in the car and we're off to get the baby. Boy O boy.. An hour and a half late.
My kid as usual comes running into my arms. What a nice feeling.
Takes away all the crap from the day.
By this time I've had several conversations via text messages all day.
Planned tomorrows events and still have a car to get fixed. I'm officially tired, and at this moment ...toast.
Now I get to snuggle up with the cutest little boy I've ever made. I'll take pictures of him sleeping so you can see just how cute he is... Cause when he's awake, the "No"'s roll right out his mouth and cooperating with the camera is not his favorite thing to do.
It's hiding under tables and chairs.....

Snow, snow, and more snow.

2008-12-21T09:49:00.002-05:00

Ah, the view from my front door. Loverly aint it? As you can see, the plow is neglecting us - again. My taxes go to other more widely used streets. The taxes are rather high, too. Let's just say that were just under the highest paying area, on the roster of taxes countrywide, with Westchester NY being the highest.
For those of you who are "dreaming of a white Christmas" here ya freaking go.
I'm just dreaming of getting .................................OUT.

By the way, I've made it easier to post messages on the blog, so get to it.

That's just wrong!

2008-12-19T19:39:00.000-05:00

But, is it really wrong for me to feel somewhat empty, now that all my school work is done and there are no pressing assignments due tomorrow?
I needed a purpose today, so I started shoveling snow. Even though we have a snow blower and my brother in law plows the driveway. I realized that it is some seriously heavy snow, rather quickly. At least I'll sleep well tonight, after all that work. No, I did not finish the entire driveway, it's still freaking snowing!

Hot Toddy's anyone?

PLOWED!

2008-12-19T19:28:00.000-05:00

Can you be serious for a moment here...

I'm talking about the snow, this time.

When the plow makes his leisurely route by my house, he rounds a corner to a private Road.

I was walking my almost adopted daughter home, without a flashlight of course. The snow reflects off of every facet and it's bright enough to see. I was more scared of a haunting coyote that's been sighted in her back yard. We came upon a drain grate and realized that there was something wrong with it. It's off it's place. It got plowed right off.

Terror on the front!

2008-12-18T19:47:00.001-05:00

All right, So my art can use a little work but, you get the point...

Grades.

2008-12-18T14:08:00.000-05:00

First and foremost, a note on school. It's freaking DONE.
On to the next semester!
English A
Pluralism and Diversity in the workplace A
Business A or at the very least a B (just took the final today, and I'm confident)
Science, well... ummm.. D

I know, what the f*ck happened?
I had trouble with science from the start. Tried getting a tutor.
And the final which I studied for DAYS for... 60. Nice, huh?
I think I'm going to take it again in the summer so that I can get a better grade and up my GPA.
There's talk about getting a BA, Masters and Doctorate???? What's a doctorate?
Just kidding.
Now I can Breathe for a whole 2 weeks till winter session starts again!

I'm my only follower.

2008-12-16T17:51:00.000-05:00

Hello me, It's me again.
Alicen stop talking to the wall.
Medic!

How Do I get people hooked on ME?
I've tried the naked pictures for the guys, (Just go ahead and look for em)
and for the girls.. ehh... err... look at the pretty flowers!

While your at it, if you like a post - tag it with a comment.
This might inspire me to write more specifically, to your desires.

Alzhiemers.

2008-12-16T17:26:00.000-05:00

I need to vent for a moment here. Bare with me.
If any of you have a loved one with Alzheimer's, you know what I'm talking about here.
I love my mother in law. It's not often that a person can say this. She's a great lady.
We live sorta together. We have an in-law setup and her apartment is attached to the main house. She's a trip.

But let me tell you, If I get asked the same question again,
I'm going to snap.
You will see me cuffed and a crazed look in my eye on the 10 o'clock news.
"Daughter in law overwhelmed, killed mother in law over a question."

No, but really~
We yell at each other and it's OK ten minutes later. I just need a break.
I'm the go to person for all things and it seems that the information doesn't always make it to my plate and I'm left to answer questions, that I have completely no freaking clue about.

Alzheimer's is a terrible disease that has an impact on the entire family.
If she can't remember when or even if she lit a cigarette, this could kill the rest of us too.
So I worry. Especially because we don't yet have a fire detector that I can hear. They do make em, (strobe lights too) I just haven't gotten around to ordering it.
http://www.harriscomm.com/
This is the best site I've found, yet. Everything a deaf chick might want, and more.
If you're an HLAA member you get a discount, too!
Guess what I'm doing tonight. Ordering a few new fire detectors you say?
Gee you're smart!

I have a kid?

2008-12-16T17:06:00.000-05:00

Today I got a call from the school nurse. Ty's sick, again. (He's not sick, he just doesn't want to be in school). Can't blame him there. In high school, if there was somewhere else I could be, I was.
So I get the call, tell the school nurse that I can be there in 20 minutes, I am just about to walk in the door to pick up my new hearing aids, in their spiffy purple color.

I get in and there's some confusion about needing an appointment.
So, away again with no aids.
Hey, I can go get my hair cut!
No appointments available till Saturday, but I have tentative plans for Saturday...
So I browse the isles for goodies. Manic Panic, Enjoy conditioner, blah blah blah...
OOO Marshall's is right around the corner!
After about 10 minutes of shopping, the phone rings. OH SHIT. My stuff stays in the cart and I bolt.
I walk in the nurses office, and promptly apologize. I forgot my kid. He knew I forgot about him and was cool about it. He knows I'm not getting much sleep with finals on the brain. Plus we had the winter concert last night and .. and... and...
I felt like such a fool! How could I forget my kid?
We went out to lunch. I got a new tripod for my camera, and it WORKS... The things, I've been missing..

Kudos!

2008-12-15T14:29:00.000-05:00

I took the Science Final today, and I'm sure I did pretty well, after all I did study for it. Most of the questions were right out of our notes, so It was a matter of remembering what we wrote in our notes.
I didn't realize that my Pluralism Final was today though, I thought it was Wednesday. Oh, well. Not much I can do about that. I couldn't remember what I read about Aida Alvarez, in our secondary book. I focused on my science stuff, since I thought that Pluralism was Wed.
Damn, I wanted to ace that class!
On another point of Pluralism and Diversity, I got back my paper on Diversity in the workplace citing disabled people as my cause. Gee, I wonder why?!?! I got a 90 on it.

My esteemed teacher wrote:

"This was an Informative paper and I would not be surprised if you will be quoted in my course at some time in the future as a result of your advocacy in this necessary cause. I wish you luck!"

Makes me want to get out there~ and well, advocate damn it.

Studying

2008-12-14T11:27:00.000-05:00

Who the HELL can study with the dishwasher going, the clothes washer going, the dryer going, the kids screaming (playing), and questions being thrown at you every which way??
Alright, I am hearing impaired - so these things shouldn't bother me right? WRONG.
These things are a irritating cacophony. Grating on my nerves like a cheese grater on delicate flesh.
I think for sanity sake, I will put this off until later this evening or nap time.

On another note, I still don't have my purple people eaters back yet. There was some confusion last week as to whether or not I had an appointment, which I didn't. so,,,
Maybe tomorrow!

Holiday Dressing

2008-12-12T16:34:00.000-05:00

Under normal circumstances, I would wear jeans and a tee shirt. However, this year I've decided to go formal.
Why?
Cause I found "THE" dress. Boy did this dress sing it's song!
I'm the type that will wear "good will" purchased dresses if I can find something that fits properly.
But this year, I spent.....well.... let's just say,
I've never spent that much on a dress before. EVER.
To think that it wasn't even on sale... What was I thinking?
Maybe I wasn't? Who cares. I'm thrilled to the core!
I now have a "little black dress" that I am delighted with.
of course I wanted to show you a picture, but when I realized it's ON SALE ONLINE..
crap, Do I return it? And order the one online? DELEMA, Not.
Keeping it......... and not going to worry! I finally have reached a point in my life where~
I AM WORTH IT.
Damn it. Now Shoes....

I realized tonight why I did what I did...
Lunacy! Full moon.

Cartoonist

2008-12-09T20:58:00.000-05:00

Just click on the comic strip.

A hard of hearing artist

getting his art going,

I thought it was funny!

You can see more at About.com deafness.

Medications KNOWN to cause hearing impairments

2008-12-08T17:24:00.001-05:00

These drugs are labeled as "ototoxic" and there's a list a MILE long. Including most common medications that people take on a daily basis! Even drugs for treating tinnitus, are known to cause it..
The Hearing Loss Association of America was at one point called SHHH, or Self Help for the Hard of Hearing. I imagine that the name was changed to reflect a more positive attitude torwards the group. "shhh" to a deaf person is like, silencing.
Anyhow, I have included the web address for you here:
http://www.netprocorp.com/shhh/nys/fall98/art4.htm
Let me know if you can't get through the link.
In addition to this, I have a list of potentially threatning toys on the market this holiday season.
If you would like to research this further:
"Ototoxic Drugs Exposed" 2nd Edition by: Neil Bauman.
Which lists 743 drugs, 30 herbs and 148 chemicals known for ototoxicity!

Editor: It's time for the annual pre-Christmas warnings aboutloud toys. Here's the information from Minnesota's Sight &Hearing Association.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~14 of 18 toys tested pose hearing risk in 15 minutesFourteen of the 18 toys tested this year for Sight & HearingAssociation's annual Noisy Toys List sounded off louder than 100decibels (dBA). The time it takes to risk hearing damage at thatlevel? 15 minutes.For the 11th year, the nonprofit organization and researchersfrom the University of Minnesota tested toys- taken right offretailers' shelves- for potentially dangerous sound levels. Allof the toys measured over 90 dB directly at the speaker of thetoy. And 12 of the 18 are meant for children three years oryounger.The top offender on this year's list, Cars Shake 'N Go Mater byFisher Price, blared at 120.8 dB(A)- loud enough to risk hearingdamage in less than eight seconds. Little People ABC LetterSounds, a puzzle, topped out at 114.5 dB(A); and a smallhand-held musical toy, Disney High School Musical RockerzBoomin' Drums, measured 113.5 dB(A). All of those toys are loudenough to risk hearing damage in less than one minute.Sounds that are 85 dB or louder can permanently damage yourears. The louder the sound, the less time it takes to causedamage. For example, a sound at 85 dB may take as long as eighthours to cause permanent damage, while a sound at 100 dB canstart damaging hair cells after only 15 minutes of listening.According to guidelines by the National Institute forOccupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), part of the Centers forDisease Control, the permissible exposure time (the amount oftime you should listen) is cut in half with every 3 decibelsover 85 dB.Because of a child's shorter arm span, toys are oftenpotentially more dangerous to hearing because children hold themcloser to their ears. In the Sight & Hearing Association study,the toys were repeatedly tested at distances simulating how achild might hold the toy, directly near the ear (0 inches) andat arm's length (10 inches). A sound-proof acoustic chamber wasused to ensure accurate measurements.Until 2004, there were no regulations in the United Statesregarding the loudness of toys. An acoustics standard (ASTMF963), adopted and revised in March 2004 by ASTM International,states that a hand-held, table-top or crib toy cannot exceed 90dB 25 cm (approx. 10 in.) from the surface of the toy.Compliance with the standard is voluntary.Directly at the speaker of the toy, all of the toys tested thisyear measured louder than 90 dB. At 10 inches from the toy'ssurface, four of the toys measured louder than 90 dB: the LittlePeople ABC Letter Sounds puzzle (93.8 dB), Speed Racer MightyMach 5 RacingWheel (93.9 dB), Nano Blaster (92.2 dB), Shake 'NGo Nascar Jimmie Johnson (92.8 dB).Mina Le, M.D., a resident otolaryngologist at the University ofMinnesota, tested the toys, and offers the following advice. "Iwas surprised at how loud these toys were in general," she says."When shopping, buy toys that encourage imagination. Instead ofa toy guitar with five programmed songs, buy a regular guitarand let them sing any songs they want. Instead of a toy car thatmakes noise, buy a silent car and let them expend their energygrowling 'Vroom!'"Unlike with choking hazards and other injuries, there are noinjury statistics on toys and hearing loss. That's becausenoise-induced hearing loss is nearly impossible to track itsorigination.To protect a child's hearing, the Sight & Hearing Associationoffers the following tips:. Listen to a toy before you buy it. If it sounds loud to you,it's too loud for your child.. Report a loud toy. Call the Consumer Product Safety Commissionat 800/638-2772 or the Sight & Hearing Association at800/992-0424, or contact us by e-mail atReportAToy@sightandhearing.org.. Put masking or packing tape over the speaker on the toy. Thiswill help reduce the volume.. Buy toys with volume controls."Noise-induced hearing loss is cumulative," explains JuleeSylvester, Sight & Hearing Association spokesperson. "It doesn'ttypically happen from one event; it gradually happens over time.That's why it's important to start protecting hearing at a youngage."The Minnesota-based Sight & Hearing Association, founded in1939, is dedicated to enabling lifetime learning by identifyingpreventable vision and hearing loss in children.

HLAA Information

2008-12-07T16:12:00.000-05:00

http://hearingloss.com

Information about everything hearing.
At the Westchester, HLAA meeting yesterday we discussed the importance of communication. Being that I was born hearing, and now hang in the balance of hearing and deaf worlds, I can truly understand the importance of communication.
Not just speaking either.
Body language, facial movement, articulation and enunciation. Lets not forget EYE contact. Some people say that I have a very intense eye contact. Well - I've learned to focus on the eye and read the lips peripherally. How? I don't know, It just sort of happened. Just like the fact that I can dilate my eyes on command. Really.

When I was working on the set of "The Interpreter" I was told that Mr. Penn did not like my watching him. Got it. It wasn't meant to disturb anyone but that I was actually trying to learn technique. Each person gets into character in different ways. I simply thought I might learn something.
I learned people dont like it when your too intense..
....only respect here Mr. Penn.
Anyhow, keep this in mind. the next time your talking to someone, look at them directly. It's a sign of respect.

Defining "me"

2008-12-06T18:26:00.001-05:00

This is my high school photo.

It's a curious thing, to age.

I no longer wear long nails or use quite as much hairspray. I sure as hell don't wear as much make-up.
I have not given up my naive nature, believing in people as a whole entity, but a select few have given me reason not to trust them.

My femininity doesn't depend much on how other's view me. I use my nieces for the moments that requires a feminine expression by braiding hair.
My deepest desire is not for the "knight in shinning armor" to save me. I have become my own savior. I make the choices that effect my life and my family's.

Some vanity remains, I must admit. I still want a few certain status symbols like the beamer. I'm pretty sure my morals are in tact. Although, on occasion I have been known to be "human" and err. I have accepted that.
In fact, I embrace the fact that I'm human these days.. Trying to teach my kids not to hold in their farts. I Burp with vigor. I am after all, living in a house with 4 males. Competition is a given! Not to worry, I save it all for home.
I am after all a very feminine creature. I have been told that I am "the epitome of feminine". Obviously some haven't heard me yell "Damn, ...clear the room!" and the giggles that follow, from the boys.
I enjoy tipping well, when I've eaten a good meal. These days they come too far and few. I pump my own gas, even when my husband is in the car. I paint, I fix broken things and I have been known as the "go to gal" when something needs to be built.
I take baths (after scrubbing the tub of course). Calgon is sometimes invited too. I love Yankee Candles, and "Angel" perfume. My favorite color is purple which denotes "passion". I have a passion for art, in various forms. From pictures, paintings, and music.
I enjoy Robert Mondavi, Pinot Noir. Of which I had not ever liked wine until about 10 years ago, when I also found goat cheese. Refining the palate.

Alas, I still have a hearing Impairment.
More pronounced now, than ever before.
Dealing with it and the many facets of life that surround this disability has been a challenge. Every now and again, I break down for a moment... only to get right back up and do something positive about it. I am a very positive person. Through the years have learned to accept people for who they are and sometimes I am able to avoid their negativity.
After all is said and done, I will continue to seek out the best person inside of me, allowing for the occasional human error. Perfectly Imperfect. Human.

The passing of "Dickens"

2008-12-05T22:55:00.000-05:00

While we ate our Thanksgiving diner, an animal suffered his final breaths. I pay tribute here to a feline that I captured in photo, at a session for another feline.

Aids in for a fix?

2008-12-05T16:03:00.000-05:00

I am without my aids for a whole week. They've been checked into the body shop for a blinging. As per previous posts, I want to get more involved with HLAA and other hearing impaired advocacy venues. So, a, purple they will go. A purple they will go, hi ho the dairy -o a purple they will go.

They (Phonak) are changing out the casing of the aids. I should have them back by Friday of next week. Which means tomorrow I go to another HLAA meeting without em. I'm OK with that! They have f.m. systems that I can use there to hear better.

Then, I'm gonna put Swarovski crystals on em and little blinking lights.

No, not really.

Purple OK.

Lights, trashy.

My whole reason behind the purple hearing aids is to make them a little more "cool" for kids to think about.

Beige, boring. Purple- hey that's cool.

The more these kids get to see people with hearing aids (even the beige ones) the more they are likely to be accepting of disabilities. I plan on talking with some of the folks tomorrow about approaching the schools in the area about disability in school. Perhaps some public speaking is in order?

Painting party.

2008-12-05T09:53:00.000-05:00

I'm considering having all of you over to my house to help me paint the damn place. Just kidding, I'm too damn picky, being the daughter of a painter. It has to be done with my exacting measures.... murals and all. ...even Tess can attest to that one, she did a mural in the "green room".

As some of you know my artistic value is sometimes thrust onto the walls. Not this time.

Plain, old, one color painting of the living room. (finally) I feel like I'm living in limbo - that there's so much to be done with the house and I can't possibly get to it all, so why bother trying? Well, the fire has been lit, and my butts getting warm. When it gets too hot to stand, I'm going to paint, Paint, and then I'm going to paint some more. Not only will it help me soothe my erratic household but It will give me the alley-oop to the Pilate's intensive coming up soon.

It's too damn cold to Rollerblade around the lake, Tess gives up on me when I want to go play tennis, and the dog hurts muscles when I want to play with her.. Damn you people!

Since my kids don't read this blog, nor are other people in my life even remotely interested in such activities, I can speak about the Wii. Boy oh boy, I can't wait for Christmas! Uncle Dean has decided to get the boys the Wii for Christmas, which leaves everyone else to get games for it (yay!). Considering I don't buy myself diamonds and pearls at every turn, I think I deserve a Little something something. How about the Wii "Fit"? Not only can I do exercises indoors, I can do it a little cooler! I think that is a pretty good alternative to something I won't wear anyhow.

Sushi for diner

2008-12-04T19:27:00.000-05:00

Yeah the guys had fun eating sushi at our local spot. I don't eat fish, never mind RAW fish.
The last time I ate fish, I lived on City Island and I remember that well... Waking up every morning to the smell of rotting leftovers. Mmmmm. Yummy. Lobster used to be nice but since my stint on the island, no way. I almost had a particular difficulty tonight while the guys ate the raw fish. Gag.
I must confess though, it was hilarious to see Joe "crying" from the wasabi. I get a kick outta pain. One of few ways to get a man to cry, Give him wasabi or... tell him you're leaving him! LOL
Today was Joey's birthday and it was his choice of food. I have to say the kid eats really well. A whole sushi deluxe platter!
Plus what ever else his brother couldn't finish.. He's only 9. Football player, ya think?
So, I'm off to finish Nancy's book,
and hope the chiropractor is open tomorrow. ;)
and what did this have to do with hearing?, nothing... nothing at all.

That time of year.

2008-12-04T18:58:00.000-05:00

This is the time of year that I start longing for a hot, dry (albeit imaginary) vacation spot. With everything going on in my life right now I can't really go anywhere, never mind a place I would like to go!
Many of you are thinking about your planned mid winter vacations and me, I'm imagining myself going to exotic lands. Can't bring kids or the pooch to an exotic getaway and have it remain that way, for long anyhow.
Now, I've been up and down the East Coast, but never left this side of the states or the country for more than an hour, for that matter. As far North as Canada (the falls) and to the south Florida. While these vacay's have been nice.. there are so many places I would like to go, Dubai for one. I saw a very interesting program on the man made island down/over there.
Then again, I want to see the unique ice hotels in Iceland, too! Sleep on a block of ice covered in fur?? Yep, primal.
How about England and Stone Henge? That's on my list. Got to be cool standing near those huge blocks of stone with mysterious origins...
A friend that I made recently told me to consider Hungary, where both of my parents are from. Hey, if the food is half as good as my mother's cooking, I'm soooo there.
Do they have Pilates in Hungary? ... Sorry, I thought it was funny.
I wonder if sign language is used in Hungary and which one? There are so many different sign languages that every spoken language could have a potential sign language.
I guess if a place can be imagined - I could go at any time. Lucky for me, my imagination is pretty well intact. Where else could a girl go? Japan, Africa, Australia.. sure. Who's buying?

Pain

2008-12-03T16:58:00.000-05:00

While pain can be welcome at times to acknowledge a problem that needs to be addressed, now is not the time.

My head is killing me!

No matter what I do, no matter how much Advil I take, the pain just wont go away. I spent the entire day on the couch, listening to soundscapes (quietly). Dozing off here and there trying desperately to get comfortable. Nothing. The pain still hangs behind my eyes right now. It's really annoying because it's changing my very patient demeanor into something not so pleasant... Someone I don't like to be.
Who do you complain to? My kids certainly don't want to hear about my complaints!
My dog just goes on being a dog.
Nothing more to add, just grumbling about a nasty headache...
Damn you, Nancy...lol I read half of A troubled guest last night.
Probably wont write tomorrow as it's my eldest childs birthday and he chose SUSHI for dinner.
ick....

Exhaustion

2008-12-02T16:42:00.000-05:00

Nancy is giving me a headache.
Literally.
Ironic that it's not her literature that's causing the pain but the fact that I can't put the damn books down. I bring them with me to bed. I bring them with me to school, so I can read in between classes, too. But the night time reading is what does it. I get such a kink in my neck and that is what causes my headaches! Nancy really had nothing to do with it! Except of course for her role in writing my current attraction. I've finished voice lessons and of course plain text, onward to a troubled guest.
I gave a presentation, after writing a 6 or seven page scientific paper on Cochlear Implants. When I get my grade back, I'll share that with y'all.
Back to Exhaustion. Did you know that Hard of hearing people have to work that much harder to understand speech AND that there is a term called Audio Exhaustion? Well, I must be the epitome of Audio Exhausted cause... I crashed today, and almost missed picking up the toddler at day care! I think this end of the semester stuff is harder and coming more frequently than is has before.
But on a lighter note I had a laughing fit today.. I being the generous gal that I am.. offered to share my books on Mairs to anyone else using her for the last English paper of the year. When another classmate said "Oh, yeah... I'll take it. " I was a bit skeptical, to say the least. I then replied "you're going to return it after you read it right?"
to which his statement showed me the reason for my "A" work and his undoubted failure.. "OH,, you mean, I have to read it? Oh, man.."
Don't put too much effort into it pal, you might get a "D"... for dumbass.
Needless to say - I'd rather donate to book to the campus library and let others get something out of her writing like I did.... Balls... and a Voice... Now I just have to perfect it... then die.

Nancy Mairs

2008-11-28T19:49:00.000-05:00

I am currently reading some of Nancy Mairs' essays and let me tell you that she is one talented writer. I understand most of the content but the meaning and the feeling, hits soooo close to home. Nancy is a self named "cripple" with M.S. A hearty woman with an enormous view, so intense.
I think I read most of the book I was reading last night and intend to finish the book tonight. This will free me up for a daunting session on Cochlear Implants and translating all of the techno language into a 6 page thesis. I thought that if I read a bit more on Nancy I could learn a bit about writing. Well, I've only just begun in Nancy's work and I'm already hooked.
I hold her in ranks with Hawthorne, Twain, and of course, myself. LOL yeah, ok.
I can only hope to achieve such a grand and eloquent style that Nancy carries.
Books to read: "A Troubled Guest" and "Voice Lessons". Plan on finishing "Plain Text" tonight.
Thanks to Nancy who knows when a girl could use some inspirational writing.

Walk 4 Hearing.

2008-11-28T19:39:00.000-05:00

It's May 2nd.
I'm not going to hit up my friends and family for money, but should you decide this is something you would like to do, send me a note and I will take your money.
I plan on walking this year and welcome any and all who would like to join us for a worthy cause.
Details in future blogs.

Thanksgiving.

2008-11-26T17:19:00.000-05:00

Have a wonderful holiday!
Keep your fingers out of the pies till they're served,
dont take the last peice of white meat with out asking others if they want it men.
And by all means, if you get drunk,
BE A QUIET DRUNK !

Captioned Movies.

2008-11-26T17:03:00.001-05:00

My local theater does have captioned movies.
But, they aren't what I'd call everybody movies. That, and it's once a month.
The "stereotypical" crowd of older aged citizens would enjoy the movie they have listed, I think.
I would rather see different styles of movies, like SAW. God, I love horror flicks!
Your brain understands that this is theatrics but, you still cringe when the victim reaches into the acid to get the key that ultimately should unlock the horrific contraption that's going to rip her rib cage apart... But, doesn't ...and her guts spill out of the floor.. breathe..
Ok, Run on sentence, I know and don't care. Ha, take that English majors!
Anyway, can you imagine what words they use as her guts spill on the floor? "squish" um, no. More like "screams end in wet dripping sound". I want to see a captioner have some balls and do something more descriptive!
For local listings, you can look online at your theaters website, look for the "accommodations" tab, and then for Captioning, the "cc" tab aught to get you where you want to be.
I will keep my eyes peeled for a good movie to see in theaters... and will let you know how it goes!

Reading and Writing

2008-11-23T22:04:00.000-05:00

I haven't had much time this weekend to really read. Took the kids to a movie on Friday night, which I must say did not go well. The PTA at my kids school held a movie night. For a dollar (per person) you can go and watch Kung Fu Panda.
We arrived late - and the setting was dark. Really dark. We brought our blanket and pillow. Not that the big kid would share with anyone else. Found a spot all the way at the back. Perched our tushies, ate our McDonalds, and watched KFP.
Most of my time was spent chasing the little guy around the gym, in the dark. There was a concession stand and no sooner that the last bite from their diners, I received many requests for money to purchase items. Did I not just treat your butts to McD's??? though I usually give in, this time I stood my ground.
Most of us HOHers don't do movies. I haven't seen a movie (in theatres) since Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, and that was subtitled!
So, needless to say I did not enjoy myself. On top of it all, the kids decided about 3/4 of the way through that they were going to play with their friends instead of watching the movie.
I skipped my science seminar (that I could have gotten a(very needed) extra 10 points on a test for.) so that they could enjoy a movie - out.
Good Mommy? More like sucker for a cute face. Don't give me that lip..... Not the lip... ooooh, OK.
Saturday was spent in the company of family. I made a kickin' Lasagna (one of few things we can all agree that we like). Who doesn't love Cheeeezey goodness?
Back to the movie thing, there are movie theatres that caption movies on special nights. Usually a weeknight, and most of the theatres are in the city. Wouldn't it be great if your LOCAL theatre had one, like say, Once a month? I'm gonna check into that. Lets see what I can inspire in the local theatre industry. ;)

Rethinking dog training.

2008-11-22T16:56:00.000-05:00

For one thing, over the last week or so, I've met some great new friends. Friends that shared their canine companions with me! This week I've met some fantastic kids that with the help of their canine buddies, are much happier! If you recall, I was thinking about training Katie to do some canine "hearing" things for me, and dismissed the thought. Well, after meeting these adorable pups (and their respective owners) I'm rethinking about it.
Even if I can just take Katie everywhere with me, that would be awesome!

I was given a pamphlet from one of these owners, and want to share this information with you! If you were thinking of getting a pooch, and have a hearing impairment or ANY other disability, it would be worth your while to check them out.

Canine Companions for Independence.

Service Dogs assist adults with physical disabilities by performing daily tasks.
Hearing Dogs alert the deaf and hard of hearing to important sounds.
Facility Dogs work with a professional in a visitation, education, or health care setting.
Skilled Companions enhance Independence for children and adults with physical, cognitive and developmental disabilities.

info@cci.org www.cci.org

1-800-572-bark(2275

This is a non profit organization! If you can donate, please do!

There are so many needy kids out there that would love to have a companion by their side!

Bedtime Reader

2008-11-21T18:04:00.000-05:00

O.K. So not a good book to be reading at bedtime. I fell asleep before the "introduction".
Next up "Cochlear Implants" by Susan B Waltzman and J. Thomas Roland Jr.
Already scanning through it - looks like Doctor speak to me.

But, it looks like I'm closer to bionics than I previously thought. Part of the evaluation process is to test recognition scores. Less than 30% in the best condition, is a qualification. My recent scores were Right ear 48% and left 32%. So, on the teetering precipice, I stand...Waiting.
I guess I should be glad that I don't qualify but, realistically, I want to hear again, desperately.
I remember Tori Amos' breathy voice in "china" hitting my ears, long hair flapping out the sun roof of C.J.'s Eagle Talon, with the sun shinning and my heart overjoyed. Back then my recognition scores were at around 85%. I could hear the high notes of "times".
At least I had them. Some folks have hearing impairments long before mine started rearing it's ugly head. Which leads me to think about a situation. I know many culturally deaf parents believe in keeping their children within the confines of the deaf community.
I don't know what I would do if my child were born deaf. I know that I love music, and that I would hope that my child could enjoy the same. Children can now be implanted at the age of 2. I think, some earlier. The Cochlear Implant companies want you to see the 5 year old playing the piano, with his implant on... But what about the one that the operation didn't work, and now there's no chance of re-implantation? Hard to think about but if they were my shoes, I think I would go for the implantation... Give my kid at least a chance of hearing the joy that I know............Music.

Bad Days

2008-11-20T19:15:00.000-05:00

We all have them, BAD days. Today is mine!
Some how every light turned red, every parking spot was taken, and I forgot to go to an appointment... Sorry Erica!

Would somebody Please tell me that Obama did not spend 71K on carpet.....?
Shit. I can think of some really poor folk that could use that money! Hell, that would educate at least two students in a community college, Feed plenty of homeless, even kick start a failing economy... Hmmmmm.? Hearing aids for someone in need, even a Cochlear Implant could be accomplished with 71k. I will stop now.
I read a book last night on "The effects of Genetic Hearing Impairment in the Family" By Dafydd Stephens and Leslie Jones. This was a compilation of studies done on different hearing losses. Most interesting is the level of annoyance of tinnitus. This is a big problem for many hearing impaired people!
For about a month or so now I've had an louder than normal, ringing in my left ear. My friend suggested I look to the League for the Hard of Hearing. I did! They have a program where you basically desensitize your ears to the ringing. Kind of like reprogramming your ears what to listen to. The program can take a while... It can help you in 6 months, or up to 2 years. It depends on the individuals needs. I'm considering contacting them about this because my ear is bugging me big time.
I start a new book tonight, "Cochlear Implants - Objective Measures" ........wish me luck.
P.S. the dog is doing fine. the kids are pains in the butts. It was "first snow" today. just a sprinkling but I'm thinking about my rusty old snowboard... (I bought one a few years ago to use on the 10 foot slope in my back yard) gotta start somewhere.. pathetic. LOL!
Maybe I'll just let the kids use it as a sled again....

Insurance Coverage

2008-11-18T19:46:00.000-05:00

I was wrong! This is one of the few times, I like being wrong too!
Some insurance carriers recently added hearing aids to thier covered allowances. You will still have to check with your provider to see how much coverage is allowed. Some insurance carriers cover up to $1,000.- per year. Others, not so much. The better the plan, the better the coverage.
For individuals who cannot afford hearing aids, there are numerous routes you can go. The Starkey Corporation has a foundation that provides free/ low cost hearing aids for those who qualify. You have to meet income (or lack of) requirements.
There is also in New York State: Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities(V.E.S.I.D). Again, you have to meet financial requirements.
If you do a general search for "hearing aid assistance" there is a plethora of information available.
Keep in mind that you have to ask questions about everything.

If you can't help me, do you know of another source that can assist me with the financial obligation of hearing aids?
Are there local programs that can assist me?
Is there any more information that you can offer me regarding my situation?

There's no shame in asking for help. We've all been there at one point or another in our lives. Also, try not to feel guilty taking the assistance, that's what our good tax dollars are for!

I told you so.

2008-11-17T19:29:00.000-05:00

The Hearing Loss Magazine for November/December, has an article on hearing aids and Blue tooth capabilities. They include in the article my hearing aids. I am delighted to tell you that there's a lot more than just these products out there! Many hearing aid company's see the need for blue tooth capability in hearing aids, and one person even suggests that they incorporate the blue tooth directly in the hearing aids. I plan on checking into this further. There are some great products out there!
Of course none of these great products are covered in your health insurance plan. The only thing that is covered is Cochlear Implants. For the Cochlear Implants, you have to qualify. Exactly what goes into the qualification process I cannot tell you at this point. I simply haven't gotten there yet. I do know that weighing in all the pro's and con's are vital to your decision.

All the negative factors that play into your decision making like permanent and complete loss of residual hearing, rejection, damaging the implant, etc... Can be countered by the positive impact It could have. I have heard great things about Cochlear Implants from friends who use them. I'm writing a paper on them now so, you can expect to hear a lot more about them in the coming weeks.

On another note: I got a "95" on my "Pulitzer" paper and have decided not to publish it here in my blog. Should you be interested, leave a note and I will reconsider.

I love Technology!

2008-11-16T19:11:00.000-05:00

I love sharing information on technology that might assist other people!
I am loving the fm system I have by Phonak. (Zoom Link) (Icom). Not only can I actually hear my professors at school, I've used it in other situations like a nieces birthday party. There were so many kids running around that day! I found that even with my hearing aids I couldn't really understand the kids with all the background noises so I figured I would give the FM system a try. Lo and Behold, clarity!
The fm system takes the sound in it's entirety and pipes it right into my head. My hearing aids just amplify the high end that's missing. There is such a difference in sound that during my usual appointment with the hearing clinic to rehab my ears, we noticed an immediate recognition difference for the better! My scores were improved dramatically!
Should I ? Could I? Would I? Wear the fm system all the time? Nah, there are times when quiet in a house filled with little boys usually whining or screeching can be golden.
This particular system with boot integration has blue tooth capabilities. Yeah, I can talk on the phone. But, only my cellular so far. The amount of noise in the background can make the conversation difficult. I just have to make sure that if I'm going to be on the phone for a while, that I'm in a pretty quiet space and that the phone call isn't going from cel to cel. Some cellular microphones have a short span of time for the mic before it cuts off the persons word/sentence. I found this to be true with a recent conversation where I was constantly requesting the person repeat them self.
I could get an adapter for my house phone in the future, if the need arises. Right now, I'm just getting used to all the new sounds, and using speakerphone at home. So, watch your language if you call me at home, the kids might hear and Joey's already got a foul tongue!

Say What?

2008-11-15T16:27:00.000-05:00

Ever notice when you're sick how your ears tend to clog up? Well, if you have a hearing impairment, it makes for a more difficult day. I slept all day ignoring everything, except of course Stephen's nap time. ;)
My ENT told me at my last visit, that I had negative pressure in my ears and that may have caused a slightly elevated level of ringing in my left ear. They're still ringing. My right ear has lost another 30-35 decibels at 1000hz. At the suggestion of a dear friend, who knows the ins and outs of everything having to do with ears, I'm going to contact the League for the Hard of Hearing and see if there is another way to test my ears or give me some insight into this progression that I'm having. I will share the results as well as the information to get these tests if you too should desire them.
-back to sleep.

The dog

2008-11-14T08:54:00.000-05:00

I KNOW! I should be writing about my hearing and stuff but, she's important to me. Katie started acting weird the other day after a game of ball. She stopped doing all of her favorite things like playing ball, jumping up on the couch to perch on the top and nap, following me around the house so that if I made one false move she'd get stepped on and yelp. She just hung around on the floor. She was obviously in pain. This got me thinking about Freddie.
Freddie was my first dog (without parental supervision). I was living with some roommates and they had dogs. I always wanted a Cocker Spaniel, and when walking around in the Danbury fair mall in Danbury, CT I stopped in the pet store to say "Hi" to all the babies. Who doesn't love a cute puppy?
I saw a cute little fur ball with a sale sign overhead. Who can resist a sale? On a cute puppy no less! Anyhow, the little guy just thrilled me to the core. At the time I didn't have much, in the way of money so I financed the purchase of the dog. (huge mistake to finance at 25%)
So, Freddie came home with me. I got food, a collar, leash and a bunch of other stuff, (financed as well). Freddie was my baby, I loved that dog so much but, after 4 years he developed a problem with his spine, which I now know is a Cocker Spaniel trait. So, If I didn't do a $3,k surgery to save him, he would surely die. I didn't have $3,K. Never mind his chances of survival after the surgery were like 50/50. Then~ another chance he could be paralyzed and have to have a doggie wheel chair. So the outlook was grim. I couldn't let my puppy continue to be in pain!
I put him to sleep. It was one of the hardests things I've ever had to do, But I knew that it was best.

When Katie started showing signs similar to Freddy's, panic set in.
We went to the vet yesterday and it looks like she just twisted a muscle or something. It does not look like the spine thing. The Dr. sent me home with Rimadyl for the pooch. She's already back up on the couch, jumping baby gates and bringing her ball to me for a game.
I am so relieved. But only time will tell. Freddie got better before he got worse. the vet even said to bring her back if she's not better in about 10 days and we'll do x-rays.

The Vet also sent us home with BreathaLyser +, a drinking water additive for plaque. She's got some nasty doggie breath and this is supposed to help that.

Many people with disabilities train their pets to assist them. Like a bark when the phone rings, or a signal that someone rang the doorbell. I thought for about 3 seconds on training Katie to do some of these things but, I just want her to be Katie. For a really long time.

First Post

2008-11-13T20:20:00.000-05:00

For my first post I figure I will clue you in to my personal surroundings. I am the married mother of three boys. Dog, Cats, and a baby garter snake we're letting go of in the spring when it gets warmer.
I am hearing impaired, Hard of Hearing, half deaf and there's a whole lot of other ways to say that. There's so many ways to say it but only one way not to. Don't ever call me stupid.
I might not have a "beamer" in the driveway (yet), I might not have Yale academics, but I do have plenty of life experience and very dear friends, that know I ain't no dummy.

What I would like to achieve with this blog is:

to share information on hearing impairments
educate those who either are hearing impaired or those who have friends and family with hearing impairments.
an outlet for my meandering thoughts!

Your opinions are welcome, just don't assume everyone else will share your opinion. ;)

If you haven't had your ears tested, go make an appointment! The first thing I realized as a HOHer is that you can't tell without testing, that you have something wrong. I waited many years before I realized what was going on. Maybe denial had something to do with it, but I made the assumption that I was fine... I could hear people saying things, just not make out what they were saying!
So, there couldn't be anything wrong. Boy was that far from the truth!

I have slowly, progressively lost the high end of my hearing. To the extent that I no longer hear above 1500 Hz. (Before I get on the technical stuff in future posts, I will finish what I'm saying)
The low end is pretty good actually. I have what's called a "Ski Slope" hearing loss. Picture the triple diamond! Starts out really high, then plummets to a severe low.

What am I doing about it? Nothing. There isn't anything anyone can do. Although, I have read an article on re-growing lost hair in the cochlea, they haven't figured out how to isolate it to the cochlea. See Guinness' world records for ear hair! Eeew. That is not something I would like to be known for !
Hearing aids are not like glasses, there is no instant "fix". There is much to consider in adjusting hearing aids, and even then if you're like me, you go back to the audiologist every week or so, trying to perfect it! We still have a long way to go. There are so many different adjustments you can make to hearing aids these days, it's not a simple "crank the volume."

Don't get me wrong, I love my hearing aids. I am currently wearing Phonak's Naida. See Phonak's web site if you're interested in looking for pics. They are about the same size as my very first pair of hearing aids!
But, they come in PURPLE. Stylin! I have yet to get them in purple....
The power of purple compels you!...... sorry.

I even got an FM system by phonak that allows me to hear my teachers without struggling, or lip reading a whole lot. I'm still exhausted after classes from trying to understand things, though! Never mind the late nights researching the many papers I have due, or have handed in already.

College, yeah. Ain't it great!
I am currently working on my associates in "Business Technologies." After that who knows?
Bachelors, Masters, PHD??? Options are grand. Potential even better! I wouldn't mind getting up there in smarts like my good subject "Joseph Pulitzer".
Mr. Pulitzer was an immigrant from Hungary. Learned, then later mastered English, studied law on his own time, purchased a newspaper, rose to great heights as a journalist. There's so much more to the mad man with manic depressive disorder, and retinal detachment that I can't possibly start writing on him now. Maybe I'll post my paper on him when it gets a grade and returned.