Relay an experience you've had with a deaf person and talk about any effects it may have had on you.

My Mother knew sign, and had many,many hearing impared friends. Some, like James- could speak really well verbally and also read lips, but he was deaf from a childhood sickness. Melissa, however- had been born with the imparement and could read lips and sign, but not speak. I was a nanny for them for about a year as a teen. I was very fond of them both. The only difference that I noticed was that Melissa did not 'get' alot of the jokes that the rest of us did. Could have just been a poor sense of humor though!

Um....... A deaf guy went to my old school but he was in the year above and I never spoke to him. The people in his year used to tease him though. But that was more because he wasn't all that bright rather than because he was deaf.

He could speak but it was slurred and he could understand others pretty well. That didn't stop people from talking to him like he was a little kid though (although as I said, he *wasn't* all that bright).

About 10-15 years ago, I was working in a gas station, and there was a regular customer who used to come in to buy cigarettes. He was deaf. I didn't know any of the "official" sign language, but the experience really demonstrated to me how much communication is not verbal. We used to actually crack little jokes back and forth. We got quite a good repartee happening. I can't really describe how it worked. It was all based on gesture.

My aunt went deaf in her 50s. Everyone in my family blamed it on "anorexia" when in reality she was a severe alcoholic. Everything in her body was destroyed by alcohol. We all learned the basics of sign language so we could communicate with her. I was getting pretty good at it, but she died. Her esophagus and internal organs were so corroded that she bled to death internally.
So, its effects on me and what I learned - Oh, the power of denial! And thank god I got sober or that could be me in 30 years.

When I was in high school I had a friend whose BOTH parents were deaf. Along the way I learned to sign the alphabet and could communicate with them by spelling everything out.
The day I passed my driving test I went out (without the car) with my friends and celebrated a bit by getting stoned on pot (my friend with the deaf parents wasn't with us). When I got home, my dad, who was still drinking at that point in my life, said that I should take the car out for a while and enjoy my new found freedom. I really didn't want to do that because I was high, but he didn't know that. To avoid any problem I took the car. I didn't know where to go so I went over to my friend's house who had the deaf parents and asked her to come out for a coffee with me just to pass a bit of time.
I waited in the car while she got her coat and everything. As she got into the car her dad came to the door. I pulled out of the driveway waving and honking to him. Honking!! As if.
Needless to say, that has been a funny story about me being high and driving my dad's car.

One day on the subway I encountered a large group of teens having a very animated discussion--entirely in sign language. I honestly don't know if any of them were actually deaf, but I suspect at least a few were. Mostly, I thought it was an extrememly useful language to have on a loud subway car.

no effects.

In college I worked with a woman who was deaf. It didn't seem to get in her way much at all; she was very successful in all her undertakings.

I'll relay my first experience; during a piano recital at a convent (charity). It was before I played and I stepped into the hall, where I tried to ask a nun where the bathroom was, and she was deaf and didn't understand me and I couldn't communicate with her. It was shocking. She seemed helpless, like a child. I ended up only offering her a piece of chocolate (it was nervous pee anyway) and going back into the auditorium. That's all I remember...I was like 7 or 8. But it stayed with me.

BeautyStar is the only deaf person I have ever communicated with and that was online. She was sweet.

I've had a few experiences with deaf people. My aunt's friend is really cool and funny. She taught us how to sign 'go play with yourself'

when i was a child i knew a couple of truely deaf people....it was cool though, for i learned a bit of sign language.
but i gew up w/ a "deaf" person. my mother is super hard of hearing and wears a hearing aid, her hearing has gotten progressively worse over the years. my grandmother is SUPER hard of hearing, my mom's mom. she wears a hearing aid as well.
i just made sure to speak clearly and loudly and facing them when speaking period, unless of course i was saying something that i didn't want them necessarily to hear.

Oh, I remember one! When I had to go into hospital (for observation) the nurse that was assigned to me would stare really hard at you as you spoke which was a bit disconcerting. Then I noticed she had a badge saying "lip-reader." She explained that she was almost completely deaf but an accomplished lip reader. I thought it was amazing that she could be in the nursing profession despite being deaf. I knew that it must have been a huge disadvantage and I respected her for how hard she must have had to work.

I think the only way I have ever come into contact with a deaf person is through working in call center/customer service fields. People call in using the TDD #.. it's weird using the third party for the call. Someone calls me and explains that they are the TDD operator, and says to me exactly word for word what the deaf person has typed to them. I have to answer directly to the deaf person. The TDD operator gets angry sometimes if you start saying "She needs to do this.." instead of "You need to..."

Deaf people are cool. They look awesome when they sign and every one I have met has a fantastic sense of humour.

It suprizes me that they do not provide a TDD machine for you, that way you could just type the stuff in. I used to have to talk to Melissa and James that way too. My Mom would sit on the phone for hours with Melissa, it always shocked me that she felt free to say what she wanted without feeling that there was a eavesdropper.

Here's the other side of your story:
When I moved to L.A., I had nothing but my shoes and my name to me. Well, my name was worth less than the shoes, so I lived in my truck for a few months, but finally got on my feet enough to get a room in downtown Inglewood. (To paint a picture, this was a few blocks from where the L.A. riots started)
I took the bus home everyday from work, and walked the few blocks to my building, where (below my room) was a Latino bar that always seemed to manage heavy patronage. A lot of times there was a "deaf" guy there, handing a card to people. (If you've never seen this tactic for bums, it reads, "Hi. I'm a Viet Nam vet, and I am deaf. Please give me money.")
I always suspected this guy of being a fake "deaf", because the guys in the bar were always making fun of him. Well, one day, I was standing in line at a fast food place. I saw this "deaf" guy go to everyone in the line, each of them read the card and politely handing it back to him. When he got to me, I just ignored him. He flipped me off! Then he flipped off everyone as he left the restaurant. They couldn't believe him.
I waited for him to be turned around, until he was almost out the door. Then, I said loudly, "Wait a minute, wait, I'll give you some money..." as I dug into my pockets.
The guy turned around and headed back my way. He realized I wasn't going to give him anything (as I laughed along with everyone else in line) - worse, he realized he'd revealed his own scam of being "deaf" by coming back.

Your story is one I know I'll be repeating. It's got all the elements. Very good.

It must have been a great strain on your family. I've always felt more compassion for those who "went" deaf or "went" blind after a period of having either. Seems it would be more frustrating that way than to be born with the ability.
How long have you been sober now?

The nun must have been alarmed when she couldn't understand what you were so urgently trying to get her to answer. It's kind of a funny story, when you think about it that way.

Is BeautyStar a member of SC? And why do you say she "was" sweet? Is she gone now?

As far as how that affected you, I'll bet that you speak to people with clearness and with projection. I'll add to that bet that you choose your words carefully. No one wants to have to repeat themselves if they have to shout it again, huh?

My own story: I ran away from home when I was fifteen. After a few months of living in my car - believe it or not - I got into an accident and got amnesia. My boss (I worked at a KFC) took me in until they could locate my parents and get things back to normal for me.
His roommate, another guy, owned the house. It was a big house, and he had his mother living with them. She was deaf. During the days, when the two men went to work, I was left with this 80 yr old deaf woman. I would mow their lawn and do odd stuff around their house as payment for their generosity, and she would always fix me lunch or bring me a soft drink - anything to get me to sit down with her.
I loved her! She taught me the alphabet in sign, and a bunch of words. I can still remember how to sign the alphabet, but only a few of the words. For some reason, I can still remember how to sign "potato".

Yeah, I have communicated with a deaf person..My grandpa is deaf..and I live with my grandparents..I interperate for a part time job..It really hasn't changed my life any..Deaf people are the exact same as hearing except for the fact they communicate in a different way..I have talked to toddlers, children, teen-agers, and adults..They're all the same as hearing people the only difference is they are a little more..Well let's put it this way.If you're fat, they're going to tell you that you're fat..

She was here about a year ago?? A teenage girl, totally deaf, a vibrant and energetic attitude. Amazing child!

Oh. I'm much newer than a year. Then, she just stopped coming to SC?

Yep.

Yeah, that's a good idea.. it would be cool if it were built into our computer and phone systems, so the screen just pops to TDD when the call comes in. I wonder how possible that would be.

i try to, yes.....funny though, i seem to be the one to always say, huh?i'm not sure if it is simply out of habit, or affirming what the person has just said, or if i really can't hear them.....huh?

I wonder how many deaf reps there are? Hm. Something worth noting!

Well, you just blew MY last theory about your communication techniques! (Just kidding.)
I have a habit of using "huh?" as well. Do you ever hover over the keys and try to fight the urge to type it when you're here, or online anywhere? Huh?
Sometimes I can't suppress it, and I have to let it have its moment. I've never noticed, in case you're conscious about it anyway, and I have kind of followed everyone around here for a while.

You use Ha! a lot too. I knew someone who used that all the time.

YES YES YES!!!!! i do i do i do! i am SO guilty of wanting to type huh!!!!!

"Sometimes I can't suppress it, and I have to let it have its moment. I've never noticed, in case you're conscious about it anyway, and I have kind of followed everyone around here for a while."...huh?

Alf? (That's where I got it from.) I see that a lot, even here - I think Alf has had his lasting effect.
How do you get those italics? I've seen bold used here too. How? (I tried it above with basic HTML, but don't think it will work...)

No, not Alf....

Admitting the problem was the first step. It all gets easier from this point on. Just hang in there, huh? (Damn!)

Who then?

It will be 3 years this July.

I have a friend who's been sober for just about that same amount of time. I go to his "birthday", give him his cake (even baked my own one year for him). He says I'm his Eskimo. I also go to meetings with him when he speaks.
It was amazing to know how I hadn't ever known him sober - not for a single minute - the entire first 9 years that we had been the best of friends! Once he became sober, it turns out he's the same person I've known all along. It's just that it's on the surface now.
Congratulations on your success.

a man

Thanks.
Congrats to your friend.

He does. But I better not say it aloud.

You're a playful one, aren't you? I can't believe I forgot that you were the one so resolute on me being "Dubbl". I suppose now I sound like the jerk, is that what you're hinting?

And I guess all of this was set up for Mandy's benefit, right? Since November of last year?
http://hometown.aol.com/dubblzero/index.html

Those are letters I posted for my sister to see - letters I've written, even had a legal aid write the formatted one for me on the credit card fraud, although it was pointed out to me that I replaced all the "fraud"s with "freud"s in the documents. To quote your friend: "HA!". And those are just some of the highlights.
Mandy, whatever similarities you see between that jerk and myself, I really take as an insult. I assure you I have never insulted you or ANYone here at SC.
You might take a look at your life and discover who you're still reeling in pain about to be so wrapped up in someone who it seems hasn't returned since I came in. I honestly feel bad for you, if this is the case with you. Whoever he or she is should be shot.
I'm making friends here, I think, so if you can't leave IT alone...please, young lady, just leave ME alone.

P.S. You wouldn't happen to be 27.6 years old, would you? If so, I hereby extend my sarcastic gratitude for all the one "bad" votes I've been receiving on my surveys. So many times, just one female of the same age. If you've been generous enough to give a number of my surveys that same, illconsidered rating, then I edit my first label for you from "playful little one" to "pesky little one". If it's not you, then...it doesn't feel good to be accused for being someone you're not, does it?

huh?

ARGHH!!!! i really AM an addict! **sobs uncontrolably** **sniff, sniff**
i need help, i do i have a problem.....what?

I don't know any deaf people.

If I did I would like to ask them about that couple who deliberatly engineered a deaf baby what they thought of it.

DO WE HAVE ANY DEAF PEOPLE HERE?

Oh, I think a candle's being lit for you for that one. You naughty, naughty boy. (The "candle" I'm suggesting being lit for you is more like flame-thrower, from deep within the earth.)
*tries to pronounce "tsk-tsk"*
*gives up, goes ahead and laughs*
Like anyone who would have been offended by that would have heard you anyway, right? (See you down below...)

huh? wait, huh? what's going--? HUH?!

...wha-- huh?

That was me, on a binge. About a year ago. Not pretty, is it, Miss justjulie? Now, do you want a life of THAT? Or do you want to be saved?
"Saved"? Ok, gather around, for justjulie - come on, group huh-huh-hugs!

That is funny! I didn't know that there was male reps at all! "Just another Avon Lady" I guess!
Oh, I smelled coastline- I like it! I got my order on Saturday I love the star necklace! It looks so cute on me

yes!!!!


i want to be saved! i don't want to say huh anymore! ever! well, except for maybe on weekends, and if i'm out w/ my friends having a good time.

heh heh huh heh....whoops....can i still have huh huh hugs???

what? so can i? huh?

My mother is an interpreter for the deaf, and is starting to learn how to speak to the deaf-blind. So, I've had my share of deaf people to talk to. But the most interesting I've ever met was one that I didn't meet through my mother. I was at a youth group thingy at the YMCA and there was this deaf guy named Michael. He was probably the most comfortable with his deafness I've seen ANYONE, and he was very interesting. He could speak very well (despite being deaf for quite some time, I think since early early childhood, or maybe even from birth, I can't remember) and he could read lips, so I didn't have to resort to my crumbling sign language knowledge. We didn't even talk about his deafness, not because he avoided it, but because it never came up! We talked and talked and talked. He was a very interesting person. Well, not was, is. I still go to the group every Thursday, and I see him there! :)

Eventually we'll all huh-huh-huddle for a huh-huh-hug...but first, it's 28 days for you in the re-huh-huh-hab! Off you go!
Huh-huh-hold your huh-huh-head up huh-huh-high!

ACK! I don't think we're in the most appropriate survey to be joking like this! I didn't realize we were still huh-huh-here!
[Late-comer, please note: I am poking fun at huh-huh-habits people huh-huh-have, not anyone's ability to speak.]

I'm probably going to huh-huh-hell for sure.
Huh?

Whoa....jump back, drama queen. It's not always about *you*.

I wasn't talking about Dubbl, I was talking about someone who has never even been to SC as far as I know....You need to chill.


*calm and cool as a cuke*
I wish I was 27.6
I'm 35 point something and I leave most surveys at No Opinion unless I really love them. Fixation on ones survey rating can be unhealthy. Best just to enjoy the survey for the sake of the survey itself than who is or isn't voting the way you'd like.
Accuse away. You're totally off base with your supposition about me(If you read back through surveys, you'll see I liked Dubbl, he amused me.)
I have nothing to hide, nothing to lose and *had* no intention of bringing up the former *drama* from when you last participated here. I've left you alone since you came back without once accusing you of anything(As for the prior mess, I said I thought you were Joe(male) and Jo(female) in the forum if you remember, and I asked you quite politely if this was so) When the IP similarities and password similarities for you and Dubbl were posted by bill and you came forward with your outlandish explanation of the whole unbelievable coincidence as identity theft, coupled with the Joe/Jo thing, I decided it was too messy for me to care about and I let it go.
I've shown great restraint since your return and whether I believe a word you've said about who you are or are not, I didn't plan to start a war with you about it again in this survey and I have no intention of being pulled into an argument over things in the past that I have long forgotten.

My comment had nothing to do with Dubbl.

Mmm Hmmm

I'll carefully respect that.
I was just taken back by the flinging I withstood then - and for nothing, absolutely nothing. I hung out afterward, just watching, knowing there must have been SOME reason (beyond MY binoculars) why everyone was so sure I was Dubbl.
I think you'd find - although my responses were "way-winded" when they came back then - they were seldom. I was in awe at how everyone seemed to be so close to their altered, unsightly states of being. "They" transformed before my eyes, this mob. A small group was even ready to pounce cuteasabutton, I think it was, because of the stupid IP thing.
As far as your subtle assertion (above) that I was providing "explanations to the whole unbelievable coincidences"...you certainly reveal that you haven't taken my link and read of the fiasco I've somehow got sucked into with that AOL screen name. Some of it's fun reading, give it a glance.
I confess I did like the "jump back drama queen". Powerful entrance, I think I almost heard you at first.

*kiss*
I'd rather not read. I really am too tired to deal.
Let's just leave it alone for now, umkay?

The drama queen line was in a very Noxema Jackson tone. I thought you'd hear it as such.

I heard a little Keeionieuaixu Reeves in there somewheres too (Keeaunu?)
Agreed then, I'm tired too, just looking at those over-extending vowels in that guy's name - and then trying to sound-it-out-spell his name. Forget it, forgotten.
(Sorry for snapping, guess I was the one who was waiting to pounce that time.)

What no sainthood? Ah, bugger!

huh-huh

i think that we both are!

huh-huh-have a beautiful day! huh?

Wow- can you imagine?
"The neighbors say I am the Avon guys kid..."
But they are doing better than me at it, so I shouldn't make fun.

Disappointing when life just doesn't end the way you hoped, isn't it? Ah, well.

Fire it up, boys! Dino's on his way!

I took care of a child who was deaf for a short time.It was no trouble communicating but she was a handful!

I knew one when I lived in a homeless shelter. I wished I could talk to him more freely, but it was such a chore that I ended up talking him to much less. He was a computer guy. I suspect he's on chat sites these days.

I know! My friend that I got signed up through has always done really well with it. Even now (her husband comitted suicide 8mos. ago) she lives on her Avon salary and supposrts her 5 kids. I don't think I could ever do that!

Oh my god.. that sucks... It's cool that she can be home with them though...

What sales level is she at?

1)My grandfather is kinda deaf but I had not experience.He doesn't talk a lot.I don't talk a lot-when I do a talk slowly and loudly,he understands,stop.But he wasn't born deaf.
2)I had a friend at elementary school whose little sister was deaf.She had a hearing aid,she could hear everything.She was a bit hysterical though,beating up people a lot.
3)A sweet deaf girl put a stuffed animal on the table on which me and my date were eating.She didn't talk either.She asked us for money,leaved the animal,thanked us.All without speaking.That was enlightening.You suppose you have to adapt or "they" will have trouble.She didn't seem to have problems at all instead.

Pres. Club or Rose Circle or something.... I don't follow enough to know. And I have never asked her either She is a great lady. I feel so bad for her that her husband did that to her and the kids.

I don't think I've ever met someone who was completely deaf. I went out with a guy who had a lot of hearing problems, that's it.

A deaf person sold me a brooch once.

I had a deaf friend of the family when we were teenagers. He tried to fondle me in the swimming pool, and spy on me when we were getting changed! It made me realise that he was just as oversexed as all of my other teenage friends.
He also taught me how to sign "Skinheads Suck!". Thus proving that deaf people are totally normal except that they can't hear.

Or...maybe it's an oddity that the rest of us are able to hear...? Hmmmm.

There are so many senses that not everyone knows about. Our entire 'conception' of color is based on a 3d color space of RGB components: If we had a an orange, UV, or gamma cone, we'd have infinity to the 4th, 5th, or 6th color permutations. Not all chartreuses would be the same, just as chartreuse is not turquoise for us now thanks to that red cone.

I was a library aide when my son was in elementary school. One of his classmates, Marketta, was hearing impaired. She had a very small amount of hearing, but primarily used sign language. I remember that there was a real problem with Marketta's mother who was acting as her sign interpreter in second grade. The teacher, Mrs. Kimball, discovered that Marketta's mother was only signing to her the assignments that she thought she might do well on and not giving her the rest of the assignments...generally she was being over-protective. Once her mother was removed, Marketta started doing a lot better in her classwork and started gaining better social interaction skills. She had no concept of sharing, losing at a game, etc. because her mother had sheltered her from those things. I feel that's a bad idea, treating a child differently because they have an impairment. With her mother not hovering over her, she did so much better. My son and I ran into her Friday night when we were shopping at the new Wal-Mart in Springfield. She has a job as a clerk there and is doing great. She has learned to lip read as well as using sign language and seems to be fairly well-adjusted.

i donated a dollar for a deaf persons' cause. A deaf guy asked me for donations.

I worked in a restaurant where we obviously aren't used to having animals walk in the door with their owners. However, we had this deaf lady enter with her service dog. I made sure that the waiter knew that 2 members of their party were hearing disabled so that he could pay more attention when taking the orders. His first question was, "What would you like to drink?" Naturally, we don't list our beverages on the menu. Luckily, the others at their table were able to translate Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Root Beer, and Tea. The deaf people could not speak and I'm not sure that they could read lips either. They used sign language as a means of communication. I did not feel like it was an awkward situation. Strangely enough, a lady came in that same night with a lap dog that yapped if she were to have a seizure.

My dog barks if I don't turn my head a certain way every so often...his way, haha!

Over the weekend three friends and I got into a cab. We were going to Julie's apartment and only she knew where it was. She was in the back seat and I was in the front. As she began explaining where she wanted to go, the cabbie interrupted her and declared that he was "deaf" and we would have to speak much more loudly. A silence, doubtless uncomfortable only to the passengers, followed. I then repeated our destination, very loudly. The driver drove us to a point near the destination at which time I attempted to loudly give him specific directions. Upon realizing I was speaking to him he became upset and indicated that I would have to speak yet more loudly. I did so and we reached our goal. I think what I learned from this experience is that deaf people don't make the best cab drivers. On the other hand, had he been blind, the situation might have been even more difficult. As it was it was just embarassing.

Sadly my only experience with a deaf person was a bad one involving the police and the child protective services. When I was a teenage we had a neighbor who was deaf and constantly used her disability as a defense for anything that went wrong in her life including being a bad mother. She had a habit of locking her 2 year old out of her apartment wearing only a diaper when it was cold and raining outside. The first time she did it my mom went over and talked (wrote notes) to her telling her this wasn't okay to do. The woman kept saying "I'm deaf, I'm deaf" as though that was an acceptable reason for doing this to her child. The next time it happened my mom called the police who showed up with a child protective services worker and took the child into protective custody. Again the neighbor was saying "I'm deaf, I'm deaf" though one of the cops and the worker both knew this and were using sign language. I know of a blind couple who have a sighted child and neither of them have ever tried to use their lack of sight as an excuse to be a bad parent. They are excellent parents and their home is spotless.

none

Hard to communicate with a deaf john in the dark

bnjhyu