Spontaneous Oftentimes, I go up to the port for walks, and then some people watching. It is interesting, all the different events and the diversity of people; beach volleyball, wrestling, musical bands, families and students from all walks of life. Today as I sat on the concrete wall watching Read More
Author Archive
Raging 8th Nerve 2010-09-05 17:15:00
September 5th, 2010 by Raging 8th Nerve
Posted in Deaf, Hearing Loss |
Raging 8th Nerve 2010-09-02 21:59:00
September 2nd, 2010 by Raging 8th Nerve
Heated Eardrums Through blood, sweat and tears, this summer heat has been frying times for this hearing-aid user. My soft earmolds fit snug and tight. 90*F temperatures combined with high humidity causes my ears to itch; all the extra moisture. It’s all squishy washy in my ear canals. And Read More
Posted in Deaf, Hearing Loss |
Raging 8th Nerve 2010-08-19 22:13:00
August 19th, 2010 by Raging 8th Nerve
1 in 5 Teens Every now ‘n then the news media has an important article. Hey, here’s one on teen hearing loss! Excerpt 1: The number of U.S. teenagers experiencing hearing loss increased about 30 percent from 1988 to 2006, so that one in five teens now has lost some hearing, Read More
Posted in Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, Hearing Loss |
Raging 8th Nerve 2010-08-03 22:02:00
August 3rd, 2010 by Raging 8th Nerve
Why The Shame? Now and then I catch a person staring at my hearing aids. Soon as I see ‘em, they look away, as if they were ashamed of something. But what are they ashamed of? I wish someone would explain. They might be embarrassed for staring, but I get that feeling there is Read More
Posted in Deaf, Hearing Loss |
Raging 8th Nerve 2010-07-05 00:41:00
July 5th, 2010 by Raging 8th Nerve
Got Life-Support? I’ve spent most of this holiday weekend alone. Well, it’s not as if I sat home and moped about it. No. I’ve ventured up to the port to stretch my legs. Into the pub for beer and grub. Over to the beach to admire the sights!!! Followed by a backyard chicken bbq. Read More
Posted in Deaf, Hearing Aid |
Raging 8th Nerve 2010-06-21 20:26:00
June 21st, 2010 by Raging 8th Nerve
SCREAMS cruel affliction, profound holedarkness moans, alone the soulsilent loudness, quiet blastlurks the Demon, shadow cast anvil, hammer, trumpets blarechain reaction, trembling airtrilling whistles, pounding drumscranked up volume, rendered mum a deaf soul seeks no miseryit finds him through Read More
Posted in Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing |
Raging 8th Nerve 2010-06-18 22:27:00
June 18th, 2010 by Raging 8th Nerve
I wonder how much discrimination a person can experience, and not lose it mentally? In my school years, kids bullied and teased me. Teachers wanted me kicked out. As an adult, most employers wouldn’t hire me, especially in my hometown. I had to relocate some 3 hours away. Ah well, f*** Read More
Posted in Deaf |
Raging 8th Nerve 2010-05-25 20:53:00
May 25th, 2010 by Raging 8th Nerve
Stupid is as stupid does I joined an on-line discussion about Deaf culture versus the mainstream hearing world. The participants did kind of side with the hearing world, such as mainstream schools, oral communication, lipreading and cochlear implants. Here in western NY there is a large Read More
Posted in Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing |
Raging 8th Nerve 2010-05-18 20:48:00
May 18th, 2010 by Raging 8th Nerve
Oil With That??? BP gives new meaning to a healthy dose of ‘ fish oil.’ Maybe all those oil tar balls washing ashore can be dumped onto BP executives home’s. The media keeps comparing this man-made incident to the Valdez oil spill disaster in Alaska, when really they should Read More
Posted in Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing |
Raging 8th Nerve 2010-05-11 19:40:00
May 11th, 2010 by Raging 8th Nerve
It Blows! Another strong storm will blow through tonight while I am asleep. Like last weekend’s wind storms, I will sleep undisturbed. Of course, should the house become airborne??? Different story, huh??? Truth is, I don’t hear the howling wind, nor the crashing thunder while Read More
Posted in Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, Hearing Aid |
Raging 8th Nerve 2010-04-01 19:55:00
April 1st, 2010 by Raging 8th Nerve
Bullies Again! A bit of action on the river. This is a repost from 2 years ago. A little story about bullies. Lately there has been a lot of news about bullies. So I thought I would put up this true story of my own little journey thru that pleasant experience we like to call . . . Read More
Posted in Deaf, Hearing Loss |
Raging 8th Nerve 2010-03-19 19:34:00
March 19th, 2010 by Raging 8th Nerve
For now… the hearing loss stories haven’t seemed to generate much interest, so I will give that a long rest. Someone play taps, please???? Checked out a new waterhole. A fire station themed bar up at the port. Real neat place, but like most restaurants, all hard surfaces. Thus, Read More
Posted in Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, Hearing Aid, Hearing Loss |
Raging 8th Nerve 2010-03-04 20:13:00
March 4th, 2010 by Raging 8th Nerve
Playing The Race Card I have never gotten a raise nor promotion at my current job. Nothing after 6 years of blood, sweat and tears. Two supervisors were dismissed over the past few years. Each time one left, some of their responsibilities were dumped on me. And I have never been compensated for Read More
Posted in Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing |
Raging 8th Nerve 2010-02-14 19:01:00
February 14th, 2010 by Raging 8th Nerve
My Living Proof This is the final chapter of my adventure as a nine year-old with hearing loss, in the hospital for a few weeks to remove a tumor from above my ankle. I shared a room with three other kids, identical twins Donny and Ronny, and Joey. A fellow named Bob manned the Read More
Posted in Deaf |
Raging 8th Nerve 2010-02-07 18:47:00
February 7th, 2010 by Raging 8th Nerve
’til Hell Puddles Over The story continues through the eyes and mind of a nine year-old with hearing loss. Still in the hospital recovering from surgery to remove a tumor from above my ankle. Help from above comes to the rescue in my time of need? Er… you decide. You can read the Read More
Posted in Deaf |
Raging 8th Nerve 2010-01-05 00:27:00
January 4th, 2010 by Raging 8th Nerve
Death By Low Batteries? I’m sitting in the den watching TV when this occasional beeping noise starts. After awhile it sounds more and more like feedback from my hearing-aids. As usual, I adjust the volume downward. I’m still hearing a beep now and then, so I jam the ear mold in for Read More
Posted in Deaf |
Raging 8th Nerve 2009-12-28 19:54:00
December 28th, 2009 by Raging 8th Nerve
Hearing Hangover The holiday went okay, but as is usually the case, the ears desperately need a vacation of their own. Constantly on the alert, trying to hear each and every word of every family conversation takes its toll. So I spent the past 2 days alone at home, with a hike up at the lake. Read More
Posted in Deaf |
Raging 8th Nerve 2009-12-24 14:24:00
December 24th, 2009 by Raging 8th Nerve
Good Natured I’m not much of a church person. One year I volunteered to help a Deaf church build an addition to their place of worship. During that summer I attended services. I can sign some, but I’m not as quick as others. Seemed like a lot of the membership didn’t like me. Read More
Posted in Deaf |
I Had A Dream
December 18th, 2009 by Raging 8th Nerve
There I was, back in my hometown, surrounded by old high school mates. Yes, they were all old, wrinkled and gray. Same long haired mop-heads, though! The odd part was this, everyone wore behind-the-ear hearing-aids. Everyone! These hearing-aids were H-U-U-U-GE!!! They were so big, ya couldn’t Read More
Posted in Deaf, Hearing Aid |
Deaf Fears?
December 11th, 2009 by Raging 8th Nerve
Recently I was asked by a co-worker, what is my biggest fear? I didn’t give a truthful answer, cuz I don’t share that with people close to me, so why would I share it with co-workers. So, what is my biggest bad-ass, earth-shaking fear? Most peeps that know me think my most dreadful Read More
Posted in Deaf |
Raging 8th Nerve 2009-12-07 02:16:00
December 6th, 2009 by Raging 8th Nerve
Weed The hardest thing I have to do every day is hear. It’s like constantly being on the prowl. Being so focused for the entire day really wears me down mentally and physically. In addition, my hearing has been sounding more flat for short durations. So I will visit the doctor on Tuesday. Read More
Posted in Deaf, Hearing Loss |
Raging 8th Nerve 2009-11-30 02:36:00
November 29th, 2009 by Raging 8th Nerve
Fenced Out I spent Thanksgiving thru Saturday visiting my brothers family. Sadly, it has become more awkward for me to participate in family events. It isn’t too bad when we are actually doing something, like star-gazing last summer. But being stuck inside the house during a cold rainy Read More
Posted in Advocacy, Auditory/Oral, Deaf |
Raging 8th Nerve 2009-11-20 00:14:00
November 19th, 2009 by Raging 8th Nerve
My Freak Years A post on the HLA forum asked what your favorite quote is regarding deafness or hearing loss. Mine follows: I like this quote by Paul Saevig: One coping mechanism I see some hard of hearing people use is acting as if nothing’s wrong. A couple of you who use this mechanism Read More
Posted in Deaf, Education |
Rudderless Mess
November 12th, 2009 by Raging 8th Nerve
I took my truck in for a new muffler and exhaust pipe. After the mechanics looked the vehicle over, they showed me the estimate and also explained, “Your rudder is bad. You want us to fix the rudder?” I’m like, “Huh? Run that by me again.” “Your rudder! No Read More
Posted in Deaf |
Raging 8th Nerve 2009-10-26 00:07:00
October 25th, 2009 by Raging 8th Nerve
Roughing it? The past few weeks I have worked tons of overtime, but I have managed to get in a weekend hike, which is a terrific stress reliever for me. Oftentimes, like today, I will shut off my hearing aids and just absorb the quiet side of nature as I explore new trails. One thing that is new Read More
Posted in Deaf, Hearing Aid, Hearing Loss |
Raging 8th Nerve 2009-10-11 01:57:00
October 10th, 2009 by Raging 8th Nerve
In The Beginning It started with elephants, in the First Grade. The teacher gave a bit of a lecture, then wanted us to draw a picture. I thought she instructed us to draw and color any circus animal, so I did my best to create a circus horse; one where the rider attempts jumps and Read More
Posted in Deaf, Hearing Loss |
Batman? Spidie? Who ya gonna call?
October 6th, 2009 by Raging 8th Nerve
The following information was recently released by the U.S. Department of Justice: Crime Against People with Disabilities, 2007 Presents the first findings about nonfatal violent and property crime experienced by persons with disabilities, based on the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). Read More
Posted in Deaf |
Phone Hex
September 17th, 2009 by Raging 8th Nerve
I’ve had issues with the phone again. Ya just never know what’s going to happen from one call to the next. The call was about bringing a $400 check to the home refinance closing, but I became frustrated cuz I couldn’t understand what the 400 dollars was to pay for. Turns out Read More
Posted in Deaf |
Raging 8th Nerve 2009-09-03 00:46:00
September 2nd, 2009 by Raging 8th Nerve
Layoffs Coming on Friday. Gotta watch out. Sometimes somebody doesn’t like you, that’s it, you’re gone. Not fair, I know. But I have been on the short end several times. Last time I got tapped, I exited the backdoor. Didn’t want to see the ones who ‘kiss up’ to Read More
Posted in Deaf, Hearing Loss |
Lost, but found?
July 4th, 2009 by Raging 8th Nerve
It’s no secret, my hearing loss can be lonely, very very lonely. Spending this 4th of July weekend by myself is actually the norm for me. I don’t really like it, but I’ve come to expect it after many years of social frustration. Is the isolation self-imposed? No, not really. In social Read More
