Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Halloween in September

September 8th, 2010 by Our Journey To Norah & Our Exchange Student Annie from China

We have started the Halloween crafts early around here. This is supposed to be a skeleton taking his skeleton cat for a walk. They are made out of q-tips and some foam.The pumpkin is one that Norah HAD to have! It started out with some eyes and a mouth and then the allure of the magic marker Read More

Are deaf children getting the help they need at school?

September 8th, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children

The National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) is launching a new campaign later this week, and I’ve been busy getting everything ready for the big kick off. The campaign is on a subject close to my heart: making sure that deaf children get the help they need at school. Image courtesy Read More

Ear Infection

September 8th, 2010 by Life Is About Creating Yourself

In my last post I mentioned that I have an ear infection. I’ve had swimmer’s ear on and off for the past month which isn’t unusual for me. They’re generally mild and clear up after a few days. This time around, it knocked me off my feet. It started hitting me hard Read More

The Right to NOT Have an Interpreter

September 7th, 2010 by Life Is About Creating Yourself

Ok, I would like to make it clear that I’m thankful for the ADA. I’m also thankful for several situations where I’ve found myself in the ER or the doctor’s office able to understand 100% what’s going on because an interpreter was present. However, I have also found Read More

First Day of Preschool!

September 7th, 2010 by The Energy of X

Our big boy attended his first day of oral deaf preschool today, and it was a resounding success! After a rocky start to the morning, filled with tantrums (Must Wear Hockey Shirt) and general poutiness, we packed him into the car with his super cool hedgehog knapsack (sans peanut butter Read More

Tim Riker, chapter president of CAD, respond to Kokonut Pundit

September 4th, 2010 by Kokonut Pundit

In my blog, “Use of voice is way, way better than ASL! “, Tim Riker, chapter president (Sacramento) of CAD, responded in my blog comment section on why he choose to use his voice at the AB2072 California Senate Health Hearing. I am putting his combined responses here for ease of Read More

Helping kids have balanced lives: Many ways to be successful

September 2nd, 2010 by Hearing Families

School never came easily for Zach. He was only 4 when the teachers started calling Zach’s parents to discuss his difficulty staying tuned in to the activity at circle time. He started having problems with reading in first grade and since then schoolwork has always been challenging for him. Read More

Justin Timberlake

September 1st, 2010 by Life Is About Creating Yourself

I admit I was one of those high school girls who was in love with N*SYNC and Backstreet Boys. I had a N*SYNC poster in my bedroom and wanted to be one of their backup dancers. They had songs that were easy to follow with hearing aids if I learned the lyrics and beats (with practice). They were Read More

She’s Got Skillz – Part 5

August 28th, 2010 by The Gang's Momma

This is it. I promise. This is the last rambling of how we (I?) worked through the process of deciding to send Li’l Empress to pre-school at the tender age of three . . .  Not to say that I won’t post a follow-up or two detailing just how she’s handling the changes. Or how Read More

She’s Got Skillz! – Part 4

August 27th, 2010 by The Gang's Momma

If you haven’t read the beginning of the journey we’ve been on recently about Li’l Empress and pre-school, you might want to head here. Or, you might not.  :) It’s been a lengthy set of posts. But then, it’s been brewing in my brain and percolating in our home Read More

Names

August 25th, 2010 by Life Is About Creating Yourself

Names are difficult to lipread. There’s no way to figure out a person’s name based upon the context of a conversation or background information. It doesn’t help that I can’t overhear a person calling out another person’s name to get their attention. The only chance I Read More

What Does Hope Look Like?

August 25th, 2010 by Sneak Peek: Raising A Special Child

Sometimes it prefers to remain anonymous… and sometimes you realize…. it will outlive us all. Wishing my Grandpa a Happy 97th Birthday!!! Share your “Images of Hope” at Global Genes Project’s Vote 4 Hope page or Flickr group. Thanks for peeking, Read More

Give and take

August 24th, 2010 by The Courson Crew

I’m learning how to do this…b/c I’m just a straight forward person that wants the best that can be offered. Sometimes it just can’t happen that way for various reasons. We’re still working on getting everything settled for Bray at school. To make learning easier for Read More

An Open Letter to Sorenson Communications

August 24th, 2010 by adreanaline

Dear Sorenson: I was recently approached by your PR department asking me to contribute my artwork to your promotions during Deaf Awareness Week. New work was especially desired, the email said, and my work would reach thousands of visitors on Sorenson’s Web site and Facebook page. It would Read More

She’s Got Skillz! – Part 3

August 24th, 2010 by The Gang's Momma

The first part of this series can be found here. In case you care to read the full story of our foray into the world of pre-school. . . So. I’m sure you are getting the picture by now that the decision to put Li’l Empress into the local E@ster Se@ls pre-school program was not made Read More

She’s Got Skillz! – Part 2

August 23rd, 2010 by The Gang's Momma

If you missed Friday’s post on my first tip-toes into conversations about pre-school, head here.  Otherwise, read on… Li’l Empress’s unilateral hearing creates some unique (to her) circumstances that make pre-school this year (at the tender, early Read More

X Factor: looking for pig talent

August 23rd, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children

This could be interesting, I thought, as I sat down for my Saturday evening viewing. Pigs battling it out, a kind of “Porkie’s Got Talent” and a plethora of terrible bacon-related puns from Dermot? Alas, it was one of many subtitling errors on Saturday’s opening to the Read More

Just Sayin’ Saturday: Let Him Be A Kid

August 21st, 2010 by Sneak Peek: Raising A Special Child

“Childhood should be a journey, not a race.” — Unknown. This weeks quote is from Angela, she is a dedicated mom to two boys, John and Jacob. She is also a loving foster mom to “T”. Whew! You can read more about their journey here. I am wishing them lots of luck, Read More

Transcript of California Senate Appropriations Committee Hearing

August 20th, 2010 by moderator

Transcript of California Senate Appropriations Committee hearing relating to AB 2072, Thursday, August 12, 2010 SEN. CHRISTINE KEHOE (Chair): AB 2072. This is deaf education. It’s amended per the author to restrict the role of audiologists, modify the panel composition and make other Read More

She’s Got Skillz!

August 20th, 2010 by The Gang's Momma

“School” has been a big topic of conversation around The Gang’s house recently. The older boys are mentally gearing up for another year of home-study via their individual cyber schools. The middle two kids are anxiously awaiting news of their homeroom assignments and what Read More

Good day :)

August 19th, 2010 by The Courson Crew

quick update: Bray made a 100 on his 2nd spelling test! So proud of that guy! He had an appt. with the audiologist today to have his ears mapped. It was true that his right was too loud and hurting his ear. His levels came way down, but all is well now and he is much happier. He also had an appt Read More

New blog from deaf young person

August 17th, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children

I have competition: a young deaf person, who did some work experience for the National Deaf Children’s Society recently, has set up her own blog, called Feel the Breeze. Already she’s been talking about subtitles, the underground and Ryanair – which incidentally happen to be the Read More

Mendoza Bill in California Creates Ethical and Legal Issues

August 16th, 2010 by moderator

http://www.speroforum.com/a/38256/Mendoza-bill-in-California-creates-ethical-and-legal-issues Read More

EMERGENCY CALL TO ACTION

August 15th, 2010 by admin

Meet at the Sacramento Capitol’s cafeteria on Monday the 16th and Tuesday the 17th 9am! Wear your yellow “NO ON AB 2072″ shirts. For those who doesn’t have one, we will be giving them out! Be on the lookout for further action planning! Read More

Transcript of AB2072 hearing on 8-9-10

August 13th, 2010 by moderator

Transcript of California State Senate Appropriations Committee hearing relating to AB2072, August 9, 2010 SENATOR CHRISTINE KEHOE (Chair): And we are going to bring up Mr. Mendoza now to take up AB 2072 on hearing screening. A number of citizens have come to the Capitol to testify on this, and Read More

Why never to say “Oh, it doesn’t matter” to a deaf person

August 13th, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children

Image courtesy of NDCS A posting by Tiger Mother on the National Deaf Children’s Society website reminded me of a key cardinal rule with deaf children (and adults). If they miss something and ask you to repeat, never EVER say: “Oh, it doesn’t matter.” As an adult, I Read More

AB2072 on APPR. Suspense File does not mean “suspended”

August 12th, 2010 by Kokonut Pundit

A recent DCARAVLOG video signed the word “suspense” as in “suspend.” It’s not quite the word nor the same thing. The AB2072 bill is currently placed in the APPR suspense file because staffs think this bill will cost the state more than $150,000 to implement. … Read More

Sample Letter to the Senate Appropriations Committee

August 6th, 2010 by moderator

Dear Senator _______________:                                               Re: OPPOSE-AB 2072 I am writing to ask that you vote NO on AB 2072 when the bill appears before the Appropriations Committee.  I am a user of American Sign Language and I Read More

Think Before You Ask, Please

August 6th, 2010 by Sneak Peek: Raising A Special Child

Today’s Guest Peeker is sweet Katy from Louisiana. We have a date, her & I, to meet next April in New Orleans for Mom 2.0 conference. She is all kinds of wonderful. I am seriously jealous of her educational units and her iPad. {She says it belongs to Charlie…yeah, um sure it does Read More

Yenoidnknumwha

August 5th, 2010 by Life Is About Creating Yourself

Yenoidnknumwha You’re probably wondering if the above word is a typo. No, it’s not. It’s a word that exists in my dictionary. Before I explain what this word means, I want to touch on some common reactions I get from strangers when they realize I’m deaf. The Let Me Read More