Laughter's the Best Medicine

Photo by Deb Ann

The world's deafest fairy tale: A deaf man signed to a deaf woman: "You marry me you?" She had an ugly facial expression and signed back to him: "no." He lived happily ever after! (I changed some words around from somewhere.)


By the way, I had to steal the article from Seniors newspapers. But I'm not old yet, I just got to grab something to read out of the boredom while waiting in the lobby room. As all of you have seen Forrest Gump, the hilarious article I gotta share! So, are you ready to laugh off your butt?

When Forrest Gump arrived in heaven, St. Peter said, " Welcome, Forrest. You must answer three questions before entering."

"Golly, I hope they aren't hard," said Forrest.

"The first is, what two days of the week begin with the letter, T?"

"Today and tomorrow."

"Well, that's not exactly what we had in mind, but it could be considered correct. So, okay. The next question is, how many seconds are in a year?"

"Twelve."

"How did you arrive at that?"

"There's the second of January, second of February..."

"I see what you mean. That's not the answer we had in mind, but I can see where it could be considered correct. Now, the last question is, what is God's first name?"

"Andy."

"How in the world did you come up with that?"

"I learned it from the song: Andy walks with me, Andy talks with me..."

St. Peter opened the gates and said, "Run, Forrest, run."


Suppose Forrest Gump is deaf. St. Peter probably said, "Sign off."
Deaf Forrest Gump would stand at the gate forever and not sign.

Deaf Bunny

Deaf Bunny Dream


I liked the poem, Dust Bunny Dream by Sean D. Rasmussen, but I changed a couple of words such as dust to deaf and heard to saw. We use our eyes to see. Sean used most of the words, "See" in his poem. This picture is drawn by my youngest daughter, Hannah. KODA draws a picture and the eyes are so important to KODA. Have you noticed it, too?




A deaf bunny had a dream,
so real did it seem.
of flying away in a balloon.

Way up high in the air,
it soared without care,
in the light of the crescent moon.

Past the pyramids of Egypt,
and masted sailing ships,
that lay anchored in the deep blue sea.

It saw angels sing,
as they flew on pure white wings,
watching over you and me.

It flew over England and France,
and watched people dance,
in the castles that are there.
In the highest mountain,
animals played around a fountain,
and waved at the bunny in the air.

It flew toward the stars,
past the Earth and Mars.
Up, up, up to outer space.

There it saw the Milky Way,
but knew it could not stay,
although it was a beautiful place.

So with the night almost gone,
the balloon took it home,
back to its friends and family.

It flew back to its bunny bed,
with a fluffy pillow under its head,
as the morning light rises for all to see.

Deafhood Workshop in Rochester ROCKS

I asked Patti if it is okay to have her video clip posted into my blog and she said yes! Thank you, Patti! I want to share it with everyone in Colorado. I hope that we'll have a deafhood workshop here later this year. I believe this would bring a benefit to everyone. Enjoy the video :)

A Letter From Berry

Subject: Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program in Greeley Date:

Below is the letter we're going to send to everyone on your long list. We are writing to ask for your support to maintain the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program at the University School in Greeley. This is a fine program, one of the best public day schools for the deaf west of the Mississippi River. It has had a long history of educating the hearing impaired children and young people residing in Weld County who frequently move to Greeley to attend the school. This program allows children to live at home and be educated in classes starting in preschool. These students are mainstreamed into the University School where the hearing students learn sign language and deaf students are an integral part of the student body, participating in the arts and athletics District 6 in Greeley plans to move the classes out of the University School and spread them throughout the various campuses in Greeley and will probably make them a part of the special education curriculum. Deaf Education requires different teacher education and student education from special ed. Deaf students are accepted in community colleges, 4 year universities and post graduate professional schools. If they do not have the appropriate education to properly prepare them for schools of higher education, their future education will be limited. We all know the importance of education and to hamper this groups' education would be unfortunate for their future careers and ability to work in good paying jobs. One part of childhood and education is establishing a peer group and the deaf and hard of hearing need this even more so due to their limited ability to communicate. The younger preschool students and elementary students need association with the older students to act as peers and encourage them to stay in school and do well. Scattering them across 3 or 4 campuses will eliminate this association and mentoring. Changing this system which has been so very affective in educating an already disadvantaged population and proven so helpful to our daughter, her classmates and other deaf alumni of this school makes no sense and would be extremely harmful to the development of these young deaf individuals' lives. We moved to Colorado 28 years ago from out of state in order for our daughter to attend University High then a part of the University of Northern Colorado. We still contribute to the school to provide a room suitable for hearing impaired students. By the way, they require specific rooms for their classes which are already in the University School and would have to be built in other classrooms in the District 6 schools, just another part of the unnecessary capital expense this change would require. Any influence you might have with School District 6 in Greeley or with the Colorado State Board of Education in acting to correct this ill conceived change would be very much appreciated. We would be happy to discuss this problem or answer questions if you would want to contact us.

Maribeth Berry
Jack L. Berry, M.D.

A Letter From Leanne

Honorable Senators, House Representatives and Friends,

My name is Leanne (Berry) Carpenter and I was in classes designed for the hearing-impaired at the University Lab School from 1980 to 1985 in Greeley, Colorado. I graduated in 1985 from University High. I moved to Greeley from Oklahoma with my family for me to receive a better education at University Lab School where I learned side-by-side with my hearing classmates and was able to use my excellent education to then attend Gallaudet University, the National School for the Deaf, and am
a graduate of that program also. This is why the program for the deaf and hard of hearing at University is meaningful to me. There is a difference in education for teachers of the deaf and special education. The method of teaching is different and special ed teachers don't necessarily understand deaf education. It is very important for the students in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program to stay at University High because they can receive an excellent education there and learn side-by-side with their hearing classmates and have that camaraderie since the hearing students learn sign language. It is important for all the students in the Program to be on the same campus. The older students serve as mentors to the younger students,
encouraging them and serving as examples to stay in school and do well. This would not be possible if the students are scattered across the city and on various campuses. The Program is worth it!

Sincerely,
Leanne H. Carpenter

Tag's World with bloggers!

Wow! Me? I'm tagged by Kim at Living the Questions and Sarah at SpeakUpLibrarian.

Tag, you're it! Ha-ha. This is a fun way to get to know other bloggers better. Kim and Sarah tagged me and now it's my turn to tag others. It's going to be blast! So here are the RuLeS.



1) Each player must post the rules at the top.
2) Answer the questions in bold (my rule-the question in bold on my blog)
3) Tag five people you would like to know better, go to their blogs, let them know they've been tagged and ask them to read your blog.

This is just for fun, so don't feel like you MUST play. I won't be hurt if you're too busy. Here are my answers to the questions...

What I was doing ten years ago:
I didn't realize how busy I was than I am here now. As you know, I sometimes get looped into a computer when I have nothing to do.
I was a stay at home mom with 10-year-old Tami, 3-year-one Sam, and 1-year-old Hannah. I was homeschooling Tami. My life was always busy and exciting. I've been to a fellowship with a lot of moms on Fridays. I was also teaching ASL classes for kids and families. I drove a lot on a road for my oldest girl, Tami's activities and lessons during most of my toddlers' naps.

Five snacks I enjoy:
1. Movie theatre popcorn- delicious
2. Chocolate bars- when I had to
3. Tortilla chips and salsa or yogurt- depending on my mood
4. carrots- when I think I needed to
5. apples- only when it's fresh and well-washed

Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
1. Donate to deaf programs at better schools
2. Donate to Churches for remodeling
3. Give our house away to a poor family with children and buy a ranch with a lot of homeless or abusive horses
4. Travel the world with my husband and kids (included my oldest daughter and her future husband)
5. Donate to Diabetes Associations (my youngest daughter has Diabetes Type 1)

Jobs I have had:
1. A bus person at a restaurant when I was so young
2. Making pizza and other food at Deli Shop when I was in college
3. An assembler at a boring corp. when I had a first child
4. A Babysitter
5. I spent most of my life as a stay at home mom, it's a job!

Three habits:
1. Knitting
2. Coffee with my husband
3. Enjoying movies with my kids

Five places I have lived:
1. a wild dorm at Gallaudet University Campus (I stayed for two years)
2. a small apartment in Colorado Springs
3. a townhouse in Lakewood
4. an old small house in Arvada
5. a big house with 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a dining room, two family rooms, and a fireplace



Five people I would like to get to know better:
I already read Sarah's, Kim's AND Abbie's blogs and believe me, it's so fun! So I need to choose five bloggers!
1. Michelle at It's just What I Do
2. LaRonda at Ear of my Heart
3. Deaf Kathy
4. Jayme's Epiphany
5. Mary Ruth at Deaf Discourse

You can click at their websites on my right side of this blog.
Hope you enjoy!

Deaf's Journey

a photo by Kellenita

Deafread’s Journey
by Deb Ann

Oh! Give me an understanding where we read,
Where anyone with despite our difference
sharing and acknowledging,
Where we shouldn’t see any discouraging word
but honestly in a good view
we may remark and cognize,
And Deafread as an important journey
where leading us make a process to Deafhood.

My response to Sweetmind about Deafhood.

Here is my response to Sweetmind about Deafhood. She asked why we use -hood as Deafhood. I do my best to give in, but I’m not involving such knowledge of giving an answer about Deafhood.

-hood

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

-hood is an English suffix that means a "state or condition of" or a group sharing a certain characteristic. Examples include childhood and falsehood.

It gives you an idea...with the -hood as Deafhood after reading all the words on the list. Good luck!


Adulthood- The state and responsibilities of a person who has attained maturity

Brotherhood- People engaged in a particular occupation; “the medical fraternity”
Buddhahood- I couldn’t find in a dictionary. You can guess what it is.

Childhood - the time of person’s life when they are a child

Falsehood- a willful act of falsifying; a false statement

Fatherhood- I guess that it’s the state and responsibilities of a father who has experienced.

Godhood- It can be the Godhead or it can be a divine nature.

Knighthood- Aristocrats holding the rank of knight.

Likelihood- the state or fact of being likely.

Manhood- The state of being a man; manly qualities

Motherhood-the same way with Fatherhood.

Neighbourhood-a surrounding or nearby region; people living near one another

Parenthood- the state of being a parent

Personhood- being a person: “finding her own personhood as a campus activist”

Priesthood- the body of ordained religious practitioners.

Sainthood- saints collectively

Sisterhood- the same way with brotherhood.

Statehood- I couldn’t find in a dictionary. You probably figure out what it means.

Womanhood- The state of being a woman; womanly qualities; women as a class; “it’s an insult to American womanhood”, “woman is the glory of creation”

You can assume Deafhood means a Deaf unity. It's also an individual as the state of being Deaf and a Deaf journey.


Deafhood means a process, a journey for all Deaf people. It is not a measurement who is Deaf and who is not. It is a process of becoming the best Deaf human being one can become. It's from Genie Gertz in the link: http://www.scun.edu/~patrickb/DH/DH.html

I hope to go to Deafhood conferences in the short future. I'm going to get the book, "Understanding Deaf Culture: In the Search of Deafhood," by Dr. Paddy Ladd. It’s my passion of learning Deafhood!

Peaceful Minds by KODA

My youngest daughter, Hannah wrote this poem. She uses two words, "eyes" and "see".
It's great for Deaf, KODA, CODA, and even for hearing people, too. Enjoy her poem!

Peaceful Minds

Though as important the eyes may be,
Only your loving heart can see,
For those who dream in bed,
They are peaceful,
And do not fret,
Words do not come from the mouth,
Nor do your feet walk down south,
The words you see come from the mind,
And feet walk on the path they find,
So love you shall,
And be a pal.

Written by Hannah (10-year-old)
This photo by Mischuge

Univeristy School Closed Deaf Program

University School, which I graduated in 1985, announced that it ends involvement in the deaf program. It’ll be closed for the first time in about 40 years. It was opened before I was in the preschool with the deaf program when I was three years old. It’s kinda sad to see it ended like that. It’ll be no longer in University School due to low CSAP scores on the test, and probably that District 6 aren’t happy with the way the school controlled the curriculum. I assume the news was in the newspapers last year. I don’t get involved with University School and just talked with few of my friends about the situation of what they heard from University School.

The District 6 has no details of how the program would be transitioned. It’s still unknown, but I think they need to get it arranged now about what they would do next after they learned from University School as a surprise. They have about few months left to go. They know what they need to have the deaf program restructured by having great supervision, more assistance, and more support. Hopefully, it will be done by end of this summer before schools return.
I hope it will be located in our hometown as well because they have more than 30 deaf students in middle and high schools.

I learned something else from the comments. University School has failed to meet the deaf students’ needs. They didn’t help that much and kept the students’ education delayed.
The District 6 just pushed the parents to send students to Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind. It made the parents angry because they don’t want to send their kids to live in a dorm. They’re hoping for District 6 that they’ll restructure the program as soon as possible. It must be hard because time is very short. I saw one of the comments that one of the parents would go ahead to send her 13-year-old deaf daughter to Colorado School for Deaf and Blind and District 6 will be paying her transportation there and back on weekends. It’s about 2 ½ hours drive on one way.

I guess if I can keep you updated by end of this summer before school returns. I know it’s sad news for most of the parents and students. I am thinking if I can get involved and help them to restructure the deaf program, but I don’t know if I can.

A Parallel between Deafhood and Nationhood (revised)

I have always admired her vlogs and gotta show her vlog as to Deafhood once more! My family and friends need to see this vlog. It'd be probably new to them.
Thank you, Barb! :)

Deaf Fish, Ear is Off

I read this article from Rocketfeller University Scientist last night and thought you might be interested in reading it. What do you think?
http://www.rockefeller.edu/pubinfo/news_notes/rus_071604_d.php




Deaf fish yields gene linked to blindness

Zebrafish that can’t hear provide clues to deafness and a model for studying a human eye disorder
BY TIEN-SHUN LEE


For most men, hair is something you want more of on your head and less of in your ears. Not necessarily so for Rockefeller’s Jim Hudspeth.

Hudspeth studies the tiny bundles of hair, buried deep inside our ears, that translate sound waves generated by mechanical forces — the drawing of a bow across strings, the crashing of a car through a window — into electrical signals that can be processed by the brain. New research in his lab has now identified a gene critical to the process by which these hairs develop.

To better understand hearing, Hudspeth’s Laboratory of Sensory Neuroscience has long studied bullfrogs, whose extra-large ear hairs are well suited for analysis. In recent years, however, Hudspeth’s team has also been focusing on zebrafish, which are excellent for genetic studies. The scientists wanted to find a deaf fish that would lead them to key genes and molecules involved in hearing.

Six years ago, Hudspeth, who is the F. M. Kirby Professor and director of the F. M. Kirby Center for Sensory Neuronscience, and Catherine Starr, then a graduate student in Hudspeth’s lab, began the painstaking process of screening thousands of genetically mutated zebrafish. To find out whether or not the fish could hear, Starr repeatedly tapped on the sides of their tanks. Normal zebrafish will swim away from the sound. Starr was looking for a fish that did not respond.

When she eventually found one, Starr paired the deaf fish with a normal fish, and then used genetic mapping techniques to identify a mutant gene in deaf offspring. Because the mutant gene is similar to a human gene called Choroideremia, Starr named her fish gene choroideremia, or chm.

To confirm she’d found the right gene, Starr injected the RNA product of the chm gene into fertilized fish eggs. She found that 50 percent of genetically mutant fish, which would normally have ended up deaf, were “rescued” by the chm RNA. Like normal fish, they quickly swam away when their container was tapped.

Starr also created chm knockout zebrafish by injecting modified anti-chm RNA snippets called morpholinos into eggs of normal zebrafish. The offspring responded poorly to sound and had fewer hair cells in their hearing organs.
Starr’s zebrafish are the first animal models for studying a human disorder called choroideremia, but the immediate implications are less for hearing, and more for sight. “In humans, none of the patients with mutations in this gene had hearing problems,” Starr says.

Mutations to the human Choroideremia gene lead instead to a disorder characterized by degeneration of the choroid and retina, portions of the eye that provide nourishment and light sensitivity. People with the genetically inherited disorder progressively lose their vision, beginning with a ring of irregular sight that gradually expands both toward the center and toward the periphery of their fields of view.

The human Choroideremia gene codes for Rab escort protein 1 (REP1), a well-studied molecule that plays a key role in the transport of other proteins to their intended destinations within cells. “The next step is to find out how REP1 affects hearing and vision,” Others in Hudspeth’s lab are investigating that, as well as related questions. Former graduate student James Kappler, for instance, has examined the physical differences between Starr’s deaf fish and fish with normal hearing. He immersed live zebrafish larvae in a fluorescent dye that is absorbed by hair cells in their hearing organs, called neuromasts. His findings: normal zebrafish larvae show 30 spots representing fluorescent neuromasts on one side of the body, while mutant larvae showed only two.

Meanwhile, Avani Sinha, a high school student, looked at the hearing organs of larvae under a scanning electron microscope and saw that normal larvae had about 15 hair cells in each neuromast while mutant neuromasts had only one or two, if any.
“Some people who are deaf have no hair cells in their ears. Some develop hair cells fine, but the ionic balance in their ear is off, so the cells can’t signal,” says Starr. “The same is true of fish.”

In fact, there is another deaf fish in Hudspeth’s lab that can’t hear even though it has hairs in its hearing organs. “That mutant is in the works,” Starr says.

It was in July 16, 2004

April's Poetry Month

Drawing by Deb Ann


by Monna-Lisa











I guess that April is National Poetry Month. I got it from the newsletter by Mrs. Faulkner and Mrs. Shade.

Genre-Of-the Month
Oh, I think that I shall never read
A genre as fancy as poetry!
Words and images- such a delight;
I only hope my poem's all right!


Here's my Poetry.

Coming Around April's Spring
Coming around April's Spring,
Not so fever about it,
Thought to spring out the house cleaning,
From a corner to corner,

Never mind! Not do anything,
Or my mother-in-law'd move in,
So keeping the house filthy,
To keep her out- keep her in a distance,
Watching the flowers popping out!
~written by Deb Ann