32: Tell Me How The Wind Sounds

Have anyone else read this novel before?

I did.

I was digging up few books out of a box that I had it stored away and sealed for a long time. I found this hardcover novel by Leslie Davis Guccione.

‘Tell Me How The Wind Sounds’ was published Scholastic, Inc. in 1989, primarily designed for teenagers to read the love story between a hearing girl and a deaf boy. Of course, it is fiction. I was amused when the book mentioned the issues that would be addressed in the book: deaf, interpersonal relations, vacations and physically handicapped.

But no mention of teenage love story? O-kay!

Really, it is absurd tale. It is more of paternalism/patronizing tale, really. One tries to read through the “tormented” mind of Jake, the deaf son of a local fisheman — please.

I attempted to reread the novel and I could not stop snickering the first 25 pages. It is typical teenager love story but with smack of paternalism upon Deaf people in general. According to the brief summary, it reads:

A summer teaches Amanda about life and love when she meets and falls in love with Jake, the deaf son of a local fisherman.

Aww.

To me, Leslie attempts to do something to build a bridge between them and us but she did it with paternalism.

Grade? D-.

Interested in getting the novel? You can check this link.

Cheers,

R-

33: About Gov. Patterson

Hahahahaha!

I cannot help but burst out laughing when I heard about New York’s Governor Paterson who replaced Eliot Spitzer after the sex scandal exploded in his face which prompted the Republicans in New York to pressure Eliot to resign.  Democrats abandoned Spitzer as if he has some kind of plague.

Well, well, well. Men are pigs. Paterson has replaced Spitzer and yet, he admitted that he cheated on his wife several times in the past. Should we replace him as well?

Hell, at the pace we are going, we’ll remove everyone else from the position — let’s face the music. Everyone else cheats at some point in their lives.

If Paterson can admit that he fucked women behind his wife and remain as the Governor, that is double standard! Well, Eliot cheated, too. With a prostitute, but so what? What’s the difference?

I’ll admit that Democrats are likely to commit adultery while Republicans tend to do much worse — the majority of Republicans are in the closet — Look at Larry Craig, Mark Foley, Ken Mehlman, David Deier, Ed Schrock, Matt Drudge and James McCrecy — they tend to be in the closet, voted against the rights of gays and lesbians and yet, fucking the same gender in public bathrooms!  Of course, Matt Drudge does not vote but he is closeted Republican who attacked people that promoted the rights of gays and lesbians repeatedly on his website.

I think everyone, Democrat and Republican alike, is guilty of sexual indiscretion at some point in their lives. But Republicans has it much worse. I’d say that the repression gets the worst out of their lives at some point.

I had a friend who works for a catering company in Manhattan and he had to cater at a private party hosted by closeted Republicans during the Republicans National Convention in 2004.  He said that he cannot identify who’s who at the party but rest assured, it was mind-boggling thing to deal.  He said that he had to sign the forms to ensure that they cannot spill the beans of what they saw at this particular party.  He went on to say that very wealthy, famous, well-known men whom we thought are straight were fucking each other like wild animals in the party.  Oh, by the way, my friend mentioned that the majority of these men are married.

Ahh, c’est la vie.

Now, what to do with Gov. Paterson since he already admitted that he cheated on his wife not once but several times in the past?  Where is the uproar about him resigning from these Republicans?  They are noticeably quiet about it.

I never claimed that Spitzer should resign. I just thought it was hysterical that he was caught with his pants down. But I also thought that he should not resign. The ones who called for his resignation? We should dig in their past — I can attest that they did cheat on their spouses.

Mark my words — they did, trust me. I know. I’m man. I’m 34. I know men very well.

Cheers,

R-

34: Support Marlee Matlin!

Call 800 868-3412 to vote for Marlee Matlin.  She is part of dancing competition on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars.

One thing I enjoyed the most about Marlee Matlin is her consistency with who she is.  From day one, she is very consistent in being firm with who she is.  Yes, she learned how to speak but that does not define her identity.  She does not call herself hard of hearing, deaf or whatever the term people tried to throw at her — she always said that she’s profoundly Deaf.  And that it does not hinder but enrich her life as whole.

Her identity is her own.  That is one thing I loved about her stance.  What she has been doing from day one is a prime example of what Deafhood is all about.  It is about one’s journey to discover the positive aspects of what it means to be Deaf.

Technology?  Sure, it helps.  But does it defines one’s identity?  Of course not.  When you remove the cochlear implants, you’re still Deaf.  When your battery for hearing aids went out, you’re still Deaf!  Having these things does not make you a hearing person — in fact, it makes you a freak more than anything else in particular.

Besides, who wants to be normal, really? To each hir own, the definition of normal is always different!

I personally do not understand nor care if some of you had shitty experience with Marlee once in your fantastical past, I met her once for a brief time and she was quite nice and funny.  I liked her better than Terrylene, that is for sure!

Today I watched the whole thing on that show, Dancing with the Stars — Marlee, like it or not, is a true representative of Deaf people.  She poked fun at her deafness like we all sometimes do.

“I’m profoundly, profoundly Deaf but I sleep great!”

*rimshot!*

This is why I am quite supportive of Marlee.  And you should be.  Remember what David Eberwein said about “Imagine the possibilities!”

Imagine this:  Deaf people coming together and support Marlee in voting and create a clout in voting and helping Marlee to win the competition?  Can you imagine the potential when the producers start to see thousands of Deaf people voting for Marlee week after week?  This could send a message to Hollywood that they might consider to get more and more Deaf actors to be part of its industry in the long run!

Again, I want to elaborate what Eberwein said:  Imagine the possibilities!

Marlee has made a lot of strides in Hollywood industry — just enough for the doors to open for people like Tyrone Giordano, Russell Harvard and Shahoine Reins.  I say, let’s unite behind Marlee by voting for her.

I did the vote and I expect you to do the same.

Bon Voyage!  I was saddened to learn that Jonathan Hall, the son of Dr. Percival Hall who was Gallaudet University’s second President, has passed away last month at the age of 96.  Not only that, Jonathan Hall was one of few people who can claim that they were born on Kendall Green.  Like it or not, Jonathan Hall is part of Gallaudet since the day he was born — he taught Biology and was the valued adviser for my fraternity at Gallaudet for many decades.  Thanks, Jonathan!

Cheers,

R-

35: Good Riddance!

Note:  If you want to view the whole strip — click on the image itself.

The Deaf Blogosphere is much better without you, McConnell. Good riddance!

Indeed, there is God out there.  Hahaha!

Cheers,

R-

36: Important Advice For Politicians

Note: I had been very busy with other errands and I have so much to share but I decided to post small entries in order to share my thoughts and feelings on different things rather than large entry. I figure it’d be better if I do small entry and it’d help me to blog and do other things at the same time!

* * *

I had been observing the sex scandals among famous and well-known individuals — notably with Jerry Springer of The Jerry Springer Show and the now-resigned Governor of New York, Eliot Spritzer. Both were caught for their actions in engaging the prostitutes. Jerry Springer used a personal check to pay a prostitute — apparently, there was a police raid on the prostitute’s home which led them to find the personal check. Eliot Spitzer repeatedly moved large funds to different accounts which prompted the bank to notify the IRS/FBI of its suspicious activities. In turn, Spitzer arranged everything possible at Mayflower Hotel in order to satisfy his urges.

Mayflower Hotel? The same hotel where the Board of Trustees selected Dr. Zinser as the President of Gallaudet University 20 years ago this month which angered the students and prompted them to parade to Mayflower Hotel — flared the week-long protest which is the celebrated milestone in the history of Deaf Community — Deaf President Now Movement.  Oh, my.  That hotel seems to attract drama these days!

But I digress.

Things with karma always worked out the way it is. It is hysterical to know that Eliot Spitzer prosecuted the prostitution rings as Attorney General and at the same time, was a client of one as well — spent more than $80,000 in 10 years of fucking women!

For your information, Eliot is probably sorry with the fact that he was caught with his pants down and his stick poking in a prostitute’s hole but he probably does not regret the fact that he has been doing it for decades. He is just sorry that he got caught, that’s all.

Face this, Spitzer is human being but first and foremost of all, he is male. As you know, men are pigs (or dogs, if you insist!) and they never had, has and will stick to one hole for the duration of their lives! They wanted different samples all the time, like it or not. Oh? Of course, men will deny this and dispute this with me but they are lying.

The message is that your penis is more powerful than your brain, that is for sure. Let’s face the reality: Prostitution is the world’s oldest profession and it shall remain to be in the future, like it or not.

But perhaps the most important advice for anyone who attempts to fuck a prostitute in the future?

Pay in cash, dear.

Cheers,

R-