Tips for Leaders

DEAF BAYOU e-News

April, 2006

. . . Common Bonds . . .

by:  Linda Annala, B.A.,M.Ed., C.A.G.S.

DEAF BAYOU e-News Contributing Writer

                   This month is going to be a transitional time for many people.  Because April

sowers (or is it showers?) bring May flowers as the saying goes.

                   However, what is basically the ingredient that brings people together and enjoy

one another’s company?   There are a few ideas or notions to consider.

. . . Who You are and Where You Are From . . .

                   When we introduce ourselves as explained in the launch column in March, there

are tangents where people can go down one tangent and explore the other’s interests,

favorites, pet peeves, hobbies or favorite movies, books, or games.  That is, if you had the

luxury of time to chat and visit. 

. . . Unique Features of Deaf+ Culture . . .

                   There are some unique features within a Deaf + community that no other

community can boast of.  One is the notorious grapevine that really goes from the East Coast

to the West Coast in matter of minutes, (er now seconds?)…Or through the fastest growing

Internet aka Cyberspace? Through telecommunications, and now Instant Messaging,

VideoPhone Direct.

. . .  Deaf Mind Cat? . . . Yup! . . .

There are other items to ponder such as, “Do you have pets?” which is not often asked

nowadays, but this writer usually volunteers having a quite Deaf acclimated furbaby that insists

on being cuddled every moment his Momma is at her computer and he’d stalk er behind the

office chair and waiting to tap her shoulder, just like people tapping a Deaf person on his or

her shoulder to get one’s attention. Any one ready to rap with me about cats?  Dogs? 

Ferrets?   Snakes, ugggh, Parakeets, Gerbils, Goldfish or finches?  Snakeheads?

. . . SPORTS Galore! . . .

                   Another common bond we try to find out from the other is whether they like

sports and which sports they sit glued to the Mega TV screen?   Or go to the live action

arena? Lots of discussions about a team or a team player that really hits the headlines or made

a soaring hit, or made the mad dash over more than 9 yards of the football field.  Or a golfer

beating himself with the #9 golf club for making too many bogeys?  Bowling Tournament fo

r High School students is under way as this article is being written.  Whoa, watch all these pins

fall apart as the bowler lets go of a 15- or 18- bound bowling ball.  Yipee, ‘X’  for a strike! Or

" / " for a spare, and get 10 more points on the next frame!  Way to go, Nikki Arabie, NEXT

YEAR!!!!

. . . A Small World . . .Yikes! . . .

                   Sometimes when a mention is made of being from Louisiana, the invariable

question is: “Did you go to Deaf School in Baton Rouge (BR-BR)?” "What class?"   Answer: 

Yes, No, or Work there.  Or “My child went there.”  If one is not from this state, then an

explanation of where they went to school.  Sometimes it gets much more interesting if one

finds out that the other two people living in Louisiana had been students at a NYC Public

School!  Then they will talk about who their teachers were, their classmates and even down to

where you once lived in the metropolis!    What a small world!

. . . A Chance Encounter . . .

                   Once upon a time two women, one was Deaf and the other Hearing,  met up at a

national conference on ASL, and they discussed down to the town they once lived in, then

'what street?"  "Webster Avenue,"  and both gasp, "House number?"  "97"  and both were

shocked to realize they were living in the exactly same house at a different time!!!!!   Even the

upstairs apartment!!!!
 

. . . Your Style of Signing Gives You Away . . .

                   Sometimes a person has a particular style of signing and one can haphazard a

guess as to which school for the Deaf they attended.  This writer managed to completely

throw off an ASL expert who published those famous sign language books, “A Basic Course

in Communication with Deaf People” by Terrence "Terry" O’Rourke, or TJ.    The writer just

happened to mention the fact that she had attended this particular NYC public school in a

blended signing with much of ASL and Louisianian blended and keeping her mouth shut.  TJ

gasped, “Oh My!  I’d NEVER guessed you went to that school!!! You've have completely

fooled me as I can easily tell from which school a Deaf Person might be from!”  

. . . FOOD!  Nuttin' But FOOD!!! . . .

                   Another favorite topic is cuisine!  What kind of food do you enjoy eating,

cooking or serving?   Here in Louisiana, you’d have to LOVE CRAWFISH, seafood, and

other succulent selections if you frequent a restaurant for their excellent cuisine! 

. . .  er, More FOOD stuff . . .

                   There's a CRAWFISH BOIL coming up on Saturday, April 22, 2006, at Daigle

Hall at Affiliated Blind of Louisiana.  Be sure to come early and get the 'first come, first

served" as the President of Louisiana Acadiana Deaf-Blind Citizens, Inc. warned in April 1st

flyer.

                   And not to mention some people who will eat frog legs, alligator soup, turtle

cheesecake and ahhhh whatever else they concoct as a tasty dish, even rabbit stew!  Some like

venison meat and wild fowls. 

. . . Wild Fowls . . .  Watch out!!! . . . Why? . . . .

                   (A cautionary note here regarding eating wild fowls.  There has been spreading

migratory patterns of wild fowls regardless of type, species who have been spreading the

deadly avian (bird) flu strain of H5N1).  This has spread to Europe, Africa, Middle East from

Southeast Asia and Asia.  If there are dead birds/fowl on the ground, report this to the proper

authorities and they will check it out for this possible virus!)

. . .  Then There's Something FISHY . . .

                   Then there are CATFISH (Fry/Broil Fish) to eat, however how they be cooked.

  They are a delight to eat!  Come enjoy one coming soon at LoUiSiAna Forecast Football League.

. . . Three R's . . . Best in Reading . . .

                   Another common bond only a few can share is the LOVE of READING!!!!  It’s

sad to observe many people today whether they can hear, can see or can read that they don’t

like to read.  This writer LOVES BOOKS and would read more books if she could, given her

sight status.  However, when someone joins in and say “I love to read.”  Then an exploratory

session begins with “What did you read as a child?”  “Oh, different books.”  That’s not

conducive to digging more of hidden treasure trove a person could ever possess!   “Oh, I love

to read Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene.”  That will elicit an enthusiastic response.  Sorry this

is for female readers.  For guys, it could be Hardy Boys by Franklin Dixon.   Guys today like

to read science fiction books, adventure-type, suspense and anything bizarre or spooky. 

. . .  Do You Like to Read? . . .

                   There are other reading enjoyments which can be found at a local library and

there are P L E N T Y of books to read and to explore.  One gift you get from your love of

reading is your ability to pick up more facts and interesting stuff, and you store some of these

fantastic stories in your heart.  Some books may not be good reading material and here

parents will have to exercise parental guidance concerning some dubious books that their

children read.

. . . Hobbies, Anyone? . . .

                   Hobbies?  What?  What’s that?  Oh that’s something you enjoy in your free time

or leisure time . . .  Hobbies can be a very wide selection, ranging from apartment garden

planting down to zoology kooks learning how a specie functions in a glass bowl.  Or from

activism down to zero interest in anything exerting!  Some people go for Art and museums

while others would go to Zoos and circuses!  This kind of list can stretch forever!  Then there

are some guys and gals who love to write stories, articles or even books in their spare time and

enjoying the writer’s cramp.  Oy Vey!

. . . JAVA, or "Let's Go for Coffee?"  . . .

                   Do you like coffee?  Tea? Slurpee? Yup, I sure do, I’d sign and offer: “Let’s go

to Starbucks or Mello Joy, or Chock ful o’ Nuts!”  If someone in this reading audience sees

the latter coffee house, they will know immediately where that was!   I welcome any guesses

via my email contact at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .  

. . . On The GO ! . . .

                   “Do you travel?” or “Do you love traveling?”  There may be a varied response to

this question, and sometimes you’d be surprised to learn you had been to similar city or a

place at one time. A bit of discussion as to circa when or the occasion for being there.   “Did

you go to Deaf Way in Wash. DC?”  Yeah, did you go?   If the other says, yeah.  Then you’d

be discussing what you enjoyed the most from this convention ever held on a large scale back

in 1989.

. . . Where Do You Frequent? . . .

. . . Besides Barnes & Nobles . . .

                   Someone had asked, “Did you ever go to a gay bar?”  Shudder to even admit

being in one at one time or plead innocence if you had never been to one.  It all depends on

who enjoys such joints and doing time together there.  There are many interests you enjoy and

some might be surprised to find out someone likes spelunking!    (Grab that dusty cover of

Webster-Merriam Collegiate Dictionary or World Book Encyclopedia Dictionary and look

some terms up!) 

. . .  Writers' Guild . . .

                   Or worse . . .  “Do you write books?”  And one will shudder and say, “Naw, I

can’t even write a decent paragraph for my assignment in class or course!”   Another will

admit under difficult circumstances, “I have to ask someone to correct my tortured English.”

. . . Mechanics or Technicalities . . .

. . .of English for Deaf+ People . . .

                   Don’t worry, you are not alone with this writer’s block!  Many people need an

editor to help  hem see where their writing needs clarity, improvements or better choice of

words.  Or suggest a descriptive passage for a particular scene or situation to make the piece

come to life. 

                   “I gotta go, but I really enjoyed talking with you today.  Hope we can meet up

again next month!  Ciao!”

Linda #3  . . .   to be continued . . .