Toy Robot Musuem Part II

Last of the photos!

Toy Robot Museum Part I

Today we hit Adamstown, PA to Stroudt
Village where we went to the Toy Robot
Museum :] It was a nice family affair,
Baba, Uncle Robbie, Uncle David, Jack
& Me. *Danger Will Robinson, Danger!*

For my low-vision readers

For those of you who felt my previous blog template was hard to read, please let me know how this looks now? If its still bothersome, I will change to a simple black and white template, but I do dig the blue.

In other news I have a pain in the neck, literally! It all started about 5-6 weeks ago, I felt a mild pain in the area where the neck, shoulder meet. Thinking I had slept the wrong way or bunched up it would go away. Fast forward to 2 visits to 6 Flags and then bringing my mother 2 kitchen table chairs last Monday, the pain grew worse and started to spread down my back :( Not fun. I ended up at the doctor's tuesday where he prescribed a muscle relaxer and prednisone for my inflammation. Neither did squat, and the pain really began to bug me out! I went back today and it turns out my neck muscle is so tensed that the new doctor, a real swell guy explained I had or have pinched nerve(s) along with muscle spasms. Lovely indeed, not. I also did not react well to the prednisone, gave me this annoying headache and neither of the 1st batch of meds helped, so today I got a different batch and ahh finally some relief. I will also see a physical therapist Monday to work out the kinks and get those muscle fibers to loosen their death grips and free up the nerves. This may put a damper on my plans to volunteer at another camp the 1st week of August but my health must come first.

Meanwhile Jack came back from NYC and its nice having him home with Baba and me. He drove me to the doctors this morning too and in his own way, taking care of me the way men do, sort of by my instructions and somewhat gentle nudges. The best medicine by far are is sweet kisses, as he has the nicest lips ever. We stopped by one of those redboxes and grabbed 2 movies for a stay home kind of day. The meds make me tired but I was tired anyways because every time I rolled over to my right side (I am a side sleeper, not the kind who sleep on their stomach or back), I would wake up in pain. Speaking of pain, I am due for another painkiller shortly along with a muscle relaxer in a few hours. No it doesn't make me loopy or give me a high like some painkillers do. I am deathly allergic to codeine or any morphine derivatives, they make me sicker than a mule or cow with mad cow disease ha ha, remember mad cow? Apparently the kind of painkiller I am taking is chloroform, the old anesthesia used back in the day and it does help.

Hopefully I will feel back to normal in a few weeks, but what I really hope for is a good night's sleep with a lot less pain in the next day or two. Alrighty, time to get back to the movie Jack and I are watching, he is impatiently waiting for me to finish this post ;-)

Who I write like

I write like
Kurt Vonnegut

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

Fun, who do you write like???

My follow up to the 2 comments

Left for my Madison Square Garden Post;

For the 1st comment, yes I will change the
colors on my blog to one that's more
appropriate to low-vision readers, but
at this time I am at a camp volunteering
and do not have access to the computer
or the ability to respond directly to the 2
comments. This weekend I will deAfinitely
change the colors, no problem!

For the 2nd comment (my dear friend Bram)
I attended this event with a hearing friend
in addition to 2 other Deafies and I had to
ask her to terp the words spoken in between
the songs so it wasn't a matter of oversight
or noise, but plain old unprofessionalism
on both of the interpreters' behalf. As I
stated before the male interpreter for
most part did a good job. I just resented
when he did not interpret what was being
said and I can tell the difference between
when a terp looks over to gather more
information compared to just plain "enjoying
the view."
Now for the record, I will NOT excuse the 2nd
female interpreter once so ever. She was
NOT prepared. She should have rehearsed
during her FREE time and not on my time!
I don't mind an occasional glance to NOTES
for ASL translations but anything else is
plain old laziness and I will not tolerate
that. She took away from my music concert
experience and she ought to be ashamed
of herself to accept payment. I seriously
have doubts about someone who accepts
an interpreting job that demands not only
professionalism but the ability to perform
in a similar manner as the performer. I am
not saying ASL terps have to be actors but
enthusiasm while interpreting a show is
part of the job. I hope she read my post, and
takes a moment to extend an apology to
me and the others who were cheated out
of a good experience so she could get a
paycheck.
Lastly I realize interpreters both Deaf &
Hearing make mistakes and I will be the
1st to admit mine. For example last week
I terped for our mutual friend at the ADA
celebration sponsored by NYPL and let me
tell you, I messed up BIG time when one of
the speakers decided to read his work/essay
which involved numerous analogies and
unusual adjectives that had me stumbling/
fumbling along the way. I immediately
looked to the other CDI to take over as I was
out of my league and I also apologized to
the person I was providing tactile terping
for. It made me feel bad that I did not give
the 100% expected of me and I am not even
certified.
Bram, I'd like to think due to our work
experiences together that you would've been
prepared for any show you terp at Madison
Square Gardens. But I also hope that if
it a performer or a show that you are not
familiar with or perhaps is not your style
that you would decline the job and allow
another interpreter who have the ability
to give a stellar terp performance take the
job.
I have no problem with novice terps doing
jobs like doctor's appt, school meetings
etc etc but when it comes to entertainment
or legal aspect in which I along with other
Deafies shell out our hard earned money,
we expect the best of the best.

The email address

To write your own complaint whether it
was recent or 10 years ago at this
venue is disabledservices@thegarden.com
don't keep letting this giant money making
corporation keep taking our $$$ and giving
us shitty services!

Dear Madison Square Gardens

I am writing to your "disability" service
coordinators to let you know how appalled
I was at the Friday night July 9, 2010
Lady Gaga concert. I was one of your
DEAF attendees and let me tell you,
the accommodations were the worst
I've ever seen and I've been to numerous
music concerts (Poison, RadioHead,
Aerosmith, Alice in Chains, etc etc).
First of the bat, the location where we
were essentially corralled like a herd
of cattle was to the left of the stage on
the 3rd floor. We were often blinded by
the stage lights! And really couldn't
see the show well at all! As Deafies
we rely on our vision to enjoy music
concerts and some of us don't even
care about the music but Lady Gaga's
as a performance artist. We had a
poor view of Lady Gaga's profile
and we could hardly see the tv
screen either! I was astonished by
our placement :(
2ndly the two interpreters were not
at a level of professionalism I expected
from this kind of venue. You certainly
can afford to hire the very best of the best.
The female interpreter was obviously
not prepared, didn't know the songs,
used her cell phone to read off the lyrics,
or her partner interpreter fed her the lines.
She was uncomfortable and it showed. I
was extremely disappointed in her poor,
novice like signs and the lack of enthusiasm!
She took away from my experience in
enjoying the Lady Gaga concert :( I couldn't
even look at her because I was so disgusted
by the lowly standards your venue employs.
The 2nd interpreter, the guy did somewhat
better. He knew some of the songs and
actually portrayed Lady Gaga style. What
I didn't like about both of them is that they
often did NOT sign what was being said in
between the sets. I can with my hearing aid
hear some and it annoyed me to no end to be
cheated out of a music concert experience.
Both terps often turned away from us to watch
the show which I wouldn't have minded if
they weren't signing but when they were
working their focus should have been on US.
We didn't pay for them to enjoy the concert
And I sure hope you didn't either because
you along with me got ripped off! I have no
idea which Interpreting Agency you used but
I highly recommend you find a new one or
hire an ASL (DEAF) consultant for your future
music concerts in which they can be there
when you hire interpreters and to make sure
they are qualified for the task.
Lastly, I paid just under a $hundred$ to see
this show and I can assure you I have no
intention of ever coming back to Madison
Square Gardens. You treated us Deafies like
we were garbage. You actually left a
bitter taste in my mouth that I had
to wait a few days to write this post. And
you know what else, I am sure Lady Gaga if
she knew you treated us like freaks *and not
in a good way* she would be just as livid as
we are! I will deAfinitely tell my friends not
to waste their time attending your venue since
you've wasted my time and hard earned $$$ (I
work 3 jobs so when I spend my $$$ it better
be worth it!)
I await your reply to my complaint and to your
failure to provide the services promised.
Sincerely yours,
-DC

A few more pixs

from last night's concert. Sadly my T-mobile Sidekick III camera doesn't
do justice!

Photo homeage to

All the Freaks that took fandom to a new
level :] gotta love the Lady Gaga fans!

To my fellow Little Monsters!

I look forward to seeing you at Madison
Square Gardens in mere hours.
And for the what I hope will be visual eye
candy but also unforgettable show! What I
like about Lady Gaga is she's a mix of Glam,
Shock, Theatrics, Dark, Edgy and so on.
Her work makes me think and I like that in
an Artist. And I am sure tonight's show won't
disappoint ;}

No Maine visit this year

Well I came home from my 2nd tax
preparation session and let me say, I am
not happy :( I will receive a measly $95
from federal and stupid me I paid them
$100 because I was very tired when I did
it and meant to pay them $25 and the state
$100. But it happened the other way around.
Now I gotta hope/pray/do a rain dance that
the federal government refunds me that
$100? Otherwise I am gonna have to chase
it down! Meanwhile I owe state a little
more than $1100! Ay yi yi, and so far I've
only paid them $25. The worst part of it
all is last year working at the Maine camp
actually cost me more than I earned and
really skewed my taxes! In fact I realize
going to work at the camp again this
summer would just recreate problems for
me when its time to do 2010 taxes. I sent
Ronnie an apologetic email stating I
wouldn't be able to come this year and
it sucks! Lucky for me, she was completely
understanding but this will be the 1st
summer in like 5 years I won't be going to
Maine, not cool. Plus I spent almost
$300 getting my taxes done in total, argh!
I sort of wanna join those crazy militants
in the mid-west who live off the grid,
hunting and fishing, sprouting out anti-
government sentiments about refusing to
pay taxes!

Unfortunately we do hafta pay taxes and
here's a nifty link that debunks all the
floating myths out there about not having
to pay taxes!
http://docs.law.gwu.edu/facweb/jsiegel/Personal/taxes/IncomeTax.htm
I do however wish there was a section on
the tax return in which we could check off
how we want our taxes used for? Such as
education, road repairs, hospitals etc etc..
I mean if we have to pay them, I think we
would feel better knowing where the $$$
goes to? I know it would take some of the
sting out with having to owe anything.

But damn as a recent graduate who works
3 jobs and barely gets by I resent the
amount of taxes I am hit with. Specifically
with NYC! They really get you for working
out of state but unfortunately for me, I
have to. I guess this Fall I will have to set
up automatic deductions from both jobs
to set aside $$ into a savings accounts
so that next Spring I can just pay the state
taxes without feeling violated.

Miserably hot

Here in the NE! These higher than above
temperatures has everyone really cranky grrr!
We need relief asap!

Advice to NYC tourist

If you see the subway come and there's an
empty car, BEWARE. It could mean the following;

1- the AC is broken
2- someone vomited, pissed or other bodily fluids
3-a homeless person is passed out and the car reeks!

Brought to you by your friendly neighborhood NYer

Oh beautiful for spacious skies...

For amber waves of grain. For purple mountain
Majesties upon this fruitful plain.
America, america, God shed his grace on thee

Sorry folks tried to snap some beautiful
country side photos from my window
while riding the Amtrak train back to NYC!

Weekly Mutterings #388

Brought to you by http://subliminal.lunanina.com/

1-Authorized::permitted
2-Flirting::fun
3-Bad::kitty
4-Digit::numbers
5-Sexy::hottie
6-Combination::lock
7-Guard::protect
8-Retina::eye lens (hope mine never detaches!)
9-Motion::pictures
10-Concert::music (this coming Friday I get to see Lady Gaga perform at
Madison Square Gardens!)

Happy 4th of July!

Tonight the whole family convened at
Baba's to order pizza & watch fireworks
nearby. It was great! We caught the end
of the Wizard of Oz, snacked on cocktail
jumbo shrimps & crudities with french
onion dip too! As for the fireworks which
started at 9:15pm, we didn't have to go
but a few feet outside Baba's door. The
country club across the street were having
fireworks so we grabbed a bunch of folding
chairs and set ourselves up. Awesome
and some of the neighbors followed our
lead too! This has to be an annual family
tradition from now on!
Happy 4th of July!

Gratitude & manners, the lack of thereof

I stumbled across this quote "Earth
produces nothing worse than an ungrateful
man."-Decimus Magnus Ausonius

I agree! I can't stand people who don't
express thanks or gratitude when
kindness is bestowed on them. It
doesn't cost anything and all it does
is make the others feel good about
their deeds big or small. Now and days
people in their 20s or younger have
zero manners! What's wrong with them?
Where do they get this self-entitlement?
Who brain-washed Generation Y to be
such spoiled brats? Granted some aren't
that way but far too many are.

And this sums up my gripe of the day :(

Don't be jealous Jack

But I've met a new love tonight...
Yep that's right, Pretzel M&M!
Delicious! Whoever thought of this is a genius!

EDT highlights

Well last week was Eastern Deaf Timberfest
and I wanted to share the highlights from
my time at the camp.

On Wednesday I took my new DB friend name And-Y who happens to live less than 10 mins from my Moms with me to keep me company.
It was a lovely camp ground in New Holland, PA called Spring Gulch, buried in the heart of the Amish world. *I probably saw more Amish over a 4 day period than I had my whole life in Lancaster!* we hit the pool and swam 2xs that day cuz it was sooo hot! Mingled and I
ran into 2 old co-workers from MSD, Danny
& his lovely wife Hazel who both had
recently retired. Of course they filled me
in on the lastest gossip on mutual friends
from MSD-CC! That night And-Y & I played
Dingo and we were joined by a nice man
name Sean Markel. Sean's family (Markel
clan) were the co-founders of EDT along
with a few others. I thought Sean was
very sweet and had a BIG heart to join us.
He had experience working with DBs too!
Plus another awesome man name Larry had
braille playing cards ready! Yay!

Thursday I didn't go to EDT, Blondie arrived
and we decided to chill out at Baba's and get
ready to stay at the camp grounds for Fri &
Sat night. We hit the food store, wal-mart, etc
etc. It was sooo nice to just shop with her.

Friday we hit the camp ground and we arrived
a tad bit too late for the competitions that day.
Most had finished or were full. We were a little
disappointed but believe me soon we had to
go back out of the camp ground. You see we
had empty the car with the camping gear and
started to set up the tent, but little did we know
the tent itself was missing! Yikes, we had the
tent cover, poles/spikes to set the tent but NO
tent. So we packed up the expensive stuff,
leaving the rest behind with our trusty neighbors
Rick & Frank (I knew Rick from the Gally years).
And went to a local Walmart and picked up a
new tent. Happily we returned and we enjoyed
the car ride to and from, surveying the farm
lands, passing many Amish buggies and
Amish families working on their farms or walking
along the side of the road. That night we
watched some performances by Billy Carwile
a deaf mime(ist). And then they asked for
volunteers for a contest called "ice t-shirts."
Which of course invoked dirty thoughts be-
cause they wanted 5 women volunteers. I ofc
raised my hand figuring what the heck right?
So 5 of us were on the stage and told to turn
our backs to the audience, when they said "go!"
we could turn around and find a t-shirt and
whoever put on their t-shirt 1st would win!
Ok, that's easy enough I thought. So when we
turned we saw 5 tees rolled up on the ground.
But here's the kicker, they were FROZEN! Yep,
they had been previously soaked, folded and
rolled up. It was like taking out a frozen meat
pack from your freezer! I immediately tried
to breathe on it, hoping my warm would help
defrost my tee, the woman next to me went
crazy and literally beat/kicked her shirt, I
soon adopted her method by kicking the shirt
it started to unravel. I used my stomach or
my back too for body heat but the woman
next to me won. I would've been second! FUN.
We got to keep the shirts and as I walked back
to my seats, all the nearby deafies wanted to
touch the shirt to feel how cold it was!?! You
could still see frost on it and my hands were
like icicles ha ha. A lot of fun!

Saturday arrives and most of the competitions
required 4-5 people and we didn't have
a way to join. That was fine, instead we
watched and then that afternoon we headed
to Kettle Village about 8 miles away and did
some shopping. Cute tourist attraction. Ate
a soft dough pretzel that Blondie just loved!
We came back for a swim and mingled more.
But unfortunately some kid took a poop in
the pool! Yep, we all got out of the pool in a
hurry, word spread quickly and we couldn't
believe it, and not only was there 1 but a 2nd
poop in a different part. YUCKY! Blondie & I
went back to our site and played a card game
gin with Rick & Frank. Then we cooked up
bratwurst, delicious!!! The best frigging brats
ever! Once we ate we headed to the main tent
for the night's performances. I enjoyed John
Maurice's (aka Super Deafy!) performances.
Blondie went to bed (to take a nap, but I knew
once she went to sleep, I wouldn't see her
again till morning). But me I was still alive for
the night. Rick was nice enough to invite me
along with his friends to go tent hopping.
Visiting different tents and partying. Soon I
found out there would be a poker game, buy-in
was $20. I was the last player in (a total of 14).
We were split into 2 groups of 7 to play Texas
Hold em. Now I've been playing poker since age
12. But I've never played with Deafies before.
I was lost as to their betting system with the
chips and sequence order. At 1st I look sort
of inexperience but they soon realize that
wasn't the case. I know how to play! Well
I held my own till there was only a few players
left from the 2 groups and we then became 1
group, vying for 1 of the 4 spots to win $$$.
1st place winner would win $110. By this time
I only had a handful of chips left, and I knew
I was close to be eliminated but wouldn't you
know it, I started to win! Specifically when I
got the ace and queen of spades. I joked that
I'm silent but deadly. Yeah I didn't talk much
cuz I didn't know these people and the game
was fast pace. Guess who won 1st place?
Yep, that's right, little old me :] I won $110!
I asked the ladies should I play in the Deaf
poker tourneys that happen a few times a year
and they said YES! I was soo excited I won!
And it was nice to finally do an activity since
I didn't get to compete at all. Anyone who
knows me knows I love to compete ha ha!
I partied some more and then went back to
my tent. I was buzzed and couldn't find my
flashlight and ended up waking Blondie. She
had to use the bathroom anyways and I was
so excited I won 1st place in poker and beat
out 13 other players who all thought I would
lose 10 minute into the game. I was talking/
signing a mile a minute! We ended up
gabbing for an hour, me filling her in on my
night adventure and gossip. I was sad she
missed out but I know she's a morning person
not a night owl like me. Next year when we
go to Maine's timberfest I am buying her red
bull so she can stay awake and go tent
hopping with me. I realize that you have to
be willing to go up to people you don't know
and introduce yourself to them. That's how it
is in the Deaf world. Both Blondie and I are
a little shy at times.

Next morning on like 3 hours of sleep we broke
down our tent and said our goodbyes. I enjoyed
Rick & Frank a lot. They were like brothers to
me. Btw the Frank I met is the same one from
the movie "Children of the Lesser God." He
played one of the students who got speech
lessons. It was a 1 time acting gig. I asked him
did he want to be in this movie, did he audition
for it? Or did they spot him out of a crowd and
ask him to be in it? It was the latter. I joked to
him, that his mortality in the Deaf world is for-
ever sealed! He always been known as the
speech therapy boy from that movie :] I could
tell it has been an advantage for him over
the years. I bet he got many dates that way.

All in all, I had a blast. I absolutely can't wait
attend next August 2011 Maine's Deaf
Timberfest. I made sure to spread the word
during EDT too.

I hope to go camping 1 or 2 more times before
the summer ends. Its a great activity to do and
you get to make new friends when you do it
at a camp ground. Your develop neighbors
or you pass by someone you talked to at the
camp store and wave. You develop camaraderie
with the people there over a short amount of
time.

The following things are essential if you
decide to go camping

Bug spray
Marshmallows, chocolate and gram crackers for smores-duh!
Paper towels
Air mattress, trust me, you want this
Quarters in case the camp ground showers
operate using $$$
Cooler for drinks/meats
Grill
Tin plates/bowls/cups
Suntain lotion
Books
Playing cards
Flashlights
Tarp (for under your tent, especially if it rained recently)
Tent (be sure to check it b4 you leave home, don't make the mistake I
did)

If you've never been camping its never
too late to start. My 1st time was age 30!
No excuses, Mother Nature awaits you :]

Weekly mutterings #387

Brought to you by... http://subliminal.lunanina.com/

1. Collectors:: edition
2. Passion:: desire
3. Winner:: lottery
4. Uninhibited:: carefree
5. Challenge:: strive for
6. Self:: id, ego, super-ego (depends on the time of day)
7. Your:: lore, core, door (whatever rhymes with 'your')
8. Viewer:: screen
9. Random:: chance
10. Vice:: versa