January 18, 2009
That sign name for our 44th President Barack Obama is cool
I just saw Gnorky’s vlog (my nickname for the vlogger named Gnarlydorkette) and think she has a great proposal. One of my friends and I happen to come as close as her. There are interesting similarities in several proposed ones. They start with the similar handshape ‘O’ and they all have the similar twisting movement that ends similarly with the handhape ‘B’. There are several relevant meanings behind these signs with a possibility for slight assimilation. I think I am seeing the apparently final one that does look great for our 44th President Barack Obama!
December 30, 2008
T’is eighth lighting, the final night of Hanukkah
I realized that the book Uzi has been translating from Hebrew to ASL comes in a bit of story for each night, a series of Hanukkah story. It unfolds with more details for each night in Uzi’s hands, the passage to our children.
December 28, 2008
Fifth, sixth, and seventh lighting
Uzi continues to explain how a Jewish army group known as Maccabee managed to fight their way through to restore their Jewish community. Yoel insists to undertake his part to recite what he understood. I as his mother cannot help being proud of his ability to present himself well on video.
This time I regret for not subtitling, the length is getting too much for me to do it while I try to handle winter legathry that really overtook me for last several days.
Fifth lighting
December 25, 2008
Fourth lighting and decorating a D’evia tree
This is one of Uzi’s artwork, a light tree made of a small tree with copper cords and several light blub attached to flower-like hand shapes that represent signed languages. This year we realized our kids should have an opportunity to enjoy Christmas tree in our house although it has not been our tradition. I thought, hey why not decorate one of our four Devia trees anyway. We bought animal ornaments made by local artists. We added small white lights, of course, this cannot be missed! Our two boys have been hanging one each night of lighting.
Yoel hanging an ornament on the 24th eve.
December 24, 2008
Hanukkah in ASL and Israeli Sign Language with Uzi’s Devia artwork
Thought we may share how we celebrate the lighting during the darkest time of year with this tradition Uzi carries on to our Yoel (8 yr old) and Noam (23 mos old) using a mixture of our two home languages, ASL and Israeli Sign Language. Here is a series of video clip for each night of lighting to observe and rejoice.
Before viewing video clips, you may need to get familiar with one of Uzi’s art works called “Deaf Club is our Synagogue” you will see in the background of lighting.
This work portrays the Deaf club in Jerusalem as a supposed synagogue, where Deaf Israelis find their solitude in Israeli Sign Language. A floating messenger above the window of the Deaf club pours a string of hands namely signed language into the consciousness of the Deaf Israeli folks that constitutes their own language and culture in this sense. The window welcomes peering eyes to how Deaf folks rejoice in their flying arms and hands communicating with members.
We usually light Sabbath candles and menorah on the mantle attached with the frame of artwork.
T’is the first lighting..
Second lighting
Third lighting
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October 26, 2008
Is ASL Deaf community sexy? Critique of Ryan Commerson’s “Re-defining Deaf”
If you have not seen Ryan Commerson’s film discussion about Deaf people, media, and current thinking about our language-cultural representation in media, watch his film atRe-defining Deaf by Ryan Commerson 2008
Please kindly accept me not being able to type up a translation of my discussion in ASL right away, I will try to post a text shortly when I am able to. I wish not to miss the opportunity to follow up Ryan’s presentation given the matter of timing. Also this time I am able to try to follow your contribution in commentary. I am open to any input as long as it is civil and sexy enough.
15 Comments »July 22, 2008
DBC, which is the faster and easier way to good deaf life, l’chaim?
Although there has been saying about resistance, stalling, slowness, constant neglects, and shrug off dismals. Yet did we try enough? Did we try to re-do strategy and reframe our wording so that makes more sense and feasible? Impatience and demand keep on pressing than ever. They keep on getting greater and is greater than ever.
BUT..have we yet been out to lunches and parties with people working for signing babies, chairs - directors of speech language departments, and agencies, pediatricians, and representatives of health care services to come up with creative ideas that becomes more of everyone’s winning situation? Have we?? What if we already did? Did we?
This is what we need to see and reexamine and re-avenue our goals to where our burning passion should be well consumed, that is deaf and hoh children grow to be best accomplished full whole human beings they are as being birthright to be by being fluent in a language or best being competent in both languages as possible.
There is two possibilities to sit back and consider, which should be faster and more effective: keep on rallying, hollering, or somehow get connected with others for more dialogue whatever that would get us moving farther and faster? This is how things would happen in most ones’ favor, only if we keep on working with others.
In closing, here what we ourselves try to do locally, we are starting to work with Deaf community members and parents of deaf - hoh kids to volunteer after school activities for deaf and hoh children at a local community center so that we can start networking with most powerful people, namely, parents of deaf and hoh children for more dialogue and much more development that are yet to happen. Or should we go to rallies and keep on hollering and shouting? This strategy and politic identity do not give deaf good life, honestly no, L’Chaim.
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