How Hearies Changed Because of Knowing You

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DeafCaroline

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Thought I would start a thread about positive ways that hearing people changed because of knowing us.

I have had many friends (AND their parents too) tell me that because of me, they learned to stop mumbling and to improve eye contact with people. One guy I dated made me laugh when he said he was so used to waiting till I was looking at him before he spoke that he expected the same of the hearing. I.E. if he was in a restaurant getting takeout and they turned around while he was still talking, he would stop until they looked at him again.

:)
 
Good thread!...My boys and even my friends do the same thing, and "mouthe" the words while they are speaking since I lip-read...They even do it to their hearing friends, forgetting that they can hear and are not deaf...

I really got a "chuckle" one day, while watching one of my sons talk to his friend, he was "mouthing" his words, and his friend was giving him that "quizzical" look...my sister does the same thing, along with trying to sign, and I do get a laugh out of her "home-made signs"....but it's a barrell of laughs and good times. I really appreciate their effort, and I let them know time to time that I do.
 
Well - so far I have had one church try to change the way they do things and make it more accessible for people with hearing loss and now, I am finally convincing a 2nd church of the same thing.
 
They have learned to respect the differences in people around them whatever those differences may be.
 
My husband became fluent in another language because of me. :)
 
Well, I'm a hearie and have yet to meet more than one deaf person (who was in my ASL class), but for simple answers, I've found myself responding with ASL signs when answering questions that I know the signs to (mostly yes/no, but a few others) as well as signing when asking simpler questions.

However, having read any number of threads on here (including the two monster "omg hearing people generally suck" threads) I've seen a number of different behaviors and actions which, had I not been exposed to this place, ASL or Deaf Culture at all, I probably would have done had I ever encountered a deaf person, which I will hopefully not do in the future.
 
I've found that friends have started to become more considerate of where we go in terms of noise so I can hear them better - I have single sided deafness. They also mumble less and make sure I know they're talking to me by tapping me before they talk to me to ensure they know I can hear them and they have my attention.
 
My two hearing children got into an arguement over silly things. They did sign to each other. :lol:
 
My friend Chris, really shy and use to mumble. Never liked to look people in the eye and generally lacking any form of confidence.

Since forcing him to look at me when he's talking and to not mumble hus confindece has exploded!
 
It has emboldened one set of neighbors in their thieving. Each year they come one night and remove all the peaches from our tree.

They know we can't hear them. I thought of putting video surveillance but that would cost far more than the worth of the fruit. And if they want it bad enough to steal, they must need it more than we do.
 
Bottesini, that's really rotten of them! This thread is about positive ways hearies had changed because of us...do you know of any that did change for the better because of knowing you?
 
DeafCaroline said:
Bottesini, that's really rotten of them! This thread is about positive ways hearies had changed because of us...do you know of any that did change for the better because of knowing you?
Click to expand...

I don't really know any hearies except for the ones in my own family.

Shop workers in my area are prepared for me and are helpful as they know me.
So I guess they would probably be helpful to anyone they realized was deaf. But I am low vision also, so it is more apparent that I am different.
 
Bottesini said:
It has emboldened one set of neighbors in their thieving. Each year they come one night and remove all the peaches from our tree.

They know we can't hear them. I thought of putting video surveillance but that would cost far more than the worth of the fruit. And if they want it bad enough to steal, they must need it more than we do.
Click to expand...

you can put the sign " we have video surveillance" or something like that. maybe it wont work but sometimes it does. That is no respect from them.
 
Gosh, there are so many ways my hearing friends have changed. I wonder if I have made them better people. I mean, a few that used to mock my hearing loss are now my ardent defenders and protectors, and one guy is even making a vibrating bean cushion for music in my car. I wish you could see a beefy redneck growl at someone speaking to me, "Enunciate better!" Lol. I guess being a deafie does have ripple effects, and it is truly fascinating!
 
Bottesini said:
Good idea. I might try that.
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You know, I despise thieves and liers....if I were you, and knew exactly who these neighbors were, I would confront them and tell them you have hidden survellience cameras in your yard, and if they attempt to cross your property line again, you will file charges. Many of my neighbors and even I have survellience signs posted outside....whether or not they really do have cameras, no one really knows...but I do feel the thief would think twice before trying to steal anything or even trying to break in.

(P.S.)...On the "lighter side"...inasmuch as I love peaches, and so do my boys..it wasn't us! HAHA
 
rockin'robin said:
You know, I despise thieves and liers....if I were you, and knew exactly who these neighbors were, I would confront them and tell them you have hidden survellience cameras in your yard, and if they attempt to cross your property line again, you will file charges. Many of my neighbors and even I have survellience signs posted outside....whether or not they really do have cameras, no one really knows...but I do feel the thief would think twice before trying to steal anything or even trying to break in.

(P.S.)...On the "lighter side"...inasmuch as I love peaches, and so do my boys..it wasn't us! HAHA
Click to expand...

:laugh2: I know exactly who they are. They have had the police called more than once for stealing, although not by us. I will probably try Frisky's idea and if we still lose the peaches maybe find a cheap way to film them next year.
 
Bottesini said:
:laugh2: I know exactly who they are. They have had the police called more than once for stealing, although not by us. I will probably try Frisky's idea and if we still lose the peaches maybe find a cheap way to film them next year.
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If you've got either a laptop or a computer anywhere near a window that could see it, you can buy a cheap webcam for like $20 and use free software to turn it into a motion-sensor camera, only recording when there's movement.
 
StSapphire said:
If you've got either a laptop or a computer anywhere near a window that could see it, you can buy a cheap webcam for like $20 and use free software to turn it into a motion-sensor camera, only recording when there's movement.
Click to expand...

I have that. I will check on it . Thanks. :)
 
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