SORDID SORTERS' TALES

Let this one double up as a mystery photograph and also as a photo for today's entry. Do you know what it is? Is it something that can be recycled?

I read an interesting article on how to recycle anything, and there were a few interesting tales from people working on the "front lines" of recycling facilities.

• In one box of stuff, there was a WW I ordnance which was still live. It came from a house that was being torn down. Eventually the police were called and the bomb squad came. They shut down the street and brought in a bomb-disposal robot, but it failed. They finally took it to a landfill and blew it up there.


• A guy who worked at a crematorium brought in a metal hip that remained at the bottom of the incinerator. Titanium is expensive, and no one is going to say, "Can I have grandma's hip back?"


• A sorter was pushing some cardboard through the balers and happened to see some plastic that needed to be removed. Suddenly he noticed the bag was moving. Turns out someone had wrapped up a large rattlesnake in the plastic bag and had thrown it into the trash. The sorter managed to free it and let it go.

Along with these tales, there are some wonderful suggestions for recycling.

Prescription Drugs: The Starfish Project (http://www.thestarfishproject.org/) collects some unused medications (TB medicines, antifungals, antivirals) and gives them to clinics in Nigeria. They'll send you a prepaid FedEx label, too.

Wheelchairs: Go to www.lifenets.org/wheelchairs which acts as a matchmaker, uniting wheelchairs with those who need them.

FedEx: Paper FedEx envelopes can be recycled, and there's no need to pull off the plastic sleeve. FedEx Paks made of Tyvek are also recyclable.

Tyvek: DuPont, the maker of Tyvek, takes these envelopes back and recycles them into plastic lumber. Turn one envelope inside out and stuff others inside it. Mail them to Tyvek Recycle, Attention: Shirley B. Wright, 2400 Elliham Ave. #A, Richmond, VA. 23237.

Plastic Bottle Caps: Toss them. They're made from a plastic that melts at a different rate than the bottles, and they degrade the quality of the plastic if they get mixed in.

WAITING. . . WAITING. . .

WAITING . . .

Those of you who know me have often had to respond when I ask what time I can expect you when you are coming to the house. Time, for me, as someone who does not hear a knock at the door or a doorbell being rung, is critical. When I wait for someone to arrive, it is an investment of my own time. It means that I need to be vigilant and WATCH the door or driveway so that I am aware you have arrived and can greet you.

As a result, it is frustrating when I sit and watch and wait for someone who says they will arrive at 1pm and do not show up until 30-45 minutes later, and yes, sometimes an hour or more past. It is an investment of my time -- sitting and watching and waiting when I could be getting something accomplished.

For me, it is an extremely frustrating situation that I have had to deal with -- even more so now that my mother is no longer able to answer the door or tell me someone is there. Even my dog doesn't help me. She doesn't bark at visitors.

So when someone with a hearing impairment asks when they can expect you, this is why. People with hearing loss compensate with vision.... and so we sit ... and watch ... and wait....

THE LABEL OF DEAF

As many of you know, I have been hearing impaired since birth. As a result I immediately developed the skill of lip reading in compensation for poor hearing. I fooled my parents for two years before they realized I wasn't responding to sounds the way most children do. Then began a journey of testing and advice.

One doctor used some sort of shock testing (which I remember!). It frightened me and made me cry. As a result I did not respond to the testing. My parents were very angry at the stupidity, ignorance, and lack of compassion displayed by this doctor. Another doctor told them to institutionalize me, not recognizing that I had above average intelligence. Thankfully my parents ignored all this advice -- advice? Utlimately they took me to Johns Hopkins where a Dr. Hardy and Dr. Psyche Cattel evaluated me, told my parents I was very bright and already an expert lipreader. They were the first to give my parents hope.

I was blessed with two wonderful parents who were inately wise when it came to addressing my needs as a hearing impaired child. My father had a Master's Degree coursework in speech pathology which gave him an understanding and knowledge of deafness and hearing impairment.

Back in those days there were two "handles" -- deaf and hard of hearing. I was categorized as hard of hearing because I had a moderate loss and could hear some sounds without an aid. As I aged, I lost more hearing, but was still high functioning in the hearing world. I went through public schools WITHOUT any sort of assistance which is available to hearing impaired students today. Some teachers cared enough to spend extra time with me -- many didn't. It was a tremendous struggle, constantly battling fatigue caused by intense focus required for lip reading.

I have always used the term hearing impaired for myself. Some people may say that I am deaf, but I personally have a difficult time accepting this label. When I was involved in the county deaf/hard of hearing organization as a member, board director, and eventually president, I became aware that there were two societies existing. The deaf clustered together with their hands flying as they communicated through sign language. Then there were the hearing impaired who were joining the hearing people and communicating orally. Some of the hearing impaired were able to communicate both in sign language and orally. I have never been an accepted part of the deaf community. I do not know sign language so I was never able to commuicate easily with them. All my life I have been a part of the hearing world and worked 37 years in public education as a librarian and for several years as district library coordinator for 15 libraries.

Today's technology has been fantastic for the deaf and hearing impaired. Email, text messaging, closed captioning, telephone relay services, TTY, transmitters, vibrating alarm clocks, strobe smoke alarms, miniaturized and digital hearing aids, etc... the list is endless. It has really enabled those with hearing disabilities to become more independent.

I can't tell you how often people have asked me if I am death -- to which I reply, "No, I'm very much alive!" Seems very common to hear the word death for deaf. I also have people who comment on my speech, which is one of the most insulting and insensitive things a person can say to someone with a hearing disability. Some people say, "I can tell you are deaf because of the way you talk." Others ask, "What country are you from?" I usually respond Mars or some European nation.

I don't know why I was moved to make this my blogging topic today -- no special reason. I guess it is a way of reaching out and hopefully educating the hearing so that they have a better understanding. And a way to reach out to other hearing impaired to let them know they aren't alone.

A CARD FOR YOU?

The last two years I have had notecards made from my photographs and have given them as gifts. Everyone has raved about them and told me I should sell them. Last month I got the idea to make the cards myself when I came across some card stock I had in my craft bin. I had a few 4 by 6 prints that I affixed to the card stock with double-faced tape. I then solved the dilemma of noting "Lark Photography" with my name and year by printing it on clear address labels which I attached to the back of the card. As a finishing touch I ordered clear cellophane sleeves to protect each card. I am very pleased with the end product. Now I need to determine pricing and decide whether I want to explore marketing the cards through a store or two.

I also have prints which are matted and available for sale as well. Again, I need to determine pricing.

I continue to shoot and shoot and shoot. I just came in from shooting cobwebs with rain drops on them, and not one photo is worth keeping. On the other hand, yesterday I took a beautiful walk at Playwicki Farm in Trevose and got this photograph which I like.

PS -- the last Sunday mystery photograph was the circular bottom of a wicker chair.

BLOGGING THOUGHTS

I've been a non-blogger recently, but I'm sure no one has noticed except for Faithful Cindy. I have visited other blogs that I enjoy and leave comments for the bloggers, but for some reason I do not seem to attract any interested readers or followers. Is it the name of the blog? Is it the variety of topics I post? Would I gain more of an audience if I did something cutesy, or on a single topic, or humorous? But then it wouldn't be ME. I happen to be fascinated by many things. Interesting articles catch my eye and trigger thinking... I share and hope others will be interested as well? Doesn't seem to work. I post lots of my photographs, but they seem to disappear in cyberspace. So, I have not yet discovered the secret to successful blogging. After all what is the purpose of blogging if it reaches no one? I had hoped that by posting my ideas, thoughts, photography, etc. it would appeal to a cyber community. So I guess I feel a bit alone and lost like the statue in the photo I snapped at an antique barn near Doylestown.

SMELLS THAT REPEL

cartoon by Michael C. Witte

The other day while I was visiting my friend Carol, the mosquitoes were dining vigorously upon me. Carol was totally unbothered, and she remarked how amazed she was at the bumps I was sporting. I have always seemed to attract mosquitoes, so I found this article quite timely and interesting. I guess I am not stressed enough.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204660604574378933761528214.html?mod=yhoofront