One Cool Thing About Being Deaf ...

One cool thing about being Deaf is that we often described a person by its appearance.  Suppose if someone asked me what Dylan looks like.
 
My response can be cute or horrible as I'd say, "Oh, he's about 6'1, with blond hair, lanky body.  Always wears the trenchcoat in college.  In fact, you probably will recognize him easily when he strolls down the H Street on a Saturday afternoon because he's the only white person walking around." 
 
Stuff like that, Deaf people would say, "Oh, yeah!  I know him!  Y-E-S!!  Is that him who heckled Eric Heckman at times in the cafeteria?"  I would nod and signed vehemently, "Y-E-S!!"
 
Stuff like that.  Well, today, Dylan told me that I forgot to include the infamous meltdown of Patrice Edwards in the cafeteria.  That triggered the memory of a lunchtime drama that exploded out of nothingness.  And left us in shambles afterwards for days to come. 
 
Dennis was frustrated that this gal, Patrice, chased him for years.  Somehow, things transpired to a point where Patrice walked over to our table in the Barfeteria and said, "YOU (pointed at Dennis) will marry me someday because I want you." 
 
Dennis flipped out and said, "Fuck, no.  I don't want you!" 
 
Patrice insisted and tried to grab Dennis by his massive shoulders that he belonged to her.  Dennis got upset and left the cafeteria, Patrice shrieked.  I got angry and stood up and yelled at her -- I was furious, "Get this through your skull, he does not want you."  She snapped at me that it was my fault that he did not want her.  Cripes. 
 
I told her, "It is not my fault that you fell asleep in the microwave and ended up having that face." 
 
The truth is that her face looks like it melted.  I know, I know.  I was mean back then.  I was incredibly mean but what she did to Dennis was inexcusable.
 
R-

The DPN Pics by Yoon Lee

I saw few pictures from Yoon Lee during the Deaf President Now Movement.  I decided to share two pictures that has been a favorite of mine for a long time.  It is possible that some of you guys will recognize someone else in these pictures.  Enjoy.


The reason why I liked this picture is its true feelings in celebrating.  Old, young, beautiful, ugly, crippled ... everyone is in this altogether.  Victory is ours! 


This took place in The Abbey, now converted into Multipurpose room.  Ahh, old times' sake.  Why this picture?  I personally despised the "ILY" sign because it is the most overused sign in the whole fucking world.  But there is something about the facial reactions.  Look at Sherry Duhon.  Look at George Boyd, the dude with "Boston Celtics" coat.  He was my YLC Counselor in '90.  Man, I was afraid of him because I find him to be very ... irresistible.  He is sexy.  But the worst part is that he is straight and married.  Oh, well.

Here is the newest picture that I chuckled.  I think many Deaf persons and hearing people who are learning signs will be able to detect what this gal was attempting to say ...


"Oh, About Fu..."
 
Cheers,

R-

Gallaudet Barfeteria

I admit this.  I do miss Gallaudet Barfeteria.  There is no place like Gallaudet Barfeteria!  The stimulating conversations.  The drama between many cliques and groups.  I cannot mention *how* many funniest moments that occur in that place.  There is something about the Barfeteria -- lousy food, stimulating conversations, huge dramatic at times, friendships that were forged for a lifetime.  These things only happen in the Barfeteria.   If you are a student at Gallaudet and did not enter the Barfeteria, you are nobody else. 
 
You wanted to be seen?  Be heard?  Be loved or hated?  Go to the Barfeteria!  Go and spread the vicious rumor or incident that you were part of.  You want to badmouth someone?  Go to the Barfeteria!  You want to humiliate someone?  Go to the Barfeteria!!
 
The Barfeteria is the hub of everything. 
 
Among the memorable incidents:  One guy dared Carrie to throw the milk in his face out of joke, and Carrie threw the milk in his face. 
 
When Delta Epsilon had its traditional march into the Barfeteria, everyone flocked to watch the gals do their stuff.  Meanwhile, behind everyone in the corner of the Barfeteria, a fight ensued between a feminine guy and 4 or 5 African Americans females.  Erik pushed, tussled and barked and talked at the same time with these females who offended him about his being gay.  I saw the whole thing.  it was so funny. 
 
One time, Delanne was next to me as we yakked.  One dumb girl came to me and said, "I met your brother last night.  We slept together."  I was like, "Ok, that's OK.  Fine with me."   She shot back, "Your brother got a big one!  This one!"  She tried to used her hands to show me how big it is -- I cut her off and said, "Get the fuck out of my face, I do not want to know my brother's dick!"  Delanne was speechless and could not believe that this girl would do that to me. 
 
One time, I saw a student who used the cell phone to talk.  I cut him and told him that it is rude for anyone to use the cell phone in the Gallaudet Barfeteria because this is Deaf University -- want to use the voice?  Go outside.   I was not joking when it happened.  I was very blunt with him as I told him that I do not appreciate for him to use the cell phone in the Barfeteria at all. 
 
Yeah, that famous "R.I.B." for me, Irvine and Brad when we have an emergency that we need to confer -- we say the "RIB" then it's off to the bathroom to backstab or to share what one is being said about the other.  It is ridiculous.  Funny.  And crazy.
 
Ahh, everyone loves my dramatic moments with Dorian Fletcher as well.
 
There will be no place like the Barfeteria.  It only happens once in our lives -- thanks for everything, Gally Barfeteria!
 
Feel free to add the moments if you remember of these fiasco at Gallaudet Barfeteria.
 
R-

Progress Is The Game

Last night, I checked the Democratic Party National Convention on C-SPAN and was surprised to see the camera panning around the delegates.  Some delegate used the rainbow flag to wave around.  They did not hide it.  They showed it as if it's OK.  Then later, I saw a guy wearing the Dr. Seuss-type hat with rainbow on it. 
 
I guess there has been somewhat of a progress in the Democratic Party National Convention in making everyone included. 
 
Way to go, Dems.
 
Where is yours, Andrew Sullivan?
 
R-

The Amazing Race

I am enjoying the reality show called "The Amazing Race", I hope it is on tonight.  I am addicted to the race.
 
I was thinking:
 
Who should I pair up to apply for the slot on The Amazing Race with?
 
I wanted Chlms, but she declined because she's pregnant.
 
There are choices to make:
 
Mikey, Mr. Chapstick, Mark, KB, Rico and yeah, Todd Newman. 
 
Mikey, Mr. Chapstick, Mark and Rico are gay.  Rico from The Netherlands.  Mark from Wichita, Kansas.  Mr. Chapstick is everywhere but currently in Alaska.  Mikey is in Los Angeles.  Todd is straight, married but yet so close friend of mine from D.C.

Which one should I pick?

Mikey would be so dramatic.  He'd be Nicole Ritchie while I am Paris Hilton.  Mr. Chapstick and I would have the stimulating, twisting and funny remarks about everything else, really.  Rico and I would crack horrific jokes about others.  Mark and I would use our faces to communicate and win the whole thing. 

Todd is charming, good-looking dude that could easily win him millions of female fans while I sit and whine. 

Which one should I pick before I try to apply for one?  Just for fun?

R- 

Grandma & Toby

My grandmother, Virginia, loved to travel.  Before she died in September, 1987, she told me that she always wanted to "touch" the West, that is to "touch" Pacific Ocean.  But thanks to the society's oppression on my grandmother as a Deaf person, she struggled to have a decent life.  It was not easy to raise a deaf family in an era of Great Depression, World War II and the Cold War.  It was nearly impossible to find a decent job in the era that allows hearing people to discriminate deaf people openly.  All in all, hearing people do make deaf people very poor back then. 
 
It was not until the passage of Americans with Disabilities Act that pretty much neutralizes them from continuing to discriminate deaf people in 1989 or 1990.  But it was too late for my grandmother.  She never saw the Deaf President Now Movement.  She never saw the Americans with Disabilities Act being enacted. 
 
When I grew up, she always talked about how fun it is to travel.  How fun it *must be to experience something like that.  Her farthest trip was to Columbus, Ohio.  She grew up in North Carolina and died in Virginia.  I believe she only visited 7 or 8 states in her lifetime.  As a child, I vowed that I will not be like that. 
 
Today, at 30, I already visited 42 states, 3 foreign countries.  Of course, I intend to blossom the visits eventually.  Only Hawai'i, Alaska, North Dakota, Louisiana, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Maine and Iowa seems to elude my demands.  But two states (N.H. and L.A.) will be "touched" shortly.  This is to appease my guilt for my grandmother who wanted to visit -- I'm sure she is glad that I'm doing this for myself and for her as well. 
 
Now, Toby of Deansworld, he seems to be in the same path with my grandmother.  He hasn't visited many cities nor visited the West.  I thought of my grandmother.  I decided to buy him a flight ticket along with myself as we flew to Seattle, Washington few years ago.  Even if he does not enjoy the town, I knew that he is done "touching" the West.  That makes me feel contended, to a degree. 
 
But Toby, god damn you, you came to NYC on a last-minute plan and partied then vanished on me.  Not nice.  Not nice.  :-)  Maybe I should call Mordru to sic on you ... like this picture!  ;-)

  
"Toby messed my fan up last weekend!  And you shall pay for it!"

 
R-

Mr. Chapstick

This tale is one of my favorite ever from a close friend of mine.  For now, I'll call him Mr. Chapstick.  Why?  Let me get to that story.
 
On a particular night, Mr. Chapstick told me that he's going out with this guy to play a little or two, I told him to have fun and play safe.  They departed.  I ended up being drunk and went home with Mark.  This took place in Washington, DC.  Two or three years ago, can't remember which year.
 
The next day, Mr. Chapstick and I met to chit-chat and he said he kept on smelling the damned chapstick bottle.  I was perplexed.  He said that the night before, he went out with this drunken guy.  They ended up having sex in the back of his car, instead of going home.  Putting the condom on, but lacked the lube.  The guy gave Mr. Chapstick his chapstick to "lube" the condom.  And it worked nicely.  Mr. Chapstick fucked this guy and fell asleep -- both fell asleep ... naked in the car.  Then they woke up and realized that they had dozed off, naked for others to pass by. 
 
I stared at him with shock(ment).  I could not believe it.  He nodded to affirm the true story then signed vehemently, "Y - E - S !!"  I grinned and shook my head in disbelief then he said, "And to top it all, I still smell the chapstick on me!" 
 
That was it.  His nickname is Mr. Chapstick.  I burst out in fits of laughter. 
 
Love you, Mr. Chapstick!!
 
R-