Friday, January 14, 2005

It Sucks

In the last few days, few folks from my alma mater tracked me down and talked with me via the IM. It was a nice surprise to get an unexpected IM from whoever it is.

One of them was my childhood classmate who left the school when she got pregnant. Never knew she moved to an urban area. She is from a tiny town in the Appalachian mountains. Married an interpreter. Ahh. Her son had a brain tumor when he was a kid, that was awful.

Then I got another IM from a student who dropped out of the same school where I attended. He got out of jail last year, asked him why -- he said he was impersonating a cop. I asked him would he do that?

"I was just playing. I was bored."

Dumb, dumb, dumb.

And I got the heartbreaking news from the same person that a certain fellow named Brian is losing his vision and will attend the Helen Keller National Center in Long Island. Brian has Parkinson Disease at 26, and it progressed quickly for him as he cannot control his nerves. My sister mentioned that in a short time, he'll have to secure his head with something to prevent him from jerking around. I was bit stunned because I did not know that Parkinson Disease could play a role in causing someone's vision to disappear. But again, eyes runs on nervous system. I really felt bad for him. As soon as Brian is at HKNC, I'm off to Long Island to visit him. To show that I cared. Brian was simply a goofy, horny and funny man.

If not for Brian, my life at VSDB would be so boring.

R-

Preview of Women's Basketball Finals In Deaflympics

The finals of Women's Basketball has to be the most anticipated games of the Deaflympics. Sweden is hoping that third time is the charm as they are gunning to hand the USA Women's Basketball team's first loss in the history of the Deaflympics.

The last two tries did not favor Sweden as the USA managed to thwart and won the Gold Medal. Back in 2001, Sweden's Touria Ouahid missed the game-tying layup at the buzzer as the USA escaped with a 60-58 triumph. At that time, USA relied on many players to keep its players going, Sweden had only 3 excellent players in Therese Rollven, Cecelia Ferm and Touria Ouahid.

This time, Sweden added the fourth weapon in order to gain the firepower with Hanna Sejlitz who averaged 12.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game after 4 games.

Cecelia Ferm seems to be on the top of her game as she averaged 28 points and 19 rebounds per game.

I know that Ouahid, Ferm and Rollven wanted nothing more than the Gold Medal and to be the part of history to hand the USA its first loss ever.

As for the USA, the team is led none other than Ida Dotson who played at Marshall University. The team is pretty much balanced about 5 players averaged between 8 to 10 points per game.

Throughout the Pools and Tournament, Sweden averaged 92.5 points per game and allowed 35 points. USA averaged 72.3 and allowec 35.

Who will win? Only time will tell.

Will the third time be a charm for Sweden?

R-

Deaflympics, Deaflympics, Deaflympics ...

Handball:Whoa! For the first time in ages, the USA gets a chance to win the Gold Medal in Handball. Handball is very popular sport in Europe and the USA, for a while, had struggled to win something in that sport. Apparently, the country of Australia has been good to US Handball team as they shocked Germany 24-22 to enter the Gold Medal game versus Croatia.

Women's Volleyball: USA won the Bronze Medal after beating Italy 3-0.

Women's Soccer: USA 3, Great Britain 0

Here are some fierce pictures of US-Germany in action.

Ty Kovacs (He gained a lot, did he?!) and Jesse Woosley

German Attacks In Midst of Joey Kolcun, Kelvin Etkie and Donald Tropp

Stefan Bergan The Persistent

After the scuffle with the Germans, Stefan Still Attacks

Yes! We Are In!

Thursday, January 13, 2005

YOUR PLAY IS GOOD ...

When I grew up, I heard the stories that Philadelphia has a large Deaf Community who also had a sharp comments for each other. In other words, they were excessively blunt with each other. They will insult anyone to ensure that their message is noted. Often with each other. But they seemed to be cordial towards hearing people, for some reasons unknown to me.

Until one woman.

My friend who was raised in Philadelphia told me a story about this woman. She was 5'0 and heavy. Let's call her ... Ms. C. She had a deaf son who went to a nearby deaf school at Mt. Airy. However, there was a special event at a local deaf club -- a play sponsored by hearing group who wanted to entertain the Deaf people of all ages. A play that was set up inside the club on a stage.

Ms. C had a seat up in the front, along with her husband and others. It was packed.

This happened in 1950s or 1960s, I'm not certain the exact decade. However, Deaf people also paid for the admission as well.

The play was, suffice to say, corny. It was silly. It was not for adults. It was as if the hearing persons thought the audience were dumb to figure out the complex of a simple story. At one point, my friend saw a hearing actor who sprayed the watergun onto the audience. It sprayed onto Ms. C.

Fatal mistake.

Ms. C was calm and calculating. She waited.

When the play ended, a polite applause ensued. The director who is hearing but able to sign very well, came on the stage to thank for the support and asked for any feedbacks in order to improve the play.

Ms. C was quick to raise her hand to a point where everyone else was startled by her hand in the air.

The director acknowledged Ms. C, she stood and said:

YOUR PLAY IS GOOD FOR MENTALLY RETARDED!!

Ms. C then sat down. The director was stunned and said, "What?"

Ms. C stood quickly and blasted her to smithereens that her play is good for mentally retarded people! Lots of Deaf people were stunned at her approach with the woman. The director sobbed and fled the stage. Some scolded her for her abrasive comments, she shrugged and said, "Sometimes they needed it!"

Very true.

Today, her son is the Superintendent of a deaf school and has a doctorate degree.

Smart woman.

R-

Big Balls Are Fun To Play With

When I was in the District, I had a lot of friends to talk with. I did not really get to observe the way people do, the way they dealt things in their lives, the way they interact ... but when I moved to New York, I do not have many friends in the city.

I know it takes time and effort to find true friends in a new place. I have no qualms about that. It is true that I have many female friends in this town, but I don't have enough male friends. It sucks, sometimes. But it gives me the opportunity to observe a lot of people at their best.

Riding the subway trains are excellent places to observe. I noticed something interesting. I noticed that the orthodox Jews and conservative Jews (you can identify the conservative Jews by seeing them wearing yarmulkes) tend to have big basket. It's like having two baseball balls in it. Yes, I was being stereotypical.

Later, I met some nice guys who eventually mentioned that they are Jews. I discretely noticed the same thing. Big balls.

I mentioned to my friend, Mikey about it. He snickered and said, "Stop it! You're ridiculous!" He said that he does not think so. Later, we went to a place far away and told him to check some guys out, he started to notice it. Then he discretely pointed at someone else, "He has big balls, but he is not Jewish."

I looked at him, he was wearing the winter cap. But shortly, that guy took his winter cap, he has a yarmulke. He was flabbergasted and I snickered.

Later, I played with a liberal orthodox Jew from Jerusalem who remained to be the best experiences I ever had with men. True enough, he has big balls. He even said that it bothered him sometimes.

I love 'em. They're cute and fun to look at. I know I will be in Heaven when I arrive in Tel Aviv. *sigh*

R-

More Stuff about Deaflympics

American Media: I hadn't seen a transaction box about Deaflympics. They did it for Special Olympics and Paralympics in regular newspapers but not Deaflympics. That truly pissed me off.

Of course, their grade is F for ignoring the results of Deaflympics.

So being pissed off, I'm inclined to say funny jokes to degrade Special Olympics -- it is to acknowledge that they are BELOW the Deaflympics' standard!

Q. What is the best thing about not winning a medal at Special Olympics?
A. Not being retarded.

Q. What does sex has something in common with Special Olympics?
A. Everyone wins and drools!

Thanks to a certain person who told me that.

Men's Basketball: USA 110, Italy 57. Next!
Women's Basketball: USA 83, Ukraine 57. Next!

Now for the snapshots ...
My fraternity brother, Joseph Kolcun in Handball


Cute All-Americans, especially the 2nd one from the left!

This is typical of Deaf Bowling atmosphere, Deaf Communities across the nation has a love relationship with Bowling



Ryan Kelly the Silver Medalist!

This entry belonged to Ryan Kelly. When I first met Ryan, he was incredibly condescending but yet so nice. Normally, many men at Gallaudet are abrasive and offensive but certainly not necessary nice to anyone else. But Ryan was funny, cordial and nice.

Ryan Kelly on the left


Over the time, we befriended primarily because of our interests in comic books. We often commuted to the store to buy the books, then munched at some food joints in Washington area. Talked about our lives and all that stuff.

He told me that his parents are motorcyclist enthusiasts and that they lived in a small town in Wisconsin and many people would see his Dad prowling the streets with his Mom sitting behind, such a Harley-Davidson moment, is it? That he is a die-hard collector of Schwinn bicycles. Trust me, he has a garage full of these classic bicycles.

One funny story, when I got off from work ... I drove to my apartment in 609 Morris Place, was exhausted. Told my roommate, Dylan that I'll be in my room. I stripped naked and laid on my bed. Wondered what to do next? Jerking off or going to the shower? But I was not in the mood to GET UP from the bed. So I saw the comic book on the floor, apparently my other roommate left it in my room. I picked it up and decided to lay down on my chest and read the book, facing the door. I was still naked. Apparently the comic book saved my life, I decided not to masturbate but to read the comic book.

Ryan and his Dad barged in. It was my first time to meet his Dad. O-oh. Ryan muttered, "Hey, this is my Dad."

I screamed, "I AM NAKED!"

They bolted out of my room. I was shocked. All they saw was my flat ass, which is fine with me. I could not believe that they did not knock (hearing people, when they knock, they stomp loud on the door). Eventually, I dressed up and met Ryan downstairs -- and his family. His Dad is cool, a little like Stephen King with a leather coat. Has a long, black ponytail. His Mom is gorgeous, feisty blonde woman with wits. As time progressed, I had the utmost respect for Ryan and his parents. His Dad assured me that there is nothing that he did not see in my bedroom. I chuckled. But that was not something that I wanted to meet a friend's parents!

Some deaf people feared Ryan's mother because she was the nurse at a deaf school in Wisconsin who routinely caught the students for faking their illnesses to avoid from going to the school all day, she often ordered the students out of the infirmary and go to school.

But that does not matter to me. His parents are simply awesome, they met in high school and was together ever since. Suffice to say, both are inseparable and you can see the love coming out of Ryan's parents and its influences on Ryan and his younger brother.

Ryan, I'm proud and happy for you. I cannot feel the same that your parents do -- they probably are more than ecstatic. And I'm sure Jett is extremely proud of his Dad, Ryan.

Cheers,

R-