Do You See What I Hear?

As usual, I was listening to All Things Considered on the way home from work today. They did a story on one of my favorite things - the people who do sign language at concerts.

I think the first time I ever saw this happen was about a million years ago at a James McMurtry concert when I lived just outside of Washington, DC. It was 1989 and James had just released his first album, "Too Long in the Wasteland." At this point, I should mention that yes, James is the son of recent Academy Award winning writer Larry McMurtry. James is quite a writer, too. His songs were/are like short stories, set to music. I can't remember James he was opening for that night in DC, but when he arrived on stage, a stocky, balding man came out with him and stood on an edge of the stage. As James sang, this man's hands fluttered around, trying to keep up with James' words. I was instantly mesmerized. He rocked from heel to toe, keeping time with the music. His body, his arms, his hands all brought the music to life. After the show I asked him how he knew all the words...he said he had never heard them before. He was literally translating them as they were coming out of the speaker. Amazing.

It turns out that with the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, every venue has to accommodate everyone with disabilities. Most of us have seen wheelchair ramps or special seating for wheelchairs. However, if there is just ONE deaf person in the audience (who has to contact the venue ahead of time), there will be a sign language interpreter at the show.

As my suspicions were confirmed in the story today, there is no great money to be made in this field. I look at it as an art. A great interpreter can let a deaf person "hear" the music. They'll be able to communicate the tempo, the instrumental step-out solos, the intensity of the music and/or lyrics. I've seen interpeters at a lot of concerts - Springsteen, U2...but one of my favorites had to be at the Grand Opening of the Experience Music Project in Seattle. A huge multi-act, multi-day concert took place back in June, 2000. The "industry" section was in the same place as the hearing impaired section. We got our very own interpreters! I was pretty impressed with how they handled the music selection - everyone from Rufus Wainwright to Metallica. The interpreter blew me away with Eminem - "My name is..." He nailed it. When Kid Rock came out with "Bawitdaba, da bang, da dang diggy diggy diggy, said the boogie, said up jump the boogie" the guy was just lost. He bopped up and down to the music, swayed in time to the beat, but held his hands out, palms up in a giant "I have no idea what this guy is saying" way. Every few seconds, he would point to his ear, shrug his shoulder and go back to the palms up position. It cracked me up.

Anyway, needless to say, I have a special place in my heart for the art form, and was glad to hear a story about it on NPR.

If you're interested, check out the story. They also have 30-second clips of two of the interpreters interpreting classic Simon and Garfunkel songs.



Bye bye.

I think I know (all of) you well enough...

That I can delve into politics for just one teeny post.

There is a proposition called CIEDRA (the Central Idaho Economic and Recreation Act), that, for some reason, is being rushed through Congress. It got strapped onto a bigger and better proposition and is side-carring its way onto passage. This bill should not pass. The very bottom line of this proposition, CIEDRA (HR 3603), is that public lands (that you and I technically own as Americans and taxpayers) will be turned into private lands - in essence, sold to the highest bidder. The "best" (I wish there was a sarcasm font) thing about this, is that we taxpayers get to PAY to have our land taken from us. Wow, maybe they can sacrifice our pets on that land and we can all win-win-win!

Instead of going through the normal channels, CIEDRA is being fast-tracked. Instead of having staffers educate Congresspeople about the measure and getting them to sign on as co-sponsors (of which it takes a 2/3 vote to even send it to the floor), this proposition - with TWO co-sponsors passed through a House Committee less than a week ago and was sent to the floor for a vote today. A whopping total of three representatives signed onto this piece of legislation prior to this political maneuvering through the system. Because of lackluster turnout in the House, the bill passed its second major hurdle today in a quiet "voice vote." I swear, I think there are more attendees at an Ashlee Simpson concert than there were in the House today.

So, enough bitching Leah, what can I do? I'm so glad you asked. Contact your representative by clicking here. Ask them to vote NO on HR 3603. Your voice can and WILL make a difference.

Now you ask - but I don't live in Idaho. What do the Rockies mean to ME? Well, this sets an incredibly dangerous precedent for ALL public land. Today it's the Sawtooth Mountains, tomorrow it's National Land like Yellowstone, Ellis Island, and the Grand Canyon.

If you need more background, go ahead and click here.

Did you like me better when I was uninspired? :)

In Dreams

OK, this is a bit absurd. I'm now having dreams about blogging, or the lack of blog thereof. In one, I dreamt that I was on the TV show Survivor (which was more like a tamed-down Fear Factor), and the thing that I was more excited about was - "I can blog about this!" And believe me, that's just one. It's pathetic, isn't it?

Guess that means that my subconscious is telling me to get back on the blogwagon.

Maybe I'll start tomorrow...

I love a good impromptu back rub...

But sometimes it's just the person who chooses to do it...I know I would have the same reaction as German Chancellor Merkel...

Un-Inspiration

Ever since I returned from The Trip™, I have been uninspired. Maybe it's the reality of being back in reality. Maybe it's the reality of having to pay for The Trip™. Maybe I'm trying to hide from something. Maybe it's just too damned hot in LA for my brain to churn out blogbites. Maybe it's just a hiatus.

Whatever it is...

In the meantime, I did find something this morning that made me laugh out loud (which turned into a coughing fit). I don't mean to offend anyone, but c'mon, just try not to laugh at: http://www.catsthatlooklikehitler.com/. Neither one of my cats look like dictators. Thank god.

Back online

OK, OK, so apparently my DSL line wasn't the problem at all. It was my freakin' wall-jack, which has been jerry-rigged* since day one. So, my landlord came in and spent about an hour or so rewiring the jack, while I watched Germany defeat Portugal in the 3rd place game. (I guess I feel a bit of camaraderie with Germany, since I was there a week ago. OK, it was only for about three hours, but c'mon!)

So my apologies go out to the phone company. I take back everything (almost everything) that I ever said about you.

Onwards and upwards.

xx


*OK, who knew that the phrase was actually: jury-rig?

July 3rd - the day I lost

Oh boy. I have never been so sick in my life..at least in recent memory. I started out with a sore throat and cough on Sunday. Monday morning it was a full blown something. Headache, body ache, stuffed nose, runny nose, cough, fever. I drank about 40 gallons of water, in between sleeping on and off for about 24 hours. It was awful.

Today I'm better. I still have a cough and a headache, but feel like I'm gonna live. Thank god.

An entirely different subject - the freaking phone company can't come out until Saturday to look at my DSL line. I am so frustrated. I would swap ISPs in a second if it weren't for a) the bad experience I had with a cable modem and b) I've spent so much time/energy on swapping everything from aol to sbcglobal.net-an email address I can't keep if I change ISPs. I need advice! Help!

I'm Baaaaaaack

But am severely internetally challenged. In fact, I'm writing this from my BlackBerry, which is my only contact to the outside world-which is why I haven't updated my BallOfDirt site either...

Short version: great effin' trip. I can't believe that I have to be back in reality. And I'm getting my typical "I've been on vacation and it's time to get sick" illness- coughing, sneezing, bleh.

More soon. Hopefully.