albrigh@oktext.uucp (Gary Albright) (07/13/90)
Index Number: 9103 Hey folks, I am getting ready to attend my 25th class reunion and I have some weird fears about it. Since I haven't seen any of those people since I lost my hearing***what do I do*****. I mean I'm really excited about going in one thought and scared to death in the next one. I was what you call pretty popular in high school but not exactly the main throb around school. It seemed that alot of people in school knew me but my nose was always getting in my way of seeing these little people. I mean the snob would come out and the big football stud in me would come out and now I feel really bad that I didn't take notice to all the little people that were just trying to be friendly to me. *And kids today say we don't know what peer pressure is like. Well enough of that, my problem is what do I say to these people when they try to talk to me and there is alot of noise from other conversations and probably will be alot of loud music going on all the time. **Hey we old people can still bugey too***. I really want to have a good time and talk to these people including the ones that I didn't run around with in school. But I just know it's going to be struggle especially if I get responses I get from plain ordinary folk that say bug off I don't have time to try and communicate with you. I really miss alot of my old friends from school but I don't know if they'll be able to handle my situation like it is being HI. I really hope that a few will put up with me and show me I still have some good friends left. Any thoughts on this folks, any would be appreciated. Go ahead kick in some thoughts let me know, maybe some of you have experienced this thing in the past. It sure help my nervousness knowing you people were behind me on this. Remember, love you all! Gary Albright ****the wizard****
cas@mtdcb.att.com (Clifford A Stevens, Jr) (07/17/90)
Index Number: 9144 I had kinda the same problem, except I could not be understood if there was background noise. What I did in such situations was just leave! By leave I mean, I would ask the person I was talking to, if they'd prefer going somewhere where they could understand me better! That's one thing, it was always that I couldn't speak that clearly, not that they weren't listening close enough! ------------ Militant Handicapped Survivor! Cliff Stevens MT1E228 att!cbnewsj!ncas (908)671-7292
Eric.Bohlman@p1.f778.n115.z1.fidonet.org (Eric Bohlman) (07/25/90)
Index Number: 9518
GA> From: albrigh@oktext.uucp (Gary Albright)
GA> Hey folks, I am getting ready to attend my 25th class reunion and I
GA> have some weird fears about it. Since I haven't seen any of those
GA> people since I lost my hearing***what do I do*****. I mean I'm
GA> really excited about going in one thought and scared to death in
GA> the next one. I was what you call pretty popular in high school but
GA> ...
GA> Well enough of that, my problem is what do I say to these people
GA> when they try to talk to me and there is alot of noise from other
GA> conversations and probably will be alot of loud music going on all
GA> the time. **Hey we old people can still bugey too***. I really want
"My hearing isn't what it used to be. Could we go somewhere a bit quieter."
(If the other party is female, rephrase to emphasize that the "somewhere
else" isn't a motel room :-) (unless that's your intention (double :-) )).
GA> to have a good time and talk to these people including the ones
GA> that I didn't run around with in school. But I just know it's
GA> going to be struggle especially if I get responses I get from plain
GA> ordinary folk that say bug off I don't have time to try and
GA> communicate with you.
If you get that kind of response from those people, are they really worth
talking to? That kind of attitude doesn't usually change between adolescence
and adulthood, so the kind of people who would do that at the reunion were
probably the kind of people who acted real obnoxious in high school.
GA> I really miss alot of my old friends from school but I don't know
GA> if they'll be able to handle my situation like it is being HI. I
GA> really hope that a few will put up with me and show me I still have
GA> some good friends left.
You may not be the only one who's acquired a disability since leaving high
school.
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!115!778.1!Eric.Bohlman
Internet: Eric.Bohlman@p1.f778.n115.z1.fidonet.orgAnn.Parsons@f204.n260.z1.fidonet.org (Ann Parsons) (07/25/90)
Index Number: 9524 Hi Gary, >"Hey folks, I am getting ready to attend my 25th class reunion and I >"have some weird fears about it. Since I haven't seen any of those >"people since I lost my hearing***what do I do*****. I mean I'm >"really excited about going in one thought and scared to death in >"the next one. I was what you call pretty popular in high school but >"not exactly the main throb around school. It seemed that alot of >"people in school knew me but my nose was always getting in my way >"of seeing these little people. I mean the snob would come out and >"the big football stud in me would come out and now I feel really >"bad that I didn't take notice to all the little people that were >"just trying to be friendly to me. *And kids today say we don't know >"what peer pressure is like. Hmmmmm, Gary, you really have a nack for posing difficult questions. As for the meeting of folks you didn't pay attention to in High School, just meet them as you would if you were meeting them for the first time. >"Well enough of that, my problem is what do I say to these people >"when they try to talk to me and there is alot of noise from other >"conversations and probably will be alot of loud music going on all >"the time. **Hey we old people can still bugey too***. I really want >"to have a good time and talk to these people including the ones >"that I didn't run around with in school. But I just know it's >"going to be struggle especially if I get responses I get from plain >"ordinary folk that say bug off I don't have time to try and >"communicate with you. Why not wear a t.shirt that says something like: Gary Albright I'm the same but my ears aren't Something cute like that, so they'll know to speak louder. Carry a pencil and paper or laptop. Be patient with them. >"I really miss alot of my old friends from school but I don't know >"if they'll be able to handle my situation like it is being HI. I >"really hope that a few will put up with me and show me I still have >"some good friends left. As I did say affore now, Gary, any true friends you have or had will put up with you because friendship is like that. You may have to deal with the, "Oh, gee, Gary, I'm so very sorry this has happened to you" But, just show them you are still you, even though your ears don't work as well as they used. Good luck and God bless and have a great time! Ann P. P.S. I sent Lynne your last posting in hard copy and I will send her this one too. A.P. -- Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!260!204!Ann.Parsons Internet: Ann.Parsons@f204.n260.z1.fidonet.org
Rusty.Ferguson@p2.f13.n123.z1.fidonet.org (Rusty Ferguson) (07/27/90)
Index Number: 9558
GA>Remember, love you all!
I probably would have flamed you for your "little people" comment but can't
when you sign off like this. Probably the first thing you should do in
getting ready for your reunion is stop thinking of the less popular as
little people. It really is quite disgusting.
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!123!13.2!Rusty.Ferguson
Internet: Rusty.Ferguson@p2.f13.n123.z1.fidonet.orgalbrigh@oktext.uucp (Gary Albright) (07/28/90)
Index Number: 9574
In article <13192@bunker.UUCP> Rusty.Ferguson@p2.f13.n123.z1.fidonet.org writes:
RF>Index Number: 9558
RF>
RF>GA>Remember, love you all!
RF>
RF>I probably would have flamed you for your "little people" comment but can't
RF>when you sign off like this. Probably the first thing you should do in
RF>getting ready for your reunion is stop thinking of the less popular as
RF>little people. It really is quite disgusting.
I'm SORRY!Kraig.Cummings@f34.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Kraig Cummings) (08/09/90)
Index Number: 9625
Ann, although I'm not HI, my wife has worked with HI students at
Gallaudet University for years and the stories shen has related to
me as well as experiencing my own high school reunion after being
disabled during tye Vietnam War my be of some insight.
I was at one moment excited about seeing all my old friends (I too
was a three letter Jock) and at the next moment scared to death
because I was not PHYSICALLY the same as before. I recognoxe that
a communications impairment is different, and perhaps more
difficult in it's own way from being paralyzed but your REAL
friends will remember the person you are, not the body that
encompases that person.
GO, enjoy and remember that there are always people less fortunate
than we in this world. You will have a good time after the first
ten -fifteen minutes.
Some of the suggestions by others regarding your renuniion deserve
careful consideration to help reduce your discomfort.
God Bless You,
Kraig Cummings
# Origin: Atlanta Medical Forum -- (404) 351-9757 (8:7301/204)
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!34!Kraig.Cummings
Internet: Kraig.Cummings@f34.n129.z1.fidonet.org