So what did the dying Deaf man want to say? This tale popped into my mind yesterday. It came from a newsletter about a Deaf hospice care project that a friend of mine was involved in as a sign interpreter. A Deaf man in hospice care was trying to communicate with his caregivers and was getting frustrated at not getting his message across. A social worker came to see him and formed an opinion of what the man wanted to say. That opinion was influenced by the social worker’s own opinion of what a dying person would want to say. This social worker did not know sign language, and for some reason, this was not considered a problem. The man became more agitated in his efforts to communicate, and everyone assumed that he was afraid of dying. That brought up discussions of faith and comfort and lots of abstract ideas.…
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This blog post is in memory of one of my customers from my days as a waitress in a classic American “greasy spoon” café. Sadly, I’ve forgotten his name, but I’ve never forgotten his smile… and his tragic death. After my trips to Denmark and Nepal in 1978, I returned to the US for my final year at Carleton College. That was not to be. I had culture shock. My memories of my adventures clashed with orderly Northfield, Minnesota. People seemed to have changed, too. Our “student uniform” was typically a pair of jeans and a flannel shirt. Now, people were changing clothes when they went to dinner – in a college dining hall! That’s how I saw things, at least. People were thinking about final exams, and I was thinking about the world and its problems. I had to get out. I took a break from school that winter,…
3 CommentsPresent 20 slides in 5 minutes. That’s how Ignite works. The next Danish Ignite event takes place on March 1st. I’ll be there. Presenting. Whew! It’s a part of the Global Ignite Week. Those of us who are presenting will follow the Ignite motto: “Enlighten us, but make it quick.” What personal and professional passion will I share in twenty 15-second chunks? Accessibility and inclusion. I’m very grateful to @techwriterkai for sharing this post about
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