Dr. Joseph Valente on Education and Hearing the Unheard

This is an incredible speech by Dr. Joseph Valente. His first language was reading faces and emotions. He likes Super Heroes and Moses is the "first deaf person" he ever met. He's also a great story teller and educator.

 This video is filled with interesting statistics and offers a solution what WE can do today.

Take note that  "The Maryland School for the Deaf holds the distinction of passing state exams at higher rates than their hearing peers in hearing schools." Think about that. Let that sink in. If this is true, why are so many states trying to shut down Deaf Schools? Watch this video and ponder what you hear/read. It is captioned. This video inspirational and well worth the 18 minutes to view.

Dr. Valente gives us a solution and a challenge at the end of the film, and that is in part why I blog. This is why I follow so many Deaf and hard of hearing people on Twitter and why I follow and visit their blogs. I've shared some of mine in previous posts. If you've not started up a blog to share yours yet, I encourage you to do so. Everyone has a story. In sharing our stories we become united and stronger. We can make positive changes for the future, together.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqV_MjKliW0&feature=player_embedded

How Aware Are You? Also, How to Count in ASL

This was a surprise! I wonder how much we miss simply because we aren't fully aware. This is quite clever. I thoroughly missed it. How did you do?
Be sure to check out the second video at the bottom of the page from Signing Time.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ahg6qcgoay4&feature=player_embedded
How to count from 1-10 in ASL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGHLvfw4bvg&playnext=1&list=PLFEB47C7E8ED52784&feature=results_main

"What Would You Do?"

It's appalling what the 3 people who work in Recruiting and Human Resources said to the manager. "Just accept the job application, but don't call."

I love how the gentleman near the end of this clip stepped up and said, "I don't see how you can expect things to change in this country when no will give anyone a chance. It's an affront to America." We need employers like him. We need people like him working in Recruiting and Human Resources. Then, we WILL see change because people will giving others a chance.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqI1d4rLWSM

Annie's Cottage, A Perfect Vacation Destination

Special note to Deaf and Hard of Hearing Travelers: Annie is fluent in ASL. You will be able to communicate beautifully with her.

This weekend, Annie's Cottage on the Southern Oregon Coast was mentioned in  business section of the local newspaper as one of the Best of the South Coast choices for vacation rentals. Enjoy the lovely video created by one of their previous guests, along with a few of our own photos we took around the cottage and along the coast.

~~~~~

We spent a lovely couple of weeks along the Southern Oregon Coast this summer. Our stay in the Coos Bay area could not have been more enjoyable! Annie's Cottage is the loveliest place I've ever stayed, and I've stayed in many places in my years of traveling. I do not say this lightly.

  Check out this video created by a previous guest of Annie's Cottage. There are more photos below the video.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLvOv6tOzKU
Annie's Cottage is pet friendly AND people friendly. If you're looking for a vacation where you can visit the Redwood Forest and the Trees of Mystery, go windsurfing at Floras Lake, whale watching along the Pacific, visiting the Oregon Coast Aquarium and the Sea Lion Caves and be able to have a cozy place to come "home" to at the end of the day, Annie's Cottage is the place to be. There is so much to do and see within a scenic drive from the cottage.

This was one of my favorite places to sit in the garden.

This is the loveliest view I've ever seen from a kitchen sink

http://anniescottage.org/id5.html
The upstairs had its own huge bathroom, complete with a six foot Jacuzzi. What a wonderful way to relax after romping on the beach. There is a writing nook off to the side of the sleeping area, and across the room, a lovely nook with a view of the bay, and beyond that, the sea. It was our Bear's favorite place in the house. There was a telescope for watching the birds at play in the yard or flying over the bay, or for watching the stars in the night sky.

Downstairs, there are bunk beds off the main living area and a family table nearby for games or coloring or whatever other projects one may take up. There were games up in a closet in the kitchen, along with a soccer ball that my son and grandson took out into the big back yard and kicked around.

When you enter the cottage, the kitchen is to the left, and the dining area is to the right. The kitchen cupboards had pretty much all of the basic culinary supplies we needed.  There was tea and coffee on the counter waiting to be brewed waiting for us when we arrived early that first morning, some packets of oatmeal and even popcorn for the movies, and basic spices.

Shopping for groceries was easy with everything  within minutes. If you are there on Tuesdays, be sure to catch the Farmer's Market downtown Coos Bay for the freshest veggies at the best prices. There were organic veggies and frozen free range naturally raised poultry available. Artist peddled their wares and an added bonus were the street musicians performing. Now, I've digressed from the kitchen to the market. Let's get back to Annie's Cottage...

In the living area, there was a nice assortment of DVD movies, cable, free WIFI, local travel books and a few books of classic plays. Paul is a thespian and has been involved with the local theater group for many years. I think I read somewhere that Paul and Annie often read from the books with each other. How sweet is that? The coffee table was interesting, it can raise up to the height you prefer. We discovered this near the end of our visit. Of course, the coffee table was barely visible under our laptops, camera equipment and cell phones. It looked more like an office while we were there, but it felt like "home". We watched the opening ceremonies of the Olympics while uploading our photos from our cameras and journaling/blogging about the day's festivities. It so happened that was the day we ventured to the county fair with our hosts, Annie and Paul. Here's a post about that  County Fair

Annie and Brody loved those caramel apples at the fair!

Annie's photo won an award at the fair! http://www.blipfoto.com/entry/2174100


Be sure to stop by Annie's blipfoto page: http://www.blipfoto.com/anniescottage
She has many lovely photos and thoughts to share.

http://anniescottage.org/id5.html

What to do while staying at Annie's Cottage? Here's a few places we went and things we did:

We spent a lot of time at Beautiful Bandon By the Sea

We spent time in the Forests along the bluffs near Shore Acres and also the Redwood Forest

Sunset Bay was just a few miles up the road. Fabulous Husband wrote love notes in the sand. Bear simply wrote, "I rock". Check out his rockin' attitude.

We spent an evening in Newport, home of the Oregon Coast Aquarium, The Undersea Gardens, Ripley's Believe It Or Not and of course, world famous Mo's Seafood Restaurant where we enjoyed a lovely dinner with a view of the bay. Here is a huge sea lion that was lounging on the dock below us.

Fabulous Husband commented many times throughout our stay about how friendly everyone is along the coast. Our eight year old son did not want to leave. He enjoyed Annie's Cottage, the wonderful big back yard, the beaches and the marvelous mild weather that allows us to get out and do things without getting too hot or too cold.

But...mostly, it is the people, even the strangers are so courteous, friendly, open and warm that make us feel welcomed.

I enjoyed feeling the fog on my skin, watching the sun set into the surf, the smells of the sea and the woods. I've enjoyed all the lovely shades of greens in the leaves and the forests, as well as all the hues of the blues, greens and grays of the sea. It was so good to be back "home" for a visit in the area I grew up.

http://anniescottage.org/id5.html

More vacation posts and photos here:

http://xpressivehandz.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-garden-view-from-kitchen-sink.html

http://xpressivehandz.blogspot.com/2012/07/todays-photo-and-asl-sign-lighthouse.html

http://xpressivehandz.blogspot.com/2012/07/octopus-is-word-photo-and-video-of-day.html

http://xpressivehandz.blogspot.com/2012/07/county-fair-and-sign-for-carnival.html

http://xpressivehandz.blogspot.com/2012/07/todays-photo-and-asl-sign-is-sea-lion.html

http://xpressivehandz.blogspot.com/2012/08/photo-of-fabulous-husband-and.html

http://xpressivehandz.blogspot.com/2012/08/todays-photo-and-asl-sign-is-sunset.html

http://xpressivehandz.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-asl-sign-and-video-today-is.html

http://xpressivehandz.blogspot.com/2012/08/starfish-anemones-caves-beach-and-sea.html

http://anniescottage.org/id5.html

Deaf Translators Needed to Translate Bible into Sign for the Deaf

Here is something I saw this weekend. They are looking for Deaf translators to transcribe Bibles into the language of the Deaf for the Deaf.

Deaf Translators wanted to translate Bible into Sign for the Deaf



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98M7eaw-b0o&feature=player_embedded#!

Deaf Not Dumb

I learned about this great award winning BSL video over at Thomsen Young's blog here This is a campaign to educate about deafness. I strongly dislike such adjectives as "dumb" which is no longer acceptable to use when discussing someone who does not speak. It is disrespectful.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=zK_G-h1uep8

"Just Fine" ASL Interpretation by Loco Funk

Life is filled with different seasons. We are all at different seasons and going through different experiences. Sometimes, we forget part of the journey to become the people we are to grow up to be is filled with distractions and trials essential to get us to where we need to be. I've always liked the phrase, "When God closes one door, he opens another". Too often we're looking back and we don't see the door opening right in  front of us and we'll miss a wonderful opportunity. One of the things I've learned is to be grateful for what we have. It's all temporary, anyway.

This is a GREAT video.
This was uploaded by Loco Funk on their channel at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkhxdHRkY_w


Lyrics to Mary Blige's "Just Fine"
"Just Fine"

You know I love music
And every time I hear something hot
It makes me wanna move
It makes me wanna have fun
But it’s something about this joint right here
This joint right here
Its makes me wanna…..Woooh

Let it go……
Can’t let this thing called love get away from you
Feel free right now, going do what you want to do
Can’t let nobody take it away, from you, from me, from we
No time for moping around, are you kidding?
And no time for negative vibes, cause I’m winning
It’s been a long week, I put in my hardest
Gonna live my life, feels so good to get it right

So I like what I see when I’m looking at me
When I’m walking past the mirror
No stress through the night, at a time in my life
Ain’t worried about if you feel it
Got my head on straight, I got my mind right
I aint gonna let you kill it
You see I wouldn’t change my life, my life’s just…..

Fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, ooooh
Fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, ooooh
Just fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, ooooh
You see I wouldn’t change my life, my life’s just fine

Feels so good, when you’re doing all the things that you want to do
Get the best out of life, treat yourself to something new
Keep your head up high
In yourself, believe in you, believe in me
Having a really good time, I’m not complaining
And I’m a still wear a smile if it raining
I got to enjoy myself regardless
I appreciate life, I’m so glad I got mine
So I like what I see when I’m looking at me

When I’m walking past the mirror
Aint worried about you and what you gonna do
I’m a lady so I must stay classy
Got to keep it hot, keep it together
If I want to get better
You see I wouldn’t change my life, my life’s just…..
Fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, ooooh
Fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, ooooh
Just fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, ooooh
You see I won’t change my life, my life’s just fine

I aint gon’ let nothing get in my way
(I ain't gone let nobody bring me down, no, no, no)
No matter what nobody has to say
(No way, no way, no way)
I ain’t gon’ let nothing get in my way
No matter what nobody has to say

Feels so good, when you’re doing all the things that you want to do
Get the best out of life, treat yourself to something new
It’s a really good thing to say
That I won’t change my life, my life’s just fine

Fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, ooooh
Fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, ooooh
Just fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, ooooh
You see I won’t change my life, my life’s just fine

So I like what I see when I’m looking at me
When I’m walking past the mirror
No stress through the night, at a time in my life
Ain’t worried about if you feel it
Got my head on straight, I got my mind right
I ain’t gonna let you kill it
You see I wouldn’t change my life, my life’s just…..

Fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, ooooh
Fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, ooooh
Just fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, ooooh
You see I wouldn’t change my life, my life’s just fine

It Feels So Good to be Living - ASL Music Video from the Rosa Lee Show

I love the videos that Rosa Lee and Damon Timm put together. This is captioned. This sweet little video put me in that "happy place". I hope it puts a smile on your face as it did mine!



Check out the Rosa Lee Show on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtEg3EQwN9A&feature=channel&list=UL

Back to School and the ASL Sign for "Smart"

This season has flown by like a whirlwind. The first part of summer was spent driving the B. Bear around to summer playground activities. The second part was spent planning our vacation of two weeks on the West Coast. Now we come to the end of summer...and that means it's time to prepare to go back to school.

The B. Bear will be in third grade this year, half way through elementary school. Where does the time go? He starts eight days from now, and I think we're both quite ready for him to be back in class. (Yes, we are both counting the days down.)

I am planning to continue my own college education starting in January. I lost such a huge degree of my hearing when I got sick while attending school decades ago, I could no longer function in class. We did not have the technology we do today, nor the resources for deaf people back then where I was living to make it possible for someone like me to attend classes. I became depressed and did not return to school. It was a very dark time in my life. That's all I have to say about that.

Times have changed since then, and with the help of an ASL interpreter provided by the college in class with me, I'm feeling quite positive of completing my degree. I need 62 credits for this particular degree, and I have 55 behind me. I was going for an Associates in Applied Sciences in Human Services back then. This time, I'm looking at something in Social Services and Advocacy. I have some writing, math, psychology, gerontology and Human Services courses behind me, but I don't know how many of my credits can be applied toward a Social Services degree. I particularly want to take Deaf Studies, but there are no classes in that field available in our current community. Perhaps when Fabulous Husband retires we can move someplace where I can pick those up, someplace back near the West Coast. In the meantime, I have a lot to do to prepare for the classes that ARE available here this winter.

I want to mention for people who desire to attend classes who are deaf, hard of hearing, or losing their hearing, there is another option available besides an ASL interpreter. CART services (real time captioning) is available if that is preferred.  @JBHORSLEY over on Twitter was telling me that this service has been wonderful for him. When the professor is speaking, the stenographer types, "professor" and when a student is asking a question, "student" is typed. This way he knows who is speaking. At the end of the day, he gets an email from the stenographer or typist (I don't remember which phrase he used) and in that email is the COMPLETE transcript from everything that was said in his classes that day. That makes a wonderful study tool for him and he doesn't need a note taker.

Not only am I preparing to return to school, I'm working on obtaining new hearing aids. There is also a blue tooth amplifier that is built into a clipboard that I would like to get. The professors or instructors wear a small wireless mic on their lapel or collar which transmits their voice into the amplified clipboard which sends the voice directly into the hearing aids. How cool is that? Of course, I need the new hearing aids with blue tooth technology in order to use one of these.

The website is here Harris Communication and this is what it looks like:







Here is a lovely Signing Time video of Rachel and friends signing "smart". Learn more about Signing Time's Class Room Edition at the bottom of this page.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSUgQBot2SE&feature=results_main  Learn more about Rachel and Signing Time at http://www.signingtime.com   There are some GREAT Back To School savings going on right now. My personal favorite and recommendation that the Kindergarten children LOVE is Class Room Edition  It comes with 16 weeks of lessons, lesson plans and activities and DVD's. The themes cover wonderful topics from the Alphabet to the Zoo (A-Z). We start each year off with "Welcome to School".

The City of Brotherly Love and a Few of the Sights and Signs (ASL)

We took a Sunday afternoon drive to The City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  At the bottom of this post are links to the sign for "ghost" or "spirit" and a video of our Pledge of Allegiance as well as a detailed step by step explanation how to do each sign at the bottom of their page.. I thought it an appropriate way to end the post.

The first stop was the Liberty Bell. There was a line, but it moved quickly. The security officer at the checkpoint signed for me when Fabulous Husband told her I was deaf. She signed what I needed to do, and "Thank you" when I was free to carry on with the tour.   I didn't notice Independence Hall was right behind me until later in the evening when I was reviewing the photos. I was so busy looking at the bell and everything  around me inside except out the window behind it.

I took this while Fabulous Husband and B. Bear were heading toward Independence Hall from the Visitor's Center.

This is the cemetery where Ben Franklin is buried, but it was closed by the time I got there. 

They say Ben Franklin's ghost wanders the rooms in this building.

This restaurant is still in business, but we opted for something a little different this time.

The old Philadelphia Exchange building is such an elegant looking structure.

Another view of Liberty Bell

The Philadelphia skyline as we drove toward the city 

A couple of shots of the LOVE statue at the Love Park

We HIGHLY recommend this restaurant for lunch, just a few doors down from Ritz East

The B.Bear's favorite thing all day was this restaurant. He ate all the broccoli, carrots, bok choy and other veggies first. He loves his veggies.

Here is one video demonstration of the  ASL variation of the sign Ghost: ghost or spirit by lifeprint.com

Here is the Pledge of Allegiance demonstrated at lifeprint.com in video, and also with a step by step illustration with explanation of each sign in the pledge: http://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/topics/pledge/main.htm

"Love" and "Dance" in ASL and Something A Little Fun

THIS put a smile on my face! Did you catch the moment Matt signed "love" in the  Beijing China snip?
It's Friday, let's dance on into the weekend.
*See the link at the bottom of the page for "love".
*The second link for "dance".

Follow Matt here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pwe-pA6TaZk

*Click here to learn the ASL sign for "love".
*Click here for "dance". The first square is a video demonstration.

The Fire at Our Complex and An Interpretation of "Set Fire to the Rain"

I was working at my computer a few days before we left for our vacation when all of a sudden, there was a FLASH! the house shook and the electricity shut down. It was incredibly dark for that time of the afternoon from the storm. I had just lit the third candle when B. Bear caught my attention and said someone was ringing the doorbell.

When I got to the bottom of the stairs, our maintenance man, Kevin and a Fireman were at the door. "Get out now! The roof is on fire!"

Our neighbor across the way invited us over to her porch while we watched the firemen at work. Lightening had struck and blasted a hole in the roof and started a fire in a vacant apartment on the third level. We watched as they brought the ladder in, then they proceeded to chainsaw an opening in the roof on the other side to get the hoses in. Fortunately, the apartments were vacant, and the lower one didn't have fire damage, but the tenant had to move due to water damage.

Everyone was ok.  I'm certain the insurance will take good care of the property. Kevin told us the firewall in our units did exactly what they were supposed to do, so damage was minimal and the fire didn't spread. The fire department arrived here quickly, and everyone is thankful to the person who called when they saw the smoke.

I found out that had B. Bear not been home to tell me that someone was at the door, the Fire Department has a key that opens a lock box near our door that has a spare key to the apartment just for cases like this. That's good to know. Even if Kevin hadn't been there, the fireman knew I was deaf by the small note on our door for delivery people to set packages at the door because I can't hear the doorbell. .

I posted a few photos of the event below.

There is an illustration how to sign "fire" just click: LifePrint

Be sure to check out the beautiful interpretation of "Set Fire to the Rain" by Jeremy Neiderer at the bottom of this post.

The firemen were on this ladder during the lightening storm. I'm so glad they didn't get struck!

Lyrics to the song are below the video.

Check out Jeremy Neiderer's channel on YouTube here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR96AvH-amw

"Set Fire To The Rain"

I let it fall, my heart,
And as it fell you rose to claim it
It was dark and I was over
Until you kissed my lips and you saved me

My hands, they're strong
But my knees were far too weak,
To stand in your arms
Without falling to your feet

But there's a side to you
That I never knew, never knew.
All the things you'd say
They were never true, never true,
And the games you play
You would always win, always win.

[Chorus:]
But I set fire to the rain,
Watched it pour as I touched your face,
Well, it burned while I cried
'Cause I heard it screaming out your name, your name!

When I lay with you
I could stay there
Close my eyes
Feel you here forever
You and me together
Nothing is better

'Cause there's a side to you
That I never knew, never knew,
All the things you'd say,
They were never true, never true,
And the games you play
You would always win, always win.

[Chorus:]
But I set fire to the rain,
Watched it pour as I touched your face,
Well, it burned while I cried
'Cause I heard it screaming out your name, your name!

I set fire to the rain
And I threw us into the flames
Where it felt something die
'Cause I knew that that was the last time, the last time!

Sometimes I wake up by the door,
That heart you caught must be waiting for you
Even now when we're already over
I can't help myself from looking for you.

[Chorus:]
I set fire to the rain,
Watched it pour as I touched your face,
Well, it burned while I cried
'Cause I heard it screaming out your name, your name

I set fire to the rain,
And I threw us into the flames
Where it felt something die
'Cause I knew that that was the last time, the last time, ohhhh!

Oh noooo
Let it burn, oh
Let it burn
Let it burn

Charlie Chaplin's "The Great Dictator", 1940 - Gloriously Interpreted by Wink

Nina shared this over on Twitter. It is wonderful. If you need the captions, be sure to click them on.

This video is interpreted and performed by Wink at www.WinkASL.com


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpKgkUqddks&sns=tw

Local Sign Language Classes Offered in Mechanicsburg, PA

Beginner Sign Language classes

offered at

West Shore Evangelical Free Church

1345 Williams Grove Road  Mechanicsburg, PA 17055(717) 697-0226

Level 1: Weds, 6:30 - 8pm, Sept 12 - Nov 14

Level 2: Thurs, 6:30 - 8pm, Sept 13 - Nov 15

10 weeks each

Level 1 is for people with little to no previous sign experience.  Book required, see below.

Level 2 is a continuation of Level 1, same book.  Attend at your own discretion. 

Book required:  The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Conversational Sign Language by Carole Lazorisak and Dawn Donahue (ISBN: 1-59257-255-3)

$10 offering requested.

To register: contact Jenice Wolgemuth,  (717) 579-9241 v/t,ddsa1@kuhncom.net  

Love4Sign Interprets "When You Say Nothing At All"

This is beautiful and sweet. The lyrics are below the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHgY62ZtZDM&feature=player_embedded






"When You Say Nothing At All"

It's amazing
How you can speak
Right to my heart
Without saying a word,
You can light up the dark
Try as I may
I could never explain
What I hear when
You don't say a thing

[CHORUS:]
The smile on your face
Lets me know
That you need me
There's a truth
In your eyes
Saying you'll never leave me
The touch of your hand says
You'll catch me
Whenever I fall
You say it best
When you say
Nothing at all

All day long
I can hear people
Talking out loud
But when you hold me near
You drown out the crowd
(The crowd)
Try as they may
They could never define
What's been said
Between your
Heart and mine

[Repeat chorus twice]

(You say it best
When you say
Nothing at all
You say it best
When you say
Nothing at all)

The smile on your face
The truth in your eyes
The touch of your hand
Let's me know
That you need me

[Repeat chorus]

(You say it best
When you say
Nothing at all
You say it best
When you say
Nothing at all)

The smile on your face
The truth in your eyes
The touch of your hand
Let's me know
That you need me

(You say it best
When you say
Nothing at all
You say it best
When you say
Nothing at all)

Keeping Portland Weird - 24 Hour Church of Elvis

Above photo is from the opening scene of  credits of  "Portlandia": http://popturf.com/locations/television/portlandia/keep-portland-weird

The link to LifePrint illustrating the  the ASL sign for "weird" is at the bottom of this post.

This is a little video uploaded showing a kiosk in Portland, Oregon known as the "24 hour Church of Elvis". It is also the only coin operated art gallery in the world, so they say, though it really is neither. It's just one of those weird things that keeps Portland... well,,,,  "weird". :-)





I don't remember what I was saying, and I don't hear well enough to be able to listen and transcribe whatever I was chatting about in the background. If it is audible, and you have time to transcribe, feel free to do so and send me the transcript. I'm pretty sure the links below the video offer more information than what I commentating at the time.

See more here: http://www.yelp.com/biz/24-hour-church-of-elvis-portland

And here: http://www.24hourchurchofelvis.com/test2churchofelvis7.html

Here is an illustration from LifePrint how to sign "weird" in ASL: http://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-signs/w/weird.htm

Non-verbal Communication Often Speaks Louder than Words

This post first appeared June 18, 2011


Often, when people start to lose their hearing, they isolate themselves and become alone. This affects them socially, and later in life it is harder to integrate into social gatherings, so they often don't go. If they do go, they struggle so much and feel so out of place, they seldom attempt to go next time. Their perception of the "real world" is going to be different because without sound, the world IS different.

Many people learn to read body language and facial expressions as they become deafened. The world is a conflicting place when dealing with people, because body language and facial expressions often don't fit the words being spoken. Often, body language projects the feelings a stranger has more proficiently than words can.

You should see the children at the school where I volunteer. They are so easy to read. You know when they are happy, sad, curious, or playful because they are open little books. The school does a wonderful job providing an atmosphere of love and respect. The new children that start late in the middle of the year are welcomed and quickly accepted and thriving in no time at all. They know they are safe. They know they can trust you. They know you are there for them and that you want the best for them. They know they can be vulnerable with you. Open your arms, they run to you for a hug.

I've seen the countenance of lonely people change instantly when someone opens their body language toward them, not even conscious they're doing so. It's interesting to observe groups of people together. I've watched couples sit across the table from one another in restaurants hardly speak to each other, but the moment they get up and wander out the door, their bodies are nestled into one another affectionately. I've seen others talking intensely, uptight and uncomfortable with one another, and I've seen large groups where the elderly aren't participating in the conversations, just looking around or down at their plate. Often, I see them with hearing aids. They are not involved most likely because they can't follow what is going on around them, so they zone out. Then someone comes over and opens their arms toward them. What a difference comes over their countenance.

Body language and facial expressions often speak louder than words.

Starfish, Anemones, Caves, the Beach and the Sea ASL Signs

We spent the evening watching the sunset along the beach. The tide was at its lowest, so we were able to walk out to the rocks where the sea anemones and starfish live. These are tide pool creatures. There were a few little hermit crabs as well, but they scuttled too quickly between the crevices for me to catch a photo of them. I used my 3g IPhone with each of these photos. Our son had a lovely time running free on the beach and chasing the waves as they came in. Below the post, you will find links to illustrations and videos how to sign "cave" "sea" "anemone" "starfish" and "beach".

Here is the sign for "beach" demonstrated by asllessons Hawaii

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cWwpEcXNUM

Lifeprint illustrates how to sign cave here: http://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-signs/c/cave.htm

handspeak.com demonstrates the sign for "sea" http://www.handspeak.com/word/index.php?dict=se&signID=4086

How to sign anemone, courtesy of NTID Science Project http://aslstem.cs.washington.edu/signs/view/668