Misc

“Deaf”, not “Hearing Impaired”

Most hearing people refer to the Deaf as hearing impaired. But people in the deaf community prefer “Deaf” or “Hard of Hearing”.

There are deaf people who are not involved in the deaf community who might refer to themselves as “hearing impaired”.

I often refrain from pointing this out because I don’t think anyone’s going to take me seriously. When I went to hearing schools, we were always called “hearing impaired”, even in the special class for the deaf kids and that’s how I used to refer to myself.

When I went to Michigan School for the Deaf, one of the first things I learned is how much deaf people dislike the term “hearing impaired”.

On Writing, Writing

That Unfinished Novel

I’m reading what I had down for the novel I’d left unfinished since Jan 2019, to get back into the story.

It’s not about what I thought it was about. I’d thought it was about a young family in their new home. Instead, it’s about a widower in his late-60’s or early-70’s. His wife had just died. His kids are grown and have families of their own. He’s living in the house that he and wife had lived in for thirty years and he has to adjust to her not being there anymore. Among other things.

I’m reading this and I can’t believe I wrote it. This is probably my best writing. Now I remember why I stopped working on it in Jan 2019. It was too hot to handle. I felt a sort of pressure when writing it and it was overwhelming and exhausting me.

I hope I can finish it in the same tone that I started it.

On Writing, Writing

Encore

I looked through my stockpile. I now have only two novels that were left unfinished. One since May 2018 and the other since January 2019, according to the last modified dates.

I’m going to start working on the Jan 2019 one. It’s a stand-alone novel and not part of a series, like the May 2018 one.

I was 73 pages/15,513 words into it when I stopped working on it in Jan 2019. We’ll see how long it takes me to finish it.

On Writing, Writing

It’s Done

I just finished another novel, 225,670 words and 1,105 pages. This is by far the longest book I’ve ever written. It’s the third book of a series. I wanted to get the damn series done and over with, so I covered a lot of ground in the third book and brought the story to a close in an epilogue that left me with an aching heart.

I don’t remember exactly when I started the series. It was either late 2002 or early 2003. Possibly, I started it January 1st, 2003. I remember launching new projects at the beginning of each year when I was younger. I know that I was working on Book One all through 2003. I remember where I was and what was going on in my life while writing certain chapters of Book One.

I got most of the way through Book One, and then I just stopped. I wrote and finished other novels and didn’t get back to this series until, according to a blog entry, April 2019. I finished Book One, and then Book Two, and now Book Three.

Book One: 707 pages/141,821 words. Book Two: 499 pages/100,587 words. Book Three: 1,105 pages/225,670 words.

The damn series is done. Took me twenty-one years.

Baseball, Misc, MLB, Music, Sports

Nice Day

It’s a nice day, but only about 50 degrees. Not really cold, but not exactly warm either. I had planned to mow the lawn yesterday, but I lost too much time trying to get a good recording for my next ASL music video. Thought I’d mow it today, but just went out to look at it and I think I’ll let it grow for another week before the first mowing of the year. It’s easier for me to see what I’m doing if I let the grass get a little taller before I mow it.

Yesterday, I did about twenty takes for the ASL music video, and I was not happy with any of them. Today, I did one take and I’m pretty happy with it. But I might do a few more takes, just to see if I like them better.

Tigers are winning. 4-0, bottom of the 6th.

Misc, Music

Video Shoot

I got up at 6 this morning and I’m just trying to stay awake. I’m shooting my next ASL music video, but don’t know if I’ll get a good take today. It’s usually several tries before I get a take I’m happy with.

On Writing, Writing

New

Okay, got the first page of the new story written, 138 words. The start feels satisfying, though the prose is kind of simplistic.

Today was a very slow day. I should’ve been done hours ago and I’m only just now calling it a night.

I gotta get to bed.