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If you’re anything like me, you probably were vaguely aware of the concept of a theater and its purpose in mainstream culture. After last night, my eyes have been opened to a different aspect of appreciation for the arts. I implore you, if you have the chance, go and see a play in a theatre. Especially one like Leading Ladies. Don’t worry about not being able to understand what the actors are saying—thanks to I-Caption (from Sound Associates, Inc.) you will be able to follow onstage dialogue by holding a device—very much like a palm pilot—and reading the captions of the dialogue off it. I was able to laugh with the rest of the audience, to ooh and aah at the costumes, backdrop, and the overall historic ambience of the theater experience that Ford’s showcases (it was also the site of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination).

Leading Ladies is about two struggling actors who are looking to make it big, and they encounter a dramatic situation where a heiress is about to die, bequeathing her fortune to two cousins she’s not seen for ages. The actors devise a plan to step in and masquerade as the cousins—with a hitch.

You see, the actors were males, and the cousins were females. So, I enjoyed the trials and tribulations of “Leo” and “Jack” as they tried to pass off as “Maxine” and “Stephanie.” The cast included John Astin, who also played “Gomez” in The Addams Family sitcom, as well as Charlotte Rae, a.k.a. “Mrs. Garrett” of The Facts of Life. The remaining cast members all did a wonderful job of portraying their characters for the viewing pleasure of the audience. I’ve got to make mention of “Jack/Stephanie”—that was my favorite character, the antics, expressions, on-stage appearance just did it for me! The climax of the story came when “Meg” (the 3^rd cousin of the heiress) discovers that “Maxine” and “Stephanie” really aren’t who they are. Oh, and poor, skeptical, cynical “Duncan”—who was betrothed to “Meg”—if you see the showing, you’ll understand why I say that. All in all it was fun-filled, eye-catching, spectacular and simply enjoyable! It’s showing through October 21^st—go, take a friend, enjoy the sights—after all, it’s another way to appreciate the arts of the District!

The tale ends not here, friends…I also had the honor of accompanying my friend to an opening-night party at the Old Ebbitt Grill afterwards, where I was able to meet each of the cast members, the director (and his staff), the playwright, congratulate them on a splendid performance and proffer an embarrassed nod when they all asked–“so I understand tonight’s your first theater experience??” Sigh.

I think I rebounded nicely, though—by saying that if I died last night, I knew I would die a happy man. The theater is a lot like television, only really live and in living color! Now I’m better able to understand why people loved to go to the theatre… before the advent of technology brought in the television. So, if you have the opportunity, wherever you are—check your local theater listings, ensure that I-Captioning is offered (or an alternate medium), pick up tickets, and settle in for an enjoyable evening!

Ford’s Theatre (www.fordstheatre.org) is also presenting A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas, Trying, and Shenandoah throughout the season. Join me in enjoying the performances!

It’s always astonishing how these expos become the must-attend event of the month. We weren’t planning to go, but after everybody and their uncle John said they were going and we should too, we piled into the car and figured today would be family fun day. My butt.

The first thing we saw: crowds, crowds, crowds. We were there from roughly noon to 3 pm, and by the time we left, we were at the point we had to literally shove or push our way through. The second thing we noticed: the place was extremely kid-unfriendly.

This was SUCH a pain, since just about every third registrant had brought kids. Of course they did — what an excellent opportunity to finally introduce your kids to your co-workers and your old friends and to show your kids the wonderful community you’re raising them in, all in a kid-friendly environment. Right? I wish.

There were children’s activities advertised on the expo’s website. We never found them. I saw one expo-goer say they were canceled. Okay, so now we have an extremely crowded, “oops, sorry, was that your toe? ooh, sorry again” venue and literally hundreds of kids just drowning in this sea of grownups and nothing to keep them busy.

No biggie. That’s part of a parent’s job, to simultaneously corral and entertain the kids. But it amazed me just how other people ignore even the most obvious of social niceties.

In getting out of one of the exhibit rooms, there was a bottleneck of people, further hampered by eddies of people suddenly overcome by the need to stop and chat. One woman had two kids, one elementary-school age, and the other, maybe one year old, in a stroller. The older kid was doing okay. The kid in the stroller, however, was not. She was very obviously aware of this, trying in earnest to make her way out of the room so she could tend to him.

While she was stuck there in the crowd around the door and unable to turn to the front of the stroller, I talked to the kid and made silly faces, played peek-a-boo, and tickle monster, anything to keep him temporarily happy. The woman later thanked me. But as they made their way past me toward the exit and freedom, I saw no less than three (count them: that’s one, two, thuh-ree) people stop her and say, “Your baby’s crying.” One even had the nerve to say, “You should take care of him.” Hello, Captain Obvious? How about you help out for a minute and move?!

By the end of our time at the Expo, Leah was very obviously cranky. She’d been a good trooper so far, tolerating three hours of staring at people’s hips, people telling her for the gazillionth time that she had pretty red hair, and stopping at booth after booth in which she had absolutely zero interest. By 3 o clock, she’d had it. She started to fuss, hit us, beg to go to the store, and to run away. We caught her, pulled her into a corner, and started having one of our serious parenting talks (”yes, we’re leaving soon, we’ll get you some lunch and take you to the store, but for right now you need to listen to mommy and daddy and stay close. Do you understand? Don’t look away when I’m talking to you! Do you understand me?!”).

While we were in our kiddie time-out corner, it was obvious what we were doing — CK was crouching to Leah’s level, signing very heatedly. Leah’s face was crumpling up and frustration and near-tears. I was standing behind both of them, blocking Leah’s view of the expo and ready if CK needed reinforcement. Very obviously, this is a family-only moment. Apparently not. A couple of people came up to us and interrupted our reprimands to address Leah directly and say “hello, what a beautiful girl!” Yeah. She already knows. Way to go. Do you mind? Can we do our job now?

I don’t know what the official number of attendees was, but I think it’s safe to say there were upwards of 100 kids there. I saw quite a few strollers, many steered by a lone parent or adult on duty. The crowds presented enough of an obstacle for these strollers; it was doubly complicated by the fact that exhibits were on two floors and there was only one staircase (that I saw, anyway) linking the two. Literally every time we were on those stairs, we saw someone struggling with a stroller and two or three (or in one instance, four) kids in tow.

(On a side note, I saw several people in wheelchairs at the expo too. I didn’t see them downstairs, though. Hmm. I hope they didn’t have to forego half the exhibits just because of that.)

The only bright spots in the expo for us or for Leah were, surprisingly, booths.

The RE/MAX booth handed out helium balloons tied to one of those potato chip bag clips (with their logo on it, of course). This ended up being a godsend. We clipped the balloon onto Leah’s clothing and instantly relaxed about the potential for losing her in that sea of humanity. Quite a few other parents did the same thing, even though we annoyed sooo many people when kids walked past adults and the trailing balloon would bop them unexpectedly in their faces.

Jimmy and Gail Gore’s Learning Blocks booth was the only one Leah showed any interest in, and it was a sorely needed relief for her (and us), after all the relay and financial help booths that seem to clog up these kind of trade shows.

We left unsure of what to think. We were glad to have gone; at the same time we were glad to escape.

With the Microsoft and AOL possible merger making headlines across business sections, debates are being made about whether they’d be able to re-establish themselves as a contender to Google, in terms of paid search; and Yahoo!, in terms of page visits.

The idea flashed before me: a Yahoo! and Google merger? Insane, just insane.

That’d send the competition racing past melting point. Before you scoff and say Yahoo! and Google, being competitors between themselves, wouldn’t dream of merging, think about the 1993 meeting in which Bill Gates told Steve Case (AOL chairman), “I can buy 20% of you or I can buy all of you.” It wasn’t nice back then.

With Google and Yahoo! together, I’d never be able to sleep. Microsoft and AOL wouldn’t be able to either.

It’s happened. as of this writing, the Yankees have dethroned the s_x atop the AL East by 1/2 a game. I don’t care how long this lead lasts–whether it’s short-lived or we go all the way to the Big Dance, the main thing is this:

We did it. I told you s_x loyalists and Yankee in-the-closet wannabes, we’d do it. greatness is appreciated in its simplicity. w-e d-i-d i-t. chew on that.

Having said that–I came across this op-ed article in the Washington Post today: “Slipping Support?” by Robert D. Novak (A25). It made me think about the virtue of silence and whether or not it can be a practical (if not convenient) solution.

the skinny:

Forstmann & Little, an investment firm, hosted an invitation-only (you basically had to have a personal private jet to score an invitation) weekend getaway in Aspen, Colo. Its main goal: Bush-bashing. you saw me right. Bush-bashing. everything was to be officially off the record, and participants were welcome to fire away. They did so on stem cell research & Hurricane Katrina relief efforts–the only two that the article mentioned. NEWS FLASH NEWS FLASH Karl Rove was also in attendance! END NEWS FLASH

After a weekend of Bush-bashing–a large majority of the attendees Bush voters, by the way, Novak noted that while he was the one that felt compelled to at least present part of Bush’s rationale to all these anti-Bush-ers, no-one felt the need to support him. nevermind that Rove was a part of the assembly as a counter-weight…However, people silently…i mean, silently thanked Novak for “speaking up.” what the heck? Why are they thanking him instead of speaking up for themselves? one respondee went so far as to say “he did not feel able to articulate what he felt.”

And we wonder what’s wrong with our country. I openly admit, as a conservative democrat, or liberal republican, whichever fits, I voted for Bush. But that doesn’t mean that I agree with everything that has been said, or done. It galls me to see that influential persons worry too much about their connections, stepping on the wrong toes, or (insert excuse du jour here) that they have to have an “off-the-record” gathering to exercise what is supposedly a valuable Right–within our Bill of Rights–to Free Speech.

We, as Americans, or United States Citizens, should not be ashamed, afraid or leery of what we opine, on or off the record. We are exercising our right to debate, to think freely–after all, is that not one of the finer points of living in a

d e m o c r a c y ?

I echo Novak’s question…did Rove include this in his report upon his return to Washington? He would be remiss to exclude the feelings of concerned citizens.

There is no worse leader than one that is blind to its constitutents, and one that does not take criticism with a grain of salt.

The Yankees better win tonight.

*shutting door*

Ok, I have a new beef today: People who cut you off.

When I look back at all the blog entries I’ve written, the topic of this one is the one that pisses me off the most.

Today, a nicely dressed man cut me off. While looking at me in the eye.

We Metro denizens and riders have a complex etiquette system that rivals something Miss Manners would recommend to an erring parent. However, one area in which etiquette often fails is, as I’ve indicated above, when people cut you off.

Now, this nicely dressed man was standing behind me. I repeat, behind me. We were both getting off at the next stop, and he knew I was getting off too. You might ask, “How did he know?” It is because I got up from my seat and started fidgeting. Yes, fidgeting like I mentioned in my last entry.

So I’m there, fidgeting, waiting to get off at the next stop. He sloughs his body around mine as deftly as a NBA player. Stands in front of me, partially blocking my way. The whole time, he is looking at me with this smug look that almost says, “I know what I did. So what are you going to do? Are you going to do anything, you pathetic corporate rat-race vermin? Go plod off to work!”

I stood there, and I started to boil a little bit. You see, I have an electric stove and it doesn’t heat up too quickly. Takes it a while before it really gets going — but watch out when it does! The man who cut me off and I both shuffle off the Metro, and during the whole trip up the escalator and through the turnstiles… he almost makes it a point to stay infuriatingly in front of me.

Always, always in front of me — laughing, laughing.

you guessed it. there are many things about this life i love and cherish, but a few top the charts. one of them is the New York Yankees. whenever i give a presentation at work–no matter who the audience is–if the mood fits, i start off with two simple rules:

• you are not allowed to mention the words “boston,” “red,” and “sox” in any positive frame of reference. only i can do that. and that doesn’t happen all too often–although it was about time the s_x bats started firing up. last night, david ortiz and manny ramirez sent off back-to-back homers. twice.
• the New York Yankees are, have always been, and will always be (whether you like it or not) the most talked/fantasized about and desired team in the history of MLB. to quote good ol’ #7, Mickey Mantle on why the Yanks keep winning…”they [the other team] can’t keep their eyes off the stripes.”

Now, the Yanks are coming back. I don’t know what it is, but something about the post-season and the looming horizon of October must spark a sleeping giant underneath each Yankee jersey and spread to its user, and then the CLICK happens. things just keep going their way. Granted, we’re still 1/2 a game behind the b_____n folks, but a month ago, their lead was a comfortable 5–yes, FIVE games ahead. I love this time of year :)

*shutting door*

Men who chose to stay at home to raise the children while the mothers commute to work experience things most fathers do not. Not the least of these are the insensitive comments by people who can’t comprehend the concept.

22 years ago, actor Michael Keaton immortalized an image of inept fathers — haphazardly and unsuccessfully scrambling to simultaneously change diapers and cook dinner — and his performance gave dads a name that has stuck: Mr. Mom.

To many modern-day fathers, who are capable of and interested in taking care of their children, the sobriquet Mr. Mom demonstrates how little society’s attitudes about fathers have changed.

There’s really nothing that the mother can do that the father can’t — except breastfeeding. And fathers can burp.

So, when I bumped into a old Gallaudet classmate a few weeks ago and inquired where her husband was. Her response?

“He’s being Mr. Mom.”

And that’s coming from a woman I’ve heard to be quite proud of her husband’s accomplishments. They have two cute boys and that left me wondering why she even bothered calling him that when he is actually a dad and has always been a dad.

My wife echoes my sentiments and resents it if people call stay-home fathers “Mr. Mom.” If Alli ever becomes a millionaire writer (she will!), there’s this .00009% chance I will stay home full time and be the household parent. Hey… I love my job teaching, so don’t ask me to stay home!

Mothers have roles. So do fathers.

Don’t call me Mr. Mom. Call me Dad.

Yesterday was the beginning of Deaf Awareness Week (in some places, Deaf Awareness Month) in many states, cities, and towns across the country. A week of lectures, events, and opportunities for socialization, there’s usually a big gathering at some point. Here in L.A., this Saturday will culminate in DEAFestival, at Woodley Park in Van Nuys. I understand that DeafNation Expo will come to Gaithersburg on the 24th as well, providing opportunities for those of you in D.C. I know there will be friends in both places– wish I could make a carbon copy of myself so I could be in two locations at once! As it is, I’ll enjoy the Southern California sunshine as I get together with old friends and make new ones.

Why this particular time of year, anyway? What’s so special about the last week of September? It seems that internationally, it’s Deaf World Week, established by the WFD in honor of its first meeting in September, 1951. Consequently, the last full week in September becomes our time to shine. But I’m sure (truthfully, now!) that up until now, the majority of you didn’t know that at all. I certainly didn’t know the reasoning behind the dates.

Don’t kid me; you didn’t read my opening sentence, and suddenly know where I was going: “Ah, I know he’s a historian, so I just *know* he’s going to talk about the history and origins of Deaf Awareness Week/Month. I *bet* he’s going to touch on the WFD and why we celebrate in the fall.”

The fact of the matter is, I doubt most people, hearing or deaf, knew that. Personally, I think it’s a cool tie-in, and for us in the global Deaf community, a very worthy event to commemorate. But here in the United States? Perhaps not.

So, I’d like to make a humble suggestion: here in the States, shift Deaf Awareness Week to another time of year. There already exist a few possible days or weeks here and there. For the WFD, stay with September. For other Deaf communities around the world, I don’t presume to tell them what to do; far be it for me to tell our friends in other nations how to organize their events and festivals.

Some of you may be thinking, “Ah– Clerc and Gallaudet.” Well, yes– December is one possibility, centered around Clerc and Gallaudet Days. It certainly was true in decades past that residential schools, Deaf clubs, organizations, and associations would hold banquets, ceremonies, and gatherings in honor of these two gentlemen. Today, though, the practice has generally fallen by the wayside. But I think December is a bad choice. For one, I’d like these two men to be recognized in their own right. Second, how many people genuinely know the birthdates of these two men? Lastly, it’s the holidays. There’s already enough competition for our time as it is.

This is where a number of you are suddenly saying, “Ah hah…” and a cartoonish lightbulb is going off above your head– and you’d be right. Why not March? A little over fifteen years ago, a cataclysmic event took place right here in D.C., a momentous decision by a governing board that took the town by storm, and then eventually the nation. The doings that followed went far beyond the halls of residential schools, college dorms, Deaf clubs and gatherings, and the pages of Silent News and its brethren. At Gallaudet University, the choice of Elizabeth Zinser as the next president sparked a protest, that soon became a locus for Deaf America. The week that followed was avidly recorded in the press, and many people for the first time became aware of a place called Gallaudet, and a community that previously existed largely in the arts (for example, “Children of a Lesser God” had come out in the theaters not too long before), in articles about mainstreamed classes, or in glimpses here and there of people signing. The Deaf President Now (DPN) movement revolutionized how we perceived ourselves. We can further the legacy by using DPN to change how the rest of the country perceives us.

Now is not the time or place to recount DPN; but it certainly was a focal point for civil rights. Deaf, deaf, and hard-of-hearing people nationwide benefited; at the very least, the exposure sparked a sense of awareness. In other places, it may have prompted much more. But beyond all that, it certainly is a moment in our national memory that most people, deaf and hearing, would recognize and relate to.

Thus I’d like to propose that Deaf Awareness Week be shifted to March 6-13, with the week culminating in a remembrance of DPN. Take the commemorations of DPN beyond gala banquets in D.C., and remind the Deaf, deaf, and hearing communities that not only do we have a vibrant history, a scintillating language, but that we also recognize our battle for equality. Take Deaf Awareness Week beyond the Deaf community: otherwise, we’re just preaching to the choir and the converted.

It is purely from my personal experience that I view America as being advanced in the sense that  we have the discrimination and disability laws, meanwhile Europe and a number of other countries being advanced in their attitude toward disablity issues.

Which do you prefer? Attitude or law? While we do not want to appear as taking our protection and rights for granted, I’ll have to say with the right attitude, such laws would not need to exist. In other words, the laws, such as the ADA, were written because poor attitude is so prelevant we cannot quickly erode its barriers.

How often have you dreamed of a world that was backwards, but to our advantage? Deaf people, along other “disabled” people, are no longer the minority, but the majority? Hearing people would instantly experience and feel what it’s like to lack accommodations they so take for granted.

There is a video illustrating this backwards world. While funny, the fact that it’s not an American commerical, but an European one, strikes me. The short video, I feel, amplifies the attitude which that makes discrimination laws not as needed as it is here in America.

<a target=”window” href=”http://www.ad-awards.com/inc/video.swf?id=104″>http://www.ad-awards.com/inc/video.swf?id=104</a>