Monday, November 26, 2007

Can you hear me now?



I just posted a comment on a friend's blog about dubbing and subtitles. I matter-of-fact stated that since I tend to have the television on closed captioning much of the time, I do better with subtitles.

I never dreamed it would come to this in my mid 40s though. Wait - not even mid 40s.

As I sit here this morning, listening to the ever increasing ringing in my ears (tinnitus), I'm reminded I've gotten quite good at little tricks and things to mostly keep this from everyone but Jon. Poor Jon -- the Parkinson's and the Parkinson's drugs tend to affect his speech. Sometimes I need sharp clear annunciation (with clear facial movements) to understand. Unfortunately, now he slurs ocassionally and his facial movements sometimes are a little soft and sluggish.

Can you hear me now?


In the chaos that tends to be my life, I have to laugh at the oddity. I have an IPod that I just received but haven't set up yet. Me - who lives in music - yet it sets nearly blank.

What if it's like my hands free cell phone feature? what if either I can't hear it or it causes pain when I can get it loud enough to hear.

Wouldn't life be wonderful if music could be closed captioned instead of just little music notes and an announcement that it *is* music?

Wouldn't it be the best if the fates didn't have a wicked sense of humour?
***
The photo above was taken summer 2006 @ The Virginia Renaissance Festival. Gary Schwartz is a gifted musician/composer who specializes in period music.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

The bitter ironies of life, eh? These 'relatively small' ( to some) things like tinnitus, that kind of get overlooked in the great scheme of things are hugely distressing on a personal level and I can imagine what it must be like for you who loves music so. I have this terrible morbid obsession about something happening to my sight, it would be the worst thing in the world for me I'm sure and I make horrible bargains sometimes in my head between me and the Man about what I would rather lose than my sight..awful isn't it!
Have a go with that Ipod, you never know till you try.*hugs*

Unknown said...

Actually the music rather tunes out the tinnitus. The worst torture I've endured (other than by my dentist) is when they have checked my hearing. A soundproof room is horrible because all you can hear is the ringing in your ears and it seems deafening. That is one of the reasons I am disinclined to go get my hearing tested.

I came to grips with my eyesight years ago when I was told (incorrectly) by an eye doctor that I would probably lose my sight by my 40s. I can imagine how difficult it would be though not to be able to see :(

I'll give the IPod a shot. I figure if I have too many problems I'll just check for a different type of earphone or something.