Anyone using an iPhone or a Blackberry? I’ve narrowed the cell phone decision to these two. My thoughts:
iPhone: Advantages
* Blends iPod, PDA, and phone in one nice package.
* Has a nice PDA interface.
* Tracks teen.
* Has 3G.
iPhone: Disadvantages
* On screen keyboard not as fast as BB keyboard.
* Syncs with Outlook, but not Notes for Windows.
* Doesn’t have its own desktop personal information manager that syncs with it.
BB: Advantages
* Contains real keyboard.
* Comes with its own desktop applications for syncing.
* Easier to enter and manage notes, a feature I often use.
* Can’t track teen, but hubby will be able to since he will have an iPhone.
BB: Disadvantages
* Targets Exchange server users, which I don’t use.
* No 3G.
I think I’ll have to go with the Blackberry where I can type fast. I own an iPod Touch and can’t come anywhere close to the typing speed I have when using my Sidekick (that I’m getting rid of due to unacceptable and unreliable service).
This move also shows Palm blew it big time. I stuck with the company for much longer than most and they just blew it. The Centro keyboard is horrendously small. It’s a shame because the company developed a wonderful personal info manager by keeping things simple yet powerful and useful… unlike Windows Mobile.

Paula Rosenthal offers advice on how to help a child get ready for school.
I asked my mom what she did when I was in elementary school. She said that after the first one or two years, she asked the teacher for five minutes of her time. Mom would explain that I needed to sit where I could lipread and that they needed to face me when talking to me. She also suggested they call or send a note (after all, no email back then!) with any problems so Mom could help.
Mom also had to meet with the principal a couple of times especially in third grade when I got a teacher assignment that wasn’t right for me. The school put me in the third top math class and near the bottom for reading. After Mom met with them, they moved me to the top math class and third top reading class where I did well.
She told the teachers about my hearing aid, the need for batteries, and that it had a tendency to have feedback (I do NOT miss this about hearing aids).
By the time I hit middle school, I just made sure I sat where I needed to. In high school, I didn’t work as hard to sit up front as I wanted to be with my friends and not the nerd in front row.
Although my middle child has all of his senses, we work with the school and teacher more than my mom did. We had our meeting with the teachers and principal last Friday (school started yesterday, August 25) to discuss accommodation updates for him. We regularly email them and will meet a few times during the school year.
The principal created a point sheet that requires more check ins than what we offered. We obviously wanted to keep it simple as we know the teacher has 20 or so other kids to manage. But the school chose to do it that way to help him build early success and then they’ll loosen it later.
We’re lucky to have a great support system in our school. Please share how you work with the school to help a child’s success.

In my first year in college, I walked in my dorm room to see building maintenance working on the ceiling. It turned out the university sent them to install a visual fire alarm. That impressed me because I didn’t request it and I never had one while growing up.
Whenever the fire alarm went off, I quaked in my shoes (I never wore boots). You see, my grandparents’ house caught fire when I was five while I visited them. Grandma and I were playing Casino or one of many card games we played together. We could see the little walkway to the kitchen from the formal dining room where we sat. It glowed.
Somehow we knew to get out (or maybe Grandpa yelled to Grandma and I didn’t hear him). We darted (well, Grandma probably moved faster than snail speed) away from the kitchen walkway to the other doorway to the front door. After that, I sat on the neighbors sidewalk while the firemen did their job.
So all these years, I knew fires could happen to anyone. Whenever alone at night, I turned into a frightened little girl knowing I wouldn’t be able to hear the alarm.
The Dallas Fire-Rescue department (jpg letter) installs smoke detectors for people with hearing impairments. The fire alarm monitor includes smoke alarms, receiver, and bed-shaker. So contact your city’s fire department to see if they offer a service.
If you build a new house, see about getting such an alarm installed. The way our fire alarms are set — the security company couldn’t add a visual fire alarm for us. Trying to see if the city’s fire department can help. Stay safe!

Previously, I posted the iPod Touch Rules! — By accident, I found a similar feature in the iPod Nano (second generation). It didn’t have this before upgrading iTunes.
I pushed the button a couple of times while playing a song and by the fourth push — I see lyrics! To scroll down, just slide the scroll wheel like you do for volume. Brilliant.
These work well and don’t require extra steps like some lyrics software. Just copy and paste lyrics into the lyrics tab and that’s it.

I’m lucky I found someone early in my life so I didn’t have to deal with the stressful dating game for long. Deaf people — at least in my case — who live outside of the Deaf culture feel insecure when it comes to the dating game. Although it’s wrong to dislike someone just because of a difference, it’s human nature.
A person who is deaf wrote to Dr. Romance about returning to the dating pool:

I want to tell you a short story about myself. I am deaf since birth and I grew up being deaf. It’s hard for me to fit in, because this society doesn’t understand about us very well. I was married to hearing man for 13 years and we’ve been divorced for 10 years . I have wonderful sons, I love them so much and I have given up a lot to raise them. Now I am ready to date and trying to meet men on line, and chatting with them seems to go well; but as soon as I let them know that I am deaf they have stopped talking to me as if I had leprosy or something.

Its hard to meet men who aren’t scared of deaf people; the ones I meet seem not willing to try to be patient or to know me better. They never find out I’m a lot of fun like other people in general; and I like the outdoors, riding bikes, and camping. I also have job, because I can do anything but hear.

At the bar scene or anywhere when men talk to me and I try to understand them by reading lips, they act like I’m weirdo so I have to tell them that I am deaf. I hate to LABEL myself “I am deaf.” Then they say, “Oh, can you read my lips?” or “Never mind” and they walk away from me it hurts and frustrates me.

We the deaf people who love hearing people and want to prove them that we can be like they are and enjoy dating. It seems very limited for us to date people in general. They need to get better educated about us and to understand us better. It wont hurt to try!

Dr. Romance‘s reply:

I love your dating tips for deaf people, and I’m going to post them on my blog. To meet a hearing man who understands deaf people, why not go to classes in American Sign for the hearing? There you’ll find people who understand what it is to be deaf (many have relatives who are deaf) and who won’t be ignorant or afraid of deaf people. If you search online, be up front about being deaf in your profile — that will filter out the people who don’t understand. Try reading my article, “Where is Love?” .

How to Date Deaf People: (written by Dawn)

*If you meet a deaf person and you want to talk, let the person know by waving “Hi” or write a note to give to her or him.

*When you want to say something; Have a pen and paper to communicate with them so he or she can understand.

*If you invite a deaf person out out on a date, please face your date, to make it easier to read lips, and use the pen and paper when you don’t understand. Also, listen to what he or she has to say.

*If you have cell phone with you, don’t answer it unless you warn your date first [Dr. Romance says this is true of any date, not just a deaf person.] Understand that a deaf person probably can’t tell what you’re saying when you’re talking into a cell phone, so it’s polite to let your date know why you’re answering the phone and what the call is about (for example, it’s work calling, or someone who is ill. Non-essential calls can wait.)
*If you take this date to a party, introduce your date and let them know that she or he is deaf. Sometimes, people knew some sign language — you never know.

*If the other person is talking and your date doesn’t understand, help him or her stay in the conversation by briefly explaining the gist of the conversation.

*It’s helpful and kind to ask your date how to say some words in sign language. Your date will be impressed that you are willing to learn to communicate with them in their own language.

*Phone calls are easy — text messaging always works. Even when you’re on a date, texting something on your phone and handing it to your date will work if you don’t think you’re understood.

*If you’re going to the movies, ask in advance if there are closed captions for the hearing impaired.

*Remember your date can’t read your lips in a darkened theater. This is a good place to use texting — you can just hand your date your phone.

*If you want to be able to talk, it’s better to take your date out to mini golf, a nice small cafe or the park.

*Understand that American Sign is a different language, with different grammar, so don’t be offended if your date is sometimes hard to understand. As with any different language, it takes a little patience. You’ll get used to it after a while.

*I encourage you to learn sign language. Classes are fun, and you’ll impress your friends.

*Your date will be happy to answer questions if you ask.