My AN funny for the week

[Keeping Up]

As a newbie, I am still highly aware of this AN, the ringing in my ear and my hearing overall.  Every thing is so minor right now, that I know I should just forget about it all - but I still find some humour in it.

On Tuesday, one of my team was listening/watching to the Inaugruation on the web (it was a quiet day) - well, actually a few girls were, and I kept getting the run down of the first lady's dress (and the woman in the pink coat ... which I now think was one of the children).  I knew they were doing it - the volume was very low and I was listening to their chatter but couldn't clearly hear the voices - not AN/hearing related, just really low. 

Throughout the day, I kept thinking that who the heck was protesting in downtown Toronto 41 floors below my office in the FREEZING weather.  It took a few checks out the window to realize that the high pitch sound was the crowd from webcast - just with the 'bad' ear towards the sound, I had no grasp of direction and only heard it through the good ear and thus assumed it was coming from outside.  My hearing in general is so good, but this directional stuff plays games on you.  I had to laugh.  I know it only goes but downhill from here so I am sure I will experience this several more times over.

[ppearl214]

doesn't always go downhill!   Been in those shoes before... look one way and then another and say "huh?"  "Where?" "Who said that?". Even worse when you are alone and do it!

Phyl

[Syl]

Keeping Up:

Humor is a real life saver. Thank goodness the AN doesn't take that away.

My word recognition is pretty far gone in my AN ear, but I found that a hearing aid, which I've named Chatty Kathy, helps me so much with directionality.

Hearing Aid: $1500
Regaining Directionality: Priceless

Syl

[Jim Scott]

SSD humor happens when I'm with my wife in a large store and, inevitably, we go our separate ways.  She to ladies clothing, home decor or shoes while I explore the hardware, electronics or automotive sections.  Eventually, we'll finish what we're doing and want to check out.   We'll usually wander around looking for each other and, invariably, she'll see me before I see her.  She'll yell "JIM!" and I'll do a 360° turn, desperately trying to locate her voice. while, acutely aware of startled onlookers now staring at me, I pretend to be oh-so casually looking over the surrounding area.  Sometimes it takes more than one pirouette on my part to locate Tina, who, by this time is frantically waving her arms, trying to signal me and end my awkward moment as more shoppers pause to look at the dazed guy anxiously trying to locate his shouting wife while unsuccessfully trying to appear 'cool'.   Occasionally, a well-intentioned bystander will point to my wife in the distance, and say "she's over there", thus intensifying my embarrassment while simply trying to help me.  Of course, if she's close by, Tina just walks up, taps me on the shoulder and says "Hi!"  That doesn't happen too often though.  We normally go through the little drama of her shouting my name while I imitate a ballet danseur who has forgotten his next move and is desperately looking for his partner.  Other than that, my SSD is hardly a problem.   

Update:  last year, we decided to make things easier by using 'walkie-talkies' to locate one another in big stores and malls.  This works fine - but we often forget to bring them with us when we shop, so it's only a partial solution. 

Jim

[sgerrard]

We normally go through the little drama of her shouting my name while I imitate a ballet danseur who has forgotten his next move and is desperately looking for his partner.

Please, please, pretty please, will you post a picture? 

Steve

[jerseygirl]

This is a hysterical description, Jim! This is exactly what happens to me in stores!   Since I got Transear, though, I find that I am sometimes correct in localizing the sound. I am not 100% accurate though.

             Eve

[wendysig]

Jim,
I had to laugh at your description of yourself trying desperately to locate your wife.  I can picture it quite clearly in my mind's eye because you could be describing me.     I am very much hoping my BAHA will help this problem at least a little.

Wendy