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NOT SO SILENT STITCHER

Question:

yet.  I can even tell the difference between yesterday and today as to how "lifelike" the voices sound and how much more I can understand. Still need the captions on the TV set and can’t use the phone yet <g but I will get there eventually.  I am floating on air at the moment. As for stitching, Rapunzel will have the stones in her castle wall nicely grouted in this weekend and then it’s on to THE WINDOWFRAME.  I am now past the point where I badly damaged my fabric by a slip of the scissors (I had to start over :-(  ) .  I feel like I am actually making progress.   Congratulations, Elaine!  I’m so happy for you!  Keep up the good work on Rapunzel (this is the TW one, right?)!    -=-bren-=-

Thanks, Bren.. Yes, it’s the TW version and that’s why it’s taking so long.  I don’t start out with minor stuff.  My first project was a set of 9 ornaments designed by DVGiampa with lots of colors and quarter stitches. That became the carry around project.  Then I jump right into this TW piece.  I figure by the time I finish this one I qualify as an expert. Take care, Elaine

Response:

If you are interested in using audiobooks while you stitch (or whatever) you might also want to contact your local public radio station to see if they include one of the several audiobook type programs in their programming.  If they do, it may be at a convenient time for you, or you may be able to somehow record them off of the radio, as another audiobook option.   "I drive to far to think there’s no place like home/ any small town takes care of its own/the middle of my nowhere could be a back road to you/I drive too far to wanna go home, but I still do/too much time to want more time, but I still do…" –I think Cosy Sheridan, but I’m not certain–got it off a wonderful mix tape given to me w/out credits

Response:

Elaine (the no longer silent stitcher) What wonderful news, Elaine!!!  I’ve been reading all your updates and am so happy for you that you’re making such remarkable progress with your hearing.  Sorry to hear about the Rapunzel incident, but glad you’re making progress with that too! ;-)  Keep up the good work! Jill

Thanks, Jill.  I went to a 4-H meeting and while I understood a whole lot more than I ever have before it was still no picnic.  I was so frustrated that I just wanted to go home and stitch.  Oh well, the leader will call and fill me in tomorrow as we usually do. It’s really great that she does that but she also usually manages to get me to volunteer for something at the same time :-( Rapunzel is doing much better.  The stone work on the castle walls is finished and grouted in nicely <g.  The window frame is moving along much faster and is much more interesting to work on.  Ilana is starting to get excited abuot it now that it is starting to look like something.  She drags everyone over to look at it and shows them the picture from the patttern.  She gave me a long talk last night about how I would give it to her and she would give it to her daughter who would give it to her daughter and on and on… Take care, Elaine P.S.  Anyone reading this, if sending me e-mail please double check the address to make sure it ends with "net" instead of "com".  It seems to be coming up wrong for some people when they hit the reply button (though I’m not positive about this).  

Response:

Hi Gang, Well, yesterday and today were the big event around here. The implant is hooked up and working beautifully. Most people only get noise the first time, I got what sounded pretty much like voices, could lipread about 90% and even pick up an occasional word based on sound alone. I am setting records for fast adaptation to the implant.  The only person I couldn’t understand today was a very soft spoken ENT visiting from Austrailia.  I’m just not that good at lipreading accents from OZ yet.  I can even tell the difference between yesterday and today as to how "lifelike" the voices sound and how much more I can understand. Still need the captions on the TV set and can’t use the phone yet <g but I will get there eventually.  I am floating on air at the moment. As for stitching, Rapunzel will have the stones in her castle wall nicely grouted in this weekend and then it’s on to THE WINDOWFRAME.  I am now past the point where I badly damaged my fabric by a slip of the scissors (I had to start over :-(  ) .  I feel like I am actually making progress.   My daughter, Ilana, says I should just say "I can hear now, say something!  :-)))) Take care all and thanks for all the moral support you have given me through this. Elaine (the no longer silent stitcher)

Response:

I also use audio books, but I have never bought any. I have been using the Books on Tape Lending Library.  It’s a great service, which rents out for a 4-week period any of the books on tape in their catalog.  That way you don’t buy it!  The charge is quite reasonable, and they pay the postage both ways. The number is 800-88-BOOKS Regards, Joe Hurley NB  The foregoing is NOT meant as an advertisement for the company mentioned herein, merely a statement of my experiences dealing with said company.

Response:

Dunkle) writes: Hi Gang, Well, yesterday and today were the big event around here. The implant is hooked up and working beautifully.

Response:

Elaine, What wonderful news!  It must be so exciting for you, especially as you seem to be making such visible progress daily. I tried to answer your message about audiobooks a few weeks ago and my message never made it out of my computer, so will repeat here some of what I said.  (This is long — if you’re not interested in au

a big fan of audiobooks, and recommend them heartily.  I – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -primarily use them when commuting, but they’re also nice to listen to when stitching!  An important thing to know is that there are many "flavors" of audiobooks.  One major distinction is abridged vs. unabridged.  An unabridged recording is a true reading of the original book.  An average book may be around 8 90-minute tapes.  Typically you would either borrow these from a library or rent them via mail order, as the purchase cost is quite high.  Books are narrated by professional narrators, who are sometimes also actors (but not usually the sort you’ve heard of before). Abridged books are made for the retail purchase market, and are primarily done to keep the cost affordable.  The typical abridged book is 1 or 2 tapes long — roughly 80% of material is cut out (though of course it varies).  They are often read by "name" actors, and sometimes by the authors (who often aren’t as good as professional narrators).  These are what you’ll find for sale at most bookstores, etc.  Some people like to own their books and/or find the abridgement a convenience.  Many others (including me :-) ) generally find it unacceptable.  Lately there are starting to be "abridged lite" books — less cutting, longer and relatively more expensive. Most audiobooks are read by a single narrator, who typically varies his/her voice for the different characters.  The degree of "acting" and vocal inflection is to some extent determined by the style preference of the producing company.  Some companies seem to like relatively straight reading; others might include singing, shouting, etc.  I tend to like a fairly free hand with voices and inflection. There is a somewhat different category of recording called "performance audio".  These recordings are real performances, typically with multiple readers and sound effects, music, etc. They sound sort of like old radio programs.  In addition to books recorded in this format, there are also many programs specifically made for audio.  These are generally sold by big media companies. You can also get audiotapes of old-time radio shows, if you think you’d enjoy that. My favorite source of audiobooks is a mail-order rental company called Recorded Books.  Their toll-free number (which I know by heart, having used them for 8 years) is 1-800-638-1304.  They produce all of their own books (all of which are unabridged) and set a very high quality standard.  If you call they’ll send you a brochure; I think now they only send a full catalog once you’ve placed an order.  Their service is exceptionally good. I’d check your local library first, though. Some have excellent collections.  (Though some (like my local) can’t keep up with demand from commuters!) If you’re interested, there’s an internet listserver for discussion of audiobooks.  If you haven’t used a listserver, this may sound mysterious, but basically you just subscribe and then you start getting a lot of messages from people discussing audiobooks.  You can also post messages if you wish, but you aren’t obliged to. (It differs from a newsgroup, in that you subscribe and then get actual email messages, rather than reading from a separate server.) To subscribe, send an email message to: Leave the subject line of your message and in the message body, put the single line:     sub audiobooks Elaine Dunkle (or however you’d like your name to read).  This message is processed mechanically — no one will read it — so avoid putting in anything else.  Once you’ve done this you’ll get an explanatory mailing. (You may be required also to send back an acknoweldgement to be subscribed.)  That’s it — you’ll start getting lots of mail about audiobooks.  (The explanatory message will tell you how to post messages yourself — also how to quit if you don’t like it.) Hope some of this is useful.  Feel free to drop me a note if there’s anything else I can help with.

Response:

What wonderful news!  It must be so exciting for you, especially as you seem to be making such visible progress daily. I tried to answer your message about audiobooks a few weeks ago and my message never made it out of my computer, so will repeat here some of what I said.  (This is long — if you’re not interested in audiobooks you can stop here :-) .)

Chris, Thanks for all the good info. :-)  I do prefer unabridged books for reading and feel the same way about books on tape.  I think I would also prefer the professional narrators to the actors or authors reading.  At this point I can’t understand the DJ’s on the radio but I can understand the professional announcers and weather people.  They seem to speak at a decent speed and enunciate better.  I will be calling the people you recommended for a catalog. Take care, Elaine – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Abridged books are made for the retail purchase market, and are primarily done to keep the cost affordable.  The typical abridged book is 1 or 2 tapes long — roughly 80% of material is cut out (though of course it varies).  They are often read by "name" actors, and sometimes by the authors (who often aren’t as good as professional narrators).  These are what you’ll find for sale at most bookstores, etc.  Some people like to own their books and/or find the abridgement a convenience.  Many others (including me :-) ) generally find it unacceptable.  Lately there are starting to be "abridged lite" books — less cutting, longer and relatively more expensive. Most audiobooks are read by a single narrator, who typically varies his/her voice for the different characters.  The degree of "acting" and vocal inflection is to some extent determined by the style preference of the producing company.  Some companies seem to like relatively straight reading; others might include singing, shouting, etc.  I tend to like a fairly free hand with voices and inflection. There is a somewhat different category of recording called "performance audio".  These recordings are real performances, typically with multiple readers and sound effects, music, etc. They sound sort of like old radio programs.  In addition to books recorded in this format, there are also many programs specifically made for audio.  These are generally sold by big media companies. You can also get audiotapes of old-time radio shows, if you think you’d enjoy that. My favorite source of audiobooks is a mail-order rental company called Recorded Books.  Their toll-free number (which I know by heart, having used them for 8 years) is 1-800-638-1304.  They produce all of their own books (all of which are unabridged) and set a very high quality standard.  If you call they’ll send you a brochure; I think now they only send a full catalog once you’ve placed an order.  Their service is exceptionally good. I’d check your local library first, though. Some have excellent collections.  (Though some (like my local) can’t keep up with demand from commuters!) If you’re interested, there’s an internet listserver for discussion of audiobooks.  If you haven’t used a listserver, this may sound mysterious, but basically you just subscribe and then you start getting a lot of messages from people discussing audiobooks.  You can also post messages if you wish, but you aren’t obliged to. (It differs from a newsgroup, in that you subscribe and then get actual email messages, rather than reading from a separate server.) To subscribe, send an email message to: Leave the subject line of your message and in the message body, put the single line:     sub audiobooks Elaine Dunkle (or however you’d like your name to read).  This message is processed mechanically — no one will read it — so avoid putting in anything else.  Once you’ve done this you’ll get an explanatory mailing. (You may be required also to send back an acknoweldgement to be subscribed.)  That’s it — you’ll start getting lots of mail about audiobooks.  (The explanatory message will tell you how to post messages yourself — also how to quit if you don’t like it.) Hope some of this is useful.  Feel free to drop me a note if there’s anything else I can help with.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I just wanted to let everyone in the ng know how great YOU are with giving out moral support even while going through something like this. To explain: I found out last week that I am getting hearing aids again for the first time in 10 years (I am 25), and I didn’t deal with it as well as I thought I would. It was one of those "I-know-need-them-but-can-get-by-without-them" situations. The choice was finally taken away from me, and I just couldn’t get through my classes without help anymore.  Elaine was very supprotive of me when I found out last Thursday how much worse it has gotten.

Hey Jennifer! Your stitching buddies are out here for you too! Best of luck adapting… prayers and hugs are with you. Nancy

Response:

My daughter, Ilana, says I should just say "I can hear now, say something!  :-)))) Take care all and thanks for all the moral support you have given me through this. Elaine (the no longer silent stitcher)

HHOOOOORRRRAAAYYY!!!!!!

Response:

Elaine (the no longer silent stitcher)

What wonderful news, Elaine!!!  I’ve been reading all your updates and am so happy for you that you’re making such remarkable progress with your hearing.  Sorry to hear about the Rapunzel incident, but glad you’re making progress with that too! ;-)  Keep up the good work! Jill

Response:

Elaine, What wonderful news!  It must be so exciting for you, especially as you seem to be making such visible progress daily. I tried to answer your message about audiobooks a few weeks ago and my message never made it out of my computer, so will repeat here some of what I said.  (This is long — if you’re not interested in audiobooks you can stop here :-) .) I’m a big fan of audiobooks, and recommend them heartily.  I primarily use them when commuting, but they’re also nice to listen to when stitching!  An important thing to know is that there are many "flavors" of audiobooks.  One major distinction is abridged vs. unabridged.  An unabridged recording is a true reading of the original book.  An average book may be around 8 90-minute tapes.  Typically you would either borrow these from a library or rent them via mail order, as the purchase cost is quite high.  Books are narrated by professional narrators, who are sometimes also actors (but not usually the sort you’ve heard of before). Abridged books are made for the retail purchase market, and are primarily done to keep the cost affordable.  The typical abridged book is 1 or 2 tapes long — roughly 80% of material is cut out (though of course it varies).  They are often read by "name" actors, and sometimes by the authors (who often aren’t as good as professional narrators).  These are what you’ll find for sale at most bookstores, etc.  Some people like to own their books and/or find the abridgement a convenience.  Many others (including me :-) ) generally find it unacceptable.  Lately there are starting to be "abridged lite" books — less cutting, longer and relatively more expensive. Most audiobooks are read by a single narrator, who typically varies his/her voice for the different characters.  The degree of "acting" and vocal inflection is to some extent determined by the style preference of the producing company.  Some companies seem to like relatively straight reading; others might include singing, shouting, etc.  I tend to like a fairly free hand with voices and inflection. There is a somewhat different category of recording called "performance audio".  These recordings are real performances, typically with multiple readers and sound effects, music, etc. They sound sort of like old radio programs.  In addition to books recorded in this format, there are also many programs specifically made for audio.  These are generally sold by big media companies. You can also get audiotapes of old-time radio shows, if you think you’d enjoy that. My favorite source of audiobooks is a mail-order rental company called Recorded Books.  Their toll-free number (which I know by heart, having used them for 8 years) is 1-800-638-1304.  They produce all of their own books (all of which are unabridged) and set a very high quality standard.  If you call they’ll send you a brochure; I think now they only send a full catalog once you’ve placed an order.  Their service is exceptionally good. I’d check your local library first, though. Some have excellent collections.  (Though some (like my local) can’t keep up with demand from commuters!) If you’re interested, there’s an internet listserver for discussion of audiobooks.  If you haven’t used a listserver, this may sound mysterious, but basically you just subscribe and then you start getting a lot of messages from people discussing audiobooks.  You can also post messages if you wish, but you aren’t obliged to. (It differs from a newsgroup, in that you subscribe and then get actual email messages, rather than reading from a separate server.) To subscribe, send an email message to: Leave the subject line of your message and in the message body, put the single line:      sub audiobooks Elaine Dunkle (or however you’d like your name to read).  This message is processed mechanically — no one will read it — so avoid putting in anything else.  Once you’ve done this you’ll get an explanatory mailing. (You may be required also to send back an acknoweldgement to be subscribed.)  That’s it — you’ll start getting lots of mail about audiobooks.  (The explanatory message will tell you how to post messages yourself — also how to quit if you don’t like it.) Hope some of this is useful.  Feel free to drop me a note if there’s anything else I can help with.

Response:

Re subscribing to the audiobooks listserver — My message should have said: "Leave the subject line of your message blank …"  (I left out the word "blank").   Chris

Response:

Elaine, I think you know how happy I am that you are adapting so well to the implant.  Bob says he is happy for you too.  Yup, I told him about it. I just wanted to let everyone in the ng know how great YOU are with giving out moral support even while going through something like this. To explain: I found out last week that I am getting hearing aids again for the first time in 10 years (I am 25), and I didn’t deal with it as well as I thought I would.  It was one of those "I-know-need-them-but-can-get-by-without-them" situations.  The choice was finally taken away from me, and I just couldn’t get through my classes without help anymore.  Elaine was very supprotive of me when I found out last Thursday how much worse it has gotten. I just wanted everyone to know what a wonderful, unselfish person she is (as if you haven’t figured this out for yourselves yet <g ). Take care all and thanks for all the moral support you have given me through this. Elaine (the no longer silent stitcher)

Jennifer L. Maples   "Forgive, O Lord, my little jokes on Thee  And I’ll forgive Thy great big one on me."                            –Robert Frost

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