ASL revisited... Breastfeeding challenge and President's Cup...

If you're wondering about a common denominator... Think of Montréal. :)

ASL: I'm learning the language. Since this is a "general-purpose" blog, so I won't always blog about Sign Language.

I rearrange things a little bit here (see links on the right-hand side), so you can easily locate blog entries about ASL. Well... I hope. :)

I'm still playing with the controls here at Blogspot/Blogger (does one know the difference between the two anyway?). So I'm experimenting.



Breastfeeding challenge: Over 400 mothers came to Place Bonaventure (a big shopping mall & office tower in downtown Montréal) today. Apparently this is an event that took place across the country (Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver) as well as in the US.

Awww... lucky babies. :)

On a serious note... it is the kind of events that bring mixed feelings. I'm all in favour for such events to take place, with great fanfare... but if you think of it... they shouldn't have to.

I'm also thinking of my gay brothers and sisters and the annual Gay Pride parade. I've been there many times, and I'm highly supportive...

But it seems to me that we're in a very sick society when events like these are still needed... to make a point. We should be past that. But apparently we aren't.

About breastfeeding, the benefits are there, it is Nature's intent... and there's nothing indecent about breastfeeding. Why we should be ashamed of our bodily functions?

Yet, recent incidents like at the Burlington airport, which a mother had to face humiliation (and losing her flight. Thanks... Delta! :) ) because she was nursing.... This is still happening too frequently. We're in 2007, it seems...

Last week, I was in Ottawa, and I was looking at the monument to Human Rights. It seems I vaguely recall that humans are born free mhhh... I think they also mention dignity and rights. I think. :)



President's Cup: Well, you have seen that poor fellow taking a dip in the water... with all his clothes. :) This golf tournament is happening in Montréal, and actually just a few miles from my home!

(I'm thinking that the water must have felt ICY to him.. For several days, we're having COLD temperatures... to the point that we're close to the FREEZING point at night. Whoopy. :) ).

Ile Bizard (literally "Weird Island", charming isn't it? :) ), is where the golf tournament is happening, and that little island is part of Montréal. There's just one bridge that links that island to Montréal... and only a handful of roads that gets there.

When you think that 30,000 people and + are going there every day to such an isolated area...

It means absolutely INSANE traffic in my neighborhood. It also means that the public transit system in my area are out of whack. Last Friday, I had to WALK to the train station. A 30-minute walk. I had no bus service at all. They were all jammed up miles behind, at the golf club. :)

Ahhh... the life of the rich and famous... Mhhhhh... come to think of it, I prefer my low key life... and the company of my two cats. :)

Cheers,

-E

Am I a Canadian ?

I see from GRG's blog that I'm not the only ones pondering. The fun of being an "hybrid" . Sigh. :)

I am born in Canada, the only passport I carry is Canadian... Sometimes, I feel compel to YELL .

To the Quebecers, I'm a "maudit Français" from France, to the point they don't believe me when I say that I'm born and raised in Montréal... PQ (in case you may not know, there is also a Montréal ... France :) ).

To the branch of my family who lives in France, I'm Canadian. It's as obvious as a nose on a face.

Ah.

I've been reminded of that (again).. this morning during a phone conversation with a family member in France.

It's fun at first, but in the long run, it gets tiring.

Enough labels!

Thanks. Merci. :)

-E

October 15: Blog action day... for the environment

My friend and fellow bloggerTantrika on FC has tipped me about this event.

What's all about? From their web site:
-What would happen if every blog published posts discussing the same issue, on the same day? One issue. One day. Thousands of voices.

-On October 15th, bloggers around the web will unite to put a single important issue on everyone’s mind - the environment. Every blogger will post about the environment in their own way and relating to their own topic.


As a good net citizen (and nature lover!), there are some actions that deserve supports. :)

So, I have officially registered this blog for the October 15 blog event. Knowing FC, wanna bet their system will go bongo when you needed the most? I prefer to err on safe side. Blogspot seems more reliable. :)

Spread the words, and see you on October 15th!

Cheers,

-E
Link: http://blogactionday.org/

Burma...

Unless you come from another planet, you can't ignore what's going on in Burma. Watching the photos from the CBC will chill your bones..

You have probably seen that image of blood laden sandals. Those very sandals usually worn by Buddhists. People who are living symbols of peace... and who have been obviously murdered.

The old militant in me boils...

What can I say?

There are some bitterness... because I've been with some organizations... and when I think of the work we've done... have all turned sour. All...

And from Day 1. The Marche 2/3 is where I first got the bug. I was a teen. Sweet memories. :)

Our project? Building waterworks in... Rwanda. Do I need to tell what happened to Rwanda years later? I could go on and on with the list (Think of Ethiopia, Ouganda, etc...) ... it seems the wheel keeps spinning... For every step forward, there will be three steps backwards. That's my frustration.

Ok, back home...

We are so spoil rotten here... that we don't even realize it (and that's our drama. It's easy to lose something that you don't know it's true value... but that would be room for another blog entry).

So, we're taking for granted... what to others is still a battle.

Freedom.

We are extremely lucky to be born (think about it! :) ) and to live in the western world these days. Some people aren't _that_ lucky, and they are born in a not so fortunate place on this little planet. Even today...

In any war, it is the civilians who always pay the heftiest price. In suffering... and with their life.

I'm having a prayer tonight...

Cheers,

-E

R.I.P. Marcel Marceau...

I've blogged this on FC a few days ago... but I'm still learning how to simulcast. The left hand doesn't always know what the right hand does. :)

RIP the French mime, Marcel Marceau.

He made silence speaks loudly. The scenes he would draw for your eyes... are unforgettable.

He passed away at the age of 84.

When you think of mime...

Isn't sign language brought to the ultimate level?

A universal language that is free of barriers and being understood... by everyone?

Aurevoir Marcel. Je garde en mémoire un souvenir impérissable!

-J

ASL Movies...

The fun of the World Wide Web... you follow links and you "travel" from one web site to another. Like travels in the real world, there are plenty of fascinating things to discover.

So I landed on a web site about movies in ASL (American Sign Language).

Mhhh, maybe I should make this clear. I'm not saying that like sub-titles on foreign movies, there's a sign interpreter at the corner of the screen, signing the dialogue between actors.

No. I'm talking about the "L" in ASL. LANGUAGE. ASL is a language in its own right, like French, English, German, etc...

So I'm talking about movies... which actors "speak"... in ASL.

I was there, watching the trailers of these movies... fascinated.

At the same time, I had to tap my forehead with my hand. But OF COURSE!

When you say language, you say culture. In these modern days, a symbol of culture... is the movie production, don't you think?

I'm "just a hearing person". As I'm learning ASL on my own, I'm also discovering their culture. :)

It's a small web site, but I figure they deserve a tip of the hat. ASLfilms.com

Cheers,

-E

Ottawa for lovers... :-)

( <--- This is the Langevin building, corner Elgin & Wellington Street. Note: This blog entry isn't exactly a blog "simulcast" from FC.)

I'm not the kind of person to return "to the scene of the crime"... on the other hand, there aren't that many streets that go to the Parliament, so you can't help.

On this Sunday morning, I was pensive. College love... and some naugthy fun that occured near that building, which I won't elaborate (but you can read more on my blog at FC. :) ). Suffice to say that I still want to be able to cross the US border. :)

So, for much of the morning, I was thinking of a past lover...

Sometimes, you wonder whether coincidences are... just coincidences. To wit:

On my way to the hotel, I was on Rideau Street, next to the Byward Market and its many street artists. I'm waiting for the green light at the traffic light. The hotel is in view, in a few minutes I'll check out, then hop on a taxi, and go to the train station. I'll be on my way back to Montréal...

While I was waiting, there was a singer next by. At first, I wasn't paying attention. (Words, and worse, words that are sung are nightmare for me to decode).

Then, I recognize the tune... and then the WORDS...

___

" (...) My love for you, is immeasurable,
My respect for you, immense!

You're ageless, timeless,
Lace and fineness,
You're beauty and elegance.

(refrain) :

You're in my heart,
You're in my soul!

You'll be my breath,
Should I grow old!

You are my lover!
You're my best friend!

You're in my soul...

Sigh!

Hearing a song that EXACTLY describes your feelings at that precise time... Hello COINCIDENCE?

Damn Rod Stewart. You made me shed a few tears in public. :) This is one of his finest songs.

Since I can post links here...
For your listening pleasure... here's Rod Stewart.

Cheers,

-E

Ottawa: A cat story...

It is one of those sweet stories... that makes travels interesting. Also, if you are a cat lover... you'll love this story.

If you happen to visit Ottawa and the Parliament, take a few minutes to wander off the beaten path.

Once at the Parliament, go to the left side of the building, toward the area which there are many trees.

Observe, and surprise oh surprise, you'll see cats... and these cat condos! (At the time I took this picture, beside the black cat... there's also a black squirrel!). If you are even luckier, you may even see the Catman of the Hill, René Chartrand, taking care of these cats.

For the past 30 years, Errant cats in Ottawa do have food (and shelter)... right here at the Parliament.

Jokes aside, the story, somewhat (heavily? :) ) embellished over the time is worth mentioning, nonetheless. It is just too sweet!

In the late 70s, there was a cat... lady by the name of Irène Désormeaux, who had noticed that there were many errant cats around Parliament Hill. Listening to her heart, she bought food and she decided to feed them. (Later, that responsibility was passed to current "Catman", René Chartrand).

Like any good citizen initiative... elected officials were dead set against. These cats are like vermin! They carry diseases! They are nuisance! They scare tourists! (Actually, these cats became a tourist attraction). Get rid of those cats!!!

Some people argued that cats are good pest control. Years ago, some ships and old houses had cats for that reason... and these days, cats are certainly a better alternative to the use of chemicals.

Some facetious brave souls also argued that a building as old as the Parliament certainly have a lot of ahem... big fat rodents all over the building. :)

So the news spreaded fast here in Ottawa... (and across the country too) . These cats have touched the hearts of many Canadians.

Petitions, protests, so many people supporting the cats of Parliament Hill and their cat keeper...

Common sense, Canadian-style... finally applied.

The Parliament belongs to all Canadian citizen and they really mean it: *ALL* Canadian citizen... if you catch my drift. :)

Whether they are furry and have more than two legs do not matter. These cats are certainly born in Canada, therefore they are Canadian... eh!

The rationale is that these cats, just like any Canadian, have the right to go to the Parliament, so you can't oust them. Some jokesters also commented that with our Charter of Rights, you can not discriminate Canadians based on their race nor on their physical appearance, whether they are feline or human, with a fur coat or not. Cough cough. :)

On the other hand, our elected officials were not happy either.

So the deal was this: The cats are here to stay. Eyes would be closed on their cat keeper (and later on the "cat condos").

However, the Canadian government would *NOT* provide fundings (I guess that it was too much for the bureaucrats to put a bunch of cats on our welfare system! :) ) nor provide facilities other than the little parcel of land where the cat condos now exist.

To this day, all expenses have been paid in part by the Catman himself and by money from the public. Some merchants donated some cat food and some vets have donated their time for free medical check-ups. It goes without saying, all of these stray cats have been spayed or neutered.

So, it is a labour of love, in many ways. You have to love cats to go to such extents!

It also says something about Ottawa. A lot of people with a very good heart. :)

As a cat lover, everytime that I'm in Ottawa, whether on a business trip or on leisure, I have to go to the Parliament. I have to see "my" cats. :)

Cheers!

-E

Links:
CityNews: Catman becomes legend caring for strays on Parliament Hill (2006/08/08)
Canoe: On the prowl, on Parliament Hill (2004/05/06)

The ugliness of deaf politics: When survival of a culture is at stake...

Off Berke's blog, two recent examples:
- Bickering between two prominent deaf bloggers
- Twisted comments about an article on cochlear implants

As a hearing person, you may not be aware that cochlear implants (CI) are a big big hot potato in the deaf community. They are no replacement ears and CIs have issues of their own, but their benefits can not be ignored. CI is perceived as a threat to the deaf culture. Why learning Sign Language... if you can "hear" ? That's the rationale...

Before going further, some definitions according to Mr. Webstah (emphasis is mine):

LANGUAGE:
A systematic means of communicating ideas or feelings by the use of conventionalized signs, sounds, gestures, or marks having understood meanings by a community.

CULTURE:
a) The customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group shared by people in a place or time.

b) The integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations.

So you see the link between language and culture. Also the most important point about culture, any culture: Survival.

This is why ASL (American Sign Language) is paramount. If a language become threatened, it is the culture of a community that is at risk of disappearing.

There's something extremely intimate about a culture, and this is why you see verbal inflation, and sometimes violence. Case in point, the riot on the campus at Gallaudet last fall.

Gallaudet is the only deaf university in the US (Considering the size and population of the United States, it makes you wondering!). At stake, the survival of the university.

If you think this is happening only in the deaf community... substitute ASL with French. Location? My homeland, Québec. Same battle for survival. If you happened to have read our press at one time or another from the mid 70s up to early 90s, when we were passing language laws (Bill 22, 101, 178, etc...) up to our last referendum on secession, it wasn't pretty. Not pretty at all.

(We also fought hard for our universities, to a point Gallaudet students might be proud of us, but I digress. :-) )

It is the battle of a minority culture drowned in an overwhelming culture and fighting for its survival. I could go on with other examples. Similar battle... one common issue: The survival of a culture.

Back to the deaf culture, CIs are a red herring. In my opinion, Sign Language is here to stay and its culture is *NOT* at risk.

There will always be deaf people learning Sign Language, even with CI, and there will be hearing persons like me who will also learn Sign Language. For a slew of reasons.

The problem, and it was also similar in Québec at the height of our verbal inflation... the tone is so militant, so vitriolic... it drives away their natural allies.

I just wish that the deaf community would evolve. Visibly, it is in "survival mode", and this is why you see such inflation of words (and at times squarely violence, ie, Gallaudet). I wish the deaf culture would evolve into a mature phase, like many cultures.

I have been on both sides of the issue. In my younger years, being militant and fighting for my culture, and now, I'm learning sign language and discovering its rich culture...

I'm going to say in the same way what people have said about my own culture back then:

The deaf culture is here to stay.

Somehow, it is a message that will fall on deaf ears, sadly...

Cheers,

-E

Ottawa and Ontario, living in a different world than from the rest of Canada? Elections, ASL, Health...

(Photo on the Ontario side of the Outaouais river. - Note: I didn't "simulcast" this blog entry with my blog at FC. FC is a dating site... or should be :) I figure that I'm too off-topic for them.)

Yesterday, during the lunch break, I had a chance to listen to radio. A somewhat painful experience (right-click here why. I'm not hard of hearing, but it's close! ), I'm just too curious. I want to know what's going on in the city I am on.

Scanning radio stations with my walkman, I was happy to find Radio-Canada 1ère chaine (in French, bien sur! :) )... and one of their rare in-depth regional news and analysis.

There are provincial elections coming up in October, and this is McGuinty's acid test. Apparently there was a televised debate between leaders of provincial parties. They were saying that it was a lot of show off (as always, isn't it?)... and little content.

There are things that are common with many other provinces... like healthcare, how the waiting lists are unbearable, overcrowded emergency rooms, stay-at-home programs almost non-existent. I was thinking: Have they visited Québec recently? I've got news for you!

Also, it is always during elections that there are all sorts of promises. Better healthcare, better school system, and I almost fainted when I heard the word "deaf". Not the first time I've heard all these nice things, but haven't you noticed that these "feel-good" projects always pop-up at elections time... and they fall into oblivion afterwards?

The reason I'm so cynical, I was standing next to the monument to human rights (read my previous blog entry: Ottawa: Some reminders that we tend to forget ). That little phrase which we are all born "free and equal, in dignity and in rights.

So what it says about dignity and rights when singling some people and using them as electoral play money? Anyway, since I do not live in Ontario, I'll hope their politicians are surprisingly of a better breed than everywhere else. :)

Then, some dynamite stuffs. A referendum! To a Quebecer like me, the word "referendum" is heavily charged! Gee whiz... Ontario wants to secede from Canada?

Well... in some ways, yes! Electorally speaking, that is. It's a referendum on mixed proportional representation. Sheesh, I live in the province next by, and I haven't heard a thing about it! Besides, October 10 is next month. Wow...

I won't lecture you about both electoral systems. If you have relatives in Europe, you are probably aware of "the proportional". Same idea. So, it is a radical departure from our electoral system, derived from the British system.

I've a hunch it would require a constitutional amendment, and I'm highly skeptical that other provinces would accept that. I'm also skeptical that Ontario would dare to take matters in their own hands. :)

Anyway, the local pundits were complaining that past the rhetoric, little has been done to explain both electoral systems to the voters.

Oookay. I wasn't even aware of the referendum, so... :)

Funny, I'm just on the other side of the Outaouais river... and I feel like an alien. Must be something floating in the air in that province, I don't know...

Cheers,

-E

Ottawa: Some reminders that we tend to forget...

I like Ottawa for many things (if for anything else, to see where my taxes are going. :) ), but there are cities, which they are open books.

Boston is also such a city. Walk the Freedom Trail, follow that red line on the sidewalk, and instead of reading an history book, it is there before your eyes.

Ottawa is a bit like that. Also, like a few cities in the world, there are _lots_ of monuments. Almost a local industry, after the government. :)

These monuments are reminders... about things we shall never forget.

Yesterday at lunch break, I had time for a little walk. So I walk on Elgin street, and I came to this monument (located next to City Hall). The nice weather was inviting to relax there.

The large plaque reads:

" All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and in rights" -
"Tous les êtres humains naissent libres et égaux en dignité et en droits"

Mandela came to this monument on his last visit to Canada. The Dalai Lama has blessed the monument. To my eyes, their spirits are still floating...

Some leaders need to be reminded of that monument... Not just foreign leaders, but also on this continent, and I'm not even mentioning countries ( *plural* ).

(Also in parallel, if you're keeping tabs with our local news, we're in the middle of a big heated debate about reasonable accomodations. On both sides of the issue, some people need that reminder I shall say, but I digress).

Besides religion, I'm thinking... of disability, I'm also thinking of medical conditions (for example: being HIV positive is still seen as a "sex" disease (or even a gay disease to men), clouding your morality quite a bit), race, sexual orientation, and so on and so on... Human rights start at home first, it seems...

I went back to the conference room, but throughout the afternoon, that monument was back in my mind and I've been pondering and pondering...

Yup, a lot of people need to walk on Elgin Street, if you ask me.

Cheers,

-E

The Eskimo does Ottawa. :-)

"(Pictures taken this morning, by GRG. On my blog at FC, because of technical restrictions with their site, only the first picture is showing.

About the last picture, if you have a dirty mind and I'm sure that you do, are you thinking of what I'm thinking? Cough cough!! :) ).

I'm on an "extended stay" in Ottawa. This is "vacations", if a weekend can be called vacations anyway. :)

I met GRG again, and she insisted _heavily_ that I better show up in kilt... or else! So I did. :)

It was a dangerous day for a kilt wearer. *VERY* WINDY. Do I need to elaborate? Of course not! You all know the proper etiquette about kilt wearing and you all have naughty minds, tsk tsk. :)

When the photo was taken (the one on the left), I was thinking of the famous scene which Marilyn Monroe's skirt was blown up. It was very windy to have that happening. Besides, I was standing at the *top* of the staircase, and there were plenty of people down...

With the security guards all around... That was kind of daring. If I don't get arrested, I'm lucky.

Conclusion? It's been DANGEROUSLY WINDY... and I've been lucky. :)

It's been a pleasure to meet GRG again... and catching up with each other news since last May.

She knew she was missed at the Montréal BlogueFête and mhhh... yeah, it appeared that I traveled just a little bit since May. So little, in fact. :)

Cheers!!!

-E

Vlogs: A peek at deaf culture...

In the list of ASL resources, you'll notice that I added a link to i711.com, which also provides vlogs.

What is a vlog? A video... blog. You might be asking yourself: Why? Wouldn't typing a text make sense? Yes and no...

When you want to communicate with someone, which way is easier for you? T.y.p.i.n.g. a t.e.x.t. o.n.e. l.e.t.t.e.r. a.t. a. t.i.m.e. or having a face-to-face conversation with that person?

Since we're in a deaf world... enter video blogs. If you want to communicate in Sign Language, you need a suitable medium to do so.

However, since it's a *visual* medium, it's communication... with the added bonus of all the non-verbal gestures, whether facial expressions and body movements. Even to a hearing person like me, I like that. It's smooth and it feels natural. It's the closest to actually meet and have a conversation with that person.

Marshall McLuhan is a compatriot who became famous for this quote: The medium is the message.

A text medium (like this blog) vs a *visual* medium (such as... a vlog), the medium will shape the message, among other things. On a visual medium, you have at your disposal a much broader spectrum to communicate feelings and emotions easily and effectively than just words.

Since I'm learning ASL (American Sign Language), it's one thing to be able to sign... but it is another to be able to "read". A process similar to speaking and listening, in the hearing world.

Besides, when you "hear" other people "speaking", you can correct your own "diction". Same thing with Sign Language.

Also, like the spoken language... there are accents. Tidbit: When I travel in various parts of the US, maybe because for me it is a struggle to listen, I'm still at awe that Americans are able to understand each other. Whether in Boston and the thick accent along the Massachusetts seacoast, or in NYC, or in the Southern States, etc...

There are variations in the way various ideas and concepts are signed. Hence, a "local" accent. Deaf people from one region will sign for these ideas in one way, and slightly differently elsewhere. So, even if you "speak" with your hands, even if we all "speak" ASL, there are accents... and you have to get used to that, just like with human speech.

So I was looking for vlogs to improve my "speech", and I landed at i711. web site. What I like of their vlogs, the images are sharp and crisp. Sure, there are the equivalent of vlogs at sites like YouTube. However, such sites are designed by hearing people and *for* hearing people.

Haven't you noticed that images at these sites are often fuzzy? Even more so when there are quick movements? Hearing persons don't consciously think about it, but speeches are carried through voice. Images aren't the primarily mode of communication. The mind can compensate for the fuzzy images when there are other clues (such as sound).

However, when you're deaf... or like me, when you're *learning* a visual language, images are your primary source of communication. Besides, as you'll see when visiting these vlogs, fluent ASL people will sign seemingly at the speed of light. The hands fly literally! So, you do *NOT* want any fuzzy pictures!

That's why I like those vlogs at i711.com. Besides, they have subtitles. So if you don't understand ASL, or like me you miss some signs... the text will guide you.

(As I wrote earlier, ASL and English are two separate languages, each with their own vocabulary and grammar. So there isn't a one-to-one translation here. That's why I'm saying that the subtitles are there to "guide" you ).

The other thing I like about their vlogs... are the topics being discussed. On Sep 12, it was about Dating and relationships when you're deaf. (My folks from FC will love this topic!) Previous week, it was about Choices in Deaf education and about Deaf culture and the clash of dominant cultures against others.

As someone who in a previous life was a forum staffer to a bunch of Languages & Culture forums, there are many struggles that are universal... and the dilemma one has to face. So this isn't specific to the deaf culture. However, what is specific to the deaf culture is how individuals cope with these issues.

All that, while learning a new language. Isn't it great? :)

Cheers,

-E

Day #4: I'm doing fine. :) - Luck and bad luck...

(This is a short hand version of something I posted on my now "invisible" blog at FC this morning)
Day 4... (of having an invisible blog upthere, and FC technicians working on my case. I'm a case! :) )

(...)

About the photos on the left... Those are rare photos of Vancouver (and Stanley Park)... under the snow.

And I was there. My luck.

Funny how people react.

Oh, I'm sensible to the massive irony that a place known... for *NOT* having a winter... I arrived there and WHAM! First class Canadian winter storm! Snow, hurricane-class winds and bitterly cold temperatures,.

It says something that on my arrival in Vancouver, I had to make some emergency shoppings. Boots, scarf, hat, gloves. All those wintry things... I left back home !!!

It also says something to see Vancouverites walking in the snow in ordinary shoes, even in SANDALS! That kind of weather is just foreign to them. I also have to say that they're brave, or insane... or both. :)

Some say that this was terribly BAD luck for me...

Personally, I'm saying this is luck nonetheless.

The odds that a winter storm would happen, and it would happen at the precise time I'd be in Vancouver...

Look at these photos.

You call that... *BAD* luck?

Now you see my point.

Cheers,

-E

Travel note: Better watch what you do with those hands! ASL revisited...

(Since my blog at FC is still invisible, this is a blog repost. I originally posted this on August 15th, at the beginning of my east coast trip. I took the train from Montréal to Halifax. A 22-hour ride!

Not that I intended to make this blog specific about ASL... but I am learning the language... and there are some sweet travel stories related, and this one is the sweetest. :) )

About the photos:

1) Some treats served at VIA Rail's "Dome Car". If you travel on these long-run trains, the "Dome Car" _is_ the place to be!

2) Lakes and rivers while our train was in the province of Québec.

3) The next day, a stunning sunrise over La Baie Des Chaleurs.
Regulars to this blog know, I'm learning ASL. There's a long story behind that, but one of the goals, since I am a *visual* thinker, is to learn a language which by definition... *is* visual.

I have a vocabulary of mhhh... about 100 concepts ( " words " ), and a basic understanding of the ASL grammar, which is kind of funky at first glance when compared to a spoken and written language... but its grammar is fully adapted for a visual environment.

On Day #2 on the train, I was sitting at the Dome car. The scenery wasn't much of interest, so I figure it's time to have my ASL lessons.

I'm still struggling with fingerspelling (doing hand signs of letters A through Z). The problem isn't remembering the signs. It's there in my mind in full view... but the problem is having translated from my mind to my hand... it seems that I can't order my fingers to sign right.

So, as an exercise, I took one of the magazines they have on train, and I fingerspelled, very slowly, the text I was reading... With practice, my fingers will stop disobeying !

(For instance, there are letters like D and F which finger-wise are mirror image of each other. I often mix "D" with "F" and vice-versa).

So I was going on fingerspelling merrily, without paying attention to what was going on.

Then I felt a tap on my shoulder.

I look, and there was a nice young girl. Maybe 10 at most. She was smiling.

I missed the beginning... but heck, she was signing !!!

Here is the gist of our "conversation" in sign language: (In uppercase, words derived from ASL signs)

HELLO! ME NAME C-A-R-O-L.
(Hello, my name is Carol)

(Flabbergasted Eskimo here!!)
NICE - MEET YOU !!! (with facial expressions)
ME - NAME - J-A-C-Q-U-E-S
(Nice to meet you! My name is Jacques. Footnote: In ASL, there's no "be" verbs. The pronoun and your facial expression will convey the function of the verb "to be").

You should have seen her face lightening up!

ME - FROM - T-O . ME - DEAF.
(I'm from Toronto. I'm deaf)

ME - FROM - M-T-L. ME-HEARING, ME - SIGN - A LITTLE.
(I'm from Montréal. I'm hearing and I can sign a little)

I totally didn't expect it, but she went on my row seats and she hugged me!!

Totally confused Eskimo here... and yes, swamped with emotions. :)

She got a seat next to mine. She was all smile. Having a travel partner who could understand her! I confusedly sense that in her world, she must be quite lonely.

Often I have to ask her to sign SLOWLY. She was waaay too fast for me. I missed a bunch of signs, but I could figure the gist of what she was saying. Good thing she was understanding me, with my poor signs!

Then her parents came forward. Uh oh... I hope they don't think I'm doing anything wrong, especially if they have seen each of us hugging! Then the thought hit me: Are they deaf too?

-YOUR DAUGHTER? (with a HUH expression, and fingerpointing at her)
-YES

ME - HEARING - CAN SIGN - A LITTLE. ME - LEARN LEARN - A-S-L.
(I'm hearing and I can sign a little. I'm learning ASL. Certain signs when repeated, slightly change meaning, often indicating that there is a process of some sorts. Here, the process of learning).

I saw the mom chuckling, and she continued... in English. Thanks heaven! I wouldn't last long in sign language!!!

They are both hearing, but their only daughter was born deaf. No one really knows why. Everything is "normal" in every aspect for her. Mother Nature decided otherwise, it seems.

The prospect of a cochlear implant at a later stage of her life wasn't good and the very invasive surgery that it requires has made her parents thinking TWICE.

They were impressed that I am learning ASL! Without going much in details, I told them how I came to ASL, and how I fell in love with the language.

Anyhow... I'm there... and thinking of the events...

When a children literally jumps on you and hugs you...

And doing something, which for me was a struggle, but for her *meant* _A LOT_ ...

It seems that adult, because we are " adult " , we tend to forget what is really important.

Sigh.

Anyway, just a glimpse of things that happened on the train, and I figure that is worth writing on this electronic diary.

-E

I have in my luggage...

... souvenirs like these.

Lovely, isn't it?

When you are _there_, so many things you thought were so important are so futile...

And the most basic things so important...

across all languages, across all cultures...

In just one word...

Love.

-E

Running for a good cause...

(Simulcast with FC blog)

<--- Photo taken this morning on my street, after I've finished my run.

___

Sometimes, some good causes literally come at your doorstep.

I join a 5km run, a fund raising for our neighborhood hospital. I was treated there a few times, ditto for my mom and my dad at one time or another.

The funniest part is that the "race" (not really one. You can walk the entire length and it's ok) runs... on my street!! Talk about Mr. Opportunity knocking at my door.

It is also the weekend of many marches and support manifestations going on throughout the city. For instance there's the walk in support of HIV/AIDS victims... and again for more funding.

I used to be part in that march the other year, but I can't be everywhere, so I figure that for this year, my hospital will get my support.

Once a militant, always a militant, I guess. Even if I've calmed down quite a bit with age.

It was quite a crisp Sunday sunny morning. Barely 7 Celsius... or the mid 40s Fahrenheit for our US friends. Brrrrr!!! Where's Global Warming when we need it?

So you have that incentive to run... if for anything else... to keep you warm. :)

It was quite a festive run... and people along the way cheering us. And the "runners" are of all age, from children to mhhh... some very young at heart fellows, I might say!

Since my home is close to the finish line... once it was over for me, in no time I was back home.

I grabbed my digicam and took photos of my fellows running on my street, still on their way to the finish line!

It may sound odd to people outside Canada who are aware of the reputation of my country, supposedly big on its social safety net...

That's also our drama.

If things were really going well, there wouldn't be a need for a fund-raising event like the one I've been this morning.

Our governments (plural, both the fed and provincial governments) have cut funds drastically, in order to break even in their finance...

... and as anything governmental would dictate, there are inefficiencies... and it is never _there_ which the cuts go through, but they are always passed on to *essential* services to the population.

We see our American neighbours complaining about the cost of health care. Be happy that you *DO* have services in the first place!

Here, we have to wait, and wait... or there some specialized services aren't even available. There's an increasing number of Canadians who have to cross the border and pay *CASH* to your hospitals, and not the wealthiest. End of digression.

So, the way to make up (partly) for these funding cuts are those fund raising events like the one I've been this morning.

Which is an irony. The government runs on our money. It is our money that funds hospitals (and schools, etc...). And on this morning, it is again our money that is going to the neighborhood hospital.

Am I missing something? :)

Cheers,

-E

IBM Develops Virtual Deaf Interpreter

You can read the full news from AP, here.

In a few words, pun not intended, IBM is using a computer to translate human speech, such as spoken English... into sign language (in this case, the British Sign Language, since this system was designed in England).

The system uses speech recognition to translate speech into words. (something IBM has pioneered for years, and if you've been working with disabled persons, maybe you've been aware of their speech recognition software).

From there, the system translates words into British Sign Language (I imagine that other sign languages, like ASL or at home, LSQ (Langue Signée du Québec) could be devised easily). The system displays an avatar and of course, hands, signings those words that have been heard by the computer.

The system is called SiSi (Say It, Sign It). You can watch a rather short demo on YouTube.

They say the system can be used when a sign interpreter isn't available, or when some sensitive issues are being discussed.

It is an interesting news in many many ways, since I am learning Sign Language, and as a computer programmer, I can imagine the hurdles a computer has to go through. Finally, during my years at the university, I was interested by the use of computers as tools, to compensate for our inability to do various things. When you're deaf, communication with hearing persons can be a major hurdle.

Translation. Translating from one language to another. Such a formidable dream and this is what is all about.

In the 60s, in the middle of the Cold War, some high rank officials in the US had wished of having on their desk... the Pravda... "automagically" translated in English.

Computers are known to do magical stuff... So IBM and others have worked on the idea and have continued to do so today.

Technology made it possible to have powerful computers in your hands. Earlier this year, there was this press release about IBM's portable MASTOR system. (MASTOR, Multilingual Automatic Speech TranslatOR).

So it is a logical step forward to attempt to translate a spoken language (such as English) to a visual language, such as Sign Language.

Technology has improved tremendously for the past 40 years, however, we're at a stand still, software-wise.

The problem is that computers are dumb devices. Even with the best translation software, they still don't understand the phrases they translate. Basically, it's the dictionary approach, translating one word at a time.

For instance, the word "lead". Is it the verb... to lead? Or the noun, lead? Should I say "leed"? or "led" ? A computer wouldn't know. This can ahem... lead to some interesting results. :)

Speech to text (and vice-versa) have been also major hurdles to computers. A computer is a digital device. It can handle a bunch of 1s and 0s. However we live in an analog world. That's why computers speak funny and also why computers are quite deaf. The richness of the human speech can not be brought down easily in a comprehensible form to a computer, in terms of 1s and 0s.

Finally, like any language, there isn't a direct 1-on-1 translation between English and... ASL, for instance. ASL is a *visual* language, therefore we're dealing with ideas and concepts... and not with words.

An example.: The verb "to be" isn't used in ASL. It doesn't mean that the function of the verb isn't carried out, it's just that in a visual world, you don't need to sign a verb about being.

"I am fine" is signed as "I, FINE", or sometimes as "I FINE, I". (In spoken French in Québec, we sometimes repeat the pronoun. "Tu m'aimes-tu" comes to my mind. If you know ASL, you aren't surprised of the French influence. End of digression. :) ).

Remember that famous quote: "I think, therefore I AM" ? Same idea. Since I am signing and it's about *me*, the function of the verb "to be" is implicitly being carried out while I'm signing.

I'm signing, therefore I AM ! As simple as that. Voilà! :)

___

So what this news tells me? First, I would say that human interpreters will still have a job, and the day you'll sign on a video relay service (such as Sorenson VRS) and being greeted by an avatar won't happen anytime soon!

However, I think this technology would enable more hearing people to communicate with deaf people.

A system like SiSi, on a portable device (such as the MASTOR), I'm thinking of people in authority (policemen, firemen, hospital staff, etc) when there's an URGENT need to communicate, it might help.

However it's usefulness... you know, despite all that science, all that technology, sometimes it's difficult to beat... the humble pen and a piece of paper. :)

Cheers!

-E

Are you getting deaf ?!?

Some people have noticed those links to various ASL web sites... and have inferred that I'm deaf or I'm getting deaf.

Maybe, as I get older... but I am a hearing person...

So.... other blog, other people... and some people do not know the story.

Besides... you do not know the *full* story... anyway.

Here's the lesser known story:

According to my mom, when she gave me birth, it is said that for a brief period of time, I suffocated and it was discovered later that the lack of oxygen has done some damages to my brain.

So is the region of the brain that processes sound.

(And it might explain other things, such as homosexuality and bisexuality. There are two theories: genes can explain why some men and women are gay or bi... and there's also brain damage due to lack of oxygen at birth time, my case. This is this lead that scientists are actively studying. Of course, I'm thinking that they're on something! :) ).

So I hear like most hearing persons (well I have a slight hearing loss on my left ear, but nothing worrisome), but *processing* human speech is a struggle. For me, it's associating seemingly noise to visual words, so I appear to you as if I was hard of hearing. Often I have to ask people to repeat, so I can catch what I've missed.

(So imagine when I have to speak in English... with the translation back and forth from French to English, on top of processing human speech... I'm exhausted, and it's not a figure of style, I feel exhausted for real)

By the way, when I joined FC, I was surprised and delighted to see that some bloggers, and some very well known bloggers also have to deal with a similar struggle... and I was floored by our common origins.

So I despise phone conversations. It exhausts me. I prefer a direct meeting face to face... or better, having that conversation carried in words, whether over IM sessions or just plain e-mails.

When I meet in person, I can *see* that person, his/her non-verbal moves. I can also read lips, so having these additional clues help me to compensate for my seemingly "hearing loss". :)

When television began to have closed captioning, I was delighted. Often, I lower the volume to the bare minimum, just enough to get the tone of the people speaking, and then I read the text on the screen. That was much much easier for me. (I also realize that some well regarded shows had terrible close captioning!!).

So, that's the story few people know...

Now, the story that many fellow FC bloggers know:

When I was planning for the west coast trip, the passport issues (plural!) have been resolved only at the very last minute. Vancouver and Victoria were planned first, and Seattle of course, last.

Not that I was explicitly looking for it, but should timing coincide, it would have been a pleasure to meet bloggers and online friends along the way. I met some fine bloggers and online friends in Vancouver and Victoria.

In Seattle, A fantastic person, and fellow blogger by the handle name of Tantrikagoddess invited me to stay at her home, for my entire stay in the region. I accepted the offer.

She is deaf, but she assures me that communication wouldn't be a problem.

Oooookay! :)

Those who know me are probably aware that in a previous (online) life, I manage forums for various online services. Usually tech forums, but I did some "Cultures and language"-type forums. They needed a Frenchie, so I raised my hand. :)

It was customary for staffers to know a few words in various languages. There's nothing like being welcome in your own language. People understand that you can't be fluent in many languages, but they appreciate the effort of learning a few words.

I subscribe to that. With barely a month before that meet in Seattle, I was a bit like most hearing persons. Learning Sign Language? Eeeek!!!! (Hands shaking here!!! It looks like something frightening!).

So I got books, even a DVD... and I figure that I'll learn what I could, in a month.

So I was able to "fingerspell" (learning the signs for letters A through Z), and I did learn a few customary ASL signs, like "hi", "how are you", etc...

However, I figure that learning fingerspelling was important. At least I could spell a word if there's a miscommunication. So I put a lot of effort on fingerspelling.

I can mention that my stay in Seattle went fine, very fine and indeed there were little miscommunication. Tantrika reads lips very well. So well that you forget... that she is deaf.

The point is: She has to see you in order to "hear" you. :) A small detail that I keep forgetting... and leading to some funny quiprodquo and always ending in many giggles. :)

But she did appreciate that I made the effort of learning some basic ASL signs. To me, it's proper etiquette. When you meet a person who "speaks" a "foreign language", well you make the effort of learning a few "words" in that language.

You have noticed the use of double quotes. You can't call signs... words, but you know what I mean!

However, this is NOT the end of the story.

In the past, I tried to learn other languages (such as Italian and German), and I had to quit. It wouldn't work.

Even learning English was, to some extents, difficult, even detrimental. When I'm tired, I speak French in English, and English in French. I often mix grammars from both languages.

My mind struggles with spoken and written words. I'm a visual person and I think in images and concepts. Spoken and written words are naturally foreign to me.

However, ASL (American Sign Language) *is* a visual language. I am a visual person. Besides, a language that doesn't rely on words and a language that doesn't rely on sound...

Sound... the human speech, my old nemesis...

Now you understand why I fell in love with the language!

Do I need to add that learning ASL, while requiring some efforts, it is much much much easier than learning any other *spoken* languages?

Vacations have somewhat messed up the schedule, but for the time being, at least 3 times a week, I have my one-hour online ASL lessons, and I'm siging merrily! (at ASL University, and ASLPro)

It will take quite some times to be reasonably fluent in ASL, I don't illusion myself... but I like the results so far.

Really, I don't expect my lover to ever sign in ASL, nor my close friends (although they are highly interested by my progress! Maybe it's going to be contagious, who knows!) but when I meet a person and having a choice, I'd choose ASL over a spoken language, anytime!

It's less tiring for me!!

A side-note: Like any language, and ASL *is* a language in its own right, there *IS* a culture.

So while I'm learning ASL, I'm also discovering the very rich deaf culture. To an hearing person, it's fascinating.

I find many similarities... with my own culture too. The joy and pain of being a minority struggling in an overwhelming majority culture. I'll keep those considerations for other blog entries. :)

Cheers,

-E

Travel log: Some naughtiness in Provincetown.

There's a similar blog entry at FC, but here I can be ahem... more explicit, shall I say? :)


So it was the end of the afternoon, I spent all day in Provincetown (or "pea town" as they say!) and I was undecided as to what to do next.

Then, I saw these guys wearing a smile... and a towel and not much else.

Ooookay! That will teach me when I wear my kilt in public!

Speaking of towels, I never manage to tie a towel that it would stay tied long enough. So when I saw these guys... Hey! Talk about living dangerously. Whoopy!

Then I had visions of these guys walking in the crowded streets of Montréal. I'm wondering whether it would be possible. Even at our gay village. I'm still wondering. :)

Anyhow, checking the Flex bus schedule, I figure I could stay in P-Town long enough to see their show and I could catch the last bus back to North Eastham.

So this is their flyer that they are distributing. I immediately recognize the name, The Crown and Anchor. I remember reading a couple of times in The Cape Codder that they ran afoul with town hall. Things were a tad _too_ explicit... which makes you wondering, especially in a town like Provincetown!

Which reminds me of one of our famous local politicians, which got known for this statement: "If it shakes, it's obscene!"

Ooookay! The fun of being single and therefore unattached... is precisely the fun of being single and unattached, if you catch my drift. :)

For years, I passed by The Town and Anchor, they're highly visible on the main street, but without actually going there. I figure that tonight is the night. Besides, it's also a restaurant, so food for the stomach... and food for the eyes. So I took the combo! :)

So... are these boys true to their name? I have to say that we all probably suffer from ADD, or Attention Deficit Disorder. early on. My mind (and my EYES!) are just... ahem, elsewhere. All these dangling things, you know!!!

They did a good musical review, but I'm a poor judge. On vacations, I'm good public, maybe *too* good public. Entertain me for the next 90 minutes, that's all I'm asking. I won't notice the imperfections, the glitches, etc... as long as I have a good time. And a good time, I did have, and in many ahem... ways!

I like observing people. On that night, there were some guys, cool, observing the show, but there were a lot of gals, and for them, it was their night! I guess it's like a child at a candy store, in awe at all the goodies on display. You want them all! I'd bet my paycheck that this is what these honest ladies had in their mind, heh!

And then, they keep saying that only guys think about sex all the time and gals are above all these lowly considerations! Yeah sure, I buy that argument! Hehehe...

Gay culture.
These guys weren't the only one distributing brochures. I got that one on the left. To the straight, the name may not mean much, but in the gay culture, the guy is an icon.

And I was a bit surprise (and also delighted) to see his name and that he was in town, because for years I haven't heard of him. Jeff Stryker got his reputation many years ago in the porn business. His manly attribute was said to be at least a foot long.

The ladies will tell you this, the gay guys will also say the same, while it's true that size does matter... it does matter when you don't want to get hurt, if you catch my drift. A more reasonable size will make us happy, I can tell you. :)

Cheers!

-E

I have pictures in mind...

Such as those pictures from the West Coast.

For this very blog entry, I prefer to blog here than at my main blog on FC.

Somehow, I didn't like the tone of some people... I don't mind being teased... but when it's again and again and again, it begins to hurt.

There weren't 5 consecutive months of vacations, to begin with. There has been travels for work, which I'm tightlip and I can't say much in public. And when I was on "vacations" a lot of it was compensation for overtime. Has anyone realized that there must have been a heck of overtime to get that many extra days of vacations? That I sweat hard, that the stress was immense, on top of all my other worries, which aren't the least?

So it's nice being teased, but after a while, to make me feel that I'm a freeloader, it begins to irk me royally.

About these travels, It's funny... I was reading my blog entries in January and February, and I was dreaming of going at sea for 6 months. In a way, this is what I did this year, doing both coasts for the past 5 months. It's not exactly what I planned, but the effects were the same!

The other reason I want to blog here and not on my main blog at FC, for the past 5 months, I've blogged about the nice things happening, and some were squarely incredible, also about the good vibes I had...

But there has been a dark side. I've been lucky personally, the only scary part was going through US customs this August.

As I said, one goal of these travels is to I observe people. How they live. There were some NOT so good aspects.

Whether people going into others' mhhh... private properties when sex is the name of the game and for both genders, it's smoldering "down there". I've seen that, and at times accidentally at close range, which I just tippytoe out of sight. :) But this makes you thinking of how people deal with their conscience when you know a few things about their life. Mhhhh...

I've also seen people who knew well the weakness of their victims, and they were giving to them what they want to hear, I've seen that too.

I can and did raise flags, give hints, but beyond that point, I have to step back... and observe these train wrecks occuring or about to occur. It is futile and utterly pompous to believe that one can change the course of events. Things are bound to happen and there's little you can do about.

And the bad side is just as useful. The contrast makes you appreciate the better side of life, for one thing.

I observe people living, but it is their life, not mine... so as much as I sympathize, I have to stop worrying for others. I have enough on my shoulders already.

So I have pictures in mind... stormy seas... and calm seas...

... and I think that I want to be part of the picture. I've been on neutral too long...

Cheers,

-E

Wellfleet: A village teaming up...

The frustrating thing about FC, you can't mention names, nor you can provide links nor post multiple photos.

Anyway... seeing that big accident on Route 6 in North Eastham, the exact same stretch of road which I was also involved in a car accident, I was a bit undecided about going to Wellfleet on bicycle. Besides, it was my last full day on the Cape.

Not that I'm supertitious... on the other hand... I was a bit uneasy to get there. There are narrow winding roads to the village, at regular intervals there are signs warning drivers that this is a "Blind Drive"... so cycling can and *IS* dangerous on these roads. Drivers see you literally at the last second.

Anyhow, I went to the village and my first stop was town hall. On my way, there were all these signs everywhere. Curious, I have to inquire.

So he is the "Wilbur" I was referring in my other blog. Caleb Potter, the son of a family of commercial fishermen. A skateboarding accident on July 4th has sent him to an hospital in Boston, and for two months he was between life and death.

As a city kid, it's impressive to see a village teaming up for one of theirs. You wouldn't see that in Montréal, other than in the immediate family members and friends. That's the drama of big cities.

Here in Wellfleet, everyone is supportive of Caleb. There were (still are?) daily prayers near town hall and you would see these signs all over the village for these prayers.

I was there... and I was pondering and pondering... It took me a while before I hit the road again.

Despite the terrible tragedy, there's a village that could teach us a good lesson, I'd say.

I left the Cape the next day. The news back then were good for him, but it's going to be a looooooong recovery.

At blogspot, there's a blog about his current conditions: http://calebpotter.blogspot.com

I'm sending healing waves across the border. I wish him well.

Aurevoir Caleb, et bon courage!

-J

A day at the beach... in kilt !

<--- Photo taken after an afternoon at the beach... in the rain... and in kilt. I'm wearing a "sport" kilt. Yesterday was a rainy day on the Cape. For some reasons I have never quite understood... when it rains, people desert the beach. I mean, they are there to get wet. Does it matter that the water comes vertically instead of horizontally? Time to get prepared... a t-shirt that will get wet (the same kind that I was wearing during the Blogamajig)... and while looking for my swimsuit in the drawer, my sport kilt came first.

Sport kilt ?!?
Ding. 1 + 1 = 2.

Besides, most likely, no one will be there at the beach... That "sport kilt" is meant to be worn wet... and supposedly you can even take it to the beach (it has the straps that you usually find on swimwears, etc... But a kilt, even a sport kilt is still a kilt. You know what I mean?

Ok, I brought a plastic bag with me for beach stuff, and I put it my swimsuit. That's my plan B, just in case. So off I go to the beach, walking under a warm light rain.

Montréal is at 45.5N, Cape Cod is at 39.7N. Almost full 6 degrees SOUTH of Montréal in latitude. However that 6 degrees, in the summertime... means that the rain is often delightfully WARM here on the Cape, while in Montréal it is freezing cold even at the height of the summer season.

So, a delightful 30-minute walk to the beach. Dripping wet in many ways! I was humming songs and for some reasons many songs had something to do with the rain. ( ie : Raindrops keep falling on my head, etc!!! Oldies but always goodies).

At the beach... as predicted, there was absolutely NO ONE in sight. It was still raining lightly. Mhhhh.... A guy gotta do what he gotta have to do.

In some forums which they were mentioning that sport kilt that I'm wearing, the guys were saying that you don't really risk of showing your unmentionables, and the feel to be in the water with that kilt is like having the best of both worlds: Being legally dressed and enjoying the naughtiness of nudity in the water.

Agreed for the latter part, but I was a bit worried about the first part!

Besides, I'm not in my country here, and it's not the time to run afoul with the law. There's already a senator making a fool of himself, so imagine a Canadian eskimo!

Soooo... taking my courage... Shoes were removed (and protected from the rain), and off I go. First thing: No, the kilt did not "float" , THANKFULLY! It protected me during my entry into the water.

Swimming in a kilt is really the weirdest feeling I ever had. Of course I felt the kilt all around, almost as it was silk gliding on me, which is a VERY pleasant feeling, but I could also *directly* feel the water flowing all around my sensitive areas, as if I were skinny dipping. Whew!

And it's been a long time I haven't skinny dipped... so did I say that I _really_ enjoyed being in the water? :)

I did dive and did some flips at the bottom... you know, just for SCIENTIFIC purposes, to see how a kilt would react under various circumstances... underwater. Ok, I did stretch things, and during these flips, I could feel... NOT protected anymore, if you catch my drift!

But you're in the water.. if NO ONE is immediately next to you, who is going to notice... that there's some exposed skin?

So guys: If you want some naughty fun, buy yourself a sport kilt! Guaranteed fun!

Ladies: Have your guy wears a kilt. You know, free access is hard to beat... shall I say?

And the dual look, being street legal when on dryland, and the open naughtiness when in the water almost like skinny dipping. I kind of agree, it's like having the best of both worlds. I'm finding new virtues to these kilts. :-)

FC doesn't like remote linking... since I'm not at FC... and I'm sure you want to know where you can buy one... It is at the famous "Utilikilts" in Seattle, off Pionneer Square. The "sport" kilt is actually on of their "Spartan kilts" (link). Contrary to other kilts, it is extremely lightweight.

Their main web site: http://www.utilikilts.com/ . They usually run on their main page a funny "mockumercial". At the time I'm writing this blog entry, you see a guy doing some gardenings... in kilt. At the end of the commercial these lines appear:

Utilikilts
Only your pansies will know for sure.

It says all!!!

What I like of these utilikilts... At first glance, they don't so obviously look like kilts. Besides, they have side and rear pockets, much like regular pants. It is upon closer examination that mhhhh.... those "pants" look suspiciously strange. :)

And yesterday, a bit of naughtiness. Swimming in a kilt. Street legal off water, and delightful naughtiness *IN* the water. :)

Ladies, tell your boyfriend to buy a kilt. Guys, stop being shy and buy one! You have no idea of the fun you're missing!

Mhhhh... In the context of the previous blog entry, can it be considered as lewd behavior? Nawwwww. :)

Cheers,

-E