Fingerspelling Crafts

Hey guys!

 So I've been super busy with a brand new project. It originally started out as presents for my mum and nan for mothers day but finding that there is actually a market for it, I've now started making a few more here and there!

 So if you're in need of a gift to someone or a little treat for yourself check out

Fingerspelling Crafts 

on Facebook :)


Here's some pictures of what you could have or even request for your own ideas!

Subtitling life - When will Sky catch up? - by Eleanor

Hello!
 So, it may have been a few weeks.. *cough* or months *cough* since writing but its one of those strange things where life just happens and things just bumble along and eventually you find yourself wondering where did that time go. Yep that happened.

 So, I have been meaning to write this post for a few weeks now because I feel this is a really important matter.

 Game of Thrones.

Game of Thrones is back. At long last. Aren't we all so desperate to see what happens to Jon Snow? To Arya? To the poor dragons? And when is that winter coming??

 So, it finally arrives. Sadly I don't have Sky on my TV BUT I have access to Sky Go (basically online catchup of all Sky programs). After waiting with anticipation, I finally settled down to watch it, PJs on with the duvet pulled to my neck.

 IT DOESN'T HAVE SUBTITLES!

What? It must be a mistake? In this day and age? BBC Iplayer, Netflix, 4od, even Amazon prime have subtitles now? I google with frustration.

 'Sky Go does not have subtitles.'

Luckily, someone has already picked up on this and is fighting for equality. Apparently Sky on demand doesn't have subtitles, but they've recently commented on plans to put these on later this year. However, for Sky Go, it won't be until 2017 (see here for more info Sky gives in to deaf teenager's demands to provide subtitles for on-demand programming.)

 I really do wonder how difficult it is to put subtitles on. A few years ago I fought with my local cinema to put subtitles on and I got excuse after excuse about needing digital screens with layering and set legislation to put them on legally. I have no idea how much of this is true and to be honest I should probably look into it further. But why should I? Why should it be my responsibility to ensure that deaf people (there are more than 900,000 in the UK who are severely or profoundly deaf) have access to TV and films? Watching a show without subtitles is like watching something in french (I don't speak french at all). I would not get it. At all.

So, no Game of Thrones till 2017, or with any luck, the boxset *sad face*.

On a more positive note, I have been to see two amazing shows with captions this year. The first was 'Wicked' in London @ #Apollo Victoria Theatre. It was the first time I've ever seen Wicked and I loved it! I was hooked from the first song, 'No one morns the wicked'... *heart melts and mouth drops*.







I also went to see 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time' @ #Gielgud Theatre, London, with captions too. It was so cleverly written and I enjoyed every minute. The stage, the actors and the technical props, just bang on. The only slight thing I might comment on was that there was a lot of talking, which I knew from reading the book and the fact the main character is autistic, and was to be expected but wow, there was a lot to read! The other awesome thing is that the theatre sent me a synopsis before the show which was a really great idea to help anticipate what would be happening next and therefore be prepared for some of the dialogue. It can often feel like a lot to take in at once, to be reading, watching the show and following it entirely, so having that synopsis fresh in my mind, was really helpful.

I am now utterly hooked on captioned theatre showings and although I've not told anyone yet, I'm hoping all my christmas presents will be tickets to shows next year!

The one with the update from 2015 - By Eleanor

It's been a while since I've written on here. There are several reasons for that; the main one being that in the midst of being a student again and the seemingly never ending assignment writing, I seem to have forgotten about the importance of standing still. For those of you with imaginations like mine, I don't mean literally standing still, I mean taking the time to pause, absorb and take in the sights (with plenty of cake). Life is full of the little treasures that seem to get lost in the rush to grow up.

At 26 years old, you could say I'm grown up now. I don't know about you but I don't think anyone ever feels grown up. I've always felt my mind ages differently to my body and I'm unwilling to let anyone spoil the magic that is my imagination. What fun it is to feel excited about fresh sheets on the bed and hiding underneath when reading a new book (until it gets rather hot and you start worrying when the oxygen will run out). How delightful it is to walk in the woods with your welly-boots on, exploring new paths whilst the sun goes down to create the most extraordinary colours in the sky (until you realise its too dark and the monsters will come out). The delight of walking on the beach on the windiest day known to man, looking under rocks for crabs (till you start fretting that they'll be as big as your head and try to eat you). How wonderfully releasing it is to notice you've become so excited, you've forgotten to breathe in your sentences and commas are non-existent.

 I've been very busy since I last wrote. Decisions were made and thoughts were changed. I am now studying on a one year course PgDip Deaf Education. It basically means I will be qualified to become a Teacher of the Deaf, which as you'll know, is something I really want to be. It is actually one of the best decisions I've made. I'm enjoying the course very much and its brilliant to be in an environment where people have the same goals and motivation in life. We are all striving to give every deaf child the best chance possible. It's also really nice to feel like a strong link in the group. Education has not always been easy for me and I've always found it hard to relate to other students. Whether this is because of communication barriers - 'what if they ask me something I can't hear them?' 'What if I don't know the answer?' 'What if their accent is really difficult to interpret?' 'What if I pronounce something wrong?' 'What if they just don't get me?' - or perhaps just the way nature is, I don't know.
 Yet, finally, I'm with people who feel the same, who can perhaps envision the life I've had and know that it hasn't always been easy, but its mine and I made it what it is. And other children can do the same too with high expectations, lots of support and amazing parents/family around them. I finally feel that this is my field, I know what I'm talking about and I can see clearly now. I can see that I'm not destined to be different, I'm destined to MAKE a difference.

 I just have to be super careful not to spook the monsters under the bed in the meantime.