Month: February 2008
Jacked In
So I’ve had my artificial means of hearing hooked up and running for more than six years now… I don’t brag about it much or talk about it much because every time I get confident in something audio-wise, I then get into a social situation and end up getting sent back to feeling outside the hearing world again because I can’t understand the conversation.
Of course, I can revel in the fact that I can enjoy music again. I have been able to for some time as I think it’s been a tool for me to adapt back to the hearing world in one way or another. Sort of like a personal configuration utility for my brain — I remember how certain songs sound or certain tones I should be listening for — a cymbil crash perhaps, maybe the backign orchestra section jumping in during the refrain to “Hey Jude” — and press myself to hear these things. I use it as a gauge to see how well I am doing.
That took on a new dynamic last month as I had two cords, termed as Personal Audio Cables – sent to me by Cochlear Corp. These two wires — for personal media players or hi fi stereos/TV’s/computers — let me connect my body-worn speech processor directly to the aforementioned objects so I hear the tones or the music directly instead of trying to sort things out through a set of speakers.
But lets dispense with the technical crap. I got these things in January and I unpackaged one of the cables. I connected it to my PC speakers and then turned on iTunes… pulled up a song and started to play…
You seen the Matrix?
That scene where Neo gets combat training information uploaded to his head by Tank? It was kind of like that.
“Hey, I think Mikey likes it. Want some more?”
“Hell Yes!”
Now, nothing beats hearing and feeling music coming through the air and through the speakers. Nothing beats listening to smething in surround sound (for example) where you feel the sound waves and it adds to the effect of whatever you are listening to.
That aspect is lacking. But the aspect of having music beamed directly to my head? I’ll take it any day of the week. It’s been so awesome that I bought an iPod Nano and am experimenting with music I’ve never listened to before – which I wouldn’t try much when I was relying on the speakers alone.
like, duh!
For whatever eason it possessed me to, I decided to read an article from CBS News about the McCartney-Mills divorce… (Paul McCartney and Heather Mills for those living under a rock)
British divorce proceedings are closed to the public, making it tough for journalists to report on what’s going on. Paul’s got a high powered lawyer, Mills is representing herself. That’s good, that’s fine…
But the Beatle fan and general pop-culturist that I am just rolled my eyes when an attempted deduction was made:
However, Sir Paul has been spotted going into the court in apparent high spirits, observes CBS News correspondent Elizabeth Palmer.
…This is news?
This is something that is supposed to be a tell on how things are going? I ask because if it is, CBS has been living under a rock for 45 years (no offense to Walter Cronkite or the late Ed Sullivan). When has Paul McCartney NOT been seen in high spirits? (Leave Linda Eastman out of it) I mean, shit — he was teh cute one, he still draws them in and it’s partly because fo his attitude.
There will be a day in the future when McCartney’s behind-the-scenes face is presented – after he passes on. This will probably be a mix of fiction and fact. What we do know about Paul — and it’s well chronicled — is that you can expect him to be in public in high spirits and shining a good attitude even if the chips are down.
Valentines Day disappointment hangover
Valentines Day is over commercialized.
It’s odd that t hsi very cynicism set myself up for a downfall yesterday. No, not that I forgot the holiday for a certain someone — it’s that I set myself up for the letdown by playing cynic with the cynic I had tagged as Valenine.
Me “Happy Valentines Day”
Them: “Happy Fake Holiday”
Me: “Happy bitter singles day”
The conversation went on to discuss how Spain has a special holiday for single/recently broken up with people ont eh day after valentines, but through all this I took it as a cue she hadn’t gotten my gift and thus was set up for a surprise.
Well, if she checked her PO Box.
Yeah, by compounding the cynicism I only built up the idea that I hadn’t gotten anything — that or the holiday has just become an excuse to put high ticket items on sale. Heaven forbid someone actually writes,/creates something personal in order to touch someone’s heart on what is supposed to be the most romantic day of the year.
Romance isn’t dead… Realism and cynicism are holding it hostage though and the retailers are paying for the hostage-takers risk.