Deaf and Depressed in Alaska

AlaskaStar: how about talking about cars for a change? I have some questions about the motor in my '38 Chevy sedan. Are you willing to discuss?

If yes, I'll start a thread in the auto section and we can go back & forth.
 
Sure. I cut my teeth on those old cars. Spent my teenage years at the Museum restoring them.

I don't know how many people my age know all the things I do about much of anything from 1894 to 2013 with actual hands on experience working on all of them. I can go from tuning the buzz box on a Wood-Cab "T" to finding a faulty electrical connector on a 2013 Nissan in the same day seamlessly, and in between diagnose a transmission on the way (drive customer's car with intermittent problems).

Let's sling some oil at the problem shall we?
 
horizon22 said:
I agree with green427: changes are good and sometimes must in order to make progress.

I think many of us often get pushed to the edge before the change finally arrives. So don't lose hope, your time just hasn't come yet.

How good are you at tech? Know some programming or stuff like websites? There are a lot of opportunities in that area and now a days, people even hire virtual assistants. You might want to check freelancer.net and odesk.com.
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Freelancer.net is German, I think you mean freelancer.com :P and virtual assistants need to be on Skype, and deal with all sorts of accents :P
 
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AlaskaStar said:
Come to Alaska, go to the local hard-line phone service provider and ask.

Furthermore, try using the TTY to call any state agency office for any reason.

It's said that seeing is believing. I say experiencing is believing.
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Me going to Alaska? WTF for? Just give me the name and toll-free tty number of the phone company in your area and I can call them myself to find out how much they are selling a TTY. I hope you don't have a problem with that.
 
I too lost my hearing suddenly a year ago, now everyone assumes I'm ignoring them and listening to an iPod or something as I currently have one Neptune CI with a white cover and white cord that looks similar to the iPod/iPhone earbuds!

When I tell them I'm deaf the reaction is always shock but then most are always very understanding. It sounds like you need to get some travelling in you, somewhere that is very different than Alaska like Thailand or Fiji, or wherever you might be curious to see!
 
CrazyPaul said:
Me going to Alaska? WTF for? Just give me the name and toll-free tty number of the phone company in your area and I can call them myself to find out how much they are selling a TTY. I hope you don't have a problem with that.
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I mentioned where he can get fixed up with a Captel phone for 20 bucks and free service. Not even an acknowledge. Oh well. It is a nice day here in this part Alaska I just put my back out shovelling snow. I hope he is doing good. It does sound like he is isolated and down.
Like the old timer told me when I was a small boy here- Alaska is the land of milk and honey- as long as you bring your own cows and bees.









i mr
 
xunixan said:
I too lost my hearing suddenly a year ago, now everyone assumes I'm ignoring them and listening to an iPod or something as I currently have one Neptune CI with a white cover and white cord that looks similar to the iPod/iPhone earbuds!

When I tell them I'm deaf the reaction is always shock but then most are always very understanding. It sounds like you need to get some travelling in you, somewhere that is very different than Alaska like Thailand or Fiji, or wherever you might be curious to see!
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Actually someone should have a website on deaf travel that's a lot more in detail, like how to communicate with a travel agent, how not to miss your flight if you can't hear announcements etc. :)
 
I mentioned where he can get fixed up with a Captel phone for 20 bucks and free service. Not even an acknowledge. Oh well. It is a nice day here in this part Alaska I just put my back out shovelling snow. I hope he is doing good. It does sound like he is isolated and down.
Like the old timer told me when I was a small boy here- Alaska is the land of milk and honey- as long as you bring your own cows and bees.
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Since anyone who has my number knows I am deaf, who exactly would I call?
Not many people have TTY machines, they are huge, resemble an oversized Commodore 64 computer that was grafted onto an Apple IIe, and apparently haven't changed much any the 1970's when they were finally perfected with their 7-bit processing communication code. I imagine some of that discrete hardware is getting hard to find like the old 8088 and 8086 processors are so in demand these days... you know, like they were new in 1980 and here 30 some-odd years later people still manufacturing devices that use them?

I don't need a TTY that looks like a crackberry phone, but a device that large and heavy went the way of the Apple Macintosh IIc and have become popular doorstops or traffic control devices when launched into traffic.

Yes- Milk them honeys! er... I mean uhmm... yeah. I seem to notice the lack of bees with this snow and the cow tasted good... Need more cow.

When I tell them I'm deaf the reaction is always shock but then most are always very understanding. It sounds like you need to get some travelling in you, somewhere that is very different than Alaska like Thailand or Fiji, or wherever you might be curious to see!
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Anyplace not filled with Amerikans works for me. That'd be Canada at the least. Peru, Brazil, Guatamala, Argentina, those places are all very nice....

Actually someone should have a website on deaf travel that's a lot more in detail, like how to communicate with a travel agent, how not to miss your flight if you can't hear announcements etc.
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What about being singled out on a flight from Alaska to Hawaii for using a bone conductor hearing aide to watch my in-flight movie and being told that I cannot have it? That actually happened and you might say that s--t hit the propeller on that one. Took them a long time to figure out that it was against the law to do that. The airline lawyer met me at the gate upon arrival.

Curious, if any of you were singled out as a 'held captive audience' like in an airplane and told you were not allowed to use your hearing aide, your reaction would be what?

My reaction was telling them to land that plane in the ocean if they must but I want to be in the absence of those small minded f----rs as quick as possible.

7 hours of flight and being singled out and denied the ability to watch my in-flight movie on my laptop using my assistive hearing device was over the top. Consider that when I key'd the mic on my laptop to get the surrounding sounds on the plane, there was a kid singing off key, several babies screaming, turbo/ jet whine, and a whole myriad of other sounds.

My bone conductor is powered by the USB port on my laptop and was built in Kodiak by myself and the genius monks. No brand name. Easy to build.

So by no means was I disturbing ANYONE on the flight in the least bit.

If anyone wants to deny someone the ability to hear, bring them on. I have a solution to that attitude right here. It's a lead injection to the forehead to remove excess ego pressure. Cheap too. Permanent cure for those types of people!
 
Huh? It is a regular telephone with a nice size screen around 8" x 10" built into it. Weighs maybe 2 lbs. The response time is right now and the text is adjustable in size. When you are done with the conversation you have the transcript in storage.
For a deaf person doing business it is ideal. All you need to get the way low onetime price and long term use of it is a signature from a medical professional or hearing specialist.
Sometimes something good actually does happen.

I am a littled bummed out right now having managed to sprain my knee and my back in two separate injuries, doggone it, ouch but could be way worse.
My worst fear is having to rely on my intelligence instead of my no longer so strong body-- that would mean I am in serious serious trouble. I have put it off as long as possible.
 
I kind of skimmed this thread but wanted to comment. First off, I am also an Auto mechanic. however due to medical reasons I cannot wrench a lot now. Anyhoo I am working with DVR to setup my own business an will be looking to hire Deaf mechanics as well as folks with a CDL looking to drive for themselves, for my business. Could possibly lead to you having your own repair shop at some point. I am hoping to get the business up and running by the end of this year.. I am Currently in Colorado but the business may end up being setup in NV, CA or AZ. If you would be interested in working with me in this type of business, drop me a PM... Same goes for other mechanics who are Deaf or know ASL... until I have my LLC and other legalities in place I cannot reveal much more...

Funny thing is I would love to live in Alaska but probably cuz I like animals more than people and I don't do social gathering for the most part due to my Autism...
The ones I do go to are either to accompany my spouse or are one of my "special interests"

Definitely sounds like you could do with moving out of AK.. get a fresh start.
If you are posting here cuz you are depressed and feel suicidal at times then you are asking for help.. even if you don't say it directly.. People here, me included are offering to help you, you need to choose if you want that help or not. BTW I am an Atheist too so I'm not on some god mission to save you... If you choose not to take the carrot offered here by several members then that's your choice.

Do you still need a TTY? obviously you have an internet connection so just download Nextalk http://www.nextalk.net/nextalk6/nextalk.pl?rm=download

You gotta try for a temp attitude reset. I will be in Los Angeles this summer for a bit, If I get to know you better and we seem to get along, I can provide you a place to stay for a few weeks if you want to visit LA. with you mechanic experience, I have a friend who if you are knowledgeable and hard working would hire you to work on his collection of antique vehicles.. he pays cash, very honest person and can give u a place to stay even if you don't mind sleeping under a Big Top (giant tent).
 
soutthpaw said:
I kind of skimmed this thread but wanted to comment. First off, I am also an Auto mechanic. however due to medical reasons I cannot wrench a lot now. Anyhoo I am working with DVR to setup my own business an will be looking to hire Deaf mechanics as well as folks with a CDL looking to drive for themselves, for my business. Could possibly lead to you having your own repair shop at some point. I am hoping to get the business up and running by the end of this year.. I am Currently in Colorado but the business may end up being setup in NV, CA or AZ. If you would be interested in working with me in this type of business, drop me a PM... Same goes for other mechanics who are Deaf or know ASL... until I have my LLC and other legalities in place I cannot reveal much more...

Funny thing is I would love to live in Alaska but probably cuz I like animals more than people and I don't do social gathering for the most part due to my Autism...
The ones I do go to are either to accompany my spouse or are one of my "special interests"

Definitely sounds like you could do with moving out of AK.. get a fresh start.
If you are posting here cuz you are depressed and feel suicidal at times then you are asking for help.. even if you don't say it directly.. People here, me included are offering to help you, you need to choose if you want that help or not. BTW I am an Atheist too so I'm not on some god mission to save you... If you choose not to take the carrot offered here by several members then that's your choice.

Do you still need a TTY? obviously you have an internet connection so just download Nextalk http://www.nextalk.net/nextalk6/nextalk.pl?rm=download

You gotta try for a temp attitude reset. I will be in Los Angeles this summer for a bit, If I get to know you better and we seem to get along, I can provide you a place to stay for a few weeks if you want to visit LA. with you mechanic experience, I have a friend who if you are knowledgeable and hard working would hire you to work on his collection of antique vehicles.. he pays cash, very honest person and can give u a place to stay even if you don't mind sleeping under a Big Top (giant tent).
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Good that DVR is willing to work with you. My local DVR office is all but worthless. Kinda like the Access Alaska office here is worthless. If I go to Fairbanks, they actually have resources available.

As for cranking wrenches, if I can't make it up here much longer, due to injuries to my wrists in car wreck the cold makes it unbearable to keep working like this, I may have to move south. Desert areas are preferred. Low population areas also highly preferred.

I have a temp job in Fairbanks this summer, and I helped my ex-gf land a job on the same crew. That'd be 3 people on the crew who know ASL. The boss, and two deafies who are already good at working together on large projects.

I have my own LLC going on which allows me to be a "sub-contract worker" thereby my clients do not pay the taxes on the work, I pay the taxes on the work and I only provide invoice, and they cut a check. It actually saves a lot of money on a business because they don't have to spend all those hours doing payroll taxes and other such required legality fees.
 
Depression can be really difficult if you feel like you don't have support. I would try contacting national hotlines for depression or even suicide prevention. Many of them have an option to communicate through text, email, or live chat online.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline has an online chat option.

Emailing info@nami.org would also be good to find out about other resources in your area for depression
 
hey alaskastar

i m new in alaska and reading your blog as i search for others deaf in the area and i be happy to help you out i m born deaf and learn to talk and hear all my life i can come see you after summer job fishery that be oct time so let me know if you like to chat i am a guy and nothing more ok plus i will bring my car up for service
 
newalaska said:
i m new in alaska and reading your blog as i search for others deaf in the area and i be happy to help you out i m born deaf and learn to talk and hear all my life i can come see you after summer job fishery that be oct time so let me know if you like to chat i am a guy and nothing more ok plus i will bring my car up for service
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I am planning to be in Italy during October. Going to change up the adventure from one bloody survival situation to another type scenario to actually enjoying myself for a month...
 
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I high advise courage to. how encourage to pop ,

research illness not good yourself risk on means. it is very recognized make sure decision thinking not worry. people want to supportive lots of really recognized.

hard for not easy depression. people suffer of life. it is very risk on life pop annoy think depression. I recognized. it is very difficult life. we help trust to best to happy find out way adjust to light better hope be.. I wish be you find perfect!
 
cool

hey thats cool and have fun out there and maybe see you next time and if you are around now til mid june i can come see you and if not then thats cool man
 
Well, I am doing it. Moving north to Fairbanks. F**K these bigots here in Wasilla-Palmer-Anchorage!

This weekend having a moving sale. Got all sorts of goodies up for sale...
Amphibious ATV, 1967 Chevy C30 Flatbed with rare independent rear suspension (90% restored), 4 tractors, ATV tires, tools, 6' satellite dish, cars, plows, engines, car tires, more engines, more tools, power axles, not much electronic gizmo stuff or clothes, but lots of stuff that men go nuts over.

Estimated weight of the stuff in the moving sale is close to 75K pounds of stuff, with more to add to it as I go along.

I procured an old F250 4x4 Truck, and renting a trailer- packing up my tools, the 2 tractors I am keeping, and books and making a one-way ticket north.

Family not happy I am leaving, but they choose to alienate everyone and make my life hell, so I am leaving. Finally.

-Chris
 
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