Actually, I led us off topic. My word-for-word example was to show how repeated inserts of mindless patter make speech-reading harder. It takes several seconds (sometimes whole minutes) for me to piece together what may have been said.
Alas, I'm not a better person. Maybe not even as good, but the reason I don't draw and fire is I guess I really am slow, heh heh. At least at speech reading.
Update: I got this via today's e-mail. The person who last night was impersonating a vapid teen was actually 22! By the time she told her story to the librarian, the book had become stolen in a house burglary. The librarian asked the woman for the police report number, and that started yet another round of “ums,” “likes,” “ya knows,” and “I means.”
I agree with Bottesini about the hand covering the mouth being a terrible habit. Even if it’s a temporary thing, the person goes right on talking. Everyone wonders why we deafies miss so much.
