This is my Story. You can choose to disregard me, pity me, hate me, like me, want to know more, or just simply follow me. Whatever your choice, I don't care. I just want to put my story out so people can know who I am, where I came from, how I was raised, and learn. You'll even learn some secrets.. doesn't everyone love those? The way they hide.. like the waves of the ocean.. begging to come out, only to withdraw; every time. I very much do like metaphors, so I will be trying to use them as often as possible. The best way to learn is to practice =).
     I was born Deaf. My right ear hears nothing, completely dead, and my left, I had some hearing while I was young; overtime it got worse. My parents didn't discover I was Deaf until I was 4 years old. I guess around that time cochlear implants were becoming a bit popular. However most doctors recommend doing implants a few months after the baby is born. I instead was given a hearing aid and for that I am very grateful. I will get to that part later on in my life. I was put into a small Deaf program at a school. I remember we had to wear these big things that allowed the teacher to speak to use through our hearing aids so we could hear clearer. I guess it was also where I learned American Sign Language (ASL) and also speech therapy to learn how to speak. Now mind, it wasn't fluent ASL, there was a more basic sign, one that was structured with English grammar. It was called Signing Exact English (SEE) We would sign with the letters of the alphabet of whatever that word started with. (I)t, (I)s, (W)as, (P)icture, (C)ar, (T)ruck. As I grew up, it changed more into Pidgin, a stalemate between ASL and SEE. Pidgin was a mix, so we would have English grammar and ASL signs intertwined. For example "I'm going to the store". We would sign that sentence word for word with the sign. In SEE, it was "I am go-ing to the store" with the alphabet letters in the sign. In ASL "Store I go" So each part is different, and the transition was slow. Anyway, I'm sure I'm boring you so on with the story. I was then mainstreamed in Elementary. For those who don't know what mainstream means, it means a Deaf or hard of hearing kid was placed in a Public School. An interpreter would be provided if possible. I however did not require an Interpreter in Elementary as my hearing then was well, I could hear and understand clearly what the Teacher and Students were saying. While I may have had some struggle with pronunciation, people could still understand me. I would have practice speaking by reading a book every morning for a few minutes. If I struggled to say a word right, my parents would help me til I got it right. I remember my little bully and his side mate, haha. Now he wasn't a tough bully or mean. He just kinda picked on us. Nothing violent, nothing abusive. I do hope he grew up to be a better guy. I made friends easy. Except this one girl. I tried so hard to get her phone number. Haha. She was a girl I liked. Now I wouldn't say it was a crush. I had no problem talking to her or hanging out with her. She was just really playing hard to get. I would say she was the cutest girl in my class. Ohh I miss those monkey bars. I mean come on, I wish they made monkey bars and play grounds for Adults. Maybe they do have them and I've never seen them, but still.. I miss those monkey bars. I would go to them almost every day during recess. Just climb all over it, hang from it, do stunts. Epic. We even had a time when the school allowed us kids to bring cards. The time when Pokemon Trading Card Game and Yu-gi-oh Cards became a popular trend. I guess it got a bit out of hand though because it was eventually banned. Ah, another memory, I rode my bike to school, and I saw this one kid who like never locked his bike in. Just rode in and left it. The one time I was in a rush and kinda fumbled with my lock.. I guess it was really cold or something. But I just decided to not lock it and start school. By schools end, my Mom had come to pick us up in my favorite green van. It had a T.V. with VCR player. Great for trips. I was about to get in the van when I remembered I rode my bike. So I went back to the cage where they kept the bikes and guess what? I bike was gone! Stolen! The ONE day I decide to follow that kids ignorance, my bike disappears. Wow, I, just wow. The one day. I loved that bike. I treated it, I rode it everywhere, I had fun! The wind in my face, the little bumps in the driveway that were like ramps, the way it felt like I could go faster than a car. Gone, gone in one dumb day. I had such active imagination then. Playing with my stuffed animals, toy cars, toy soldiers, and sure, dolls. Some call them collectibles, some call them action figures, some call them dolls. They're still the same item, a toy. I don't remember much of what was in my head then, but boy I knew it was entertaining. Okay, that's enough reminiscing. On to the next level.
    Middle School. My Glory days, haha. I was pretty fluent in sign then and my mom insisted on getting an interpreter. The Middle School I went to had a small Deaf program for Deaf kids who went there. There were about 10 of us. I don't remember how we became friends, but usually when a Deaf meets another Deaf, they become friends like right away. Not always the case, so you know. I mean, not everyone gets along you know? The worlds not perfect. Anyway, I got along well with all of them. I was also in a class with one of them and they had an interpreter. My first exposure. I grew to like them. If there was ever a word I didn't catch from my Teacher, I could just look at the interpreter and get that missing word. Middle School went by a bit fast. I wish it went by slower. I was short! Oh man I was short. I remember looking at all the kids and they were just taller than me. So unlike Elementary. By the last year of Middle School I finally got that growth spurt haha. I took Cross Country. My family had that tradition. Everyone ran either Track or X Country in school. And my first crush. I will say her name. Megan. The first sight. I saw those super cute girls, my throat just clenched up, my stomach flew, and my heart pounded, beating loud in my ears. Now maybe you noticed I said girls. Megan was a twin. And I mean they looked exactly alike replica twins. I couldn't tell them apart!! So my crush worked both ways. I couldn't utter a single word! I tried to talk to them, and nothing came out. Some first crush! And to make matters worse, they were Cheerleaders! Way above my pay grade! So to speak. I was just a no one; and they were popular. I don't remember which year, but I'm guessing it was the last year of Middle School. It was around this time I got into a hobby of looming. Making hats out of yarn. Now Arizona isn't really that cold, but it got cold enough for your ears to feel funny. So hats were the best. Anyway, I finally mustered the courage to ask her what her favorite two colors were. And she said green and pink. And interesting combo. Now I don't recall if I made a hat for her in green and pink, but I'm positive I did, I mean hello! Boy in love! Willing to do anything! I'm so sure I gave her that hat. I really want to be right. So anyway. That happened, just beautiful. I still think about her sometimes. Wondering if maybe she's still single or married. I know her sister got married. I think I actually tried in Cross Country to get her attention. I think it worked. Why do I say that? Because come the years end the yearbooks comes out and it gets hectic. I wanted to write in her yearbook. Amongst other friends. I saw something in her yearbook that caught my eye. On the page of the sports place, specifically the Cross Country picture where I was standing there like a tall skinny plank. My face was circled and the words next to it written "She thinks he's cute".
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"She thinks he's cute" I'm really hoping it was Megan who wrote that or at least that she meant her and not another girl who decided to ruin it all. My world stopped.

Ah what to say. I mean is this a blog or some kind of bio? And even if it was one of the two, how do they normally start?

Hello readers, assuming I will have readers. I am Mark Halbert. I am Deaf. And basically, I'm an open book. So what ever I may think, I will put on here. Now, there may be those who have opposed views, that's nice, but I have my view and perspective and I'm sticking with it, so you if try to change that, I really wouldn't care. My personality changes with my mood and who I'm with. That said, lets flip the page and start the story =)