Are you out there, can you hear this?
May. 23rd, 2005 04:06 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
penfieldIt is said that when a person loses one of their senses (e.g., sight), that person's other senses (e.g., hearing, taste, smell) are naturally enhanced in order to compensate. I don't know if this is really true, but I can guess that being blind would probably make Britney Spears sound even worse.
And I think about this phenomenon when I am on the Metro, riding to or from work with my mp3 player singing in my ears, and a blind person boards the train. I always wonder: can they hear the music I'm listening to? Are they judging me by my musical taste? Do they think I have my volume up too loud? Do you think they keep their stereos and TVs at a lower volume level because their hearing is so acute? Do you think they ever wear headphones, because that would drown out other sounds necessary for survival? Like the sound of an oncoming vehicle, or one of those chirping traffic lights? Do those chirping traffic lights really work? How do the blind people know which street to cross? Or is the chirping for the dogs? Because aren't dogs color-blind? Couldn't they have come up with a non-color blind animal to serve as guides? Like monkeys? Or if monkeys have too much attitude, how about rabbits? They're supposed to be pretty smart. Not as smart as dolphins, but you can't exactly have dolphins leading blind people down the street, can you? And don't rabbits eat a lot of carrots? And aren't carrots supposed to be good for eyesight? I suppose rabbits might be kind of slow. But doesn't that belie their reputation? Aren't rabbits considered fast, from stories like "The Tortoise and the Hare?" Certainly there are faster animals. Why not "The Tortoise and the Cheetah?" I bet I could outrun a rabbit. I'm talking about a straight-line race, not running through grass and trees and shit. I used to be pretty fast, a long time ago, in elementary school. I think my name is still on a plaque in the Plank Road South lobby as part of the record-setting 400m relay, along with Dan Jonas, Kristen Laitenberger, and somebody else. Maybe Jenny Brown. Jenny Brown was so cute. She had green eyes, and light brown hair, and she was really smart. I liked her. And this was in third grade, before I really liked girls very much. I still liked her a lot. But she was going out with Danny Jonas, whatever that meant. I guess it just meant you passed love notes and had your mom bring the both of you to movies. Maybe some kissing. I have no idea. I was in ninth grade before I got a note that said anything nicer than "What is the answer to #4 on the quiz?" Jenny Brown already knew the answer to #4, so she never sent me any notes. Then she moved away after third grade. I don't remember where. Delaware? Detroit? I think it began with a D. Never heard from her again. Dan Jonas stuck around, though. He graduated with us. And he turned out to be a pretty nice guy, actually, and he looked a little like Phil Collins. I guess Phil Collins was considered kind of cool back then. Not anymore. I don't care what the critics say, I still enjoy "In the Air Tonight." Also "Against All Odds," which is pretty cheesy '80s fare. The type of song I might be a little embarassed about, if a blind person heard me listening to it on the ride home.
And I think about this phenomenon when I am on the Metro, riding to or from work with my mp3 player singing in my ears, and a blind person boards the train. I always wonder: can they hear the music I'm listening to? Are they judging me by my musical taste? Do they think I have my volume up too loud? Do you think they keep their stereos and TVs at a lower volume level because their hearing is so acute? Do you think they ever wear headphones, because that would drown out other sounds necessary for survival? Like the sound of an oncoming vehicle, or one of those chirping traffic lights? Do those chirping traffic lights really work? How do the blind people know which street to cross? Or is the chirping for the dogs? Because aren't dogs color-blind? Couldn't they have come up with a non-color blind animal to serve as guides? Like monkeys? Or if monkeys have too much attitude, how about rabbits? They're supposed to be pretty smart. Not as smart as dolphins, but you can't exactly have dolphins leading blind people down the street, can you? And don't rabbits eat a lot of carrots? And aren't carrots supposed to be good for eyesight? I suppose rabbits might be kind of slow. But doesn't that belie their reputation? Aren't rabbits considered fast, from stories like "The Tortoise and the Hare?" Certainly there are faster animals. Why not "The Tortoise and the Cheetah?" I bet I could outrun a rabbit. I'm talking about a straight-line race, not running through grass and trees and shit. I used to be pretty fast, a long time ago, in elementary school. I think my name is still on a plaque in the Plank Road South lobby as part of the record-setting 400m relay, along with Dan Jonas, Kristen Laitenberger, and somebody else. Maybe Jenny Brown. Jenny Brown was so cute. She had green eyes, and light brown hair, and she was really smart. I liked her. And this was in third grade, before I really liked girls very much. I still liked her a lot. But she was going out with Danny Jonas, whatever that meant. I guess it just meant you passed love notes and had your mom bring the both of you to movies. Maybe some kissing. I have no idea. I was in ninth grade before I got a note that said anything nicer than "What is the answer to #4 on the quiz?" Jenny Brown already knew the answer to #4, so she never sent me any notes. Then she moved away after third grade. I don't remember where. Delaware? Detroit? I think it began with a D. Never heard from her again. Dan Jonas stuck around, though. He graduated with us. And he turned out to be a pretty nice guy, actually, and he looked a little like Phil Collins. I guess Phil Collins was considered kind of cool back then. Not anymore. I don't care what the critics say, I still enjoy "In the Air Tonight." Also "Against All Odds," which is pretty cheesy '80s fare. The type of song I might be a little embarassed about, if a blind person heard me listening to it on the ride home.
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Date: 2005-05-27 05:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-06-01 03:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-06-01 03:36 pm (UTC)I generally agree with your Collins Execution Scenario, although I even have to admit that I sort of liked that "You'll Be in My Heart" song he did from Tarzan, even if that fact is sufficient enough evidence to have my testicles revoked.
Did anyone ever find out what the hell Sussudio meant? Was that a woman's name? Was she Armenian or something?