Hello Everyone!

Hello! My name is Elizabeth. I also go by (e. As Nancy Macklin previously explained in her introduction, the (  represents my hearing aid and the e represents the ear and my name.

I am currently an itinerant teacher of deaf and hard of hearing students for a public school district where I work with mainstreamed and self-contained students.

I also manage a blog about education and various deaf and hard of hearing issues.

It is called Eh? What? Huh? (http://www.ehwhathuh.com/).

I have a bilateral sensorinueral hearing loss (profound in the left ear, moderate-severe in the higher frequencies in the right ear). For more information about my hearing loss please read How Do I Hear?

I did not get my hearing tested until I was around two years old. I believe I started wearing hearing aids right before I turned three years old. I was mainstreamed in a public school during my elementary years. The school had a deaf and hard of hearing program where I interacted with other children who wore hearing aids and FM systems while receiving services from a teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing. I worked hard on my speech until it became understandable with an interesting accent. Often, others will say I sound as if I am from Boston while others ask if I am from New York, even though I am from the southeast region of the United States. One time a stranger suddenly yelled at me, after he heard me talking, "Ah! Bastan! Clam Chowdah!" Some people can't figure out my accent and will wonder if I am from another country. The only offensive comment I received about my speech was from someone who asked if my tongue was pierced. I did not learn sign language until I was 23 years old, which was roughly seven years ago. The sign language classes I took got me deeply interested in deaf education and deaf and hard of hearing issues.

Anyway, I am super excited to be blogging about the 2011 HLAA Convention in Washington D.C.! It is going to be so much fun. I really enjoyed last year as a first time attendee at the convention in Milwaukee.

If you have been reading my blog, you will learn that I have a blogger addiction. I LOVE blogging. Writing has always been something I enjoyed. I feel more comfortable writing than speaking. I can get all of my thoughts out in a more coherent manner (well, most of the time). It has been very helpful for me to write down my thoughts and to reflect on them while freely sharing them with whoever reads my blog. The best part of blogging is interacting with other individuals who can relate to what I experience. It helps to know that I am not alone. I also enjoy hearing from those who do not agree with me, challenging me and making me stop and think about the issue some more. Blogging has truly been one of the best things that happened to me.

Attending the 2010 HLAA Convention in Milwaukee has also been one of the best things that happened to me. Thanks to my blog, I became friends with another blogger, Speak Up Librarian, who told me about the convention. After looking into it, I decided to go. I am glad I did.

So, here I am. I will do my best to inform everyone who reads this about the daily events that will occur at the convention. There will bound to be a lot of exciting things to happen and I am sure I will write about them in great detail and include several pictures and videos. 

I have a feeling that I will not sleep much with all of the excitement, events to attend, and blogging. Bring on the coffee and energy drinks!

(e

Introducing (e, Our Convention Blogger

I am very happy to introduce you to Elizabeth, or (e. She is an itinerant teacher of deaf and hard of hearing students, providing educational support to deaf and hard of hearing students who are typically mainstreamed. She provides both direct services to students and consulting services to teachers and other adults who work with them. (e has a bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and has worn hearing aids since she was two years old. Why (e? It's her logo created by her friend, Jose Gross. The e is her ear, and the ( is her hearing aid. Elizabeth will provide up-to-date news prior to the Convention and will give daily updates while on site at the Convention. Welcome aboard, (e!

Convention Scholarship DEADLINE: March 1st

If you are an HLAA member and have never attended a convention before (and need a little help getting there) why not apply for a Rocky Stone Scholarship? If you are not awarded a scholarship from the Rocky Stone Endowment, your application will be considered for other scholarships available. Starkey will once again sponsor six HLAA young adults - thank you, Starkey!

Hurry! Get the application in no later than March 1, 2011. Hope to see you in D.C.

Follow me on Twitter

I was hoping that Twitter was a passing fad, but it seems Twitter is only getting more and more popular. I've bitten the bullet - I'm finally on Twitter: @nmacklin. Come follow me!

Convention Plans Heating Up for June 2011

The holidays have come and gone, and the Convention, even though it is still over five months away, seems to be coming faster than a freight train! So many great plans are being made - this convention for people with hearing loss is a "must-attend event." Mark your calendar and start making your plans to be at Convention 2011 in the Washington, D.C. suburb, Arlington, Virginia (in a section called Crystal City), June 16 - 19. The convention hotel is the newly renovated Hyatt Regency Crystal Ciy (2799 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA 22202).

Many of you may also be interested in attending the 2nd International Hearing Loop Conference - HLAA is co-hosting this event with the American Academy of Audiology (the "Academy") at the same location, June 18 - 20. I'll write again soon about the Loop Conference.

Here's a snapshot of Convention 2011 events:
Convention 2011:
Thursday, June 16th will be an action-packed day with the Exhibit Hall Grand Opening scheduled from Noon - 2 p.m. followed by an FCC panel lead by Karen Peltz Strauss, Deputy Bureau Chief of the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau. We are very pleased to have Christopher Artinian, president and CEO of Morton's Restaurant Group as our keynote speaker. Don't miss the Get Acquainted Party Thursday evening, a chance to meet up with old friends and meet new ones. Note that the Exhibit Hall will remain open until 5 p.m.

Friday, June 17th will bring the research symposium, The Impact of Noise on Hearing Loss, sponsored by the Deafness Research Foundation (see the Convention page on our website for more details about the presenters). The afternoon will offer educational workshops on the topics of Advocacy and Government Affairs, Hearing Technology, Medical Issues, Relationships (with your Family, Friends and Employer), and Young Adults. Following the afternoon social in the Exhibit Hall, Wicked ticketholders will board a Chariots for Hire (our official transportation provider) bus for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. If you are not attending Wicked, this is a great night to go sight-seeing.

Saturday, June 18th is Parents and Educators Day! In addition to the educational tracks above there will also be four workshops especially for parents and teachers of children with hearing loss. Details about all of the workshops will be posted soon on the Convention page. After the Exhibit Hall social in the afternoon, relax for a bit before the Saturday evening banquet, A Capital Celebration. This will be a special evening as we bid farewell to Convention attendees and welcome the attendees of the 2nd International Hearing Loop Conference (HLAA is co-hosting with the American Academy of Audiology).

Sunday, June 19th winds up the Convention with the Awards Breakfast where chapter members from across the country are honored for their hard work in their chapters and communities to help make a difference for people with hearing loss.

CEUs will be available from the American Academy of Audiology and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

WOW! What a convention it promises to be! If you don't receive the biweekly e-News, sign up today at www.hearingloss.org.

See you in June!