18th February 2012 - Pop-up show

Yesterday I went to the Friday Pop-up show again. What a waste of time! For me that is. There were 11 students there three of whom were presenting there work. I am not for one minute complaining about the work that was presented, It is a bit nerve wracking, and in general I find looking at other students work is a good thing. However for me I find that I can hardly ever hear what the students are saying about their work and so don't know what it is really about apart from the aesthetic appeal or otherwise of the work. For this reason I can  very rarely join in the discussion about each piece of work.  

I do wear hearing aids but no matter how good they are hearing aids never compensate for natural hearing. they are especially bad in places where the accoustics are inadequate and pick up other sounds in the area.

I am amazed that in a comparatively new building such as JMU ADA there appears to be no loop system, or it is not turned on.  Even in the auditorium hearing is difficult. Really all it takes is for the speaker/tutor to wear a clip-on microphone in a place which catches their voice. It is pointless clipping the microphone to the neck of a round necked jumper because then it is under the chin and doesn't catch the voice. Similarly, there is no point clipping the microphone to a lapel if the head is always turned the other way.

I am amazed yet again, that people who should be used to public speaking, ie, speaking in a group seem to speak as though they are talking to the person next to them. Of course they are probably speaking loud enough for everyone else with normal hearing to hear.

I have really 'had enough' of Friday Pop-up shows.  I have only missed two when I cut my hand and couldn't drive.  I now don't see the point in driving 30+ miles to be left with the experience of feeling totally inadequate.  And Yes! I know that I chose to do this course and have to take on board everything that goes with it, and in the main I do. But lack of hearing is a very frustrating thing, you can't keep asking people to repeat what they are saying because they don't like that.