That’s me back in March 2022, with Mama Fluff somewhere in the mountains of NorCal. A few months earlier (Sept 20th, 2021 to be precise) she gave birth to Marley and several other siblings, her second and final litter – some who we still see once in a while. She’s an awesome long-haired Akita who roams these mountains daily with one of her sons from her first litter, Tux.
I’m just your basic polymath with the need… the need to learn about everything and build all the essentials in my life. Currently, I’m in Boot Camp at Bloom Tech for Data Science, where I get to polish and sharpen my skills in Python – Big Data, Data Viz, Nerual Networks… My aim is to better understand Machine Learning so I can develop an AI that is capable of recognizing basic ASL commands. I also work as a project coordinator/website content manager for Eyeth Studios, owned by an awesome deaf woman who makes it her mission to support the Deaf Community.
I’m not a big fan of perusing art, but I’ll tell you this much about Susan Dupor’s ‘Family Dog’ – it made the biggest impact on me, and is the only art I can cite other than the Mona Lisa or Starry Skies… Sorry, art folks – it just ain’t my jive.
I’ll let you guys check it out and figure out for yourselves why I, the only deaf child in a family of 4, would relate so much to this artwork.
Speaking of which, I am working on a memoir about my experiences as a d/Deaf individual, family dynamics as the only deaf child, educational and interpreting issues and so much more. I just need to finish it!
As for art… the most artsy I get is with my DIY projects, woodworking, metalsmithing, landscaping/gardening and the occasional writing/poetry. Oh yeah, and culinary delights – I’m a seasoned pizzaiolo (worked at Mozzeria and Chestnut Hill Brewery, even built a friend a brick oven as a thank you gift for helping with my dog’s surgery in summer of ’21) and I enjoy baking bread and making pasta/ravioli from scratch. Yup, a dough boy, I am!
