Ageless Passions by Karen Putz

Category: Uncategorized

  • Deborah Mayer, Life Coach


    Deborah S. Mayer, president and owner of Crossroad Solutions Coach, Bio:
    Deborah is a professional certified coach with training in leadership coaching at Georgetown University and Adler Professional School of Coaching-Arizona and is recognized by the International Coach Federation (ICF).
    Deborah coaches one-to-one and leads interactive workshops and retreats on life, transition and leadership development for both deaf and hearing communities.Deborah demonstrates a remarkable commitment to her clients’ growth and achievements. Deborah is a local and national educator, facilitator and a strong advocate for deaf children’s and adults’ rights. Deborah has a bachelor’s degree in deaf education from the University of Tennessee and a master’s in deafness rehabilitation and counseling from New York University. She holds professional certifications in rehabilitation counseling and rehabilitation administration from the Commission on Rehabilitation Counseling and the Post-Employment Training-Administration of Programs Serving Individuals who are Deaf, Late-Deafened and Hard of Hearing program (PET-D) at San Diego State University. Deborah is certified as a Deaf Mentor in Illinois and Parent Advisor in Missouri trained in the SKI-Hi Curriculum. Professional experiences include director/counselor in programs for deaf/HOH students at Lehman College and LaGuardia Community College, both in NYC, and outreach specialist for Relay Missouri. She provided MCPO/PEPNet with consulting, informational and training services. She taught graduate courses at Maryville University. Deborah loves learning, traveling, cooking, dancing, family life and beach walking.

    Tell me about your job– how did you get into this line of work?

    I entered the coaching field when as a deaf parent, I saw how effectively and quickly my deaf child enthusiastically responded to coaching techniques by a Parent Coach over traditional counseling approaches.
    I work with deaf and hearing individuals, families, groups, teams and leaders. Coaching sessions are anywhere in person, through videophone, webcam or video relay. I also give presentations, workshops, retreats and training sessions.
    If you are stuck at a crossroad in your life and dont know how to move forward, that is where coaching comes in.
    An advisor, counselor, psychiatrist, social worker or therapist usually focuses on the past to define current problems and tells you what to do. This is the old do-as-I say approach that deprives you of personal achievement. A coach enters a partnership  with you. You coach walks with you to discover the greatest in you. You will be empowered to create your own action plan and move forward to a fulfilling and meaningful life.

    What is the best part of your job?
    Reaching out to more people and see satisfying results.
    What are some of the challenges of your job?
    Geographical location and being visible.
    I find myself dealing with different people from all walks of life. Not one person has the same goal or desire to change.
    What was it like growing up deaf/hard of hearing?
    My generation was different than today’s generation as my deaf teenagers grew up with technology advancement.  We didn’t have captions, TTYs or even pagers. Cochlear implants did not exist yet. Education was through touch, feel and see.
    What advice would you give a deaf/hard of hearing person who is looking for a career like yours?

    I would advise deaf/ hard of hearing person to acknowledge if they are either people oriented person or hands on person before they take this job. The person would love being with people and understand the human mind and emotions with training in Human Services field before taking on coaching work.

  • Judy Myers Inspires Deaf Mom

    Judy Myers is my new idol.  This “Old Lady” is my new inspiration each day, because she’s got me all fired up about barefooting again.  Here I was last year, all sad and feeling like my best years were behind me– and then I learned about this 66-year-old gal who was skimming along the water like a spring chicken.  So I’m heading down to Florida in the spring to meet Judy and try my hand at barefooting again.

    Judy took a little time out of her busy schedule to answer some questions and share some photos of her barefooting.  Enjoy!

    Judy with her biggest fan and supporter, husband Casey

    You started waterskiing at the age of 53 – tell me what it was like.

    Actually I was 48 when I started waterskiing. We had gotten out of Dune Buggies and decided to buy a boat (A big boat with a giant wake). We invited friends to come out for the day and they use to water ski when they were younger so decided to bring along their old (wooden) skis. We had a ball but the next day we were so sore even our hair hurt!! I was hooked. I have always been around or on the water and really liked sports so this was perfect for me. I attend clinics, ski schools and skied a lot. I became a good recreational slalom skier and really enjoyed it.

    How did you get into barefooting? How old were you? What was that first experience like?

    I was 53 and went with a group of girls to “The River” (meaning the Colorado River in Yuma AZ). One of the girls (much younger than I) barefooted and decided we should all try it. The first gal scooted out on the boom and immediately flew off ripping off her barefoot suit and losing her bathing suit top in the process, the second girl did pretty much the same thing but first managed to hang on long enough to almost beat herself to death. It was my turn and after watching what went on before me I almost changed my mind thinking I was much too old for this. I told them they had one chance and that was it. I scooted out, put my feet on the water and again was hooked on a new sport – BAREFOOTING! What a rush to be actually walking on water! That moment literally changed my life!!

    How did your barefooting evolve over the years? How did you get into competing? What was your first competition like?

    My barefooting started out as just being a recreational sport and has gone from that to I now work at World Barefoot Center with Keith St. Onge and David Small each spring. While there I do the office work and lunches but the reward is I get to ski every day with two of the nicest and best in barefooting in addition to “Swampy” Keith’s coach.

    When I first started skiing I went to FL for lessons as being an “old” Physical Education teacher I wanted to learn the proper way and save myself injury. I went to Ron Scarpa’s and it was Ron who convinced me to compete because of my age. It was here I also picked up the name “Old Lady”. Women tend to leave barefooting for various reasons and we felt it may help women realize they could stay in the sport, compete and have fun. After all that is what life is about – having fun and enjoying it to the fullest.

    My first competition was in 1999 at the Western Regional’s at Cheyenne Lake in New Berry Springs CA. I did not have a clue about skiing a tournament and what one even had to do. When I arrived the skiers took me under their wing and went out of their way to get me ready!! They realized I needed to score a specific number of points in order to go to Nationals so while waiting for my turn were teaching me things I could try. Dawn Farrell was awesome as was Gina McKee and then my slalom mentor Theresa Hoffman. I had never even attempted to cross the wake before then and Theresa made sure I was going to succeed!

    Needless to say with their support I managed to do what I needed to do in order to move on.

    Since putting my feet on the water for the first time and falling in love with the sport, I have skied all over the country, made friends all over the world, skied as an independent in the 2003 Worlds, been honored with the Western Region Barefooter of the Year award, had various magazine articles published about me, was in the MSNBC “Fit TO Boom” video, been on the “Today” show and the highest honor of them all was to win the 2009 “Banana George Blair Award for Barefooter of the Year. What an honor! I was speechless and those that know me know that is next to impossible!

    What is a typical day of training like?

    Usually we get up very early, do some stretching and go out and ski a couple of sets in the morning and again in the afternoon along with dryland practice. When I am at the World Barefoot Center with KSO and Swampy they work with me trying to improve my abilities (I tell KSO I am his project). I will say age has a little drawback here as it does take me longer to “get it” but I am willing to try and give it my all. I have had a few set backs this past couple of years – torn hamstring and then knee surgery but I am working hard in the off season to get in shape and am getting ready for the up and coming “Spring Training”.

    How has barefooting changed your life?

    Barefooting has made me realize that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to. It has helped keep this 66 year old woman – soon to be 67 – young in heart and spirit and has made me keep myself in good shape and strong. I cannot imagine my life without this!

    Can you see why I’m fired up and inspired?

    The Best Years of Life Are Still Ahead

    Start a Ripple, Inspire Someone Today

  • Deaf Mom’s Goal for 2010–Yes, I’m Gonna Barefoot Again.

    I turned 44 last August and I wasn’t too happy about it.  Forty four.  It had an omnious ring to it–one step closer to “middle age.”  I was feeling pretty much like my best years were behind me and I reflected on the years past.  Why-oh-why didn’t I appreciate my youth when I had it?  Why didn’t I enjoy my size-10 figure when I had it?   Why didn’t I run away to Florida and apply for a job as a show skier at Cypress Gardens when I was nineteen?

    Fast forward to fall of 2009, and the hubby sent me an email with a link to Judy Myers, the 66-year-old gal who was featured in a Subway video, Fit to Boom and on the Today show.   The videos aren’t captioned, but go take a look.  That’s right, that 66-year-old is skimming along the water on her bare feet.  She looks pretty darn good, doesn’t she?

    That video got me all fired up.  If a 66-year-old can barefoot, then I surely can do it again.  Heck, Banana George didn’t retire from barefooting until he was in his 90’s!

    So I decided that 2010 was going to be the year of getting back on my feet on top of the water.  That’s right, I’m going barefooting again.  I got in touch with Judy Myers and we started chatting back and forth via Facebook.  She will be in Florida in the spring and I’m going to join her for a day of barefooting in March.

    The last time I barefooted was about ten years ago– I lasted about one minute on the water.  I attempted to barefoot last summer but sank in both times.  So the last time I was really in shape and able to skim on the water was about 20 years ago. 

    Last week, I had a dream, and in the dream, I did a deep-water start with my legs wrapped around the rope– skimmed on top of the water on my butt and got up barefooting.  The last time I did that was in 1984.

    Stay tuned to the end of March to see if I can do that again.

    Karen at sixteen
    Karen at seventeen

  • I’m a Loser Mom

    It’s official.  I’m a Loser Mom.

    That’s right.  I’ve joined the 2nd Loser Mom contest, thanks to Devra Renner, who made me realize that I really couldn’t continue to hide my spare tire under those sexy Lanz of Salzburg nightgowns.

    The contest is a timely one, as I’ve been so tired of carrying around 60 pounds of unhealthy weight.  With my son’s friend Aubrey as a witness, I’ve climbed on the scale and registered it at two hundred and one pounds.  Yes, I’m almost ashamed to say it.  I’m packing some major flub on my 5′ 4″ inch frame.  What better way to be accountable than to blog about it for the whole wide world to see?

    At least I have a bunch of other Loser Moms to hang with during the next couple of challenging weeks.

    And look at my skinny Mom– doesn’t she look sexy in that flannel?

  • Deaf Mom’s Good Stuff of 2009

    I was going to wrap up 2009 with a round up of posts before it turned 12:01, but I was a little busy fake-cleaning my house for the last-minute New Year’s Eve party.  Better late than never.  But before I amuse you with my posts, take a look at the fun we had saying goodbye to 2009:

    We connected with Natalie from Florida via the Z-340 and had a blast sharing the party with her. It’s hard to believe that yet another year has flown by.

    Here are some of the posts from 2009 that have stood out:

    Chicago Moms Blog, Behind Barbed Wire

    Chicago Moms Blog, Deaf on the Field

    Chicago Moms Blog, Embracing my Deaf Self

    Chicago Moms Blog, Messy Houses (syndicated in newspapers)

    Chicago Moms Blog, The Honor of Attending a Birth (syndicated in newspapers)

    Chicago Moms Blog, Life is too Short to Pout All the Time

    Deaf Mom World, The Older I Get, The More Adventure I Want

    Deaf Mom World, Fashionable Hearing Aids

    Deaf Mom World, Dad Beats Cancer!

    Deaf Mom World, What I Learned from Laughter

    Deaf Mom World, Lessons from a Sea Doo

    Deaf Mom World, Zvrs, The Next-Best Thing to Being There

    Deaf Mom World, Are You In the Deaf/Hard of Hearing Closet?

    Enjoy!

  • Merry Christmas from the Putz Family

    Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the Putz family!

  • Welcome to the World, Diego Ruben!

    I had the honor of attending the birth of Diego Ruben, who entered this world on Monday evening at 9:40 p.m. in a beautiful homebirth.  Congrats to the Martinez family!

    Diego’s Birth Story: The Honor of Attending a Birth

    Syndicated in newspapers:

    News Observer

    Scramento Bee

    Idaho Statesman

    Fresno Bee

  • Laura Nuccio, Restaurant Manager

     

    I work as a General Manager for Nibbles Play Cafe located in  Wheeling , IL.  It is a restaurant with play areas for kids ages one to seven to come and play while families dine, eat and talk away!!

    A few years after birth,  my parents found out that I had a hearing loss. Doctors back then didn’t think anything was wrong with me. My parents struggled with doctors– saying, “she’s not hearing us and responding.” My mom had german measles while pregnant  with me. Finally after going to kindergarten, the speech therapist said I had a hearing loss.  Boy, did we visit Northwestern so many times!  I’m glad I spent alot of time there learning the speech skill drills over and over.   I can read lips very well for the hearing loss I have and wear a hearing aid. This really helps my career and working with people who can hear.

    My job as a General Manager, I communicate daily with customers,  taking their orders ( remember, I have to try my best to understand the different languages) and it’s not easy to read their lips if they use a language other than English!  I communicate with my employees, my boss and they are all good to me– we get along very well. I use the phone but recently purchased a videophone with VCO built in.   This will make my life so much easier to communicate with the customers on the phone when we plan birthday parties!! I also communicate with different vendors when I need to place orders. I also communicate with children.

    We have deaf kids come to our restaurant and this really makes my day to see them! I am a former Hersey student class of 1981 and have welcomed Hersey’s job co-op program to come and volunteer to work at our place.  This gives them the experience to work in a real world and also having a “deaf” boss working there they really like that, but I try to explain it doesn’t happen everywhere you work!

    Growing up was challenging. You have people looking at you like you are from Mars, you speak funny….until they realize that you are deaf/hard of hearing.  You judge to see if people will accept you or not. You need to stand up for yourself and be strong and say I can do anything that people with normal hearing can do.

    Come and visit us at “NibblesPlayCafe” !!
    www.nibblesplaycafe.com

    my work email is :  laura@nibblesplaycafe.com

  • The Older I Get, The More Adventure I Want

     

    Me, Tracy and Tammy
    Me, Tracy and Tammy

    I’ve got an itch.  I don’t know what it is. 

    Last week, one of my co-workers picked me and another co-worker up from the Tampa airport in a convertible and we zipped along the highway with the wind whipping through.  Along the way to headquarters, the two guys talked about their upcoming plans for the afternoon.  One of them had a Harley and the other was going to rent one.  They were going to ride the hogs around Clearwater and up to St. Petersburg after they dropped me off at headquarters.

    And dang it, I wanted to go with them.  I wanted to ride a motorcycle on a clear Florida day.

    Like I said, I’ve got an itch.  Forget the usual mid-life crisis solution of having an affair.  I don’t want an affair.  I want an adventure.  I’ve done 15 years at home raising my kids and now I want more.  The problem is, I can’t quite figure out what “more” is.  Over the weekend, I met a deaf barefooter down in Florida and I learned about Judy Myers, the 66-year-old gal who took up barefooting in mid-life.  I wanna be like her when I grow up.  So barefooting again is on the list.

    I thought I solved my mid-life crisis by buying a jet ski.  But the problem is, there’s snow on the ground outside right now.  The jet ski is packed away in a shed. 

    When I look back at my youth, I have to blame my Dad for this.  You see, one day, he came home with a boat.  He didn’t even ask my Mom if it was ok.  He just drove home with the yellow boat that was nicknamed “The Bumblebee.”  We took it out to Fox Lake and I learned to water ski in the polluted lake when I was nine. Then he bought mini-bikes.  One of the mini-bikes was missing a cover over the motor.  I remember one day, me and my friend Lisa took off in the mini-bikes up at the lake.  “Watch your legs!” my Dad hollered before we took off.  We were halfway around the lake when I hit a hole and my calf brushed against the spinning motor.  I dripped blood for a good two miles before we arrived back to wash up with the garden hose.  The mini-bikes disappeared shortly after that.  Then Dad came home with two snowmobiles.  Somewhere, down in the basement, is a photo of my brother Kenny taking off from a three-foot snow ramp that we built in the middle of the yard.  I have memories of a caravan of us snowmobiling up to the restaurant by I-94 and having breakfast there.

    Then there were the ATV toys that the Kronewitters brought into the picture.  They had two ATVs and a Dune Buggy.  The very first day that we unloaded the brand-new ATV off the truck, the youngest Kronewitter rode it into a tree and bent the foot rest.  That didn’t stop us. Tammy, Tracy and I would pack a lunch and hit the roads around the lake.  We explored abandoned houses and got lost a couple of times.  We built a dirt ramp in a field and borrowed Tim Brown’s dirt bike to add to the mix.  At one point, I had to go to the bathroom, so I rode the dirt bike home and headed inside.  Mom stopped me at the door.  “Whose motorcycle is that and why are you riding it?”  She was not pleased.

    Fun was the operative word of my childhood.  Tammy, Tracy and I often came up with crazy ideas to pass the time.  We did an all-girl pyramid with me at the top.  We did three of us on two pairs of skis, with me riding in the back binder of each.  We tied ropes around black truck inner tubes which folded practically in half when pulled, but we hung on.  We boat jumped (don’t even ask).  We attempted to jump over each other with kneeboards–which ended right after I knocked Tammy in the head.  We settled for pulling up on the rope and jumping over the rope instead.  And one day, we had a competition with another boat on the lake, to see which boat could pull the most skiers.  We won, with eight.

    Is it any wonder that I’ve got an itch?  And my Dad, he didn’t stop when he got older.  In his late seventies, he bought himself an ATV. 

    I wonder if I can con my Dad into buying a motorcycle this summer?

  • Hearing Folks Can Call Each Other, Why Can’t Deaf/Hard of Hearing Folks?

    “I am really frustrated,” said a customer recently.  “Every time someone calls my Z videophone from a Sorenson VP -200, their number shows up as an 866 number and I can’t call them back.  Hearing people don’t have any problem calling from a Verizon phone to a Sprint phone, so why do we deaf folks have so many problems?”

    Indeed, as a Sales Manager for Zvrs, I shared that same frustration as this customer.  Several times, I would see a missed call from an 866 number and I’d have no way of calling that person back.   The 866 numbers no longer function, except when a caller uses a VP-200 to call another VP-200.  When a person uses a videophone from a different company, the call is automatically routed to a relay interpreter.

    I also learned that Sorenson customers automatically have their 866 numbers displayed as the default setting.  This is the reason why the 866 number is showing up in the caller ID instead of a local number.  However, Sorenson customers can change the way the caller ID number is displayed and set it so that the LOCAL ten-digit number is displayed instead. 

    How to change the 866 number to display the new local number:

    Go to Settings > Personal > User and then select “Local.”

    Fo more information about calling 800/866 numbers, read the two editorials by Dr. Z and You:

    The 800/866 Fiasco

    The 800/866 Fiasco, More Information

    Update:

    The FCC has temporarily reinstated the 800 numbers and ordered the 800 numbers to be put back into the national database so that they can function from one provider to the other.  This means that for the next four months, the 800/866 numbers will connect properly between videophones.

    Ed’s Telecom Alert shares more on this issue: VRS 800 Issue.