Day 11

Day 11: Jeff

Age: 30

Major: ("Right now or next week?") Fine Arts

Hometown: Houston

Connection to me: Printmaking

Me: Whats the story behind your tattoo?

Jeff: It represents my father who died when I was 16. I got it in when I was in the army in Korea because my dad was a 3rd degree black belt.

Me: How did he die?

Jeff: Cancer

Me: Are you happy you joined the army?

Jeff: Yes, though I wish I did it when I was younger- right out of high school. It was a great learning experience but I came home because I got hurt.

Me: Where were you?

Jeff: South Korea, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Me: What was your job?

Jeff: I was a crew chief for a black hawk (helicopter).

Me: What is that?

Jeff: Basically the mechanic and gunner.

Me: How was it to come back?

Jeff: Culture shock. When I was there I missed my family but when I came back I missed the people I was with. I felt lost not having it in my life anymore and knowing that I can't go back.

Me: How long were you away for? 

Jeff: The longest time was for 16 months, a total of 6 and a half years.

Me: Tell me about PTSD.

Jeff: Its different for everyone. Some kids wake up in the middle of the night and think they are still there. I wake up often thinking I'm still there. Some people have it even when they are awake.

Me: When you were injured, did you ever fear loosing an arm or leg, or your life?

Jeff: No, I was more worried for everyone else in my unit.

Me: Would you promote joining the army?

Jeff: Its a strong decision to be made. I don't think people with spouses should go.

Me: I agree.

Day 10

Day 10: Richard

Age: 18

Major: Premedicine

Hometown: Sanbernardino, California

Connection to me: Biology

Me: What religion are you?

Richard: Reform Judaism

Me: How are you Jewish?

Richard: I have Jewish ancestry but my mom's not Jewish. My maternal grandfather was Jewish from Germany and my grandmother was black.

Me: Do you know that according to Orthodox Jews, to be Jewish you're mom has to be Jewish?

Richard: Yeah, I know.

Me: Can you tell me about being gay?

Richard: Umm its fun and exciting. I came out when I was 16. My mom accepts me and is cool with it. I'm currently talking/dating this guy who is half black, half native American.

Me: How old were you when you realized you were gay?

Richard: As long as I can remember.  Guys would be like "Oh she's cute!" and I'd say "No, I don't like girls."

Me: Do you want kids?

Richard: Yes, probably through in vitro.

Me: In a gay relationship, does one spouse end up taking the more female role and the other the more masculine role or is it pretty even?

Richard: It depends on each relationship. Of course in the bedroom it can go both ways. 

Me: Have you ever hit on a guy who ended up not being gay?

Richard: No, I've been lucky not to. I never thought of that happening...

Me: Were you scared to tell your parents?

Richard: Yes, but you can't live a lie and hide yourself. It is a major part of you and its just something you have to do.

Bandella Headbands

I had the pleasure of doing a photo shoot for Bandella Headbands! Thank-you so much to my adorable models and to their mom's for coming with :)

Day 9

Day 9: Emma

Age: 19

Major: Forestry

Hometown: Houston

Connection to me: Printmaking

Emma: I need to vent.

Me: Go ahead.

Emma: My mom started smoking a couple of weeks ago out of the blue. 

Me: Mid-life crises?

Emma: Definitely but it's because she's under a lot of stress. She says its making her feel better but then 2 nights ago she had an asthma attack, and she's never had asthma.

Me: Why is she under so much stress?

Emma: Her parents are divorced. Her dad remarried and his new wife is a classic fairy tale evil mom. She isn't nice to my mom, and my grandmother (my mom's mom) is giving her a hard time as well. Plus my mom is now mad at the Christian church in general because a lot of Christians are "mean, hypocritical and religious". I think she's having a religious imbalance and an emotional imbalance from her parents. In addition to all that, she is also going back to school to do nursing at 45 years old, and financially we aren't doing well so it is all just very stressful. 

Me: How do you feel right now?

Emma: I'm just really confused. Why is her stress causing me so much stress?

Me: Stress is contagious.

Emma: But everyone in my family is stressed out now and dealing with it in different ways.  I feel stuck. How do I end this vicious cycle?

Me: What do you think will happen?

Emma: I hope that my mom will quit and realize that its bad. Or my mom will just become a person who smokes. Eventually I'll move out and away from the stress.

Me: Maybe you should move out sooner than later...

Emma: I still really love my family and there are plenty of good times as bad, now is just really bad. I just wish I could really help my mom but I cant.

Me: Its good you're talking about it and letting it out.

Emma: Yes, even talking now makes me feel better.

Me: Any tips on how to deal with stress?

Emma: Talking it out really works as I just found out. Find something you really like, such as writing in a journal or art and lastly, don't smoke!

Day 8

Day 8: Yenter

Age: 38

Major: Associates in Science

Hometown: Taiwan

Connection to me: Biology

Yenter and I sat side by side on our laptops and did the interview through chat because of his hearing disability. 

Me:  When did you come to Houston?

Yenter: I was born in Taiwan and moved to the U.S. when I was 9 years old. I mostly grew up in Boston then about ten years ago, I moved to Louisiana.  I raised my family there, then my son turned 15 years old so, I decided to go back to school to finish my degree. Texas has free tuition for disability citizens.

Me: That picture you showed me of you and your wife, I've seen her, does she go to HCC?

Yenter: Her name is Betty...yes, she attends here.

Me: Is your wife also deaf?

Yenter: Yes, she is.

Me: And your son?

Yenter: No, he is hearing. He is CODA (Child Of Deaf Adults). His first language is American Sign Language.

Me: Wow that's incredible. What is it like, to not be able to hear?

Yenter: It does not bother me if I can or can't hear, all that counts is that I am in good health and happy.

Me:  How did you and your wife meet?

Yenter:  Its an interesting story....I used to work for a boys high school dorm at a deaf school...two of the high school students graduated and went to college at SWCID (Southwest College Institution of Deaf), in Big Spring, TX. which is where my wife, Betty went. Years later they invited me to their wedding and Betty was there, that is how I met her.

Me: Were you born deaf?

Yenter: No I was born hearing...I got sick with meningitis then I became deaf when I was one years old.

Me:  What can you hear with the hearing aid? Sounds?

Yenter:  I mostly can hear the background noise, such as a phone ringing, talking in the background, a car horn, etc. I can't hear words.

Me:  Do you ever feel that people treat you differently because of your disability?

Yenter:  Yes, sometimes.

Me: Any examples?

Yenter:  I used to work for UPS, I wanted to be a driver and drove for one year. Then the headquarter found out that I am deaf and they discharged me due to their insurance.

Me:  Wow I'm so sorry :/

Yenter:  That's alright, I moved on....You have to keep moving on even if you get frustrated. 

Day 7

Day 7: James Patrick

Age: 22

Major: Economics

Hometown: Houston

Connection to me: Printmaking

Me: Did you go to Texas A&M?

James: Yes.

Me: Which is better?

James: Actually HCC's professors are of higher caliber, I think its because of the smaller classes.

Me: Why did you switch to HCC?

James: I came home for rehab.

Me: Drugs?

James: Drugs and alcohol.

Me: Are you in rehab now?

James: I still participate but I'm done so I'll be back at A&M in the Spring and graduate in 2013.

Me: What drugs did you do?

James: Aderol

Me: Isnt that...

James: an ADD medication, yes.

Me: Do you have ADD?

James: Yes, it was prescribed to me but I abused it. I would take 30 mg a day and stay up for 3-4 days, then I'd sleep for 2 days because I was also prescribed ambient which is a sleep medication.

Me: How long were you addicted for?

James: I was prescribed in high school but it got really bad Freshman-Junior year, so 2 and a half years.

Me: Did you come back on your own?

James: Yeah, I didn't even know I had a problem until I totaled my 3rd car, then I came home.

Me: How did you your parents take it?

James: Now it's a lot better....I mean either I would die or go to rehab.

Me: Thank G-d you're here.

James: Right? I'm thankful to be alive and have a second chance and that I didn't mess things up beyond repair. 

Me: Is there any message you'd like to give to others who are in a similar situation?

James: Get help before it gets worse. If you know somethings bad, don't wait until its really bad.

Day 6

Day 6: Hussein

Age: 20 and some change (21)

Major: Economics

Hometown: Mali, Africa

Connection to me: None

Me: Why did you decide to come to America?
Hussein: I wanted to learn English.
Me: What languages do you speak?
Hussein: English, French, Spanish, Swahili and a bit of Arabic.
Me: You are Muslim, yes?
Hussein: Yep.
Me: Do you like it here?
Hussein: Not really, I like the women.
Me: What don't you like?
Hussein: I don't like the policies and rules.
Me: And the rules are better in your hometown?
Hussein: No, they are worse, but here you have to work your whole life, America is the only country you have to do that or else you'll end up on the streets. Taxes are high and discrimination is bad.
Me: Have you had any bad experiences with discrimination?
Hussein: A few weeks ago I couldn't get into Club Richies because I'm black. They said its a white club. They have a line for all other races but white people can go straight in.
Me: Thats crazy!
Hussein: What are you, Christian?
Me: No I'm Jewish.
Hussein: Jewish people are the smartest people.
Hussein's Friend: No, they just know how to play their cards right.
Me: You have to be smart to know how to play your cards right.
Hussein: There was a scientific research that showed if you put 100 white people together, 60 will be smart but if you put 100 Jews together, 80 will be smart.
Me: Do you hate Jews?
Hussein: I don't hate anyone. With religion, you're either with it, or you're not.