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Sven Topp

Randwick, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA


Joined January 26th 2008

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76

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Recent Posts

I've had the strangest dreams

January 17th 2009 09:49
I'm not normally one to dwell on my dreams. I guess that might actually have to do with the fact that I don't usually remember them! But I've been having some quite odd dreams lately, well one in particular about parenting.

The dream basically starts with me minding my son in the dark who is now crawling and getting close to walking on his own. About 10 minutes later I lose "touch" with him and can't find him in the dark again. It's rather frightening and at this point in time I usually wake up in a frantic state wondering where he is and then remembering he's asleep in his cot, What's worse is that I usually feel like I've been dreaming awake (ie dreaming that I've actually been awake in the bedroom where our son sleeps).

Not quite sure what it means....
Any ideas?

Hope everyone had a wonderful XMas and New Year and is having a terrific '09 so far.

For those of you who like Joe Cocker, here's the lyrics to Feeling Alright. (which is where the title of the blog comes from if you didn't know already...)
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The Physical Limitations of Commnication

October 23rd 2008 14:22
When someone says that their having communication trouble it often means something like arguments, disagreements, people not listening or others just not communicating at all.

Deafblindness and parenthood poses another completely dilemna in terms of communication and that's the intensity of the physical communication mode. There are two problems that intertwine when it comes to tactile communication combined with parenting. One is the physical limitations of both partners (though my shoulders, arms and other body parts suffer less but are still quite painful).

The other of course is not enough hands.... (Don't we all wish we had an extra set when we become parents)

These two limitations haven't helped much in the 11 months since our son was born. Trying to bath a baby with two hands and then needing to request something just ain't gonna work (something becomes too dangerous). Of course as he's grown older the communication hasn't become so urgent or by communicating we are no longer putting our son in so much danger in such environments (he's now in the big bath and can sit up but still needs supervision).

Learning what has been generally required has also helped too as I often can guess what's needed without needing to be asked or I've already put it in place. Still, the pain causes it's own issues.

I'll be looking at speech recognition on a Netbook as an option. Perhaps this will alleviate some of the pain for both of us.

If you have any suggestions then by all means give us a yell.
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It's all in the communication

October 21st 2008 12:34
Talk to any Psychologist about relationship troubles and they'll always tell you that communication is an essential key element to any relationship.

I tend to agree but.....

I wonder sometimes if there's a porblem with TOO much communication going on sometimes and that it would better to keep some things to oneself at times when it really isn't needed. Although I don't usually follow Guns 'N Roses they do have a very relevant quote here....

"Everybody needs some time,
On their own,
Everybody wants some time,
All alone".

(From "November Rain").

I think this is particularly true in a new family. There's a sort of directional shift in communication requirements (and not just thought) and the predominant concept that we all need to stick together and be a "Family Unit". We often lose our independance as individual people within the group. Sometimes requiring sacrifices of things that are no longer for the greater good of the "unit". Most importantly communication seems to become less about what you actually feel and think and more about what you "should be thinking about".

I guess what I'm saying here is perhaps sometimes we just need to step back for a moment and keep our mouth shut even if we're trying to be helpful. Sometimes the communication isn't actually appreciated (especially if it's critical).

So what do you guys think?
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So what's new?

October 21st 2008 12:04
Ok so I've been slack in posting on Orble....

No, not really. Trying to juggle responsibilities between an 11 month old who's decided he wants to be very independant (I wonder where he gets that from? ), studying Psychology at University and setting up a new house I haven't had much time for anything. That of course doesn't even begin to look at the daily chores of life like the washing.... ack. Oh and making the 1st Birthday cards, which being creative, have been doing myself


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I hereby declare myself a Second Hand Smoker

June 25th 2008 10:41
Actually I wouldn't go that far.

We wandered off to the "Big Smoke" (pun intended) yesterday for our son's hearing test. Upon alighting from our vehicle I was assaulted with errrr smoke. You could probably argue it's mostly car fumes but there was an unmistakable and quite prominant smell of tobacco. It followed us all the way to our destination and then again during lunch and on our way back to the car


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Planet Terror

June 23rd 2008 01:46
Grindhouse meets Kill Bill Vol 1
Can a B grade movie about B Grade movies actually B B B B good?

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I'm back....

June 20th 2008 08:53
Errrr no.
Not the Terminator but after a bit of a biatus I have returned. Unfortunately there's been a bad case of flu going around our house for the past 3 months or so (doggone it, I think I've finally kicked it at last).

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Smile, You're on Candid Camera

June 20th 2008 07:56
Actually no I'm not that sneaky. But when growing up my Dad always taught me that the best type of a snap was the unposed variety. Or basically trying to capture your subject unawares so that they were in a more natural state of mind.

I twas sorting through the 10 odd Gigabytes of photos that have been taken in the past 7 months (aided by a Nikon Coolpix) and remembering some of the moments that they captured. There are some movies in there too which are cute and fun, especially the swimming ones


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Best Places to Buy Budget

March 10th 2008 06:29
Being a pensioner and legally blind has it's benifits. Gettinginto Hoyts for nothing is one of them (though without subtitles and the ability to pause often it is a bit dull). But let's look at home entertainment and the best place to buy your flicks....

EzyDVD Online

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S1m0ne

March 9th 2008 09:32
Celebrity obsessed over Virtual Reality
Will there be a point in time when we can't tell the difference between something that is real and something created in the Virtual World?

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Recent Comments

Comment by Sven Topp
on Shoes Made to Charge Gadgets

October 23rd 2008 14:43


Parent Debate
Deafblind Dad
Does that mean we can have a shoe phone too like Maxwell Smart?

Sounds like a good idea actually and it's a clean way to generate electricity. Wonder why they don't put turbines in car wheels. You'd have four turbines generating power at the same time. I wonder if that would produce enough energy to run the car indefinitely?

Comment by Sven Topp
on Salvation! Terminator is almost back

October 23rd 2008 14:34


Parent Debate
Deafblind Dad
I followed this series since T2, going back and watching T1 (I didn't think T1 was much to poke a stick at actually).

Arnie with a Gatling Gun was something to remember (from T2) and certainly the morphing was nicely done and a revolution in both movie effects and computer game animation.

T3 I agree, was a flop. I guess mostly because it didn't offer any "Wow" factor. It was all something we'd seen before (in terms of effects).

Will have to keep an eye out on this one though as it should be interesting. Even if only to finish off the story.

Comment by Sven Topp
on I'm back....

October 21st 2008 11:32


Parent Debate
Deafblind Dad
Hi Alessandra
Yes I've heard of Sense and have assisted in the provision of the DB training video here in Australia.

I'm not a member of Facebook but please feel free to add the blog to your Facebook site. I haven't posted here for a w3hile because I've been so flat out. But am hoping to get back to it shortly.

Comment by Sven Topp
on Awesome Dudes Awesome 2 Minute Noodles

July 2nd 2008 15:36


Parent Debate
Deafblind Dad
Interesting take on the 2 min noodles.

I remember when I lived in Tonga for a year one of the favourites of the locals was eating them raw with the flavouring sprinkled on them....

Comment by Sven Topp
on Believers, non-believers and nothing

June 26th 2008 10:33


Parent Debate
Deafblind Dad
Oh and this is all good for nothing isn't it.....

Comment by Sven Topp
on Believers, non-believers and nothing

June 26th 2008 10:32


Parent Debate
Deafblind Dad
Yes that's a whole lot of nothing isn't it
Well better check out "Nothing Compares to you" while we have tea....

Comment by Sven Topp
on Believers, non-believers and nothing

June 26th 2008 09:43


Parent Debate
Deafblind Dad
Excuse the pun....
But don't they always say "Nothing is impossible" *wink* (even if it's not meant in the way I'm using it).

Comment by Sven Topp
on Believers, non-believers and nothing

June 26th 2008 09:01


Parent Debate
Deafblind Dad
True...
But then if the absence of everything is nothing, then indeed nothing is still something. But then there's a problem seeing as nothing is something therefore forms a part of everything.....

Thus nothing can't really be the absence of everything as it would also need to be absent of nothing too........

Comment by Sven Topp
on Does Generation Y REALLY love being Wired?

June 26th 2008 08:38


Parent Debate
Deafblind Dad
I'm not Generation Y (I think my letter got lost...).

Frankly though it's not the internet that bothers me so much but the fact that everyone is expected to be in instant contact with everyone else at all times.

The proverbial "mobile" has become such an inseperable part of our lives that I think quite a few people have actually forgotten how to talk to the person in front of them (ever seen a date watch a partner spend half of it on a phone... ).

I think it's sad that we have so little private time these days.

Comment by Sven Topp
on Believers, non-believers and nothing

June 26th 2008 08:26


Parent Debate
Deafblind Dad
Ah but see....
The real question is "What is nothing?" Of course, since we phrase this using the questioning word "What" it suggests that even nothing is indeed something.