Universal Design, a life experience

Hi everyone!
I'm quite thrilled to be in T-560 and to work amongst brilliant minds. Universal Design has been an integral part of my life as an individual with deafness. While it's not necessarily a universal design concept, my mother made me a special vest that had characters like the smurfs, carebears, strawberry shortcake on them. I had these enormous hearing aids that I call the original Ipods, huge earpieces with wires dangling precariously to a box that had to be strapped into a black vest. My mom thought it might be easier for me to wear if she made me a special vest. Of course, now all the kids asked their moms for a special vest.
A little bit about me: I'm from Louisiana (yes, got hit by Katrina), was born and raised there. I majored in microbiology at LSU but my premed advisor told me that I would not pass the hearing test administered at medical schools and that I choose a different major (I know, it's an outrage). I shouldn't have listened but I did and switched my major to English and Psychology. After graduation, no one would hire me because I couldn't hear (it's illegal, I know, but when it's subtle you can't really do much about it). So I told myself I worked far too hard to just settle so I decided to go where the opportunities were. I flipped a coin- heads Boston, tails NYC. Boston it was. So I packed two luggages and finally ventured for the first time in my life, north of Shreveport. My family all thought I was crazy to go so far where I knew no one and where it was cold. ("Honey, it snows there don't you know?" said my mom.) Sometimes you can't wait for opportunities to find you, you must find them yourself.
Well, I have tons more to tell you about myself but I was taught that a good Southern storyteller leaves them wanting more. Til the next post and I'll tell you about dancing at the Moulin Rouge, my life as a professional salsa dancer, running a marathon, jumping off a train in Italy.
All the best,
Kerry
PS it's my first time doing a blog, I hope I did okay!