Welcome!
My name is Meriah Nichols and I am a deaf blogger. This page is a collection of my deaf blog posts – that is, blog posts that are deaf-related .
In the interest of keeping my blog running fast, I have it so that only a few will be loaded at a time; be sure to click on the “load more” button on the bottom to see more posts, and/or use the search bar to look for something in particular.
Also, please comment on posts that you would like to read more of from me, resources or subjects that would be helpful for you.
Deaf Blog Posts:
A List of Great Books with Deaf Characters
These are some great books that have deaf characters or are about Deaf culture, American Sign Language (ASL) or deaf identity. These books are helpful in better understanding deaf culture,…
Deaf Made Gifts: Support Deaf Businesses!
This is a compilation of things that deaf people have made, and purchasing them will help support businesses in our community – and nearly all of the businesses are also…
Chrome Can Add Live Captions to ALL Videos! Here’s How
A tutorial on how to turn on the live captions on chrome so that all content viewed using the chrome browser will be automatically captioned. Chrome browser now offers live…
46 Actually Deaf Influencers and Content Creators to Follow
This is a list of various deaf influencers, content creators and performers to follow on social media. Actually Deaf Influencers and Performers on Social Media This is the thing. ASL…
The Best Speech to Text Apps for Live Captions & Recording
This post is about the best speech to text apps and is updated from a 2020 post. Affiliate links may be present – doesn’t cost you more, helps keep this…
“Can You Read My Lips?”: The Lipreading Experience
living deaf, in between hearing and Deaf worlds.
Here’s the ASL Performances from the Super Bowl
This is a quick post with players embedded for the ALL the ASL performances of the 2023 Super Bowl. It happens every year: Super Bowl comes, a big performance, the…
Scholarships for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing: A Huge Guide
This is a resource post with direct links to scholarships for deaf and hard of hearing students. It is clearly and easily organized, and includes general disability scholarships that are…
Best Books Featuring Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children
These are lists of children’s books for deaf and hard of hearing children, featuring deaf or hard of hearing children in the stories. Deaf or hard of hearing children are…
A Big List of Great Deaf Movies
This post is a collection (list post) of the best deaf movies – including deaf narrative movies and ASL movies – as well as the best deaf documentaries. I am…
If You Get Listening Fatigue, This is What to Do
This is a post with tips for those of us who experience hearing – or listening fatigue I’m sure it’s happened to many of you – I know it’s happened…
Spotify Has Song Lyrics Now (And This is Where You Find Them!)
[vc_row color=”” message_box_style=”outline” style=”round” message_box_color=”info” icon_type=”fontawesome” icon_fontawesome=”fas fa-info-circle” icon_monosocial=”vc-mono vc-mono-fivehundredpx” icon_openiconic=”” icon_typicons=”” icon_entypo=”” icon_linecons=”” icon_pixelicons=””][vc_column][vc_message message_box_style=”outline” style=”round”]This a how-to post: how to find the Spotify song lyrics (available for ALL…
Good Gifts for Deaf People
This is short collection of ideas for gifts for deaf or hard of hearing people. This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase…
How to Communicate With Masks On (Because Lipreaders Are Screwed)
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_message message_box_style=”outline” style=”round”]This post is about simple solutions to communicate like the deaf: that is, solutions to by-pass the need to lipread or hear, especially during this time of mask-wearing….
The Best Sites to Learn ASL Online for Adults, Kids, Homeschoolers
Learning ASL has never been so accessible
How to Get Free Hearing Aids
This is about how to get free hearing aids. If you have questions about other resources or this, you can contact me in my “You Ask, I Answer,” series or…
Dear Hearing World
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_message message_box_style=”3d” style=”round”]This is a a video of a poem and performance about being Deaf in a hearing world.[/vc_message][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Dear Hearing World Dear Hearing World is a short film directed…
Hearing Fatigue is Real & This is What You Can Do About It
This is about hearing fatigue – also known as listening fatigue. That is, the fatigue that comes from straining to hear when you’ve got hearing loss. This post includes tips for…
Samsung Commercial for DeafBlind in India: “Caring for the Impossible”
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_message message_box_style=”outline” style=”round”]This is about Samsung commercial for DeafBlind in India. The commercial is called, “Caring for the Impossible.”[/vc_message][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Samsung produced an ad a while ago called, “Hearing Hands.” It was…
Here’s How DeafBlind Enjoy Music
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_message message_box_style=”outline” style=”round” message_box_color=”turquoise”]This is a post about how DeafBlind enjoy music. It includes a video from YouTube on the DeafBlind music enjoyment experience.[/vc_message][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]I am deaf and I pretty much…
How to Use Apple Clips for Live Captions
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_message message_box_style=”outline” style=”round” message_box_color=”turquoise”]This is a tutorial on how to add live captions to the free app, Apple clips. I’m going to cover how to add set it to live…
Nyle DiMarco: That Dangerous Activist, Destroying the Deaf Community
A new post is calling Nyle DiMarco’s campaign for ASL acquisition for deaf kids, “dangerous”
You Ask, I Answer: What’s the Deaf Experience Like?
Talking about being deaf
Nyle DiMarco Does it Again with Ariana Grande’s 7 Rings!
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Awww, Nyle DiMarco! I love him! Check this out, the backstory behind why he decided to make an ASL version of Ariana Grande’s 7 Rings: …
Why Nyle Di Marco Needs a Wheelchair
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Nyle DiMarco, man of ultra-hotness, recently used Delta for his transportation needs (lucky them). Now, Nyle went and told Delta that he is Deaf. In response, Delta met him…
The Best Captioned Fitness Programs
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_message message_box_style=”outline” style=”round” message_box_color=”green” icon_type=”pixelicons” icon_pixelicons=”vc_pixel_icon vc_pixel_icon-arrow”]This post is about the best captioned fitness programs, focusing on BeachBody. There are affiliate links in this post. Nothing is linked that I…
10 Dumb Things the Hearing Say to the Deaf
10 dumb things the hearing say to the deaf… plus the bonus braille menu!
“Deaf Not Disabled” and other Things from “Deaf Out Loud”
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]This post is about the new reality series, Deaf Out Loud. Watch out for spoilers and opinions![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]I have only recently “discovered” Switched at Birth and had no idea how much…
The Impact of Disability on Siblings : The Story of Dana and Meriah
A personal story about the impact of disability on siblings
Getting to Know “Switched at Birth”
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_message message_box_style=”outline” style=”round”]I am a member of Netflix #DVDNation. This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are of course, my own. #ad[/vc_message][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][/vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][vc_column_text]This post is about the TV series, Switched at…
The Ultimate Guide to the Best Deaf Apps
This is a post about the best deaf apps. That is, the most useful, popular and widely-used apps by d/Deaf people. This post is US-focused, and covers only iPhone apps….
The Deaf Response to Charlottesville
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The racists marching in Charlottesville and Trump’s support of them has shaken America. This type of blatant racism, and top-down support has never been seen before in our lifetimes. There…
My Medicaid + Healthcare Story
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]I didn’t want to tell this story. I hate talking about this stuff – not least because it’s triggering – and not less because it feels humiliating. So why am…
When ASL Products are Made & Sold By Non-Deaf, Does it Hurt the Deaf Community?
I didn’t know what else to title this post, but I did want to have it out there and talk about it with you, if possible. Watch this: This stumps…
4 Reasons to Add Captions to Your Videos & How to Do It on YouTube!
It’s not just for us deaf (but we are important enough for that to be the only reason, right?!)
Gorgeous ASL Audio-Free Music Video of River Lea
Lovely music video
The Real Reason There Were No ASL Interpreters at the Trump Inauguration
Want to know why there were no ASL interpreters at the Trump inauguration?!!
Bad Lipreading
Bad Lipreading: a hilarious spoof of lipreading Yoda in Star Wars
…About Those Sign to Speech Gloves…
I had a lot of people send me the link to the news release about two young inventors who have supposedly discovered a way to translate ASL into spoken English. The…
The Question of d/Deaf Identity
Katherine and I are presenting at SDS this year on Deaf Identity. We really wanted to talk about it because we have so many questions ourselves, about what is means…
…About That Touching Samsung Deaf Ad…
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_message message_box_style=”outline” style=”round” message_box_color=”turquoise”]This is about the Samsung deaf ad, “Hearing Hands.” It is an opinion piece by a deaf person.[/vc_message][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Samsung deaf ad is an advertisement for Samsung that is…
“Far From the Tree”: The Deaf Chapter
Andrew Solomon wrote a book called “Far From the Tree” that was all the rage a couple of years ago. In it, he explores identity through analyzing multiple disabilities, along…
2015: The Year of the Deaf Child
2015: The Year of the Deaf Child, guest post by Julie Rems Smario ******************** It hit me hard again… The Deaf child rarely tells the stories. If you search for…
The Challenges of Being a Deaf Mother
I was interviewed recently for a hearing magazine and one of the questions that they asked me was, “what would you say the greatest challenge of being a deaf mother…
Service Dog Q & A
I’ve been in service dog training for this past week and I have one week to go. I’m talking 9-5 training and it’s hard catching up to a dog that…
Disability: My Connection
My deaf/disability connection.
A Hearing Dog for Mama!
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]I have news: I AM GETTING A HEARING DOG!!!! You guys remember this post?! Written two years ago, yeah, that post – !!!! I’ve been waiting for this for OVER…
The "Broken" Disabled
You know what really rubs me wrong? Articles written about the “broken” disabled. You knows what makes the rub worse? When it’s written by a parent of a child with a disability…
The “Broken” Disabled
You know what really rubs me wrong? Articles written about the “broken” disabled. You knows what makes the rub worse? When it’s written by a parent of a child with a disability…
Deaf Truthtelling
My friend Meredith is teaching a class over on Clickin’ Moms – check it out – it’s more than interesting; it’s fascinating. I don’t want to talk much about it…
8 Sites for Learning ASL Online
I am deaf and I don’t sign beyond a basic level. My interest in learning sign language was a long time coming. For years, trying to “pass”, I totally resisted…
Morning Video Love & Spine Chills from Super Cool Dancers with Disabilities
Chills down my spine, this guy is so good: WOW, right? His name is Dergin Tokmak “Stix” – Axis and a host of other organizations had this video floating around…
Morning Video Love & Spine Chills from Super Cool Dancers with Disabilities
Chills down my spine, this guy is so good: WOW, right? His name is Dergin Tokmak “Stix” – Axis and a host of other organizations had this video floating around…
Moxie Hears
Moxie got her ears cleaned and checked this week. That is, the ENT (- which means the Ear, Nose and Throat) guy strapped her down to this thing called a…
Big, Juicy Post on the Evolution of the HEARING AID!
100 years ago, we had this: Or was it this?: Whatever, they were huge honkers! Then we got this: … which was right before we moved over to BEIGE: BEIGE…
Deaf Mama Ode to Netflix (a Haiku of Sorts)
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of NETFLIX. But writing a love sonnet to Netflix was actually on my “Thing I Want to Write About List”…
Social Media and Being Deaf
There was a great story on this lady who is, like me, a fierce deaf lipreader and she wrote about what a great equalizer Facebook has been for her. That…
When It Sucks to be Deaf
[names have been changed, but that’s it. this is a copy/paste of an email exchange] Hi “Jane”, “Mary” of the IDSC said that you are all ready for me, re:…
Choosing Moxie
I. The beginning of my pregnancy with Moxie feels jumbled, as I recollect it now, some 3 years later. It’s a blur of happenings, events moving swiftly upon each other…
Deaf Mama
Mac is curled tight into the crook of my arm every night. It’s a tender scene, I’m sure – his small warm body snuggled into my own. I’m sure it’s…
Signing Time! Deaf Mama, Daughter with Down syndrome and a GIVEAWAY
There is a large sign-language training program in Tucson, Arizona. I know this because in the year that I lived in that town, people would practically pee in their pants…
Hilarious Deaf Memes
Last week I made a couple deaf memes – …and Mikey liked this one (- he used to call my hearing aids my “chastity belt”) These ones I found around the internet…
Evelyn Glennie: Hearing vs Listening
Evelyn Glennie, the lead percussionist in the London Olympics opening ceremony, is deaf – she lost most of her hearing when she was 12. I had stumbled across her years…
Hear Me: Video of Deaf African Refugee + Week in Review
This is all kinds of “wow” Isn’t it? **** I was pretty close to this side of ecstasy this week since I’m very close to being done with the wordpress…
Deaf/Dumb Cool Video; John Hockenberry; Photographers with Down syndrome, Rad Links and Week in Review
cross disability news on the blog “week in review”
Deaf/Disability/Special Needs Summer Blog Hop
Summer Disability/ Special Needs Blog Hop: a “hop” of many blogs with disability-related posts
Week in Review
I find myself far more tired in the growing of this baby than I was in the growing of my others. I boil it down to having older bones and…
Disability: My (Deaf) Connection
My deaf/disability connection.
Deaf Music: A Tribute to Donna Summer
We had tall standing speakers when I was a kid. When my parents were out, I’d put on Donna Summer, Live and More at FULL volume and wrap my small…
Review of Signing Time On Demand
Signing Time has a brand-spanking new feature: Signing Time on Demand. Yes, I am happy about this, and I'll be even happier about it when we leave the US and…
Deaf Mama Pride: Signing Like You Mean It
Micah came home from “skooWOL” the other day and was talking about his “nemesis”, a boy named something or other. Micah said, “he’s not like us.” I thought, hmmm. “Not…
Who is Going to Marry First?!: Little Deaf Girls’ Adorable Chat
My former co-worker Haydee sent me this super cute video and I just had to share it with you. It’s impossible not find it delightful… Happy Friday! PS. Don’t forget…
Sibings, Disability and My Brother, Dana
The first post in a series of posts about siblings of people with disabilities – and the relationships between siblings. This is about my brother Dana and I.