ellen5e.com » friend http://ellen5e.com Blogging about my 5 E's Wed, 04 Jan 2012 06:40:43 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 FAS Friends http://ellen5e.com/p/fas-friends/ http://ellen5e.com/p/fas-friends/#comments Tue, 16 Jun 2009 06:33:01 +0000 ellen5e http://ellen5e.com/?p=306 I met with a new friend tonight who I call “Fishers Fran.” We both have Foreign Accent Syndrome, (an extremely rare

Eastside Ellen and Fishers Fran shake up the Steak 'n' Shake.

Eastside Ellen and Fishers Fran shake up a local Steak 'n' Shake. ---Photo by waitress Cloe.

medical condition that causes a person to speak with a foreign accent that is not their own) and live in the Indy area.

Fran had some friends tell her about hearing me on the WIBC 93.1 FM radio spots I’ve been doing over the last couple Tuesday mornings by invitation of the Morning Show personalities Terri Stacy and Big Joe Stayzniak. Her friends told her that she must listen. Then Fran took the initiative to call the radio station and they passed along my name and told her I was on FaceBook where she sent me a message.

Last Tuesday evening when we first spoke by phone, Fran had her normal voice. Her foreign accent came on suddenly for her along with left side neuromuscular symptoms back in 2005. Unlike me, her regular voice has returned, but she does have episodes where the accent returns for a few days. In fact she recently was interviewed about her Foreign Accent Syndrome story in an article for the April Issue of a magazine that is popular with the Catholic faith. I am sorry that I do not have the publications name right now, but I will edit this post when I have it.

Today she called to say that her voice has “flipped” so that she has the accent again. Her voice does have strong similarities to my own, but is definitely different. She can say some long “A” sounds that I cannot, and I can pronounce the “SK” sound that she cannot. So it was very enlightening as we met at a northeast side Steak and Shake for a friendly supper. Many patrons stared as we spoke and laughed together. Our waitress asked the inevitable “where are you from” question. To which we both smiled and replied “where do you think?”  “Think” was  pronounced “Sink” by Fran and more like “Tink” by me. Our waitress took a while to understand the fact that we are not FROM Europe and now living in the Indiana. Rather, we are both Midwestern Americans who are speaking with very strong foreign accents.  She guessed Fran as more Eastern European and me she placed as Irish. LOL. Anyway our waitress Cloe was kind enough to snap our photo with my camera.

Given that there have been reportedly less than one hundred cases of Foreign Accent Syndrome ever reported worldwide and that so very few people, including medical professionals, have even heard of the affliction, I believe our budding friendship is an answer to prayer! It was encouraging to talk to someone who understands what it feels like to not have the voice/accent you have had your whole life. I feel greatly blessed by meeting her, and especially since she is within short driving distance.

We may have discovered a new comedy team in the making as well. We thoroughly entertained Fran’s daughters and husband with our silliness as we each corrected the others accent.  Though our accents have some similar qualities, Fran sounds more Eastern block European (more Russian), whereas my accent sounds more French mixed with Norwegian. Her husband said that we sound like we are from different parts of Europe, but European all the same. I think it was an encouragement to her family as well as we were able to lightheartedly share our stories. Her family was able to see another person with the same thing happening so that they could feel less alone in the peculiarity of it.

Below is the link to a video that her daughter Celia shot of us. Please be kind to us as this was totally impromptu shooting so I am not wearing any make up and am looking more unkempt than I would have liked. However, the spontaneity of the shoot makes it too good not to post.

Foreign Accent Syndrome Friends

Now, I really would like to hear what you think about this post so please leave a comment. Thanks.

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]]> http://ellen5e.com/p/fas-friends/feed/ 0 Friends: Angels in the flesh http://ellen5e.com/p/friends-angels-in-the-flesh/ http://ellen5e.com/p/friends-angels-in-the-flesh/#comments Tue, 26 May 2009 06:52:31 +0000 ellen5e http://ellen5e.com/?p=64 Angel Alex and his halo. 0903-e5e_logo

This is a good opportunity for me to express my thankfulness for  really good friends of such calibur that they can best be described as angels in the flesh.

One such friend is Alex Conner. Just tonight he used a video conference call to help me set up my Ellen5e.com site that I’ve wanted to get going for over a year now. Alex is a very talented Indy Christian Geek who really knows all the bells and whistles of the computer programming and code world. But more than just an extremely technologically gifted young man, he is a guy who treats others with the convictions of a true Christ-follower. He makes the extremely above my head concepts of attempting to understand the workings of a computer much more understandable. He definitely is gifted with super-human patience and a unique ability to explain things in a way that a person can grasp the meaning without feeling talked down to.

I went from having a somewhat depressing day of rain and frustrations, to actually being able to get something very substantial done… or at least a lot further along in its development. This is because of sacrificing of time for my benefit by one of my personal angels. Thanks Alex!! You are my angel for the day… probably much more like a week or month.

I encourage you to learn more about my friend Alex Conner- you can visit his website at http://www.stronglyopinionated.com

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]]> http://ellen5e.com/p/friends-angels-in-the-flesh/feed/ 0 Heaven’s New Tenant http://ellen5e.com/p/heavens-new-tenant/ http://ellen5e.com/p/heavens-new-tenant/#comments Thu, 26 Feb 2009 17:40:00 +0000 ellen5e http://ellen5e.com/p/heavens-new-tenant/ Today I learned of a dear friends sudden homegoing. Although we are both strong Christian sisters, I find it very difficult to do other work today. Therefore, I write this blog entry in her memory.

Okay… so the tears are flowing! I feel the sorrow of knowing I won’t hear “you look like such a cute little ol’baby doll” in that sweet southern drawl when we speak together at the UBCafe every Saturday. I cry in remembrance as I am hearing her voice, feeling her soft “Palmolive” dish-washing hands, and teasing her to smile for the camera.

Marie was one of the reason’s I enjoyed going to the Unleavened Bread Cafe for Ask Anything Saturday ministry. I could get pretty busy doing things with other people, but would never miss the opportunity to connect with her each time.

Since Ms. Marie was the main dishwasher at the UBCafe, I would sometimes take my dishes straight back to where she was working behind the kitchen. Then I could hug her from the back while she was elbow deep in dishwater. She would flash me that beautiful smile that she hid from the camera. Yes, the ivories were crooked, but they were as bright as diamonds, and I regret having not been able to catch that genuine smile on film.

Ms. Marie could be a playful imp from time to time. I know that one of our favorite “games” was trying to keep Neil Cox’s half-emptied coffee cup from being escorted back to the dishroom along with other dirty dishes that Marie collected. She made us laugh when she got into that “you better not turn your back or that dish is ‘mine’” mood.

I sure am going to miss my beloved Miss Marie… the hole in my selfish heart is oozing pain. Evenso, I rejoice to know that my sweet Miss Marie is going to be there to party with me in the sky when the trump sounds and we meet our Savior in the air along with all the other saints! And we will be singing praises to our LORD and Savior forever, and ever. AMEN!

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]]> http://ellen5e.com/p/heavens-new-tenant/feed/ 1 Birthday with friend Henry Lee Summers http://ellen5e.com/p/birthday-with-friend-henry-lee-summers/ http://ellen5e.com/p/birthday-with-friend-henry-lee-summers/#comments Wed, 25 Feb 2009 05:15:00 +0000 ellen5e http://ellen5e.com/p/birthday-with-friend-henry-lee-summers/ Henry Lee Summers poses with me on my birthday Friday, Feb. 20th). Steve and I went to Gallagher’s 2 on Indy’s southside for pizza and listening to their band play!

Henry Lee Summers and I became friends in Spring 2007 when in some classes together. I didn’t know who he was until AFTER he helped me with some guitar chords. THEN, we joked around, sang/played a lot between classes… guitar, keyboards, singing…good times.

It was my birthday, so we went to Gallagher’s 2 on Indy’s southside for pizza and listening to their Henry Lee Summers and the Alligator Brothers play.

When not playing with Henry Lee, on their own, the band is known as SoulShine – Brian Baker (Far Left.:former national touring guitarist), Henry Lee Summer (middle front) and Charlie Bushor (middle back, former drummer for The Why Store, MCA Records) Rhonda Baker (lead singer/keyboards) and Greg Baker (Bass, far Right).

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]]> http://ellen5e.com/p/birthday-with-friend-henry-lee-summers/feed/ 0 A Little Birdy Told Me http://ellen5e.com/p/a-little-birdy-told-me/ http://ellen5e.com/p/a-little-birdy-told-me/#comments Mon, 08 Dec 2008 12:05:00 +0000 ellen5e http://ellen5e.com/p/a-little-birdy-told-me/
Oliver Comp perch 02
Originally uploaded by Ellen5e

Well, a not-so-little Patagonia Conure parrot actually told me to hang in there. This post surgery pain has GOT to let up soon. Oliver, the bird, actually jumped off of his cage, waddled down the hallway, climbed up the sheets and onto my shoulder. He was concerned about me and new that the Spirit the wonder dog had kept coming in here to see me.

Therefore, not to be outdone, Oliver made the extra effort to show that dogs are not the only loyal pets in this household.

You can see other flickr photos of my pets’ bedside manners by clicking here.

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