Two Louisiana moms with young sons with tracheostomy tubes (AKA Trachs), which allow them to breathe, formed an organization to provide support to other parents with children with Trachs.

They couldn't foresee that they would soon spear-head efforts to bring life-saving medicine and medical equipment to other local residents with disabilities in the rising waters.

To find out more or support them, visit www.trachmommas.org/.

This piece is produced by Stephanie Hydal and copilot Darren Moyle for Portlight Inclusive Disaster Strategies.

The Superbowl for Old Time Bands

Produced in collaboration with Lawrence Carter-Long as team Frieda y Diego for KCRW's 3rd annual Radio Race. (Transcript)

Last Saturday, August 8th, with a tofu scramble on the hob, my partner-in-crime and I counted the minutes to the email from KCRW, the radio station behind Radio Race. Radio Race is the ironman of the radio/audio production world and challenges teams (or individuals) to produce a 4 minute audio piece within 24 hours. So, at about 12:45pm- 15 minutes before the 1:00pm email announcing the theme and kick-off- we started (frantically) looking for interesting events happening in the DC metro area. Our hearts soared when we fond the world's largest fiddler convention, but sank when we realized it was in Galax, VA- a 5 hour drive away. We restated our mantra, "we don't have to go far to find a good story."

At 1:00pm-on-the-dot, we read the theme, "time change" and we fumbled for a few minutes. Nothing seemed to make our hearts beat faster- my only indicator that a story should be told. So, despite knowing that I was committing to a 10 hour drive that would fall squarely on my shoulders, I made the snap decision to suggest the fiddle festival. Lawrence and I discussed it for about two minutes before we threw caution to the wind, leapt to our feet, and went to rent a car I fondly named "Murder Trap."

We hit the road- and lord, I wish that Lawrence had recorded my grumbles, growls, and panicked snippiness as we raced against time to get to the festival. I was freaking out- and it would have made great tape. Would Murder Trap fulfill it's name? Would I have driven 5 hours only to arrive at a closed festival? Would we even have tape? Would I be too tired to drive back safely? And, would Lawrence be too tired to whip up some editing magic? Would we have anything decent to submit?

After 5+ hours demanding that Lawrence cheer me on as we passed big hauls, we rolled into Galax, Virginia- the "capital of old time music." We passed by the five and dime, an elk's lodge wishing all the fiddlers good luck, and a farm supply store with a line of wooden rocking chairs. We parked under an old-time theatre advertising a fiddle event and still couldn't find our way to the festival, so I began asking every person we met. We followed friendly directions and footprints painted on the sidewalk and soon found our way to the ticket gate of the fiddle festival.

I'll let our tape take it from there, but I hope it conveys the enchanting night filled with spirited music and the warm community that continue the musical traditions.

Of course, the 12 hour drive and sheer exhaustion of the race were worth it and I can't wait to attend the full weekend next year!

EVIL LUNG DEATH

FULL TRANSCRIPT

A playful interview ambush on lung health, breathing, and disability. www.stephaniehydal.com Music is under Creative Commons licensing. The introduction and ending score is "Prelude to Chemistry" by Scott Buckley, at www.scottbuckley.org.au

It was 2:00 am, and as my Partner in Crime brushed his teeth and maneuvered around the bathroom changing into his pajamas. I could hear a lot of awkward sounds: sighs, thumps, "oooplas" and laboured breathing. (1)

He has cerebral palsy and it takes more energy and strength to move, not to mention a fabulously wobbly sense of balance, and legs that he needs to physically adjust with his hands. However, I had never noticed how strained his breathing becomes carrying out routine tasks, such as getting dressed, until my recent decision to do an audio piece on breathing. I heard his shallow strained breathing in a new way, even as I lay there on the bed with my interview kit and a grin.

He emerged.

"You sound winded from getting dressed."

He responded, "All that bumping and grinding really takes a lot out of a man." He struggled to understand why I'd want to record his cough, and all the while obliging with coughs, splutters, dissolving and choking on our laughter.

As many individuals with cerebral palsy, he was born pre-term and lung issues are common for early births, however, breathing issues emerged only in his 30's, after he moved from Albuquerque, NM to the Northeast. Since then, he has reoccurring bouts of "Evil Lung Death,": debilitating bronchitis in the winter, triggered by inhaling cold air.

Coughing arrives without warning and it feels as if someone is sitting on his sternum. He splutters and chokes a little during the day. It is problematic, particularly because he is a media figure and will sometimes feel it interferes with on-camera or radio interviews. At nighttime, as he lays down, his cough develops into heaving, chest-shaking events. The coughing becomes intolerable in winter, as a blast of cold air can irritate his lungs. During the winter of 2014, fearing pneumonia, he went to the Emergency Room three times. Doctors gave him every test, but couldn't pin-point a cause, and sent him away with medicine, lung exercises, and inhalers- none of which were effective.

In light of the recent metro crash at Washington DC's busy L'Enfant Plaza station, in which a woman with asthma died in a smoke-filled metro car, I asked for his thoughts on breathing issues as a disability. Unlike his ability to find mechanisms and strategies to assist moving around the world with Cerebral Palsy, "not being able to breathe stops you cold; there's no adjusting to that." Nonetheless, it never stops him from physical activity- hikes and constant adventures with me and strolling around the city- nor his prior career as a modern dancer- it's always present and requires a little accommodation, and most never notice.

(1) "One Leg at a Time" by Natlie E. Illum: This powerful piece tuned my ear to the soundscape of my Partner in Crime's rituals to dressing with a disability.

Scott Buckley's "Prelude to Chemistry" provided the heartbeat to the piece as the Intro/Outro music. You can find him at http://www.scottbuckley.com.au/ Sharing is fun: Thank you & support Creative Commons!

Istanbul Soundscape,

3-13-2015

A soundscape of the New Mosque, Istanbul The image is a silhouette of a lone canary in my hotel in Istanbul; it is my own photo.

I explored the margins of the Spice Market in Istanbul, Turkey. I tunneled through the trinket shops and tourist fray and emerged on the far side, where I found another scene: vendors selling garden and pet supplies with bins of dried dog and cat food, leashes, potted palms, rose bushes, bags of fertilizer and three large glass jars of leeches, swimming. The New Mosque, with its two minarets and cascading domes built in 1660's, looms over this tented section. Turning the corner, a tented store-front lined with bird cages, barrels of cuttle fish and birdseed housed shrieking tropical birds: At that very moment, the adhan- Islamic call to prayer- sang out.

I first heard adhan in 2006, during a stint in Bangladesh, and it captivated me. Upon my return to the U.S., I earnestly tried to convey its power and beauty, yet, I have found that words flail. Only by listening can you feel the emotional surge, be transported and transformed.

Production note: Upon recording this, I was thrilled and the internal debate began about how to "use" it. After a month of stewing, I finally listened to it and realized that I didn't want to alter it. Some sounds are already full; they tell poignant stories and do not need enhancement. Thus, this is a raw recording (from my iphone) and provides another turning point in my self-education into sound art: the world is filled with compelling sounds, layers of tracks, and rhythm. Put your ear up to the world, listen to it, and use what is already available. Even so, we can still be agents mixing tracks by moving around,leaning our microphone closer to different sound sources.

Image: A silhouette of a canary in a cage. This darling bird, like the call to prayer, greeted me every morning and evening. She looks out the window to views of the Blue Mosque.

Access note: As this is a soundscape, a transcript is not available. However, here is a description of the layers of sound: Begins with the call to prayer warbling, background noise: birds squeaking, some men speaking Turkish. The adhan slips into silence. Men talking. Starts again with the adhan and a close-up of man talking. The third round of prayers; the birds dominate the microphone and the call to prayer fades into the background as frenzied bird noises dominate until the call to prayer returns to the foreground and the birds recede and disappear. Another call begins uninterrupted, then a metal hammering, and water flowing in background increases in volume. The adhan is finished, and the water is the only sound and fades to the end of the recording.

Las viñetaS Del luchadors

And the pain? We'll Deal with it Tomorrow

Chatting with Jabali

I am seated on the curb interviewing the masked luchador, Jabali Jr. Rodriguez. His mask is black with white flourished outlines around the eyes and black spiked mohawk, and longer strips of black and white at the back of the head. I am wearing sunglasses, a big smile, a bright Southwest print dress, my earphones, as I tilt the fur-covered shotgun microphone towards Jabali. Our background is the wavy steel of a sky-blue shipping crate.

Final Match

In the background, two intertwined wrestlers in a match. Wrestler facing audience has leg wrapped around wrestler with back to audience- arm is grabbing competitor's leg.

Foreground: audience up against the rails of the ring: A tall man, myself in my technicolor dress, a young boy to my right and a young girl.

Unwinding with El Padrino

Wrestler El Padrino, with his facepaint washed off, is sitting on a picnic bench with myself. His long hair is pulled back, and his left arm is wrapped in an arm band. I am sitting angled towards him wearing my earphones; my shotgun is pointing towards him. My right hand is folded under my chin.

King Jeder

I'm at the picnic table with King Jeter. King Jeter is a large wrestler, wearing sunglasses, and relaxing backwards. I am wearing my technicolor dress, earphones, and pointing my shotgun microphone towards him.

The match and crowd

A view from above looking down at the crowd gathered around the wrestling ring and ongoing match.

Take on me!

Jabali is wearing his Lucha Mask- black with white swirls and black spikes forming a mohawk. My arms are down, chest thrust forward, as his arms are out ready to take me down!

knockin Lawrence out

Lawrence and I in front of a poster advertising the lucha festival. He is leaning to the right, as if knocked off his feet, and his hat is falling off his head. I'm lunging in from the right frame (in my technicolour dress) with my fists up as if i just him in the jaw.

Cinco de Mayo, 2015, otherwise known as May 5th, I attended my first Luchador event. I was nervous, especially since it was my first time using my Zoom H-5 and really being set loose in the wild world to find stories. Typically, I'd be too shy to talk with the wrestlers, but with mic in hand, I was insatiable. How welcoming they were to my curiosity! So, a long delayed but always big and hearty thank you to King Jeter, El Padrino and Jabali Jr. I am always heart-warmed remembering their openness and friendship.

We'll Deal with the Pain Tomorrow features the talented El Padrino. Stay tuned for more Luchador vignettes.
Transcript for We'll Deal with the Pain Tomorrow