Sigh of Relief

Ok...So I'm not completely out of the woods in my class as far as a grade but the Pass or Fail point is moot. I have successfully passed the "performance" part of the class. Sure it was the lowest grade possible to pass but as of now only 2 other people in my class can sign as well. This lifts a huge weight off my shoulder and allows me to keep trying my best and really go for broke!

"Definition of Anxiety: The anticipation of a negative event, whether it occurs or not." "...Fear is tied to a circumstance; Anxiety to the imagination, the anticipation of a negative event." - Roger Crawford

I have to remember not to let anxiety take me over.

"..overcoming anxiety with a positive attitude and an action plan" - Roger Crawford

Dorothy had it right...

There is no place like home!

It's wonderful to be home. I had a wonderful learning weekend but I'm happy to be home and chill out for the rest of the day. Tuesday I have a midterm so I'm going to be studying for the next few days. But for the rest of today...I'm chillin'!

Peace out _\,,/

Ended on a laugh

PAH! What a wonderful weekend! Tonight we went to the ASL Improv with Keith Wann, Crom Saunders and Peter Cook doing some hilarious signing comedy shticks! Check 'em out...they are funny even if you don't know sign language.

So anyway....I'm glad to be going home tomorrow. Jerry and I have been apart too much lately. With him gone 4 ..ok 5 days last week and me gone 4 ok...3 1/2...I'll be happy to get home tomorrow even thought he has been in some kind of NyQuil/Planet of the Apes haze all weekend. Scared to be a fly on that wall!

_\,,/

I'm feeling like Kelly Bundy...

Not the the slut part. GEEZ! I mean that my brain is full and if I learn one more thing something I learned earlier is going to fall out of my brain. My brain is actually tired from today. Hard to process a visual language for over 24 hours when you aren't used to doing that. All I can say is WOW! I'm just in awe at how this whole experience has been so far. AND..I get another whole day of it.....I should go rest my brain a little.

17 hours and no talking

...ok..there was 15 minutes that I called Jerry from the hotel but other than that I have been silent and signing since 7pm last night. Yes...even at the bar drinking my Corona Lights I was signing the entire time. Friends shouldn't let friends drink and sign I have learned SO much in those 17 hours. Nothing better then emersion to help get someone over a learning speed bump. Can't blog long, have a workshop to attend that covers Interpreting Famous Movie Quotes. Should be fun

Silent Weekend

I'm leaving in a few hours to head to Orlando to attend The 28th World's Largest Silent Weekend. Three days with no talking, all signing. Am I nervous, sure but I'm excited to be pressured into ASL. I think this is just what I need to boost my vocabulary, structure, etc...

_\,,/

Inspiration Network

Jerry is in Arizona at a company convention that they put on every year. Their keynote speaker was Roger Crawford . Jerry insisted that I go to his web page and look at his video. Okay..it really hit home. Even though it was bits and pieces of his entire speech it was the last thing in the video that inspired me.

"Being challenged in life is inevitable, being defeated is optional."

just when I thought I was out....

..it pulls me back in. "What is it?", you ask. Desperation. Mainly grade desperation. I asked for clarification today on how she grades in our Interpreting class. So here is the break down. There is two grade you must get a "C" or better to pass. The first part is written information and skill building exercises. Ok..check..I'm doing quite well on that so far. Low "A". Now...the second part is a performance of an Interpreting Session that is video taped. There are 290 "hits" on the passage and you have to get at least 152 to pass. I think that's right. Anyway...first attempt I got 124. Yes...I sucked. Tonight we just did another attempt for midterm and then we'll have a final attempt. I studied really hard on the concepts we went over in class on how to sign certain things. I'm feeling confident so I sit down and start. Deer in the headlights! I'm sure that's how I'll look on my video. So now comes the waiting...I have to agree with Mr. Petty, it is the hardest part.

I'm going to give it my best shot. Oh yea..the only two people that I know that have passed it, are already interpreting out in the community (Which according to our teacher is a big no no). Again, I'm going to keep pushing myself to get this done. I'm hoping the Silent Weekend I'm attending next weekend while boost my signing confidence. Maybe some inspirational songs on my Ipod would help. Hmm..."Eye of the Tiger"..."Hit me with your Best Shot"...what else do you suggest?

Mr. Chatty

I'm always picking on Jerry because he doesn't update is blog very much. Today..three posts! What the heck?!? I'm sure his upgrade to his mobile service to make his phone a modem has something to do with it. The boy does love technology.

I shouldn't complain because he is gone until Saturday evening. I don't like being apart from him. The house always seems to creek more when he isn't here. The only good thing is that I can get away with eating cereal for dinner!

Creepy

It's getting hot here in Jacksonville. Pretty much above 90 all week long. That's not what is creepin' me out. It's the ice cream trucks that are playing "Whose afraid of the big bad wolf..." in the casio-esque way. Does it indicate that the driver is someone the children should be weary of? Am I just putting my prejudgements of knowledge of the song towards the driver? Is that really what they used to play when I was a little girl? I don't remember it sounding that creepy. Of course it wasn't all casio-click track-chord-drum-thang either. It's probably a good thing I don't have any children, I would be one of those mom's that I roll my eyes at. Yes, I'd be out there saying "Aquanita (A name I heard in the 90's when I was Brother Bear, of the Bernstein Bears) get away from that truck, you don't know that man!"

Faith Returned

Poor boo hoo Paris Hilton has to serve out her 45 days IN JAIL! A little faith in the judicial system has been given back to this disheartened citizen.

Elitism sucks!

I'm really tired of celebrities and politicians getting preferential treatment.

If I violated my parole and cried in my cell, I surely wouldn't be let go after three frakkin' days. Sure she has to wear an ankle braclet...big whoop! How much you wanna bet that she tries to get out of that. In the first place, you have so much frakkin' money why don't you have a driver when you go....why risk going to jail? I am just in awe at how spoiled she is. Any bets on her violating her house arrest?

Scooter...gah...you should serve more then 30 months just for allowing people to call you that in public. heh...no seriously..You are basically takin' one for the team. I'm sure your gang will keep you and yours well just for doing this. I'm actually surprised that more of your posse aren't joining you.

Good Karma!

Well..I did very well on my first written test in my class. I got a 99 with +8.5 extra credit (out of 12) I could have argued for 100% but I didn't want to upset that good karma in that class that seems to have found me.

I also received a 92 on one of my interpreting projects. What really surprised me is that some of the people who I think are wonderful signers did not do well at all. I can hear Jerry in my head saying "It doesn't matter what other people do..just worry about yourself". DAMN you Jerry for being my conscience.

In other random news, I'm finally getting the gray covered tomorrow. I finally found a free moment and at this point..it's become critical! Maybe I'll go violet....

I can be anything!

Become an M&M!

Meebo Me!

Meebo - An online IM program that incorporates all your ID's into one place. I used to be a huge fan of Trillian, and I look forward to thier updated version. (If they ever put it out...come on..it's been years). The advantage that Meebo has is that I can log into any computer anywhere in the world that has internet access and all my stuff is there.

BSG Comes to an end?!

I am a HUGE fan of the new Battlestar Galatica (BSG). Sad to hear that they are coming to an end next year. Does it mean they get to Earth? Are the Cylons defeated? Or do they find a peaceful way to co-exist with the Cylons? OR...are they going to leave it in cliff hangers for future movies? Thank goodness for DVD's so that I can always get my BSG fix!