The weekend before last I was at a 3-day workshop in Talladega (about 4 hours from here). Hence my delay in posting this week. Not being an idiot and all, (well, most of the time, that is ;o) I thought it prudent not to actually say anything beforehand; not much of a plan to announce to the world you're leaving town for a few days, don'tcha know.Believe it or not, robbers do the Facebook and Twitter thing; when you think about it, it's probably a pretty good resource for them (yeesh). ANYway, it was an "immersion weekend" which means signing only - no voices allowed. Interpreters in the state of Alabama are required to have 2 ceu's per year (20 hours of continuing eduction), and hitting an Immersion Weekend is the most expedient way to get it done. The downside? Believe it or not, it does not bother me in the slightest to go without using my voice for 3 days straight (the mouth of the south may be closed, but the hands can keep right on yakkin' - Ha. ;o) Nope, the downside is keeping yourself awake when you're going like an educational energizer bunny (e.g. the workshops from 7a.m. until 10p.m. on Saturday). Ugh. Well, that and what I dubbed "Hades Hill". We had to walk up it to get to the afternoon workshop (you can just see the building allllll the way at the top of it (and it is a HIKE, lemme tell ya :oP
One of the workshop presenters was a comedian named Trix Bruce; she was also our entertainment for Saturday night. She's a terrific lady and absolutely brilliant with personification and sign language classifiers (classifiers are the shapes created with the hand that help you "see" the story and really bring it to life). Just as there are great storytellers in the hearing world, so are there in the deaf community. Peter Cook is another awesome comedian/storyteller (he was there last year). I decided to post one of Trix's clips here for you guys to see. My favorite clip was "Campfire", but although it was on the Camping Adventures DVD I bought I didn't see it posted on uTube. She has the clip with the fishing bobber posted though. It doesn't matter if you don't sign, you should be able to follow most of it rather easily as she talks about the fisherman, boat, bobber, worm and fish. Enjoy!
There is a possibility that we have actually [FINALLY] found a truck. Can you believe DD has been without a vehicle since the end of January? Poor kid has had to bum rides from everyone she can (I work 15 miles in the opposite direction and have to leave before she does. To say it has been a hassle is a ridiculous understatement. This truck is a year older (2001), has almost 50,000 more miles on it and costs $800 more than her other truck did. It is also nowhere near as nice inside. It seems that the small pickup trucks are currently selling at a premium. Why oh why couldn't my child get hit by some yoyo in a Hummer with pots of money and a guilty conscience??
Well, I think I'll call it a post. Nice and short this time (shocking, isn't it? *grin*) I sure could use a nap right about now...seems Sarabear could too. How about you?
Signing has always intrigued me. I used to go to meetings where employees from a school for the deaf also attended. I would watch their interpreters. Loved it. The video clip is great, and you can link to one about the campfire and making smores - is that the one you had hoped to find? Anyway, I enjoyed watching them. She is great! I also love how they didn't put any music or other sound in the background. It helped me focus and think what it would be like if I couldn't hear.
7a.m. until 10p.m YIKES that's a heck of a long day. Even though I don't know a thing about signing I think I was able to follow along with that video perfectly. She's very animated :) Hooray on the truck deal
Hades Hill looks pretty steep but think of all the exercise you got in. That was a long day though glad they had some entertainment. Great work you're doing.
I'm happy to hear your girl has maybe found a truck. Even though it's not as nice as her old one, it might clean up good. In any case a ride is better than a walk in my book. Good luck with it.
Dreaming: I know before I learned I was always fascinated by it. Several years ago, when I was teaching sign language classes I used to always ask why they were taking the class. Just about every person said, "I always wanted to learn to sign". Of course that fascination is also the reason we sit in the very back at church every Sunday :o) Yep, saw the campfire one pop up at the end of the clip - no idea why I couldn't find it. Oh well. Ann: Thank goodness it's only once a year! *grin*. She is extremely animated and a blast to watch (although it might be a bit disconcerting to the unfamiliar ;o) I sure hope this truck works. I "picked" it up (ha) this afternoon and DH will take it to a mechanic tomorrow to check over before she buys it (feel free to say a prayer - or ten :o)
I think its really neat that you are an interpreter too. I'm not sure that I could go three days without using my voice, although I would not have an effective way to communicate like you do. Good luck on the truck deal too, hope that works out for your daughter!
Catherine: Thank you; I hope the truck works out too :o) GreyHorse: The Dermatomyositis cost me considerable leg muscle (the quads are toast), so that idiot hill is quite a challenge. Of course if I wasn't so pigheaded, I probably could have found someone to take me up there in the golf cart with the other pitiful people (did you know stubborn and stupid are sometimes interchangeable words? *grin*). Actually, the truck is nice and clean on the inside; very well maintained. My objection was over the Lilliputions that designed it to be a four door (DH and I are both tall and neither of us squished up very well to sit in that thing ;o) Stacey: Thank you; I am really hoping the transportation nightmare is over (a month and a half later - sheesh). Interestingly enough, between DD and I, she would be the one that would never make it for 3 days without speaking (and she's the deaf one *giggle*).
That video was hilarious! I will admit to being lost at some points (ADHD really doesn't help with that), but the majority of it, I got, and I laughed :) Glad you found DD a truck, and I remember that Hades hill from another thing you went to last year, hopefully you were feeling a bit better this year and were able to make it up there a little more easily. Have a great day!! Meg
You have a terrific memory! That was the same workshop I went to last year (beautiful place, but that hill is awful. Glad you enjoyed the video (in spite of the ADHD challenge *laugh* ;o)
I loved the video with the story that I could follow just fine. Probably not if I didn't know beforehand it was from the bobbers point of view. I just finished reading The Story of Edgar Sawtelle which is a novel with the main character not able to speak but able to hear. Great book! and has me interested in signing.
Rebecca: Glad it arrived safely (and I'm delighted to have brightened your day ;o) Nancy: Trix is an awesome story teller and was a lot of fun to meet. Maybe you could find a class somewhere nearby to take; grab a friend and do it together (then you can have silent lunches to practice what you've learned). It's also a fantastic way to get your kids to practice their spelling words I am all about sneaking extra educational stuff in on the side :o)
Signing has always intrigued me. I used to go to meetings where employees from a school for the deaf also attended. I would watch their interpreters. Loved it. The video clip is great, and you can link to one about the campfire and making smores - is that the one you had hoped to find? Anyway, I enjoyed watching them. She is great! I also love how they didn't put any music or other sound in the background. It helped me focus and think what it would be like if I couldn't hear.
ReplyDelete7a.m. until 10p.m YIKES that's a heck of a long day.
ReplyDeleteEven though I don't know a thing about signing I think I was able to follow along with that video perfectly. She's very animated :)
Hooray on the truck deal
That is a cute video ~ she has quite the impressions. Hopefully the truck works out!
ReplyDeletexo Catherine
Hades Hill looks pretty steep but think of all the exercise you got in. That was a long day though glad they had some entertainment. Great work you're doing.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy to hear your girl has maybe found a truck. Even though it's not as nice as her old one, it might clean up good. In any case a ride is better than a walk in my book. Good luck with it.
Dreaming: I know before I learned I was always fascinated by it. Several years ago, when I was teaching sign language classes I used to always ask why they were taking the class. Just about every person said, "I always wanted to learn to sign". Of course that fascination is also the reason we sit in the very back at church every Sunday :o)
ReplyDeleteYep, saw the campfire one pop up at the end of the clip - no idea why I couldn't find it. Oh well.
Ann: Thank goodness it's only once a year! *grin*. She is extremely animated and a blast to watch (although it might be a bit disconcerting to the unfamiliar ;o) I sure hope this truck works. I "picked" it up (ha) this afternoon and DH will take it to a mechanic tomorrow to check over before she buys it (feel free to say a prayer - or ten :o)
I think its really neat that you are an interpreter too. I'm not sure that I could go three days without using my voice, although I would not have an effective way to communicate like you do. Good luck on the truck deal too, hope that works out for your daughter!
ReplyDeleteCatherine: Thank you; I hope the truck works out too :o)
ReplyDeleteGreyHorse: The Dermatomyositis cost me considerable leg muscle (the quads are toast), so that idiot hill is quite a challenge. Of course if I wasn't so pigheaded, I probably could have found someone to take me up there in the golf cart with the other pitiful people (did you know stubborn and stupid are sometimes interchangeable words? *grin*).
Actually, the truck is nice and clean on the inside; very well maintained. My objection was over the Lilliputions that designed it to be a four door (DH and I are both tall and neither of us squished up very well to sit in that thing ;o)
Stacey: Thank you; I am really hoping the transportation nightmare is over (a month and a half later - sheesh). Interestingly enough, between DD and I, she would be the one that would never make it for 3 days without speaking (and she's the deaf one *giggle*).
That video was hilarious! I will admit to being lost at some points (ADHD really doesn't help with that), but the majority of it, I got, and I laughed :)
ReplyDeleteGlad you found DD a truck, and I remember that Hades hill from another thing you went to last year, hopefully you were feeling a bit better this year and were able to make it up there a little more easily.
Have a great day!!
Meg
You have a terrific memory! That was the same workshop I went to last year (beautiful place, but that hill is awful. Glad you enjoyed the video (in spite of the ADHD challenge *laugh* ;o)
ReplyDeleteJen! I got your package the other day and you really made me smile, thank you thank you!! I loved the extras you threw in, you really made my day!!
ReplyDeleteI loved the video with the story that I could follow just fine. Probably not if I didn't know beforehand it was from the bobbers point of view. I just finished reading The Story of Edgar Sawtelle which is a novel with the main character not able to speak but able to hear. Great book! and has me interested in signing.
ReplyDeleteRebecca: Glad it arrived safely (and I'm delighted to have brightened your day ;o)
ReplyDeleteNancy: Trix is an awesome story teller and was a lot of fun to meet. Maybe you could find a class somewhere nearby to take; grab a friend and do it together (then you can have silent lunches to practice what you've learned). It's also a fantastic way to get your kids to practice their spelling words I am all about sneaking extra educational stuff in on the side :o)