ASL Guy's Blog

Autumn

2009-11-14T15:34:00.002-05:00

We've had an unseasonably warm (during the day) fall so far, but it gets cool in the evening so it's actually quite perfect.

I went to Goodale Park down in the Short North to take some pics the other day. I think I need to upgrade my camera, but I did end up getting a couple of nice shots.

Really?

2009-09-27T20:29:00.002-04:00

I'm losing weight. And it's easy. And I'm not even really exercising. I'm more active (walks in nice weather, walking a little faster than usual when I can, and sprinting to the gate to which my flight has been changed).

I literally just stopped eating foods that are bad for me and eating correct portions. But really I've changed the way I think about food. Food is sustenance. It's not for pleasure. It's not a social event. And I know that I don't have a sense of moderation, so I choose to abstain from foods that are bad for me.

And the weight is falling off. I'm not at the weight I want to be, but really I just feel like I've licked my weight problem. I'm not in an unhealthy relationship. I've got a great job. I have great friends and family. And I'm happy.

And I don't weigh myself. I know that I get obsessed when I weigh. I just don't care about numbers. I just like that I had to buy new jeans and a couple of shirts.

So there you have it...losing weight is easy. Just find your happy place in life and rethink your relationship with food.

Contemplating

2009-09-12T13:22:00.004-04:00

Yeah...I haven't posted in a while. I've been a wee bit busy.

So I got a new job (not the one for which I had originally applied). I'm coordinating the new-hire training for the eastern region of the US for the telecommunications company I've worked for since 2005. It's fun, challenging, and will look good on a resume regardless of what I end up doing when I grow up.

The job requires a lot of travel, and surprisingly I like it. After being told that I can't take care of myself and the unspoken expectation was that I would not be able to survive on my own, I'm surviving and, dare I say, thriving.

And I've been single since February, but doing okay. Probably better than okay. I like being single, and always said that it would take someone special for me to settle down. That's probably more true now than ever before. Life is too short to spend in the company of those who don't appreciate you for you. Right now I'm happy to be surrounded with good friends and while I am open to dating, I don't really have time for a serious relationship right now. And I'm reevaluating what I feel about relationships and question my ability to get everything I need from one person. When you free yourself from the expectations that society places on you, it frees you to get what you need from whoever can give it to you. I could probably have great sex with one person but not be that compatible with him as far as dating goes. And I might meet a great guy that I like to spend time with, but who doesn't really do it for me in the bedroom. Why should I have to choose one over the other?

That's pretty much where I am right now, still taking it one day at a time and figuring out what I want.

Limbo

2009-04-05T15:53:00.002-04:00

Hmm...Sunday afternoon around 4 PM and I'm sitting in my friend Liz's TV room while her boyfriend tears apart his "man den," all in the name of spring cleaning. Liz is in her bedroom with her cat Grendel, probably taking a nice nap.

I'm sitting here contemplating the future. Over the last week I've moved all of my belongings to a storage unit, save the things that I use every day, and I'm currently living in Liz's guest room. It feels weird to be 35 years old and so out of sorts. I've applied for a job that, if I get, would take me back to Missouri. I haven't lived there since I was 20 years old. Not only have I applied, but I've had three good interviews, the last with the VP of the division where I would be working. A third interview is kind of the holy grail for this company; they usually send one candidate to that interview, at the most two. And since I'm being considered for two different locations, statistically speaking there is a good chance I'll get an offer. But they're dragging their feet and I'm not good for waiting for things like this, especially when so much rides on the decision. If I get the position, I'll be moving to Missouri and will need to find a place to live. If I don't get an offer, I'll be staying in Columbus until I find another job in another state. Yes, I've decided that it's time to move on and try something new, somewhere new.

But in the meantime, I'm very much living in the moment if for no other reason than I can't plan very far ahead right now. I'm typically not much of a planner anyway, but the older I get the more I like to have a plan, even if it's jotted down on a napkin in chocolate.

So...I'm waiting. And not very good at it.

Better Than Lever 2000

2009-03-22T18:10:00.000-04:00

see more pwn and owned pictures

Karma

2009-03-13T21:55:00.002-04:00

Well...Christy is right. Karma is real. I pointed out her ginormous herpes simplex outbreak on her lower lip last week. Now the Universe is biting me in the ass--this evening I noticed a second head growing out of my neck. It's like I have a conjoined twin who is a very late bloomer. I got a straight pin and was going to do a little surgery, but I'm afraid I'll puncture my jugular vein and get a Darwin Award. I still might do that tomorrow, but just in case I accidentally kill myself, I'm going to write a suicide note blaming people I don't like so their lives will be marred by eternal guilt and self-loathing.

Not Sure If Anyone's Reading...

2009-02-02T01:08:00.002-05:00

It's late, the wee hours of a Monday that begins a week I'm dreading a bit. The Steelers won a Superbowl in which I had little interest. No one I knew was having a party, so I spent the evening curled up in my oversized leather chair watching a game I cared little for.

I turned 35 on Thursday. Not a "milestone" birthday, like 30 or 40, but more important than 34 was or 36 likely will be. Truth be told, it was disappointing. On Friday night I met some friends for dinner at The Pub. It was a small group of seven of us, and it was a nice time. But it was noisy and so crowded that you felt guilty for staying any significant length of time. Saturday I only left the house to buy dog food and Sunday Dale cooked breakfast for us. It was low-key, if not boring, weekend.

Tonight as I lay in bed reflecting on the weekend, I wondered why this birthday felt so subdued. It wasn't because I didn't have a party and it wasn't because there weren't gifts (Liz got me gift cards for Bonefish and iTunes). If you can picture a kid left at summer camp having a hard time adjusting suddenly bursting into tears sobbing, "I miss my mommy," that might sum up how I feel.

On my birthday, I miss my mother. When I was a baby, I'm sure my mom reached down and put her finger into my hand and I squeezed it, much like Dale's niece Katelyn squeezed my finger last week. As I look at my hands, I wonder if my mother knew that my little hand would grow big and eventually wipe away tears shed for her. Probably not; I seem to be the only person morbid enough to harbor those kinds of thoughts, and they're probably better kept to myself. But tonight I can't seem to do that.

I remember looking at my mom's hands during the summer of 2007, as she was dying of cancer. I noticed her middle finger was crooked and I then looked at my hands and noticed my middle finger was crooked, too.

"Look, Mom, we have the same hand," I told her. My mom took my hand in hers, for one of the last times and said, "That makes me happy."

It makes me happy too.

New Domain & New Babies

2009-01-18T15:29:00.004-05:00

It's been a while since I've posted, but I'm making an effort this year to have more of a presence on the web. To that end, I'm hosting my blog on my domain, which is www.aslguy.com. The URL for the blog is http://blog.aslguy.com. I'm still figuring things out, but hope to update regularly.

Speaking of new things, Dale's brother and sister-in-law brought twins into the world today. While they were born a bit small and premature, we have every reason to hope that they're going to be fine.

Car Repair Update

2008-11-04T18:58:00.003-05:00

Okay...my car was "done" today. But it broke down when they were delivering it to me. Having had enough with this repair shop, I called Geico and told them I wanted my car towed to Honda East to be fixed properly, period. So the repair shop towed it to Honda East. The repair shop is paying for the repair as well as my rental. Geico is authorizing two hours for Honda to go over my car with a fine-tooth comb to identify any other areas where the repair shop might have cut corners. And Geico is investigating the repair facility once I get my car back to see how they could fuck this up so much.

I did visit my car Monday and it at least LOOKED okay, minus the missing trim pieces that they were waiting on.

Car Repair Update/Rant

2008-10-30T21:10:00.003-04:00

Okay...I'm NOT happy. My car was supposed to be done on Wednesday. Then they call and say Thursday afternoon maybe, but definitely Friday. So I arrange to be off Friday afternoon, get a coworker to agree to drive me to the repair facility, and get excited because I'm going to get my car back. So today I called to confirm and left several messages with both the insurance adjuster and the repair facility. A little before the close of business, the repair facility calls me to tell me that a part they were waiting on didn't come in, so it will probably be Monday.

Un-fucking-acceptable.

My rental coverage is going to run out before long and I want MY CAR back.

If I don't get good news tomorrow, I'm filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, Geico's CEO Office complaint line, and will probably have to go a little Julia Sugarbaker on both Geico and Ohio Autobody Repair.

Weekend

2008-10-26T21:20:00.002-04:00

This weekend felt like it went by SO fast.

Friday night after work, Dale and I met Liz and Eric at the Rusty Bucket for dinner. After that, we went home and chilled. Saturday Blythe and I went to Christy's house to cheer her up and keep her company while her husband took her mom back home. Then that night, Dale and I met Blythe, Justin, Andrew and Sherry at the Winking Lizard to watch the OSU game. Today we met Liz, Eric and his friend Cassandra who is in town from Texas at Creekside for breakfast, then it was napping, a haircut, Panera and TV tonight. And tomorrow is back to the grind. :-(

I need two more days off.

CR-V vs. Deer

2008-10-09T23:11:00.004-04:00

I was driving home after work on Tuesday and hit a deer. It's always been a fear of mine, but I never really thought it would happen on an interstate in the city. I was not injured. My airbags did not deploy. But the preliminary estimate is at $6800 but they haven't even began tearing it down to see what mechanical repairs will need to be made. That number could climb substantially.

Here's the damage:

A Year Ago

2008-09-07T18:32:00.002-04:00

If a year ago you had asked me what my plans were for the following Saturday, I would not have been able to tell you. As a rather impulsive, fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of guy, I've always had a rather myopic view of life. Last year was even more so, as my entire world hinged on my mother's terminal illness and impending passage. I won't recount the experience now. In fact, I haven't even been reliving it as much in my mind as I had anticipated. While I don't believe that Time heals all wounds, it does make life sufferable in the wake of loss.

The last year has been an experience like nothing I've faced. A year of unimaginable sadness and profound grief, as well as realization, hope and love.

Losing a parent is one of those things that you don't understand until you've faced it yourself. It's like a lifetime membership in a club that no one wants to join, but whose members are a comfort to each other. And when a new member joins, the collective feels their pain all over again.

Tomorrow marks the one-year anniversary of my mother's passing. My sister and I wondered if we would get a sign. Hers was a hummingbird (mom loved them) flying into her garage while she and her boys were going into the house from the car. Mine was different. I haven't seen a monarch butterfly all summer, but...

I interpret phone calls into American Sign Language at my part-time job. I went all year without hearing my mom's name while on a call. Her name is fairly unique, and I would have remembered. But this week I heard it Tuesday night, Thursday night, and during an unexpected shift Saturday evening.

I miss you, Mom.

"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."
~Dr. Seuss~

Noodles & Company = Epic Fail

2008-09-07T18:08:00.003-04:00

I really want to like Noodles & Co. The food isn't bad; it's the service. I would say that six out of ten times that I've eaten there, they get my order wrong. This is at the Polaris location AND the location on 256. I've ordered Tuscan Linguine with sauteed spinach. They forgot the spinach and wanted to bring it to me on the side. I made them remake it. I've ordered Pad Thai TWICE and asked for it without sprouts. Twice they've given me sprouts. Today the manager came out and said it would be just a little while longer, they put sprouts in it and were remaking it. So they bring me the remade dish and guess what...there were sprouts in it. I picked what I could off and made the best of it.

The employees piddle around, trying to look busy. They move slowly. They don't hustle, or seem to be interested in getting things done.

Don't go. Save yourself the frustration.

Movie-Goer Etiquette

2008-07-06T10:36:00.002-04:00

Dale and I went to Easton AMC to see "Hancock" last night. While the movie itself wasn't that bad, the experience was horrible. People do not know how to behave at the movie theater.

If you're going to go to a movie, please get there on time. And by on time, I mean at least 10 minutes early. There is nothing worse than watching a movie and knowing the inciting incident is unfolding on the screen, only to see a group of seven or so teenagers come strolling in giggling and looking for a good seat and discussing their options loudly.

You're probably thinking it could be worse and you're right...it got worse. People were taking calls during the movie. And probably about 10 people kept flipping their cell phone open to text during the movie, their screens lighting up the theater like giant rude fireflies.

I hate rude people.

Independence Day

2008-07-05T09:02:00.003-04:00

It's turned out to be a good holiday weekend so far. I had to work Thursday evening doing video relay, but the call queue was pretty light. I didn't get to see Red, White and Boom, but maybe next year. Actually I did see a little of them. When I got off on Broad Street, I could see a little them in the distance. I did listen to the soundtrack on WNCI, and I teared up a little bit. Dale's brother Joe is a marine and did two tours in Iraq, but made it home safely. I am so grateful for that, and it pained me to think about all of the men and women who didn't make it home, and how the Fourth of July, which always was so celebratory, now has a very sad undertone.

Today we're going to Costco to get a few things for Dale's family, and then we'll stop by out there and drop it off. And I have GOT to clean my bathroom.

New Look

2008-07-04T22:38:00.002-04:00

I updated the look of my blog. I thought maybe if it were more interesting, I might be more inclined to blog. Time will tell. This current theme might only be on here for a few days, since I"m not in love with it. But I will eventually come up with something I like.

Carpenter Ants

2008-04-21T10:57:00.003-04:00

Don't let the cartoon fool you; carpenter ants are not cute or cuddly. We've had a little infestation. The occasional ant is not unusual, but when you walk into your bathroom and find five of them in toolbelts going over blueprints and planning a jihad, it's not a good thing.

Orkin came and the ants are now slowly dying of poison. Better living through chemicals (or a slow painful death through chemicals). Is the glass half empty or half full?

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T20:21:00.000-05:00

Dale and I had a low-key NYE. For the second year in a row, we've gone to his friends' house, Gary and Angi. They're what I call Dale's "camping friends." They don't hang out much except in the spring - fall, when they camp a few times. When not camping, they stay in touch via phone and email.

Their daughter Dena was there, and the five of us hung out and played Wii all night. Last year we played pool and darts and listened to music.

Santa visited our house a couple days after Christmas and brought us a 50" plasma HDTV. The picture is AMAZING. I also got Dale an iPhone for Christmas, because he kept hijacking mine and it was the only way to get mine back. Merry Christmas to me; I got my phone back.

Tomorrow is back to the daily grind and the Holidays are completely over. I'm a little bummed, but also a little relieved.

There's Something I've Yet To Do...

2007-12-25T23:20:00.000-05:00

As the Christmas season draws to a close, it feels like there's something I need to do. Something I'm forgetting...but I'm not forgetting. I remember what it is I should do; but I'm unable to. Yesterday and today I've had the desire to call my mom and tell her about Christmas. How good it was to see Roger, Karen and their families. Of course she's not home, and her cell phone number has been reassigned. I know this because I texted her last night, in case there are text messages in the afterlife. I texted MERRY CHRISTMAS MOM, I MISS YOU to her cell number. She texted back WHO IS THIS? Of course it wasn't her, but a very surprised US Cellular customer. I replied that the number had been my mom's, who had passed in September. They replied with condolences.

Last Christmas was the first Christmas that I was with Dale and his first Christmas with my family. Mom wasn't feeling well, so I wasn't expecting much fanfare. To my surprise the house was completely decorated and she had baked every kind of candy and cookie I ever remembered her making, including buckeyes. In hindsight, I think she knew that it would be her last Christmas with us. With hindsight's clarity comes regret, though, and if I had known it was her last Christmas I can think of a thousand things I would've done differently.

Merry Christmas, Mom. I miss you.

Merry Christmas

2007-12-25T15:59:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas and GO BUCKS!

The Weekend

2007-12-10T08:49:00.000-05:00

Well...Dale and I had a fantastic weekend. Saturday night his brothers and their significant others came over for mini corn dogs, pizza, and Wii. His brothers are really great guys, and we had a lot of fun.

Sunday we had lunch with Liz at BW3 and then went to Easton where I bought a cord that allows me to play music from iPhone through the auxiliary input on the stereo in my CR-V.

Speaking of the CR-V (and you knew I would), it is amazing. It's the first new car I've owned, and it's constantly surprising me with thoughtful features. For example, if my front wipers are on but my rear wiper isn't, if I put it in reverse the rear wiper wipes twice to make sure I have a clear view behind me. And last week in the 5" of snow that we got, it didn't spin at all. Ever. And I went driving on some unplowed side streets north of town. And the Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA--Honda's name for traction control) activated a couple times to make sure I stayed on my intended path.

To sum it up, I couldn't be more pleased.

Honda CR-V

2007-12-04T17:17:00.000-05:00

Well...at the ripe old age of 33, I purchased my first brand new car. For the last two years, I've had a 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid that I bought used in January of 2006. It had been a great little car, but since it had high miles when I bought it, the miles had crept up to 121,000 and I no longer felt comfortable taking in on long trips. Also, the house that we moved into in June is on a hill, and our driveway is rather steep. Also, I'd been wanting an all-wheel drive vehicle for a while in preparation of winter weather. Having done a lot of research online, and then test driving one last Saturday, last night I bought a new Honda CR-V EX AWD. It's black with a tan interior, which is one of my favorite color combinations for a vehicle. Dale has a 2006 CR-V that is black with a black leather interior. Looking at my CR-V on the lot, I didn't think that it was that much like Dale's. But when I parked next to his in the garage last night, the similarities are very obvious.

Here are some pics of my new baby. :-)

Daydreaming

2007-11-29T14:43:00.001-05:00

I'm at Panera for the second afternoon in a row. I get more work done here, and honestly I don't have the fixins to make the Turkey and Bacon Bravo sandwich at home. I was getting a lot of work done, until this brat at the next table decided his lungs needed some exercise and he began screaming and wailing rather loudly. I'm in the "business" corner of Panera, with a couple of business women who seem to be independent insurance agents. The one is very loud and has a lot of makeup and a bad perm. But I digress...

As the child sat there screaming with his too-young-to-know-what-to-do parents, I wondered if it would be wrong to vanquish a screaming brat, providing I had Piper's power to blow things up at will.

Recovery

2007-11-28T14:04:00.000-05:00

Well...I've been gone a long time. I was in the hospital for a week with pneumonia. It was a long week, and I got out the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. After my mom died, I poured myself into work. I was working my full-time job and about 20 hours a week in the evening for a total of about 60 hours a week. Couple that with fitful, restless sleep and eating fast food and it was a recipe for getting sick. I'm a lot better now, and it feels good to be back at work and able to go out without feeling like ass.

The silver lining is that I lost about 15 pounds in the hospital. I had no appetite and hospital food isn't exactly tempting. I have on a pair of pants and a sweater that I haven't been able to wear in over a year. My goal is to not gain any of it back, and to lose a little more until I get to my ideal weight. That's proven a little difficult because I have this HUGE appetite now. Fortunately we stocked the house with healthy snacks and a lot of fruit, which is what I've been eating when I'm hungry for a snack.

Dale was a champ throughout my hospitalization, bringing me food, magazines, and anything else I asked for. Tonight will be my first night back doing Video Relay Service (VRS) interpreting.

Okay...work beckons. Back to it.

Update

2007-11-10T21:20:00.000-05:00

Hmmm....Thanksgiving is looming over the horizon, but I just can't get into the holiday spirit yet. I'm supposed to travel to Missouri and have Thanksgiving with my sister and brother and their families on Thanksgiving day. That means I'll probably have to leave Wednesday night and drive half-way in order to make it in time. But getting Thanksgiving done early means I'll get to come home early and have at least Sunday to relax, maybe Saturday too.

My car is apparently fixed. Honda kept my car for two days and found a few leaks in the crankshaft seal. Four hundred dollars later, and I am apparently not leaking any oil. I guess we'll find out at my next oil change.

I finally have a family doctor. I have been getting by with the occasional Urgent Care visit, but decided I needed a regular physician. She's really nice... probably about thirteen years old. I like having a female doctor. She asked some questions about how I was coping with my mother's death, and I could tell she really listened to me. I liked the look-you-in-the-eye attentiveness, but it nearly made me cry in her office. She gave me some Cymbalta samples to see if I will tolerate it well. I haven't started taking them yet, though.

Current challenges: my bathroom toilet is leaking. This will require calling a plumber. This is in addition to calling a refrigerator tech to come this week to figure out why our ice/water dispenser is no longer working. Probably the filter, but neither Dale nor I can find it. Time to call in the professionals.

Saturday night TV sucks ass big time. And OSU lost to Illinois. That blows, too.

Aftermath

2007-10-25T12:07:00.000-04:00

I couldn't really think of an appropriate title for this post, and "Aftermath" might seem a little melodramatic. But fuck it.

I got my laptop back; big relief. I hated being without it, though I did have my new iPhone to tide me over until I got it back. Yeah...I caved and bought one. I was hesitant to buy one because I have an iPod that I don't use that much. But I figured that I don't use it much because it's a pain to carry it around, in addition to my cell phone. And the iPod only works with headphones; the iPhone has an external speaker so I can use it without headphones.

My car is also freshly-painted. I just have to take it to Honda next week for them to find a mysterious oil leak. I bought an extended warranty, so it should be covered.

I'm still having a harder time dealing with my mom's death than I thought I would. I'm sure to most of my coworkers and friends it seems I'm getting on okay. Dale knows that I'm a little bit of a mess. I just feel "off" and I can't think of another way to put it. I'm on the verge of the flu or something. I've felt a little feverish and nauseous. But I'm not actually sick yet...I just feel blech. And when you're sick, the one person who can make everything better is Mom. And then I start to feel sad that she's not here to make me feel better, which leads to pangs of guilt because she WAS very sick and very scared and I wasn't with her for the whole last week of her life. She was scared and dying and I left her. I just didn't expect her to go as quickly as she did. I got to spend the whole month of August there and much of June and July. And logically I know that I did what I was capable of, and that I did my best and that she loved the time we had together and understood when I couldn't be there. But knowing that doesn't really make me feel any better or less guilty. I find myself crying off and on, without provocation. The holidays are coming up, so that is going to be even harder. I just feel lost and alone and sad.

More than you wanted on the day before a weekend. Hopefully the weekend will be good. Friday night Apple is releasing Leopard (new operating system) so I'll pick that up. We're also supposed to go to the Winking Lizard, but I'm not sure if I'm in a social mood. Saturday night is Liz and Eric's party. That should be fun and I am looking forward to that.

I'm just ready to feel better.

Computer Died

2007-10-17T16:12:00.000-04:00

FYI the logic board died on my MacBook. No blogging for 3-5 business days.

It's Over

2007-09-13T18:11:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, 9/8/07 my mother lost her battle with cancer. My sister and brother were there with her, I was about 7 miles from Illinois on Interstate 70 when she passed. My sister told her that I was on the way, and she went quickly after that. Throughout her illness, she had always tried to shield me from the worst parts of it. She always put up a fuss when I would empty her port-a-pot or bedpan; she tried to hide the fact that she was spitting up blood. I believe she did not want me to see her wide scared eyes or hear the death rattle as her lungs filled with fluid.

While there were parts of the service that were not what I think Mom would have wanted, there were parts of the service that were really beautiful. Family and friends turned out in scores. My dad stayed the whole time Monday night for the viewing and also on Tuesday for the funeral. My sister Shelly, whom I'm not as close to as I hope to be, came from Perryville for the funeral and burial. My brother Randy served as a pall bearer. Shelly and Randy were my mom's step children for 14 years; she helped raise them. My cousin Theresa and her husband and kids came from Jefferson City for the viewing. My dad and mom were each others' one true love. The happiest times of my mother's life was when she was with my dad and his family (all of whom came and stayed for hours on Monday night and Tuesday). My mom's first husband and his wife were there, both of whom I adore. My mom's remaining brother and sister and their families were all there, and provided a tremendous amount of support. My late aunts' and uncles' children were there. It was really nice to hear stories about my mom that I had not heard before.

The most beautiful parts of the whole process so far are the very clear signs that mom has sent our way. While my sister, brother, aunt, uncle and step dad were seated at the cemetery, a monarch butterfly lit on the spray of flowers next to her casket. It slowly moved it's wings, and then danced around her plot before flying away. My mom has always loved butterflies. She used butterfly appliques around the house often, and even used little press-on rhinestones to make a butterfly on her sun glasses when I was a kid. I had wondered if there would be a sign, and there it was. My sister and I both noticed it and began to cry. To me it said, "I'm still here" or "I made it."

Yesterday I drove home to Ohio and cried a bit thinking about how my mom never got to see where I live. I went to bed at 5 AM and slept late today. I went to Target to get a few things, and when I got home I went to get the mail. While I was out by the mailbox, another monarch butterfly flew leisurely by, flitting here and there right in front of me. It's as if she was telling me that she's here.

I'm sure the days ahead are going to be hard. Holidays. Going to the mailbox on my birthday and realizing there will not be a card from mom for the first time in more years than I can remember. Mothers Day, realizing I don't have a mother. Hearing songs on the radio that were "her" songs. I guess I'll live through it, but she left a hole in my life bigger than I had ever imagined she would.

Photos

2007-09-03T22:48:00.000-04:00

I went home to my Mom's this weekend and Saturday Karen and I went through a bunch of photos and keepsakes. For me, one photo kind of says everything about the relationship I have with my mother. It was taken on 1/1/1981 by my brother Roger. My mom and I are dancing our first dance of the New Year. My family didn't take down our Christmas decorations until New Year's Day, so the styrofoam Santa head still hangs on the door, along with some of the Christmas cards we had received that year.

You can visit the other photos I scanned by clicking here.

The End of the Rope

2007-08-22T23:52:00.000-04:00

So this is what it looks like...

Home Again!

2007-08-19T23:12:00.000-04:00

Ahhh....I'm home. I got in last night some time after 11 PM, and it feels good. Brody made sure my homecoming wasn't boring; he managed to get sprayed by a skunk.

I decided I needed a break. I had been in Potosi for over three weeks, and mom seemed to not want/need a lot of care so I took advantage of the chance to come home for a while. I was there for the better part of two months, so I'm going to step back and let other family members step in.

My dad has two cats that look like twins: Tom & Jerry. I'm not sure which one this is, but this is a cute pic.

Frustration

2007-08-13T10:31:00.000-04:00

Well...things have taken a turn for the worse. With mom's blood sugar and morphine under control, she's still talking to dead people and she thinks that everything she sees on TV is there in real life. Much like a parrot, she mimics what is said on TV. Over the baby monitor this morning, I heard her talking about low-cost refi and how happy the cows are.

Sigh.

We think there are tell-tale signs that she's entering the active phase of dying. Her urine has turned the color of coffee or tea, the time between breaths has increased, she's confused and disoriented and there appears to be some mottling on her legs. The hospice nurse is coming today and will call me with an update.

Oddly enough this isn't the most distressing part of the whole process. I come from a family of big talkers. "If you need anything, I'm here for you." We get that a lot. But when my sister Karen and I need someone to take the night watch, there is no one available. Not to play martyr, but my sister and I have given up a lot to be here. She came up to Potosi with her kids (ages 7 and 11). She rarely sees her husband. Their kids rarely see their dad. They've given up their home, their friends, their beds, their toys. That's a lot to give up for boys. This has all been going on since June 17th when we drove home to go to the doctor appointment that confirmed the terminal status of her cancer. I have a new house that I haven't even been able to unpack because I can't be there. I have friends I haven't seen in two months. I have a partner that I don't know when I'll see again. Dale's job is crazy and he can't take time off, and it's a 8.5 hour drive so he can't just swing by for a weekend. I have a job that I'm barely able to do. I work remotely by going to a local internet cafe during the day, but I can't keep doing this for much longer.

Karen and I are at the end of our ropes. Mom doesn't want to be put in a care facility and we don't want to put her there. The rest of the family doesn't want to put her there, yet they're not willing to be there when she needs someone there the most. When Karen mentions that we could take her to Springfield to be at her house where the two of us could work and take care of her, everyone else freaks out and acts like we're trying to steal her away so no one could ever see her again. They don't understand that if Karen and I are the only ones willing to take care of her, that is the only place we can do it.

Who knows what will happen. I just want to go home.

Update

2007-08-06T00:28:00.000-04:00

I'm thrilled that Dale got to come to Potosi for a week and stay with me at my mom's house. While I had to be in town working, Dale spent a lot of time with my mom talking to her, which is what she enjoys the most. He also went to JC Penney's and got my mom three new pajama sets (that's all she wears) and a new sheet set that is 300 threat count. Dale is easily the most thoughtful, caring man I've ever dated. This week really drove home how lucky I am to have him as my partner.

We also got to meet my brother Randy and my childhood friend April at the Lakeview bar. April was my neighbor until I was ten. She is three years older than me and we were very close friends. She was a lot of fun to be around and is just SO sweet. She still is, and Randy, April, Dale and I had a few beers and talked. I ran into a guy I went to high school with there, and my sister's high school flame, Eddie. Since coming to Potosi, I'm experiencing this "Sweet Home Alabama" phenomenon. If you've seen the movie, Melanie Smooter returns to her hick town to get a quickie divorce from her high school husband (and her past), only to reconnect with old friends and family and learns it's okay to be where you're from. I'm enjoying my time here more than I thought I would. My dad and I are becoming closer, and I'm reconnecting a bit with some friends and family I haven't seen in a while.

Mom is still doing okay. She gave us a big scare yesterday, as she was talking to dead people and not making much sense. Turns out her blood sugar got up to 417 and her morphine dose was too high. After getting those things under control, she's come back to herself and ended up having a pretty good day today.

The county fair starts Wednesday, and I'm excited at the possibility that Dale will come back this weekend so we can go together with some other family. I haven't been in ages, but there's something about the Washington County Fair that I like.

Well...time for bed.

Daze Inn

2007-07-24T15:20:00.000-04:00

So I travel back and forth a lot between Missouri and Ohio due to my mom's illness, and I haven't taken much time off of work to travel, so I usually drive at night. Sometimes, though, the drive gets sooo long I have to stop at a hotel and crash.

Last night I stayed at the Days Inn and it was bad. Very. Bad. The front desk clerk was Lohan-esque. There was a condom wrapper right outside the door to my room. And...

I might have crabs.

Kidding.

::scratch::

Tammy Faye, 65

2007-07-23T16:30:00.000-04:00

May you now rest.

Photo courtesy of ridorlive.com

Tammy Faye

2007-07-20T00:44:00.001-04:00

I have CNN set to my home page on my MacBook, and today when I opened it up I saw that Tammy Faye had been on Larry King Live. I watched part of the video, and it was so sad. She has inoperable lung cancer and is down to 65 lbs. She is literally skin and bones, and I found myself wondering if my mom is going to become that gaunt.

It was in the middle of that horrifying thought that I decided to Google Tammy Faye, and I found an abridged version of her CNN interview and something I read made me smile.

On Gays

A caller asked how she found it in her heart to love and accept them when other Christian contemporaries didn’t.

“When we lost everything, it was the gay people that came to my rescue,” Messner said. “And I will always love them for that.”

This, I believe, will be how acceptance is won.

Car Damage Pics

2007-07-16T20:09:00.000-04:00

Here are a few shots of the damage that was done to my 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid. I dropped it off at the body shop this morning and received a rental from Enterprise--a 2006 Nissan Sentra. It's not a bad car, but it only gets about 38 MPG on the highway, considerably less than my Civic. Oh well.

Untitled Post

2007-07-11T14:20:00.000-04:00

Yes, I've long been absent from this blog. Lots has been going on, so bear with me.

The most pressing thing going on right now is my mother's losing battle with cancer. Five years ago she had lung cancer and had half of a lung removed. We thought we were going to lose her then, but she's had five good years since then. Every birthday since has been has been a celebration, and my family realizes that she had been granted an "extension" of sorts. Now we're down to a matter of weeks; hospice has been called and she is finally getting some relief from the pain. I'm in Missouri every other week (thankfully my job allows that) and it's great to spend so much time with my family.

Dale and I moved into a house on the east side. It's a four-bedroom, two-car garage with a huge back yard. It was basically move in ready, but we're working on painting it now and getting things unpacked. There's a big job ahead of us, but considering we plan on being there for 10 years or so, we've got time. I'll post some pics soon, but we're very excited about it.

I've had a little car drama going on, too. I ran over a dresser drawer on the highway in May, and it did $1800 worth of damage. That is mostly fixed (waiting to have one part installed). Yesterday I rolled into Potosi, MO (hometown) and went straight to the local internet cafe Sip n Surf. I parked on the street and went inside and began working. About a half hour later, some elderly man poked his head in and asked, "Does anyone have a little Civic parked out front?" I told him it was mine, and he told me he had just hit it. My car was sideswiped by the boat he was hauling on the back of his RV. So in addition to everything else I have to deal with, I get to deal with this too.

So that's what's going on.

Weekend

2007-04-29T22:11:00.000-04:00

We went to Missouri for my mom's birthday (62). We had a blast and it was great to see everyone. Here are a few pics from the trip.

We got Mom a birdhouse for the front yard.

Dale snapped this from the car as we drove into the city.

My newphew Ryan

My brother Roger blowing bubbles.

A hummingbird at my mom's feeder.

My nephew Brock

A cute little kid with marshmallows at the park.

My nephew Chase.

My Uncle Donald and my step-dad, Bill.

The fuzzy dice hanging in Uncle Donald's Cataline convertible.

Day at the Park

2007-04-22T22:09:00.000-04:00

Dale was having an open house at his condo, so we had to be out for three hours this afternoon. It was really nice today (80º and sunny) so we went to Goodale & Antrim parks. Brody had a GREAT time.

And a random guy kicking back on the shore at Antrim.

Also, this week I upgraded my MacBook. Since October of last year, I've been using a white Core Duo MacBook that had a 60 GB hard drive. Well...60 GB didn't last long. I sold it on craigslist and upgraded to the black Core 2 Duo Macbook, running at 2.0 GHz, rocking 2 GB of RAM and sporting a 120 GB hard drive. Since Macs can also run Windows, I installed Windows Vista Home Premium on it as well. It's pretty sweet.

My Favorite Commercial

2007-04-09T20:08:00.000-04:00

This is SO my favorite commercial nowadays.

House Hunters

2007-04-02T08:08:00.000-04:00

Yesterday Dale and I went to Noah's Bark for a pet adoption event for a local Doberman rescue group. There were some cute dogs, but we want a puppy and would prefer to wait until we move to a new house. The condo just went on the market, so we had to stop at Lowe's (the gay Lowe's, Dale tells me)to get a key made for the lockbox. After Lowe's (btw if you're the muscle guy in the blue T-shirt and backward baseball cap...call me, 'kay?) we drove around a nearby neighborhood to see if we should expand our house search to include that area. Well we're driving down Oaklawn and there happens to be an open house. Though it's obviously smaller than we're looking for, we decided to go in anyway.

The kitchen was nice. The yard was nice. So we go downstairs and there's a couple holes that look like were punched in the drywall. I joke and say, "Hey Dale, look! Gloryholes!" So I turn to look at Dale, and in a corner of the basement there is a wooden door with a crotch-level hole cut into it. Holy blowjobs, Bat-man! It really WAS a gloryhole. We open up the door, which reveals a small room. We look up, and there are metal eyelets drilled into the ceiling. Four of them. For a sling, no doubt. I look in the corner, and sure enough--chains are neatly coiled in a milk crate. Jackpot!

With glee, we run upstairs to look for other signs of homosexual activity. The upstairs is mostly bedroom. There is a TV with a DVD player. I lean forward to hit the eject button to see if the cocksucking owner was watching "Dawson's 20-Load Weekend" or an Audrey Hepburn classic. Dale says, "Don't! It might turn on!" I glance over to call him a retard only to find him going through the guy's nightstand. I'm incredulous. Dale yells at me for looking too closely at pictures or books I see when we're going through an open house. Now he's rummaging through a complete stranger's nightstand looking for tawdry evidence of mansex. This is the double standard I live with.

The nightstand yielded only condoms and lube. Disappointed, we left and headed to Champps for an early dinner. And to giddily text message all our friends.

Bluejackets Game

2007-03-20T19:09:00.000-04:00

St. Patty's Day!

2007-03-17T17:48:00.001-04:00

Hottie Shopper @ Banana

2007-03-17T15:13:00.000-04:00

Test Post - Living room

2007-03-16T13:23:00.000-04:00

I can upload pics from my camera phone to Blogger while on the Go. This could be fun.

Oh No She Dit'nt

2007-03-13T13:13:00.000-04:00

So today I was at Barnes & Noble Cafe on Polaris Parkway...I had ordered a chicken panini and sat down at a table to wait. I wait for a few minutes and then walk back to the counter, and see someone walk away with a sandwich that I believe to be mine, but I'm not sure so I don't say anything. I ask the girl if my sandwich was still on the grill, and she said no. She had put it on the counter, but someone must have taken it. "No worries," she said. "I'll put another one on the grill for you."

So I go back to my table and watch the couple paw all over the sandwich before determining it wasn't theirs. They return it to the counter and I round the corner just in time to see the cafe girl with the sandwich...which she tries to hand to me while saying, "Here you go! They picked up the wrong sandwich."

I was incredulous. Are you fucking kidding me? She is going to give me a sandwich that they've just pawed all over?

I politely asked for a fresh sandwich, since the smarmy couple had it at their table for a solid five minutes, breathing on it and touching it.

The fat bitch copped an ATTITUDE! She rolled her eyes and walked away without a word. I watched her make me a new sandwich, and drop it on the counter quite angrily...again without saying a word.

So I had to talk to her manager...and the health department.

Weekend Update

2007-03-11T20:57:00.000-04:00

Sunday night at 9 o'clock. The week turned out to be pretty good. Of course the highlight of my week was getting my NIC Advanced interpreter certification. Even though I was already certified, I still feel a sense of accomplishment.

Saturday Dale and i went to the Pet Expo & RV Show. Both were mildly disappointing. We did get a good deal on a new retractable leash for Brody. And we got him some ridiculously expensive treats that resemble human food.

Saturday night we met Leslie, Liz and Maryam at Bonefish. I had ~~two~~ six martinis and a really good dinner. Today we went to Target, Pet's Mart, and Bed Bath and Beyond. I got a new comforter set. Looking forward to putting that on the bed tonight. And that was about it

Tomorrow it's back to the grind...which is even more of a drag. They upped the censorware program so that we can't really get to any of the good stuff on the internet. Apparently every site I enjoy is porn.

NIC Results...FINALLY!

2007-03-07T14:51:00.000-05:00

Well...I finally got my National Interpreter Certification results. RID faxed them to me today.

:::drum roll please:::

I passed at the NIC Advanced level, which means I scored well on the interview and excellent on the performance portion.

I'm satisfied.

Toronto & Anniversary

2007-03-04T21:25:00.000-05:00

Well Toronto was fun...great city. The more time I spent in Canada, the less I wanted to come home. I even asked Dale if we could move there--he said no.

Here are a few pics:

This was NOT indicative of the purpose of my trip.

A business district from the view of the CN Tower.

The CN Tower...I went all the way up to the top!

We ate at Gretzky's Restaurant (of Wayne Gretzky fame).

Gretzky's Restaurant

Today is also my one-year anniversary with Dale. This is a record for me, and I can't imagine being any happier than I am with him. We had a nice dinner last night at Barcelona and spent today with friends at Gameworks having a couple beers and playing games. It was a fantastic weekend.

Toronto

2007-02-19T14:42:00.000-05:00

Hey ya'll!

I'm blogging from Toronto, ON. The trip wasn't bad. Only missed one connecting flight, and US Airways didn't lose my luggage for once. Toronto is a BEAUTIFUL city. I've never been to NYC, but the area of downtown I visited last night reminded me of it. There were gigantic electric billboard with brilliant screens, an ecclectic array of shops, restaurants and boutiques.

If you don't have a GPS Navigation unit, I strongly suggest one. In the last year, I've traveled to Portland, Maine, and now Toronto for work. While in Portland, I used the VZ Navigator on my Verizon phone. It was so NICE to not worry about getting lost. I had the navigation with me the whole time and found restaurants, stores and my hotel all very easily. Now in Toronto, I brought my TomTom One with me from home. It came preloaded with maps of the US & Canada, and has done very well getting me around up here. Without navigation, I'd be sitting alone in my hotel room watching TV and eating bed mints. With a navigation system, I'm able to get out and see the sites and enjoy the city without fear of getting lost.

I'll post pics next weekend when I get home.

Not Happy

2007-02-12T15:10:00.000-05:00

Sigh. So I've been waiting for my National Interpreter Certification (NIC) Interview & Performance test results. Candidates are supposed to receive their results withing 90 days of their test date. It's all over RID's website, as well as testing materials sent to the candidate when they register for the test. Today is day 87, and RID had said they would fax my results to my work. So I called today to get an update because at day 87, if I'm to receive my results by mail within 90 days, my results SHOULD be at the national office.

Well they're not. And I was told by a staff member that my results weren't due to be in until the second week of March. Excuse me? How is this possible? I received an email from them a couple weeks ago stating that I should receive my results within 90 days. Now I'm at mid-March? That makes no sense.

So I'm not happy...there are supposed to be more raters for this test than any other in the history of RID. What gives?

Update:

After emailing the executive director, I received a response stating that my results were, in fact, due to be available the second week of March. The email stated that there were a number of things that could lead to late results such as UPS being late, raters not returning a candidate's score within the allowed time frame, etc. And I also was not-so-subtly chided about how members calling the national office interrupts the process of rating tapes in ALL stages of the process (so my results being late are my fault?). Well I took my test over 12 weeks ago. My Local Test Administrator (LTA) sent my tapes back to RID immediately after my test. So one of or a combination of two things happened: RID was late in sending out my tape (a possibility because it happened to another interpreter) and/or a rater has kept my test tape for MONTHS.

Either way it doesn't add up. And I don't have anything to do but wait.

RIP Anna

2007-02-08T16:54:00.000-05:00

The Mustard Party

2007-02-04T17:50:00.000-05:00

Last night Dale and I hosted a Mustard Party. We had an assorted variety of mustard sauces for dipping mini corn dogs and gourmet pretzels. We also had salad with a champagne-mustard vinaigrette, and the main course was pork loin medallions with a mustard glaze accompanied by mashed potatoes infused with whole mustard seeds. It was all very tasty. This party was kind of the result of a joke, but we pulled it off and I think everyone had a lot of fun.

Weekend Update

2007-01-28T20:32:00.000-05:00

This weekend was pretty busy. Friday night Dale and I met Leslie at Carrabbas for dinner. Saturday was an interpreting workshop that Local Chapter 4 of the Ohio Chapter of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (OCRID) hosted. It was the first workshop we've hosted since I became the Director of LC4. It was a huge success! Anthony Nelson presented on Interpreting Music and did a FANTASTIC job!

Today I worked my full-time job, and finished up training for some new interpreters. I also got to open my birthday presents (my birthday is tomorrow). Dale got me two dozen roses, a birthday cake, and an iHome clock-radio alarm clock that my iPod will plug into. It's pretty cool.

The rest of my day could be summed up with one pic...

New Post...Finally!

2007-01-26T17:13:00.000-05:00

Well...since I'm expecting my NIC results any day, I was going to wait and just post my results. But the wait time is longer than I expected, so I'll take the easy way out and do a photo post.

It finally snowed here in Columbus, and it was Brody's first snow. He LOVES it.

Brody on my Bed

At Christmas, Dale got a card from Brody.

Dale and I went to the Detroit Auto Show. Here are a couple pics of some concept cars.

The For Airstream

The Ford Interceptor

Update

2007-01-10T09:53:00.000-05:00

Well...not much has been happening in my neck of the woods. The holidays are over. Dale and I are getting up at 5 AM and hitting the gym in the morning, as well as eating better. Apple released the iPhone yesterday, ending years of speculation about if, when and how Apple would enter the mobile phone market. It looks brilliant, but it's expensive and I'm on Verizon so I'll probably keep my BlackBerry and iPod.

This is the 8th week since I took the NIC test, so I'm running to the mailbox daily eagerly anticipating my results. Keep your fingers crossed.

Other than that, life is kind of the same.

iPorn

2007-01-02T12:41:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas!

2006-12-25T09:06:00.000-05:00

It's Christmas. I'm at work. Sounds like a drag, but it's not. Call volume should be light. I'm only working until 3. Dale is at his parents' house. He and I drove home to my mom's on Thursday, had Christmas with my family on Friday, and drove home Saturday. We didn't get to spend much time with anyone, but we're planning a longer visit in the spring.

Dale and I exchanged presents yesterday morning. I got him a tripod for his camera, fancy new cookware that he wanted (I don't know much about cooking), and a new photo printer that prints amazing photos. He just got his digital camera a month ago, and loves to carry around pictures of our dog Brody. It'll also be good to print out pictures for his brother and send them to him in Iraq. I also got us (though really it was for him) a Sony PSP. He's thoroughly addicted to The Sims 2.

I got some really cool gifts. My sister gave me a $20 gift card to Barnes & Noble, a vulgar little book that poses such questions as "Would you rather have sex with the top half of Pamela Anderson or the bottom half of Justin Timberlake?", and the DVD edition of "The Price is Right" with little post-it notes (Thank you, Romy and Michele) that say "'Pin da Wheel." Apparently, as a toddler, whenever I would hear the announcer say, "Come on down!" I would wobble into the living room as quickly as I could in my diaper and glue my eyes to the TV yelling, "'Pin da wheel!"

Dale is a really good gift buyer. I got Family Guy on DVD seasons 1-4 witha T-shirt and action figures, cookies, candy, T-shirts, The Devil Wears Prada on DVD, and a Slingbox A/V. I think there was more.

Well I guess that'll do it for now...I'm off for a week beginning tomorrow. Looking forward to a little R&R. :-)

BOO to Janice Crouse

2006-12-07T10:19:00.000-05:00

Mary Cheney, the daughter of Vice President Dick Cheney, and her partner are expecting a baby. Congratulations to Mary and her partner Heather Poe.

But someone needs to bitch slap Janice Crouse of Concerned Women for America, who described the pregnancy as "unconscionable."

"It's very disappointing that a celebrity couple like this would deliberately bring into the world a child that will never have a father," said Crouse, a senior fellow at the group's think tank. "They are encouraging people who don't have the advantages they have."

What I think is unconscionable is that Janice Crouse thinks that it's any of her business what gay people do or don't do. Who fucking asked you, Janice? I am so fucking tired of religion being legislated in a country that likes to call itself free. We are NOT free. We have so many restrictions imposed on us that are based on Christian values. News Flash: Not everyone is Christian. If being gay is a sin for Christians, then I think they should be straight. Every damned one of them. They can meet in their churches and congratulate each other on their noisy, ill-behaved children and heterosexuality. But for those of us who don't subscribe to their value system, we should be free to be who we are.

I'm tired of this. It's never ending.

Christmas Tree

2006-12-04T06:22:00.000-05:00

Our Christmas Tree.

Oops

2006-11-26T21:46:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I forget I HAVE a blog. :-( Sorry.

I went home to Potosi, MO for the holidays. I left Thursday, stopped by my dad's Thursday night, spent the night with my sister Karen, brother-in-law Dave, and nephews (Brock and Chase) at my sister's dad's house (which ironically enough is just down the hill from MY dad's house). Friday Karen and I went to mom's early to help with our dinner (really lunch). My brother Roger and his wife Melissa and kids (Amanda and Ryan), Dave and the boys came out a little later. After a very fine dinner, I drove my mom over to visit my Uncle Thomas in the hospital. He probably doesn't have a lot of time left, but he was in good spirits and has his sense of humor about him.

Saturday I drove home, and today spent the day relaxing with Dale and Brody. Tomorrow is back to work (yuck).

That's it...nothing very exciting to post.

National Interpreter Certification (NIC)

2006-11-17T23:26:00.000-05:00

Well today was the day. This morning at 8:30 I took the National Interpreter Certification (NIC) Interview & Performance exam. My performance and interview was videotaped and will now be shipped to the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) national office, where my tape will be copied and sent to a team of raters who will evaluate my performance and determine whether I pass at the Certified, Advanced or Master level. That process can take up to three months. So now the waiting game begins.

The DVD stimulus materials are VERY well-made. The test seemed to do a good job of simulating a day in the life of an interpreter. If you're planning on taking the test, I recommend taking a NIC Preparation workshop first. It will help you get a handle on what the raters are looking for.

10:43 PM

2006-11-05T22:50:00.000-05:00

I'm going to start a new weekly post: The Exact Minute that "Brothers & Sisters" Makes Me Cry.

I love this show, but I always feel like I'm being emotionally manipulated. That's something I usually reserve for family or boyfriends, but I'll let six strangers do it every Sunday night.

Where in the World is Chris?

2006-11-05T03:30:00.000-05:00

I've been a little too busy to blog, so let me update you on what's been going on.

Gallaudet Protest

While I didn't go to Washington D.C. to lend my support to the protest, staying abreast of what was going on took up a lot of my time. I did volunteer my interpreting services to a local action group who was trying to convince Dr. Brenda Brueggeman, president of the Board of Trustees at Gallaudet, to call an emergency meeting with the hope of ending the protest. Hats off to Ricky Taylor of Ridor Live who did an excellent job of keeping everyone updated about the goings on at Gallaudet.

OCRID Conference

The Ohio Chapter of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (OCRID), our state affiliate chapter of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID), held its state conference in Columbus, Ohio this year. I was one of the full-time conference interpreters, which is the first time I've interpreted an interpreting conference. It was a great experience, and I worked with some very talented people.

Freelance Work

I work at my full-time job Monday - Thursday, so technically I'm off Friday through Sunday. I have been doing quite a bit of freelancing as of late, which I enjoy because it allows me to get out and meet real Deaf people.

Professional Development

As a certified interpreter, I have to earn a certain number of CEUs to maintain my certification. I'm fortunate to live in an area where there are a lot of opportunities to earn CEUs. Today I attended a workshop on how to give and receive feedback, presented by Sharon Neumann Solow. She is a reknowned interpreter and educator in my field, and the workshop was well worth the time.

National Interpreter Certification (NIC)

My professional organization, RID, has been certifying interpreters since the 1970s. That certification process has undergone changes over time to ensure that RID only certifies those interpreters who meet the minimum standard as set forth by our profession. The first full certificate RID offered was the Comprehensive Skills Certificate (CSC). That tested for an interpreter's ability to interpret (ASL-English and vice versa) and transliterate (English to an English-like signing system and vice versa). The current, though soon-to-be-retired certificates, are the Certificate of Interpretation (CI) and the Certificate of Transliteration (CT). The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) used to certify interpreters as well. Interpreters who are NAD certified were tested for both interpreting and transliterating during their performance assessment and hold a Level III (Generalist), Level IV (Advanced), or a Level V (Master). There used to be a sense of competition between NAD-certified and RID-certified interpreters, but that was mostly alleviated when RID and NAD partnered to develop a new certification that was to become the new standard. That test is called the National Interpreter Certification (NIC). While the CI and CT tests are pass/fail, the NIC is a tiered certification. An interpreter who scores within the standard range for the interview and performance portions of the test are awarded the NIC: Certified level. Interpreters who score withing the standard range on the interview portion and high on the performance portion are awarded the NIC: Advanced level. Interpreters who score high on both the interview and performance portion are awarded the NIC: Master level.

I took the NAD test in 1997 when I worked for an interpreting agency in Cincinnati, Ohio and got a Level V. I didn't choose the NAD test over the RID tests for philosophical reasons; it was simply what the other interpreters had taken. I had planned to take the CI and CT tests, but simply put it off until RID stopped offering the written test for the CI and CT. Then it was too late. So I decided that when the NIC was available, I would take it. I am scheduled to take the NIC on November 17th, so I've been studying the reference materials and going through the practice DVD. I think I'm prepared. I've been interpreting professionally since 1995. There's nothing I can do in two weeks that is going to make me interpret significantly better. I can bone up on our Code of Professional Conduct and go through various ethical scenarios in hopes of boosting my score during the interview portion. So that's another thing that's been taking up some time and energy.

Well...I guess that's it. It's 4:14 AM. I should hit the sack.

Computers and Stuff

2006-10-12T06:28:00.000-04:00

There's been a little turnover in the computer department. I sold my PowerBook G4 (which I LOVED) and upgraded to a MacBook. As you know, Apple recently completed the transition to Intel processors. I have a 2.0 GHz MacBook that is maxed out with 2 GB of RAM, so this puppy really flies. And, after months of not having a camera, I picked up a new Casio Exilim camera. It takes great shots, and I'm experimenting with different options and finding that it's amazingly powerfule for a simple point and shoot.

So armed with a new MacBook and digital camera, I've been being creative. Check it out and let me know what you think!

Weekend Update

2006-10-08T23:38:00.000-04:00

Friday night I went to a Deaf happy hour at the Buckeye Cafe, and then Saturday Liz, Eric, Dale and I went to the Ohio Renaissance Festival and had a great time. You can see a montage of our adventure here.

Weekend Update

2006-09-25T10:25:00.001-04:00

Friday

Dale and I went to Easton to poke around at the Apple Store. Having done some freelancing, I had a bit of cash to spend and I needed something Apple. I weighed my options: iPod Video, digital camera, new computer. As I was weighing my options, Dale grew increasingly bored so we just left and went home to watch "My Name is Earl."

Saturday

I needed to just get out and lose myself in Apple products. I gave Dale a quick kiss, then headed to Easton to visit the Apple Store again. I was there for HOURS, trying to decide if I wanted an iMac or a new laptop. I then went to Microcenter (their return policy is more fair than Apple's) and looked around. Realizing my PowerBook still has some life left in it, I decided to purchase an Apple 20" Cinema Display to use with my PowerBook. It's a SWEET set-up. My PowerBook screen is only 12" so going to 20" is a HUGE difference.

Sunday

We took Brody to Antrim Park for a long walk and some off-leash play, then went grocery shopping and to Lowe's. Then it was a quiet afternoon and Desperate Housewives that night. It was good, but not great.

Autumnal Joy

2006-09-21T10:41:00.000-04:00

Fall

I love fall. Though the leaves havent started to really turn yet, this morning I woke up to Sweater Weather. Today is the first really chilly day of late summer/early fall,so I wore a sweater to work. I thought it was a great idea, but the office is kind of hot. I should've worn a thin shirt and a jacket. But I don't have a jacket, so I'm probably going to have to buy one this weekend. I'm not sure what's "in" right now. I might have to go to the mall and just people watch a bit to see what the hot guys are wearing.

Last night Dale and I walked Brody and it was quite chilly. He had on jeans, a hoodie and tennis shoes. He looked kind of hot. He also looks hot in his Marine T-shirt that he got on base when he was visiting his brother Joe. I might have to play the role of a naughty insurgent at some point.

Drama!

2006-09-19T15:38:00.000-04:00

I was IMing with my friend Scott, telling him that I'm bored at work. I told him that I needed some kind of mini tragedy, like a Tragedy Lite, to alleviate my boredom and give me something to focus on.

If you look on CNN right now, it looks like there's a little Thai Coup going on. Thai Coup is much more entertaining than Haiku, though one of Paige's first spells on Charmed was written in Haiku. That was the episode with the firestarter. So that's a little something to while away the afternoon with.

In other news, the Atlantis is falling apart in the sky. An astronaut saw something else fall of the shuttle. That's something to be curious about as well. Who's building those things nowadays? Ford? Chevrolet?

In Honor of Julia Sugarbaker

2006-09-19T10:37:00.000-04:00

My friend Kevin once told me that I was one of two people he knew who became more eloquent the angrier he became. He's even said, "You went all Julia Sugarbaker on his ass, did ya?" In honor of Ms. Julia Sugarbaker, here is one of my favorite quotes of hers.

Julia is in a televised debate with Commissioner Bricket.

I do not think everyone in America is ignorant! Far from it! But we are today, probably, the most uneducated, under-read, and illiterate nation in the western hemisphere. Which makes it all the more puzzling to me why the biggest question on your small mind is whether or not little Johnny is gonna recite the Pledge of Allegiance every morning! I'll tell you something else, Mr. Brickett. I have had it up to here with you and your phony issues and your Yanky Doodle yakking! If you like reciting the Pledge of Allegiance everyday then I think you should do it! In the car! In the shower! Wherever the mood strikes you! But don't try to tell me when or where I have to say or do or salute anything, because I am an American too, and that is what being an American is all about! And another thing...I am sick and tired of being made to feel that if I am not a member of a little family with 2.4 children who goes just to Jerry Fallwell's church and puts their hands over their hearts every morning that I am unreligious, unpatriotic, and un-American!! Because I've got news for you, Mr. Brickett...all liberals are not kooks, anymore than all conservatives are fascists! And the last time I checked, God was neither a Democrat nor a Republican! And just for your information, yes I am a liberal, but I am also a Christian. And I get down on my knees and pray everyday --- on my own turf --- on my own time. One of the things that I pray for, Mr. Brickett, is that people with power will get good sense, and that people with good sense will get power...and that the rest of us will be blessed with the patience and the strength to survive the people like you in the meantime!

Weekend Update

2006-09-18T12:35:00.000-04:00

Work

I actually did community interpreting this weekend both Friday and Saturday. Friday there were several deaf consumers there, and I got a few compliments and one person asked for my name so s/he could request me in the future. That was a VERY nice feeling, and not one you really get doing Video Relay Services (VRS) work since callers cannot ask for a specific interpreter.

Home

It is boring as hell around here without Dale. Brody was his adorable little self, and he learned something new--he can go downstairs (to the basement) all by himself now! That's not exactly good news, cuz now we have to make sure he doesn't go upstairs or downstairs. I think it's time to invest in those baby gates that keep toddlers away from stairs.

Columbus Drivers

This is a bit off-topic, but it has to be said: Columbus drivers suck ass--big time! Don't believe me? Check this out. Saturday I had to pick up Brody from daycare, and of course it was game day (OSU kicked UC's butt!) Noah's Bark, the daycare we use, is near OSU so they open up their parking lot for $10. Well, they did a piss-poor job managing their parking lot. They left enough room for ONE car to get in or out. Well I was wanting IN and about three or four cars were wanting out. So I sat in the left lane of southbound traffic waiting for both the northbound traffic to clear AND these people coming out of Noah's Bark. Well I must have sat there for 10 minutes. There were several cars behind me. I don't know why they didn't get in the right lane and go around me. What a Buick LeSabre did, though, was just jump straight into the oncoming traffic to pass me on the left. This nearly caused a huge accident, and when the carload of people scooted by me they gave me the finger. Because it was all my fault they started going down the road on the wrong side of the street. Fuckin-A!

Thursday Thidbits

2006-09-14T09:30:00.000-04:00

Company News

I found out this morning that my company is now offering domestic partner benefits. I don't have any deets yet, but it's nice. We are probably one of the largest employers of interpreters, and interpreting is second only to cutting hair as far as gay careers go.

Weekend

Dale is out of town. He's gone to California with his family to visit his brother, who is being deployed to Iraq very soon. So Brody and I are going to be roughing it while he's gone, since Dale is our primary caretaker. :-) I'm actually working on Friday and Saturday, days I don't usually work, and Brody will be in daycare.

Politics

Ann Richards, former Texas governer, has passed away. She was known for her biting wit, open criticism of the "Good Ol' Boy" political system, and scathing message at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. She was an amazing woman who owned her faults and fought to make America a better place. RIP.

How Do You Like Them Apples?

2006-09-13T13:57:00.000-04:00

Apple announced a few new goodies yesterday. Engadget had the best online coverage; several of us Mac heads were hitting refresh on our browsers like mad, anxious for a peak at the latest and greatest.

iPod
The iPod line was refreshed significantly. The video-capable iPod comes in a 30 GB or 80 GB size, both coming with brighter screens and longer battery life as well as a wide selection of games. More games are available for download at the iTunes Store (notice its not the iTunes Music Store anymore...more on that later). The iPod Nano is now skinned in anodized aluminum in some chic new colors and comes in 2,4 and 8 GB sizes.

The screens are also brighter. The iPod Shuffle got a huge makeover, too. It now comes in one size (1 GB), is also aluminum and is shorter but wider and has a built-in clip and a tiny dock for syncing with your computer.

iTunes
We're now on version 7 of iTunes, the best jukebox/download service available for Mac and PC. This version sports a 'cleaner' interface, with a slew of new features that you can check out here. The biggest addition is the availability of movies! There are about 75 titles availability immediately with more to follow.

iTV
This probably isn't the production name, but whatever it's going to be called it'll be genius. There was a working prototype at the keynote, and it looks much like a Mac Mini that's been chopped in half. Basically it's a way to let all your Mac goodies to connect to your big-ass HD TV wirelessly so you can watch all those movies you've downloaded. The interface is very familiar, much like Front Row but more robust. This should be available early next year.

What I'm Reading

2006-09-13T13:16:00.000-04:00

Doing more interpreting in the community means that I have more down time. More down time means I've dusted off a few books and thrown them in my backpack to read in between assignments, or during assignments that are pretty slow. Here's a quick rundown.

The Power of Babel by John McWhorter

A deaf instructor in the Interpreter Training Program in Cincinnati recommended this book to me. With wit, humor and an occasional personal narrative, Mr. McWhorter takes us back in time for a look at how the very first language has split and morphed into over 6,000 languages that enable the world to communicate. Even if you don't have a pressing interest in linguistics, this book will both entertain and educate.

The Partly Cloudy Patriot & Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell

If you don't yet know Sarah Vowell, you should take the time to get to know her. She's an intelligent, engaging and witty writer. She's a self-admitted history nut, with a heavy slant toward the macabre. She takes a fresh and decidedly liberal look at history and politics, offering great insights that are easy to wrap your head around. She's the first writer to make history and politics readable for me.

Inaugural Post

2006-09-11T10:19:00.000-04:00

It's Monday, September 11, 2006. I would love to pause and reflect about how the world and I have changed in the last five years, but I can't. It's too busy at work. I have ZERO time to play on the internet and chat with friends. Work is such a disappointment.

I can tell you that in the last five years, some things have changed while others stayed the same. I'm living in a different city. Professionally things are going very well. Personally things are good, too. Dale and I have been seeing each other for six months. While there is an occasional wrinkle, I'm happier with him than I have been with anyone else. I'm also beginning a slim-down period as I'd gained most of the weight back that I lost a couple years ago.

Saturday I went to Scott's birthday bash in Indianapolis, and had a great time. It was the first time we had met in person. I thought he'd be taller, but I'm not sure why. He and Jay are simply great, and I look forward to visiting again. I met Beau as well. What a nice guy! It was really a good time.

About the blog change...I had been using iWeb with .Mac, a bundled service from Apple. While I liked the "Macness" of it, it wasn't terribly usable. I could ONLY blog from my PowerBook (my desktop is a Blueberry G3 iMac running 10.3.9 and iWeb isn't compatible). So I'm back to Blogger where I can blog from work, or even on my Sidekick. So I should be a more regular blogger. We'll see.