It finally happened! XD

Ladies & gents, for the first time in my entire 23.9 years, I was required to have my name written on my Starbucks order. X) Excuse me while I go mentally breakdown over this Life Event. ((sobs))

Original Instagram Post

I LIVE!!! Omg, right?

Wow, I'm not dead at all. Figure it's time to actually start blogging since I'm not doing classes this summer for the first time since 2009. Funny, huh? I'm planning to do my internship this Fall so my state benefits cover tuition and I'll have more opportunities for hours since schools will be in session.

In any case, I'm not sure what all I'll blog about. Just my life in general, I guess? So lots of video games, TV shows, movies, fandoms, and working discussions, I guess? So yay. Lots of those topics. I might even start vlogging in ASL just to keep my skills up since I'll have VERY limited access to other signers this summer. I'm also trying to self-train/condition for the Run For Your Lives 5K obstacle course run in October, so maybe some discussion about all of that, too; I joined Fitocracy and bought Zombies, Run! on my phone to force at least some commitment out of myself.

Anyway, my "tooth" (just got a wisdom pulled Friday) is acting up, my pain pill hasn't kicked in yet, and my brain isn't working very well right now, so I'm gonna stop this right here. I might put up some backlogged posts from my private blog here. Enjoy those, too!

But here! Have some photos of me since the last time I blogged! 8D

Laters!

Budgeting

Let me tell you right now: I am shit at budgeting outside immediate expenses. Convention in 6-months? Can totally plan for it if I get the hotel first. I’ve been going to conventions annually since 2004 and know the ins-and-outs of financing for it with both myself and my sister like the back of my hand. Of course, they’ve never been further away than a 3-hour drive. So planning to surprise and take me and Jess to Comic-Con for her graduation present next summer? Totally daunting. That’s airfare, hotel, food, spending and emergency funds for both of us, and that’s only if I can manage to get us passes when they go on sale. They sell out within minutes of posting!

With my last federal tuition check until this Fall semester coming at the end of this month, I’m really screwed money-wise. Especially with a $200+ car insurance payment to my mom every month. I’m working part-time at my campus bookstore and 2 hours a week in my church’s nursery: I’m not making that payment without another job. Hopefully I get this job at GameStop, too. I love video games so much, might as well earn money for it, right? My love and knowledge of certain fields is why I’ve worked the jobs I have. My internship is scheduled for this Fall, so I’ve got stuff to do this summer and empty pockets to prove it.
So in essence, I need to learn some budgeting and I need to learn it FAST.

Which is why I’ve spent the last 5 or so hours prowling the internet for tutorials on doing so instead of sleeping before my 6-hour shift in 4 hours (as of typing this sentence). Tumblr people, you haven’t failed me yet; you get to keep those perfect scores on troubleshooting research. I found awesome links and Excel sheets to use before I hit the first goldmine: Mint.com. Love it for it’s simple complexity, although having to connect it to my bank account through the site skeeved me out a bit, but some user reviews put me at ease on that. I drew the line at putting in my SSN to find my credit score, though; that was a bit much for me at 11:30 PM.

It made up a trending budget based on my bank transactions and showed me what categories I spent too much on in comparison. I used that to add up monthly totals on a spreadsheet I’d found and promptly scared the f**k out of myself on how much I spend on food and iTunes. Needless to say, I’d better godsd*mn enjoy the new Fall Out Boy album and free Rooster Teeth podcasts until Daft Punk’s new album drops and start bag lunching. Outside of that, though, I got stuck. I see where I spend a lot and save nothing, but how do I plan out future stuff in a more customized fashion?

Enter You Need A Budget.com, an interactive budgeting software and lifestyle method for creating and managing a flexible budget, despite a variance in your monthly income. Their goal? To get you to the point of living on last month’s paycheck. It’s $60 for the full desktop version, but they have a 34-day trial before you buy it. Not to mention online webinars and a mobile app for Droid and iOS, though I think you need the full version to use those.

Either way, it’s beautiful and I love it immensely. Fully customizable on what I need to budget for, awesomely visual for an ADHD person such as myself, and doesn’t lock me into an unchangeable money schedule outside of what I want it to. It even helps you manage your credit cards and cash! And that’s without connecting to your bank account!

To put it simply: I now have $5 put away for both Comic-Con 2014 and PAX East 2015, with a budget for my current balance of $65. I’m already feeling empowered. Amazing what chatting with your friend about her finding a new apartment can do.

ACES!!!

Aw yeah! Guess who got an A on her Minecraft essay!? XD

I might put a copy of it on Google Docs to share with you all. We'll see if I can do what I want with it.

oh the joys of technology

so i accidentally linked my phone up to my XBOX this morning while looking at photos of my room.

this was the result

but then

it kind of

escalated

a bit.

inception?

oh gods

WHAT HAVE I DONE!?!

Here's towards the hopeful future. (tl;dr at the bottom)

So, this is quite obviously a blog. It is also, quite obviously, an unused blog. Not unloved, because I seriously do love it, I just don't actually use it. :/ Hmm... So here begs the question.

What do I do with it?

Abandon it? Uh, no, I put effort into what's on here and the HTML coding I finagled for the layout. Reconstitute it? Eh, maybe. I mean, there's only so much I can talk about school-wise (simply b/c this blog is searchable and I like my grades), or my boy (b/c there's only so much I can know about what he's up to), or having fibromyalgia (depressing after a while, tbh), or anything else, really. But! I can talk about nail polish. Because believe me, I have a LOT of nail polish.

The sad thing about having the amount I do is that I can't really wear them because of my major. I would pick a career path that frowns on nail polish. You can wear it, of course, but it's such a big distraction you kinda feel guilty about having it on. Especially me. I'm darker toned with a huge love of bright and colorful and sultry darks. I hate neutrals for nail unless it's to keep from overpowering your outfit. Example being awesome patterns you want all eyes on.

A.K.A. Roxie's the one to most likely walk down the metaphorical aisle with bright yellow and aqua nails just because she can. And end the day with cake up her nose and no regrets. (Then again, my hypothetical after party shoes would be covered in comic, movie, and game characters galore, soo...)

Anyway. How could I feel guilty doing sign language interpreting with bright colors on my nails? I mean really, it's me, I wouldn't really care at all outside of a job. But when your HoH professor, who's been bilingual since elementary school, takes you aside and tells you herself that your holographic nail polish isn't helping her understand or grade you any better? Yea, then you stop wearing it. ((sigh)) I miss my nail polish.

Now watch me go paint my nails in defiance since I don't see her til Wednesday.

(And in case you missed what that whole post was about: I'm going to review what nail polishes I have, plus any new ones I get. And maybe to the occasional movie/game/etc review, too.)

I am a horrifyingly bad blogger.

In case you all couldn't tell.

Oh, man! Check it out! I'm not dead!

Wow! Long time no see! In the shuffle of Google moving things about and Blogspot getting absorbed, etc, I totally forgot about this blog! What? The lack of posts didn't tip you off? :b Shame on me. So, here's a quick update on me.

I'm in my last year of ASL Interpreting before I graduate after my internship. Then possibly transferring to George Mason for a Communications bachelor. That all depends on me and whether my boy is home from overseas. If he is I might take a semester off to stay with him for a while and reconnect/regroup. We'll see.

Oh! My boy! Yes, I didn't mention him last year, did I? I met him around the time of my post before this thanks to our wonderful mutual friends. It's been an LDR ever since. Each time we try to see each other, unfortunately, life gets in the way. He's a Navy boy and currently off being awesome somewhere. Gotta love my grease-seamonkey. XP

Did I ever mention having fibromyalgia? I don't remember. If I did, it's gotten worse and better at the same time. Better because I know how to manage it a bit better as far as prevention goes. Worse because now when I have a flare up, it really knocks me on my ass for a while.

Life wise? Eh, it's going best it can, I guess. Otherwise: I miss all my kids! Rex, CW, Carly, Murray, Noah! All my babies! Taking care of these 7+ year olds is no fun when I think about all my little ones! DX I miss them so much!

So that's all I've got for you guys. Oh! Other than me joining Weight Watchers, I mean. I fell off the wagon a bit during the end of the summer, but I seem to be doing betting if all the latest weight loss is anything to go by. :)

Ta for now! I'm tired and have classes in the morning. Farewell!

sign language interpreter rocks out to Bohemian Rhapsody on the radio

Oh how I rue the week of finals…

Of course this semester is compromised of all take home finals. Of course this all happens after 3 days of no sleep
where I try to finish all of my work in Deaf Culture (of which I was lacking in the completion).
Now, I’m trying and hoping that I still have my classes next semester.

I take that lie back. TWO of my finals are take home. One is at the testing center and is all ESSAYS.
I repeat: ESSAYS. Like this thing was meant to kill any real hope I had of passing this class completely.

Excuse me while I go kill myself over this f*ckery.

Oh it can be so annoying!

Seriously?

I just want to be able to come home and sign sometimes instead of talking.

A whole weekend of not signing isn't fun. Ugh.

"See What I'm Saying?"

It occurred to me that I haven't posted in a VERY long time,
so let's rectify that, shall we?
The poster above is for the documentary "See What I'm Saying" about Deaf entertainers. I was lucky enough to be able to go see the first public screening at Gallaudet today during the VSA. Yay! Me, Cindy, Katie and some friends of hers tromped out to Florida Ave in 80 degree weather to see this. We took the metro, of course, but still. Metro in DC during rush hour? ECK! Never want to do that again!
Was it worth it? ABSOLUTELY! Although I don't think I'll be going to another Deaf event as the only higher level signer of a group. So stressful trying to remember all the signs we needed after being sick for a week. The others were lucky because they'd just had class this morning. In anycase! Back to what I was talking about.
This movie? Perfect! It showed the struggle of the Deaf community in this hearing world of ours, but it also showed that Deaf people are human and just as capable as the next hearing person is. This was of course the main goal of the movie, but it was still moving to see what Deaf people go through. One of the cast members reflects on how his mother didn't want to learn sign in order to talk to him. TL (the only female to cast member) talks about how as a Hard of Hearing member of the Deaf community, she struggles with being told she's not "Deaf enough" and not "hearing" enough. If anyone is in DC and has a chance to go over to Gally, GO SEE THIS! The DVD comes out this fall and I can't wait to get it!
We sadly didn't get a chance to stay for the Q&A session with the director/producer since we came by metro. But I do want to try and get some others to go see it.

This Saturday is Deaf and Hard of Hearing Awareness day at Kings Dominion. Can't wait! Interpreters and people signing everywhere! Gah! It'll be amazing! XD Cindy, awesome girl that she is, bought me a ticket for my birthday as an ulterior motive to have someone she knew going. Seriously, I asked her four times for the "How To Train Your Dragon" (my newest obsession that kicked "WALL-E" from my all time favorite movie spot) fleece blanket (sadly only available at WalMart. UGH!). No, scratch that, I begged her for it. And no, she refused. My plea for a $14 blanket became a $27 theme park ticket.

I think I can live with that.


......I still want the blanket though.


Trailer:

Ugh...

I have been sick....

Since Tuesday....

And I'm just now able to breathe through my nose....

This.

SUCKS!

I love this skit!

If I ever need a laugh and I'm near a computer, this is the skit for me. 8D Enjoy everyone!

Oh that was a long break!

Well, I've got just over an hour before I have to head to my next class. Which is also the last class of my first week back to school! :) Just some pictures for you all as I begin to re-enjoy school before it all crashes in....in a semi-good way. :D

Had our first ASL Class where we learned more than each others names.
(a.k.a. The Ice Breaker class)
You can barely see her, but that's Antonia, a friend from last semester's ASL class who I hadn't seen the first class and was SO happy to see return! Yayness!

Cindy! She (who I mention here) isn't new to ASL, but as a class she is. She went to the clubs at our high school after I graduated and hasn't done much since (minus when I took her to ASL Club that one time).
So happy to see her taking it for her Humanities credit! XD I have a carpool buddy for club now! w00ts!

Snapshot of my first non-"Ice Breaker" Intro to Interpreting class. Had reading to do from the first class and I got it finished that morning on the bus with Cindy. It was awesome!
I love the professor I have. It's also great that this class uses the books for the RID, so I'll already have it when I test for mine. :)

I broke down and bought me a bucket purse. Can you believe it? And the amazing thing?
I LOVE it!
It's amazing! It's a Harlow Yak-Pak (a company I absolutely love for their bags). It's only 3 pockets (w/one for a phone as well), but it's just big enough for me to use for days when I only have 2 or 1 class (aka not Mondays), and with only 3 pockets (outside/main/inside) I don't loose anything but it all stays organized. The fact that it's not all Boho looking makes me happy too. :)
Like the prints and all, but sometimes it's a bit too much of a good thing.

This book. Oh what to say about this book? Hmm...
I finished it in less than 48 hours (school and sleep included). It was amazing.
It made me cry. It made me heal. And it's just fantastic. :)
And I can go see the movie now that I've read it. :D Jessye (my younger sister) is going to see it this Friday with a friend from school (possibly), so I'll know what to expect when she gets home at least. Otherwise, I reccomend it to all of you! It is a fabulous read that I did not want to put down. :)

Well, enjoy the weekend everyone! I'm off to read some other stuff before class starts. :D

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!!

Hoping everyone has a Happy Christmas!

For all you Americans out there, Merry Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Eat And Be Merry!

Remember, everyone! Diets don't exist on Turkey Day!

Reaction Paper: ASL Club (for ASL 101, I GOT A 100! A+ XD)

Every Wednesday at the Starbucks down the street from campus, a group of 20 or more people meets up from four to six in the evening to chat. Quietly. They’re members of the NOVA ASL Club and the surrounding area’s Deaf and Hard of Hearing citizens. It’s a weekly chance for new and native signers to get together, chat, and get better at their signing, or just socialize. The perfect place for ASL students like me to go and hang out on a Wednesday evening and get some practice in while having fun.

My first ASL Club meeting was fairly strange and highly intimidating. I was more worried I’d offend someone than I was about making a complete fool of myself. We’d only gotten done with the first two Units in our class book and were working into our third, so I felt like a fish out of water. Thankfully I wasn’t alone, I’d gone with a classmate of mine, so we got to mentally freak-out together rather than alone. The first thing we did was introduce ourselves and gather names of some of the other attendees, then we figured out who was Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or Hearing. We ended up spending a majority of our time with a Hearing couple at first, but then spread out to the others.

During the meeting, I was slightly subdued and extremely shy to trying to sign to the other members. I worried that I’d end up offending someone with the wrong gesture or that my horrid grammar would make others less willing to talk to me. But I found an open, friendly, and willing to suffer group of people who didn’t mind that I signed like a two-year-old (as I’m pretty sure I did, if not worse). No one begrudged me of my ability (or lack thereof) with signing and everyone was patient when I had to fingerspell to get my point across.

ASL Club is the first time I’ve been able to completely immerse myself in a language I was learning, besides English, of course. It’s a weird experience because the last two languages I was learning didn’t really have a larger audience outside of the classroom. Now, it’s like I can’t get away from ASL. At school, at the movies, even in the grocery store around the corner from my house, I see people signing everywhere. I once asked an ASL II student who came to the meetings if she noticed that she paid more attention to peoples’ hands when they spoke now. She said yes and that I’d eventually get used to it.

Now I’m thinking about going into Interpreting, which a lot of the Deaf and HoH members said would be fantastic. It’s like Christmas comes early when you mention going into Interpreting to one of them. They get excited and start signing too quickly for my brain and eyes to keep up. It’s a field that has been neglected and they love hearing how people want to help them and others like them in navigating this audio world.

Then again, ASL always fascinated me because it wasn’t audio, but visual. I’ve now attended more than 5 ASL Club meetings and each one is more fun every time. I learn more signs, I have great conversations, and I keep in practice. It’s absolutely fantastic and I love it. I still wish I could convince my mom and sister to come to one of the meetings with me, but alas, still no luck. I just want them to see me having a conversation in ASL like they’ve heard me butcher other spoken languages. I guess I’ll just have to keep working on it. But until then, ASL Club is like a second home with a cooler language…and coffee. Can’t forget about that.

Quick ASL Club Update

So yesterday evening, my mom and sister were awesome enough to come to ASL Club with me like I've been asking since my first time going. It was so much fun! They got to see me sign with everyone else, Interpret for the Deaf members who introduced themselves, and Jess got to use the fingerspelling I taught her all these months ago. :D In short, it was a blast and I hope it happens again! XD

Spring 2010: Double Major Time!

Yes, that's right. You read the title correctly. I'm going to be a double major next semester for Photography and the ASL Interpreting Certificate (which is the beginning to the Interpreting program). I've already signed up for my courses and I'm so stoked for this semester to be over already. Two semesters until I'm done with my Photography degree and then on to my ASL one. And, if I want my bachelor's degree for either, I can probably transfer to Gally or somewhere for both of them. :D

Anyway, sorry for not updating lately. Been busy with multiple things going on. I entered the 2009 FotoWeekDC Night Visions contest (where local photographers shoot from 6PM-6AM) and was displayed for a week. So cool! XD I have to go pick up the print now so my mom can frame it like the proud parent she is. And she should be! She and Jess drove me around until 3AM that night. So grateful to those two. :)

So, I need to go and finish up my ASL paper. And to leave off, I give you my Spring 2010 schedule! Laters!

Spring 2010
Day : Time : Class : Campus
Mon./10A-11.40A/ASL II/Ann.
Mom./12.30P-1.45P/Intro to Interpreting/Ann.
Mon./4.30P-7.20P/History of Japan/Alx.
Wed./10A-11.40A/ASL II/Ann.
Wed./12.30P-1.45P/Intro to Interpreting/Ann.
Thu./3.30P-7.15P/Studio Lighting I/Alx.
Thu./7.30P-10.15P/Studio Portraiture/Alx.

EDIT (11/17/09)
I'm officially a double major! And I'm starting on my classes next semester! Just added the Interpreting: Intro to The Profession class. :D Whoo!