Hi All!
Sorry I didn't get a post up yesterday but I had the chance to sleep in so I grabbed it with both hands and hung on for dear life!
This morning - no sleeping in!
Last night Hubby and I backed up everything on our computer with our newly arrived Clickfree Automatic Backup. This is the same device we saw on the Home Shopping Channel the day that our old computer blew up. Hubby ordered one and we are attempting to be better about backing stuff up! Anyway - the back up took WAY longer than we thought and that precluded any intentions I had of working on the computer.
That means that the two videos I needed to watch and evaluated on the computer didn't get done last night. AND since today is CLASS day (I am certainly NOT excited by that fact!) and I go to work early I don't have the kind of time in the morning that I normally do. That means that I needed to get to work early this morning.
Luckily, I have now gotten both videos watched and evaluated.
The unlucky part - one of the videos is of myself telling a story in American Sign Language (ASL). It is painful to watch yourself on video. It is even more painful to see all of the mistakes you make when you are trying to interpret something into ASL. I can hardly stand it but . . . I must do it so . . . I must. It is just so darn painful to watch!
In other news, my bosses are starting to interview people for my position tonight. Yeah! There might be a light at the end of my work tunnel. Of course, I will probably miss it once I stop working!
Hope your day isn't nearly as painful as mine has been so far!
Trisha
Voice Update: My voice is doing okay. It is a bit breaky here and there as I get stressed from class and work and whatever but it isn't as bad as I was thinking it might be. I must admit that I am not being good about my exercises and massage. I can't seem to get "into the groove" right now.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
Going "Potty!"
Hi All!
First of all - no, this isn't a bathroom related post. Second, it isn't referring to any illegal substance. It is referring to my weekend task of repotting several of my houseplants!
For several weeks now I have been intending to go purchase some new, bigger pots to transfer some of my plants into. My poor ficus has been residing in a pot which was woefully small. My Shefflera has been routinely showing its disdain for the small pot it has been living in by letting its water overflow onto our carpet. And my Christmas cactus . . . it has even gone to the lengths of dropping large portions of itself in an effort to draw attention to the fact that its roots were needing some "breathing room."
So - off I headed to Home Depot with Hubby in tow. We checked out ALL of the pots and debated their various merits before finally heading home with two new pots in the back seat of my car. The need for a third pot was negated - after much discussion - by the fact that there will be a pot of the correct size available after the Shefflera is repotted.
Once home I got out the potting soil and spread a layer of newspaper out on the kitchen floor so that the mess wouldn't become too extreme. Normally I repot on the back patio but it was raining so . . . it was the kitchen.
First up was the Christmas cactus - or what was left of it after it showed me its displeasure by dropping half of itself onto the carpet. It is now safely (and happily, I hope) ensconced in its new pot and looking quite sharp. Skor got into the "helping" mode by making sure that the bag of potting soil was okay. I had quite a task to keep him out of the bag while trying to get dirt into the new pots. It was a bit humorous to see Skor with his white fur covered in black potting soil. Of course, Hubby wasn't too pleased with the tiny black footprints which wound their way through my music room!
After the cactus I did the shefflera -- it also needed a good trim to keep it from getting too lanky. Then I scrubbed out the old Shefflera pot and the ficus got a new home as well.
With all the plants safely into their new abodes, I settled down to clean up the dirt on the floor - helpfully scattered by my two adorable kitties!
Even though repotting plants is a bit of work, it certainly feels good to get your hands dirty and to work with soil. I can't wait for the weather to get a bit better so I can work in my flowerbed outside. It is a good stress reliever!
Trisha
Voice Update: Doing fairly well. I still have some problems but the exercises are taking care of them pretty rapidly. My neck and back are too tight due to stress from my class. I really need to make an effort to get that "thumper" working so I can deal with those tight muscles before they sabotage my voice!
First of all - no, this isn't a bathroom related post. Second, it isn't referring to any illegal substance. It is referring to my weekend task of repotting several of my houseplants!
For several weeks now I have been intending to go purchase some new, bigger pots to transfer some of my plants into. My poor ficus has been residing in a pot which was woefully small. My Shefflera has been routinely showing its disdain for the small pot it has been living in by letting its water overflow onto our carpet. And my Christmas cactus . . . it has even gone to the lengths of dropping large portions of itself in an effort to draw attention to the fact that its roots were needing some "breathing room."
So - off I headed to Home Depot with Hubby in tow. We checked out ALL of the pots and debated their various merits before finally heading home with two new pots in the back seat of my car. The need for a third pot was negated - after much discussion - by the fact that there will be a pot of the correct size available after the Shefflera is repotted.
Once home I got out the potting soil and spread a layer of newspaper out on the kitchen floor so that the mess wouldn't become too extreme. Normally I repot on the back patio but it was raining so . . . it was the kitchen.
First up was the Christmas cactus - or what was left of it after it showed me its displeasure by dropping half of itself onto the carpet. It is now safely (and happily, I hope) ensconced in its new pot and looking quite sharp. Skor got into the "helping" mode by making sure that the bag of potting soil was okay. I had quite a task to keep him out of the bag while trying to get dirt into the new pots. It was a bit humorous to see Skor with his white fur covered in black potting soil. Of course, Hubby wasn't too pleased with the tiny black footprints which wound their way through my music room!
After the cactus I did the shefflera -- it also needed a good trim to keep it from getting too lanky. Then I scrubbed out the old Shefflera pot and the ficus got a new home as well.
With all the plants safely into their new abodes, I settled down to clean up the dirt on the floor - helpfully scattered by my two adorable kitties!
Even though repotting plants is a bit of work, it certainly feels good to get your hands dirty and to work with soil. I can't wait for the weather to get a bit better so I can work in my flowerbed outside. It is a good stress reliever!
Trisha
Voice Update: Doing fairly well. I still have some problems but the exercises are taking care of them pretty rapidly. My neck and back are too tight due to stress from my class. I really need to make an effort to get that "thumper" working so I can deal with those tight muscles before they sabotage my voice!
Friday, February 19, 2010
Finally Friday!
Hi All!
Well, I survived another week and it is Friday. That means NO work and no place I really need to be until my haircut at 4:00! The haircut is more than a month overdue and I WILL NOT be missing it! Last night the front part of my hair - which is heavy and grows forward - was so darn annoying that I put it up in a "whale spout" just to get it out of my face! One of my friends, who called this morning, offered to pay me if I took a picture and posted it online. I don't think so! I can hardly wait until 4:00!
A bit later this morning I will be heading to the college to do some work in the lab. Doesn't that sound like a ton of kicks and giggles? At least the teacher won't be there but I will be getting her feedback on what I do in lab. *sigh*
On to happier thoughts. Have I told you that I am getting my hair cut today? Yes? Oh, well, I just don't want to forget such a happy event!
Yesterday was great! I felt so light and happy. I headed to work where I realized that I had forgotten to do some things on Wednesday. Things which I really needed to do! Oops! Luckily, my bosses are all very understanding so I just did them first thing yesterday and got on with my good day! Due to the little problem, I ended up working a bit later than I had planned. I was going to stop at a nearby mall and go clothes shopping (yes, Mom, I was actually looking forward to going clothes shopping!) but, due to the later time I just headed home to Hubby.
It was a good day and today is Friday! Life is good for the moment!
Trisha
Voice Update: Still struggling a bit due to stress causing the muscles of my neck/throat to tighten up. I have started using my "thumper" and that is helping but I really need to get this darn stress under control! I am back on track with my exercises - doing them in the car in time with classical music made me happy yesterday!
Well, I survived another week and it is Friday. That means NO work and no place I really need to be until my haircut at 4:00! The haircut is more than a month overdue and I WILL NOT be missing it! Last night the front part of my hair - which is heavy and grows forward - was so darn annoying that I put it up in a "whale spout" just to get it out of my face! One of my friends, who called this morning, offered to pay me if I took a picture and posted it online. I don't think so! I can hardly wait until 4:00!
A bit later this morning I will be heading to the college to do some work in the lab. Doesn't that sound like a ton of kicks and giggles? At least the teacher won't be there but I will be getting her feedback on what I do in lab. *sigh*
On to happier thoughts. Have I told you that I am getting my hair cut today? Yes? Oh, well, I just don't want to forget such a happy event!
Yesterday was great! I felt so light and happy. I headed to work where I realized that I had forgotten to do some things on Wednesday. Things which I really needed to do! Oops! Luckily, my bosses are all very understanding so I just did them first thing yesterday and got on with my good day! Due to the little problem, I ended up working a bit later than I had planned. I was going to stop at a nearby mall and go clothes shopping (yes, Mom, I was actually looking forward to going clothes shopping!) but, due to the later time I just headed home to Hubby.
It was a good day and today is Friday! Life is good for the moment!
Trisha
Voice Update: Still struggling a bit due to stress causing the muscles of my neck/throat to tighten up. I have started using my "thumper" and that is helping but I really need to get this darn stress under control! I am back on track with my exercises - doing them in the car in time with classical music made me happy yesterday!
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Pop Tarts and Shuffle Mode
Hi All!
It is a good morning. I am sitting here IMing with Mom, eating a brown sugar Pop Tart, and listening to my iTunes music is shuffle mode. What could be better?!?
Okay, many things could be better but, for this brief second in time I feel like all is right with the world. *sigh* I am just taking a moment to soak it all in!
My LONG day, Wednesday, is over and I feel like a heavy weight has slid from my shoulders. I am still really, REALLY struggling in this darn interpreting class. The teacher has a ton of very, very good information but she is a HORRIBLE teacher. Last night she verbally flogged us several times over things we had done wrong collectively as a class. One of these mistakes is that only 2 out of 12 in the class knew that we were supposed to do an assignment. Now, I ask you - if you have that kind of percentage who is clueless, just whose fault is it? I am a professional teacher, I know whose fault it is - and it isn't the students!
Several times during the course of the four hour class last night I contemplated just dropping the class. It is causing so much stress in my life and just a few hours before going to class Susan told me that I needed to get rid of stress in my life because it negatively impacts my voice. There were a few brighter moments in class when I was glad I was there and was happy with deciding to take it - however, they were few and far between.
So . . . now what do I do? Drop and be stress free for the time being knowing that I would have to take the class again sometime in the future or continue, get it done, and work on managing my stress better? I do have a massager I can use to help keep my muscles a bit looser despite the stress!
Anyway - that was my day yesterday.
This morning I woke up for the first time at 6:30 with a raging headache. I took my regular meds, ate a cheese stick, took some headache meds, and fell back in bed for another hour or so. Now - headache is gone and I am enjoying my Pop Tart and shuffle mode morning!
Trisha
Voice Update: Stress is a bad thing for me. The past week has been really stressful for many reasons - class and a family issue (nothing major just a little stressful) included. I haven't been very good with my exercises during this time and my voice pays the price. Susan has told me to try to get more massages while at work either from her or Maria, her colleague. I need to do that and I need to start taking my "thumper" massager to work again and using it. So many things are running a marathon in my mind . . .
It is a good morning. I am sitting here IMing with Mom, eating a brown sugar Pop Tart, and listening to my iTunes music is shuffle mode. What could be better?!?
Okay, many things could be better but, for this brief second in time I feel like all is right with the world. *sigh* I am just taking a moment to soak it all in!
My LONG day, Wednesday, is over and I feel like a heavy weight has slid from my shoulders. I am still really, REALLY struggling in this darn interpreting class. The teacher has a ton of very, very good information but she is a HORRIBLE teacher. Last night she verbally flogged us several times over things we had done wrong collectively as a class. One of these mistakes is that only 2 out of 12 in the class knew that we were supposed to do an assignment. Now, I ask you - if you have that kind of percentage who is clueless, just whose fault is it? I am a professional teacher, I know whose fault it is - and it isn't the students!
Several times during the course of the four hour class last night I contemplated just dropping the class. It is causing so much stress in my life and just a few hours before going to class Susan told me that I needed to get rid of stress in my life because it negatively impacts my voice. There were a few brighter moments in class when I was glad I was there and was happy with deciding to take it - however, they were few and far between.
So . . . now what do I do? Drop and be stress free for the time being knowing that I would have to take the class again sometime in the future or continue, get it done, and work on managing my stress better? I do have a massager I can use to help keep my muscles a bit looser despite the stress!
Anyway - that was my day yesterday.
This morning I woke up for the first time at 6:30 with a raging headache. I took my regular meds, ate a cheese stick, took some headache meds, and fell back in bed for another hour or so. Now - headache is gone and I am enjoying my Pop Tart and shuffle mode morning!
Trisha
Voice Update: Stress is a bad thing for me. The past week has been really stressful for many reasons - class and a family issue (nothing major just a little stressful) included. I haven't been very good with my exercises during this time and my voice pays the price. Susan has told me to try to get more massages while at work either from her or Maria, her colleague. I need to do that and I need to start taking my "thumper" massager to work again and using it. So many things are running a marathon in my mind . . .
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
What Do You See?
Hi All!
The good news is that my paper for class is complete - not turned in yet but complete. Hubby refused to read it (he doesn't like to read what I write because he doesn't understand the content) but, hopefully, it will pass muster with "the teacher."
I also completed my other classwork which involved watching a video of another student and then completing a peer evaluation of her interpreting. This isn't the easiest thing to do in the world because you want to be critical enough that she can grow from the evaluation but you don't want to be too negative to be discouraging. Such a balancing act!
Oh well! I am not thinking about class again until later this afternoon.
On to more fun things. This morning I actually took the time to do some more crocheting - the first time in over two weeks. I also watched two of my recorded shows which I haven't had time to watch lately. No, I didn't walk or get additional sleep which I could certainly used but, I had a nice, relaxing time.
Today I thought I would ask you what you see in this picture . . .
Oops! That isn't the right picture! That is just a darn cute picture of my kiddos taking a bit of a nap. They are both determined to nap on my favorite pink blanket!
This is the picture I want to know about. What do you see?
The good news is that my paper for class is complete - not turned in yet but complete. Hubby refused to read it (he doesn't like to read what I write because he doesn't understand the content) but, hopefully, it will pass muster with "the teacher."
I also completed my other classwork which involved watching a video of another student and then completing a peer evaluation of her interpreting. This isn't the easiest thing to do in the world because you want to be critical enough that she can grow from the evaluation but you don't want to be too negative to be discouraging. Such a balancing act!
Oh well! I am not thinking about class again until later this afternoon.
On to more fun things. This morning I actually took the time to do some more crocheting - the first time in over two weeks. I also watched two of my recorded shows which I haven't had time to watch lately. No, I didn't walk or get additional sleep which I could certainly used but, I had a nice, relaxing time.
Today I thought I would ask you what you see in this picture . . .
Oops! That isn't the right picture! That is just a darn cute picture of my kiddos taking a bit of a nap. They are both determined to nap on my favorite pink blanket!
This is the picture I want to know about. What do you see?
Have a super Wednesday!
Trisha
Voice Update: Still having a bit of trouble but I do have speech today so . . . I am sure that I will be "whipped into shape" in no time at all!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Short for a Reason
Hi All!
This is going to be a short, short post because I need to get working on a paper for class tomorrow. I am not looking forward to submitting a paper to my professor because she is VERY picky about grammar, spelling, and form even though she herself can't spell (even on a PowerPoint presentation!).
Wish me luck!
Trisha
Voice Update: Ugh. Still having some issues but working on it. Working on it!
This is going to be a short, short post because I need to get working on a paper for class tomorrow. I am not looking forward to submitting a paper to my professor because she is VERY picky about grammar, spelling, and form even though she herself can't spell (even on a PowerPoint presentation!).
Wish me luck!
Trisha
Voice Update: Ugh. Still having some issues but working on it. Working on it!
Monday, February 15, 2010
Are They Trying to Tell Me Something?
Hi All!
This weekend was pretty quite. I went to the ASL lab on Saturday morning and was the only student there for most of the three hours I was there. I watched a video which made me realize just how much practice I need if I am planning on being an interpreter! Yikes!
Anyway. I had fun at lab talking to the two lab assistants. We talked about television shows and about how my lovely kitty - Skor - just wouldn't let me sleep in at all that morning. Skor is well known by reputation in that lab by now!
After lab I headed home to find Hubby holding a rather bedraggled African Violet. Or what was left of one. To start the story at the "real" beginning, I should tell you that when we got Skor I had two lovely, flourishing African Violets. One had purple blooms and one had white blooms. They bloomed almost constantly and were full and lush and . .. wonderful.
And then . . . Skor discovered how to get onto the plant stand. The African violets were not and still aren't his main objectives on the plant stand. He is after the taller, spikier plants like my Amaryllis and Paper White plants. He enjoys batting the tall spikes around. He likes to nudge the long leaves with his head. He sits and stares at the tall greenery for long moments. Never does he bite or chew the plants. That doesn't sound too bad, does it?
Well, it isn't too bad until you realize that while Skor is taking in the beauty of the plants he is seated. Seated on my African Violets!
Apparently, the lovely spreading leaves of the violets makes a comfortable place to settle for a while. And, when a rather large kitty begins sitting on a plant . . . well, that plant tends to get a bit messed up.
I first noticed something was wrong around Christmas time when my beautiful purple violet suddenly had leaves which were broken off. I couldn't quite put my finger on the reason though. I just kept taking off broken leaves and pondering what was going. on. Soon, the poor plant was down to only three leaves and the stem. No more purple blooms.
Next, I found that wonderful plant sitting in its pot with the stem neatly snapped in two. It had given its life. *sigh*
It wasn't until a couple of weeks later that I figured out that the violet had given its life to be a kitty seat. It wasn't until Hubby noticed a big chunk of white kitty hair on the other violet which had several leaves snapped off of it. By watching vigilantly, we soon discovered Skor's plant watching habit.
Trying to stop the plant sitting Hubby and I rearranged furniture trying to make the plant stand more inaccessible. We rearrange plants on the stand trying to make it impossible for a kitty to actually fit on the stand. Needless to say, we were not very successful. The white violet has been slowly paying the price of being a seat - broken leaves and a sudden lack of blooms in protest.
Saturday Hubby greeted me with the sad remains of that white African Violet. Skor had knocked the entire plant off the stand during one of his greenery staring sessions. *sigh*
Now we are trying to save the violet's life. I don't know if we can do it or not.
Yesterday I was doctoring the violet when I decided to water my other plants. I went into my music room and noticed that my Christmas Cactus was a bit droopy. I picked up the pot and half of the plant literally just dropped off and hit the floor!
Is it in sympathy for the violet? Is it because I am a bad "plant mother?" What is this plant trying to tell me?
Trisha
Voice Update: Well, for some unknown reason, my voice has been a bit rough lately. I have had more problems than normal with those unvoiced consonants (haven't ever heard that before, have you???). I do have an appointment on Wednesday so I am sure that I will get everything "ironed" out by then.
This weekend was pretty quite. I went to the ASL lab on Saturday morning and was the only student there for most of the three hours I was there. I watched a video which made me realize just how much practice I need if I am planning on being an interpreter! Yikes!
Anyway. I had fun at lab talking to the two lab assistants. We talked about television shows and about how my lovely kitty - Skor - just wouldn't let me sleep in at all that morning. Skor is well known by reputation in that lab by now!
After lab I headed home to find Hubby holding a rather bedraggled African Violet. Or what was left of one. To start the story at the "real" beginning, I should tell you that when we got Skor I had two lovely, flourishing African Violets. One had purple blooms and one had white blooms. They bloomed almost constantly and were full and lush and . .. wonderful.
And then . . . Skor discovered how to get onto the plant stand. The African violets were not and still aren't his main objectives on the plant stand. He is after the taller, spikier plants like my Amaryllis and Paper White plants. He enjoys batting the tall spikes around. He likes to nudge the long leaves with his head. He sits and stares at the tall greenery for long moments. Never does he bite or chew the plants. That doesn't sound too bad, does it?
Well, it isn't too bad until you realize that while Skor is taking in the beauty of the plants he is seated. Seated on my African Violets!
Apparently, the lovely spreading leaves of the violets makes a comfortable place to settle for a while. And, when a rather large kitty begins sitting on a plant . . . well, that plant tends to get a bit messed up.
I first noticed something was wrong around Christmas time when my beautiful purple violet suddenly had leaves which were broken off. I couldn't quite put my finger on the reason though. I just kept taking off broken leaves and pondering what was going. on. Soon, the poor plant was down to only three leaves and the stem. No more purple blooms.
Next, I found that wonderful plant sitting in its pot with the stem neatly snapped in two. It had given its life. *sigh*
It wasn't until a couple of weeks later that I figured out that the violet had given its life to be a kitty seat. It wasn't until Hubby noticed a big chunk of white kitty hair on the other violet which had several leaves snapped off of it. By watching vigilantly, we soon discovered Skor's plant watching habit.
Trying to stop the plant sitting Hubby and I rearranged furniture trying to make the plant stand more inaccessible. We rearrange plants on the stand trying to make it impossible for a kitty to actually fit on the stand. Needless to say, we were not very successful. The white violet has been slowly paying the price of being a seat - broken leaves and a sudden lack of blooms in protest.
Saturday Hubby greeted me with the sad remains of that white African Violet. Skor had knocked the entire plant off the stand during one of his greenery staring sessions. *sigh*
Now we are trying to save the violet's life. I don't know if we can do it or not.
Yesterday I was doctoring the violet when I decided to water my other plants. I went into my music room and noticed that my Christmas Cactus was a bit droopy. I picked up the pot and half of the plant literally just dropped off and hit the floor!
Is it in sympathy for the violet? Is it because I am a bad "plant mother?" What is this plant trying to tell me?
Trisha
Voice Update: Well, for some unknown reason, my voice has been a bit rough lately. I have had more problems than normal with those unvoiced consonants (haven't ever heard that before, have you???). I do have an appointment on Wednesday so I am sure that I will get everything "ironed" out by then.
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