The "Normal" Routine!

Hi All!

I feel as if a HUGE burden has been lifted from my shoulders! My first day of not working in a long, long time! I can finally try to get back into a "normal" routine!

The first step is getting up and out of the house in the morning for my walk. Hubby took me to buy new shoes after church yesterday so I was ready. I slipped those puppies on and hit the pavement. It felt good!



















While I was walking I got to do two things I really enjoy. First, I got to listen to a couple podcasts - my daily devotional which I have been neglecting recently, my bible in a year podcast which has also been neglected, and Grey's Anatomy's podcast which is always a treat!

Second, I got to see the evidence that Spring really is coming to my neck of the woods! I didn't take my camera along today but I have some pictures to show you.


















This beauty is hiding in the middle of a shrub in the so-called landscaping around my church. What an unexpected place to find such a lovely sign of Spring!

The Bradford Pair trees in our neighborhood are in full bloom. They look like they did when they were shrouded with snow! I wanted to show you a picture of the snow to compare the two but Blogger didn't want that picture to load, apparently!

Tomorrow I will take my camera with me on my walk so I can show you the daffodils and the tulip sprouts which are coming up everywhere! Yes, Spring is in the still-chilly air!

*taking a deep breathe!*

Yes, Spring is here!

Trisha

Voice Update: Still doing really well - thank God. I am trying to get into my routine of voice exercises again now that I have some time to de-stress from everything that has been going on in the past couple of months. The NSDA is having a regional symposium in Denver in May. If you are in the area and have SD - you should attend! Go to the NSDA website for more information.

I'm Done, I'm Done, I'm Done!!!! Part 2

Hi All!

Well, I am now officially out of work. It is horrible to say that in a time when so many people are looking for a job - any job but, for me, this is a good thing! Maybe now I won't be so stressed about class because I will have more time to prepare and do work for the class instead of going to work and then straight to class. Also, my kitties will be happy to have me home more than I have been. Another big plus - I might actually have time to go grocery shopping more than once every three weeks!

Today I am dealing with the "Dropping of the other shoe." Apparently, my stress was holding the worst of my ongoing cold symptoms at bay. Now that I am finally relaxing . . . the cold has moved into my chest (and my ears!) and I am coughing like a 40 year smoker! It was so bad last night that it actually got me out of bed because I ended up not being able to breathe!

However - I am going to ignore that today so that Hubby and I can go to the car show to check out cars I might be interested in. When I say cars, I really mean SUVs. That is what we want to check out but, who knows, I might find a car that I fall in love with! Maybe Hubby and I will even eat dinner out today! Wouldn't that be fun? I can't believe I am excited about a car show but, I am!

Tomorrow I probably won't blog because Hubby and I have an all day appointment to take a defensive driving class for insurance discount purposes. Fun, fun, fun!

Anyway - I am planning a nice nap this morning after a rousing play session with Skor. I can hardly wait!

Have a super weekend!

Trisha

Voice Update: The coughing really did a number on my voice. I am having more breaks than I have had lately. I am doing inhale exercises to see if I can nip this tendency in the bud, so to speak!

I'm Done, I'm Done, I'm Done!!!!

Hi All!

Midterms are officially over and I am still here to tell about it! All in all, the test (which was on the computer) wasn't too hard and the expressive part where we actually had to interpret was a bit "interesting." I didn't do really well but I also didn't do really badly so I guess it is all okay!

My videos . . . I will find out if the teacher can watch them. I managed to watch them on the video camera to evaluate them but . . . if the teacher can't watch them I don't get credit for them at all. To tell you the truth - I don't know that I really care at the moment. I am just glad that I have a week without class!

I am going to head to work today and I hope that it will be one of my last days. I am thinking that next week the new person can just call me up with questions instead of me needing to be there during the day. I might go up one day during the week if she needs me. That is something we will have to talk about today when I go.

Doesn't that sound like fun?

Trisha

Voice Update: Still pretty good. I have some ups and downs but doing pretty darn good considering the stress I have been under.

TEST DAY!!!!!

Hi All!

Well, the disc issue isn't fixed - yet. I am working on getting a download so that my computer can show them. I know that one of my videos (out of three) has already been evaluated by a wonderful classmate! Now, I just need to evaluate it myself!

I don't have to work today - we will see how the new person does on her own. Actually, Linda, the person I was subbing for, is going to go up for a little bit to work with her so she can answer questions. I wish her luck.

Meanwhile, I will be studying and trying to get everything done for class without freaking out! This whole thing has been too stressful! I am starting to wonder if it is worth it or not. If all of my interpreting classes are going to be this demanding and stressful I don't think I will make it! Hopefully, it will get better after I am jobless again. I am keeping my fingers crossed!

In related news . . . have I told you how much I love and adore Hubby? He is being incredibly supportive and reassuring during this time of stress. He gives me fabulous hugs (not too many kisses due to the fact that he is still fighting off his cold and doesn't want me to be sick for my midterm!). He has been washing dishes and cooking dinner and shopping and basically picking up the slack while I try to pull it together! He is my hero!

Have a good day. I am going to try to study!

Trisha

Voice Update: Surprisingly good considering the stress I am under. No breaks until I get tired at night. I do continue to have problems with the word "two" and with unvoiced consonants at the beginning of words. However, if I make sure that the words with those problems in them are in the middle of a sentence I can usually do pretty well. Hubby just got us plane tickets and hotel reservations to go to the NSDA symposium in Denver in May! It is going to be fun!

I Bet It All on a Good Run of Bad Luck!

Hi All!

The stress is getting to me. Midterms. Training. Trying to get three videos done.

Let's just say . . . it isn't working for me!

One of the three videos will be okay. The other two. A whole different story!

My friend and I planned on getting together yesterday when I got home from work so that I could borrow her video camera to tape my two videos. Great plan, right? I thought so. Until we were all done (at 9:30 at night) and realized that I can't play the videos on my computer! This causes a bit of a problem since I am supposed to self-evaluate them and upload them to the internet so other people in class can evaluate them. Not going to happen.

So - I have to fall back on plan b. Of course, I don't have a plan b.

I guess I will be thinking today!

Ughhhhh!

Trisha

Voice Update: Doing okay. However, I haven't seen Susan for a long time - she is out due to some minor surgery. I need to do more exercises but I just keep forgetting in the midst of everything else!

This Time Last Year

Hi All!

While my cold is still a constant companion at this point in time, I am working through because I really don't have any other choice!

Good news - I probably only have another week of training and then I will be jobless again! I know it is bad to say during this time when people are looking for jobs but . . . I can't wait to be jobless!

This is what my life looked like about one year ago this weekend . . .

I was deeply involved in preparing for the Destination Imagination tournament. As the Instant Challenge Challenge Master I was responsible for getting everything ready to go. You can see that it was pretty much an all-consuming project!

This year I will once more be heading to the DI tournament tomorrow but NOT as the Challenge Master! I will only be an appraiser! Someone else did all the preparation and training and everything else that was needed. Me - I am just going to show up tomorrow and have a LONG but fun day! That is one stress that isn't in my life right now!

And it is very good that I don't have that particular stress in my life right now! I have enough going on with this class. Once more I am not prepared to talk about what is going on - it will just stress me out more!

Anyway - that is about it for today. I am getting ready to head to the lab to do some work for class. Fun, fun!

I hope you all have a super Friday!

Trisha

Voice Update: I am having my ups and downs but, overall, things are still pretty good with my voice. I need to really concentrate on my exercises but with everything else going on . . . I keep forgetting! That isn't good, is it?

A Post From Skor

Hi All!

Mom is still struggling with her head cold so I decided that I would take over her blog for the day.

I know Mom told you about the books she bought. She told you that Miss Cleo and I had already checked them out. Well, she wasn't quite right. Let me show you the REAL story.


















Okay - wait. This camera is a bit tricky. Let me try again.



















Darn! Mom makes it look so easy!



















You have it upside down! Here, I can help you.



















Thanks. I think we have it now. Okay. Here are Mom's new books.



















As kitties, it is our responsibility to check these things out completely for any danger. Homeland security has nothing on us!

Each book gets a total sniffing and then we have to check the back and edges too. That leads to a bit of what Mom would call a mess.


















See? I am almost done with the pile. The only issue is that I can't pile them back up. Mess? I would call this a job well done!


















This is Mom's book cabinet. She will put the new books in here just as soon as Miss Cleo and I are done investigating them. The books in here are off limits to us kitties - I keep trying to get in there to investigate but, Mom won't let me in!



















After all that investigation, Miss Cleo and I are tired out and need to nap on Mom's favorite blanket.

Well, that is the REAL scoop on how kitties investigate Mom's new books. I hope you enjoyed the information.

I hope Mom is feeling better tomorrow. I don't know though - she has THAT class tonight and never is real happy after that.

Oh well!

Have a great day!

Skor (and Miss Cleo)