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January 28 Snow Day!!!!!We got a snow day today! Left work yesterday figuring we would get a 2 hour delay at best... and half the time the weather people are wrong - often saying we would get a bad strom and then we'd get maybe a coating. We're not on the new calling system in our district - they said since we're "outside contractors" it would be too difficult to put us in. So, one of the secretaries was nice enough to say she'd call us. We didn't get notified til about 6 this morning. We have one person who has to leave pretty close to that time, so this makes it kind of difficult.
Anyway...I cannot rememer the last time we had a snow day. The staff is as bad as the kids hoping for one. It's pretty funny. Not much planned. Going to watch a movie and maybe try to trudge out to the rental store. I need to get a pipe snake. Not looking forward to that job, but we are at a point where I cannot use my washer or kitchen sink much, so it's past time to do it.
Going to fiinish my coffee and veg out a little. January 25 SometimesEvery once in a while you have a day or a minute where all the crapola you deal with at work just doesn't matter any more. Last night was one of those times. One of the students got a small scholarship. I offered to interpret it. Organizations did not always have money in their budgets to pay for an interpreter, so I was very willing to do this for this student. He's the only one that doesn't cause any kind of drama and has just become a really nice person.
The dinner was held at a swanky hotel in Philadelphia. Of 250 applicants, the group picked 12 to recieve a scholarship. The hotel was very neat. The organization is an immigrant business group. They do alot to help other folks who have just gotten here and the community around them. Their main guidelines are education, family and improving the communityfor everyone. Sometimes I think many of us who were born here take so much for granted.
Anyway...the evening was lovely. The student and his parents were extrmely kind to me. All of us are very proud of the student. The cdinner was a multi course affair. There were a ton of speeches. Then, entertainment by an opera singer from the community. He was amazing. The presentation of awards followed with many photos taken. We enjoyed the rest of teh dinner and the company. It was just a lovely, lovely evening. January 21 YesterdayGot to watch many of yesterday's festivities at work with the students. Course they all thought the old heads tearing up was corny, but it was a very good day. At home, I watched the balls on tv. Pretty neat. Colleen had to work all day and missed everything live. Sure she'll be hitting video "vaults" on the computer for a while.
About the last time I remember so many in the country feeling so good was when the hostages were released from Iran. (am dating myself) Sometimes I think the cartoonists get the closest to how we all feel.
   January 17 testingThe Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf is a national organization, which advocates for access for deaf people and for sign lanuage interpreters. The profession began in the early 60s. Before that, most interpreters were family members who interpreted mostly on a volunteer basis and had a regular day job. I started interpreting in approximately 1981-82. It started as an interest in high school and snow-balled. I naively believed someone back when I was 19 and thought I could work without finishing my degree. Very silly. Fast forward to 2008. RID has taken great steps toward interpreters being seen and treated as professionals. Certification is seen as a minimum standard. It took me three tries to pass the test. I choked the first 2 times. Finally relaized that no one was going to do antything drastic to me if I failed and was able to relax and do well enough to pass the third time. RID and the National Association of the Deaf did extensive research and devoloped a new certification test in approximately 2005. Supporting the new test, the NIC, I planned on taking it asap. With the call for more qualified interpreters, RID is requiring us to have an associates degree by July 2009 and a bachelors by 2012 to sit for the newer test. Leaves me in a bind. I have taken classes here and there to work toward finishing a degree. Raising four kids by myself though has made that difficult. Not enough time or funds available even with tuition re-embursement. The testing centers are throughout the country. None in the Philadelphia Metro area. The closest I saw listed were Silver Spring, MD, Carnford NJ?, Columbia U and Mill Neck Interpreting Services in Hicksville, NY. Since we lived out in eastern Long Island for a few years and Rockaway for 4, Long Island was my choice. Drove up Thursday night. Apparently I forgot the Belt Parkway was not directly connected to the Long Island Expressway, so it took me a little longer than I had planned. Still, I knew the general set up of highways and made it. The snow (light) and cold made everything a little more interesting. It was a treat to stay in the hotel. Could have stayed in that bed for a very long time. It was a very good idea to drive up the night before. I would have been too stressed out to think clearly if I had left EARLY Friday morning. The folks at Mill Neck Interpreting Service were wonderful. I've taken the cert test many times before (in the old version) and have never felt this welcomed. They were very supportive and accommodating. The testing room is perfect for this type of test. Not just a classroom where the test adnministrator has done his/her best to make the best of the situation. The test was two parts. (three if you include the written which I did not have to take since I already passed that portion on the old test) The interview poses 5 ethical delimas one might face while interpreting. You then have 5 minutes to formulate your answer and sign or sign and voice it. You get a break, then you get 5 scenes to interpret. All in all, I think I did okay. Now it is in the hands of the raters. My tapes will be sent out and scored. I should hear results in about 2 months. There was one section in the interpreting part that I definitely could have done better on. But, if you know me you know that I am highly critical or tend to deeply analyze my own services. It's a good way for me to improve on my weaknesses and remember my strengths to use again in the future. It can make me a little nutty though. I can interpret well for 2 hours and 55 minutes... but if there are 5 minutes where I could have done better, I tend to perseverate on the 5 minutes. I am proud of myself for getting my butt out to Hicksville (that really is the name of the town!) and doing this. At the very least I will be ready to take it again. At most I surprise myself. The passing levels are NIC, NIC advanced and NIC master. The waiting begins..... January 02 New Years and outletsWell, it's been a busy last few days.
For New Years... I just stayed home. NOthing I'm really all that interested in doing, I don't really host parties and really don't get into the who NYE thing. Maybe too many years dealing with nonsense that night and other nights. Who knows? Anyway - I was happy to stay home, watch some shows and catch up on some crocheting. Am getting really close to finishing Jamie's 2nd moving out of the hosue afghan and have started a babay blanket for a friend expecting her 2nd baby in March. (I think)
Liam was who knows where. Didn't hear from him although in past years he has called. Jamie was at a friend's house. They were having a dry party which is kind of nice if you're a mom. Colleen was at her boyfriend's house and from what I've heard both girls say,it's better that I didn't hear from her. It was nice to see her when she came home yesterday. Eddie was here with his girlfriend (or not gf depending on the day) and they were watching Walle. They completely missed the count down. It was nice & quiet for me, although I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't want some kind of comany. This single stuff gets old sometimes. I was watching the coverage of the fireworks at Penn's Landing. I think that's defintely a bucket list thing for me. I'd like to be down there sometime soon for New Years.
Happy New Year to everyone! I hope it's wonderful and and you have everything and all the love you need this year!!!
This morning, the girls and I went out to the outlets. I had been ducking Jamie's requests because I thought she meant she wanted to go out to Lancaster which is a good hour to hour and a half away. I forgot about the one in Limerick. That's 40 minutes away - much easier. So we went out there knowing we would have 2 hours at most. Jamie swore she would be done in plenty of time to get back for my day of beauty appointment liam made me . (for my Christmas present) We had alot of fun at the outlets. Jamie was in heaven as they have a converse outlet there and she loves those shoes. I ended up finally finding a new purse at Charlotte Ruse for $10. I like it and it's not too crazy in fashion where I'll hate it in a month. It's also just new enough that it is stylish without looking ridiculous on a 40 something year old woman. Needless to say, we got to the salon 10 minutes late. Liam had called and re-scheduled my appointment. I'm not sure if it was because Colleen had tried to call him for the number of the place or if he gets paid tonight. Either way, it works out.
We had fun. Afterward we went to Panera for lunch. I had fun with my dalrin girls to the point where I almost had a lauhging fit. Good times.
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