Granted, I can still hear, but it is probably at about 75% of what I normally could hear at. It is annoying listening to people on the phone and it is like they are talking through a wet towel. It became highly apparent today during my one on one with my team lead and I honestly had issues. I could hear what she was saying, but it was very muffled to say the least.

Over the last two weeks I have had to listen very closely to what people have said, when they talk really low it is a crap shoot as to what they have said. I smile and giggle a little bit, or I move closer towards them to listen. It has been interesting to say the least. Jocelyn is annoyed beyond belief.

The doctor said that it has to do with some tubes behind my nostrils that are not working properly, they are letting things in, but they are not letting them out, basically clogging my ear canals. The suggestion is to get permanent ear tubes placed into my ears. This would eliminate me from being able to swim pretty much unless I used those heavy duty ear plugs which would in affect render me almost completely deaf while in the water.

Though on the positive side of things I would in fact not have any issues with flying, which could open up the path to doing more air based activities. I have an appointment set for Jun 16 to get more information on what I can and cannot do once this procedure is done.

This is finals week at Mesa. So basically two more classes and I am off for the remainder of the summer, then back again next fall for the second installment of ASL. Rather enjoying the class, I love the movements, I love the ability to communicate without speaking. As I have said time and time again, I could go through out an entire day without saying a single word and not complain in the least. Technology has allowed me to do that. I can chat with people online and email to communicate. It is the perfect medium to live without speaking. A day without spoken word is attainable.

Now, if I can communicate via sign, then i do not even need to talk to people if I can find others to sign with. It would in fact be epic. I would not want to lose my hearing, but it would be good to just not say anything.

So out of shape… but I tried to get my heart rate into that 140 range…

Oh yeah, got a 25/25 on the ASL vocab test and a 19/20 on the dialogue part. Apparently there are different kinds of No’s and got dinged on that.

Birthday is in 2 days… not really looking forward to it, getting older kind of sucks. Wedding anniversary same day, but will not be celebrated till this weekend.

Detroit in April, spend an evening with Dr. Scott, attend the Gilbert Awards for work, then will get to hang out with my girl Anna in Chicago during my 7 hour lay over. I feel way more productive in Livonia working than I do on a daily basis in San Diego. Lots of energy, lots of people, lots of fun…

I think I have the alphabet sort of down, I am still having problems with the letter “P” and “R” and sometimes I get stuck on “E” but all in all the alphabet is easy. Fingerspelling from me to someone else is slow, but I can do it. The other way around though I have problems, especially someone doing it to me, that will take some getting use to. If it is a long word.. no dice right now.

It will be a little interesting to see how the class is set up today, especially with no translator. The teacher has been doing it now for 11 years, so I am sure she understands how to do it. It will just be a little awkward the first night. I guess I should go and buy the books tomorrow or Friday. One has a DVD in it, Molly and I will enjoy watching that.

Jocelyn has been a trooper this week, put up with Molly Monday when I started class, then took her to taekwondoe as I was dealing with a computer issue, and now tonight it is just her and Molly again. Tomorrow hopefully I can have the computer issue resolved so that I can go watch Molly get her taekwondoe on.

Ok, class is over. Role took 45 minutes, but I can see what she is doing, a lot of fingerspelling and also basic introductions, today was who’s name is? and Are you ____? Learned yes, no, understand, and nice to meet you. I am sure that things will pick up more as time goes, but it was a nice way to start the class off. We did some mirroring which is important when speaking with others in the deaf community. I also learned that facial expressions determine the “phrase” of the sentence. If you look at someone with eyebrows raised and head slightly pushed forward, it is a question, furled eyebrows is anger. Much more involved, but if you get right down to it, it makes sense that facial expressions play a big role, kind of like tensing.

There is also no complete sentence structure. Instead of Are you Danny? It is more like You Danny? But I am sure that as time goes on, the structure of how things are situated will come up.

I am determined and interested at the same time, which is a good thing. I have always wanted to learn sign language and I can also teach it to Molly who has shown some interest as well, so it can be reinforced.

The first time I really wanted to learn was at the post office in Jacksonville when this fiery red haired man walked in and nobody could communicate with him. It was really sad and he was getting frustrated. He had to write everything out on a sheet of paper and the postmaster responded on the same sheet. I felt bad for him.

I have always been interested in deaf studies. This should be an experience to say the least.

There is a woman sitting next to me with a flesh colored band-aid on her upper lip. I thought at first her face was jacked up. Everyone in the room looks miserable, this may be the last chance for many of them to get their language degree out of the way as well.

Class went well, the chick with the bandaid turns out was the interpretor. The teacher is deaf and mute but communicates in sign language. The big bomb of the night came t the end of class when the teacher explained that the interpretor was only there for today.

Class on Wednesday is going to be interesting to say the least….