Xanga Flashback

So, I was reading through some of the blogs I follow, feeling inspired, and suddenly I remembered..."Hey, didn't I used to have a Xanga account?" What's a Xanga, you might be asking. Well, it's pre-blog, pre-facebook, social networking at its finest. I found this beauty from when I was still interpreting at McNair. I'd like to call it "A Day in the Life of an Interpreter (circa 2006)". Enjoy.


Once and a while a day comes along, a shining,
shimmering gift of day--wholly unexpected--and you just gotta
roll around in it. I had one of those days today at
work. At work! (of all places). I came in this
morning expecting to have an as-usual kind of day.
BUT...first thing this morning, the kids watched a movie for
about 2 hours, then they went to see the talent show,
then outside to play, then lunch, then back outside for
the rest of the day!!! Are you kidding me? Where did
this schedule come from!?! It happened because the
talent show threw the schedule off to begin with, then
one of the 5th grade teachers was absent and they had
no sub show up. So, everything was canceled, I guess.
Nice.
The only work I've had to do, if you can call it
that, is to interpret the talent show *smirk*, and sit
here in the computer lab just in case my kiddo has any
questions while taking her test. Let me segue into
the talent show for a minute. "Talent" is a loose term
here. (I don't mean to be harsh, it's just that they are like 10.)
You just don't even know what an adventure it is
to try to interpret elementary school kids squawking
into a hot mic. I have to say, there were a few bright
stars, but overall...not so much. The whole basis of
my job as an interpreter is to LISTEN to what is going
on, to be the EARS for someone who can not HEAR. Do
you see the emphasized words? Listen, ears, hear. All
based on my ability to hear, and I should also add
UNDERSTAND what is being said...or sung. So, mostly it
was me (or Holly or Stephanie) trying to put English
signs to singing that sounded like the teacher on the
Peanuts cartoon singing karaoke. Umm...right. You try
to sign songs like, "SHMOW MOW CHECOM, YEAH YEAH,
SHMOW MOW CHECOM, OH BABY, YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE
FFHRRHFOEL AVERHUNM KA FFHHEEESSHHH, OH YEAH,
FOOORRREVERRRRRRRR. OH YEAH, SHEMMERFULVEVERLAK, BAKKERSHMRFFFFAAANA
FOOOOREVERRRRR!" So as an interpreter we sit there
staring at some kid with a mic and sign like 5% of the
words we can understand. So take that "song" above. We
would be signing: " .............yes, yes...*look
around to see if any other interpreter gets
it*............oh, baby.....*puzzled look*...........you make me
feel like....................oh yes...forever...oh
yes...................................forever" . All the dot-dot-dots are when our arms are just suspended motionless in the air in hopes
that we'll pick up a recognizable word.
So as you can probably imagine, our deaf ed. kids don't
enjoy the talent show very much. Not to mention the
assortment of piano/other instrument players
players. How do you interpret that? Um, you don't. Unless
you are Stephanie and you poke the air as the notes go
up and down. Valiant attempt my friend. What are the
odds we'll get some of the Higher Ups to buy us some
sound-sensitive flashing lights?
Anyway....there's my day. My kid has finished
her test, gone back outside and it's 30 minutes until
school's out. Life is good!!!!!!!!!


(P.S. You should have seen the spell check on this entry.)


End Xanga post. Actual date: May 12, 2006. Love you, Berlinn