A Week - or rather, two - More of Summer Gone

Well, last week at work was alright. It wasn't amazing, but it wasn't horrible.

Good Points: (about last week)

a.) Signing: I got to visit the only Deaf individual that lives in Silverton (a 10-yr old boy). That was nice...though I have some "issues" and things that bother me....I'm learning from my experience there.

Also, I got to go to the Deaf chat at Border's in Salem, and that was a challenge. The f/s (fingerspelling) was what killed me. Overall, I felt I understood alright and was able to communicate my ideas somewhat clearly.....we'll see how class treats me this fall. Hmmm....

b.) Fishy, fishy, fishy: I had the opportunity to go fishing with my mum this last Saturday. I caught the same fish twice....well, it looked identical in every way. The third one I caught looked significantly different. My mum caught one or two....dumb fish. But, thems tasty worms! I didn't eat any, but the fish thought they were. One time, my worm made it's way all the way up the line - past the place where you hook/clip on your hook - and up to where the weights are....can't figure that one out, but it was a relaxing and enjoyable time.

c.) I'm sure I was originally going to put a third point here, but I cannot remember - from the time I first drafted until now, I've slept.

For this week - since it's almost over - camp was not good. I'm about ready to "quit" since the campers DON'T listen. They almost do the opposite of what I and the other counselor says. We are now threatening (in just about every way) the campers that they will not ride if (dot, dot, dot). It has been a trying week. Hopefully next week will get better. Yeah for only ONE activity tomorrow! Whooooo!

This weekend? Looking for a book and plan to organize boxes. Also am hoping to finish a DVD project. Just need to adjust a few things, then: presto! It'll be done and over, and I can send it out to my trip advisor and two faculty support staff. : )

That's it for now. Nothing too interesting, nor anything to really write home about. Had the chance to give an opportunity to do a special pony ride for some family friends, and they spent about two hours or so with and around the horses....that was a great experience I am happy I had the opportunity to do this.

Another Week of Summer

So...day camp is going well. Not to complain, but I got REALLY bored after the first day. Why? Instead of two groups with about 8 campers each, the groups averaged 5-6 campers....and there was only ONE group per activity. Even though the other counselor and I lead the campers on the longest walks we could, there still was a LOT of time left before the next activity (large group.) SO......I lead some horse science. That was rather entertaining asking "Okay, what is this part?" - pointing to a part on the horse's body or on the saddle. Obviously they didn't know most, so I hinted.

"Okay, not three, but..."

"Four!!!" They'd respond, enthusiastically.

"Okay, and if I want to keep something safe, I do what? I ____ it up."

"Lock!!!"

"Yeah...so it's a...."

"FORELOCK!!!" By then, they'd usually half-yell. But they were having fun and doing this did kill quite a bit of time. Though, a rather entertaining thing happened. The first time I was trying to get them to say the word 'barrel' - referring to the middle section of the horse, from it's shoulder to it's hip, that whole section, but not the side - the only thing that came to mind was a song. So I started to sing, "Roll out the _____" and a little boy, about age seven maybe, with a straight face said "Barrel." The other counselors and I were doubling over with laughter, surprised that this little boy knew the end to that line. Most clues I had to give on a phonetic base, but I think they enjoyed guessing, although when I was trying to get them to guess 'mantle,' and was giving a definition, hinting it started with 'm' someone guessed "marshmallow," I don't know how they got that...oh well. Needless to say, the other pony ride leader and myself found ways to entertain ourselves.

I have been thinking lately, though, about how in the past, we (the camp) have had a few Deaf campers come, and, for some strange reason, I am hoping and praying there might be a group that has a few. I am DYING to sign again, and it will be a challenging and good experience for me to sign with the camper and to lead the horse and such. I wish I could become more involved within the Deaf community, but I'm afraid that for now, that won't happen. :o( I'm sad I don't have nearly as much exposure as I would like - and for now, I'm not asking much, but I doubt it will happen. Even going once a week to some event or something...but I think my work schedule will prevent me - AGAIN - from doing that which I love most. *DEEP sigh* Such is life; I guess that means I'll have to fight harder for it....hoping I can find a job to earn enough to save for a car and then insurance - thus allowing me more freedom to do things within the Deaf community. : D

Not too much happened other than work. Some appointments here and there, eating meals, working out....etc. the "usual" for me, the rather mundane and boring part of my life, really. Yesterday, I got connected to high speed (since parents have dial-up; and yes: it's stinks, but it's better than NO internet and needing to drive into town - we won't touch on that topic...- to use it) to do some updates on my computer and my old computer/my parents' "new" computer. I was NOT a happy camper at the end of the night. Their "new" computer took FOREVER to download, then when it was "done," there was an error loading one of the software updates, which made me upset. THEN it had to restart, and when I finally got the connection back up (since, I guess, it disconnects from the internet when one restarts the computer,) I did another software update, and one of them from the previous time DIDN'T update, and there was one MORE that didn't show up from the original list of four. So....basically, there were four programs that needed updating, two updated (one failed causing the other to fail, I think,) and then during the recheck, there was another that appeared. Grrrrrrrr!!!!!! I was NOT happy. Didn't help that I was tired, hot, hungry, and just didn't have the smoothest day, although I DID get a massage. : ) But, I was able to accomplish about 90% or so (maybe more) of everything I wanted and needed to do on my compu, aside from a Microsoft Office update.

This week: plan to finish the last few thank-you cards from graduation, burn my AB (Alternative Break) DVD and send copies off to trip advisers - making a copy for myself, of coarse.....I always keep a copy of each DVD project I make - and clear my bedroom floor, going through 5 boxes (the goal) of things, passing on about half (or recycling, redistributing to the correct home, etc) of my things or more.

I think that is it for now. Hope you all (whomever might even be reading this) are doing well and staying out of the heat. I can't, but I'm doing my best to stay hydrated - by drinking (on average) about 6 glasses (8oz.) of water each time I go to work - usually in the mornings. Though, I've recently discovered, through medical inquisition....that sounds bad.....inquiry, that I am drinking enough water, but I am inadvertently flushing out electrolytes; meaning: I need to get more electrolytes in me, i.e. drinking a "special" concoction of 'Emergen-C,' though I just got the store brand, since it's exactly the same (I looked on the labels and the first ten things or so I checked were 99.9% the same - I think one had 5.5 mg while the other had 6 mg...ooooo! big difference [said sarcastically].) Not only is it the same, but it's half the price.

But anywho, I will continue to down my water in the sweltering heat or whatever other warm, humid, hot, uncomfortable to be outside in jeans, boots, button-up, and cowboy hat walking around for a few hours, taking care of horses and helping lead activities. My pedometer doesn't work the best, but a rough estimate is that I walk - again, on average - over five miles everyday (Mon.-Fri.) and take roughly 11,000 steps. But, I must remind you, that this is "trail walking," or, walking that is NOT on a flat surface/cement/road/etc. There is some "flat" stretches, but even then it isn't too terribly flat. There is gravel road, dusty stretches leading to uneven ground, off-trail kind of walking in grass and other "nature" aspects....I think that is the best way to describe the terrain that I walk/work around. Needless to say, I walk around a lot and am responsible for other (minor) labour-intensive duties.

Take care all. Closing for this [past] week, and for the day. Have chapel in a few hours, so hopefully I can get some things done before then.

Nothing Interesting

Ya know....nobody is actually reading this...so I'm just going to do it once a week.....if that.

My life is REALLY not that interesting. It is [relatively] routine and about nothing changes from day to day. I think a weekly update would be best. Besides, I'm not having fun doing this. It's tedious, and I have to worry about doing it EVERY day and some days there just isn't worth writing or anything. It doesn't help when I don't have energy. : ( But such is life.

Today's recap: chiropractic appointment in the morning, work out, to Salem to exchange my phone - which accumulated problems as time went on - went to grocery store for food (for me, since my diet is SO different than that of my parents,) came home, filled out post-back application, packaged my friend's gift, ate some dinner, watched a bit of a movie on t.v. before going down to camp where there is high-speed internet and I can actually stay sane on my computer while online......and here I am now. Trying to download my 15 Miles West Videos to YouTube, 'cause I ran out of time moving back home from Monmouth from en of spring term.

That's all she wrote folks.

Sunny: WIth A Chane of Liquid Sunshine - Oregon Suns

Today was okay. Went to work this afternoon. Had some trouble with the ponies. We'll see how it goes next week, and if there is more problems like there were today, then we might need to get someone else there to observe - at least once - and possibly bring a dressage whip for.....motivation. Something like that.

Started to rain late afternoon/early evening. Still raining.....from what I hear outside. Curious to know what will tomorrow will bring. Only plan to go to the chiropractor for an adjustment, work out, get my phone replaced, and then work on things here at home. :/ Fun, right?

That's about my day. And I'll close.