Recent highlights

Dear Srav,
This blog post goes out to you, per your request. I hope to keep it updated more regularly?? We'll see. Right now I don't have internet at my new apartment - I am currently in a coffee shop.

New things in my life to share with you:

-NEW APARTMENT!!!! Moved to a new apartment, and I really love it! I have to take a tip, though, from my NYC-living friends about storage. It is smaller than our old place, but honestly a perfect size for the two of us. Selling/sold some furniture, bought some replacement furniture. Still need kitchen chairs and an AC.

-School's out!!!! Feels so good to say that. It seemed like this would never happen, but here is summer vacation! I control the pace and activities of my day. Wonderful. Though I'll admit I don't like being alone most of the time (missing my roommate - all my previous roommates!) already. Living in boxes, so there is plenty to do around the house, and I have a load of articles I want to read.... somewhere.

-I got a season pass to this local lake (really about 45 min drive from home). They have a trail and bbqs and camping (really like a field of tents, not in the woods), and a lake with sand and swimming. It's as close to the beach as I can get, and I've already gone 3 times in like a few weeks. Four times and it pays for the pass, so I am pumped to go back frequently.

-I started running. UGH!!! In the spring, I bought running shoes and started to go with Kevin (with a goal of running 3 times a week.... but it was more like 1-2 in reality). Anyway, I go now and then, and I just want to do regular exercise.... they say it is good for you. Good and actually required for a healthy lifestyle, so that is my only reason. I don't enjoy it. Just for like 20 minutes of continuous movement. Nothing big, please!

Those are my highlights. I'll make a video of my new apartment soon and show some of my favorite people - once there is a better box to cleanliness ratio, of course!

PEACE

Off to Ireland!

I plan to take some videos while I'm there.

wiwi?? what is that?! Ohhh, WIFI!! mistake me.

From July 8, 2012. 

Kevin is harvesting potatoes from his garden! He is replacing them with pepper transplants.

new perceptions

I have so much on my mind right now! I wish I had more time/less work so I could really pour my thoughts out, but this shortie message will have to do...

1) Everyone has "issues" - call them what you will. It's true. If you think that your neighbor, coworker, lover, mother, etc, is in total happiness... utter bliss... blahblah... think again. I don't mean to say that they may not be happy, but I should emphasize that we all have challenges. C'est la vie, right? That's how it goes, and we all work with what we got. The truth is that we all face problems in our everyday lives. And you don't know what your neighbor, coworker, lover, mother is going through on any given day (well, hopefully your lover at least shares his/her perspectives with you).

2) On a related note, perception is reality, they say. And yes, while I advise people to recognize that it can be important to consider how others may perceive your behavior.... more importantly I just want to emphasize that your perception of things may be warped. What is reality? I'm not here to chat about that, but I am learning so much that what I might perceived is not how it really is... or is meant to be... ?? I am not typing logically and organized, but I hope I make some sense. It's hard to imagine walking around in anyone's shoes but your own. At the end of the day, there is so much I don't know.

3) I look forward to the day when I can come home and do NOTHING related to work. Hopefully within 5 years haha!

Clear?

Here is a tip for working with people who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing who use ASL.... (interpreters, SLPs, OTs, Teachers of the Deaf.... especially those just starting out....)

My buddy Eric (future certified ASL Interpreter!) passed this tip on to me, and I felt the need to share it with any colleagues.

When explaining something in a second language of yours, things don't always come out how you intend. Perhaps you are doing the very best you can, but some people still are not quite getting what you are talking about. The miscommunication may be an error on your part or an error on the language reception of the "listener." Either way, something isn't quite getting through.

Often, people who use ASL will express some level of confusion on their faces, and it is important for the "speaker" to confirm adequate communication exchange is occurring. He or she will rely on feedback from the "listener" (i.e. facial expressions, head nods...) to judge the successful reception of the message. And often times, this may come in the form of UNDERSTAND??

The truth is that when people are asked, "Do you understand?" a likely answer may be "yes." Any other response may be implying the incompetence, ignorance, or language impairment of the individual. This focuses on the "listener's" knowledge and skills and removes any responsibility from the "speaker" (who may or may not be to blame for a misunderstanding).

Instead, consider asking for confirmation in the form of CLEAR?? This allows the "listener" to respond more honestly without implying his or her lack of intelligence! It may be any one communicator's or the complexity of the content's fault for a misunderstanding.

Michelle, MS, CF-SLP

BALLLERRR

turning into a bad night. i am pretty sure i am not cut out for slp. and i seem to be having more miscommunications with kevin than ever.