This Is NORMAL

Or, conversely, I could've titled it: Don't Worry, That Last Post WASN'T Normal.

Sorry about that last 'crabby' post. Just one of those 'female' days...sorry about that. And yes, I am really alive. And not usually that crabby. Really. Sorry about that. I really try not to let that much ickiness spill over into other things like, you know, blogging and such. And yes, after much arm-wrestlin', and tough cowgirl determination and perseverance, I finally managed to get Blogger to go the way I wanted, got my margins the way I wanted them, and even ended up with a halfway-decent header, despite my dad's computer's horrible lack of beautiful fonts. And if this post is sounding somewhat incoherent, check it off to the Deaf event.

I don't know if I mentioned to y'all that I'm in ASL3 now (American Sign Language, that is). As with every ASL class so far, we have to do Deaf events -- where we go somewhere public and talk only in sign, without using our voices (if we can't get the point across in ASL, then using fingerspelling, gesturing, writing things, anything we can - except our voices). Also, I don't think I mentioned that I finally talked my mom into taking an ASL1 (from Dr. T of course, who else??), so she came with us to our Deaf event. We just went to a Mimi's Cafe and signed and ate a little -- Mom and I, and Nana Lauda (previously known as Miss Laura, however we have adopted each other and she is now my grandmother - it's a long story), and Katie, Mindy, and Therese. Later Nana Lauda's daughter Miss Gina also came over, as well as Therese's sister Mary. (Isn't that name Therese pretty? It's just like 'Theresa' only without the last 'ah')

We had a great time, talking about everything under the sun -- in ASL! We had some interesting moments, some misunderstandings -- for instance, Mindy was talking about the song that was playing in the restaurant (yeah I know, we were supposed to be Deaf, but oh well), and she's trying to say something about dancing to it, or at least swaying to it, but she's not thinking about what she's actually saying in ASL, so I look over and she's making the sign for FISH. Which totally confused me, and then she talked to me about her brother's fish, who's name is some character from H@rry Potter (which I don't read!), but she calls it LV... Katie made some joke that I totally didn't get and had to have it explained... My mom nearly smacked me because I teased her (saying I wasn't sure why I brought her along), and she said that I loved her and I made a facial expression like "I'm not sure" (everyone CRACKED UP!!), and Mom starts poking/smacking me as we're laughing like crazy (she teases me like that all the time, but I'm really only just starting to learn how to relax and tease with people, I always take things so seriously, so it was a surprise to be teasing like that). So yeah, it was really fun -- but by the time we were done, I was tired and slightly punch-drunk (or should I say strawberry-lemonade-drunk?).

So that's why I might be rambling, slightly incoherent...in other words, sounding more like my old self! This is normal for me -- not that last post!

At the moment, I'm enjoying some great country music from a playlist over on a blog that's new to me, BlackJack Land and Cattle Company. Lately I've been exploring, finding out there are a whole lot more 'good' blogs out there than I ever knew! :)

Manes and Tails is absolutely awesome, I'm lovin' every minute of it, and next to Sunday, Saturday is now the highlight of my week. As a matter of fact, I don't know if I mentioned before, I actually got to lead a group last week, because a couple leaders were not in (one was out of town, I think one was sick), and as a Junior Leader I'm in line for command as soon as a position opens. Right now they have all the leaders they need, but as soon as there's an opening I'm in line for it. I really don't care about the money (the Leader position is paid), although it would be nice because this is keeping me from getting a different job on Saturdays. Frankly, I'm just lovin' it being part of the program -- I mean, seriously, it's kids and horses, HOW GOOD DOES IT GET??!! Plus, I think (I haven't confirmed this yet, but I think) that my boss is probably a Christian! At any rate, I'm having an awesome time.

I have a lot more that I could ramble on about, but I probably shouldn't right now...I need to be getting on to bed soon...so I will have to continue this good rambly incoherent post later on... Let me just reassure you one more time -- this is normal, not the last post! :D