Friday, March 28, 2008
Happy Friday!
I've been away for a bit. So, it will be a longish post while I catch you all up.
First of all, I just have to say YAY about the newly announced X-Files sequel.
OK, back to my life.
We're over being sick, but it took far longer than I was expecting. I think the government should move their top-secret biochemical warfare labratories to Iowa, because they've obviously got some natural leg up in the supervirus production department. I can't remember the last time I've been so miserable! Even after the symptoms were gone, it sort of felt like the life had been sucked out of us for a while, hence no posts. Sorry about that, I did think about you all a lot!
Today we toured the Edgar Mine, up in Idaho Springs. It was great! I'm glad I was there with a group of friends, though, because I gave myself the giggles a few times. I just can't seem to take anything seriously, I'm such a juvenile. Stuff like when the tour guide was explaining how the ore was taken from the mine and sent to a "smelter," and I just knew there had to be a joke in there involving a "dealt-er" but I couldn't find it. I slay myself.
The other interesting thing that happened was that I think I had a panic attack. I mean, I definitely had a horrible panic moment, I just don't know if it would qualify as an attack or not. I've never felt like that before. During part of the tour I nearly lost control of myself. We were in a "refuge chamber," an area where the miners would gather behind a metal door if there were some sort of disaster in the mine. I was doing fine, cracking myself up with jokes like always, when suddenly I just HAD TO GET OUT! RIGHT NOW!
It is hard for me to understand, because on the one hand I wasn't worried about anything REAL, I knew there was plenty of air, I knew the mine wasn't going to collapse, I knew in my heart I was safe. But, at the same time, I felt a nearly paralyzing sense of fear. I started to tear up, and I couldn't catch my breath. I felt that if I couldn't calm down, there was a pretty good chance that I was going throw up and then make a run for it. It was as if I had two minds, one was rational, and one felt like I was going to literally die if I didn't do something. When the tour guide lifted the door I was fine again, in the space of seconds. What does all that add up to?
I have to say that I've been in lots of enclosed areas like this, including two other mines (Lackawanna and Argo) in the last few years with no ill effects. Weird.
Enough of that!
We've been learning American Sign Language for the last couple of weeks. That's been fascinating. If you've never looked into it, you should! Since it's relatively new, it does away with a lot of the hassles of other languages you might learn. Forming tenses is quite simple, and much of it is intuitive, so it tends to stick pretty well, even for the kids.
Of course, Tiernan, who has a few issues with appropriateness in elimination, has decided that he needs to learn how to say, "I would like to pee and poop in your toilet, which I will then drink out of." He'll have LOADS of friends in the deaf community, you can tell.
Oddly enough though, I can't seem to find how to say things like "pee" and "poop" in ASL. I finally found a sign for "toilet," but that doesn't allow me to convey the depth and subtlety of the process. Perhaps deaf people are just far more polite than my family? I supposed that's a given.
And, I can't wrap up the week thus far without letting you all know that my debit card was hacked and over $400 was taken from my account. No word yet on whether it will be put back, but I'm not holding my breath. You know, with a debit card, they can only get out however much money you have in your account, which 75% of the time would be a big fat zero. So, we've been victimized by the luckiest thieves ever, who happened to hit right after pay day. Figures.
Tomorrow I will be leading a discussion of the book One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest for some of the adults in my homeschool group's co-op. If you've read the book and you're in Denver, email me and you can come hang out with us! Unless you're some kind of perverted axe murderer, that is. I've had quite enough drama this week.
First of all, I just have to say YAY about the newly announced X-Files sequel.
OK, back to my life.
We're over being sick, but it took far longer than I was expecting. I think the government should move their top-secret biochemical warfare labratories to Iowa, because they've obviously got some natural leg up in the supervirus production department. I can't remember the last time I've been so miserable! Even after the symptoms were gone, it sort of felt like the life had been sucked out of us for a while, hence no posts. Sorry about that, I did think about you all a lot!
Today we toured the Edgar Mine, up in Idaho Springs. It was great! I'm glad I was there with a group of friends, though, because I gave myself the giggles a few times. I just can't seem to take anything seriously, I'm such a juvenile. Stuff like when the tour guide was explaining how the ore was taken from the mine and sent to a "smelter," and I just knew there had to be a joke in there involving a "dealt-er" but I couldn't find it. I slay myself.
The other interesting thing that happened was that I think I had a panic attack. I mean, I definitely had a horrible panic moment, I just don't know if it would qualify as an attack or not. I've never felt like that before. During part of the tour I nearly lost control of myself. We were in a "refuge chamber," an area where the miners would gather behind a metal door if there were some sort of disaster in the mine. I was doing fine, cracking myself up with jokes like always, when suddenly I just HAD TO GET OUT! RIGHT NOW!
It is hard for me to understand, because on the one hand I wasn't worried about anything REAL, I knew there was plenty of air, I knew the mine wasn't going to collapse, I knew in my heart I was safe. But, at the same time, I felt a nearly paralyzing sense of fear. I started to tear up, and I couldn't catch my breath. I felt that if I couldn't calm down, there was a pretty good chance that I was going throw up and then make a run for it. It was as if I had two minds, one was rational, and one felt like I was going to literally die if I didn't do something. When the tour guide lifted the door I was fine again, in the space of seconds. What does all that add up to?
I have to say that I've been in lots of enclosed areas like this, including two other mines (Lackawanna and Argo) in the last few years with no ill effects. Weird.
Enough of that!
We've been learning American Sign Language for the last couple of weeks. That's been fascinating. If you've never looked into it, you should! Since it's relatively new, it does away with a lot of the hassles of other languages you might learn. Forming tenses is quite simple, and much of it is intuitive, so it tends to stick pretty well, even for the kids.
Of course, Tiernan, who has a few issues with appropriateness in elimination, has decided that he needs to learn how to say, "I would like to pee and poop in your toilet, which I will then drink out of." He'll have LOADS of friends in the deaf community, you can tell.
Oddly enough though, I can't seem to find how to say things like "pee" and "poop" in ASL. I finally found a sign for "toilet," but that doesn't allow me to convey the depth and subtlety of the process. Perhaps deaf people are just far more polite than my family? I supposed that's a given.
And, I can't wrap up the week thus far without letting you all know that my debit card was hacked and over $400 was taken from my account. No word yet on whether it will be put back, but I'm not holding my breath. You know, with a debit card, they can only get out however much money you have in your account, which 75% of the time would be a big fat zero. So, we've been victimized by the luckiest thieves ever, who happened to hit right after pay day. Figures.
Tomorrow I will be leading a discussion of the book One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest for some of the adults in my homeschool group's co-op. If you've read the book and you're in Denver, email me and you can come hang out with us! Unless you're some kind of perverted axe murderer, that is. I've had quite enough drama this week.
Labels: crime, homeschooling, newsworthy, sci fi
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I believe that the words that Tiernan wants to sign are normally spelled out as they aren't used that often. ;)
Thanks for the link about the book...I finished it a while back and reading that helped refresh my memory about the book...there were a few things that happened that I didn't catch in the book. I found it hard to determine when Chief was in reality.
Thanks for the link about the book...I finished it a while back and reading that helped refresh my memory about the book...there were a few things that happened that I didn't catch in the book. I found it hard to determine when Chief was in reality.
My 8-yr-old has been learning sign language at co-op. He just loves it. I picked up a book so we could all learn a little, too.
We've all been sick here, too. Oldest son was diagnosed with strep yesterday, so I suppose we're all in for it now.
We've all been sick here, too. Oldest son was diagnosed with strep yesterday, so I suppose we're all in for it now.
Did someone "deal" out a smelly whilst you were in that enclosed chamber?? Maybe THAT'S the reason you panicked.
I'm glad you are all over the crud. My family hasn't gotten the flu at all, and I hope we don't. It sounds like it was a bad one.
That's terrible about your money being stolen. That kind of stuff really makes me mad! If they are gonna steal, they need to steal from people who can afford to be stolen from!!!
I'm sure there's some kind of underground sign language site where you can find out all the yucky words your son will delight in, and maybe even some you never want him to know or use.
I'm glad you are all over the crud. My family hasn't gotten the flu at all, and I hope we don't. It sounds like it was a bad one.
That's terrible about your money being stolen. That kind of stuff really makes me mad! If they are gonna steal, they need to steal from people who can afford to be stolen from!!!
I'm sure there's some kind of underground sign language site where you can find out all the yucky words your son will delight in, and maybe even some you never want him to know or use.
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