ASL is going well I think.

For my last couple of ASL classes, I've had earplugs in because of migraines but I think I may just wear them for each class now. It helps deflect distracting noises and forces myself and my classmates to sign and gesture instead of sign and whisper if our instructor can't see..

I asked our instructor if I was being rude by using earplugs and she said I was fine whether I needed them medically or not. It was a huge relief.

I attended my first Silent Dinner and Deaf Culture Event on Friday and was horrified that another first year class was using English speech and ASL interchangably. As I understand it, they are learning at a slower pace, a full semester for ASL 101, whereas we are learning ASL 101 and 102 back to back for this semester.

We have finally begun to pick up speed and are learning past abcs, and early numbers. It's still mostly social things, how to identify someone, how to ask interests, etc but it is actually feeling like progress now.

I am relieved. So far my grades are shaking out across my courses as solid A, and I'm going to do all I can to study and keep up. I think I've found a good groove with my homework and I haven't missed an assignment yet.

My English 111 class is my only non-condensed course so I'm actually ahead there.. It's hard work and I'm terrified of falling into old school habits but I think I might be doing okay.

Marek arrived safely today!

My April Story Fall arrived today, and I will try to have photos up soon, like in the next week. Osaka and I have figured what kind of faceup he needs, and if weather cooperates that will happen some time this weekend. I don't have the eyes I thought I wanted for him (he was going to have blue eyes) but I did have some that fit really well in him for right now, so at the moment he has light grey eyes. I think I know where I got them so I should be able to get his blue eyes in the near future.

No introduction yet, but his name is Marek, and he will be introduced once he has a faceup and pants. He will have a fur wig initially, because money, but I will hopefully find an appropriate wig for him in short order.

Marek will be my aging goth, with careful faceup work to give him subtle crows feet by the eyes, and some gentle aging. He is a bit taller than I expected, and his head is a bit smaller than I expected, but a big fluffy wig will help, and it may seem less obvious once he is clothed and faceupped and all done. :)

Osaka and I did some poking at astrology and determined he would be a Taurus, so his birthday would be May 18th, just picking based on descriptions that matched how I've seen him. This works well as Taurus and Cancer are a good romantic match.

As soon as I have pants made, and hair (with or without face) I will share him.

ALSO I need to do a 10 year anniversary photoshoot with Ro. He turned 10 on August 29th. So.. I need to make that happen. I've been distracted with school and work so that may not happen until some of my classes finish up. @_@

College first final grade.

One of my final grades posted yesterday evening. I have a 98% Average in my Math course, which is basically a condensed refresher on pre-algebra. I have the next condensed Math course starting next Tuesday. My test counted for 80% of my score which means I got one problem wrong. That is about standard for me. I get the simple stuff mixed up.

I realized today that only one of my 6 courses this semester is not a condensed course. My English 111 is a standard full semester. College Success Skills is a bit over half the semester. My ASL 101 and 102 are straight half semester 3 hour lecture courses, and both math classes condense a year of math skills into 3 weeks.

It's no wonder I've felt under pressure... It should be noted the only ones I knew were condensed were the Math classes... I overheard some classmates discussing how a previous college ASL course had been a full semester and roughly 1.5 hours per lecture.

I'm the dumbest smart person I know. :P