As some of you may be aware, I am also a certified Equine Sports Massage Therapist. I have always enjoyed teaching people techniques to make their horses feel good. I think massage and stretching is one of the best ways to bond with your horse – afterall, mutual grooming is how horses bond.
I am thinking about making a DVD that has massage and stretches on it – perhaps with some anatomy as well. Would you, dear readers, be interested in this product? Take the poll below and let me know your opinion. I know there are a number of massage materials and stretch materials out there, but none that have both. I hope to have this done by the end of summer, stay tuned for details for where it can be purchased.
In the interim, check out my YouTube video that shows an entire stretching routine for free!
Has anyone checked these out? While its not exactly profanity, these two topics tend to blur together, as in English we use some profanity to talk about some sex terms. This might be a great resource to practice how do you talk about it in a graphic or clinical way, getting comfortable with the range of register within english and ASL. For thirty dollars, it seems like a good deal. I will be sure to let you know what I think when I get a chance.
Its great to see some deaf resources being developed now. So much of the formal resources, books or videos, are incredibly outdated. I am still a big advocate of tapping your local Deaf mentors for a more regionalized vocabulary, however I would love to see some standardization in education and use. Just as hearing children are now given the same sex education (for the most part), it would give deaf and hard of hearing children a starting point for a topic that is sorely needed.
Sorry this isn’t longer, but after months of not posting . . . .
[insert drumroll]
I have submitted my paper to the Journal of Interpreting!
It is an analysis of all the data gathered from 2008 and common strategies interpreters use to manage profanity. The people I got to meet and work with are amazing, I am so grateful for the opportunity. Most of all, I am thankful for all the people who encouraged me in this pursuit and thought it would be worthwhile.
Regardless of whether or not my paper gets chosen, I feel great having completed it.
If you are interested in reviewing it, please don’t hesistate to contact me!
I will be sure to write some more later . . . .
[Later] I am not sure how long the process takes, but, for lack of a better way to explain it, it has the feel of sending your first child off to school on the bus for the first day. Nervous and hopeful, you wait smiling with butterflies in your stomach. Thank goodness for package tracking!
So what’s the next step? Well one thing that was identified was the need to discover how profanity manifests in the deaf community. This is going to require either electronic distance interviewing or in person (ei lots of travel). I want the information to be as valid and well structured as possible, so I will be saving it for my masters. Hopefully, if all goes well, I will be able to go for my masters fall of 2010. Not sure which school yet, there are a handful that are interested. It will be good to have some guidance in drawing this information out of the community, so its an honest snapshot of its use and function.
If you have any suggestions or ideas, please feel free to e-mail me directly: kemurphy00@yahoo.com
From time to time, people tell me, “lighten up, it’s just a horse,” or,”that’s a lot of money for just a horse“. They don’t understand the distance travelled, the time spent, or the costs involved for “just a horse.” Some of my proudest moments have come about with “just a horse.” Many hours have passed and my only company was “just a horse,” but I did not once feel slighted. Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by “just a horse,” and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch of “just a horse” gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day. If you, too, think it’s “just a horse,” then you will probably understand phrases like “just a friend,” “just a sunrise,” or “just a promise.”
“Just a horse” brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy. “Just a horse” brings out the compassion and patience that make me a better person. Because of “just a horse” I will rise early, take long walks and look longingly to the future. So for me and folks like me, it’s not “just a horse” but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment. “Just a horse” brings out what’s good in me and diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day. I hope that someday they can understand that it’s not “just a horse” but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being “just a woman/man.” So the next time you hear the phrase “just a horse” just smile, because they “just” don’t understand.
My planned travels have come to an end. The marathon weekend, in which I presented at three different state conferences, went better than I had hoped. Champaign, Illinois then Jamesburg, New Jersey and finally Baltimore, Maryland.
Champaign was a testament to how small the world can be – I had the good fortune to have two familiar faces in the workshop. One of the workshop interpreters was a MN interpreter. And one of the attendees was a gentleman that I had met in 2006 in Boston – at the NE first annual Immersion Institute. It was a small group but a strong percentage of the conference attendees. The discussion was challenging and engaging as always. The attendees had a lot of experiences to share and resources that they could offer their fellows. The drive was decent, if a little harrowing at some points – I really don’t like driving at night when I am not familiar with my surroundings. I used a GPS system for the first time and it was a complete godsend.
The drive into Chicago was a non-event, though parking at the airport was tricky. The flight to Baltimore had a moment where I really thought it was going to be the end. I don’t like to fly in the first place and the turbulence we hit was SCARY! It was so sudden that the flight attendents were in mid-service and had to sit down in the aisle – eek! I think the arms of my seat still have nailmarks in them. Thankfully we all survived and landed fine in Baltimore. I rented a Toyota Corolla – not a vehicle I would ever own. Ugh. The New Jersey Turnpike at night was not fun. The Crowne Plaza hotel was lovely and a welcome sight.
The attendees to the New Jersey workshop were wonderful – sassy and bright hardworking interpreters. The majority of them worked straight through the second break. I have never seen that before – either in workshops I have offered or attended myself. A pleasure to present for, would definitely do it again given the opportunity.
The drive back down to Baltimore was really good and really bad. I thought the turnpike was only bad because it was nighttime. HA! Its like the American Autobahn – geez! I am an aggressive driver for MN and those drivers made me look like Miz Daisy. Gorgeous bridges and amazing vistas – too bad I did not have time to actually look. I will be back, want to check out the Chesapeake Bay and get some of those crabcakes! The Four Points hotel in Baltimore was by far the most comfortable bed – seems a small thing, but getting a good nights sleep on this trip was a luxury I was not counting on.
The Baltimore workshop was a hoot – I laughed pretty hard at the stories. Rabbis and High School Reunions oh my! As always, great discussion. One of the things that came out of this workshop was the idea of talking with your district or your VRS employer or Agency about your options to protect yourself. What happens when the consumers are deliberately trying to make you uncomfortable? Some of the situations described could easily fall under the sexual harassment policies in any other workplace. Why do we as interpreters have to just accept this maltreatment? We don’t, but we need to have strategies in place BEFORE the incident so we have options to protect ourselves. Regarding VRS, regular call centers have some sort of script like “sir/madam, if you continue to use foul language, I will disconnect this call” – why should VRS be any different? I am not saying that the consumers should not be allowed to use profanity at all, but more so the interpreters should have some sort of recourse when they are being abused by the consumers. It does happen and we need to talk about it.
It was an almost melancholy flight/drive home. Its been a whirlwind year and I can honestly say I am sorry to see this part come to an end.
For every door that closes, another will open.
The next stage will be working on the research paper. I have 11 workshops worth of data to analyze and the strategies that arose from the workshops to write up. My plan is to compile all the information I have gathered to date, from my research, literary review, and the work from this year. The paper will be submitted to the Journal of Interpretation for 2009. My hope is that they will select my manuscript for publication. Then in the next year or two I plan to go on for my masters and continue the research in this topic.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this work and encouraged me – this could not have been possible without you.
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” ~ Mark Twain
I couldn’t agree with Twain more. In this past year I have met interpreters and deaf people of every size, shape and color – my own understanding of the world has been enhanced with each person I have had the honor of meeting. The foods I have eaten, the regional cultures I have observed or participated in, all of them have given me a sense of how large and cleverly connected the world is and can be.
My regret for this year is that I was not able to present for the southeastern United States RID chapters – I had hoped to include interpreter experiences from all over for my research. Life has a funny way of working out and the year is not quite over yet – so we shall see how that turns out.
The next series of shareshops are going to be a real testament to my traveling endurance – a marathon of modes of travel and tight timelines. Thursday November 6th I leave the Twin Cites, MN to drive to Champaign, IL. Friday the 7th, I present for ILRID in the morning. I will then drive to Chicago, and fly out to Baltimore, MD. Once in Baltimore, I will get a rental car and drive to Jamesburg, NJ. Saturday morning I present for NJRID. Saturday afternoon/evening I will be driving back to Baltimore. Sunday morning I present for the Potomac chapter of RID (PCRID). Sunday I fly back to Chicago, then get in the car and drive back home. And then promptly pass out for 24 hours. [chuckle]
I really appreciate having a driving element in my travel plans. There is something about the zen of the open road that leads to expansive thoughts. Not that I would be solving the world’s problems in a single road trip, but I often leave the car with a greater understanding of myself and the world I live in. It doesn’t matter if I am alone or if I have company – the conversation turns so many corners, often into the deepest territories.
Tomorrow morning I fly home from the RID Region V Conference in Sacramento California.
It was a great conference, not just for all the things that went well, but also for the example the Conference Committee set when faced with problems. I know they faced some major issues, but as a presenter, it did not seem to affect us or the attendees. The committee kept a cool head and seemed to be unflappable - I really admire that.
The participants in both sessions approached the samples with customary zeal and exemplified great teamwork. In the first session I had the honor of having Ari-Asha Castalia attend – her insight was invaluable and keen. And she had her humorous moments of course! In both sessions, we had a good time and people really opened up and shared their personal stories and experiences on the job.
I hope, among the variety of things they will take away from the workshop, that attendees will continue to dialogue about their experiences and help each understand how they see the world. We grow from sharing knowledge, and from that growth we can provide better service for our consumers.
“I appreciated you sharing your knowledge at Region 5. You had a well-planned and well-researched presentation and you’ve clearly done your work putting a cohesive product together, including the helpful handout.
I enjoy the opportunity to discuss issues with colleagues, and at the same time, I know I am a big presence in a workshop. Thank you for your gracious willingness to make space for my comments. Some of the most meaningful interactions I had all conference were sparked by the opportunities you provided for us to engage with each other.
The view of the harbor from my hotel room, Saint Johns, Newfoundland, Canada
After a complex and exhausting flight schedule, I finally arrived in Saint John’s, Newfoundland, Canada. Taxiing to the gate had the feel of England – with a pervasive fine mist and overcast, haunting dimness and those unique conifers specific to northern seacoasts. After going through the airport, I grabbed the first cab I could find and found myself talking to a man who could have been straight from Ireland. What were the odds of that? As we drove through town, I saw flag after flag of what I thought were Irish flags, streaming in the wind, on people’s homes. I asked the cabby if there were a lot of Irish people in Saint Johns, and he misunderstood me and thought I was asking about his parentage. I arrived at the Fairmont hotel and checked in. I was thrilled to be settled in and unpacked – even if it was only going to be for a day. I called the presenter coordinator, Denika (Da-nee-ka) Lewis and was pleasantly shocked by her brogue. Hearing that Irish lilt is like coming home.
Had some dinner, lovely fish and chips. Called the hubby and went to bed.
The next morning it was time to present for AVLIC – and I have to admit I was a bit nervous about presenting on the (inter)national level. I don’t know if perhaps I have just been blessed with the people who attend my workshops, but it seems like I get to see the very best in people. And it fills my heart when people say things at the end like “you made it a safe place to try something outside my comfort level.” It might be a bit cheesy, but I strongly value the intent of creating a sacred/safe place – I want to give people the opportunity to try without fear of judgment. Through my ITP training and in most of the workshops I have gone to, it didn’t feel safe and judgment was heavy in the room. There is also no reason that learning has to be boring, it should challenge and stimulate the mind and leave an impression. And most importantly, it’s not about me. It’s about sharing collective wisdom to help us all make better choices in the future. While I do share some personal stories in the workshop, most of the time I just want to stand back and let them talk to each other about it – everyone has something to offer and needs help sometimes. I feel that my role in the workshop is to give them a way to talk about and define profanity, then just facilitate the learning that happens naturally. Interpreters are a special breed, set apart, because of the inherent intelligence and swift analytical skills that we develop. In the workshop we were also fortunate to have a number of deaf attendees/interpreters – their insight on our work is more valuable than gold. I believe that people learned a good deal and had a good time – but the evaluations will tell!
Many of the people of Saint Johns are Irish blood and they carry with them that archetype of Irish hospitality. They were all genuine nice people and I can’t wait to go back and really get to know that town and its people. Interesting fact: Newfoundland did not become a part of Canada until 1949. So slightly over sixty years ago they were their own republic – less than a generation really. I can’t wait to go back – it’s a place that calls to me.
The zucchini and squash are developing beautiful blooms, as well as the delicate flowers on my peapods. The cucumbers are rocketing up the wall – I am sure in a desperate attempt to get some light. I will be cutting back the zucchinni and squash – no need for it to take over the garden. There are about 20 tomatoes on the vine, with at least one larger than my fist. The basil, oregano and thyme I planted in the widow are coming along nicely.
I can’t wait for all the veggies to be ready, this is so delightful. I just wish I had more space!
For those of you who actually read my blog, I apologize that I have fallen a bit behind.
So what’s been happening lately? Wow, a lot.
The last weekend of June, I was in Houston presenting for RID Region IV conference. It was a massive conference and I can honestly say I was bit intimidated by the enormity of the space and the people. When it came time to present, it was the same great crowd and wonderful discussion. I am eagerly awaiting the feedback – so far, the constructive criticism has been very helpful in improving the presentation, so its kind of like christmas!
The weekend of July 4th, I volunteer interpreted at a Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention – a four day study in organized mayhem. I truly had the opportunity to put my money where my hands are – I had the opportunity to interpret Vilification Tennis. If you are not familiar with it, it is contest of insults – and given the venue, very graphic explicit insults. The consumer was really savvy and that gave us a wide license to really get into the event. It was a blast.
So I am tired and even as I type, all I really want is a nap. Got a pillow?
