My very first entry

Today is my first ever blog entry! I'm pretty excited but a little iffy too :) anyway,
Hi I'm Lauren. I'm in my first year of college this year and I am learning American Sign Language. It is a BEAUTIFUL language and I'm so excited to be learning it! Today I had to submit my first video of me signing. I was really nervous and had a hard time finding things to say! At one point I said "family" instead of "group" but hey can't be perfect my first day! haha
It was more difficult to just think of things to say to a camera than coming up with things to say like in a conversation. It's been very interesting to learn about the Deaf culture and the Deaf language. Sometimes it can be frusterating because I know so little of the language and so my vocabulary is limited. The other day in class we watched a video on User Syndrome. I had never heard of this syndrome and I found it fascinating how the people just took things in stride and adapted to life with slowly failing sight. I haven't figured out a way yet to cut out all sound so that I have to rely on other senses to function. I'm weird in that I like to try to experience things in the shoes of other people. I once walked around my mom's bakery with my eyes squeezed shut and a stick stuck out in front of me so that I could experience what it felt like to not be able to see. I almost broke my neck cause I ran into some stuff scattered on the floor and refused to open my eyes to find a way around because the blind don't have the option. I recently got a movie that has narration for the visually impared and I can't wait to watch it with my eyes closed to see if I can picture the movie in my head. Sadly I watched the movie before I discovered this feature so now I have to find another movie that I haven't seen and watch it first with eyes closed and then watch with eyes opened to see if I was correct :) Anyway I used to try to figure out a way to cut out sound to see what it would be like to live in a life completely void of sound. I haven't figured it out yet but as soon as I do I'll blog about it! :)
Well I can't really think of anything else to write so I think I'll sign off for now :)
Lauren