February 2, 2011

A few months ago, my mom and I were due for an upgrade on our cell phones. I usually get it at the same time as her so I can get the free one in the "Buy 1 get 1 Free" special. This time, we got the Blackberry Bold. I had full intentions on getting a Blackberry once I graduate from college and into the "real world" but I was going to wait until then because I didn't think it would be necessary for me since I'm just a student.

Never would I have thought I'd become SO addicted to this Blackberry!



Ever since I have gotten it, I have become addicted with getting all my emails immediately, browsing the internet wherever I go and all the other applications available on the Blackberry.

But the MAIN reason why I love this new phone and why I think its blog-worthy is that I am now able to hear and understand on it A LOT better by using my Cochlear Implant!! Before, I've had to use my Hearing Aid and it would always be a hassel because I would have to be somewhere quiet... which in my case, very rare!

So now, I'm talking on the phone more and building up my phone confidence! And I must say, it's about time! :)

Guess that "Buy 1 Get 1 Free" Special ended up being a "life-saver" for me as it's the perfect time for me to start getting used to using my CI on the phone.

September 29, 2009

The jobs I never thought I'd have... are the jobs I'm doing!

Before I got my implant, there were some jobs I thought I would NEVER be able to have and I thought I was going to miss out on the jobs that “everyone starts off with” such as being a waiter, working the front desk answering phones, helping visitors with directions, working the cashier stand at a fast food restaurant, etc.
But since I’ve started college and become more comfortable with my implant/hearing… I’m working one of the jobs I thought I would NEVER have which is working the front desk as a receptionist.

For the past year, I worked the front desk answering phones and assisting visitors who came into the Berry College Alumni Center. Sure, in the beginning it was a little tough getting used to it, and I always got nervous when someone called because I was afraid I wasn’t going to understand them or to be able to answer their questions, etc. But as time went by, it got easier and I got more comfortable answering phones and helping people.

But now, since I’ve switched jobs/departments, I’m no longer working the front desk but I’m answering calls about reservations in the different meeting rooms, dining halls, ballrooms, etc.

So it’s definitely been an adventure working these jobs! Every day it amazes me that ME – a DEAF person – is answering phones, helping people, and training the new freshmen, etc. It makes me feel good that I’m able to do this and it makes me that much more grateful for the opportunities I’m now experiencing because of my Cochlear Implant and having gone through Auditory Verbal Therapy. Without them… I don’t know where I would be working right now.

I guess you can say that deaf people can achieve what we originally thought was impossible! :)

July 23, 2009

Body-Worn Processor can come in handy

My Grandpa has had the implant for about 2 years now and seems to be progressing. But unfortunately, because of his age and health, his progress is very slow. But even though it's a slow progress, we can definitely see a difference with his conversations being more at ease. He can hear a lot better then he did with just the two hearing aids and we don't have to worry about him using the FM system as a microphone for everyone at the table. He can definitely do a lot better in the quiet environments but it does get challenging in the noisier environments so we have to make sure we talk slow for him.

Since he has gotten the implant, we have been noticing that he has a hard time managing his BTE processor, oxygen tube and glasses all on his ear. It would sometimes get tangled up and everything falls off. We have tried the earmold for his ear to help hold it on, but it was too difficult for him to use. So as a solution, we traded out the BTE processor for the body-worn hoping this will help. As a result, he doesn't get tangled up on his ears balancing everything and plus, he seems to be hearing better with the body-worn instead of the BTE!

So we're glad this is working out better for him... I guess you never know until you try it!

July 13, 2009

Jonathan's new job with CutCo!

My brother just got a job last week working with CutCo. Now for those of you who aren't familiar with CutCo, it's a knife company that involves selling them "door to door." Apparently these knives are very expensive but top of the line... I don't even think you can buy them in stores.

So what he has to do is call people up asking them to make an appointment so he can give them about a 30 minute presentation of the products and hope that they'll be interested enough to buy some. Its a hard job - sometimes they'll buy and sometimes they wont.

But what's amazing is that he's able to do all this -- call people up, make appointments, give about a 30 minute presentation of the knives, and sell them. Literally the job of a salesman!

After 2 days of working, he's made over $3,000 in sales! Now, that's pretty impressive!! I think he not only loves making the sales, but he loves how he gets calls from his boss checking in and complimenting him on how great he's doing!

Jonathan making one of his first sales!


But if you think about it, he would not be able to do this if it weren't for the AB Harmony.

We were all kinda actually kinda nervous in the beginning on how he would do... but he has definitely proved us all wrong - nothing can stop you from doing what you want! So thanks for the Harmony and Jonathan's hardworking personality, he's able to make great money and save up for college and a new car! :)

June 15, 2009

Keith Urban Concert!

Since I LOVE Keith Urban's music, my brother and my best friend got me tickets for my birthday to see him in Concert which was last night! And the concert was AMAZING! We had such a great time dancing and singing along with Keith Urban and his songs!

Thanks to the Harmony, both my brother and I could actually enjoy the concert and sing along with his music!

Now, hopefully next year we can try to go to the CMA Music Fest in Nashville, TN and see ALL of our favorite country stars!! :)








"I'm alive and I'm free... Who wouldn't wanna be me"
-Keith Urban

May 27, 2009

Future Entrepreneur?

Berry College has several Student Ran Enterprises on campus... Lisa and I started an enterprise creating an Online Alumni Collection. Since the Alumni only have a few "Alumni items", we are creating an online based store to provide more alumni items for both the younger and the older graduates. The other day we were interviewed and published in the Rome, Ga Newspaper!
Check it out:



Ideas bear fruit at Berry
by Bryant Steele


Berry College freshman Samantha Brilling (left) and sophomore Lisa Smith with some of the products from their business venture, the Online Berry Alumni Collection at Oak Hill. Alumni gear is currently available in the alumni office in the Ford Buildings on Berry College's main campus and will soon be available online through Oak Hill's Web site. (Photo by Lindy Dugger Cordell / RN-T)





The whiteboard in Rufus Massey’s office at Berry College (map) is a color-coded mass of lists and boxes with lines and arrows connecting one thing to another or more. It is what Picasso might have come up with had he been a business major.

Massey’s masterpiece is an evolving study in a new student work experience called Enterprise Development.

“We want to build a high-performance team, and we want the students to be more competitive in the workforce when they leave,” Massey, assistant vice president for enterprise development, said.

He said the program shares ideas with the entrepreneurship program at the college’s Campbell School of Business, but the businesses this program builds will stay at Berry after students graduate, always to be run by students with oversight from faculty and staff called co-managers.

“It gives students the opportunity to run their own enterprise,” Massey said. “The students had to develop the project plans.”

The idea, to market Berry’s products and services beyond the Berry family, had its genesis in October. The progress will be evaluated during the summer (summer students are keeping the pilot projects going), and Massey hopes to have more projects up and running by fall.

Most projects have a readily recognizable Berry theme, like the Berry Farms Jersey Milk Co. and Berry Farms Jersey Beef Co. Then there’s Vision Studios, a video production company to visually preserve not only anniversary and birthday celebrations but also property owners’ belongings for insurance purposes.

“For the last six months, we’ve gathered ideas. We have 200 ideas on the business concept list,” Massey said.

Berry Farms Genetic Services can take advantage of the school’s Jersey cattle herd, ranked No. 13 in the nation, he said. “Genetic Services basically would have a veterinarian work with students and harvest embryos and ship them frozen anywhere in the world. The goal is to have Berry Cattle walking all over the world. It’s all about continuing the Berry line.”

The Cottages at Berry – four log cabins — are “not really open to the public,” Massey said. “But with 21,000 alumni, there are plenty of customers.” The cottages are being converted to a student-run enterprise with the goal “to keep them full all the time,” Massey said.

The Berry Bike Shop is an old blacksmith shop that will partner with local bicycle shops and provide minor repairs, tours and rentals, he said.

Berry Farms Jersey Milk “has taken the campus by storm,” Massey said. It’s processed by Cagle Dairy in Canton and offered in whole, 2 percent and chocolate. Details about offering it to the public at large are being worked out.

“What we have in mind” with the Berry Organic Garden “is that the average meal takes 1,500 miles to get to the table. Wouldn’t we rather have food that takes a quarter-mile to get to the table?”

‘Sky’s the limit’

“We are actually selling product now,” said Nathan Clackum, co-manager of Berry Angus Beef Co. “So far we’ve been mainly marketing to faculty, staff, students and alumni. However, we will sell it to the public.

(See Berryangus@berry.edu for sales information.)

“Berry Angus specializes in high-quality ground beef and steaks. Our product is natural, which means that there are no artificial preservatives or artificial ingredients added to the meat. It’s also raised without added hormones.”

The product is seasonal (January through July) and is processed by Sheriff’s Meat Processing in Calhoun, a state -inspected plant, Clackum said.

The school has been marketing animals in larger portions for several years, but the enterprise selling individual cuts just started in May, he said.

Massey would one day like people to see menu items from Berry College Student Enterprises. “It’s not far-fetched. It’s pretty simple to do that.”

“Basically, the sky’s the limit,” Clackum said. “We’re going to grow based on demand. We have the animal numbers right now to do about 40 head per year.”

Jessica Crumbley, general manager of the enterprise and a rising senior, asked to be a part of the pilot project. She thought it would be helpful because she plans to be a veterinarian but doesn’t have a business minor.

“It gets me thinking about all aspects of running a business,” she said. “Raising steers, getting them prepped, the paperwork. It helps me see more than just the health care.

Alumni have bought Berry merchandise for years, but The Alumni Collection at Oak Hill enterprise plans to sell even more caps, shirts, motto plaques, calendars and more.

Operations manager and rising junior Lisa Smith and marketing manager and rising sophomore Samantha Brilling will survey alumni at the upcoming Alumni Weekend for additional merchandise ideas as they also plan to take the business online.

Brilling, a marketing major, thinks the enterprise will help prepare her for her career. Smith said she does it more for the students. “I came from the business world back to school,” she said.

The Berry Enterprises Student Team is a support group majoring in areas like business management, accounting and finance, marketing and communication, Massey said. The group will meet at least once a semester to discuss what’s been accomplished and seek advice from a volunteer board that includes trustees, Campbell School faculty and the Alumni Council.

David Reeves, a rising senior and visual communications manager, is on the

BEST team and is Web designer for the entire project.

“Most purchases will be made online eventually,” he said. “The Web is now the new Yellow Pages that everyone can go to for reference.”

“Our home page will be about how we’ve come about, who we are, have contact information and a link to all the enterprises.” It will include information about how the project helps further education, he said.

‘Premier work institution’

The program has levels of work. Freshmen start at level one and have the opportunity to reach level five and run entire programs.

“The ultimate vision is student-run enterprises,” Massey said. “Academics are still first, but work is a unique component.

“Berry’s vision is to be known as a premier work institution in the nation,” Massey said. “By the time students graduate, up to 95 percent have worked on campus. It’s the culture.”

May 19, 2009

Connect to a Mentor

An article from Advanced Bionics:


Advanced Bionics is connecting cochlear implant recipients and candidates from across the country through its new "Connect to Mentor" Web site.


Valencia, Calif. (PRWEB) May 18, 2009 -- In the first such online community of its kind, Advanced Bionics, the only U.S.-based manufacturer of cochlear implants (or "bionic ears"), is connecting cochlear recipients and candidates from across the country through its new "Connect to Mentor" Web site. The new site, part of the BEA (Bionic Ear Association) Mentor Program, allows cochlear implant candidates to contact volunteer "mentors" and communicate directly with hearing professionals.

"Advanced Bionics has an actively engaged population of 6,000 BEA members," said CEO Jeffrey Greiner of Advanced Bionics. "In developing this Web site, the company realized that its most valuable assets are cochlear implant recipients themselves. This site allows them to share their experiences, offer advice to others who might be thinking of being implanted, and help them navigate the process from surgery to entering the hearing world."

http://www.bionicear.com/CTM

May 15, 2009

Hearing Journey

Advanced Bionics has a website called the Hearing Journey which is a community website for all AB staff, AB CI users and potential CI users who come together to ask questions and to help others with their questions and concerns. This is also a great way to meet and connect with other people who are going through the same journey with getting the CI.

I'll be honest, at first, I wasn't a fan of the site. I liked the concept of it and thought it was great. But when I first became a member and started looking around at the different topics, I thought it was a bit obnoxious. There were so many people posting comments, I couldn't keep up.

But now, that I've had more time to explore the site... I've started to catch on and is enjoying the site more. It has a lot of helpful topics... even for me!

Some of the topics include:
- Sports & Protection
- Telling people about the CI
- Alarm Clocks
- Surgery Concerns
- Mapping Tips
- Information about the CI parts
---and many more!

So I suggest you to sign up for the Hearing Journey website and read what other people have to say. Or maybe post your questions/concerns so you can get even more feedback from just reading these blogs.


www.HearingJourney.com



May 7, 2009

Audio Tours in Museums!

Last weekend, my Mom and I went to the Mummy Museum and we paid for the Audio Tour. We assumed it was going to be a little recording with headphones to listen with as you walk around. I used that when I went to the Art Museum downtown… instead of using the regular headphones that came with it, I would just plug in my direct connect cord from my implant to the recorder so I could hear it better. It was great!

But suprisingly, this place was more advanced and had personal walkie-talkie phone type things we listen too. When they handed this to me, I wasn’t sure how this was going to go. But we figured we’d try it out anyways.

As you can see from the picture below, it was basically like holding a TV remote to our ears and listen to it…. It was like we were from the future! I felt like such a dork walking around with that! haha



But surprisingly, I could understand most of it! In fact, we got more information and details then a person who didn’t have the audio tour! It was like we had our own personal behind-the-scenes tour guide!

So being that I love learning about mummies and Egypt, I was very thankful we got the Audio Tour and that I could hear it! :D




April 3, 2009

The Wonderful World of BEA Mentors!



Last weekend I flew out to Valencia, California for Advanced Bionic’s BEA Mentor Training Weekend with about 40 other people who also have the Advanced Bionics Cochlear Implant or someone else in their family does. It was so much fun learning about the company, about the things coming out in the future, seeing AB’s headquarters, meeting all the BEA and AB staff and learning how to be a better mentor.

I also had a great time meeting other people who have the CI and hearing about their hearing journey and what it was like for them to go through the process of getting the implant. It’s amazing to me to hear all the stories of what it was like, because it seems like we all have unique situations that we’ve been or are going through. Here are a couple pictures of me with some of the other CI users I met…








I edited my links list which is to the right, below my profile box. As you can see, there are three categories: Resources, Other Bloggers, and Other ways to find me.

In the “Resources” category, there are some important links to check out for when you are going through your CI journey…

The Auditory Verbal Center is the center I went to for Auditory Verbal Therapy to help train my brain to hear and understand with the CI. This is also the center that taught me to hear and speak when I was diagnosed at 2. So I went there for therapy when I was youger to learn to hear and speak with my hearing aids... then when I got my CI, I went back for a couple months for some more therapy.

Advanced Bionics, as you probably already know, is the Cochlear Implant company I have… best choice I ever made! This is the link to their website in case you want some more information anout the company.

Hearing Journey is an online community through Advanced Bionics to where other CI users and potential CI users can post topics and discuss their questions or concerns.

Hearing Exchange is Paula Rosenthal’s site for blogs and recourses of people with a Hearing Loss. On Facebook, she also has two groups you can join called “HearingExchange” and “HearingExchange Teens.” I am a member of both groups, which is cool because you can meet other deaf people and post on discussions within that group. It’s a fun way to meet other deaf people in your area and throughout the country.

Deaf Village is also a website like Hearing Exchange to where you can find information and resources about Hearing Loss and other deaf people.

The next Category is “Other Bloggers" and as you can tell, there are three subcategories for Adults, Young Adult/Teens and Children. So depending on your situation, you can also find someone else w ho might be going through the same challenges as you. They are all great Mentors and some of them I had the privilege of meeting at the BEA Mentor Training this past weekend. So I highly recommend checking them out too! :)

And lastly, “Other ways you can find me” is for anyone who would like to find me outside of my BlogSpot… through Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Email, AIM and/or Skype. I love getting emails and meeting new people... so feel free to find me or add me as a friend! :)


I hope these links will be beneficial to you and if you have any other questions or comments, dont hesitate to ask/tell! :)

January 5, 2009

A Flock of Geese

My friend John, who just got the implant, was telling me today about how he heard a flock of geese for the first time!



The other day, he went hiking with his dog and heard this weird sound and couldn't figure out what it was. But he noticed his dog looking up, so he looked up to see what he was looking at and saw a whole group of geese flying above him!

He was so excited that he could hear them because before he would have been completely oblivious to them... he would never have known they were flying above him unless he was actually looking at the sky.

Now, if you were out and enjoying nature taking nice hikes through the woods, wouldn't you want to get the full effect and hear all the neat sounds of birds and animals? I know I would! :)

I guess its the little things that we take for granted that mean the most...

It always makes me happy when deaf people hear new sounds for the first time making their faces glow with excitement! I guess you never know what you're missing out on until you hear something for the first time.

January 3, 2009

Living Apartment Style...

I always laughed when people would complain about how they could hear their neighbors when they lived in apartments because I never really thought I would have to worry about it. I never really thought it would bother me because at night I would just take my hearing equipment off and I wouldn't hear anything.

But scratch that...

The other week I stayed with some friends in New York City in their apartment which happened to be on the 17th floor. But even though it was pretty high up, I could STILL hear the traffic outside! It was so annoying when I would be reading or just hanging out there when every ten minutes I'd hear someone honk their horn or hear the police or ambulance go by! It was almost like the windows were open, but they weren't! lol

Even though I wouldn't want to listen to that everyday in my own home... I still thought it was kinda cool that I could hear everything outside from the 17th floor! lol I guess that's something you'd just have to learn to deal with living in the big city!

Here's a picture of the view outside the window...



The city was so much fun though... we had the view of the Empire State Building! :)

December 11, 2008

First Semester of College.... DONE!

So I survived my first semester of College! SWEET!

It's been a great semester of both good and hard times with basically starting over leaving high school behind, making new friends, living on my own with a roommate, starting a new job (with fancy paychecks!), and keeping up with all my classes... but most of all, just having fun as a college student! :)

When I first enrolled to Berry, I was given several options because of my hearing:
- Option One: Private room
- Option Two: Note-taker, FM system, etc. to help me in classes (like the 504 plan in high school?)
- Option Three: Fire alarm with a blinking light
But I didn't take the first two... just Option Three for safety reasons.

Option One Explanation:
One of the main challenges about college is learning how to live and deal with a roommate. I wanted to experience college to the fullest, so I decided to try it out with a roommate and see how it goes - just so I can say I've tried it.

It was weird and kind of nerve-wrecking at first. I wasn’t sure what it was going to be like having to share a room with a girl I didn’t even know. I was also nervous about at night when I take my hearing equipment off. I wasn't sure if I was going to be missing out on stuff or if my roomie would have people in the room or would be going through my stuff while I'm asleep and unaware. And the thought of that kind of freaked me out.

But then as the year went on, living with a roommate is like living with a sister I never had, which had both its good and bad times. haha And about the night time worries… that’s basically a trust issue. I just learned to trust my roommate and set some ground rules in the “roommate contract” that everyone had to do in the beginning of the year, to make sure that we don’t have guest hanging out in the room once one of us is asleep.

But I gotta say, it’s definitely been interesting living in a hearing/deaf roommate situation. As it turns out, she loves having the deaf roommate because it gives her a lot more advantages than me like not having to be quiet when I'm asleep. But I, on the other hand, had to learn how to be SUPER quiet in the morning so I don't wake her up.

We also had a challenge in the beginning with my alarm clock because she could hear it vibrate. Thank goodness I don't have to use the flashing light or the loud noise to wake me up! :P

But even though we had a few challenges, we learned to accept and overcome them.

Option Two Explanation:
I took about 5 classes this semester, and I didn’t use a note-taker or an FM system to help me in any of them. In fact I don’t think my professors even knew about my hearing… if they did, it’s because they either figured it out or someone else told them. In High School I just told my teachers that I was deaf, but they all forgot after a month of having me in their class so I figured I wasn’t going to really worry about it here unless it became a problem.

So I just made sure I sat in the first or second row to where I can hear my professor and to be able to see the board or PowerPoint presentation for notes. And honestly, I didn’t really have a problem with any of them.

So yeah, I guess you can say those would be two obstacles a deaf person would normally face in college… but luckily for me, I did just fine this semester!

Here are some pictures of some of the highlights of this semester…

Freshman Service Day - Some girls and I got grouped together to clean and organize a storage room for a Teen Center. We found these baby dolls so we were having fun with them haha


Giving Blood for the first time! :)


Mountain Day Weekend at Berry - each residence hall had a different theme, and ours was the "InCLARAbles" :D


A "Mock-Cocktail Party" for the girls on our hall


Halloween Dance


Lighting the street with candles for all the Alumni driving in for an Alumni party:


So as you can see.... it's only been one semester and I already have tons of great memories!!

I love College!! :)

October 22, 2008

Clickers in Class

So apparently the new thing to do is to use little "clickers" in class...

The clicker we use:


I am taking a Government class on Contemporary World Issues this semester and my professor likes to use this clicker system for class questions, quizzes, and/or debate questions.

How it works is that sometimes she'll post the multiple choice question on the overhead or most of the time she'll read them allowed and we all have to send in our answer to the computer through the clicker. Then once everyone sends in their answer, a bar graph shows up on the overhead showing what everyone chose (anonymously). And that's how she monitors how the class is doing and how we generate debate topics in class.

Sending in your answers:



The class results on the overhead:
(But in my case - without the question showing)



I think its pretty weird to think about how much the world relies on technology. And I also think its pretty cool that I'm able to hear and understand the questions my professor is asking so I can send in my answer through those little-handy-dandy clickers! haha :)

October 10, 2008

Security Feature?

I was walking to my car the other night and I didn't see anyone around, so I thought I would be fine - I would just get in my car and drive back to my dorm. But then while I was walking, I realized I was hearing footsteps that weren't mine. So I glanced back and as it turns out, there was this guy walking behind me. I didn't know who he was or if he was following me so just to be on the safe side, I kept walking to the nearest open building. Luckily he just kept walking past me. lol



But even though Berry and Rome seems to be a safe and "homey" campus, it was still kinda freaky. I immediately thought about those stories you hear on other campuses about people disappearing and what-not. So I was really thankful I could hear the footsteps behind me, becuase if I didn't... what could have happend?

Kind of a freaky thought, I know... but you just never know these days... :/

October 2, 2008

I'm a working girl!

I got my first *real* job working at the Berry College Alumni Center! :)

I work for a few hours everyday before and in between my classes. Basically I just have to help out around the office/center by entering data into Word or Excel on the computer, delivering mail, stuffing envolopes to send to Alumni and help out with various Alumni events. But usually I'm at the front desk greeting people and answering the phone helping and directing anyone who calls. But then the best part is, when they don't really have anything for you to do - you can work on your homework - and still get paid! haha

At first I was really nervous about working at the front desk becuase I was worried that I might not be able to understand or help people on the phone answering their questions and what-not. But luckily, it's actually not that bad! I've been working here for about a month and a half and it's getting easier to answer the phone - I don't get so nervous! Plus, it's kinda fun when you see people and students passing through the center as they all wave or say Hi to me back!

When someone calls and I'm able to answer their questions or to transfer them to someone they need, I always feel good and proud of myself becuase I was able to answer the phone and to help them out! :)

This is the front desk - where I'm normally working:



Notice the phone?
There's so many lines and buttons to transfer calls too! haha

September 8, 2008

Strobe Lights

They just installed some Strobe Lights in my dorm and also in the bathroom for in case if there is a fire.

The guys that installed it, tested it out to show me how it works. So basically when the smoke alarm goes off, the strobe light will make a really loud noise and flash a really bright light until the fire alarm goes off. So now, not only will you hear the normal smoke alarm noise, you'll also hear the strobe light blaring and see it flashing a really bright light.
Which as we all know, means... you evacuate immediately! lol

They put one above my door in my room so if I'm sleeping, the light flashing will wake me up.
And they put it in the bathroom so in case if I'm in the shower, I'll see the light flashing and will know to get out ASAP.

Here is what it looks like:

The Strobe light above our door to our dorm:


The Strobe Light up close:


The Strobe Lights in the bathroom - they put two of them, so you can see the light flashing in all of the showers:



Its kinda weird having the strobe lights on the walls and the ceilings, but at least now I'll know if there's a fire at night or while I'm in the showers so I'll know to get out ASAP! :)

September 3, 2008

GPS Navigation System

Ever since my best friend got in a bad car accident (don't worry - she's doing great now) because she was looking at a map trying to figure out where she was going, I am VERY thankful that I can hear my portable Navigation System telling me when to turn and where I'm going. Especially since I have really really really bad sense of direction! haha

I have a weight-stand thing that holds it on the dash so it doesn't slide around, but I also tend to just put it in front of me behind the wheel so it doesn't block my view. But either way, I can hear it fine when its talking to me even while I listen to my music at the same time :)




But I gotta say, this thing DEFINITELY comes in handy... it's also a great feeling knowing I'll always be able to find my way home! hehe :D

August 29, 2008

Living on the Berry College Campus... :)

Well, it's been over a week since I've moved into my Berry College Dorm! :)

It's been so crazy and busy this week trying to get situated, ready for classes and work, meeting new people and trying to figure out where everything is! But so far it's been going great!!

My Weekly Schedule:

Monday & Wednesday:
8:00 - 10:00 -- Work in the Alumni Center
10:00 - 10:50 -- Economics
11:00 - 11:50 -- English/Writing
LUNCH BREAK
1:00 - 2:00 -- BCC - Freshmen Class

Tuesday & Thursday:
9:30 - 10:45 -- Psychology
11:00 - 2:00 -- Work in the Alumni Center
2:00 - 3:15 -- Contemporary World Issues (GOV)

Friday:
8:00 - 10:00 -- Work in the Alumni Center
10:00 - 10:50 -- Economics
11:00 - 11:50 -- English/Writing

So I have about 13 credit hours (the max they'll allow for freshmen) and about 12 hours of work a week. Then next week they're having the student involvement fair to see all the clubs that they offer and join the ones you want. So I'm excited about that!! There's two clubs I already want to join which are The Swing Dance Club and the Ballroom Dancing Club! :) But I also want to find some other clubs to join - preferably some clubs that involve community service work, so we'll see...

Work is interesting... I basically help stuff envelopes and mail them out to Alumni and help out with Alumni Events but on Tuesdays and Thursdays I work the front desk greeting people and answering the phones and what-not. So it's pretty cool helping out in an office scene... plus, I get my first pay check in two weeks!! hehe :)

Well, it's been interesting living with a roommate. So far it's been going pretty good. I use my vibrating alarm clock to wake me up and the RA's are going to install one of those strobe lights for the fire alarm in the bathroom and probably one in my dorm room so if I don't have my hearing equipment on, I'll be able to tell if there's a fire.

But it's been fun getting to know everyone on my hall.... the other night, our whole hall got dressed up and went out to dinner before we went to the Freshmen Talent Show. Last night I went to the first Swing Dance and tonight is the Welcome Back Toga Dance! And last night, Dana (Boy's Dorm) invited 3rd Clara (our floor) to their pool party next monday! Dana Dorms had to pick a girl's dorm floor to invite, and we're the ones that got invited!! :D So that was pretty cool!

Here are some pictures of my dorm....

Clara Hall's Main Entrance- We're on the 3rd floor:


Our door - Clara 310:


My half of the room:


Just what everyone loves.... textbooks!


So I guess you can say I'm officially a College Student! :D

I've survived the first week of crazyness and now I get to enjoy a long weekend for Labor Day....
of writing papers that are due next week and reading a bunch of stuff for my classes.... oh boy! :P

August 18, 2008

Future Pilot Jonathan!

Well, as some of you may know, my brother is pretty big into the military and hopes to one day be a pilot for the Air Force.
He's a member of the Civil Air Patrol at the PDK Airport in Atlanta and this summer he went to Boot Camp for two weeks. Now, to any other person (including me)... that would be complete torture. But as for Jonathan, he had the greatest time - learning different drills and commands, rescue missions, getting in shape, challenging himself and his team, Army obstacle courses, making friends, etc. In fact, he was actually sad to leave! haha But he's going back in December for the "Frost Bite" camp session where they do the same thing, but in the winter/snow. YIKES!

Jonathan's Barrack, where he slept on small bunks with a bunch of other guys:


"Graduating" Ceremony on the last day:


Marching - he's the last one in the last row - the one smiling lol:


"Goodbye Chant" with some of his friends:


Then for the rest of the summer, he got a job at the PDK Airport basically being an assistant to a private pilot. He's learning all about planes, how they work, how to wax and keep them clean... and on top of that - he's learning how to fly!! Whenever his boss had to fly to another city, Jonathan would go and sit in the Co-Pilot seat while his boss teaches him all the controls and what-not... Jonathan was so excited when his boss let him take control of the plane in the air!

We weren't sure about how he was going to do up there with the Cochlear Implant and headphones.... but surprisingly he could hear everything and could have a conversation over the headset! So that was great news!! :D

He just got his "Pilot Physical" the other day so now he's officially clear to take flying lessons and learn to be a pilot. He's thrilled!!

Well here are some pictures of Jonathan with the plane he waxed and flew to Memphis.... so far he's been to Knoxville, Memphis, St. Louis, and Athens. WOW!

Waxing a plane at one of the conventions:


The plane Jonathan got to fly... can you tell he was excited?! :P


Getting ready for take-off!


Can you imagine jumping on a plane and flying to a city for the day?!
It reminds me of the movie "Pretty Woman" where they fly to San Francisco just to see a play..... now, that's a life! :P

Well, we are all very proud of him... this has been his dream and now it's coming true! Now we just wait two more years till he graduate and see where he ends up! :D



Guess this goes to show, that you shouldn't let anything get in the way of what you want to do with your life! :D

August 11, 2008

One of the greatest sounds ever...

is hearing your car beep everytime you lock and unlock the car! :D

I just got a new car for college - Kia Optima - and I LOVE it so much! Its the first car that I've had that has the beeper thing to lock and unlock the car. So I've been having the funnest time locking my car.... sometimes I would just click the lock button a couple times just to hear the beep! haha

Don't you just love that sound?! :P



- Picking up my car -


-The tag in front.... my nickname becuase I love Swing Dancing -


-PROUD STUDENT.... I've waited a long time to be able to put this on -



*beep beep*


*beep beep*


*beep beep*


:D