Health Musuem!

Just Saturday I went with some friends and my roommate to The National Museum of Health and Medicine. It was the same day as the NFL Draft but i felt like I was more interested in visiting this place because i heard it was a great museum. The highlight of this musuem are the historical artifacts as well as the most popular anatomical specimens that are related to Abraham Lincoln. These include the bullet that ended his life, the probe used to find the bullet, a blood-stained shirt cuff from the museum surgeon who attended the autopsy, and bone fragments and hair from Lincoln’s skull. The collection also includes a pencil drawing of the deathbed scene made by the museum’s medical illustrator immediately after the removal of Lincoln’s body from the house in which he died. Some examples of some permanent exhibits include Evolution of  the Microscope, Human Body, Human Being, and Battlefield Surgery 101. These were all very impressive and I learned a lot. The thing that impressed me the most about the musuem visit was the pregnancy displays that are shown. They virtually show you every month of pregnancy by giving you a display of what a specific shild will look like. This is a great place to go to learn about the body and mind as well as Abraham, Lincoln and what he went through when he was assassinated. This musuem is not far from Gallaudet and i would definitely recommend my friends to go as well.

Fantastic First Year Students Banquet!

April 22nd was a day that made my freshman year seem like a big accomplishment. I had gotten invited to the Fantastic First Year Student reception for the this year. Only about 90 freshman students got invited to this out of about 400 freshman students enrolled in Gallaudet University. Only 40 of those 90 students got selected to attend.

After getting an email saying I was invited, I didn’t know how to react to it! The first thing i did was call my parents and let them know what happened. They sounded like they were really excited and proud of me. At the reception we watched a slide show that displayed each student’s accomplishments as well as this group as a whole. This group was told to have gotten a GPA of 3.8. I thought that was amazing! This reception just made me realize the kind of potential i have while being here at Gallaudet University. Being a first generation college student in my family, this is something that will definitely stick with me for the rest of my life!

Want to know why my dorm room will be dearly missed?

THIS! My lovely view of the campus.
P.S I will be posting more snapshots after my trip to Washington Monument and Capitol Hill tomorrow.

TEA Anyone?

“Our government is in hot water. People are steamed and a revolution is brewing!”

Yesterday, I went to a local tea Party on the town square. It was great to see so many people turn out for the event. For me, I have been unhappy with the way our government has been run for many years (and even more so the past couple of years when I started getting involved in politics).

Like I have mentioned before, I am a Conservative, an Independent–not a Republican. To me, there is something wrong with a nation that only supports a two-party system. Not everyone is far-left or far-right. There are people in the middle, too. Are those people ever represented? No. They never have the chance to be.

A person no longer wins an election based on his/her background, expertise, wisdom, integrity, or knowledge of the Constitution. They win because he/she has the most money. They win because they stifle the media from representing their counterparts. They win because they have cheated their way to the top. They win because people have to vote against who they DON’T WANT in office instead of getting to vote for who they WANT in office.

This is wrong.

This needs to stop.

But how? I feel like some minuscule, obscure student–one in a billion–who is helpless and unable to make any difference. Yes, I can vote. I can blog. I can tell my friends about the injustices in the world. There are just not enough people like me who are fed up with the Feds to do anything about it—until now.

I really hope these nation-wide Tea Parties are successful. I hope that politicians are convicted of their wrong-doings, their abusiveness, their callousness, their apathy. I hope that an internal revolution takes place that makes our Country a more fair, free-enterprise, safe, less dependent, healthier, Constitutional Republic. I hope that my hopes don’t dissipate in the apathetic society I live in today.

The reason I support the Tea Parties is because I am disgusted with all the careless, frivilous spending in Washington. I understand that in the short-term, I am going to get tax cuts and breaks. But later, taxes will rise–they will have to in order to support so much spending. I will feel as though I cannot become a successful individual because if I make over a certain amount, I will have to pay more taxes.

As a result, there will be more dissension, more distance between the wealthy and the poor. Successful people will hate the less fortunate for getting off with paying less taxes and the poor will hate the rich for taking advantage of them. Class warfare will become worse.

I do not want the government to treat me differently than the wealthy just because I am in the middle-class. I do not want the government to take care of me. I want the government to protect me and protect my beloved Country–that is all. I want everyone to pay the same taxes–rich and poor. To me, the most logical thing would be to have everyone pay 2%, 3%, or even 4% in taxes. Even more logical, I think that taxes should only be levied on things bought, not on what a person earns. Want a house? Pay taxes. Want a new car? Pay taxes. Earn a million dollars by inventing some new gadget? Keep it; spend it; save it; invest it.

The government has no business taking my money (through taxes) and then giving it back to me (through a “stimulus check”). Let me keep it. Let me spend my money. I earned it. I should be able to spend it how I want and how I need. It makes no sense for me to like giving the government a $10 bill and then getting only a portion of it back. It is just like those unfortunate kids who trade their dime for a nickle because they think it is worth more because of the nickle’s larger size.

The government has no business taking some successful person’s money (the money earned by someone who followed the American Dream) and then giving it to people on welfare–to people who sit on their lazy bums all day and don’t want to work. OK, you say “well, what about those on welfare who can’t work or who have lost their job?” I say, let the community take care of it. Sure, it isn’t the easiest thing to ask a friend for help. But it is SO MUCH BETTER to ask a friend for help and return the favor when times get tough for the friend then to ask the government to do something that they were never entitled to do in the first place and be indebted to them for life. That is not the American Dream.

The American Dream is founded on the freedom to do whatever your heart desires. If you want to be a successful businessman, do it! If you want to be the best teacher in all 50 states, do it! The American Dream does not stand for higher taxes–a punishment for doing well and dreaming big. It is an unlimited, no-barrier success continuum that every American has the right to pursue.

That is what the Tea Parties are about. That is why I went out in support for them. That is why I want them to succeed.

So for any of you who are tired of the way our government is run, for those of you who want to pursue the American Dream, for anyone wishing to see a change in the way taxes are levied and the government is run, stand with me. Vote for politicians who stand for these founding principles of our Nation. Sign petitions and call your Senators and Congresspeople to advocate for what is right. And most of all, pray that our United Sates of America changes for the better.

Blood is thicker than water

Last night I sat motionless on my bed wondering how my life would be if my parents were not there for me. I am here today because of my parents; they mean the world to me, without them I would be nothing. My life would not be the same if it was not for them, honestly. I am more than grateful to be their daughter. They have both supplied me with food, warmth, patience, support, and unconditional love; I can not thank them more. My parents have made such a positive impact on my life. I come from a very strong family who is into the “deaf hood” and taught me to preserve the uniqueness and wonder of the deaf culture and its traditions. My dad had a rough childhood and he has taught me countless things about life through his experiences. I love those days when we would just sit in the family room and fire up the discussion regarding politics and religion. Tough topics. My father taught me to stand up for what I believe in, even if it means I stand alone. I was well disciplined, and was taught how to say ‘no’ when it comes to things that may be harmful to me after listening to my father’s childhood stories that in the end made him a strong gentleman today. What I have learned from my father will stick with me for rest of my life. I have developed really strong morals and values. My precious mother, Leisa, no one is able to replace her. She is one amazing mother and I am more than fortunate to have her as my mother and watch me grow from infant through adolescence to adulthood. She has worked so hard to ensure I live my life to the fullest. She always radiates light whenever she walks by, it was like she brought the sunshine into my room to greet me every morning of every day. I simply can not afford to lose them both. I am doing this not only for me, but for them also. I want to thank them both for sacrificing so much to send me to another country so I start to receive my secondary education at the age of seventeen. It means the world to me. Both my parents lost the opportunity to enroll at Gallaudet back in their day so this for them. I stand strong, tall and proud today because of them both.
I love you both dearly.

My parents and I on my Graduation Day

Can’t wait for summer!

Only three weeks left before i’m finally off the campus of Gallaudet and into the state of Missouri where i will spend three nice, long months of summer with my family. The thing i miss most that i can’t stop thinking about is swimming! Spring break, all i did was swim and it made me want more. Here at Gallaudet it just won’t ever change to warm weather and it really stinks! We’re currently in the middle of April and the temperature is still around the 40s. My family has been keeping me updated on the weather in Missouri and all they are telling me is that the weather just keeps getting better and better and they can’t wait for me to get there so we can have family swims.

Another thing i’m really looking forward to is getting to visit my grandparents in California. It won’t all be fun and games down there though because i just found out that my grandma has cancer and she’ll need radiation treatment. We won’t get to do the things we used to do when we were kids but we’ll still get to visit with them and i can’t wait to. My parents told me that we are taking a nice road tour through the states of arkansas, oklahoma, texas, new mexico, arizona, nevada and all of south california to get to our grandparent’s cabin in the small town by the name of groveland. I haven’t been on a road tour and a visit to California in a long time so i’m definitely looking forward to that as well. This summer will be the first summer where i’ve been gone all year and finally get to come back to the family life. I know my family misses me and they know i miss them more than anything in the world too. All I can say is wait till May 11th because that’s the day i’m outta here and finally in the arms of my loved ones in good ole’ Branson, Missouri. Can’t wait!!!

Finally…. a VP!!

Yesterday I finally received my Videophone from Sorenson VRS! I applied for one just two short weeks ago and i’m now able to contact my friends and have signing chats in my room. Obviously i’m a new signer but this is something that will definitely help improve my signing skills. I haven’t had my first conversation on it yet but I sure plan on calling someone tonight when i get the chance. I’ve borrowed a friend’s VP before and experienced it but it’s not the same as owning one. If you go to Gallaudet University i’m sure you’ve heard of a VP but for those that don’t know, here you go.

For those who don’t know what a VP is, it’s a videophone that’s like any home phone for hearing people. For hearing people, like my family, they have a normal voice phone. VP’s have the same concept, they have a local number but these phones connect other VPs and are able to see the other visually and have a signing conversation. This is nothing i could use for my family because i’m the only one that knows sign language but this will really come in handy when i leave for summer and keep in touch with my all my friends. I’m excited to have my first conversation so if you’re interested in being my first, message me! Haha!

Fire Alarms!!!

Seriously the most irritating thing you can ever experience while living on campus here at Gallaudet. In the dorm i live in, we get an average of 3-4 fire alarms a week. Just after spring break, we got 4 in ONE NIGHT!!! I don’t know what’s causing these fire alarms but having to walk down five stories every time one goes off is starting to make everyone in benson hall. We have a total of three possible reasons why our fire alarms are going off. One, the system is malfunctioning and is not working properly. Two, people are smoking in their rooms or the bathroom and the smoke is causing it to go off. Or three, people are just simply being stupid and pulling on the fire alarm activator.

I understand when we have to walk downstairs for safety when there’s a fire alarm. The only thing i don’t understand is that when we have a fire alarm several times in one night and it’s obvious that people are messing around, we are still forced to walk downstairs again. Me and my roommate came so close to not going downstairs a couple times because of the alarm repeatedly going off. I don’t like to disrespect anyone but when an RA unlocks my door and walks in on their own to tell me that we are required to walk downstairs due to a fake fire alarm, i get pretty upset. It’s not something i take personal to that RA because i know it’s their job but it’s still something that i’m too happy with. I’m just hoping that with 3 weeks left of school and finals coming soon, that people will be smarter and not tamper with anyone’s sleep…. especially mine!

Spring Break Memories!

Finals!

This is a time i’m not looking forward to. Although with summer following the final exams, i’m still not looking forward to it. I have one class right now that i’m in the process of completing the final exam and that is my lifeguard class. I’ve been performing the skills test these past two weeks and have the written test this Thursday. The skills tests have been going great and will continue to go great these next few weeks. The only thing that might be a little difficult for me is swimming twenty laps in under 12 minutes. My teacher told me that since i’m bigger and have more muscle mass, then i have to complete mine in under 15 minutes. The reason why she increased the time for me is because having more muscle mass means that it’s easier to sink and requires more energy and strength to swim the laps. That should make it easier for me but i still will aim for under twelve minutes.

The other classes i’m taking finals for is for my wellness class for p.e. and for my ASL class. I don’t have it as bad as last semester because i had 4 GSR courses but it’s still the part of the year that never excites me. I feel confident that if my finals go well and if i continue to work hard, then i will finish the year off with an overall GPA of a 3.0 or higher. That’s something i have never done before and that includes high school so this will really make this a great year for me academically. Going home for summer and being able to tell my parents what i got for my first year will definitely be something that i will look forward to.