The Syndicate

Elohcin wrote:SO I just read through your questions and answers, Indiglo and between that and talking with you last night, you seem like a very awesome person

Aawww, you are too kind. I am going to put a reminder for that chat in my phone or something. I always have fun when I go, but I forget about it on a regular basis.



What type of music do you like to sing most?

This varies, as far as genre. I have been on a bit of a blues / jazz kick lately. Generally, I would say any music (or song) that gives me the space to improvise and open up my chords a bit.


Where/When do you find you get to use that talent?

Generally just for personal enjoyment. I do record music in my diy home studio (such as it is), and have made a variety of CDs for friends as gifts, etc. Especially if they have certain songs or music they really like, or have made a request, I enjoy making them some covers.



I love that you and Dex have the tradition of telling one another of your appreciations. Things like that are what keeps relationships in tact, IMO. I wonder if Epi would go for that

We actually picked that up from a free online course we took many years ago. It was like a 10 or 12 week course, iirc, and I think it was called Imago. Parts of it were a little goofy, but we worked through it and were able to pick out some tools that have been really helpful. The Appreciations were a very good take away for us.


ADDENDUM!

What we did was the 12 week program that is the "follow up" for their weekend workshop. We did not do the weekend workshop, and instead just skipped straight to the 12 week follow up course. Here's the link (if you are curious about what their deal is):
http://imagorelationships.org/pub/find- ... 2-connect/



How long have you and Dex been together?

A little over 6 years.

How did you meet?

Like so many of the other lovely couples here, we met at HV.


What are some of your favorite things to do together?

Well, besides the obvious...

We play a series of computer games that are like adventure/mystery solving. They have tons of puzzles and exploring in them, and I really enjoy playing those with him. We make a good team, because there are certain puzzles that I hate, and he is awesome at, and other puzzles he hates and I am awesome at. It's silly, but it's fun!


I see you have fun with arts and crafts. I am quite artistic myself.

Indeed you are. Luckily, some of your art is actually delicious too!


Do you get to use these skills in your everyday life or is it just a hobby?

Mostly a hobby, but I try to incorporate hands-on activities with my ESL kiddos whenever I can. I find that when you can involve more of the senses, most kids learn more quickly. Plus, following simple directions is a good skill to learn in your second language, especially for young students!

If so, how?

Oops, I answered this above. I didn't finish reading the questions before I kept on talking. How like me!

Elohcin wrote:Hi Indiglo. I have to admit, I always forget about this thread. But then again, I just think I'd rather talk to people to get to know them (like in chatzy) rather than read it in here. So, I am glad you were able to come to the syndicate chatzy last night. I enjoyed getting to knwo you a little better. I do have one question for you though.

Are you pregnant?

NO!!!!! Never may this be so!

:P

bea wrote: What goal that you have accomplished are you currently most proud of?

Addendum!

Dex reminded me of something else I am truly proud of, and found extremely fulfilling. 8 years ago, I inherited my parrot from my grandfather. She was 4 years old when I got her, and had not had a good life. She was shut up in a tiny cage (made for a cockatiel, not an amazon), fed a terrible diet, had no toys... just very sad. I hadn't ever had a bird before, nor did I know anything about them. So I immediately set out to educate myself as much as I could about proper parrot care.

First goal was to get her brave enough to come out of her cage to explore the world. That was when I realized she hadn't fledged. She had been shut up in a cage her whole life and never learned to fly. And I think even those of us who knew nothing about birds at the time realized that birds were made to fly. Just like fish were made to swim, and dogs were made to run and cats were made to "hunt". So I made the decision that my bird WOULD become a flighted parrot, and I would do it safely.

We had "flying class" every single day. And over time, she got brave, and after a while she let go of me, took off on her wings and learned to fly. Then of course, she had to learn to land. Then we progressed with our class, and she learned to fly around tight corners, make adjustments, etc. Now, she's an extremely good flier. She can actually do a complete 180 in the air in the hallway, and fly through a door that is only ajar. (See what I did there? )

Learning to fly and gaining the confidence that a bird should have completely changed her personality. She went from being shy, scared of everything and screaming a lot to being friendly, gregarious, a HUGE ham when either people come over or a camera comes out, and there is no more nuisance screaming. She's happy and healthy, and I am really proud of that.

bea wrote:Besides singing, (which you should do more of. You have an amazing voice.) are there any other artistic ways you express yourself?

Yes!

If so, what are they?

I actually enjoy doing a huge variety of crafty / artsy stuff. I love making jewelry. I love doing paper crafts - I have become the officially unofficial maker of invitations for everyone I know that has a party. I have made some super duper fancy ones, and really enjoy doing it! I enjoy doing some graphic art on the computer, and I also use said art (and other times art Dex has made) to make t-shirts, tote bags, etc. I've also started doing nail art, and am getting pretty darn good at it, if I do say so myself! I also like to make artsy stuff with feathers, I have a parrot that I inherited, and I have used her molted feathers to make things like jewelry, bookmarks, etc. That's really fun! There are probably some other artsy interests I do that I'm forgetting.


Is there anything you want to learn artistically that you haven't yet?

When I was younger, I was into pottery, throwing on a wheel, glazing and firing, etc. I would love to get back into that, but it takes a lot of space and big, expensive equipment. So not sure it will happen. And my life is ok without it.

At this point I'm happy just to be able to make time to work on my music! I would like to take more time to become more proficient on guitar and piano.


What about it draws you to that medium?

The pottery throwing is so very tactile. The clay is so cool and smooth, and feels so nice spinning on your hands, and squishing through your fingers. It's very relaxing and zen.



If you feel comfortable, could you tell us about a time where something went wrong, but the wrong result ended up being better for you in the long run? Like if you hadn't made this mistake this other good thing wouldn't have happened?

I am still thinking on this one. I will come back to it if I come up with an answer.

For now, I've come up with something bad that I've been through that I have found a positive in - my car accident. Having to go for about a year without the use of both my arms was challenging in ways I cannot even articulate. Between the surgery, the physical therapy, and the inability to do basic self-care... it was probably one of the (if not THE) worst year of my life. I came out of that more resilient, with a better understanding of compassion, and with the realization that some stupid shit is just not worth my time or brain power. I also think I will be a much better care giver when the need arises.



What goal that you have accomplished are you currently most proud of?

This was tough. But honestly, I think overcoming some personal hurdles to have the relationship I currently have with Dex. I don't think it was a goal I had ever set for myself (because I was a very happy single person before meeting him), but getting where we are today has been extremely fulfilling, and I'm really proud (of both of us) for that!



What is next on your to do/to read/to learn list?

Short-term, as the heat of summer starts to wear off, I'm planning a bunch of little day trips, or weekend trips to dog-friendly parks. There are tons in the area, and I'm itching for new hiking grounds!

Vague-ish, I'd like to read more Erik Larson books. I like him.

Even more vague-ish, I'd love to learn another language. I bounce around between which one I'd like to learn, but it would either be one of the indigenous languages from Mexico, Italian, French or Portuguese.



Where is your favorite place you have traveled?

I'm going to say Ecuador. The Andes are breath taking and life changing, and the rain forests are beyond amazing.


Where is some place you would like to travel?

Australia. (And of course, New Zealand.)



If bdh and I came to visit you and dex what would we do?

We could do whatever you're interested in. There are lots of beautiful parks around here - one is a Native American chiefdom that was thriving hub for hundreds of years; there's a Casino, if you're into that; we could catch a baseball game; eat at lots of local restaurants - we have a good many local breweries here too if you're into that; whatever you wanted to do!


If you and dex came out here to visit us, what would you want to do?

I think I would like to see some of your parks and just enjoy how different the landscape is there. Plus, I would like to see some of the place you go everyday so I can imagine it more accurately when you talk about it.



What would the you of 10 years ago be most surprised about learning from the you of now?

How old I sound when I complain about things like the movie theater is too loud, the music is too loud, I'm too tired to go out, etc.



What do you hope your life will be like 10 years from now?

Nothing flashy. A quiet life, with Dex, our little family of pets, trying to do good things for other people, and enjoying what nature has to offer.

G-Man wrote:If you could get one person from your life to try playing online mafia, who would it be?

I have this one friend who has played a live mafia game at a party before once. She enjoyed it, but I don't know if she would like playing it online. I think that would be the only RL person (besides Dex, who already does it) that would even possibly be interested.



What does contentment mean to you?

Man, this has been a great series of questions. I have spent much time in self-reflection over these. I'm not sure how concise I'll be, but I'll try to avoid being overly verbose. I gotta warn you though, this is about to become VERY stream-of-consciousness. So put on your rocket boots.

Contentment to me is feeling satisfied about something I have done or accomplished. I often find the most contentment in small things I've accomplished. I find it's also something that I have to actively cultivate, and that working on gratitude has helped me immensely in this area.

Dex and I have a custom, where every evening before bed we do "Appreciations". We each pick 1 thing about the other person that we appreciated about them that day. Usually it's something very small, something that most people would have totally overlooked or taken for granted. And for me, focusing on this area - actively looking for and mentioning things I'm grateful for and appreciate keeps me focused on how much I really have. I find that mentioning these things, and expressing my gratitude for them is far more powerful for me than just noticing them. It's like, I'm putting this gratitude and positivity out into the universe, and into my partner, instead of just keeping it to myself. I then find that I have so many little things to be thankful for, and they add up into big things. That helps me cultivate contentment. Gratitude.



When was the last time that you felt truly content?

Thinking about this, and typing it out has made me truly feel content. (Plus, we just did our Appreciations for the night, and I always feel super content inside after that.) Taking the time to think about how grateful I am for the people and other beings in my life, and then say it and put it out into the universe has given me a truly contented feeling.

I think I divide my contented feelings into 2 main areas: internal contentment and external contentment.

Internal is when I accomplish a personal goal, or rise to an occasion (for example, I respond to a stressor in a way that I prefer, rather than my knee-jerk reaction of last week), or overcome a negative thought using a CBT tool I've learned or something along those lines.

External, for me, is all about connecting with people (and also animals). When I connect with someone, or find a way to support them, or appreciate them, or just laugh with them... I feel very content. After a good joke, where we've all laughed until our stomachs hurt, after a long hike with the dog and we plop down to take a nap, after learning that one of my kiddos lost their charger to their laptop and I can replace it for them... I feel very content.



Do you have a physical place you can go that always makes you feel at peace?

I don't think I do have a specific physical place, no. I do love that feeling of slipping between the sheets when it is really, truly, finally bed time though.

JaggedJimmyJay wrote:Greetings indiglo.

Greetings!


If you could have a jar full of anything at all, what would you want?

At this very moment? A BIG ASS jar of Biscoff Cookie Butter.


Once you've acquired the prior mentioned jar and its contents, what would you do with them?

I would slather it on a good many things (apples, bananas, cinnamon toast, graham crackers, a spoon) before devouring it feverishly.


What is your opinion of Jar Jar Binks?

Thanks a lot. Now I have to think about that animated turd. He was one of the worst creations I've ever seen or heard. (And this from someone who actually liked Ewoks!)


If a jar was a role in a mafia game, what abilities would it have?

I think it would be nice if a jar could capture someone inside it every night (thus protecting them) and at the same time pickle them so the jar could control the player's vote the next day too.


Do you prefer to sleep with the door closed or... ajar?

Don't forget to tip your waiters folks! And try the veal!

But seriously - door closed. The cat is very nocturnal, and no one will sleep if the door is not closed with him on the other side of it.




If you could, please provide one emoticon which best describes your general mindset when playing each of the three base alignments: civilian, mafia, independent.

Civilian goes back and forth between these 2: and

Mafia:

Indy:

Dex wrote:What is my favorite Addie story?

You may be worse than her grandma.

So we belong to the dog park here. (The one here you have to pay to belong too, they have a fancy gate with a keypad, it's all fancy schmancy.) And this Spring they had a Bark in the Park event that we went to. They had a bunch of booths with vendors, some dog activities, a silent auction, a membership drive, etc.

They also had a Best Trick Contest, which I wasn't planning on entering with her, because she often doesn't like to be the center of a bunch of strange humans' attention. But at the last minute, we ran up and decided to do it. Addie did her trick where she stands up on her hind legs and dances in a circle. So she ended up winning first place in the contest, and a pretty fancy trophy to boot! (And then she got a hot dog.) She loved her trophy (and her hot dog), and to this day, if I get the trophy down for her to look at it, she licks it. Diva.

fingersplints wrote:I remember that Glee game. LC singing "Baby One More Time" was hilarious.

LOL I had forgotten the song. But now that you say it, I do remember it was that song. I mostly remember the dancing... or rather, the flailing and attempts to headbang. Where is LC? We need to get him in here to reminisce a bit more on that. Oh man, great times!!



Your voice is so pretty. You should post more videos! What is your favorite song to sing?

Thanks. I am working on another album at the moment. (Allegedly. LOL It will require me getting off my butt at some point. ) My favorite song to sing varies, in all honesty. Lately I've been on kind of a blues & jazz kick, so I've been enjoying doing a cover of Eva Cassidy's cover of Ain't No Sunshine. I've been working on Make It Rain also. I've got the track list for the album around here somewhere, and those are both on it. I think also Sam Smith's Stay With Me too.


What kind of dog do you have?

Current dog is an "Australian Shepherd Mix". I have no idea what she is exactly, but she's too smart and she's rotten. She just turned 4 in June. I can't believe it's been that long since Nikolai died. (I think most peeps probably saw his photos on HV, he was a big Husky/CoonHound Cross.)

Here's the Current Mutt. This was from one of our hikes on the riverfront:





Favorite breed to dogsit?

Good dogs.


Least favorite breed?

Bad dogs.


But seriously, I try to keep an open mind on breeds (even though I really prefer mutts). My favorite individual dog I've ever cared for was this standard poodle named Cocoa. The absolute perfect dog. When my dog Addie was just a pup, she had a lot of issues with fear and anxiety, and Cocoa was such a solid, balanced dog, she really helped Addie learn how to self soothe, not be terrified of everything, etc. I took care of Cocoa for probably a good 7 years (give or take) and she just passed away a few months ago of old age. I believe she was 14 when she passed.

My least favorite dog I've ever cared for was a 1 year old jack russell. She was really stupid, and had absolutely zero training and structure at home. She was completely hyper too, and didn't get enough exercise in her daily life. They moved away a few months ago. I probably took care of her for about a year, and I've never been happier to lose a client. Oddly enough though, Addie enjoyed that dumb little dog, and whenever I watched her they pretty much wrestled non-stop.

bea wrote:
I know you and Dex had a game in the works any thoughts about bringing it over here?

Since it looks like HV is going to be dead forever (pardon me while I grab the tissues ) it looks like hosting it here will be the way to go. Of course, we're going to have to get off our butts and work on it again.


What is your favorite Dex baubble?

Yeesh, this has been the hardest question of the lot. There are a few pieces I probably wear the most frequently, which I suppose I could qualify as my favorites. One is a ruby necklace in a gold setting with 4 square-cut diamonds above the ruby. One is a pair of emerald earrings, the emeralds are oval cut, and the setting is surrounded by diamonds. I don't know if I am describing these well, I don't really know fancy jewelry terms. There is another pair of earrings he gave me that aren't actually all that fancy, but they are really pretty and they have birds on them, so they mean a lot to me (since I love birds).



Do you prefer to play civ, mafia or indy and why?

Civ is my absolute favorite. Indy is fine too, because I play it civ. I just really like having to try to figure the whole game out and put pieces together. I'm not always good at it, but I really like not knowing who is who, and trying to piece it together for myself.


Favorite role you've held?

Oh my, this is where I feel bad, because my memory is not good enough to actually remember every role I've ever had over the years. I really loved being Laura Roslin in BSG mafia. There was also a Dom game years ago on LP (Glee mafia, I think). I don't actually remember my role, but there was a contest during it where I made a music video that was SOOO much fun and rather hilarious!! (I think LC may have been the other person who submitted an entry in that contest, if anyone's curious and wants to see LC sing a song from Glee.)


Favorite role you wrote?

Everything from Dex and my Mafia of the Absurd game. I loved that game so much, and I still do. It was probably the most fun I've ever had hosting. There were like 3 characters named Bone, and of course, Barack Obama Chia Pet. Seriously loved that game.


Who haven't you had bts with that you think would be fun?

That's hard! I haven't had BTSC with most of the people at The Syndicate, I'm guessing. There are so many new faces since I was last here. Off the top of my head, I think I'd enjoy BTSC with 3J, Golden, Scotty, Silverwolf, ika, I shouldn't have started listing names because I know I'm going to forget someone, and then I'll feel like a jerk.

But for me, my list really isn't all that important to me, because part of the fun of BTSC is getting someone you don't know at all, and then finding out you have tons in common with them! The first time I had BTSC with MoPi we were up till all hours some nights - I was surprised to have different common interests with him, and I really enjoyed it.


What would we be suprised to know about you?

Probably my age. Or maybe what I look like? Or my singing voice? Or how hard I love when I love someone? I have no idea what would surprise you bunch of weirdos.


What do you do to pay the bills? Do you enjoy it?

I do interpreting and translating and also work with ESL kiddos. I have my own pet sitting business too, which has picked up incredibly in the past couple of years. I'm actually super passionate about each of those endeavors, but I find the pet sitting business to have the best fun to stress ratio. (Most fun, least stress.)


What else do you do with your off time besides mafia?

Love to do stuff with the dog - we'll go on a hike or hit the dog park regularly. I like to work on my music as much as I can (which hasn't happened much at all lately due to laziness). Naps are nice too. I like reading, and learning, playing games, hanging out with friends, going to local minor league ballgames, following the A's, following football (the real kind )... probably loads more things I can't come up with at the moment too.

bea wrote:OMG - I LOVE INDI'S QUESTION ALMOST AS MUCH AS I LOVE HER!!!!!!!

Dex wrote:

Golden wrote:Hey Dex..

How awesome is indiglo?

You have no idea.


Well, actually, you may have some inkling.

Golden wrote:Hey Dex..

How awesome is indiglo?

Illyria wrote:

indiglo wrote: Coooooooooool. I feel smarter already.

I love hearing about the CDI. How sad it's needed, but how beautiful that there is such a resource available. I bet it is magical to be with them. Several weeks ago on Prairie Home Companion, Garrison was going on about how nice it is to be in the presence of competency. Seeing a CDI do their work must be very fulfilling. It is so impressive to be with such competent people, especially in such a meaningful endeavor.

It is just... perfection. Watching them take things that are complicated and distill it to its purest form, then take what looks like visual garbage to me, and give it to me in a fully formed conceptual language. *hearteyes* (How do we not have a hearteyes smiley?) I learn SO MUCH watching them, and have always taken something I have seen them do and incorporate it for my clients who may not need a CDI but need things broken down a little more than standard. They are usually clients who are what we call Deaf++. They have other things going on that merely being Deaf.

Illyria wrote:

indiglo wrote:@ Illy

Sometimes I forget how different out mediums are, until I try to ask you questions with terminology that mostly applies to spoken language! Faux paus!

I'll try to clarify what I was actually getting at for some of those questions:

Do "accents" and "colloquialisms" exist in sign language? For example, would someone from the Southern US do certain signs vertically higher or lower than elsewhere (or more to the left or right, or with more a flick of the wrist, etc.)? (Or is there an equivalent for something like "bless your heart", that would mostly be used by signers from a certain area?)

AHHHH! Yes, accents are prevalent in ASL. It is not how we sign them but what we sign. For example, I picked up a deaf presenter who was here to do a workshop and he was talking about how he left his nuts at home so he had to stop by Walmart. I could not understand why nuts would be so important, but he was from Texas so I just nodded and smiled. He got back from Walmart with a package of underwear because the Texas sign for underwear is our sign for peanuts.

Being that you picked up some signs during your studies that you like better, are those understandable by new clients in the US? Could they use context to discern what this slightly different (or totally different) sign means? Would it look like an accent to them, or just a new sign? It mostly looks like a new sign but some of them look at me funny, then I realize what I signed backtrack and explain all while listening to what is happening, process that and hold it. 90% think what I am using is clearer and if they dont like it I use what they like.

Regarding translating - For example, I am currently on retainer to translate an employee handbook for a business. (Written -> Written) Have you ever done something similar in ASL? I would imagine it would take the form of making a video of you interpreting the handbook, so that a deaf employee could understand it fully? Or is that just something you would do in person? Or would they just read the original handbook just as easily? Yes to all three, I have signed written instructions on video. I have done it is person with the handbook in my lap (not ideal) and I have interpreted as they read it out loud. Nine times out of ten, the Deaf client reads it for themselves, and will ask if something is not clear as you know that language can be.... ridiculously tricky and obtuse.

Every once in a while I will come across a Deaf client who has almost no language of any kind, (this happens more frequently than I would like). When this happens I tell the agency to send my a CDI (Certified Deaf Interpreter) these are people who have insanely strong skills in taking any ASL I toss at them and breaking it down into some very clear, simple concepts using gestures, body language and some ASL to get their point across. They will also take whatever language the client has, process it, and give it to me in ASL so I can interpret ASL to English for the hearing clients. It is pretty fascinating stuff, and I would work with a CDI every day if I could but since we have 3 in one of the larger states it is tricky to get one.

indiglo wrote:Sorry, not limiting my questions, because you know this work is close to my heart too. But if it gets too long, feel free to skip some of them.


*puts on nerd glasses*



What were some of the major differences you noticed between ASL here in the US and sign language across the pond?

Did you have to make any major changes, or minor changes in your communication style?

Is it important etiquette to make sure your hands are in good condition?

Are there things (like bright nail polish, or a loud manicure) that are frowned upon?

What kind of extra care do you give your hands? And is there a daily routine you have to keep them loose and un-sore?

What's the longest interpreting appointment you'll make? (Unless time isn't an issue, but I know for myself I only have so much time before my brain is fried, and I imagine your hands take a real beating in addition to the brain tax.)

Have you done any translating, in addition to interpreting?

bea wrote: It's illy....I've missed her.