Aspen Rundown

My week interpreting in Aspen was incredible! If you are lurking on my blog for the first time please, allow me to catch you up. I am a sign language interpreter and last week I went to Aspen, Colorado for the US Deaf snowboard team tryouts. Yes, I am that cool!

The week was crazy/fun/exhausting/challenging/amazing and more (I just don't have a great vocabulary tonight). We boarded everyday from 8:30am - 2pm and I am definitely not a pro like them, so I was beat by the time 2pm rolled around! My day was not over though, I had to continue interpreting throughout the evening because the coach is hearing and doesn't know any sign language. But I guess that's the reason I went!

Sadly, I only had one truly spectacular wipeout during the week and no, there are no pictures.

 The picture below is just a sampling of how gorgeous it is there. I know, I know...I live in Utah, I should see the beauty all around...blah, blah, blah. I'm sorry, but it doesn't compare. Maybe because I live in dirty Orem, who knows.

This is one of our athletes! (Don't worry, he gave photographic permission)  He crashed hard, hit his head, had to go to the hospital and I was able to do some medical interpreting (my fave!) He cracked his helmet but not his noggin, luckily. He ended up with a minor concussion and tried his darndest to convince us he was fine. While in the ER I saw an actress I recognized to be Connie Nielson (Gladiator, Law & Order) and I remembered she is married to the drummer from Metallica.  Just as I was remembering all this, he walked around the corner.  I'm good, oh yeah.  It was a crazy crazy day. But the night....

I got to interpret for BeatleMania! I was asked to interpret for a Beatles cover band that night and it was absolutely amazing!!! I have to retract my recent statement about medical interpreting because performance interpreting is my true love. I had zero prep time, the set list they gave us was completely wrong and it was absolutely chaotic! I loved every second of it! Even when I had to interpret, "roll over Beethoven, tell Tchiakovsky the news". I'm the bomb, it's true. The crowd loved us and I'm just waiting for the call from their manager asking if I'm available to tour. Fingers crossed!

Being back is good, except for the cold I caught from one of the athletes and the tendinitis that is dragging down my left elbow. I cannot wait to do this all over again, but you better believe that next time I'll be a much better boarder!