I do love my job as an American Sign Language (ASL)/English and trilingual ASL/English/Spanish interpreter. I’ve been doing it for over thirty years, and have increasingly specialized so that my services are in demand. I’m a certified court interpreter, an oral and signed English transliterator for deaf people who read lips and prefer English word order, a trilingual interpreter who can step in when Deaf clients show up with Spanish-speaking parents or partners, a tactile interpreter who can sign hand-under-hand for deaf-blind people who “read” ASL by touch, a Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) interpreter with my own home broadcasting workstation (chromakey backdrop, standing desk, bright lighting on me from both sides…), etc. I was also a Video Relay Service (VRS) interpreter for seven years. I interpret for conferences, meetings, medical appointments, hospital stays, social services, and college courses in addition to working in all areas of law.
I've also taught workshops on interpreting around the continental US and Hawaii for the past 10 years (though not since COVID), and I have taught ASL at several campuses within the local community college district. I currently teach online for a college that is only an eight-minute drive from my home. If only I could teach in person! I so look forward to this pandemic ending so I can teach classes and present workshops in person again.
Do I love every minute of every job I do? Of course not. But overall I really love the things I do for a living. I also used to love gigging all over southern California (mostly San Diego) with a Christmas caroling quartet for 10 years. I've loved singing in choruses in musicals, light operas, and operas. I always hoped for more lead roles or to get a big break, but that didn't happen. Kept the door open for the other work I mentioned above. I made the decision years ago to focus on my interpreting and teaching career, eschewing any performing arts pursuits except for occasional videos on YouTube.
I'm not sure exactly how I'll handle my work life when (I say hopefully) my cuddling practice takes off, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. One thing I can say for sure is that I'm not looking to become a professional cuddler due to job dissatisfaction; it is just something I feel called to do in addition to what I'm already doing. I can see reducing my hours as an interpreter and teacher to accommodate more cuddling sessions.
@quixotic_life sooo true… but technically I’m not supposed to lol
@waynewv 🔥🔥🔥 nothing better than doing exactly what you love & enjoy!
@sage_wisdom you’re blessed 🌌
@nurturingman that’s amazing!! 😄 I took Esl until the 3rd grade I believe it was & I 100% credit it for learning English … had it not been for Esl I would have just learned the slang in the streets of nyc 😅
Thanks, @cuddles_ndream ! Just to be clear, I was talking about American Sign Language (ASL), not English as a Second Language (ESL).
I do have a BA in English with a single subject teaching credential, though, and I love to teach English to language learning partners who teach me Spanish via apps like HelloTalk.
I work at a hookah lounge, they’re letting me decorate for Halloween. So I’m trying my best to make it look awesome
@nurturingman i knew that you meant sign (I read it all) i was just thanking you for your passion in the general sense of teaching 🙂
@SitaRosee whats better than hooka? Another re-fill 🔥🔥🔥😝
My current job is just to get my degree paid for. But once I get a medical coding position, I should be a lot happier.
I sure do - - see my profile pic! I am also an Intuitive Life Coach at Pasadena Healing Touch and it is so rewarding to spend my time helping people solve problems and bring joy to their life rather just earning and clocking out at the end of the day.
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@MCcuddles2 wish you didn’t delete that, that’s pretty amazing, really impressed with your work!
@Mare_Bear ♥️ 🌌 🌌
@Brittany867 it is sooo gonna pay off!