visiting the deaf club

Recently, about 2 weeks ago, I was to my local deaf club, I go there every week. A deaf man, who hasn't been there for 6 months, visited the club today. When he saw me, he asked me who I am and if I am new here? He also asked me if I am a new guy visiting here?

What? We have talked to each other so many times before, and now he suddenly doesn't know who I am? Oh, that's because of my new hair, I have cut it short. So he thought I was a boy! Hmffppp!!

Hmmm... I walk like a woman, I sign like a woman, wear typical female clothes and a handbag. That's ok if he doesn't remember me, but surely he should see that I am a woman even thought I have short hair! That was a confused guy!

Later that evening, he came to me and said to me "You are cute". Thanks but too late!! Hmmppff!

Before (when I had long hair), he was trying to flirt with me, but I didn't care. Now I am glad we didn't get together! He he!

Dating advices

Some dating advices I got from my mum and sister:

- Children? It doesn't matter if he already has children. Children grow fast. You just blink and whooosh! suddenly they are grown up and leave the nest.

- Weekend-dad? That is good too. This shows he is a responsible person who take care of his children.

- Drinks? Honestly is good. If he says he never drink, you have to ask yourself why... does he lie about his real drinking habits?
But! Avoid those who take drugs.

- Age different? It doesn't matter, the most important is what you feel for each other.

- Never married? These guys are cute, but unexperienced. Maybe he try to wash red socks with white clothes or something like that. Maybe he even lives with his mother. But don't worry, that's no big problem. That can be taken care of.

My Norwegian date

Now I have met the Norwegian date. We met in Orebro, Sweden, had a cup of coffee and chatted for a while. He was a nice guy and I wouldn't mind get hitched with him. But I found out that he is already dating an another woman. He said they have dated for a while and he is thinking of moving in with her. Hmpfff, then why did he date me?? Strange...

Anyway, two weeks later he called me on the MSN chat. He told me he want to date me again. What? What happened to his other date? He wants me to visit his home in Norway, but that is not going to happen. Obviously he can't make up his mind.

I keep on searching...

My English date in Newcastle

The "Millenium bridge" in Newcastle

Last week, I have travelled to Newcastle, England for a couple of days. I met my English date and spent some days with him there. It was hot and sunny there, about 30 C degrees, little hotter than at home in Sweden. It rained one day, the other days was sunny.
How did Newcastle got its name? A long time ago, someone built a castle for himself there, and then he told people about his new castle upon Tyne. That's how Newcastle got its name.

The village Whitby and the old ruins

I visited some villages outside of Newcastle: Whitby, York, Stockton, Darlington.
Whitby is a special little village, the tv-series "Emmerdale" and "Heart beat" have been filmed on location there. Whitby Abbey, the ruins have inspired Bram Stoker to the movie Dracula.
There is some kind of a Dracula-festival going on there once every year, people dress as Dracula, witches, magician etc and do some partying there.
Whitby is also known for an another thing - Captain James Cook have lived there (you know the captain who sailed to New Zeeland and Australia).

The village York and the Roman Wall

York is an old town from the Roman Empire and you can go on a ghost trail there, as the tourist broschures says. According to the tourist broschures, ghost are walking around in York, especially on the Roman Wall. The Romans built a wall to prevent York from beeing attacked by the Scots.
It seems that some Roman soldiers have been left there and still patrol on the wall, but now as ghosts. Notice the picture, that there is no fence to avoid people to fall off, and it was a steep hill down there. It was little nervous to walk there, and I had to walk carefully not to fall down.

Dog statues in Stockton

There are some cute dog statues in Stockton. Other than that, there isn't much to see there.

The date went fine and he was an nice man. I must think about this for a while.

Dating on the Net

This summer I will go on two dates. One from Norway and the other from England. I have chatted with both on MSN, and we have decided to meet IRL. Both communicates in Sign Language, one with Norwegian Sign Language, and the other in British Sign Language (BSL).

Is Sign Language international, maybe you ask now?
No, Sign Language is not international. Every country has it own Sign Language.
As you know, Switzerland even has several languages: German, Italian, French and Romanch, if I remember it right from my school time.
It’s the same with Sign Language. In Switzerland there are French and German Sign Language.
In Sweden, we only have one Sign Language – the Swedish Sign Language - thank goodness!

Sign Language is different in every country. Some examples:
In Sweden, we sign the word “yes” by signing the alphabeth letters “J” and “A”.
But in Norway and England they sign ”yes” different from the Swedish Sign Language.

Sweden: “Yes” in Swedish Sign Language, but in England this sign means ”stop”.

Norway: This Norwegian sign for “yes” means “maybe” in England, and “childish behavior” in Sweden.

England: “Yes” in England, but in Sweden it means “nodding” or “pretend to understand” or “be deceived”.

Confusing? No, not if you have learned to understand the different Sign Languages.

I have learned some BSL (British Sign Language) but not the Norwegian Sign Language. I think we can understand each other well even thought I don't know Norwegian Sign Language.