"So this is what it's like having a deaf sister"

I can't remember the exact roots of this phrase, but somewhere along the way, my friends began referring to my body as one "of steel". It has something to do with the fact that I rarely get sick, can get by with little sleep, and I'm sure it has something to do with the size of my calves. After the last two months I will have to relinquish the title "Body of Steel". Between a brutal academic semester, a new job, and my need to be social and see dollar movies, I gave my body less than little sleep and it wasn't pleased. The result being that I got sick 3 times in two months. This is probably more than my sicknesses in the past 3 years combined.

While watching a movie at Marci's this week(I tell you it's those movies that get me!), I started to lose my voice. Very strange I thought. It got progressively worse until I awoke on Christmas Eve Day and to my surprise it was gone completely. I mean really trying, I couldn't get out more than a whisper. Kylie, Alyssa, and Liz came over for breakfast. I learned from this gathering that without me talking, everyone is generally much quieter AND I'm not nearly as funny or sarcastic as a mute. Part of being sarcastic is jumping in with the perfect comment at the perfect time and when no one realizes you are talking, the moment is easily lost.

After breakfast I had to do some Christmas shopping. As one who hates customer service, I have become a master at avoiding talking to workers so this wasn't a problem. However, as I was walking up to the photo counter at Walmart I realized there was no way to avoid a conversation. Luckily a kind old man asked me what he could do, I grabbed my throat and whispered something about losing my voice. He got the point that I needed to pick up pictures and asked for my name. I couldn't get it out! He had no idea what I was trying to mouth to him. So I busted out my student i.d. and had him read it. At another store I got away with not giving them my phone number and email because the kid didn't want to bother with me writing things down. Overall I felt like a jerk at every store nodding my head and not responding to everyone's Merry Christmas! greetings.

Dinner provided a similarly quiet experience, although my voice was slowly returning. I had lots of stories and comments to add to the conversation but I had to recite them to myself instead of sharing them with the table. After my day of silence I have so many questions for mute people! How are they funny, how do they have friends, or a personality, how do they explain quickly to a store clerk that in fact they cannot speak?! How do they avoid being rude or boring? They can use sign language with people that know it, but how do they get them to look at them? I was so sick of clapping and getting in people's faces for them to realize I was speaking. Props to them. I would like to interview somebody, preferably in writing.