If you are Christian and learning American Sign Language, come chat here! :-)  

I'm also in YouTube with this same nickname, nonew3. I am still learning, but I would be more than happy to work with you if you add me as a friend there so we can exchange videos in private.

I have severe PTSD and pinched nerves, and between the two, my hearing does what it wants when it wants, either from things closing down due to a severe trigger (had to be pretty bad to set that off) and I find then that I communicate better visually (kind of like a person with autism finding it easier to sign), or the pinched nerves that I have in my entire spine setting something off. I pass the audiology exams, thus far, with flying colors, but that's just barely a snapshot. It doesn't show much at all about what happens to me in real life.

All around, I find I do much better communicating visually. With hearing and speech, I have too many miscommunications and misunderstandings.

So, we are both having to learn ASL, but for different reasons.

I would love to work with you.

I highly recommend the book American Sign Language The Easy Way, second edition. I think that is the name of the book I have. I just came back from swimming for two hours, and so I am pretty tired right now, and my sciatica is on fire. I will have another look sometime to make sure that is the exact name of the book. We could both go through it together.

Please let me know what you think.

Also, seriously, if you don't have a TTY (or TDD as it's sometimes called), you really need to get one ASAP, to at least have handy for emergencies. They are obtainable free or at a reduced cost through most state's Office Of the Deaf And Hard Of Hearing. That is how I got a loaner one for free because of my very low income.

Also, for now, until you learn ASL well enough to use Video Relay Service, I highly recommend that you join i711.com as they have internet-based text relay. Since you are deaf (it is also for the hard of hearing, by the way), you can make free relay calls free to anywhere in the US. You can also put i711 on your AIM instant messenger on your computer, and get incoming text relay calls that way.

Some other places have free internet-based text relay as well, such as Sorenson. But, I have not had as good results with their text-based relay as I have with i711. I have used Sorenson's voice-carry-over, but they keep transcribing the other person's words all garbled and gibberish. It kept coming in as nonsense words.

So, I stick primarly with i711 for internet-based text relay.

Also, NexTalk.net has a free program for the deaf and hard of hearing where they can communicate directly with people who use TTYs. You might also want to check that out. I have used it many times with great success.

I have become a Messianic Jew since I created this discussion.

When I have seen others sign Calvary, they have made the sign "cross," as in the cross that Yahshua died on.

I hope that helps.

That's interesting to know--I mean about your religion. Nice to hear about that. Thank you also for helping out with the sign. It's really helpful.