Braille [Brl]

I haven't really talked much about my new job... mostly because there has been other things to post... but its going really well. I am loving it!

That being said, I have a HUGE test coming up - my state Braille Competency Test. How much do you know about Braille? Braille letters (and some whole words and phonetic contractions) are made by six "cells" - six bumps or spaces for bumps...
Not many people know that writing braille is not just spelling using a braille alphabet... there are 189 braille contractions. For example, the above sentence I wrote in braille is:

Not many people know that writing braille is not just spelling using a braille alphabet
[Capital sign] [n] [456 m] [p] [5 k] [t] writ [ing] brl is [n] [j] spell[ing] us[ing] a brl alphabet. Okay, that probably didn't make any sense to you... but it was a great braille mind exercise for me. :-DThere is a braille symbol for [ed], [ar], [ing], [ble], [ound], [ount], [ity], [ally], [en], [in], [ance], [ence], [the], [and], [for], [with], [of]... ON MY GOSH THE LIST IS ENDLESS!!! - Yes, [less] is another one. Not only are all of the above (and more) part-words, but regular words are abbreviated (just a few):

• receive = rcv
• myself = myf
• about = ab
• above = abv
• immediate = imm

The above (abv) picture is of a braille (brl) writer. It's kind of like a typewriter, but obviously much different. Oh, typing different reminds me about the complications and rules possible. Dots 2356 when alone = were, in the beginning of a word = open parentheses, end of a word = close parentheses, and in the middle of a word = gg... Is your brain tired yet?
Have you ever watched a cat play with a typewriter or a printer? Lexie LOVES my brailler...My test is November 22... 4 hours, 100 multiple choice questions about braille rules, and 4 print pages to transcribe into braille with less than... umm 5? 7? 3? mistakes... I'm not sure how many mistakes. I have not met anyone who has passed this test on the first try - but I'm going to give it my best shot!