By Ruth | 2:22 PM
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Designer Wish List

Otherwise known as, nifty things designers like me like :)

To be fair, Nick and I have already celebrated christmas and I love everything. But, if ever you wonder "what does a designer find nifty?" now you'll know what at least one of us finds very fun. Will I ever get these things? Most likely no, but that is why it is a wish list.

1. "Control z" pillows. The one thing on this list I actually do have. Fun story, I had them custom made on etsy from PillowHappy, and now she sells them! I knew I wasn't the only one who would find these pillows nifty :D www.etsy.com/shop/pillowhappy

2. Really though, "control z" anything, like these resin necklaces from Plastique. www.etsy.com/shop/plastique

3. Kernie! He's a adorable, huggable, type loving monster from www.veer.com Problem with veer.com? too expensive! As such, he'll stay on the wish list forever :D

4. Typography calendar from Pentagram. Every year the design firm Pentagram puts out a clean calendar with different fonts featured each month, complete with font bios!

5. Another veer.com find that will stay on the list forever, uppercase scarf. It comes in black or white and is laser cut out of the fabric. Very nifty :)

6. Another plastique item from etsy.com is the kern rings...I find the hot pink ones the most adorable, but I haven't seen them in that color for a while, so to get them you'll probably have to get them custom made by the seller.

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By Ruth | 2:38 PM
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Kolache recipe

By popular demand, I give you Grandpa Mudroch's kolache recipe :)

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By Ruth | 10:13 PM
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kolache

made my mudroch grandparents kolache today. it was the first time i made them and i learned the recipe has a few kinks...like the size of them being technically smaller than what the recipe says. but, they do taste good :) i just have some that are large enough for godzilla himself.




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By Ruth | 8:28 AM
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forgot day 2

so i'll post this morning to try to keep my missed days on the low end :)

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By Ruth | 2:58 PM
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I love being a graduate

I'd like to take a moment of silence and reflect on how much I love no longer studying for finals.

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By Ruth | 1:26 PM
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Who needs a road?

Currently reading:
Who Needs a Road: the Story of the Longest and Last Motor Journey Around the World.


This book, which I got on loan from ILS is a great, true story following a couple guys as they drive around the world. Interestingly, although the book was most recently printed in 1999 and the South Carolina library that I rented it from got it in 2000 I appear to be the first reader of its stiff, soft-cover bound genius.

A great story about a group of guys back in the 60s who were the last guys to drive around the world. Presently a guy named Nicolas Rapp is trying to do the first Trans-world expedition since those guys went. Nicolas was an art director at the AP before he decided to take a year hiatus for the trip. As of this morning he was in Huehuetenango Guatemala. One of the guys from the original expedition told him the trip could no longer be done...I personally believe they enjoy being the last ones to go around the world. However, there are a lot of things that could happen. If you want to follow his journey his blog is: http://transworldexpedition.com/

Nicolas is also on twitter, he updates as he hits different towns, his twitter account is: Trans_World

He is taking a different route, and a different technique. Whereas the guys from the 60s took 2 cars for a lot of the trip and a pop-up camper. Nathan is taking a Toyota Landcruiser, which, already in the first few weeks of his trip has given him a lot of grief. Then again, compared to how many times the 1960s group were fixing the camper in just the first 120 pages of the nearly 500 in the book...I think he'll have better luck. He has a tent that pops up on-top of his Landcruiser, which you can see pictures of on his blog that he updates at least a couple times in a week.

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By Ruth | 8:58 AM
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30 day blogging fail

Was having way to much fun playing with a Wii and forgot to blog yesterday. However lame that is I'm still proud of myself for doing waaaaay better at the challenge this time around than the last.



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By Ruth | 2:03 PM
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happy friday!

i find my biggest problem with daily blogging is that i don't always have anything interesting to say daily that require more than 140 characters of text, like say twitter uses :D

so, i'll do 5 things that prove i'm a dork, as if I needed any proof.

1. I love Mariah Carey's christmas cd
2. I plan on watching "Holly's World" on E! this weekend, it's a new show about hef's ex-girlfriend Holly Madison. yeah, i'm that awesome :D
3. the other day I was at hastings cheering about Spore being available for Wii, not 20 seconds later a 2 year old walked over and jumped up and down cheering about, you guessed it! the same game as me!
4. I bought a box of $.86 candy canes for my tree, not because i particularly like them, more because i like the way they look on a christmas tree.
5. I can't pronounce the name of my favorite candy, but the peach gummy candy awesomeness is too great to care...here is a pic of the bag though :P Each yummy gummy is about an inch in diameter and comes individually wrapped in a pink package with more letters I can't read.


my yummy peach gummy awesomeness as seen in front of my alphabet wall.

Have a great weekend!

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By Ruth | 3:04 PM
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Another day at the office

Say hello to Pussy Galore, she is one of 6 Bond girls that decorate my office :)





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By Ruth | 3:06 PM
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fireman hat

Today I've spent making a lot fireman hats via trial and error. About half way through the project I remembered when my mom used to tell a story about johnny who wanted to be a sailer. You tell the story while you fold a piece of paper back and forth. It works best with a large piece of paper, for my examples i'll use 11x17, which is really too small. When you use a larger piece of paper you can put the hats onto a kids head while you tell the story. Which, coincidentally, makes the hat look more "fireman like" than it does by itself. The story:

Once upon a time there was a boy named johnny and he wanted to be a sailer.
(fold sailer hat out of paper)


But Johnny's mom wanted him to be a fireman
(fold up one side of the hat)


But Johnny really wanted to be a sailer.
(fold up other side of hat)


But Johnny's mom really wanted him to be a fireman
(fold up one end of hat)


But Johnny, he decided to be a sailer.
(fold up other end of hat and pull out sides to reveal boat)







Johnny sailed and sailed around but one day a big storm hit and he lost the front of his boat.
(rip off one side of boat)



But Johnny was such a good sailer he kept sailing, and then another huge storm came and he lost another part of his boat.
(rip other side of boat off)



Johnny, he was such a good sailer, he kept on sailing anyways. But then, another storm hit Johnny's boat.
(tear out the middle point inside the boat. Let drop to floor and unfold)



Now all that is left of poor Johnny is his t-shirt.


this is truly a morbid story thinking of it now lol, but I loved it as a kid! I guess the lesson is listen to your mom or go to Davy Jones' locker. ;)

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By Ruth | 6:06 PM
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Post for posting sake

here is a post for postings sake. i am half way to making a whole month blogging! Which will be the first time i've ever blogged this much in my life. I'm proud.

I'm so happy the holiday season is here, I love christmas. Last year I made the worlds greatest gingerbread house, courtesy of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer gummis!

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By Ruth | 10:39 AM
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Oh Christmas tree...

Yesterday I bought a $35 prelit 6'5" tree from walmart to put in nick and my apartment. It pains me to admit walmart had the best tree size for our place (very narrow) but I got over that quickly once I put all the decorations up :)

Admitably I first bought a prelit tree at lowes only to get it home and find 1/3 of the lights not working...ugh, cue angry eyes from me. At least I hadn't put the ornaments on yet.

Anyways, here is our tree :) I'll get better pics later, these are from my phone.




And here is one of my great grandmas ornaments, I have a bunch on the tree from my grandpa Mudroch



a cruise boat ornament nick got us a while back, it finally got a tree


Finally, since I put up a big tree, mini-me tree is now taking refuge at my office :)




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By Ruth | 2:48 PM
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Almost to Stillwater


I am on the last leg of the journey. I'll be glad to sleep in my own bed tonight. I'll also be glad to be out of spotty Internet so when I write a long blog, say about how much the taco bell/kfc place sucked outside Kansas city...it will actually post.

- Posted from the road, car trip status :)

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By Ruth | 11:42 AM
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Family car trip going well

Trip is going great, everyone survived so far :) grandmas 80th party went off without any major issues. Only thing that happened was we blew a fuse with the pulled pork.

Next up Williamsburg outlet center.


- Posted from the road, car trip status :)

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By Ruth | 5:42 AM
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9 million people at walmart


Well I didn't know there were this many people in and around platteville. But, we got my dad and nicks bluray players :)

We successfully navigated the sea of carts!

- Posted from the road, car trip status :)

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By Ruth | 7:50 PM
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Last post not so much working

No connection, maybe this will work, maybe not.

Happy thanksgiving! Tomorrow off to black Friday sales :)


- Posted from the road, car trip status :)

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By Ruth | 12:47 PM
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On the road again...

We just made it into Iowa. Car trip family bingo is a hit, no winners yet but as soon as someones electronic device has a battery failure nick will get a bingo :)

A pic of the weary travelers:



- Posted from the road, car trip status :)

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By Ruth | 11:05 AM
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Mudroch Family Vacation



It's that time of the year! To wisconsin!

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By Ruth | 5:29 PM
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Oh mini me Christmas tree

It's my mini me Christmas tree!




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By Ruth | 3:01 PM
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Stockings were hung by the chimney with care

Yesterday my mom and I went shopping all over town to finish finding things for my brother's Christmas presents. We also found some new Christmas decorations on sale at khols. Check out the new and improved stockings :)


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By Ruth | 12:04 AM
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Twilight zone..*que the theme song and the kanamits*

Tonight was a great evening with Nick before I head over to my parents to help set up holiday decorations this weekend. We hit up Thai Cafe and decided to go see a new release at the theatre. I know what you're thinking...must be Twilight!!!

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By Ruth | 8:43 AM
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This time next week: 80th Birthday time!

First, I'd like to announce that I have totally dominated this web-coding and now "read more" actually takes you to the rest of the post. Ok...back to 80th Birthday fun! Thanks to working a couple years at the Edmon Low Library through the Cobb dinner series, I know how to throw a party :) The last months have been spent making lots of phone calls on everything from booking the location, to invite design (hey, just because I design them doesn't mean I get no design input), and catering and the list goes on.
Grandma (Margaret Graves) senior photo recolored. I love photoshop!

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By Ruth | 3:22 PM
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Christmas music album covers...


Is it possible for them to have anything above terrible design?

I'll give you there are a few exceptions but on the whole Christmas albums are HORRIBLY designed. Designers Macrap artists...CEASE AND DISIST! I rest my case in the images that follow.

1. clip art+terribly creepy bluish dead toned face=

2. I have no explanation except that I think I might will need therapy to get this image out of my head.


3. I think he's thinking..."what kind of candy is best for picking up children in my white van with no windows this season?"


4. Why give any attempt to cut out an image when you can use microsoft paint instead!

5. The phrase, "just because you can doesn't mean you should" comes to mind.



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By Ruth | 11:23 AM
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New blogging competition:new blog design

I decided it was time for a new blog design...stay with me, I'm sure it will take a few days to get all the kinks out of it. I found a blog template I liked the main design and now I'm taking their parts into photoshop one by one and remaking them to my liking...aka no red and no weird looking snake that says "cracked blog design out his mouth. You'll notice the top has already been changed to say "clear as mud" sans snake :P

So, at this point as I haven't fixed the entire background image the blog will be best viewed at 1024 width, but, I figure I'll get the rest straightened out soon. Having very little web skills my blog redo is defiantly going to be trial and error.

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By Ruth | 1:01 PM
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Vendors in the mall make it more lively

Yesterday night my sister and I decided to go to Edmond, pick up my mom and head to the mall for some christmas shopping. Anymore you can't walk anywhere without the mall guys haggling you over trying their new hair extensions or cosmetics or as the case may be weighted pillows.

Annoying mall haggler: Would you like to try one of these weighted pillows?
Me: No thanks I already have like 7 or 8.
Annoying mall haggler: really? which ones?
Me: oh, i have them in all sorts of designs.

I'm sure I left him scratching his head thinking he's never sold any of these let alone 7 or 8 to one person.

My mom has these "weighted lap pads" in her classroom, which are literally what he is selling. They are soothing for the autistic children to have the weight on their laps...but all of her kids like them.

Wouldn't that guy be surprised if I showed him not only do I have like 7 or 8, but really I have like 20-30, in different colors, holiday patterns, and sizes :D He ought to know that his real competition is my grandma, who makes them for my mom for free lol. We kept walking quickly the other way so my mom could laugh over me already having "7 or 8".

In other news, had lunch with Bonnie and Val, they are always full of hilarious stories and I'm surprised we got any eating done between giggling.

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By Ruth | 10:12 AM
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Testing


Decided that blogging daily would require the use of my phone seeing as Internet is not going to be an option for the 12 hour car trip.

P.S. Take that blogging challenge (assuming this app works that will be 2 posts in one day) :)



Photo from last weeks Ruth and mom car trip :) you can hear more about that from my Twitter

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By Ruth | 8:15 AM
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Monthly blog take 2

Well, seeing as I've neglected my blog for...months, Bonnie & Val's thought to start another monthly blog seemed like a great excuse to start up again. So here I am.

This weekend I pretty much finished christmas shopping, which, for someone like me who usually is more of a last minute shopper is a new accomplishment. On the topic of christmas shopping, I thought what fun it would be to get Nick a non-corny scuba diver ornament. (It just sounded like fun) little did I know what site I would run across trying to find one! I kept finding blogs/forums suggesting "December Diamonds" as a great place to find said ornament. They had a scuba ornament...although between his glittery blue speedo and rhinestone incrusted air tank I had to pass. But then I came across this gem...feast your eyes on Clint the Cowboy-merman. His 8" tall glory is sure to be a real winner for all your holiday needs!



Apparently this site makes mermaids out of just about anything you can think of...ranging from Blaze the firefighter merman to golfers and a mojito drinker (he comes complete with all the ingredients as well as a yellow flowered lea)

Lest you feel left out, it appears every year they hold a contest for new ideas! This years winner was some hippie mermaid.

Happy Holidays and let the one month blogging challenge begin!!!


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By Ruth | 2:20 PM
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Ken for Leah!

Convinced I can find a better "guy" for my friend Leah than the last few winners, I went to look for a Ken doll at Wal-Mart...to my dismay they all look like Zach Morris, tools.


Which spurred on the idea to look on eBay, where I found these GREAT finds!

1. Sun Lovin' Malibu Ken, with Peek-a-boo tan lines.



2. Shaving Fun Ken(who I'm convinced looks like Spencer Pratt and his creepy flesh colored beard).



3. Glitter Beach Ken (the cut-off shirt really adds back the manliness that the glitter takes away).



4. Jewel Secrets Ken (perhaps he unveils the secret of where Ken's Jewels have been all these years).

Decidedly, I think the reason Ken has so much trouble looking manly, could be his complete lack of parts in his nether regions.

Conclusion: Finding a manly Ken doll is impossible...on to GI JOE.

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By Ruth | 8:40 AM
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Take that power outage!

Last night right before the storm hit, I ran in for a quick couple items at Food Pyramid.
As I checked out the power flickered...ergo rendering the card swipe machine unusable.
The cashier said I could use a check.
I wrote it in record-breaking time...and the instant that the check went through the power went out.
SUCCESS!!! I am the power outage winner. Take THAT Oklahoma weather!
(and yes, in the complete darkness that was Food Pyramid, I threw up my arms victoriously and cheered)

however, I did still get to stay in the store a few minutes while admiring the waterfall cascading on the inside of the windows of the store. Lovely water feature really :)

Cheers!
Ruth

p.s. to the gal behind me in the checkout line from Maine who has been here a whopping day or two before seeing what Oklahoma weather can do, Welcome to tornado alley!

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By Ruth | 11:20 PM
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The Things I'll do for a Cake Pan...

It all started off with Nick's usual birthday request...an angel food cake. This year I decided that since he has asked for it every year we've been together, it is time I get my own damn pan :)

Who knew that would be so difficult??? I give you the condensed story of my travels for a cake pan.

It all started off at regular stores in Stillwater, Wal-mart and Food Pyramid. I go to these places early in the week on a search for Nick's angel cake pan. Since I plan on making these often, I decide I want a cake pan with the little feet so I don't have to try and balance the cake pan on a wine bottle while it cools for the rest of the duration of that cake pan's life.

I want: this cake pan...

complete with it's convenient little feet. Well Wal-mart and food pyramid only have the cheap/crappy cake pans without the little feet (if one at all). So I move on to Murphy's in Stillwater...fancy cookware place. They are all sold out of all angel cake pans. At this point Nick assures me that we'll just get one this weekend while we are in OKC for his birthday dinner.

Problem with that idea that I don't realize until I'm in OKC Saturday (today for 30 more min) that it is TAX FREE weekend....again...didn't realize.

So we go to OKC from Stillwater today straight to where I know I'll find my trusty cake pan. Penn Square Mall's Williams Sonoma. After driving around the parking lot for a frustrating 45 minutes I give up...this is when the tax free thing starts to hit me...so I figure we'll go to Quail Springs mall, less busy. After fighting traffic and a couple stop lights that were broken we make it there, actually find parking and head into the mall. I tried every store that could have our cake pan...Sears, Dillards, Macy's, JcPenny...etc. They to either don't have it at all, are sold out (what is this angel cake day??? or have the cheap crappy wal-mart ones with no feet. I didn't drive all the way to OKC for a cheap crappy angel cake pan).

Getting aggrivated Nick and I head back to the car and do the only sensable thing when an angel cake pan is no where to be found in town #2, we head to town #3!

Calling ahead to the Williams Sonoma in Utica Park in Tulsa the lady thinks I am critically insane for driving from OKC to there for just the pan.

"Do you realize we have a Williams Sonoma right near you at Penn Square Mall?"
"Yes, but I drove around for 45 minutes and couldn't find any parking....do you have my pan???"

So we make it into Tulsa and SUCCESS they have our "fancy" angel cake pan with its little feet. At that point I also buy their fancy cake mix for the pan, I figure I'm not driving all the way here for just the pan :)

At this point the cake is just out of the oven and I go looking for my Tupperware container made just to hold cakes like it...cake container apparently got lost in the move....lame. I guess that just gives me a new excuse for another adventure for cake.




Cheers!!!
Ruth

---on a side note. As I got into town a few hours ago I headed over to Food Pyramid for a few ingredients, I see an employee running across from the other side of the shopping center. Then I see what he's chasing...a skunk headed straight for 2 ladies standing outside the entrance for Food Pyramid. The skunk hid under a palate holding something for $9.99

When I left about 15 minutes later the skunk was apparently still under the palate and I see said employee with his head on the ground staring under the palate...I'm thinking he is at most 2 feet from the thing....all I have to think is that can't possibly end well :)

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By Ruth | 10:02 AM
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4th of July weekend fun :)

Spent the day with Nick in Tulsa yesterday. First we hit up none other than...Best Buy, since we can't go to Tulsa and not stop to see all of the new toys :)

Then we went to Cinemark and saw "The Proposal". That movie was hilarious :)

Dinner at in the raw. Dunwell sushi is very yummy. And also yummy? Their baked when order lava cake of sorts was patriotic, blueberries, strawberries, and whipped cream, see I got red/white/and blue in. The fun part about being at in the raw for during the 4th is that you can see fireworks going up all over the town. They may not officially be allowed in Tulsa county, but it was very amusing seeing them go up everywhere. Luckily we didn't wait to see the 21st Street fireworks seeing as they got canceled. Apparently one firework went rogue and set a truck on fire! Yikes, no one was hurt, but the fireworks were to be no more.

For Nick and I though, we saw lots of fireworks. As we started the drive home at dusk (still in Tulsa) I watched fireworks shoot over the roads...right above our heads, across fields, in the rain, with lightening...for us we had a fireworks show the entire way home. Only interrupted for about 20 minutes when the rain was really coming down. Funniest thing to me is it was like Stillwater waited for us to get home for their show, we made it home in time to watch the finale from our place, a block away from the lake.

Hope everyone had a great 4th!

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By Ruth | 1:36 PM
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House #3...or should I say #1 in Iowa


Big move happened in 2nd grade...Ohio to Iowa. This is our first house (other than the one we rented for a few months that I remember being on 25th ave and peach).

I give you 3475 24th Ave, Marion Iowa
(yes this is the first one I actually remembered the address too...not bad)

Explaining numbers above :)
1. This is the second house we moved from after my dad completed some form of a deck...at this point we consider it a curse. He built the 3 season porch, complete with skylights, all by himself.
2. Those trees were much smaller :P
3. Dad built a playset for there...but as you can see it is now gone and replaced with my stick figure rendition. 

Memories from this house 
1. Those fences around our yard were a real nuisance for throwing frisbees. I don't know how many times we got to go around the block to get them out of someones yard.
(Speaking of fences, one of our neighbors put a gate between our two fences...and then a few years later put a lock on it and a planted a bush infront of the gate entrance. I think that the deadbolt was a big enough hint to stay out of their yard...but hey the bush sealed the deal i suppose.)

2. This is the house of all the infamous Robbie stories. They include such favorites as:
  • Robbie mashing a bunch of bananas with dulpo legos and calling it "cooking".
  • Robbie using a steak knife to get donuts out of a box.
  • Robbie programming the cd player to play his childhood favorite songs.
  • Robbie coloring on piano music.
  • Robbie coloring on a wall.

all of the above done when he was a little munchkin with curly blonde hair that was fun to put headbands in. (I feel Robbie stories are soooo appropriate seeing as he turns 16 today). :P

3. Another awesome playset by my dad. This would be the first wooden one he creates. The best playset for using Robbie's neon orange matchbox car track and ramping cars.


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By Ruth | 9:30 AM
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The first home...I think


This is our first house. I never realized that this house was so close to the Walnut Street home...to me they seemed a million miles apart. In reality, oh a good 15 minutes at the most.


The memories that I have/have been told that I did...after all, I was very little.
1. As soon as my mom had painted the kitchen I created a huge mural all over it with my colors. Apparently I've always had an affinity towards creating artwork on walls :)

2. When my sister was using baby bottles they would all mysteriously go missing. My mom realized the reason why is because I would toss them over the fence to the neighbors dogs to chew on.

3. The neighbors in the blue house next door gave us all their antique Barbies to play with. We still have a few around the storage area...although these skippers/ken dolls are far from collectors items :)

This house on Catawba Ave, has by far the most interesting background story of any of the homes we have lived in. Things I have only now learned :)

  • The previous owner used to climb on the roof in his underwear and use a golf club to chase the squirrels according to our neighbor across the street.
  • The swat team busted in the house while the previous owner lived there...and seeing that there were fluorescent lights in all the closets down the halls upstairs...I can only guess why.

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Childhood Homes: First stop Walnut Street

Well, to start I don't remember the address/street for the first house I lived in until I was about 5...I think it was on Grover something or another, but I forget. Will add that one later after some help from the mom.

So, we'll start with photos of places I remember more clearly. First up Walnut Street in Westerville, Ohio. I lived here from right before kindergarten until the middle of second grade.
1. Somewhere in that general vicinity is where my sister got stuck in the mud fetching our frisbee out of the neighbors garden. Before we were let back in the house we were promptly hosed off. :)

2. Where my sister and my super awesome sandbox was. My dad built us basically a little sand house. Complete with screened in windows (to keep the bugs off), a roof, a door that latched and bench incase we didn't feel like sitting directly in the sand. I loved that sandbox, and it is still one of my fondest memories creating little sand cakes in the neon green frisbee and setting them outside to "bake".

2...continued. This house would also be the driveway where my mom delicately painted a shelf with little metal poles and cubbies that spun around 360 degrees. When my mom went inside to wash up the paint brushes/etc she heard the hose go on...but, it was too late. I had hosed off the entire shelf she painted. As she says, "that is why that shelf never did look good".

3. Across the street is surprisingly still fields, my dad used to drive us around in the trailer of his riding lawn mower. I remember that being a lot of fun :)

Unique things from this house:
  • The guy before us had a ton of smut, everything from nude chicks on stationary to sleazy magazines. They were all promptly thrown away. Now seeing as heafty super strength bags were not around, well, when the garbage men tried to throw that particular bag away it tore open. Lets just say apparently they stayed a bit and checked out the magazines.
  • We had pet ducks. They'd come over from the dam and we'd feed them.
  • Eagles Pizza (right down the road from us) had the biggest cookies known to mankind. Well, given I'm sure if I went back there they'd be the size of any normal cookie, but they seemed the size of my head as a kid :)


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*updated* True Blood is back! and AT&T still sucks.

***Update***
Nick picked up the internet box from UPS and now, we're set. Hooray! Here is Tru:Blood, muddypebbles style. Not the same style box as in the show...but that will be fixed before the finale :P
***

True Blood is back, and since I am in love with the show/books, Nick and I had a watch party. Aside from putting up blood red streamers, our menu included Red Velvet Cake, Lafayette's Famous Burgers (which are amazing!!!! see recipe below), red salsa/chips, and of course bottles of Tru:Blood. (What can I say...you can't be a graphic designer, have a party and not be tempted to strip the labels from bottles and make your own case of blood.) And for those who were not brave enough for bottled blood (red wine) we had a variety of red sodas to choose from. We even got our shirts that go with the show...Nick in his red Fangtasia tshirt and I in my "I Bill Compton" top.
Pictures of the above will be on later as I STILL DO NOT HAVE INTERNET! ooh this is driving me so crazy. I'd be going less nuts if I didn't find out the reason the internet box never got delivered was because they forgot our apartment number on the address. So, now I get to go pick up the box myself from UPS, whom tried to deliver it last week.

Cheers!
Ruth

P.S. Quick side note here, if ever you get to call UPS or AT&T I find the quickest way to get through all the computer animated bull shit is to say or yell...depending on my mood...gibberish words and sounds. To which the computer will reply that they do not understand you, and to repeat yourself. To which again you say gibberish words/sounds/etc and they then connect you immediately to a human.

P.S.S. or is it P.P.S.? either way, here is the recipe complements of Loving True Blood in Dallas's Blog for Lafayette's Famous Burgers :)

Lafayette's Special Sauce

1/4 c vinegar
1/2 c water
1/2 t salt
a dash of cayenne
1 medium onion, chopped
2 T Worcestershire sauce
2 T brown sugar
1 T prepared mustard
1/2 t pepper
1/2 c ketchup
2 T margarine
l lemon, sliced extra thin (optional)

Saute the onion (and lemon, if you choose to use it) in the margarine. Then add all the other ingredients. Simmer about 20 minutes. Then place the broiled hamburgers (or leftover roast slices) in the skillet and steep them in the sauce over very low heat for a few minutes. Serve with extra sauce spooned on top when you're ready.

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By Ruth | 10:48 AM
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who's a good vampire guesser? me!


in the midst of all the drama caused by moving I forgot to mention, I totally won a shinny new red iPod nano from HBO's vampire blog "Bloodcopy". Not going to lie, I am totally excited. It just came in a few days ago...I find it the perfect bribery to finish putting things away ;)  Nick teases me that, it takes a vampire to know one...it isn't my fault I am constantly pale and my office has no windows to the outdoors. :P

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By Ruth | 9:54 AM
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at&t....you give me angry eyes...

Yesterday, Nick and I stood in line to set up our internet for the apartment. I should have taken the first clue that the internet site was down for ordering and turned and ran...but, I didn't.

So, we finally get done there and they tell me internet will be ready on Friday.

This morning I get a phone call, from at&t (and aparently the only true english speaking at&t person) to tell me that the internet order will be ready on the 15th, ok, whatever. I hang up.

Then it hits me, it was supposed to be ready on the 12th! I know all you have to do is hit a switch to turn the stupid thing on...not like you are sending someone out there. So I decide to call the "help" desk. Worst idea ever.

First off you have to go through this elaborate talking to a computer man's voice as he asks you long questions...that have nothing to do with your order, and try to figure out what to say to hopefully get an operator. The whole time avoiding giving my cell number because, as soon as you do they go from being the internet helpers to "whats wrong with your cell phone" and if you have nothing wrong with your phone that the computer asks you about, then they hang up.

So I finally get to someone to talk about my internet, (some heavy, non-american accent) comes over the phone and tells me they need to transfer me to orders. Then after a few more transfers I get transfered to "James".

AT&T, I am not stupid. I know you have call center people make up names that sound american since you know Krishna...not very american, but seriously...changing names, doesn't change accents, or aparently their ability to understand mine. "James" asks me which state I got my plan in, to which I reply Oklahoma. After being bombarded with more computerized voice ads (which is what AT&T uses instead of hold music) I get a very cheery woman on the other end of the phone. She has an even heavier accent.

"Can I have your Berlin phone number please"
"Uh, my what?"
"Your Berlin phone number, what Berlin phone number is on this account?"
"Wait did you say...Berlin??? Like as in Europe?"
"Yes"
****speechless me****
****still speechless/confused/irate/now finding this funny me****
"Um, I'm trying to get to Ok-la-homa. I have no Berlin phone number"
****confused Berlin lady on other end of phone****
"Can you transfer me to some sort of help desk that I can talk to about my internet set up in Oklahoma?"
****she then tries to transfer me, to which I get to listen to more computerized ads, and then am abruptly hung up on.****

This senario and similar play out for over an hour until I finally get some help, help that took only about 1 minute of some persons time. Go figure the person who could help me WAS IN THE US!!!

AT&T if I could find a way to strangle your computerized voice I would, the longer it tells me about useless products that I do not want, the more irate I become. Your customer service is useless.

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Moving...almost complete.

Since Friday I have been moving and packing along with Nick non-stop. It is almost a relief to be at work because it gives my back a much needed rest. This weekend I carried boxes up and down countless stairs and only now is the end in sight. I'd say we are 90% moved in...now comes the whole unpacking and setting up everything stage.

Setting up identical shelves from Staples I'd say was the closest I came to loosing my mind this weekend. Between slamming my fingers between the glued/pegged sections and trying to hammer in little tiny SCREWS, I about went crazy. They look nice now that they are done...but I think I'll have to take a double communion next weekend if I ever want to even out all the things I said under my breathe putting those damn shelves together. My mom laughed and said those shelves were just payback for all the years of them putting toys together for me as a child for christmas :P 

I'm happy with the way every room looks aside from our bedroom...at some point I think the boxes that I am currently using as a nightstand will need to be upgraded and a headboard found for the basic metal frame...but hey, they work. 

I think the fact that Nick and I didn't kill each other off moving ourselves is further proof that we make a great couple :) 

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By Ruth | 8:29 AM
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Good Morning Moving Day!

It's 8:30 and already I've been at work for a bit, packed my car and somehow put on a matching outfit. 

Today while I'm at work, Nick gets to finish packing...then around 11:20 we will get our keys and he'll get to move...while I'm at work. This work thing is a pretty sweet deal ;) Actually, Nick lucked out and got the next few days off. Moving will be...interesting to say the least seeing as we are bringing in things from all over the state. The schedule goes as such.

1. Move things from Nick's Apartment...in Stillwater
2. Move things from Nick's Storage Unit...in Tulsa
3. Move things from my garage...in Stillwater
4. Move things from my parent's garage...in Edmond

yeah, what would be the fun of moving from one place to another when you can choose LOTS of places and move into one. That being said when it is all done and over with...assuming no one keels over from going up and down too many flights of stairs, it will be great. 

Hooray and thank you to my friends helping us move. We would not be able to get the couch up stairs without you ;)

Wish us luck, and if you're bored...I bet I can find you a box to pack or carry in the next few days :P

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By Ruth | 8:09 AM
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memorial day weekend

i have to admit it was difficult  to come to work this morning after my only activities in the past 3 days have been working out and going to the pool. 

i could use a holiday every monday ;)

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why drive up pharmacy at Walgreens may want to be avoided...

this happened yesterday around 5:30pm, I just got sidetracked and forgot to share! so, here we go :)

yesterday, at Walgreens some guy...who will remain nameless...was at the drive up arguing about how many pills that the insurance should be covering on his script of VIAGRA! lol. I now know that his insurance only covers six of a thirty day prescription.

Lesson learned? Perhaps you think you are talking not that loud through the speaker and that the person on the other side of the window talks quietly too...but, truth be told your voice rings over a loud speaker and the lady on the other side of the window has a voice that carries well away from your little conversational place.

needless to say I wasn't the only one about to die of laughter as this older fellow was arguing about how many viagra should be covered. and as if that wasn't bad enough, when he went to leave she said something to the effect of "thank you very much Mr. First-name Last-name. So if you didn't know who he was by just looking out the window at him, now you know his name too. *giggles* best Walgreens trip ever!


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By Ruth | 10:11 PM
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baking with Ruth

Tonight I learned the reason why you really shouldn't try a new recipe you plan on bringing somewhere for the first time without a trial run.

Simply put, Mayan Bundt Cake was a disaster...to put it nicely. When I would put the wooden poker in to see if it was done at 40...then 45...then even another few minutes later it would always come out looking not even close to done. Then I just decided at 50 min that this thing is going to burn before it finishes and, sure enough, as it cooled 10 min and then was flipped it came out in alternating uncooked and overly dry parts. It came out looking like a heaping pile of dirt. Not so much the bundt cake shape that I pain-stakingly criscoed/floured.

Mayan Brownies are in the oven now, hopefully these don't become another FAIL, or I give up. At least these don't have to be flipped into a fancy shape.

Although, I am disappointed that the $5 cake holder tubberware thingy I bought today will not get used. Ce la vie.

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By Ruth | 11:37 AM
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Links Countdown

Let the countdown to me living in the links begin...by this time next month I will be moved in, hopefully somewhat organized and enjoying life sans roommates, aside from Nick :)

It will be nice to be away from regular apartment furniture and into a place with all of our own things. Couches, bed, desks, tables and chairs all of which I'll be able to do whatever to. I'm also excited about being able to put up art work that I was a little hesitant on putting up while I lived in a college home for fear it would be knocked off the walls.

As for packing to get there, well...I'm half way there. My stuff is all packed aside from clothes. Now it is just down to getting Nicks stuff packed in the next month so that come June we can start the trek down 3 flights, across town, and up one to the new place :)

Cheers!
Ruth

Speaking of trek...Star Trek was aaaaaawwwweeeesssoooommme. Nick and I went to it opening day and I have to admit, I liked it better than I thought I would. And no, I'm not biased towards liking it just because James Kirk in the movie is from Iowa...that's a bonus ;)

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By Ruth | 11:03 PM
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The Tales from the Crypt

Today I had my first combined editorial and graphics office meeting. After a while of teasing about the crappy rainy weather it was joked that we all needed UV lights in our office, health reasons since there has been a major lack of vitamin D.

Then it was brought up that I really needed the UV light, since my office had no windows, followed by...

"Actually when we hired Ruth, she requested an office with no windows as part of her deal to work here...vampire and all, she'll burst into flames if she sees the light"

love it! hehehe

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By Ruth | 3:06 PM
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Wonderful Wacom

Today my fancy new wacom tablet arrived. I now look super awesome with wacom tablet on my left and mouse on my right. I learned today that if you use both mouses at once the one on the right overrides wacom's. (would I say I have two mouses? or two mice like the animal?....hmmm....)

Anyway, I don't think i'll ever photoedit again without using the pen and its varying widths depending on how hard I press it. That makes it so much easier! I might be a bit spoiled hehe

I feel uber fancy.

Come thursday will be my first "OSU Orientation". I look forward to seeing if during the history section I learn anything new. Doubtful, I'm pretty sure when I worked as an assistant to David I learned it all, but we'll see :)

Happy Tuesday! 

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By Ruth | 11:28 AM
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greatest feeling ever?

knowing it is finals week and not having ANY!!!!

i love being a graduate :)

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By Ruth | 8:06 AM
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Fail again, aparently i lack competitive drive.

Well, I forgot to blog yesterday...officially I think I'm about to give up daily blogging and go for 6 out of 7 days a week blogging. Seems to be closer to what I can keep up with :P

Valerie and Bonnie are much better at this competition, it will be interesting to see who wins in the long run. I'm keeping my eyes open to see who the winner will be:)

I guess I should have known competition would have been an issue for me, I mean in softball, I cheer when I miss the ball as well as actually hitting it...maybe that should have been a hint, a red flag of my pending doom with this competition.

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By Ruth | 9:45 PM
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blogging daily starting over...for the billionth time

I figured since i forgot to blog 2 days back, i'd just start at the beginning of the month...so here I go. last try for daily blogging for 30 days.

Today I watched "The Spirit". It will now stand as my least favorite graphic novel to become a movie.

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By Ruth | 10:26 PM
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graphic design is a tiny bit different from police officers

helping nick with his resume and cover letter. since i am using mine as a template, i'm laughing myself to tears. graphic design has nothing to do with a police force cover letter and resume that i'm helping him with for class. something makes me think stuff like "I look forward to discussing what I can do to help with your fashion line" and ending a letter with "warmly"...just not the thing to do.

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I don't have time to blog, I'm reading!


I've become completly addicted to the eighth Sookie Stackhouse book, From Dead to Worse. This book has been the end of me doing anything productive at home these past few days. Which, I suppose is kinda bad timing since I should really be focusing on packing. Good thing the next book in the series comes out in May, otherwise I might cry not knowing what Sookie will do next.

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By Ruth | 4:01 PM
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Raining cats and dogs.

Just a thought for today. Through my observations on my iGoogle weather versus what it actually has been ouside...well lets just say its been the exact opposite all day. If it says rain, its dry. If it says dry it's raining. All in all, google weather predicting skills=FAIL

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By Ruth | 9:15 PM
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Packing

Today I spent the day, you guessed it, packing. Lots and LOTS of packing as I get myself ready to move into my new apartment. I think packing could be a full time job for me...I totally did it from about 9-7 today...and I'm close but not done.

On a side note, I noticed yesterday I was like 15 min late for hitting my Saturday blog...ugh, I'm so not good at this. Twitter is so much easier :)

Well, this marks Ruth's Round 3 for the beginning of a month of blogging.

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By Ruth | 12:12 AM
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the great escAPE

Tonight Nick and I went to the OKC zoo's Great escAPE event, proceeds are going towards Sumatrian orangutans. It was so fun to see the apes and orangutans up close. Nick bought me a picture of one of the gorillas. She is so cute! Her name is Kalila, apparently she is very friendly and sometimes likes to spin around. Next time I go to the zoo, i'll have to look for her. She's in gorilla pen three. :)

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By Ruth | 11:31 AM
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True Blood: Season 2 sneak peek.

As I go into further True Blood withdrawl, I find myself trying out louisiana spiced foods, reading (and LOVING) the rest of the Charlaine Harris books, and keeping up on all the True Blood gossip blogs can supply. 

I just noticed HBO put up a sneak peek of season 2 on their YouTube channel yesterday...so for your enjoyment I bring you the maenad attack :) 



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By Ruth | 6:06 PM
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Employee Benefits and lack of left hand gloves

Today was the employee benefit seminar. I can wrap it up in a brief statement, "OSU has great benefits, however if you get divorced and you forget to change your beneficiary your ex-wife will be getting your benefits if something terrible were to happen to you."

Also, Hilbrett or whatever that sports store that is...total FAIL, they suck at keeping left handed gloves on hand.

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By Ruth | 9:16 PM
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Landry's Frozen Custard=Frozen Yummyness!

I now proclaim that Landry's (Laundry's???) Frozen Custard=very yummy. I had the Trevor Special...which is just a chocolate overload of goodness. I'm fairly certain that the excercizing that I did today was totally undid by the sundae, but I have no regrets.

I decided I really needed ice cream today...particularly soft serve, after talking about the budget for next year and Missy teasing we needed a soft serve ice cream machine. I totally agree! :) hehe However, I said that I would be fine with a stocked Ben & Jerry's fridge. ;)

Cheers!
Ruth

P.S. Here is the day 3 addition to the office, my new fancy rice paper lantern. Admitably the picture made the lamp look a lot harsher than it is....really it is just a nice white glow :) Side effect of cell phone camera lack-of-awesomeness :P

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Prank called by the director

What is a sign that you work at a nice place? I'd say getting pranked called by the director is a pretty good hint :)

He claims to be a person from the physical plant. Speaks sounding like he isn't the brightest crayon in the box, and calls to tell me that "They heard I didn't have no windows, and that they were gunna make my office real pretty."

I was given several choices of poster type things to add to my wall...ocean being the most popular.

Geh, I feel for it! lol. I'm so gullible.

Day 2: I still love my new job, everyone is great. Today I got teased for having nothing in my office...I should have said, "Just wait until the moving truck comes!" ;) lol

P.S. Got the Chip Kidd Batmanga poster up today :)

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By Ruth | 6:42 PM
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First Day of Work

Made it home from my first day of work as a Senior Graphic Designer at Fire Protection Publications.

This is me on the way to my first day!


Everyone is very nice and made me felt very welcome there, they even repainted my office for me.

I was wildly amused that my name was spelled right and had it already on the door of my office when I got there.



Stay tuned...in the next few weeks I'll put up pics as I decorate.

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By Ruth | 9:20 PM
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new job

To make up for the fact that I'm not the best at blogging, my new technique is to blog when I think of it. Today that means 2 blogs in 1 day...don't hold your breathe people...it surely won't be daily.

At this point I'm lounging in bed and thinking in less than 12 hours I will be starting the next chapter in my life. I'll be making new friends, finding new challenges, and will be trying to learn everyones name as fast as I can while being on extra good behavior until I know everyone better. I'd hate to scare them off in the first week. As excited as I am, I'm only feeling a tinge nervous, but I'll be ok :) It is just crazy to think that after all the applications I finally got a big girl job that I'm proud of, and now, i'm ready to show them that they picked the right girl.

p.s. i am so a big enough nerd to take pics as the day progresses tomorrow.

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By Ruth | 8:02 AM
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Fail #2

Well...I'm doing better than I thought I would with this daily blogging. Yet, as I woke up this morning I realized I didn't blog yesterday. BOO! I am not so good at this daily blogging. Too bad it isn't like baseball and 3 strikes and you're out.

As such, here I begin again with 30 days...hopefully I finish 30 consecutive days before next year :)

Yesterday, it rained. I go into get groceries...come out and it is pouring rain and I'm in my little leather ballet flats. So as I ran inside I just slid them in my bag and ran. Playing in the rain is so much more fun when the rain isn't freezing cold.

New job starts tomorrow! Fire Protection, here I come :)

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By Ruth | 9:40 PM
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Scooby Doo birthday

Today I went to my first three year old birthday party...well, since my brothers about 12 years ago. The excitement of seeing all the munchkins running and screaming around is just so fun.

I bought Connor, the munchkin of honor, a McDonald's Cash register. Best thank you in the world is what I got in return :)

***high pitched scream!!! McDonald's!!!!*** followed by a brief conversation with mom about why he is supposed to open the other presents first and then play with the toys, since at that moment all he wanted to do was make a few plastic burgers and charge for them :)

Connor then went on to open the rest of the presents cheering in his high pitched voice for those he liked, and immediately asking for the next present after those that were not as much his favorite lol, too cute.

After a Scooby Doo cake, ice cream and a few more laughs with my friends and their families I knew why I loved children so much. Their honesty is priceless...and lets face it, watching them eat ice out of the cooler with the drinks and take a bite, spit the ice back...stuff like that is just hilarious.

Hooray, I win.

P.S. for those of you who may wonder about how softball went tonight, not quite sure...I went looking for a glove for my lefthandedness at Hilbett Sports...or whatever it is called and they only had giant man gloves or toddler gloves, come now sports companies us lefty girls with tiny hands want baseball gloves too! I vow to find a glove before next game...mom says we may still have the one I used in 1st grade lol.

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By Ruth | 4:17 PM
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Wolverines!!!

Today for lunch in honor of The Bloggess, I couldn't help but put Wolverines! as my name on my Chipolte order.

now, admitably this is not the clearest photo, but here is evidence of my WOLVERINES! :)



Bonnie had the genius idea and I admit that I am 99% certain I would have done it anyways...but now that I have a blog it is like encouraging me to do things like this just so I will have something to blog about for the next 28 days lol.

Tomorrow...trial 2 at softball, this should be interesting :)

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