A Change

On Thursday, after 4 1/2 years of working for a small company, I got laid off along with 1/3 of the employees. I'm not sure it has quite hit me yet, at least not completely. I feel like I'm just taking a few days off and then I'll be back at my little cube overlooking 183. I knew the company wasn't doing great, but I thought things would turn around. We had just done a joint venture with the company's co-op and figured that I'd be extremely busy. But I guess things just kept going south and they needed to cut costs fast, and that meant dropping staff. So, here I am in Austin, with a BS in Radio-TV-Film, 4 1/2 years of administrative/executive assistant experience and looking for a job. Where do I go from here?

***************************************************

Day 0 - Thursday
Laid off
Commiserate with other lay-off-ees
Tell husband
Go home
Cry
Drink 2 margaritas
Cry
Talk to friend
Cry
Eat leftovers
Watch Sopranos
Cry
Go to sleep

Day 1 - Friday
Sleep in a bit
Apply for Unemployment
Do laundry
Email friends/family for job recs
Call Mom/Dad - find out sister's apartment got broken into
Post on Facebook for job recs
Call Sister - commiserate about our crappy days
Apply for student loan deferment
Update Resume
Get treated to lunch by friend
Go to library
Rush home to apply for job (rec'd by friend) by 5pm
Do more laundry
Vacuum
Eat dinner
Watch TV
Go to bed

Day 2 - Saturday!
Sleep in
Work on resume
Search for jobs
Babysit niece

Day 3 - Sunday
Church
Lunch
Search for jobs
Work on resume
Work on Letter of Interest
Work on List of References
Re-apply for job from Friday to include above additions

Day 4 - Monday
Doctor appointment
Post Office
Search for jobs
Clean bathrooms
Lunch
Search for jobs
Work on new letters of interest
Apply for jobs
Work out
Make dinner
Type this blog

Home Sweet Home

We're still getting settled into our new place and I promise pictures will come soon, but we want to get everything set up and the boxes kicked out first. We can't wait to have people over soon for a housewarming, just trying to figure out the date right now.

If you are are coming in from out of town and need a place to stay, we have a guest bedroom! With a door! And a 2nd bathroom! Yep, we're pretty excited about the extra space. The kitties just don't know what to do with themselves. I seriously think they get lost at times. Every once in a while, I'll find Calliope staring at Patrick's closet and meowing (yep, we now don't even have to share a closet!!)

Looks like a couple trips to Ikea, Target, the Natural Gardener, and Home Depot are in store for us over the next few weeks and this right after I've made 3 or 4 trips to Salvation Army to donate things we wanted to get rid of. Weird how that happens.

Casa del Maxwell

We have one more week of packing and purging of things before we load up the truck and move into our new home. I am so excited to have a little more space with a second bedroom, second bathroom and a balcony and to be living in the same complex as a few of our friends, but at the same time, the leaving is bittersweet.


It's not that we're moving far away and leaving behind people we love, like Patrick's sister and our brother-in-law did back in May. It's just that, well, this was our first home together. The first place we picked out and furnished and lived in for the past five years. We know all its quirks and how loud our current neighbors are. I know where all the light switches are without having to run my hand up and down a wall. I know how to find my way from the darkened kitchen to my side of the bed without stubbing my toe.

So, in a couple months, once we get things all set up in Casa del Maxwell, come on out for a visit! We'll have an actual guest bedroom for you to stay in! That is, as long as you don't mind sharing it with the kitties...

"Knuden" Reunion

Hope everyone had a wonderful, fun-filled, Four of July! This year, Patrick and I ventured up to the DFW Metroplex for the first Knudsen Family Reunion and along the way, met up with some friends whom we hadn't seen in awhile.

We drove up from Austin Saturday morning and got to Dallas in time to have very yummy lunch of Cuban food and bottomless mimosas and bellinis with Amy and her boyfriend Glenn (the second 'n' is silent). From there, we drove to our hotel in downtown Fort Worth and then met up with Julie and Matt for drinks at Flying Saucer, where we sampled some new beers and I made faces when sipping Patrick's Double Dead Guy Ale (Brandi, has Chris had this one??) and some incredibly hoppy IPA. We laughed, traded stories (some people might call it gossip) and I think I might have agreed to going to my 10 year reunion somewhere in there. And from the third story of the parking garage, we saw a couple of fireworks go off, but that was about it for our 4th of July celebration.

On Sunday, the entire Knudsen branch of my family (minus Rachael & Hagan) gathered at my cousin Jenny & Curtis' house. I think Jenny was a little sleep deprived, because she wrote "Knuden Reunion" and forgot the 's' in Knudsen on the chalkboard. We got to see people that we hadn't seen in a number of years and even got to meet a few new members. I got to squeeze the neck of some of my favorite cousins, and played with my cousin Lori's rolly-polly of a son, who has the most squeezable cheeks you have ever seen! It was so nice to see everyone in one place since the last time we all got together was almost 9 years ago (not including all the weddings that happened in between.) I have to admit, at first I wasn't to excited about a family reunion when I first heard about it, but we had a bunch of fun and finally got to connect with family that live just around the corner. Can't wait to see the pictures from yesterday!

Reunion

Last night, after going through our entire Netflix Instant Watch list, we finally decided on revisiting Can't Hardly Wait. The movie was released the summer between Patrick's senior year of high school and my senior year of high school, so it definitely has a bit of nostalgia about it. The soundtrack to the film carried over to the soundtrack of our senior video that my film class edited and showed at our prom....yes, complete with the footage of me being wheeled off after fainting during the senior panorama picture. It was a hot, humid, September day in Texas. It happens. And while still in high school, I even got the poster from a friend who worked in a video store.

Besides some of the obvious ones: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ethan Embry and Seth Green, that film seemed to be a jumping off point for so many actors in their late teens early 20s. There even seemed to be a pre-union (instead of reunion?) of Six Feet Under actors in there. Patrick pointed out that he has now seen Lauren Ambrose get licked by Eric Balfour in two different shows. Every time the shot or point of view changed, another familiar face jumped out and Patrick or I would yell "That Guy!" or "That Girl!"

And for all those people I didn't recognize, I wonder what happened to them. I wonder where they are now? 10 Years later. That's kind of how I feel on Facebook sometimes: getting a friend request from someone I can't quite remember or wondering about an old friend. My 10 year high school reunion is coming up this fall. I'm not even sure if I will be going...I'm just not quite sure if I'm ready for that

Birthdays

I have to say that I think I've been pretty spoiled by my past few birthdays. Last year, I spent a week in L.A. hanging out with Courtney in the hills of Hollywood. The year before, I was in NYC, spending time with both Patrick's and my sisters and getting to visit our newborn niece. Three years ago, we actually threw a big Quarter of Century party and made fajitas for about 25 of our friends (learned our lesson with that....order take-out or else your home will smell like fajitas for 3 weeks.) So this year, I think I was a little bummed that I wasn't traveling or planning a party.

It was a nice birthday. Went to lunch with Tracy and our coworker Beth, enjoyed some Mexican Martinis with Patrick and Chris (and almost Susan, but she went to Chuy's instead of Trudy's), watched UT beat up against LSU (and then end up losing the 3rd game of the College World Series), and got a million texts, emails, voice mails, and messages on facebook wishing me a "Happy Birthday." I felt loved. But there was something missing and I'm not sure what that was. Maybe it was just because I've been spoiled before. Maybe it's hitting me that I'm so much closer to 30 than 20.

********

Patrick surprised me with the soundtrack to Wicked and the promise of attending the show in August, so I've been addicted to Kristin Chenowith's voice for the past week and can't wait to lock in a date to see it!

********

This past weekend, we had planned to go to the Real Ale Anniversary Party down in Blanco for some free beer and music, but with record setting temperatures (106 people!!) and heat warning advisories spreading across Central Texas, we opted for the cold 68 degree water of Barton Springs. Sophie seemed to love spinning in her duckie floatie in the shallow end while we attempted to lay down in order to cover our entire bodies with the water.

And between game night with our small group, Barton Springs, dinner at Guero's, poker with Jake & Jill, and a Goodbye brunch for our friend Steven (who finally gets to be in the same town as his girlfriend Iliana, my college roomie), our weekend was packed. Fun, but packed.

This coming weekend will prove to be no different, I'm sure. Independence Day with a trip up to DFW for the Knudsen family reunion. So excited to see some of these people, some I haven't seen since getting married, and some will be seeing them for the first time (lots of new babies!) I'm just praying for no traffic this weekend.

Double Dose Whipper Snapper

I'm in trouble now that there is a Hey Cupcake just down the street from where I live. Now how about setting up a Mighty Cone next door?

Friendship, Friendship, Just A Perfect Blendship

The past few weekends have been jam packed with get-togethers and dinners and barbecues. I absolutely love it, but the weekend just seems to fly by now. Patrick said, "Well, you said you wanted friends!"

When I moved back to Austin about a year after graduating from UT, I felt pretty isolated and lonely. The majority of my friends had left town to take jobs elsewhere and I hadn't yet found a niche here. I occasionally would hang out with people from the organization store I worked at but nothing really stuck, even though I still keep in touch with one of them. I started my current job, then Patrick and I started planning our wedding which took us on the road a lot, since the wedding was in Arlington. I liked a couple of the girls I worked with, but since Pat and I were out of town so much and I was a bit distracted with invitations, guest lists and flowers, I just didn't put in any real effort to forming new relationships. I mean, how many people were we already inviting to the wedding? We couldn't afford to add any more friends right now!

Well, those two girls at work became two of my really good friends (Hi Brandi and Tracy!) And they introduced us to a lot of their Chemical Engineering Doctorate friends. Think: extremely smart but fun, laid back group who like to play dominos, drink beer/wine and go bowling.

Then, one of our old friends pops back into our lives and moves to Austin with his girlfriend, then fiance, now wife. They introduced us to another couple who we really like and live near us, so another group is formed.

We find a church we absolutely love and start to become involved with a small group. While Patrick gets really busy at work, I'm getting to know a lot of them and growing pretty close to a few of them. I keep telling him I can't wait for him to meet them because I LOVE them. We finally go to lunch with one of the couples and he agrees that they are pretty awesome. We're now very excited to be planning to live in the same apartment complex, just a building or two away from them.

On top of all this, after a lot of prayers and now thanksgivings, Patrick's sister, brother-in-law, and their daughter move back to Austin. And like I've said a million times, so excited to have them here!

So, I guess it's my own fault we're so busy now, I asked for friends and Ask and Ye Shall Receive.
Now, if we can only get Brandi & Chris and Rachael & Hagan to Austin...

Personal Trainer?

I can still hear the voice echoing in my ear from last night: "Up! Down! Up! Down!" After doing a few sets of those in a row I tell her, "Now go find Uncle Patrick!"

So happy to have Laura, Eric & Sophie in Austin!

Today...

• our server and internet were both down for the first 3 hours of work this craptastic morning.
• one of my favorite New Yorkers comes to visit for a few days and I get to see her tonight! Looking forward to dinner and drinks with Em.
  
• and last but not least, Austin's population just got a little higher today, since Patrick's sister, our brother-in-law and their adorable little one are in the midst of moving back to the little blue oasis in Texas.
  

Wearing Uncle Patrick's boots

Is that an Alligator?

Last week I accompanied Patrick to Lake Charles, LA for his company's annual corporate meeting where we were put up in the L'Auberge du lac Casino Resort for a couple nights. We took a small detour on our way out there in Houston to grab a bite to eat (and for me to enjoy a margarita, since it was technically my vacation) at one of our favorite taco shacks, Chacho's. And then we were on our way to slot machines, drinks by the pool, and oh yeah, company meetings.

And company meetings there were! I found out Tuesday that they wanted the spouses to attend the first meeting that centered around the company's philosophy and culture, to get to know the company better. So, bright and early Thursday morning, we woke up and headed down to breakfast and the Company Culture & Philosophy meeting. Breakfast turned out to be a couple of fruit kebabs and yogurt and then 5 hours later, after lunch, they finally released the spouses. My hopes of spending the day sipping fruity frozen drinks by the pool, were replaced with trying to stay awake in a meeting and then going straight back to the room to sleep for a couple hours.

I did get a little bit of free time, but it just isn't the same spending it by yourself. It was nice to read by the pool, but I found out that I am just not the casino-going-gambling-type-of-girl. I like my money to stay where it is. Plus, have you ever heard of a NON-smoking casino? Yeah, me neither. And I found out what happened to Everclear, they are now playing for free at Louisiana casinos.

Friday morning, while Patrick was in his final meetings of the trip, I slept in and then brunched on french toast, bacon and bloody marys. By the end of the trip, I had lost 3 dollars to slot machines and two hubcaps, thanks to poor Louisiana highways. While I'm so glad I was able to go and be supportive of my husband, I just don't think I can call that a vacation.

Woo Hoo!

"One sister down, one sister to go!" That's what I told my sister after finding out that Laura, Eric and Sophie were officially moving to Austin. Patrick's and my 5-10 year plan for all of our loved ones to be in Austin is slowly starting to take shape!

It's been quite awhile since we've lived in the same city as immediate family, so I'm a bit curious how often we will get to see each other. I wonder what we'll do for the holidays and if we'll be traveling as much as we used to. But I guess that's what marriage is all about: family and compromise.

So, after living in Brooklyn for the past decade, they are making the leap and setting up shop down here. It's always been something we've wistfully talked about, so I don't think it has still quite sunk in yet. And still a small part of me says, I'll believe it when I see it. But I have faith and we are beyond excited! I am so excited to have them here because I've always wanted to have a closer relationship with them, to actually know them. To see them more than a couple times a year. To have our niece recognize me and know me by name when I scoop her up, instead of "who is this crazy lady holding me?" To babysit Sophie so Laura & Eric can have a night out. To be able to meet for happy hour after work or brunch on the weekend. So, yeah we are pretty darn excited and can't wait!

From New York Trip - Sophie's Birthday

Can't wait to see this face (and her parents') more often!

Going to the Chapel....

This weekend, Patrick and I got to witness an old friend marry a beautiful, intelligent, and funny young woman, who has also become a good friend to us. We've always hoped that Jake would find a good woman that appreciated him as much as we do, and I think he got that and more.

The first time we met Jill, they had met us at Salt Lick for dinner about four years ago, and we were blown away. "This girl is gorgeous! How did Jake land her?" Not that Jake isn't wonderfully adorable, but this girl, this young woman, looked like she walked right off of a magazine photo shoot. Plus she's extremely smart, and at the time was excited to be heading to UT to become an engineer. At the end of our double date, Jill and I were talking about 10 feet away from Patrick and Jake, who were standing by our car, also talking. And Jill and I heard an extremely loud "WHAT?!?" Evidently, Jake was telling Patrick about the first time he asked Jill out and she said yes. The "What?!?" was his inner dialogue, surprised at her answer.

The wedding was gorgeous, the food was great, beer was enjoyed by all, and the bride looked amazing. I am so excited for Jake and Jill and can't wait to see what the future has in store for them!

It's Friday and rainy and all I want to do is be home curled up on my couch watching a movie with Patrick. I haven't seen him much this week, or the past few months for that matter. He's been working like crazy. And every time they are able to bring on someone full time to help out, another person leaves. He's in San Antonio one day, Temple the next, and is rarely ever home before I'm getting ready for bed, much less in time for dinner.

Over the past two weeks, I saw glimpses of how things could be if he worked a regular 8-5 job. Actually getting to see him in the light of day instead of kissing him hello or goodbye while half asleep. But then, the next day it goes right back. I'm praying that things will change soon, because I don't know how much more I can take of seeing him only on the weekends.

This week has dragged on long enough and I'm ready to relax with some friends at happy hour with a margarita or two.

Re-Visit

Facebook seems to have replaced my blogging. But I miss writing, so I'm going to try to ramp up over here.

In February, we celebrated Patrick's last birthday of his twenties by sending him off with a couple of our guy friends to play some golf while I attended a baby shower. Lots of golf balls were lost and lots of onesies were unwrapped. We then headed down to New Braunfels for dinner at The Gristmill and a Bob Schneider show at the historic Gruene Hall. And as excited as I was to finally get to see a show there, I don't know if I'll ever go back. I guess I'm spoiled by Austin's no smoking laws.

Early in March, after hearing some horribly sad news about a friend, a couple friends and I decided to take a self defense course. I had always wanted to learn how to defend myself in case something should happen, but it wasn't until Sabrina's death that I finally took the step to doing so, she was my catalyst. I still can't imagine what her close friends, family and husband went through and are still dealing with. I didn't take the class just for myself, but also in her honor.

From R.A.D.

Because of some crazy coincedence, we got to spend the last two weekends in March with my sister and her boyfriend Hagan. They came down here for a wedding and then a few days later, we went up to New York to celebrate our niece's 2nd birthday. That's probably the most time I've spent with Rachael since I lived in Arlington! I really enjoyed it and I'm loving that our relationship has grown into friendship instead of just being familial.

We got a behind-the-scenes tour of Food Network courtesy of Rachael, watched our good friend Emily knock a plant over, spied on Guy Fieri preparing for a taping, and ate some of the best food at Tom Colicchio's Halfsteak at Craftsteak. Lots of wine, food and catching up seems to make up most of our time in The City.

From New York Trip - Food Network

Our good friends Brandi and Chris, trekked down to the Big Apple with their one year old in tow to meet us while we were on their side of the country. Pizza, subway rides, bagels and dinosaurs later, we had to bid farewell. It was so good to see them and I'm hoping that another two years don't pass before it happens again.

From New York Trip - Brandi, Chris & Austin

The last day we were in New York, we got to dancey dance with our niece Sophie, a few of her best two year old friends and a bunch of their respective adults. We ate sweet-and-salty cupcakes that I am still craving and laughed at the the adorableness that are two year olds.

From New York Trip - Sophie's Birthday

I hope that I get to see more of our New York families and friends in the near future. Patrick and I do have a 5-10 year plan to have everyone living here in Austin. Just so you know!

What's in a Name?

Growing up, I have never had 7 people in one of my classes with the same name is me. When someone called out "Ruth Ann", I knew that they were trying to get my attention and not the person next to me.

So, when my hairstylist asked if my husband had come in the day before for a cut, you can imagine my confusion, because if you haven't seen Patrick in a few years, well, he shaves his head. After showing Jim (my stylist) a picture of the two of us, he shook his head and confirmed that No, that wasn't him. But mystery guy had a wife named Ruth Ann, so he thought what were the odds that is wasn't me?

And when I heard two girls sitting in front of me at church say my name, Patrick and I looked at each other with confused looks wondering if we heard correctly. I started studying their facing, wondering if I had met them before. Then, that point in the service came where we greeted the people around us and they laughed when I said my name because it was the same as their roommate.

It's always interesting when I meet someone with my name or has a friend/relative with my name. That is, unless it's their grandma or great aunt. But, either way, I always get a reaction!

The New Year

A new year has rolled in since the last time I posted. A New Year, a New President(!!!) and LOST is back on TV. So far, so good.

We spent the weekend in Houston, getting to celebrate the marriage of two of our friends. "A great story of perseverance," is one of the quotes I heard describing the groom's courting of his bride. They were beautiful, and we had fun toasting to the new married couple. Lots of dancing with little kiddos and skirting questions of our future little ones.

I wish I could show off the beautiful bride, or the happy groom, or the adorable kids our friends have, but unfortunately, I learned a crappy lesson this weekend. Don't go 6 months without backing up any of your photos, because Murphy's Law states, "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong." It may not be immediate, but eventually, Murphy will catch up with you. Someone picked up our camera with way too many pictures stored on it. Hopefully it was an accident and it will be returned soon, but I have a sinking feeling that our fun little Casio is long gone. I guess we'll find out in the next few days.

I've signed up to volunteer with SXSW for the first time and tonight I'm heading down to the volunteer call to see what positions are still available. So, we'll see....it's been 5 years since I've worked a festival and I don't know if anything can live up to Sundance, or Cannes before that, but I'm looking forward to being around the artsy types again.