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!

Ike

I have started to write so many times about the horror that is the destruction from Hurricane Ike, and each time, I cannot come up with the words to fully describe my shock, hurt, and sympathy for all those who have been affected. From what I have heard from people who have been to the Gulf Coast and to the Golden Triangle area, things are worse than the media is portraying. Entire communities leveled, some with only the slab of concrete left to mark where their homes once were, others not even that.

Patrick's parents still do not have power, and while that is completely inconvenient and frustrating, they are doing OK. I'm so glad they were safe and were not located closer to downtown Houston, or worse, Galveston. Utilities are being worked on around the clock and slowly, lights are coming on and stores are opening up.

I was at Costco yesterday picking up groceries and tears welled up in my eyes when I saw the pile of donations located at the entrance. Peanut butter, water, tuna, diapers, granola bars, canned goods. Around the store, at least every other person had an least one of those items in their cart, and I'm sure that not all of the people buying diapers had a baby waiting for them at home.

On Saturday, a lot of Austin (including me) was annoyed that we didn't get any of the rain that was supposed to come our way. The UT game was postponed which was unfortunate for people flying in from out of town. And people were cursing the blue, sunny, skies. But I would not have traded any of our annoyances for the horrible things that people elsewhere are dealing with. I am so thankful for the roof over my head, the food in my working refrigerator, the job I still have, and my family and friends that are safe.

Olympics

As much as I am loving watching the Olympics every night till 11pm or 12am, I am so ready for the closing ceremonies. I've barely gotten any sleep over the past two weeks! I seriously love watching all the events, hearing all the Olympians' stories, and cheering on the USA team and many fellow Longhorns. I'm going to miss watching the gymnastics, swimming, diving, beach volleyball and all the others until London 2012.

Locks of Love

After growing my hair out for a couple years, I finally had it long enough so that I could donate to Locks of Love. The ponytail ended up measuring a good 11 inches. And with record breaking heat here in Texas, I'm so glad to have that hair off my neck! Patrick took a couple steps back when he walked into our apartment that night...I guess he was just a bit surprised to see me!

Before

new haircut with Locks of Love ponytail

Absence, Update & A Plug

I guess I had a lot to say in February and the beginning of March. But I feel like I've been incredibly busy over the past three weeks and haven't had much time to write. So, since I last wrote:

• Patrick and I have become obsessed/addicted to trying new wines and finding local vendors that sell our favorite Texas wines, thanks to the Hill Country Wine Trail. And now looking foward to the Austin Wine Festival!
• I traveled up to DFW metro to have some much needed girl time with both Amy and Courtney. And got to see Courtney's great-niece!
  
• Easter came and went and for the first time since I was a kid, Patrick and I dyed eggs!
• Our little niece Sophie turned the ripe old age of 1 year old, and apparently has grown teeth and visited the White House.
• The kitties became very interested in our storage closet that holds our water heater. Later, I found out we had a "visitor." After waiting a day in hopes that it would find it's own way out with no luck, I had to extract the scared little bat.

***And a plug for my sister: please visit and comment often on the FN Dish. She's the associate producer and we want her to keep that position! If you check out last week's video, you get to see Mr. Tony Bourdain rant on the Food Network - love that clip!

Lunar Eclipse

I remember sitting on the porch at the Blanton Dormitory my freshman year watching the lunar eclipse with Patrick and some other friends. I was so amazed at the brightness and richness of color that the moon cast off.

Just after 9 pm CST tonight, the moon, the earth and the sun will line up so perfectly that the full moon will turn a gorgeous shade of orangey-red for the last total lunar eclipse until 2010. So, if your somewhere it is not cloudy (unlike Austin), enjoy the view! It's an amazing experience. I'm sad that we won't be able to drag Patrick's telescope out to see it this time.

Locks

Today, I got out my ruler and measured the length of my hair from my chin. 8 inches. Two more inches to go to meet the minimum of 10 inches for Locks of Love. I might want to go longer, but it just depends on how long I can actually stand dealing with long hair. I feel like I've been growing my hair out forever, when in reality, it's only been a conscious decision for the past year or so. A couple of my friends have done it (Amy & Brent) which has inspired me go for the long wait. And even though my hair is not thick by any means and would need another 50 ponytails to make a wig, well, hopefully it will help at least one child.

I'll post pictures of before and after when the cutting day finally comes!

Growing Older

There's a number of things that I didn't like growing up, but now that I'm a semi-adult, I find that it doesn't kill me or may even now like it.

Brown Flexible Fabric Band-Aids: As a young girl, I wanted something that wasn't so drab. Muppets or Disney or even Clear would have been better than brown. But now, because I have the flex, I can type with my index finger just fine! And they seem to last longer than the plastic bandages anyway.

Singing when prompted by a phrase: My mother used to do this constantly, joined by my father at times, and it always drove me nuts, not sure why, exactly. But yes, I do this now that I'm older. Something someone says will remind me of a song and I will break out into a verse until my mother says "You used to hate when I did that!" I think it's just genetic.

NPR: Seriously, what kid wants to listen to talk radio? I wanted to enjoy music in the car, not have the news rehashed, and thankfully, most of the, time my parents obliged and actually liked a lot of the same music as me. But for some reason, I seem to be tuning into NPR pretty frequently now. Fresh Air with Terry Gross has been my daily entertainment while running to the bank for work and I'm actually enjoying the following of the campaign trail.

Creepy Crawly

Today has been my day for all things creepy crawly.

Early this morning, I opened my front door to leave for work and saw this in the hallway, about 4 feet from my front door:

We've seen a couple of tarantulas around the apartment complex over the past week, but none on the third floor! I know that these are not poisonous and are pretty beneficial to have around as they love to eat roaches and scorpions, but man do they freak me out!
Background: while playing with my cousin's pet tarantula, it bit me and I ended up accidentally killing it after jerking my hand around to get it off of me.

This evening, as I was getting dinner ready, imagine my surprise as I cut open a bell pepper and saw this:

And in case it's hard to see, he decided to make more of an appearance.

Still on My Mind...

It probably has to do with the fact that Patrick and I have been Netflixing Six Feet Under and Ghost Hunters recently, but it still kind of makes me question my sanity. We had been away at a friend's wedding over Memorial Day weekend and upon coming home, I was putting some clean dishes away. When I opened a drawer to put up one of whisks, I saw a spatula that had been missing for weeks and weeks laying across my drawer organizer. I called to Patrick, celebrating that he had found our wonderful spatula and we can now stir things up to 500 degrees on our stove again! And he looked at me and said "What??"

Yeah, he didn't find it. And I would never put a utensil across an organizer instead of in it, where it belongs! (Just ask Patrick about folding towels, and you'll soon find out how particular I really am.)

So, who or what did this? Chloe? Calliope? Honestly, I just don't think that have that much talent in them. I mean, I love our cats, but Chloe can be kind of an idiot sometimes. What cat do you know who trips over her own feet?

But really, kinda weirded out by that whole experience.

M&Ms

Patrick and me as M&Ms

M&M yourself.

New Music

I am loving this website I just found out about called pandora. You enter in some of your favorite artists and the website creates your own personal radio station that includes music that is similar to your faves. You can create multiple radio stations for all the different types of music you like and the different moods you are in. You can find my personal radio here.

Quoting my friend Tracy who was quoting Scrubs: "if my heart could sing it would be songs like these!"

A Wintry Mix

That is what the weatherman said last night, that we should expect a "wintry mix" today. And between the rain coming down as I drove to work, the ice on Patrick's windshield wipers and the snow flurries I saw as I walked into my building, I think that the forecaster was actually right this time! I know that I should be used to this since I've lived in Texas my whole life, but it will always surprise me when we have 80 degree weather one day where I'm wearing my flip flops and then freezing weather less than 12 hours later and I'm bundled up in my down coat.

So, if you haven't yet been hit by the cold and you're missing that white powdery substance, you can make your own snowflakes here.

It's gone...

Alas, they finally took it away. For weeks, Patrick and I have enjoyed it and have gotten used to it being around. And one day, I turn the channel, and no Good Eats. No Rachael Ray, no Blow Out or Queer Eye.

Almost a month of free cable, then Time Warner takes it away.

Oh, Mythbusters, why did you have to leave?

Who Doesn't Love Bunnies?

In case you haven't seen it already, something to pass the time: Thirty Second Bunny Theatre.
They have added a few new ones, so check it out!