'Tis the season

Thanksgiving went so much better than I had expected it to. One of my fellow co-workers, Alisha, graciously invited me to spend the afternoon eating a real Thanksgiving feast with her family. They were all very nice and welcoming and it was much better than eating a turkey frozen meal with only Scout for company. I also go out of work two hours early because Katie was driving down to Delaware after and wanted us done quickly. Brian (sports copy editor) even very nicely said he would do paper check so I wouldn't have to sit around waiting for the sports section to be done.

So it turned out to be a very nice day. Though I did miss my family, but I'll be seeing them this weekend for a long four-day break from the daily grind! I can't wait.

I also decorated my apartment for Christmas!! I got a fake tree at Micheal's and decorated that, too. (Still needs candy canes though) I think it all turned out really nicely, and Scout hasn't even knocked the tree over or broken any of the ornaments! She's a good kitty.

Here's some pics...

Giving in for good reason

So I finally caved and decided to ask for a Nook Color for Christmas.

My indecision came from the fact that, like website's effects on newspapers, I feared e-readers would kill books. And a Nook also won't do anything to help build the physical library I want in my future home.

But then I thought about it, and realized that e-readers won't kill books and most likely will help foster a stronger love of reading in the new generations that are so enamored with technology. I love reading because it allows for such imagination, freedom interpretation and strengthens writing skills and vocabulary. The e-reader won't kill any of these aspects of reading in my opinion.

And getting one also won't end my dreams of a den with shelves and shelves of books. I'll just be more selective about which ones I actually buy a physical copy of -- so instead of the shelves being full of books that will just sit there and collect dust, the shelves will hold classics and favorites that I will want to visit again and again.

This will also save me room if I ever move to a city and live in a smaller apartment. My parents will sell our house eventually and move to a smaller place where I won't have room to store even all the books I currently have. This way they'll be in one place and I can lose myself in them with just a few clicks of a button.

And who knows, maybe when I'm older the appeal of an e-reader will fade and I'll rely on my paperback friends once again.

Thanksgiving is almost here, but it feels like Christmas

I decorated for Thanksgiving last week, but I feel more in a Christmas-y mood. It hasn't even been that cold, but there are Christmas commercials, music and things like that. The world of commercialism tends to just skip right over Thanksgiving and land on Christmas. And this year I feel that way, too. But I think it is a little TOO early for those decorations yet.

Talking to my mom last weekend, she said Christmas decorations were the most boring and tend to be pretty much all the same. While I do agree that Halloween decorations are the most fun, I love Christmas ones the best. One, because it is a whole month long season and thus the decorations mean more to me for a longer amount of time. Two, because I think they can be very fun and creative and some can be left up all through winter.

But, it's not time for that yet, so here are my few decorations for Thanksgiving/fall:

The trials of small feet

Last weekend I went home to N.J. for Halloween. Whenever I go home, there's always a few shopping trips with my mom.

The goal last weekend was a winter coat, which was achieved. We got a really cute one at Nordstrom's. It's a black pea coat and will hopefully soon be on its way to Maryland. (The sleeves were too long and had to be shortened.)

I also wanted a new pair of nicer shoes for work, instead of having to wear flats or my converse all the time, which don't do much to keep my feet warm in cold weather.

But, of course, finding shoes that fit is anything but easy for me. We went into Journeys and had my feet measured ... children's size FOUR. This is the reason I wear converse or cheap kids shoes from Payless. This is the reason why I don't really like shoes and why I HATE heels. Stores don't make shoes a size four for women. A five sometimes fits, but that's also ridiculously hard to find.

We finally went into Easy Spirit where they had size fives in some of the styles. I ended up getting these ones:

They're pretty nice, but still a little roomy in the back, causing them to lift up off my foot a slightly when I walk. But they get the job done as a nicer shoe that I can wear when going out or to work.

However, other than this store, finding shoes that fit me is ridiculously hard. And sure I could fit into children's sized shoes, but most of the nicer shoes for little girls have glitter and sparkles on them. And, for me, that was so eighth grade.

Anyone else out there have this problem? Where do you get your shoes?

Scrapbooking tips: Printing photos via Shutterfly, Snapfish

Of course, besides the materials in the last post, one of the things you have to have to make a scrapbook is actual photos to put in it.

With the advent of digital cameras, the way we get printed copies of photos has vastly changed. And while I miss being able to bring a disposable camera to CVS and the surprise of what I'd find when I got the prints back, the new way offers a lot more choices.

I tried the print-them-yourself way on various printers we've had at home over the years, but for some reason they just never seemed to come out right. Plus, when you get down to it, buying the ink and photo paper and maintaining the printer is more cost and hassle then ordering them online.

Many people also may go to places like CVS or Walmart to get theirs printed, at both places you can do it in store, which would be time consuming for me because I order dozens at a time. But for Walmart you can also download them onto the site and go pick them up from the store.

However, I choose to rely on websites where you can upload them, order them online and have them shipped straight to your door.

It can be costly to do this depending how many prints you get and how fast you want them, but I've always been pleased with what I got.

There are two sites I've tried out, Snapfish and Shutterfly.

Scrapbooking tips

Since I have blogged about scrapbooking so much and enjoy it so much, I decided I would maybe focus this blog even more on it. It's good to have some semblance of a theme I suppose.

I think the biggest pro about scrapbooking is being able to show off pictures in a better way then having someone just rifle through them prints or a Facebook album. A scrapbook organizes them and people spend more time looking at the photos and sharing in the memories. Plus, it's personally more fun to take a trip down memory lane with a scrapbook. Also, my grandmother used a photo album that uses a sticky substance to secure the photos, and years later they are now permanently attached to it. I used photo corners in my scrapbooks, so if I ever wanted to take a photo out, they aren't permanently attached.

On that note, here's some musts for you if you're considering starting a scrapbook:

Scrapbook for Grandma

Just a few days ago I finally started organizing a scrapbook for my grandmother of all her old pictures. It's going really well so far, I think.

I also made the best purchase I have in a while at Michael's yesterday. It's giraffe patterned, so of course I love it, but it's also extremely useful. It's a scrapbook supply holder. A big one. And anyone who knows me well knows how much I like to scrapbook and I have quite a LOT of supplies. I had previously been throwing them in a cardboard box. But now I have a rolling giraffe-pattered case with numerous pouches to hold everything. Plus, I had a 40% off coupon. I love Michael's.

And now for the first few scrapbook pages:






'

Saturday's always Friday

I finished the scarf I started almost a year ago -- finally. But am happy with the way it turned out. It's sparkly black, purple and a light maroon. I obviously didn't think about it when I started, but it's somewhat Ravens colors, too. I'm just glad I finally finished it because now I can work on something new. I also taught myself the moss stitch, which is a lot nicer than the knit and purl, so I'll be using that on my new scarf. Great success.

The Phillies won last night, meaning we are not yet out of the running for the World Series! Great success!

I was invited to go tailgating with some good friends from college and to a PSU football game next Saturday ... but as usual I have to work. NOT great success. I'll admit it, I HATE HATE HATE working Saturdays in the fall. I didn't care so much in the summer and probably won't care very much in the winter when it's cold and there's nothing better to do. But during the fall, it sucks. I can't visit PSU, have to watch night games on the computer while getting all my work done. I can't go on trips or visit friends even though the weather is gorgeous. And since I am doing A1 Saturdays, it's going to be even harder for me to try and get days off. All I want is one trip to PSU and one more chance to scream and cheer in the stadium. Sigh.

Family Tree

Earlier this week I found out my grandmother had fallen and broken her hip. She had to go through surgery and will have a long recovery at her age. I was very sad to hear the news and it finally got me going on the scrapbook I promised to make for her of all her old photos.

I'm really enjoying this scrapbook, though it's much harder than the ones I have made for myself. When I scrapbook I very much like to keep it neat, ordered and simple. But the photos she has span a century and there's really no set way to organize them. I also don't know all of the people in the photos, though luckily she wrote names and sometimes dates on the backs (which is something I should remember to do with my photos.) It's so awesome going through them though. Photos from the mid-1900s of my grandma in beautiful old fashioned dresses and my grandfather (who I never met) in his uniform.

I'm sure there's a lot of stories behind every photo -- though I actually don't know many of them.

In the end, I decided to not be so worried about categories and themes for pages with this scrapbook. I think the photos tell enough that it won't matter.

I'll start sharing some of the pages on this blog soon!

Also, "Laverne and Shirely" just came on TV. Sweet. I haven't seen this show since I was in middle school.

All the news that's fit to .... design

Last week, as I blogged about, I starting designing the Carroll County Times front page. I was pretty stoked for it, because what newspaper/journalism lover would not want to put together the front page of a newspaper?

I decided I wouldn't get too crazy or creative for the first few weeks so I wouldn't get behind deadline and would have time to learn how to put it all together. But last night I was given a slight challenge. There was a story on a court hearing with direct links to Westminster, and a sidebar (extra story) to go with it. I couldn't recall any A1s that I had seen of the CCTs in the past that had two stories on one topic -- at least that both needed to go on the front page.

But I'm pretty happy with what I came up with and how it turned out. I even got compliments from two of the reporters, so that made me feel pretty good about it. I really love designing the front pages. I'm better when the design is more formulaic but can still be tweaked. It's harder for me to get creative when there's a blank palette. That's the problem I think I'm having with the Synergy section, but that's another story.

I'm excited to do a lot more A1s and try different designs and extra elements (like cut outs).

I don't know how to get my pages to show up on here, because it won't upload PDFs.

But you can see my most recent A1 (and most of my other pages) here:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/38915425/10-07-2010-A1-Snyder-v-Phelps

It's the most wonderful time of the year! (besides Christmas)

Postseason baseball begins tonight! Wooooooo!!! I'm really excited the Phillies are in the playoffs again and looking pretty good. I would put down predictions here if I did that sort of thing, but I don't really follow the other teams so I don't know their strengths and weaknesses. But all that matters to me is how the Phils do ... and I'm thinking they're going to make it to the World Series with the lineup they have and not to mention Roy Halladay. :swoon:

The first game is tonight at 5:07, but sadly I won't be able to get drunk or watch it with other adoring fans in the Collegian office. But I'll put the GameDay tracker up on my computer and check the score when I have a chance. (which, sadly, will be less often since it's another A1 night)

But it's only the first game of many I expect to be watching where the Phils take the field in their red and white.

Let the games begin!!!

Free suprise, books, Meg Ryan

About a month ago, my iPod stopped syncronizing with iTunes. It would upload about 200 songs and then freeze. It was a travesty. Two weeks ago I brought it to the Apple store (the most crowded and annoying place in the world) they guy cleaned it out and I thought it was fixed. No luck. So I took it back today and got a replacement... fo' free!!! I was ecstatic. I thought I'd have to pay at least $130 for the replacement, and possibly even more when I was told today it was out of warranty. But since I was told it was in warranty last time I went and since the salesperson was happy/impressed I was reading a REAL book while waiting, she traded it in for my old one at no cost. I'm a pretty lucky duck.

That also go me thinking ... she was impressed I was reading a real book while waiting? What have you done to the world technology!? Am I the only one who always throws a book in her purse in case I have a free moment or need to wait for something? Maybe I'm an anomaly. But I don't really see people out in public reading books much. Maybe it's because I'm just not seeing it, or maybe technology really is taking over so much that people don't even grab a paperback and head to the nearest bench or coffee shop to enjoy it. I think that's really sad, if it's true. I was also asked by a different employee if the book was for school, I said it was for pleasure. He seemed surprised. Is reading a dying art?

But now, I'm having a Meg Ryan night. I love her, so much. I haven't seen all the movies she has been in, but "You've Got Mail" and "When Harry Met Sally" are two of my favorites. Sure they're your cliche romantic comedies. But they're also classy, witty and not too formulaic. I've heard some rumors about her not being able to land acting gigs and getting some pretty unflattering plastic surgery, but I'll always adore her in many of the great movies she starred in between the late '80s and '90s.

Rain, rain, rain

Today was a long and not so great day. Doing the Synergy section is going to be more of a hassle than I thought -- mostly just finding enough stories to fill the two pages, and being inventive with the design. But despite a few setbacks I think this one actually came out OK. And, I designed the front page last night and it's up on the Newseum website!

Pretty exciting stuff.
http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/hr.asp?fpVname=MD_CCT&ref_pge=gal&b_pge=6 (not sure if the link will work after today...)

Also, the rain has been ridiculous today. It seemed like everyone was freaking out about it too much this morning, after living in Ireland I've seen much, much more. But it's still coming down at a pretty steady clip. So glad I am home in my apartment warm and dry with some Thursday night television.

On afternoons when I just hang out before work I've been watching Grey's Anatomy mostly because it's on at the same time everyday. In doing so a lot this summer, I was able to catch up on most of the episodes I've missed in the past two years so I'm pretty stoked I am home in time to watch it on Thursdays. I missed having that show to always look forward to. And, of course, there's always Glee as well!!! But I have to rely on Hulu for that since it's on Tuesday nights.

This is Halloween

It's still a little warm here, but I'm in a fall/Halloween mood anyway. So I am making some carrot cake cupcakes. I've never made them before, but since it's out of a box I can't really mess them up. (In the mug in the above picture is Pumpkin Chai Red Tea from Crate&Barrel. It's my favorite thing right now, so delicious.)

And I decorated! I don't have a ton of shelving or places to put decorations, but that's where my bookcases come in.

I think it turned out pretty well. And my mom is sending me a few more small decorations. She's the best.

Now if only the weather would get cool enough to wear my comfy fall clothes.

I tried to get Scout in the fall-mood, too. But the ribbon lasted about a minute before she pulled it off and started playing with it.

Bookshelves, with little pumpkin lights

I love these little cat candles, they kind of look like Scout

Kitchen

Spider bowl for some Halloween treats on the coffee table

Finally a little bit of fall

While today was pretty hot, right now it's starting to feel more like fall. It's cooler outside with a little bit of a nip in the air. Next week it'll still be warm, in the 70s, but then come the comfortable mid-60s. I can't wait! And that also means I think it's time to decorate for Halloween. I think I'll do that Monday, so I'll post some pics.

I was going to watch "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day" after work, but it's just not capturing my attention right now, so maybe I'll try to watch it with some popcorn under a blanket tomorrow night.

Instead, to make myself sleepy, I think I'll read "Les Miserables." I'm currently on page 703 but since the book is 1,463 pages long I am nowhere near to being done. It's quite a work in process. But I allow myself to read other books because it's just going to take me so long -- which is good because I went to the Westminster library's book sale yesterday and got 7 books for $5. I was thrilled. I think I'll start with "East of the Sun" by Julia Gregson and then read "The Godfather" by Mario Puzo. My personal library is really growing, and I'll definitely have to check out library book sales more often.

As it gets cooler I have a feeling I'll be doing a lot more reading curled up under a blanket with a hot cup of tea.

Scrapbooker Extraordinaire

So I don't know a ton of scrapbookers, so maybe this statement is a little off base, but I am the BEST scrapbooker EVER.

Yeah, I said it. Want proof? Check it out: (note, the pages aren't in order here, in the book it's chronological and I'm not done yet still have a ways to go (final press run, Gettysburg/senior week, graduation)

http://s906.photobucket.com/albums/ac268/kmd87/Senior%20Year%20Scrapbook/

Turning over a new leaf

I always like the layout/concept of this blog, so I'm bringing it back. I miss being able to involve the world in my boring, uneventful life.

But seriously, I miss blogging just for me. Sure, I'd love it if people read this but I also just like to write and a blog is just more interactive and fun than the blank pages of my journal.

I've also started to do what I was warned not to with the kind of job I have, which is get into a rut.

I wake up, eat, play with Scout, watch TV, go to work and after I eat, watch TV and sleep. Then I get up and do the same thing the next day... and the next... and the next. And on the weekends I just nix the work part.

I haven't finished "Les Miserables," like I promised myslef I would by summer's end. I also haven't been working on any of my three scrapbooks. So maybe putting out this out there and in want of things to write about I'll turn over a new leaf and start changing things up a bit.

And I'm going to start by A.) getting back into a healthy eating habit by going to the supermarket now and buying fruits, vegetables and other healthy foods. (and if anyone has healthy recipes for one, please share!) and B.) I'm going to take a walk into town and check out the Fallfest that's going on this weekend. No more sitting on my bum watching TV.

I'll also post about books, my scrapbooking endeavors and whatever else I feel like.

Fall's a good time to turn over a new leaf, don't you think? ;)