MegRuth Photography Blog by Megan Ruth Stay

Hiking

2009-07-15T16:55:00.005-04:00

Before it hit the hundreds and the Goodriches left for the summer, we all went on a hike out at Red Rock. It was a great time. I even saw my first set of WILD BURROS! That's right friends, wild burros. Apparently miners let them free after they were finished using them and now they run amok out there in the desert. Rad.

Cover Letter Assistance

2009-07-14T11:53:00.004-04:00

I know many of you are currently hunting for jobs. My friend Amy Middleton made a fabulous Powerpoint that clearly outlines how you can write the best cover letter to get you the job you want and need.

I found it incredibly insightful. There were tips I had used before but I only scratched the surface. The opening illustration makes a lot of sense and made me realize I was being WAY too general and generic in my cover letters.

Check it out!

Prepare a Cover Letter using a Job Description

View more presentations from Amy Middleton.

She's doing a class:

Wednesday, July 15, 2009 - 5:30 PM to 7 PM
LDS Employment Resource Center: 144 West 15th Street, New York, NY 10011
Pre-registration is required by calling 212-255-0579 or sending an email to wel-ec-newyork@ldschurch.org

If you're in NYC I'd suggest you go. You can also follow her on Twitter @orangewalk

Allie & Adam 7-3-09

2009-07-13T11:19:00.008-04:00

Sir Luke and I ventured to Los Angeles for 4th of July weekend to attend my good friend Allie's marriage to her husband Adam. It was a lovely wedding and I am so glad we were able to go. There were so many lovely details everywhere. They even had their own drinks that matched her wedding colors!

In attendence were Sir Luke, Keri J, and me. We ran into an old friend from elementary school, Diana Carmany. It was so sureal. Then my high school friend Ashley showed up randomly as he was bartending at the bar next to the gorgeous reception site at the Weslake Inn.

It was a grand day!

The House Phase 1

2009-07-10T09:22:00.000-04:00

As requested here are some photos of the progress of our future home.

Here is our dirt plot:

Here is the house that will be across the lawn:

Here is the lawn that will line up with ours across the street. Our house will face a lawn and the house across from us will face it as well. The garage is in the back. Guest parking on the street.

They've cemented the slab with all the piping and the city boxes for meter reading are up, but that's about it. I'll update you next Friday when we're a little further along. I'm told this whole process will move surprisingly fast. We can't wait. We're so excited!

Rain, rain go away

2009-07-09T16:32:00.001-04:00

Serendipity III

2009-07-09T09:33:00.001-04:00

Some of New York has decided to follow me to Las Vegas. Luckily it's something delicious and not the stench of the subway. Despite the fact that there is only one in New York and one in Vegas they are still both Serendipity III.

Sir Luke and I spent our date night eating dessert and watching Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, IN IMAX. Those were some GIANT robots. Let me tell you, it was the most fun I've had at the movies in a long time. Don't let anyone tell you different.

A Gift

2009-07-08T08:56:00.001-04:00

Whilst Sir Luke was away we had some crazy loan problems. The biggest of which involved getting information from Sir Luke during the time he was up in the Colorado mountains filming a documentary. Needless to say with no cell service to speak of I was incapable of reaching my love to help squelch the problem.

Thus many tears ensued and endless coaxing from my in-laws I was talked down from my ledge and all was right with the world by the end of the week. All just barely in time for our house to be built without any penalties.

To make up for the grey hairs I most certainly developed during this time the honorable Sir Luke sent me these lovely flowers. I was blushing when they arrived. And I was able to enjoy them for a full week! Glorious.

This man knows how to treat a lady and I love him dearly! Also, you should check out his new blog. www.AfroWhitey.com It's all about making confusing techy things easy to understand. Heaven only knows I need all the help I can get! I'll be writing a few photo posts as well. So if you have any questions let me know and we'll get this thing rolling!

Dear Friends

2009-07-07T00:52:00.003-04:00

I have several excuses for the lack of posting:

1. Sir Luke returned from a two a half week trip last Sunday and I felt it imperative to be with him whenever I could. Thus no blogging.

2. I went to California on Thursday night to attend a ear high school friend's wedding on Friday.

3. I enjoyed the fourth of July with my parents and Sir Luke as well as many friends at Zuma beach and spent the evening enjoying the LA Phil Harmonic and John Fogerty and fireworks at the Hollywood Bowl (cue jealousy).

4. I spent Sunday lying in bed puking or in the bathroom puking due to another bout of food poisoning courtesy of my previously favorite sandwich shop, Italia Deli. I missed work Monday so I could lay in a car for 5 hours hoping I wouldn't puke.

All in all my life has been a little hectic. I hope you understand. I love you dear friend and reader. Stick with me. We'll get through this together!

Sir Luke?

2009-06-26T09:17:00.000-04:00

The other day Sir Luke and I were chatting about the name I have given him on this blog. I don't know where it came from, it just started one day. So he thought maybe he should be Mr. MRS and I should go back to my blog title Mrs. MRS. What do you think? Should we stick with Sir Luke or switch it up?

Alice in Wonderland

2009-06-25T08:51:00.002-04:00

When I was a kid my parents used to record movies on VHS so I could watch them over and over. My favorite was Alice in Wonderland. It was a live action version that had a squeezeable Welches Jam commercial in the middle. Sammy Davis Jr. played a tap dancing version of the caterpillar. Alice's hair was never mussed and Carol Channing was the White Queen. There are so many elements missing from the Disney version. There was a mini series done in the 90s that I never got a chance to watch because it was always on too late.

I'm hoping that Tim Burton will bring those elements back. I have hope because Anne Hathaway is playing the White Queen.

It's going to be amazing. I can feel it.

I just hope I haven't put it on a pedestal that I'll never be able to reach.

via

The Carlisles

2009-06-24T09:01:00.002-04:00

We had a lot of fun at the Montelago at Lake Las Vegas with the Carlisles. Those kids were so much fun. I don't think there was anything greater than playing in all the fountains. They could have been there for hours. And can you believe that Janae made all of their dresses? I was shocked. They are all so gorgeous. She even designed them! "They just don't have what I want in stores," she says like it's no big deal. She is amazing. I hope to sew with her this summer!

You can view the entire event here.

Janelle Monae

2009-06-23T09:42:00.000-04:00

I finally found NPR on the radio and as I was driving back from an exploration to Lake Las Vegas last weekend I got to hear her interview on a music program for emerging artists. Although Janelle has been around for a little while she's just now becoming more mainstream. One of her songs was featured on So You Think You Can Dance last week. But then again she was featured in a GAP ad last Christmas too, so...

I love her song, Sincerely, Jane, which was a letter her mother wrote her (or that is the idea behind it). This recoding is pretty tinny sounding but it's still an amazing performance. She has an incredible voice. I'm grateful she didn't go to Broadway like she wanted. I get to enjoy her much more frequently now.

Her official video for this song is crazy and awesome. Pandora has suggested her to me before and I liked her but hearing Sincerely, Jane on NPR the other day was the clincher.

Home Owners!

2009-06-22T09:54:00.002-04:00

Sir Luke and I have known what home we wanted for a while now. The foreclosure crisis, while super crappy for a majority, is making it possible for us to get into a home. That and a lot of help from some VERY generous family.

Last week was one of the most grueling and trying I've ever had. I don't think I've ever been more stressed out in my life. We had a deadline of Friday and weren't sure that we would get our loan fully approved by then. It's different for us because we're purchasing a brand new home. What we found was that the area we wanted to live in had the same pricing for foreclosed homes that would need a lot of work and have less space and amenities as this brand new one in an up and coming community in Henderson.

The community is called Inspirada and it's a ten year master plan community in it's second year. There is no guarantee it will be completed but as of now we are two blocks from a park and two pools. Amazing. Last year our stake was split to make room for the Inspirada wards. So if that isn't telling I don't know what is. It's going to continue to grow, which we hope will increase the value of the home over time.

OK, enough talk you want to see what it will be like. Due to the fact that it doesn't exist just yet (we have a tentative finish date of the first week in September) here are some photos and floor plans from the website. You can take a virtual tour of the model here (careful, it may shutdown your browser). Also, the kitchen is just the layout not the actual upgrades, not our style and not in our budget. You can click on the floor plan to view it larger.

Needless to say, we are stoked!

Anna & Packy at the Neon Graveyard 2

2009-06-19T09:17:00.001-04:00

Chills

2009-06-18T14:40:00.003-04:00

Who says Bjork isn't the best in Iceland? How can she not be to influence kids

Via We Love You So

Anna & Packy at the Neon Graveyard 1

2009-06-18T08:59:00.002-04:00

August 2007

2009-06-17T09:22:00.001-04:00

The day Sir Luke proposed. These were fun to find.

Yosemite Holgas

2009-06-16T09:46:00.001-04:00

Natellie & Damon

2009-06-15T09:29:00.000-04:00

Natellie emailed me last week about shooting her wedding. Turns out she's Sir Luke's cousin! Who knew he had family in Vegas? I sure didn't. She and Damon met through Match.com and are a perfect match! Damon proposed on a gondola out on Lake Las Vegas. How romantic is that?

They are a great couple and I'm so excited to photograph their wedding in August. And Sir Luke will be doing the video! It'll be a family affair!

Sorry

2009-06-12T09:03:00.000-04:00

I haven't been a very good blogger this week. I finally processed my Holga film from the last year. It was too expensive until now.

There were all great though. Except the roll from 2007, which was pretty foggy, but still rad. I miss New York.

Happy Friday!

Happy Birthday!

2009-06-09T10:56:00.004-04:00

Today is Sir Luke's birthday!

I started off the morning with a Kid Robot Simpsons character. He got Bernie with a little beer cup. I was excited I picked one that he didn't have yet. They're all blind boxes which means you have no idea what you're getting. It's a crap shoot, but that makes it more fun.

Then I went to Krispy Kreme to get him so donuts and chocolate milk. Later we'll be heading to CJ's Texas BBQ for some great brisket and BLUE BELL!! Delish!

You can say happy birthday to Sir Luke here.

I love you Lovey! I'm so glad you're mine.

Felicity

2009-06-08T09:16:00.002-04:00

I've been a little nostalgic lately, thinking about high school.

I started watching my favorite show from that time thanks to Sir Luke who showed me how to find it online. Second only to I Love Lucy, Felicity is my favorite show ever. I always felt like I was her when I went to NYU for a semester. Silly? Yes.

You can find your own link here. It's some Asian video website. Thanks!

Because of Amy

2009-06-04T11:07:00.002-04:00

I have this quote in my life. I needed it this week.

Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.

-Rainer Maria Rilke from Letters to a Young Poet

Forever Hollywood Cemetary

2009-06-03T09:14:00.000-04:00

My great grandparents are buried amongst the likes of Charlie Chaplin and Rudolph Valentino. We had tried to go on Sunday night but were surprised to find hundreds of people lined up around the block to get inside. It turns out that they show movies in the graveyard there during the summer. A little eerie if you ask me, but reminded me of New York City movies in the park.

My great grandparents were George and Ruth. All the Nichol men are named George. My grandfather, by chance, married a Ruth as well so there are two generations of George and Ruth Nichols.

My History

2009-06-02T09:30:00.001-04:00

One of the most amazing things about Los Angeles is the capacity for change as well as stability. While we were in California last weekend I had the opportunity to visit my father's childhood home as well as the home my great grandparents lived. He used to have a pathway he took from his house to theirs. Their backyards nearly backed up against each other. We took a back alley between Curson and Sierra Bonita, an alley my dad would go down as a child to see the fire alarm boxes that used to line the streets.

The whole adventure was facinating, just to hear about the family history was amazing. My great grandfather would always wear a three piece suit. Even to the beach. It's 26 miles from the house my father grew up in to the house his parents bought on the beach front in Malibu.

I think next time we go we'll have to bring Sir Luke's HD fancy pants camera and film a mini doc about the whole thing.