toys.

Well, Christmas will be here soon!  Andrew's at work so I've been wrapping presents and watching King of the Hill.  I've only gotten two of Andrew's presents: Call of Duty Black Ops and this target shooting game from a sports store.  It's so funny.  If you've been to a carnival you've seen the shooting game where you shoot and have to knock down the bunny or something.  It's a mini version of that.  We took a shortcut to the parking lot at the mall last week and he saw it and got excited.  He loves guns and shooting things.  So I decided I'd get it for him.  He's 28, married, and still loves toys.

I'm excited because Shelly (sister-in-law) has two weeks off for the holidays.  So on Monday we're going shopping.  I was going to finish up for Andrew and she was going to get Jonathan's gifts.  I'm just excited to get some girl time.  She's really the only close female friend I have.

Andrew's other gifts include pj pants.  He insists I keep stealing all his (true) so I figured I'd get him a couple pairs.  I'm also going to get him a new cell phone case.  He has this really old Nokia flip phone, he's not one much for new technology.  He doesn't even text!  I hope I can even find a new case, he really needs one.  The one he has is pretty much broken and his phone falls out 20 times a day.  I'm worried one day it's going to do it when he's on the motorcycle and he'll be phoneless.

Everyone have a great day!

celebration!

I passed State Board!!!  YAY!!!

Andrew keeps asking me why I thought I wouldn't.  It's a good reason.  You do the run throughs at school: you're used to your surroundings, you're used to Tambrin grading you, and you know if you talk the likelyhood of Tambrin actually sending you home is very slim.  You know when Tambrin is writing things down she's also writing good things about what you're doing.  State Board is different.  I'm not saying it's hell on Earth or anything, just different.  First, you have to go to Macon.  Macon sucks.  Macon's a shithole.  So you're unfamiliar with the place and the person giving you the test.  When they write something down you're thinking, "Oh shit, what did I miss?"  It's way more stressful.  If you fail you can take it again, but you've gotta pay them more money.

Anyway, for State Board you need a 70 as a passing grade.  I made an 88 on my practical and an 85 on my written.  I was almost disappointed because the lowest grade I ever got at school was a 92 and it's the exact same thing.  But at school the failing grade is an 80 to allow room for error due to being nervous.

So now I get to pay them $30 and apply for my license.  Then get a job!

what i'm lovin'.

Things I'm lovin' today.

Sorry, most of these have been on my laptop for so long I don't know what the source is anymore.  So I apologize, and if you have the source let me know.

the count of monte christo.

I love this movie.  It's the ultimate revenge movie.

I love the priest.

"I swear on my dead relatives - and even on the ones who are not feeling too good - I am your man forever!"

Awesome fight scene.

I want to go here.

"May I steal your wife?"

"Excuse me?"

"For the waltz?"

state board.

Ohmygosh.  I'm taking State Board tomorrow.  My heart is living in my throat right now and I'm so nervous.  Andrew and I are driving down to Macon tonight.  My written is at 8:30 am, and my practical is at 1:00 pm. 

Since I've been up I've been organizing my State Board kit and making sure I have everything.  I bought a new manikin head last night.  I need to cut that today.

It's been so long since I've done State Board!  I hope I haven't lost my speed on anything.  When I cut the manikin to uniform I'm going to time myself.

Ok, I need to go pick up the smock from Amy, cut my nails and remove my polish, cut the manikin, finish the kit, and pack.  Wish me luck!!!

what a dish - part 3.

So I was going to just go in order of my dish lists but I decided to skip the next one and get on to the good shit.  The fine china.  This is my second set of dishes.

This is Noritake Mystery 14.  We saw it in an antique store in what I think was Covington.  I think Andrew paid about $300 for this.  He waited until I was wandering around the store to buy them and try to surprise me.

Judging by the mark this china was made between 1947-1949. 

I love the creamer.

Gravy boat with attached underplate.

We actually have the sugar bowl, with the lid.  These tend to be broken and missing from sets.  This set is actually 90 pieces.

This is the round covered casserole.

I love this set so much.  I've used pictures from Replacements, becase all my china is packed away.  I really wish the pictures were better so you could really see the colors.  All pictures above are pieces I have.

Dish Wish List:

16 inch serving platter.

AND THE OVAL COVERED CASSEROLE WE LOST!!! 

Yes.  When we bought this we had to come back later to pick it up.  There were so many pieces we didn't want to wait while it was being wrapped.  I really wish we had.  Part of the reason we were so excited about this was because it had not one, but two, covered casseroles.  Round and oval.  Very rare.  When we picked up the boxes we didn't check them.  I wish we'd done that, too.  When we got home and unpacked them we realized we were missing a piece.  I figured it was such a pretty piece the lady decided to keep it for herself.  But if you're going to do that take a freaking dinner plate!  Take something easy to replace!  Don't take one of the coolest, prettiest, and rarest pieces from the set!!!  I've been mad about this since it happened last year, in case you can't tell.  Those oval ones are rare.  I can't even find a picture of it!

ruby lane.

I was searching for depression glass and that website led to another, which led to another, which led to one that had favorite links and led me to Ruby Lane.  I'm sure most of you probably know this site and I'm one of the last to know.  For the sake of me and Andrew's bank account, I really should not have found this site.  Though I must say I'm pretty proud of myself, seeing as I have yet to buy anything.  But oh, the temptation is strong...

The first thing I searched was Noritake china.  I was trying to find pieces from the 1949 Mystery 14 pattern that we have.  Anyway, I didn't find any Mystery 14, but I did find this:

12 dinner plates, 12 saucers, 12 cups, 12 salad plates, 12 soup bowls, 12 small plates, 12 dessert bowls, 1 serving bowl, 1 creamer, 1 sugar bowl, 1 gravy boat, 1 large platter, 1 medium latter, and 1 large bowl (w/ lid).  91 pieces total.  $395.  It's Noritake.  Probably made between 1947-1949, judging by the mark.  His father did buy it from Japan in the early 50s.  He didn't have the pattern listed and I tried to find it on Replacements, but I couldn't.

This is another beautiful example of old Noritake.  This is a 16 piece tea set, circa 1931.  $195.  The only thing missing is the lid from the sugar bowl.  Also no pattern name, though I did try to find it.

And apparently I'm going to have to finish this post later, because Blogger won't let me upload anymore  pictures.

ramblings.

Listening:  Soilwork-Stabbing The Drama-Nerve.

Yeah, yeah.  I'm not very good at regular blogging.  Been busy around the house, since I now have time to clean and do stuff.  And it's the holidays.  And I'm taking State Board on December 7th (nervous!).  Oh, and I'm sick.  Again.

So, it's the last day of November.  We were supposed to be out by December 1st...  That obviously hasn't happened.  Though I have looked at some rentals online.  Woohoo!  I don't want to buy anything right now.  I know now's a good time to do that because of the economy blah blah blah.  But I don't want to get somewhere and three years later figure out I hate that area and want to leave and be stuck with a house.  Besides, I'm not at the point where I want to be totally permanent in a house yet.  I wanted to travel and live in different states.  Can't do that now.

Anyway, that's my small update.

"when you're green you grow...

...when you're ripe you rot."

That was the quote I decided on for the wall at school. 

I graduated Saturday (there was some bullshit on Wednesday) at 11:15.  It feels strange to be done. 

I guess I'm starting a new chapter of my life...

end of the line.

I graduate Friday at 11:30!!!  Yay!!!  I'm only going to stay late only one day this week, relax for my last week.  I'm getting my hair done tomorrow at school.  I'm a greeter on Friday and other than that I have nothing!  Well, they did give me a single process on Saturday.  But it doesn't matter because I won't be there!

I've thought of a few quotes to write on the wall.  Some are actual quotes, some are song lyrics.  Favorite?  Suggestions?  Help!

"When you're green you grow, when you're ripe you rot."

"If they give you ruled paper, write the other way."

"We are what we repeatedly do."

"May you always be courageous, stand upright and be strong."

"All changes are more or less tinged with melancholy, for what we are leaving behind is part of ourselves."