My face will be burned in your brain

You're looking at me like that's a bad thing. . . .

10 December 2000

Left: My parents with my paternal grandmother, Jean. March 1965. Good thing my mom didn't keep that veil. Whew.

Far left: Me at nine months. Check out my elf ears.

Left: Summer 1977 - One year old. Still got the elf ears.  Why do all the studio photos from the '70s turn red?

Right: Cousins! Summer 1978. The eldest is Matt - the one who just adopted the twins. His sister Jo and then my brother and me. We're the four youngest cousins by a ways, so we're kind of like family number two. All my other cousins are at the least 12 years older, at the most 29. In fact, my eldest cousin is only two weeks younger than my youngest aunt.

Left: Grandma Jean and me. I'm probably three here. Summer 1979. She was the best grandmother. She has Alzheimer's and lives about two hours from me. She usually remembers me though. Maybe because I was her baby girl. And even though my dad only sees her about five times a year, she gets him right. Well, not his name, but she knows he's her youngest boy. One time though she thought my brother was my husband. Ew.  But she's great. A self taught musician, a nurse, a completely amazing woman. But that didn't stop my grandfather from divorcing her 40 years ago. Nice tradition to start, Trash. 

Left: Such the little dancer. I was always putting my leotard and tutu on. You couldn't stop me. I'm probably about two going on three here. 1979?

Right: See? This was Christmas morning 1980? Or maybe '81.  That photo from Thursday  must have been like '82. I don't know. I got this whole get-up from Santa. I took ballet for 10 years or so. You couldn't tell it to look at me now.

Left: My dad and me in Florida where my paternal grandfather lived. I'm guessing this was Spring Break 4th grade - 1986, so I was 9. I think those were actually koolatts (I'm sure I totally whacked that spelling,) or as the cool girls call them now - skorts. But it might have been a skirt. I wore my hair like that everyday in the forth grade - pulled back on the side with two barrettes. I'm not exaggerating when I say every.day.

Left: Fifth grade. I was hot stuff in the Guess? denim skirt. I tell you what. See, that's what happens when I try to perm my hair. Good thing I got braces too. Without my strategically placed arm, this photo could've been a bit risque.

Left: The house I grew up in. Spring, Texas. My room is the window on the left - above the kitchen. I actually took this photo last summer when I was in Houston, but it looks exactly the same - even the landscaping. The backyard is huge too. It's perfect for a slip-and-slide.

Right: T's house - taken at the same time.  Just thought she'd want to see it. Her house was down the street and around the corner from mine. They didn't develop that area until 1985. Prior to that it was all woods and we were bitter when they started building. No more trail to school! No more scary shack! But there was plenty of Mexican porn laying around for awhile. And lots of big dirt hills to ride BMX on.

Left:  T and me with a Texas truck. No one in Ohio believed me that trucks like that really exist. So we got proof. This was January 1998. January. Look at what I'm wearing. Man I hate winter.

Left: Beautiful M and me in L.A., Summer 2000. Could my face be any shinier? But wasn't that dewy, glistening thing big this summer? See, I'm not sweaty! I'm trendy!