Nostalgic

Boy, I'm chatty this week, eh? ;o) You lucky dogs.

So I was reading this article in the newspaper this morning about a guy who was turning 50 years old, and his wife wanted him to celebrate in a "big way". He didn't want a big party with everyone reminding him of how old he was - he wanted to feel young again. He wanted his high school band back. So his wife contacted the 7 other members of his high school band, and they all said "absolutely - we'll be there!" They contacted the family that owned the house that this man had grown up in, and they let them "borrow" their basement for the night. The guys got together and jammed and had a great time. They put on a little private mini-concert for their families and close friends - then they went out to a late-night diner for bad/good food (depending on how you look at it!) and he had the best birthday of his life.

So this got me reminiscing about my own band experiences. Yes, I had them. Not just as a groupie, either, although I will admit to hanging around outside concert halls once or twice in my teenage years, longing for a GLIMPSE of Bon Jovi or Vince Neil hours after the concert ended. hee hee Anyway, we didn't have an official band with a name or anything, but I did get together with friends in a basement to jam when I was a teenager. My friends Dave and Dana were identical twin brothers (well, they still are, actually - ha!) and played guitar and bass. Sean played drums. I sang. hee hee Isn't that funny? We had so much fun and the song I remember the most, that I had the most fun singing, was Poison's "Talk Dirty To Me." ROFL No, I really wasn't very good - but I had a blast.

This is me at 15 years old - the same age my son Trevor is now. Yes, that is a handcuff hanging from one of my earlobes. God help me. Dave was my boyfriend for a short time back when we were about 16, but he's remained my friend forever - to this day, he is still one of my best friends. It's funny how life works out, how some people you think you will be friends with forever end up fading into your memory. Back when I was 16, I was crazy about Dave - if someone had told me that we'd end up being the best of friends years later, I would have thought they were crazy. The 16-year-old me could not picture a relationship with someone that I "liked" if it wasn't going to be a romantic relationship. Boy breaks your heart = boy you never, ever, EVER speak to again - never mind become BFF's with! LOL

Being a teenager is so hard, I wouldn't want to go back to that again for anything. Don't get me wrong, I love and cherish my memories, and I really don't have too many regrets - mainly because as someone who lives her life with the philosophy that "everything happens for a reason" - it would be foolish and stupid to have regrets because, well, everything happens for a reason! Duh! Now that I have my very own teenagers (lucky me!), I am constantly reminded of how difficult it can be to go through adolescence. Which is even funnier because JUST when one of them is in the middle of some type of melt-down and I am thinking "poor kid - being a teenager is so hard" - that very kid will scream at me, "YOU JUST DON'T GET IT! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING!" And how can I help but laugh? Which then infuriates said child even more, so that he/she usually stomps to his/her room, slams his/her door, and blasts music that is total crap and can barely even be called music, but that said child thinks is totally "chill." Oh snap, did I just say that? Cassidy would shake her head at me and mumble, "Never again, mom, never again."

Anyway, being a teenager was hard, but I didn't really know it at the time. My mom worked nights because my dad was gone - he took off early in my teen years to pursue his dream of snorting cocaine somewhere in California and left his father-of-the-year award behind - and, being a teenager, I took full advantage of the freedom that this afforded me. Looking back now, I feel bad for that little girl who thought she was so grown-up - she took a lot of risks and I'm lucky that she didn't get hurt or killed. Actually, you are all lucky - can you imagine not having ME in your lives? I know, gives you the chills, huh?


I turned out OK, anyway, despite my rebellious teenage years. And I wasn't always rebellious, either! I could be a little shit one minute and a complete angel the next. These are the pictures from the 2 junior proms that I went to. I stayed back in the 10th grade, but I wanted to go to the junior prom the next year, the year I was SUPPOSED to be in 11th grade (a junior) - so I begged my principal and he let me go. LOL I must not have been too awful, because most everyone always liked me. I have always been a smiler - I am happy 90% of the time, and that seems to make people like me. Which is good, cuz I like to be liked! Anyway, the pic on the left was me and my boyfriend at the time, Dennis, another boy I was in love with (yes, there were a LOT of those between 1985-1990) - it was probably April or May of 1988, so I would have been 16 years old. The one on the right is one year later, so I was 17 - and that handsome dude with me was my BFF at the time, Tim.

This is another year later - senior prom, May 1990. I was chosen to be in the "court" which shocked the shit out of me cuz I was always more of a deadhead, crazy chick - not the prom court type, if you KWIM - but I DID look amazing, didn't I? hee hee That's me on the left, I worked a lot as a teenager and saved my own money and I had that dress hand-made for me, I LOVED it.

Now this is another year later - Shell and I both graduated in 1990 and Shell found out she was pregnant with Eric on the day we had rehearsal for graduation. This adorable baby is Eric 17 1/2 years ago. I was 20, Shell was 19. (All big hair courtesy of LOTS and LOTS of Aqua Net in the silver/pink can! LOL)

And this is Eric and me this past year, which I blogged about earlier but am so happy to blog about again! hee hee When he was little, somehow he said I'd go to the prom with him. Being the crazy woman that I am, I never let him forget about it and it became a running joke over the years. He started getting nervous when he hit middle school and realized that his auntie really is crazy. :o) Eric had HIS junior prom this year, and I showed up ready for my date. Here we are posing, Eric's such a good sport:

I guess my trip down memory lane will have to resume another day, as I have laundry to do and cards to stamp and floors to vaccuum. I have LOTS more stories and memories to share, though, and I seem to be on a roll lately, so check back often so you don't miss anything! Peace!