Pages

3/16/2007

1986 Me

The year was 1986. I was in the second half of 10th grade in Texas, near Houston. My parents and younger siblings (including the one that wasn't quite born yet) had already moved to our new home in Pennsylvania, but I got to stay behind with some friends of my parents to finish out the school year. J had worked with my step-dad. He and his wife, M, didn't have kids yet and I thought they were pretty cool. For adults. I visited Austin for the first and only time in my life with M and really liked it. It's the one place in Texas I would definitely go back to, if I ever get a chance.

1986 Me

That's a photo of me that M took during our visit to that city. I think that might have been on the steps of the Texas State Capital. I was wearing my uniform, which consisted of men's thrift store shirts and Converse high tops. Underneath the bangs, my hair was shaved pretty short. I had to get the local barber to do it. Even though my Mom had given me permission, the woman who cut our hair refused to do it.

1986 Me

While staying with J&M, I had a banquet to attend for my Drill Team. The theme was "Pretty In Pink." I love the song, I love the movie, but at the time, I really hated the color. Also, the thought of wearing a dress mortified me. So, M and I found this green number at a second-hand shop and she modified it for me. Just for fun, we took some goofy photos of how I would have really liked to attended the event. That is, wearing my shades and my other Converse high tops, the red ones with paint spattered all over them. And mismatched socks, of course. (J&M have a "thing" for plastic yard flamingos, which explains the one I'm holding).

So, you see, I've always been a dork. And as if these photos aren't proof enough, here is a brief excerpt (one of the few not about Sting) from a notebook my friend Kelley and I passed back and forth at the time:
Sorry! I feel bad about waiting so long to write but w/exams, moving, etc. there hasn't been much time. Yes! M has "Daydream Believer" on one of her Monkees records. He He He. Yes T----- M---- was on the Seawall Sunday but then, he always is on weekends. So did you enjoy "Party Out of Bounds?" I think Kristi got mad because I was dancing w/Paul, Jenny, etc. It's just I don't see them (except Jenny) very often so you know. You understand don't you?
I went on to quote some song lyrics that I don't even recognize (and can't find online)* and to talk about a professional football player that we had a crush on. Oh, and at the end I wrote, "Save the Texas Prairie Chicken!" I was really into the Monkees at that time. Like I said--dork.

*After some more searching, I found what the lyrics are supposed to be. I'm starting to see a "misquoted lyrics" post in my future.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

oh wow great pics! i can't wait till after i've moved in a few weeks and can dig out my photos to scan a few to show you. you want to see dork? i will see your dork and raise you one. we used to bleach our high tops so that they looked kind of "tie dyed" and extra bitchin.
-acmcclendon

Anonymous said...

Ah, 1986. Pretty dorky, but very cute in a dorky way.

That was also the year I met my wife. For comparison, here's a picture of us from that same time:

http://www.1134.org/gallery/people/acb

And "Pretty in Pink". In the late '80s I used to go bike riding with a guy who had been the original guitarist for the Psychedelic Furs. He had partial writing credit for the song, so he was pretty happy with the checks he got when they made the movie.

I have some lawn flamingos, too. I used to take them to the beach. I'd plant them in the sand to mark our spot. Made it easy to find us there.

ren said...

heh. i had that haircut too. we are two peas in a pod my friend.

Only Look said...

86 was the year I graduated and went on to join the Marines for lack of knowing what else to do because rather than being a dork I was to slow for college and to fast to stop and think about what I was doing.

I have an Aunt who lives in Houston.

Anonymous said...

I liked the Monkees too. I don't know about "dork" now. I think if you were wearing that stuff today, you'd probably be in the "in" crowd. lol!
Pretty in Pink takes me back though...
Thanks for the birthday wishes btw.

madretz said...

Fun post! Thanks for sharing. :) Back then you were definitely more hip than dork, me thinkith. I totally love your hair and thrift shop shirt - so cute! I used to scavenge through my dad's old clothes and do the same little modifications.
Wonder when wearing different colored socks will come back?

Post a Comment

 

Blog Template by YummyLolly.com