we're going to party like it's 1999... because it WAS 1999.

Let me preface this little trip down memory lane by saying: girls today have such an easier time being pretty and funny and stylish. I'm jealous. They live in the age of digital cameras, photoshop, personal style and wardrobe remix blogs... they can just order hair dye and clothes online if they want to, research the look they want to have and then just... have it. I had to drive about an hour to get to a mall and it was a pathetic mall, at that. My camera was a falling apart 110 film hot-pink thing. When I turned in my film to the one hour photo, I got what I got. If half of the pictures were of my chin instead of my face, well, too bad. These girls today... they have it so good and I'm pretty sure they don't know it.

Ok, now that I've gotten all of my old-hag anger and bitterness out of the way, let's revisit my high school and college experience.

Summer of 99 on the swings behind FBC (the church I went to growing up)

Summer of 99 in the kitchen of my parents' house

early Spring of 99 out at Lexi's house ( my best friend in the later years of HS and also college)

At the PA Speedway, supporting the family racing habit. Summer of 99

Dressed up as Austin Powers in thrift gear, Spring or Summer of 97, I think. Why? I don't know.

1996 at my grandma Daphne's home in Packwood, WA

My brother Jacob must have only been 4 or just turned 5.

Petey was a doll I bought at a garage sale. I made him/her a duct tape suit, did some crazy facial tattoos and piercings, and chained him/her to my gas mask bag. WTF guys? Were we really this odd? Yes.

I think either Britta or Lexi took this picture. I can't even keep track of how many photo shoots we all did in my room. I was like... so edgy and unique.

This is probably late 98 or early 99.

My mother refused to pay for senior photos, so Lexi and I got creative with my camera. Nothing panned out, but the pictures are fun to look at.

Note the thrifted swacket (sweatshirt/jacket, duh) and styling cargo pants from Zumiez. Nice.

Teen Jam Spring of 98, I think. May have been 99. The only two people in this picture that I actually remember are my on-again-off-again HS boyfriend, Randy, who is draped across the front, and one of my best HS friends, Britta, who is wearing the checkered shirt and silver jacket.

Ice skating in Feb of 98 with the youth group. I loved that cardigan. Who knew I'd still be addicted to cardigans. Atleast I no longer wear the "Girl of God" shirt. *shudder*

It was VERY VERY cold, hence the weird face. If only my gloves had made it into the picture. They were black with leopard fuzzy cuffs. AWESOME.

eyebrows FTW

Also, note the random thrifted beads, workman jacket, and purple hair. Dude.

Me pretending to shoot Becca. 30 Hour Famine w/the youth group at FBC, 99

HUZZAH!

More photoshoots... this was probably the same day as the picture w/Petey. Must have been on Lexi's camera, the photos were big & glossy whereas my camera at the time was one of those crappy rectangular 110 film cameras.

Nice moonboots and Switchfoot poster. Yikes.

Me, Britta, and that Andy Simmons guy. This was in the photo booth in the old DQ that Lexi worked at in that waterfront mall place. The Landing.

Shooting a different Rebekah. :P This must have been the same year as the purple hair, because that weird pinky/orange color is what I ended up with when the purple faded.

up my nose. and I look like a boy.

We clearly weren't thinking of the staging of this picture at the time... it's unplugged and the cord is draped over it IN VIEW. I also think I was sick that weekend. Not sure why we took my picture when I was all sniffly and dying.

mugshot. And no, that is not a wig. I had that hair.

So much glitter, why?

18th birthday party, August of 99

I'm on a boat.

18th birthday party, August of 99

Lake Crescent, WA

I posted these winners on my FaceSpace last month and was expecting kind of a "Oh! haha! Look how funny and dorky we all were!" reaction from friends who were tagged in some of the pictures. What I got was a mixed bag. A couple of people were nostalgic and commented, but one friend was downright upset with me and untagged herself in all the pictures. Guys, we're almost 30. We were in HS in the dismal and disappointing 90's. Can't we all just get over it and be secure in who we are and who we were and have a laugh?