Flashback Friday: 1988

Yes, it’s been awhile since my Flashback Friday posts! When I stopped doing them, several people asked me why I wasn’t doing them anymore- I was really surprised how many people enjoyed them, since I didn’t hear from them at the time. So, here you go, another flashback, to 1988.

Here I am with my first boyfriend, at National Music Camp (where I was taking lots of drawing courses), in Interlochen, MI. I remember being really shy at the time. One of my fondest memories of him is the time he sat and watched me draw for an hour.

There’s not much to say about the ’88 fashion in this shot: I took off my enormous glasses for the photo, obviously big hair, Ked-style shoes, and pastel Swatch watch.

From the cassette vault: “Never Let Me Down Again” by Depeche Mode, from the album Music for the Masses. This was the song of the summer for me. I even made a drawing (a really, really, REALLY bad drawing) out of it.

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Flashback Friday: 2004

This is our little family before we ever considered having a third child. The photo was taken in Manchester, England, at my hubby’s brother’s wedding. For our daughters, it was the first of many stints as flower girls!

From the music vault: “It’s My Life” by No Doubt. And for those of you who are too young to know that this is a cover, I’ve also included the original by Talk Talk (which I still love, from 1984).

Flashback Friday: 2007

It may not feel that long ago, but it sure looks it! The kids were tiny! I love this shot of all of us.

I couldn’t resist using this one! I love the Billy Idol sneer, the robe, the cheeks, everything!

I think the only pictures of JP and I are in the airport! And look: braids!!

From the CD vault: “Meet your Master” by Nine Inch Nails. This is from the album “Year Zero”, which according to Wikipedia “is a concept album that criticizes contemporary policies of the United States government by presenting a dystopian vision of the year 2022”. I never looked this up before today, but I have listened to the album countless times, all the way through, and was aware of the storyline through the songs. It is such a powerful album, and you probably already know about my love for Trent Reznor’s music, but I am constantly struck by his ability to make industrial music beautiful. There is always something in it that sends a chill down my spine. In this song, it is around 2:48, where the strings come in behind the screechy guitar (ok, I’m sure it’s all electronic, but you know what I mean). I would suggest listening to the whole song, though, not just that part. Never mind that, get that album. It’s pretty rare that I like an entire album all the way through.

“In this Twilight” is the second to last song on the album. This song is pure genius. Another great example of the mixing of industrial sounds with incredible melody. It was the final song played at the concert I went to several years ago, and such a moving way to end it.

3 years ago…

This is my post from three years ago today, from my old blog. It’s kind of fun to see where I was and how much has changed (or hasn’t!):

“I am enjoying some (very rare) quiet time. DH was supposed to take the girls for an overnight trip, but one is sick so he took the other and our son instead… which means I am getting a lot of stuff done in a QUIET house. I finished sewing my sweater together, read a chapter in “Nurture Shock” (great read, btw), looked up the cost of plane tickets, and painted some wood pieces that I am going to turn into magnets.

I joined the “100 Drawings” group on Flickr, and was doing keeping up with my 3 paintings/drawings a day (it’s a small sketchbook, so they are fairly manageable), but when I hit about 40 drawings, my back started to act up again. I realized I was putting too much pressure on myself. The point was to kick start my creative output, and it worked. I will still get to 100 drawings, but not in a month. That’s ok, because then I won’t need to upgrade my Flickr account (ha!). It’s a real struggle for me to figure out how to balance motherhood with creativity. I don’t want to do just one. But I also want to do both really well. I almost wrote perfectly, but I really don’t want to be perfect. I want to be great. Most creatively inclined moms that I know are creating once the kids go to bed. Seems reasonable, but sometimes I am too tired (or so I tell myself). Actually, that’s just an excuse. It’s quite easy to fit in even just 1/2 an hour of painting time before bed, and usually by then I am involved enough to not realize how much time has passed.

SO… my goal is to get some things created for the November buying rush – preferably smaller, more affordable things like my painted magnets. I have a friend who asked me to have some things ready that he could show in his office space (which is in a gallery environment). I am going to do this! It’s exciting!

In the meantime, since I have been adding things to do to my life… my 101 List hasn’t been looked at for a little while, so I will check and see if it needs updating. There are definitely some things on the list that won’t be going on next time. I am really finding it difficult to do the reading on the list, especially since I keep buying more books I want to read. As soon as I get a new book, the one I was previously reading goes down in the stack. And so on. I would like to work my way back to some of the books I only got half-way through.”

Flashback Friday: 2005

I love this picture of the two of us in Nova Scotia. We had a great trip, and didn’t know, until we were back in Calgary, that I was already pregnant with our son. I realize going back 7 years isn’t much of a flashback, but I have almost used all of my years at least once (except for the earlier 70’s).

From the mp3 vault: Toxic by Britney Spears, just cuz I like the video. I have always been a closet-B.S. fan, until now. In my defense, I only like a handful of her songs. That doesn’t make it any better, though, does it…

Flashback Friday: 1990

According to the back of this photo, this is “Me & Poo-poo Face”. Apologies to my brother, Nathan! Cute, hey? Nathan and I have a very unique sibling relationship. He is 15 years younger, so we never had an argument until he hit his 20’s [We were arguing about whether or not I had introduced him to “Ender’s Game”. I had completely forgotten having ever read it, until about an hour after our fight. My mom, who was with us in the car, wanted us to stop fighting, but we were having fun having our first fight, like, ever!]

I have fond memories of drawing with him and dancing on my bed, and explaining the birds and the bees. We have a verbal “handshake” of sorts that really can’t be explained- you just have to see it. We used to add to it every time we saw each other, but it’s just too long for that now!

Fashion of the times: gold chain, boondoggle bracelet and Swatch watch!

From the cassette vault: “Beers, Steers & Queers” by the Revolting Cocks. Classic.

Flashback Friday: 1985

Ugh. That’s pretty much all I have to say about this shot. I’ll also tell you that it was taken at Camp Wahanowin, where fashion comes first. Or at least, it did when I was there. It was all about the clothes. I’m sitting here shaking my head… sometimes it’s painful to look back on the superficiality of the teenage years. Especially when I was so NOT the cool kid (but since I was best friends with a cool kid, I wasn’t a complete outcast).

From the cassette vault: oh man, do I have to pick? There are so many great songs from that year! This reconfirms my belief that the 80’s kicked ass, musically, if not hair-ally (see above). I’ll pick the one that probably made the biggest impression on me, and was (and still is) a wickedly cool video: “Take on Me” by a-ha. In case you didn’t know, a-ha was still making music as of 2009, and some of it is pretty good. I haven’t heard the last 2 albums, but Lifelines, and Minor Earth Major Sky are really decent. And by the way, I still want to be the girl in this video!

Flashback Friday: 1977

My brother James and I with our puppy J.J., back in the day. My brother is wearing some pretty funky pants, and I have on one of my favourite dresses (which are usually worn with turtleneck shirts, right?) Pretty sure my mom made the dress!

From the cassette vault: Gonna Fly Now (Rocky Theme), dedicated to my bro, of course. Sometimes he’ll call me just to throw out some one-liners from the movies (usually IV – my fave). I love that.

Flashback Friday: 1993

I was a young one in this picture: 20 years old! Hard to believe it was so long ago. This was taken during our whole family’s trip to Israel. Fashion of the times: layered hair and bangs, tortoise-shell glasses, necklace by an Israeli artist. I remember loving it because the gems looked like candy. This trip was during my first year of dating J.P., so I am pretty sure I was thinking about him all the time!

From the CD vault: All That She Wants, by Ace of Base. This song was in rotation on the airline “radio” channel during the flight back to Canada. I had my earphones on during most of the flight, sleeping on and off, but always waking up for that song (and thinking about J.P.).

Flashback Friday: 1984

My brother and I, returning from a summer at Camp Wahanowin (near Orillia, Ontario). I can remember loving this outfit: Esprit button-down shirt, untucked, with baggy belt, plus some stylin’ earrings, which are hard to see. I still have my entire collection of crazy earrings from the 80’s, except for the huge silver thunderbolt-in-a-circle – I lost those (which is too bad, because they were the best!) This was the era of Roots and Beaver Canoe sweats, which I’m betting most people in the background are wearing.

And here’s my bedroom from the same year. I love this shot. It’s a total time capsule for me. Where to begin? The Duran Duran poster, of course. What you don’t see is the 6′ poster of John Taylor (also known as Corey Haim Duran – haha!), and the 3 or 4 filled scrapbooks of Duran Duran magazine clippings, the large John Taylor picture on my desk that I probably drooled over rather than do any homework. Not to mention all the pins… over 100… not kidding. Then there’s the nasty clown paint-by-number that I was proud of – ugh! There’s also my floral piggy bank, and the satin rainbow heart mobile (I LOVED that thing, and I still remember buying it with my grandparents in Florida). See the photo of Barry Bonnell on the wall? To be honest, I can’t remember why I even have that – perhaps my brother knows! Then there’s the floral desk blotter (always seemed to get in the way), the lamp with some completely useless glass bottles, and the wizard on a stick. I wish I could inspect the drawers and see what silly things were in there!

From the LP vault: “The Seventh Stranger” by Duran Duran. This was the year of their album, “Seven and the Ragged Tiger”. I’m choosing one of my favorites, even though it wasn’t a radio hit. The video is their live version, which is undoubtedly, embarrassingly, lip-synched (I’ve listened to it enough times to know, that’s without a doubt). Almost 30 years later and I still love their music as much as ever. Yay for Duran-squared!