Great Balls of Fire!

This is my totally cool niece, Ice Box:

Ice Box is a senior in high school and is the first "child" that I ever truly loved.  I wasn't much older then she is right now when she made her entrance into the world.  I'll post someday about my sister's not so quiet childbirth experiences.  It's a damn wonder that I ever decided to procreate myself after listening to her screaming like a banshee for hours & hours.  But I digress...

Ice Box is a phenomenal softball pitcher.  And this is one of her senior pictures.  It really doesn't get much cooler than a flaming ball when you're as incredible as she is.  You'll also notice her very cool softball t-shirt bearing her school colors, her always faithful mitt and the staple of every teenage wardrobe, the blue jeans.

This is my senior picture circa 1986:

Let's compare them, shall we?

1. You'll notice that there are no pyrotechnics in my photo.  None, nada, zippo.  Hell, there isn't even a prop as far as I can tell.  Unless you count the blue eyeliner...
2. Speaking of the blue eyeliner, I'm pretty sure that I was trying to match it to my sweater.  Why, you ask?  Cuz I had no fashion sense, perhaps?  And while we're talking about the sweater, I have a confession to make.  I think it may have been my Grandma's.  Note to self: Never, under any circumstances, should a 17 or 18 year old female wear her Grandma's sweater in her senior picture.  It's just plain wrong and frankly, should be considered illegal.
3. Ice Box looks tough.  I look drunk.  I assure you that I wasn't because I was a good, Catholic girl who wouldn't show up drunk to her senior photo session in the high school cafeteria. I think I was going for the "I wonder what my future holds" look - instead I look like I drank one too many margaritas.
4. Only one thing I can say about the hair - it was the '80's, people!  And this was calm compared to how teased, taunted, sprayed & coiffed that mop usually was.  The smell of perm solution will forever be scorched into my nostrils.
5. Apparently Ice Box knows her name and didn't feel compelled to have it forever emblazoned in gold foil on her thousand dollar photos.  Was my name on there for my benefit?  Or for those who I gave the photo to.  Did I think that if they wanted my picture they wouldn't know my name so I better stamp it on there permanently to help them out?

All I can say is thank goodness that times change.  Or do they?  Ice Box rocks out with her favorite aunt to classics by Prince and Madonna.  We can both recite the entire dialogue to "The Breakfast Club" verbatim and we both have "Helena" by My Chemical Romance on our iPod playlists.  I think she may actually by my child.  Now if I could only get her to wear my mom's sweater during her next photo session....

Comments

[swampwitch]

Make-up is such an interesting concept and I buy into it like most of my friends. I wake up in the morning, look in the mirror, and say, "Maybe I'd be more attractive if my eyelids were BLUE!"
One thing you had on your senior picture that your niece didn't...her name. Was "Jill" printed on yours so that someday you would be reminded of what your name was in case your forgot?

[jenni from the hood ;-)]

Maybe no margaritas before Catholic school but did you get a ride with Cheech and Chong?

[Melany aka Supermom]

Oh gosh, I don't even want to look at my highschool photos. They really should have banned the 80's. It was bad bad bad!! (so glad you "found" my blog - will be nice to follow up on your life here....and yes...when did our kids get to be almost 7?!)

[Lisa]

You make me laugh so hard, I can't stand it!!! It is so ironic that you compared yourself and Megan, since she is so much like you it isn't even funny! I really think she is more you than me! I love your senior pic. You look beautiful! I'm glad you like the flaming ball! This blog thing is great!

[Michelle Cairnduff]

The 80's are so yesterday ---- until next year or the year after when "pegged ankle jeans" and "Big hair" are all the rage, again. Until then we will just keep the jeans in the back of the closet and continue to stock up on Rave and White Rain --- we will be SO ready!!!!!! XO - M.

[Adrienne]

I'll have to share my floating head senior picture with you someday!! What were they thinking with that pose?

[Kristen]

This blog = hilarious!
You and megan are soo alike I have to admit it. Did my megan tell you we are attending a My Chemical Romance concert on the 28th of February?
I love your senior picture!
I love you <3

[DebbieDot]

Jill, I think you should have a contest to come up with what you might have been thinking of while you were having that photo taken.

Here are some "thought-starters" as we like to say in Big Business:

1. Do I need to hit K-Mart for more blue eye-liner, or do I have enough to get me through the weekend?

2. Do you think Grandma will be mad that I stole her sweater for this photo?

3. I wonder if everyone is going to hang out at the Burger King parking lot again this weekend?

4. I wish I had a flaming baseball right now.

Keep up the blogging, Jill! It is a hoot.