All Those Years Ago

Granted, it was a while ago, but I gave fair warning that there may be old photographs making an appearance on this blog at some point. Ancient, grainy photographs, scanned from many yellowing photo albums unearthed from my parents' house, that would appear here to serve a single purpose:

TO SHOW THE RIDICULOUS HAIR WE ALL HAD IN THE '80s.

I attended my 20-year high school reunion this summer, you see, which afforded me the luxury of getting together with many of my old friends and the dubious opportunity of looking back at some of the memories I had kept from The Aqua Net Era -- or in my case, the Era of 1,000 Peroxide Bottles, Crimping Irons, and Spiral Perms.

Yes, spiral perms. Good God, I am so glad I'm no longer a teenager.

Here then, are some shots that show me back in the day with my best gal pals, interspersed with recent shots of all of us. So sit back, relax and get ready to laugh and point, then gasp with shock at how impressed you are at how elegantly we all grew up -- and out of the Dare to Have Hair decade.

At our senior picnic, 1988.
Back row: Julie, Carolynn, Karri, me and Margo.
Front row: Gretchen and Abril.

San Clemente High School graduation, 1988.
From left: Cari, me, Carolynn and Julie.

Luncheon preceding our 20-year-reunion, 2008.
From left: Carren, Marty, Carolynn, Gretchen, Julie, Karri, me, Cari and Abril.

Here's a closer look at some of the changes of time.

Me and Abril in 1988...

...and in 2008.

Craig and Marty in 1988...

...and Carren and Marty in 2008.

Cari, Carren and Gretchen in 1988...

...and Gretchen and Carren...

...and Cari in 2008.

Me, Julie and Karri during the commencement ceremony in 1988...

...and Julie and Karri in 2008.

Back row: Carren, Lynnell, Julie, Gretchen, Carolynn, and Chele.
Bottom row: me and Margo.
1988, clearly. (Did you see the wash on that denim dress?)

Carren, Chele, Lynnell and Gretchen...

...and Carolynn, me and Chele in 2008.

Cari and Gretchen in 1988...

...and Cari and Karri in 2008.

And finally, my absolute FAVORITE photo from the entire reunion event, wherein Julie captured Carolynn and Karri buying classic '80s beverages that they would eventually smuggle into the reunion party to share with the rest of us.

Does anything else say '80s girly buzz better than Bartles & Jaymes berry wine coolers?

These, ladies and gentlemen, are my friends.