Every ten years or so

My friend, Pam Asberry, posted about how we tend to “change” every seven years (Every Seven Years). It has something to do with our bodies producing new cells. I know a hairdresser told me one time, when my part changed and cowlicks started acting up that it seemed to be true. Pam also shared a bunch of fun pictures I hadn’t seen of her with her kids, from the time we lost touch.

She got me thinking. You know how dangerous that is. My life truly seems to change about every ten years or so. Or as I said after I applied for the job I got downsized from last year, “About every ten years, I tend to do something that scares the $#%& out of me.” Life-changing events seem to occur then for me too.

So, here are a few pics that may amuse. Several of the things I have incorporated into my fiction, because that’s how I roll. But, you’ll have to wait for that….

1968. I recognize the dress from 4th grade. Right before this picture, I fell and skinned my left elbow. I still have the nasty scar. It was a weird year, because I'd just gotten my first pair of glasses. Mom noticed I had trouble seeing my brother on the plane and while we were waiting for the glasses to come in, I had to move to the front of the class. Funny how I date most of my pictures by which glasses I was wearing. My vision without correction is now 20/200, despite special drops in my eyes every night during my teenage years. Glasses continue to be an important part of my life. I tried contacts, but my eyes are fairly close together and I think I actually look better with them. My opthamologist said it was the first time he'd ever heard anyone say that. Anyway, my oldest brother was killed the next year, so my life definitely changed. 

1978. College picture. One of the few times I actually liked my hair. College was the first time I'd been away from home for more than two weeks at a time, the first time I was making decisions on my own. The first time I really fell in love. I was still suffering from mono and developed a severe depression my sophomore year, that resulted in me spending four days in the infirmary and missing two finals. I was able to make them up, but it resulted in me changing my major from pre-med. I'm grateful it happened, though it was a difficult time to live through.

1988. How do I know? Hideous dress, old apartment, Elton John glasses and gardenia hairpiece I wore at our wedding at my waist. While I was thrilled to marry Chris and knew it was the right thing to do (he just took out the kitty litter trash and started a load of laundry, God bless him!), the retail store I managed took a hit in sales that year due to construction in the area, so hours were slashed. I worked 65 hours the week of my wedding and many more each week for most of the year. Later that year, we bought our house. I don't recommend getting married and buying a house in the same year, but it all worked out somehow.

1998. Fangirl personified, as this was taken at the Rivercon Science Fiction Convention Chris and I were Fan Guests of Honor for. Chris started the SF conventions in our city and I'd volunteered at a bunch, so we were thrilled by this honor. I'm wearing a T-shirt for Contact 15 (our pro guest was Kris Rusch, who wrote some "Star Wars" novels). Chris and I met at a Contact and discovered we'd both attended as teenagers a "Star Trek" fan club event. Small world. I've met so many friends, authors and artists at conventions, I am very grateful.

2008. Chris and I on top of the Stratosphere Hotel in Las Vegas, celebrating our 20th. No, we did not go on the rides, because we had to get the airport shuttle for our flight home, darn. A good portion of my first novel is set in Vegas and I was thrilled to discover a lot of details to "make it real." While I'd been writing seriously again for almost two years, this was when the story really started coming together, actually walking down The Fremont Street Experience, taking a ton of pictures, playing the "Star Trek" machines in the casinos and discovering the VIP entrance to The Forum Shoppes.
So, looking forward to 2018. I plan on still being here and having a good time! Here are a couple of other fun pictures that fell in between:

1972. Stylin'. Don't know what the damage is at the top, probably my loud pants blinded the scanner.

1993. Contact 11 Toga Party, with me in the classic "Roman Holiday" toga. There was a wedding reception in the hotel, but everyone wanted to party with us!

Thanks for wandering through my photo album and please share a picture of you on my Facebook page from an important time of your life and comment below.