I was as wide as I was long, and my head was like a huge, ripe melon.
Some things never change.

My first boyfriend... You see, I used to like older men, and I always liked political intrigue. This is Edwin Edwards, 4-time governor of Louisiana, currently in jail on some no doubt trumped up gambling charges. At the Tarpon Rodeo, Grand Isle, La.

Victorian dance costumes for a Christmas thingy.
I'm in yellow; my best friend Sarah is in green.

With my mom and dad, looking very nerdy and very 13.

With Aimee, after The Pointe dance performance.

With Sarah, after The Pointe dance performance.

A really offensive costume for a Thanksgiving Parade in Carencro. I basically would ride my horse barefoot and bareback for any reason at all. That's my nephew Spaz (nee David) with me.

Ok, send in the Nerds. With my lovely boyfriend, a robot, at the 1984 World's Fair in New Orleans.

With Bobby and his boyfriend, near Vale or Aspen Colorado.

With my brother Steve, my sister Amy, and my grandmother on her 80th birthday.

1986 / 1987 (Junior Year in HS)

This was taken by my old friend Jay Prince, back at LSMSA, in Natchitoches. I don't remember the occasion of the photograph. I was 16. I was wearing an earring given to me by a lost love! I was wearing lace gloves! I was ever so dramatic! Wow... I can't believe I've changed so much, or so little!

I don't know who took these, but they were taken on the same day in the cafeteria at LSMSA. In the fall or winter of 1986

Young Punks in Love. Well, we were not in love, but we were young punks.
With John Parker at LSMSA, in the fall of 1986.

Dramatic! This epitomized my look when I was 16: plaid pants, lace-up boots, men's shirts with brooches at the neck, shapeless jackets, and a beret. Alone, and with Heather and a little dog named Jet.

Russell Hall, at the time the home of KNWD where I worked / wasted time. Later the home of LSC. I loved this building so much!

Midsummer Night's Dream costume. Note the Siouxsie make-up homage.

I replaced a really, really goofy picture of Carter with this one, taken the same day. It was the first time he wore eyeliner, I believe. He did this because I wouldn't get off his case about looking good in eyeliner (and he did). It occurs to me that there have been
number of guys in my life who have worn makeup just to make me happy, a trend that
continues to this day...

Me, Carter, Betz, David, and Kimmi at the Valentine's Day dance. In an uncharacteristic
gesture of handicraftiness, Kim spent the entire day hand-hemming that dress for me,
since I had nothing else to wear. In an uncharacteristic gesture of chivalry, Carter spent
the entire day trying to find a black rose for me; the red one ended up doing just fine.

In retrospect, I should have eaten it. (Having eaten a goodly number of roses given to me
by well-meaning guys in my life, I can tell you that they taste terrible, and should only be
eaten if you really have something to prove, i.e., that you're completely unromantic
and would appreciate it if they stopped trying to change that.)

With Titus, for his senior prom. There is a long story behind this. I literally had 4 dates for this prom -- the 1st broke up with me, the 2nd couldn't come to Natchitoches, and I broke the date with the 3rd to go with the 4th, on the day before or the day of prom, under pressure from half the school to be the first girl to go on a date with Titus. I still feel bad about the whole stupid drama.

The obsession of my life at the time, Tim. (Meg pointed out that he looks a lot like Anthony.) I would have walked through fire for him. I believe he was instrumental in
changing my life-path, although not in a good way, and not by his designs (he was ever
the gentleman). While I'm being retrospective, I should have gotten over him and let
others in more, but I was hell-bent on using Tim to destroy any semblance of normality
or happiness in my life at the time.

Me, dressed as a gypsy for some SCA function.

By the spring, I was getting into the skating look and falling off skateboards with amazing ease. That's a really early Faith No More t-shirt.

Meg and I on "Twin Day," sometime in the spring of '88. We didn't win the contest. We traded some clothes -- I wore her flannel and she wore my flannel and lock-chain.

Meg, Sara, Pam, and James. Sara appears to be flashing some kind of gang symbol; I have no idea what she's doing!

With Meg and James for the Winter Formal dance in the winter (November?) of '87. It was an awful night in many ways: a friend had been killed that week in an accident; the dorm and campus was flooded by a hurricane; Meg's date stood her up; I had a terrible fight with someone who was very upset about the aforementioned death. My beautiful corsage that my date, James, brought to me was destroyed in the aftermath of the fight, when the person I was fighting with hugged me fiercely. We wound up on the floor and somehow I got caught on his tie, and he physically dragged me across the floor. To this day, I have no idea how that all happened. Anyway, it was the prettiest corsage I'd ever had. But in the midst of so much turmoil, it was a small sacrifice. Also, I shared my date with Meg, and that was pretty fun. So it wasn't all bad. This photo was taken before most of the badness, so we still looked decently happy.

Same evening as above, with the "Angels," a sort of girl group I was in some way involved with. I forget the derails now.

Some dorm-room silliness: Madonna With Skateboard.

Me at Christmas Lights. Yes, that's blood coming out of my mouth. I was soooooo deathrock. The bandage on my head was just for dramatic-fallen-civil-war-soldier effect.

Meg and me at Christmas Lights '87.

I don't think you should ask... I think this may have been the same day that I broke into
"If I had a Hammer" in the middle of Algebra 3 class. My friend Nicole had broken
her binder and asked the incredibly dumb question, "Do you have a hammer." Like,
who carries a hammer around with them???

Note, I'm wearing almost the same thing as in the photo above, but with a sweater and
different tights. I must have really liked that look.

As a wood nymph, with shoulda-been-my-bf-but-my-head-was-up-my-ass, James, for a spring ren faire type thing we did on campus.

Me with Nicole near the cafeteria at LSMSA, showing off our bangs.

Deborah, Paige, Esmarelda, Scott, Troy, and
some girl in orange and black whose name I never knew.

With Meg, before a night on the town, or probably a dance at Prudhomme Dorm.

My senior picture, in the poison ivy. Not really, but it would have been fitting.

Senior Prom: Mary and Jay, Charles and Liz, Derrick, Nicole, Me, John, Laura.

Justin and Meg at the same prom.

Myself, Meg, and Sally (now Ann) on graduation day. Sally and I were Meg's best friends, though we weren't all that close, ourselves. We all went to our 10 year reunion together.

With Derrick, after graduation. We had to wear white. My mom had to make that
outfit just for graduation.

Talking on the phone, with a cat and a metric ton of bracelets on my arm.

Riding home from New Orleans. I swear, my hair wasn't usually that big!
I really don't remember looking this... uh, hardcore deathy.

Poseur! I recycled my honor cords into a, ahem, fashion statement.
I love the Poison perfume ad on my closet door.

Natchitoches High homecoming with Ricky (totally gay), Pam (later a lesbian) and some preppy guy who was probably gay, too. They took me because I scared the locals. You can see why!

Louisiana humidity + mohawk + gravity + a full can of Aquanet
= disappointment every time.

My friend Tommy Mack, who is beautiful and talented. I miss him.

With my nephew Theo and my horse Mirah.

With Sarah, heading out to Nite Caps, probably, judging from my clothes.

With Sarah again, the evening that turned out to be the coldest, most miserable night of my life, stuck on the streets of New Orleans in a freak snow storm. We took photos of azaleas blooming in the snow, we tried to pee at the scariest gay bar in the Quarter, and we basically barely survived.

I painted the column while working for a museum; it showed up later at the Festival Internationale, so I posed with it.

Very, very unsober, at Kyle's house. I really wish this photo wasn't so blurry.

On the way to go canoeing, in a home-made spray-pinted t-shirt.

For "Halloween in July" at the local freaky club, Nite Caps, in Lafayette,
Meg dressed as a cat.

In a tux, with Martha, in our room in Varnado Hall.

With Tim, about to walk through Fire (OK, just hell) for him. In the Mill in Julietta, GA, where Fried Green Tomatoes was later filmed.

On the porch of the Wells House in Natchitoches for Christmas Lights:
Jeanne, Jenny, Vince, Jen, Bill, Rich, and (half of) Andy.

Same evening as above, me with Reuben.

In Andrea's car )above), with Tom (below) who very briefly swept me off my feet. It was a week of pure evil bliss on so many levels, including a certain kind of emotional revenge.

The aforementioned Tom; a portrait from his years in Germany, I believe.

1970
I was as wide as I was long, and my head was like a huge, ripe melon. Some things never change.

1972
My first boyfriend... You see, I used to like older men, and I always liked political intrigue. This is Edwin Edwards, 4-time governor of Louisiana, currently in jail on some no doubt trumped up gambling charges. At the Tarpon Rodeo, Grand Isle, La.

1983 / 1984
Victorian dance costumes for a Christmas thingy. I'm in yellow; my best friend Sarah is in green.

With my mom and dad, looking very nerdy and very 13.

With Aimee, after The Pointe dance performance.

With Sarah, after The Pointe dance performance.

A really offensive costume for a Thanksgiving Parade in Carencro. I basically would ride my horse barefoot and bareback for any reason at all. That's my nephew Spaz (nee David) with me.

Ok, send in the Nerds. With my lovely boyfriend, a robot, at the 1984 World's Fair in New Orleans.

With Bobby and his boyfriend, near Vale or Aspen Colorado.

1985
With my brother Steve, my sister Amy, and my grandmother on her 80th birthday.

1986 / 1987 (Junior Year in HS)
This was taken by my old friend Jay Prince, back at LSMSA, in Natchitoches. I don't remember the occasion of the photograph. I was 16. I was wearing an earring given to me by a lost love! I was wearing lace gloves! I was ever so dramatic! Wow... I can't believe I've changed so much, or so little!

I don't know who took these, but they were taken on the same day in the cafeteria at LSMSA. In the fall or winter of 1986

Young Punks in Love. Well, we were not in love, but we were young punks. With John Parker at LSMSA, in the fall of 1986.

Dramatic! This epitomized my look when I was 16: plaid pants, lace-up boots, men's shirts with brooches at the neck, shapeless jackets, and a beret. Alone, and with Heather and a little dog named Jet.

Russell Hall, at the time the home of KNWD where I worked / wasted time. Later the home of LSC. I loved this building so much!

Midsummer Night's Dream costume. Note the Siouxsie make-up homage.

I replaced a really, really goofy picture of Carter with this one, taken the same day. It was the first time he wore eyeliner, I believe. He did this because I wouldn't get off his case about looking good in eyeliner (and he did). It occurs to me that there have been number of guys in my life who have worn makeup just to make me happy, a trend that continues to this day...

Me, Carter, Betz, David, and Kimmi at the Valentine's Day dance. In an uncharacteristic gesture of handicraftiness, Kim spent the entire day hand-hemming that dress for me, since I had nothing else to wear. In an uncharacteristic gesture of chivalry, Carter spent the entire day trying to find a black rose for me; the red one ended up doing just fine. In retrospect, I should have eaten it. (Having eaten a goodly number of roses given to me by well-meaning guys in my life, I can tell you that they taste terrible, and should only be eaten if you really have something to prove, i.e., that you're completely unromantic and would appreciate it if they stopped trying to change that.)

With Titus, for his senior prom. There is a long story behind this. I literally had 4 dates for this prom -- the 1st broke up with me, the 2nd couldn't come to Natchitoches, and I broke the date with the 3rd to go with the 4th, on the day before or the day of prom, under pressure from half the school to be the first girl to go on a date with Titus. I still feel bad about the whole stupid drama.

The obsession of my life at the time, Tim. (Meg pointed out that he looks a lot like Anthony.) I would have walked through fire for him. I believe he was instrumental in changing my life-path, although not in a good way, and not by his designs (he was ever the gentleman). While I'm being retrospective, I should have gotten over him and let others in more, but I was hell-bent on using Tim to destroy any semblance of normality or happiness in my life at the time.

Me, dressed as a gypsy for some SCA function.

By the spring, I was getting into the skating look and falling off skateboards with amazing ease. That's a really early Faith No More t-shirt.

1987 / 1988 (senior year in HS)
Meg and I on "Twin Day," sometime in the spring of '88. We didn't win the contest. We traded some clothes -- I wore her flannel and she wore my flannel and lock-chain.

Meg, Sara, Pam, and James. Sara appears to be flashing some kind of gang symbol; I have no idea what she's doing!

With Meg and James for the Winter Formal dance in the winter (November?) of '87. It was an awful night in many ways: a friend had been killed that week in an accident; the dorm and campus was flooded by a hurricane; Meg's date stood her up; I had a terrible fight with someone who was very upset about the aforementioned death. My beautiful corsage that my date, James, brought to me was destroyed in the aftermath of the fight, when the person I was fighting with hugged me fiercely. We wound up on the floor and somehow I got caught on his tie, and he physically dragged me across the floor. To this day, I have no idea how that all happened. Anyway, it was the prettiest corsage I'd ever had. But in the midst of so much turmoil, it was a small sacrifice. Also, I shared my date with Meg, and that was pretty fun. So it wasn't all bad. This photo was taken before most of the badness, so we still looked decently happy.
Same evening as above, with the "Angels," a sort of girl group I was in some way involved with. I forget the derails now.

Some dorm-room silliness: Madonna With Skateboard.

Me at Christmas Lights. Yes, that's blood coming out of my mouth. I was soooooo deathrock. The bandage on my head was just for dramatic-fallen-civil-war-soldier effect.

Another view of my Falln Civil War look, Christmas Lights '87. I feel sorry for the Pentacostals behind us. They were, as I recall, not exactly happy to be sharing curb space with the likes of me, although I was green with envy over the redhead's hair (just behind me on the left of the photo), which was probably down to her knees. Also, I was NEVER this cute.

Meg and me at Christmas Lights '87.

Ok, you can actually see my outfit here. In addition to my bandage, I'm wearing a gray-and-black pinstripe button-down shirt, a knee-length shapeless jacket, a brooch or two to hold my collar so high, a chain with a cross and a lock on it (oooh, symbolism...yes, that was the point, which I'd happily explain if you were dumb enough to ask), a pair of VERY stressed and distressed jeans decorated with band names, etc., probably 3 pairs of ripped hose, fingerless gloves made from a pair of tights, and a pair of knee-high suede boots.

I don't think you should ask... I think this may have been the same day that I broke into "If I had a Hammer" in the middle of Algebra 3 class. My friend Nicole had broken her binder and asked the incredibly dumb question, "Do you have a hammer." Like, who carries a hammer around with them??? Note, I'm wearing almost the same thing as in the photo above, but with a sweater and different tights. I must have really liked that look.

As a wood nymph, with shoulda-been-my-bf-but-my-head-was-up-my-ass, James, for a spring ren faire type thing we did on campus.

Me with Nicole near the cafeteria at LSMSA, showing off our bangs.

Photos of my scene, taken at Mardi Gras in 1988 in Lafayette. We were watching the Zen Bastards play in a garage on Jefferson St. Among others, the photos include Troy, Jason (in black-white stripe -- he pretty much ruled the roost), Sasha, Shannon, Damien, and others I can't remember. Deborah, Paige, Esmarelda, Scott, Troy, and some girl in orange and black whose name I never knew.

With Meg, before a night on the town, or probably a dance at Prudhomme Dorm.

My senior picture, in the poison ivy. Not really, but it would have been fitting.

Senior Prom: Mary and Jay, Charles and Liz, Derrick, Nicole, Me, John, Laura. Justin and Meg at the same prom.

Myself, Meg, and Sally (now Ann) on graduation day. Sally and I were Meg's best friends, though we weren't all that close, ourselves. We all went to our 10 year reunion together.

With Derrick, after graduation. We had to wear white. My mom had to make that outfit just for graduation.

Talking on the phone, with a cat and a metric ton of bracelets on my arm.

Riding home from New Orleans. I swear, my hair wasn't usually that big! I really don't remember looking this... uh, hardcore deathy.

1988/1989 (Freshman Year in College)
Poseur! I recycled my honor cords into a, ahem, fashion statement. I love the Poison perfume ad on my closet door.

Natchitoches High homecoming with Ricky (totally gay), Pam (later a lesbian) and some preppy guy who was probably gay, too. They took me because I scared the locals. You can see why!

Louisiana humidity + mohawk + gravity + a full can of Aquanet = disappointment every time.

My friend Tommy Mack, who is beautiful and talented. I miss him.

With my nephew Theo and my horse Mirah.

With Sarah, heading out to Nite Caps, probably, judging from my clothes.

With Sarah again, the evening that turned out to be the coldest, most miserable night of my life, stuck on the streets of New Orleans in a freak snow storm. We took photos of azaleas blooming in the snow, we tried to pee at the scariest gay bar in the Quarter, and we basically barely survived.

I painted the column while working for a museum; it showed up later at the Festival Internationale, so I posed with it.

Very, very unsober, at Kyle's house. I really wish this photo wasn't so blurry.

With Chad.

On the way to go canoeing, in a home-made spray-pinted t-shirt.

For "Halloween in July" at the local freaky club, Nite Caps, in Lafayette, Meg dressed as a cat.

1989/1990 (Sophomore Year in College)
In a tux, with Martha, in our room in Varnado Hall.

With Tim, about to walk through Fire (OK, just hell) for him. In the Mill in Julietta, GA, where Fried Green Tomatoes was later filmed.

1990 / 1991 (3rd Year in College)
On the porch of the Wells House in Natchitoches for Christmas Lights: Jeanne, Jenny, Vince, Jen, Bill, Rich, and (half of) Andy. Same evening as above, me with Reuben.

In Andrea's car )above), with Tom (below) who very briefly swept me off my feet. It was a week of pure evil bliss on so many levels, including a certain kind of emotional revenge. The aforementioned Tom; a portrait from his years in Germany, I believe.