Seven Quick Takes - Pack Rat Edition - 12/11/09

1. Being a pack rat is both a blessing and a curse. We have filled up bags and bags and bags with trash and give away stuff. (In addition to the multiple boxes with stuff to give away that are sitting around waiting to be actually GIVEN AWAY.) I am flabbergasted at the amount of USELESS JUNK we owned. Most of it is mine because I am a collector of stuff. As I've stated before, I'm a sentimental sap and will keep the dumbest things because of the memories attached to them. HOWEVER, the good part is that you find some real gems every once in a while. Here's some of the best stuff I found.

2. A letter written on 12-31-99. (And OMG that is almost 10 years ago.) A letter written by me. TO MY FUTURE HUSBAND. I am pretty sure I was sitting around feeling sorry for myself that I had no one to kiss on New Year's Eve, so that's what prompted it. It's one page, front and back, handwritten. And it's so adorable, y'all. I mention Y2K! I talk about how I want to be a good wife. I go on and on about how I love him already. How precious is that? Oh, sweet, little 19-year-old me. You had SO MUCH to learn. (And yes, I let Alex read it since it was actually written FOR HIM. And he didn't make fun of me either.)

3. A note from Christy that she wrote in order to avoid doing her chemistry homework. I scanned it and e-mailed it to her today and we've determined it was sophomore year, probably in the early '00's. (Which yeah...ALMOST 10 YEARS AGO.) It is excellent as well. My favorite part is where she talks about WCW, which is Waffle Cone Wednesday. Our local TCBY offered waffle cones for a mere DOLLAR on Wednesdays and we went pretty much EVERY SINGLE WEDNESDAY. Man, those were good times.

4. My original Nintendo controllers, Duck Hunt gun, and the Super Mario Brothers/Duck Hunt game. NOTE: I do not have the ACTUAL NINTENDO. It (very sadly) broke years ago. Which means these things are COMPLETELY USELESS. But as Alex said, "There is NO WAY we are throwing any of that out."

5. Now this doesn't really count as stuff or junk since it's a picture. But I also found my bangs from the early 90's:
I am assuming this is from Junior High? There's no date on the picture, but I am pretty sure it's not freshman year of high school and I got braces my sophomore year. So it's probably 8th grade. Maybe 7th. But man, that headband and that shirt. A sleeveless mock turtleneck, y'all! That is just AWESOME. And THANK GOODNESS it cuts off at the waist. Who knows what atrocious pants I was wearing. Although...I do distinctly remember that watch and for some reason, I kind of miss it.

6. My high school graduation announcement, my medal I wore when I graduated college (Yes, a medal. I have no idea why you got a medal and not ropes or cords or whatever.) and a myriad of cards, notes, and pictures from high school and college. It was kind of neat getting to show everything to Alex since he was not around OVER TEN YEARS AGO, OMG.

7. And finally, a picture of me from kindergarten:
Which yes, I was pretty cute and look WAY BETTER here than in the previous junior high picture. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, it is proof that my son looks likes me. We have the same cheeks! And chin! And bless his little heart, we have the same exact BAGS UNDER OUR EYES. Sorry kiddo.
Not the best picture for comparison purposes, but you can see the resemblance, right? Right??