I wouldn't trade one stupid decision for another five years of life*

I really can't believe I'm going to do this, but here goes.

After our recent foray into My Big Fat Emo High School Years, I thought it might be appropriate to put a visual to that story. BEHOLD TEENAGE SWEETNEY:

Oh it gets SO MUCH better. This is a B&W self-portrait, people. One I personally hand-colored after generating the print in the darkroom I had set up in the basement of my parent's house. Because I was, like, all fucking arty and crap. For maximum effect, you have to imagine that I took this photo in my bedroom while listening to, like, My Bloody Valentine or something. And that I felt alone, oh-so-alone (weeps).

And yes, my hair was dyed black, what of it? SNORT.

Keep in mind this was the mid-late 80s. My grimey hair-clumps were actually stylish back then. No, really. I swear.

Open season mocking to commence in 3...2...1...

. . . . .

* LCD Soundsystem, All My Friends

Comments

[Katie Kat]

Okay, without sounding like too much of a brown noser, I think you look wonderful. I love the picture and how you did it. For that time in your life, that was exactly WHO YOU WERE. There's nothing wrong with capturing a little of the angst of being a teenager... if nothing else, it's good for a laugh when you get older and REALLY find out how hard life is. :)

GORGEOUS!

[Mandee]

You totally remind me of a friend of mine from high school. I was definitely part of the preppy crowd, but I was also a floater. I had been in classes with this girl since grade school and I didn't let her smarts and her emo intimidate me enough to quit being friends. I tried to google her recently and didn't get any results. I always admired her courage to be true to herself.

I think the picture is beautiful. Hysterical, yes, but beautiful all the same.

[Neil]

I don't think you're going to get too much mocking here. You looked really good. I would have asked you out on a date. Well, maybe not -- I would have been be too afraid of you. But the expression from the past is very similar to the one on your portrait today. We've seen the smart-ass expression already. I challenge you to put up a photo of yourself smiling. Now that would be daring!

[BaltimoreGal]

You looked like my cool friend Dwayne's girlfriend! Punk ROCK! (At the time. Now it would be Emo.)
Awesome!
I was also on the dark side but only expressed it through my clothing and massive amounts of eyeliner.

OK, for the last time- Tracey, keep kicking ass. PLEASE. Don't let blind followers of a faux-blogger keep you from being who you are. You were, at most, TEASING. WITH FACTS. If others don't know the difference, THEY have the problem.

[Vicki]

Wow! Sweetney you were hot!! My hubby would have been banging down your door. He has a thing for goth-type chicks. Damn, I looked like a total dork in high school. I had the paleness but I never would have been able to pull off that look...lol.

[tina]

yeah, you look awesome here. i totally see m. in this photo. maybe not the road you want her to go down, but i don't know. i don't think it's such a bad road in the long run. you should be proud of the fact that you have always had the strength to be who you are. you did it then, you do it now. rock on.

[hosie]

I think that's a fantastic photo!

[Backpacking Dad]

Maggie Gallillenhallll.

[Dana]

Loves. Oh we SO would have hung out in high school.

[Mom Quixote]

I think you look beautiful. Really.

[AmyM]

Actually, I think you look pretty damn cool. And this is coming from someone who stayed far away from the goth/emo/punk crowd in high school because they scared me.

[kelsi]

ok, i would have wanted to be your friend but you would have scared me because you look so cool.
that's the hateful thing about high school.

[wordnerd]

Um, my daughter is going to ask if she can come live with you.

So...effin'...cool.

[Sarah]

this is waaaay better than the high school photo i posted last week.

[Kim]

I had a pink streak in my hair and a section shaved above my ear a la Cyndy Lauper. My mom freaked when she saw it.

[crashtestmommy]

OHMAHGAH. You were Amy Lee in high school???

Seriously gorgeous and not mock-worthy. Nice try though.

[stacey]

too bad you were in central MI instead of lovely Ann Arbor, where I grew up. I would have thought you were the coolest chick ever and you would have been popular and shit.

[Kathyp]

My grimey hair-clumps were actually stylish back then. No, really. I swear.

I'd take grimy clumps over those neat, asymmetrical bobs we wore. Mine was shorter in the back, longer on the sides-- what my mom called "puppy ears."

[missbanshee]

I think you look wicked fierce. But I may be biased...you HAVE seen my Flickr, yes?

[Susan]

I think you looked hawt! I would kill for lips like those. I second the notion of seeing a picture of you smiling.