Songs that trigger randomly weird memories

Recently I was going through my music and came upon an old song that I once downloaded for my sister's house parties (she wanted dance music). This song was Brandy's "What About Us?"  For those of you that might need a refresher click here to listen. Obviously because I downloaded it for one purpose only, I hardly ever listened to it again.

However, listening to this song at that moment, I was struck with a memory of one particular house party during college. It was at the same place I was always at my freshman year: a basement of an apartment across the street from Camp Randall. My sister and her friends knew the guys that lived there, so I had an "in" and didn't have to pay for a cup and the guys always seemed to have an eye out for me. It was always good times.

Anyway, one particular night at one of these house parties, when I was feeling a little bit saucy (please see definitions 1-4 on Urban Dictionary), I found a guy on the dance floor and started dancing with him. While we were dancing, I managed to lead him in a stealthy-sheepherder style into the closet where everyone kept their coats and proceeded to make out with this young fellow. I want to point out that I did not know the guy's name. To this day I cannot tell you much about what he looked like other than he was white and taller than me. And I only recall this because I was on my tiptoes while kissing him. The fact that he wasn't leaning down to reciprocate did not mean nothing to me!

Then, after no more than 10 seconds into the make out session, I just stopped kissing him and walked away without saying anything. Like I was bored and over it. The entire minute that this was happening, Brandy's "What About Us?" was playing. Needless to say, I made it back to my dorm room safe and alone. Probably for the best.

I don't know why the memory sticks out. Probably because I am actually quite prudish and I can recall, for the most part, all the people I have made out with in my life, even if they were barely make outs. Also, this particular event was so unlike me, because I initiated it. Usually I wait for situations to present themselves to me like a puppy laying on my lap and demanding its belly to be rubbed. I was very un-Holland-like aggressive.

I feel bad for the guy. I mean he missed the opportunity for a proper make out with this:

He probably questions his own existence or what is there left to do in life after knowing the sweet kiss of all that hotness. Yeah, that is totally what he is doing. I ruined his life.

Remember that time my sister was (and still is) a big pants-on-fire-liar?

Almost every woman (and man, even if he doesn't want to admit it) within my age range has the same feeling about Alanis Morrisette's Jagged Little Pill. That is a feeling of utter love and devotion. And if these individuals don't have that feeling for the album, then they are just kidding themselves. No one is that too-cool-for-school. I am proud to say that it was the first CD that I owned....or was it?

My memory: My aunt Carol, who was also a huge fan of the album, bought me the album for my 13th birthday.

My sister's memory: Basically the same. Except she was the gift recipient, for her 14th birthday.

The differing stories came out when my sister and I were splitting the CDs when she moved out for college. She took the CD and claimed it was hers. I disagreed (I still have it by the way, so I think I won this argument). However, she sticks to her story to this day when the topic is brought up.

My sister and I lived together for a few years during college...I marked all of my CDs with nail polish....

Now, to quickly touch upon why this album impacted me so much at 13. Songs about getting your heart broken...about that bastard that used you and then left you? What would my young little mind know about that?  It was if I was preparing myself for a life of disappointment by listening to that album. Thank you Alanis for preparing me.

And yes, for those of you that noticed it and are still thinking about it, it did take me until 1995 to have a CD player. Get over it!

Holy Mark Ruffalo was that man good looking!

So the only knowledge that I have of Chris Sarandon is that he was once married to Susan Sarandon and he is the bad guy from The Princess Bride. 

 

As a child watching Princess Bride, I never though much about Prince Humperdinck as far as the looks department go. I mean he was the bad guy! And he had to compete with dreamboat Westley/Cary Elwes! And I was a child and hadn't even began to start forming my personal taste in the opposite sex.

Not too long ago, I watched Dog Day Afternoon for the first time ever. (I thought it was excellent by the way). I knew Chris Sarandon was in it, as the main character's lover, but I had no idea what he would look like. I was stunned to see that I actually thought he was quite handsome, or as handsome as a guy can be playing a disheveled individual that was just released from a mental institution.

Automatically I knew why I found him attractive. He looked like Mark Ruffalo! Apparently I was not the first person to make the connection. From the lovely people at "Totally Looks Like:"

I'm pretty sure Mark Ruffalo is perfect. Please watch all his shirtless scenes in The Kids are Alright and disagree with me.  Just try and do it! I mean...he's from Wisconsin....

So in conclusion, young Chris Sarandon was one good looking dude.

Photos of me = ridiculous faces and poor wardrobe selections

[whispery voice] confessions [/unwhispery voice] I am a lifelong horribly unphotogentic person.

One might think, by my self-deprecating sense of humor, that I think I'm ugly. Not true! I think I fall in the range of pleasantly normal. In the flesh, I don't get catcalls, but I don't get "Gah!  What is that?" either. So I think I am winning overall. But pictures of me are something else.

As soon as a camera is pointed at my me, my face just contorts. My eyes widen to crazy person size (or just completely shut altogether).  And my body seems to stiffen or just loses the ability to take a normal stance/position.

I once worked for an AmeriCorps program which posted pictures and a short bio of the volunteers on their webpage. The managers of the program decided to take pictures during one of our Friday training sessions. When it was my turn they kept on taking my picture over and over again ("Ok, smile this time." "Stop making that face!"). After a while they just gave up.  The program did not post the pictures online that year...Correlation?

So, instead of explaining myself, I think I should let the pictures speak for themselves. A retrospective of a terrible photo subject (done in random order, because I can't remember exactly when these were taken)

From left to right, 1st to 5th...I think. The elementary school photos! Always a sure fire way to look your worst. It conjures up memories of things your parents did to you, like give you horrible perms or make you sleep in curlers. Or perhaps make you wear the same outfit two years in a row (Mom, please note the first two!). It started out pretty good though.

Not a child pothead, I promise!

My best Steve Urkel impression

Aspiring model to be

Just don't smile. It will make it better.

Awkward teen years. Who doesn't love them?

Key to lessen your impact of a bad picture?
Surround yourself by cute siblings
(I cut them out to show you the actual impact).

Another way to lessen your impact? Just go with goofiness!

Those glasses were a great idea!

I decided to gain my Freshman 15 before I went to college

Always happy on high school picture day (hiding inner rage)

Clearly, I was not a brusher of my own hair.

So I asked my Mom for old photos of myself, for the purpose of this blog entry.
My mom saw me picking this one out and said,
"Ugh that picture!"

Purple pants and purple suspenders!
Fancy.

And a palate cleanser that I actually think I look adorable. Sure I was oddly dressed, but I was forced to wear it!

Preschool Circus Show.