Friday, March 07, 2008

Big E little e



I found a few of my favorite pictures of myself as a kid to show my friends at work what a mini electric style icon I was before 1990. As I looked at the pictures, I tried really hard to remember what kind of person I was when I was a kid. I was also trying to guess what little Elise would think of me now.

As far as I can remember, I was a bubbly kid who was always eager to show off a little. My Great Uncle Chet was my favorite audience for my songs, dances and artwork displays. I had a massive collection of stuffed animals that I would take great pride in arranging. I cared a lot about animals and was a righteous scolder of litterbugs. My favorite food was raisin nut bran and I loved my dog a ton. I named her Sunshine. I also loved going to church and felt like I had a close relationship with God. I was also classically boy crazy. I think I wanted to grow up to save animals, be a famous fashion designer, artist and sing like Debbie Gibson. I was opinionated and competitive but also a worrier who cared about the whole world and wanted to save everything. I wanted a canopy bed even more.

I realize not a whole lot has changed. Debbie Gibson and God are no longer my heroes but my personality seems pretty similar. It seems I've turned out pretty predictably. I think little Elise would be a little disappointed that I'm not famous yet and that I still have zits but she would definitely be all about my house bunnies. She would wonder why I haven't devoted my life to fighting war, poverty and animal abuse. She would think I dress boring. I think she would totally approve of my husband selection and that I'm trying to be an artist though.

I'm remembering how much I enjoyed doing crafty things like BeDazzling my jeans and polishing stones in my rock tumbler. I was always making a big crafty mess and inventing songs and games.

When I see it this way, my life feels like it makes more sense and has been following a natural progression even though I feel like so much has changed. I guess that is comforting in a way.

5 comments:

idyll hands said...

Love the neon skirt with the bangs and a headband.

Gotta love the bangs and a headband.

I didn't have a neon skirt, but I unfortunately had neon bike shorts with a long black and neon shirt with tire tracks across it that matched. What a scary time in my life that was :)

Erin said...

awww, I asked for a bedazzler one year for Christmas and didn't get it! Cute post- I love that neon tiered outfit!

theVintageZoo said...

cute cute pictures of you. i never got into debbie gibson, but i sure LOVED punky brewster. ha! remember her? you might be too young. i loved her sense of ecclectic, FUN style....

and the bedazzler... wow. i never got into thhat either. all my friends were doing it. i was putting safety pins in everything, trying to be punk rock. HA!

fantastic post! i really enjoyed this one.

Elise of Argyle Whale said...

I loved Punky Brewster too! Did you wear mismatched socks because of her like I did?

Michelle Engel Bencsko said...

This was a minor revelation for me. I never considered whether little me would like big me. I know that big me is not always a fan of little me. I always just looked at it from how I see myself now and reflect on how much I've gotten "better" but not knowing if the more elemental me of long ago would agree. Food for thought. Food for thought...