10 years ago, from Ames:
Ten years ago today, it was May 29, 1996.
1) How old were you?
THEN: 25.
NOW: 35 (no Hollywood math, there).
2) Where did you work?
THEN: WUOG (grad assistantship as advisor to 200 students at the 26,000-watt FM [yes, I’m still FCC-licensed]), had just been hired to shoot a documentary for the Athens Clarke County School System’s technology initiative and was gearing up to work as Technology Coordinator for the 1996 Olympic Soccer Venue.
NOW: seven blocks from the beach, technically (heeeeee), casting movies, writing books and columns, starting up on a few new really cool projects I’m WAYTOOEXCITED about.
3)
4) Where did you live?
THEN: 635 Oglethorpe Ave., Athens, GA 30606.
NOW: between Wilshire and Montana, total Westside diva.
5) How was your hair style?
THEN: I was probably JUST starting to grow out “the Rachel” at that point.
NOW: long, straight, red… boring, boring, boring.
6) Did you wear contacts?
THEN: Acuvue Disposables.
NOW: Nope.
7) Did you wear glasses?
THEN: from bath to bed each night and from bed to bath each morning.
NOW: Nope.
8) Who was your best friend?
THEN: I always had a lot of friends, but my truest-bluest was probably HRH John Chambliss at that point. But there was the radio gang, the old-school buddies, Engine Room team. And mom, of course.
NOW: hmm… Keith, of course, and probably every one of these fine ladies, just for starters. But I’m so much more about a bunch of good friends than one bestbestbest friend. I guess I always have been.
9) Which of your pets were still alive?
THEN: Muffy was 15 and goin’ strong.
NOW: Archie, Salema (both mom’s kitties), and Thwok are ruling the roost with gusto.
10) Who was your boyfriend/girlfriend?
THEN: I was single and ready to mingle, baby!
NOW: ditto (kidding, honey). First anniversary is in a couple of weeks. Ack!
11) Who was your celebrity crush?
THEN: John Cusack.
NOW: Jon Stewart.
12) Who was your regular-person crush?
THEN: probably the bouncer at the Engine Room.
NOW: Jon Stewart.
13) How many piercings did you have?
THEN: two.
NOW: two.
14) How many tattoos did you have?
THEN: one.
NOW: two.
15) What was your favorite band/singer?
THEN: Robyn Hitchcock, Pixies, REM, Queen.
NOW: ditto.
16) Had you smoked a cigarette?
THEN: I was a “bummer-smoker” at the Engine Room. I think I pretty much quit on New Year’s Eve, 1996.
NOW: non-smoker who hasn’t bummed one in a loooong time.
17) Had you gotten drunk?
THEN: it was grad school. What do you think?
NOW: not this week. Yet.
18) What kind of Car did you drive?
THEN: the TicTac, age seven.
NOW: the TicTac, age seventeen. Woo! My Miata is almost a freakin’ classic, baby!
19) Looking back, are you where you thought you would be in 2006?
hmm… not sure that I thought about where I’d be in 2006. The big deal was imagining where I’d be “in the year 2000” which was the year I would turn THIRTY. That was sooooo huge-looking. Since I had chosen to go back to grad school to delay adulthood, I’m guessing I didn’t have much of a plan in 2006, other than “stay in school, throw bullseyes on the Engine Room dart league, and have fun.”
20) Any idea where you’ll be in 2016?
I’m guessing I’ll finally be a homeowner, have a kid (plus have Quinn living with us), and be teasing Keith about the fact that he’s 50.
We shall see.