Wordless Wednesday - Prom

'Tis the season. And with Bev's wondrous powers of magic and illusion, I now remember my prom much more fondly.

(Not At All) Wordless Wednesday - Rodeo Remix

I've always had this running Bucket List in my head and I've been fortunate to have been able to slap a big ol' check mark next to many of the items. Lived my dream as a trapeze artist... check. Stunt double in a movie.... checkeroo! Sailed through the Panama Canal .... check, Matey! Learned how to fly.... check-a-roo-ski! Meet Steven Tyler.... well, I'm still working on that.
Anyway, one of the items on my list was to ride as a flag girl in the rodeo... You know, this:

OK, except maybe sitting on the horse.

Anyhoo, I got my chance while living in Florida when I got hired by the Dodge Truck Rodeo Team. And I have to say, I loved it! Every week we got dolled up in gaudy, glittery, sequined outfits and galloped around the rodeo arena, carry the US flag or Dodge flag between each rodeo event. Midway through the rodeo we'd come out and perform a wild, galloping drill routine. Seriously, such an awesome job!
And did I mention copious amount of the tight little cowboy butts in tight little jeans. Occupational BONUS!

All this in exchange for just staying on my horse...

oh, and having to wear a cowboy hat.

Me And MJ

LaBev recently asked us all to share our yearbook pictures... I failed this mission miserably, which is a shame because I had not one, but TWO senior pictures.

The first portrait was taken right after a rousing game of baseball with the handicap kids I worked with. It was only about 108 degrees out and I wasn't only hitting, catching and pitching for everyone, but also slinging them over my shoulder and running bases with them. Good times. By the time I made it to my portrait appointment, I was a sweaty mess. Not sweaty pretty like this:

Just sweaty, sweaty. Not good.

I later rolled the picture dice again, at a different studio, who decided I should rest my hands on a grassy platform in front of a picturesque meadow backdrop. It looked a bit like this.

But still, I'm always game for a little "show me yours", so I destroyed my basement hunting for my missing yearbook and pissed away an entire day looking through all my old memorabilia.

I had no luck finding my yearbook, but I found plenty of other goodies that will probably make their way here to Mixed Nuts... eventually.

Until then, I couldn't resist but to unveil this one now. Yes, forget my senior portrait. I turned the way-back machine waaayyyyyyyy back for this beauty.

Did I mention I was a huge Micheal Jackson fan back in the day?

And yes, I still have that jacket.

Scarred! Scarred For Life!

Oh those crazy Canadians, eh?
I miss those Kids in the Hall.

Memory Lane Monday

While riffling through the old file cabinet for a shipping envelope (which I never found, if you care) I came across an old copy of Pro Sound News magazine, a periodical for the recording industry.
In a former life I used to work in a Pro Audio Rep firm. It was an awesome gig. Among other things, our job was to make sure recording artists got their hot little hands on the products we represented. Some of my more memorable clients were Mike Score of Flock of Seagulls, who I always questioned where his accent went, Rob Van Winkle who I was always polite to and never laughed at... mostly., Emilio Estefan, who I mistakenly hung up on each and every time he'd call, but luckily he was close friends with my boss, and I was cute otherwise good at my job, so I wasn't fired we were good.
We also made sure our stuff was available for credit on album recordings. I clearly recall Carlos Santana calling in for some equipment on an album he was recording. I could hardly control my laughter! Santana!? Like he'll ever have another song on the radio! Yeah, Supernatural went on to sell 15 million copies, 9 Grammy awards, Album of the Year... blah, blah, blah. Did I mention I was cute?

Anyhoo, one of the perks of the job was traveling to Los Angeles to attend NAMM which is a huge industry convention where all the music artists, producers, engineers, ect could come out and play with all the newest equipment. My duties at NAMM were to be there, which I did...mostly. Beyond that I'd make sure our clients were happy and that I get certain industry people to come to particular events. Oh, you may remember that I'm missing that gene that allows me to recognize people , well it's made even more fun when I'm supposed to recognize people I've never met. Luckily Slash and Ace Frehley were easy to spot. But it took me half a dinner with Eric Burdon before I had a clue who he was. Luckily he was a good sport about it, after all I was only 22.

So one of my other duties at NAMM was to show up for photo ops. And show up I did...but just barely.


Here's a page out of that Pro Sound News. I had no idea this little photo shoot was going to end up in full color in a national magazine. MmmBop! there I am right there under the picture of that little girl from Hanson.

What? It's not like I look like I may have spent the entire night out in LA and only returned to my hotel that morning to grab my nifty little name badge, does it? I think this is the day I took a little nap under the desk at the Mackie booth. What? Totally respectable people have found themselves needing to catch a few Zzzz's under a desk now and then! Right Bev?

Good times indeed.