Vintage Amy

The Unknown Picture

April 10, 2009 by Amy 3 Comments

I wish I could explain this picture. It makes me feel very old knowing that I was at some event that made me cry and I can not remember why. I only can tell you a few things about this picture.

This was either my sophomore or senior year. Based on the clothes, hair, braces, etc I’d say sophomore. I also had Mrs. Morgan (shown) for English AP my senior year so it could totally be then too. I told you, I’m old and don’t remember this picture.

I can tell you it looks like Mrs. Morgan was giving me some type of recognition. As I said, the only one related to writing was the Southern Sampler I posted yesterday but that was my senior year so maybe I got an award I don’t remember.

I can tell you this was my high school library.

Also, I can tell you my lips look like this

pic courtesy of Sass

There are some things it’s ok not to remember. That red lipstick is one of them.

Brains and Love

April 6, 2009 by Amy 4 Comments

Six years ago when we moved to Columbia, we moved our building and lots of boxes of our stuff we didn’t need to our IL’s backyard. Most of the boxes held books and papers from my office and lots of knick knacks we didn’t have room for in the apartment. FIL spent some time about two weeks ago trying to clean out the building and reminded us of all our boxes in there. I was actually interested in going through them because I recently could not find a journal I knew existed.

(I know, bad picture)

Yesterday on a whim, still dressed in my church clothes I decided to check it out. Well, let’s just say I found my journal and about 3 months worth of blogging material if nothing else. So many memories from my last years in high school, all my college years and Scott and I’s engagement and marriage.

It reminded me of two things.

One, I am smart. I know I’m all hot bloggerish and all *ahem* (if anything, pictures proved very different) but I really am smart too. I kept so many things from school and one after another reminded me of all my accomplishments. Junior Scholar, Phi Kappa Phi, Upsilon Pi Epsilon, Internships, Honor Roll, etc. Then I went through all my Calculus and Writing notebooks from college and dang ya’ll, I have no idea what that means. But I did. At one point my brain comprehended all that. And just this weekend I was wondering why I was writing a book. And you know what? I’m writing because I have a good idea and I’m smart and creative and I should. And I should do a lot more than that. I don’t know what but I’m capable and I should do it!

And two, I was deliriously in love with Scott. And I use the word “was” only because it was that first love, make-you-scrapbooks-and-mixed-tapes kind of love. And it’s not to say I don’t love him anymore. After 15 years of being with him, I love him much more now to the point he is almost literally my other half, a part of me. But seeing all those scrapbooks and yearbook dedications and such was refreshing.

I do plan to blog about a few things I found. Some funny, some sweet. But today, I’ll leave you with my 20 year prediction and and dedications from my Senior Paper.

20 year prediction. Kind of close actually:

Senior Dedication. I don’t expect you to know anyone except MD is Melissa , HW is Heather (part of Joshes on HW is explained here) and SB is Scott. I just thought reading the end 12 years later was a little bit of “awww”.

My First Crush

January 26, 2009 by Amy 15 Comments

Ok, this should really be titled One of My First Crushes or My First Crush on a Boy at Church or maybe even more appropriately The First Boy I Stalked.

When I was in Fifth Grade (or was it Sixth?), we started going to a new church. We moved from a church of about 30 to 3,000. Somewhere along the way Heather and I both developed a crush for a boy. He. was cute. But very, very unattainable. Since it was such a large youth group (over 200 I think) we didn’t really cross paths except to say we were in the same room 3 times a week. We definitely didn’t run in the same circles. And we didn’t even go to school in the same state so we never saw each other there either. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever spoken to him in my life. (Heather, correct me if I’m wrong.) So I have no idea how we started liking him. Except did I mention he was cute?

But somehow we obsessed over him.

The sanctuary was large, shaped in an arc with two stories. Heather and I always sat in the second section from the left, first row in the balcony on Sunday evenings. This boy always sat in the second from right section about mid-way on the floor. And for whatever reason, we stared at him the entire time clapping and singing about how God was a Strong Tower hoping he’d look up at us. And every once in a while he would. And I’m very sure now trying to see if the two crazies had quit staring. But how did we poke each other and giggle which further encouraged our stalker-like staring.

I think word eventually got around to him that I liked him. I was told he said he wasn’t interested. I was ugly and I looked like a St. Bernard.

Either that was a lie, he didn’t know what a St. Bernard looked like, maybe I heard through the grapevine wrong or he REALLY thought we were crazy and was exaggerating so we’d leave him alone which was highly likely. Because as much self-confidence as I lacked, I knew I didn’t and don’t look like that. But, I got the drift. I wasn’t pageant material and he wasn’t interested.

But somehow we never quit looking at him, hoping he’d change his mind one day. I left that church when Scott and I got engaged. My family continued to go for a while and I remember going back and visiting and hoping he’d look at me and see how much I did NOT look like a St. Bernard, declare his long-time love for me and carry me off on a white horse. Needless to say my “love” went quite unrequited. Especially since we never, you know, TALKED.

And don’t forget to read about Melissa’s First Crush

November 1, 1992

November 7, 2007 by Amy Leave a Comment

I haven’t posted one of these Vintage Amy Posts in awhile so I pulled out my old journals and will be posting a few…

We had fun @ ML’s party. We snuck out, but didn’t get caught. We almost did though. We watched Wayne’s World & Sleeping with the Enemy. Well, let’s get to the good part.

M & I went to Carrigan Farms for Halloween with the youth group. I saw L and went to introduce M to him. We were down by the lake then and then went up the hill and he left. But GB, M’s dream guy stayed and talked to us. S didn’t really hang around us that much because she was mad at M for liking G. Anyway M and G sat beside each other after G asked her to. I told L to sit beside me. When the ride first started h put his arm around me and I didn’t think anything of it. Then he started rubbing my hand. I was getting cold and put my blanket over us. Everybody was throwing hay everywhere so M and G put their blanket over their heads and it didn’t look very good. But anyway, the hay was sliding, so L& I were practically lying down. By this time we were holding hands. And @ one point I though the had kissed me on my neck and if he didn’t, something was on my neck. We were under the covers and he asked me if I had a boyfriend and Heather called me so I took the covers off. I think he was going to ask me out. Then in the van we were holding hands. It felt like it was supposed to be, but I kept thinking about S. I don’t think S like me, so everybody says I should like L, but I know the minute I see S, I’ll start liking him again. I think I’ll just wait it out, I don’t know. When L was holding my hand, it felt good to hold someone’s hand, but I don’t know if I want it to be his.

Amy!

What you should know now:

Wayne’s World!

People, please remember I was 14. Why I embarrass myself with these, I don’t know. But I laugh at most of it. The really scary thing is less than two years from this date, I met Scott and have not dated anyone else. Yeah…that’s scary stuff.

If you’ve never read any of these posts or for some reason can’t keep up with my teenage love life, I did end up "dating" L. S and I sort of went on a date eventually but I don’t think he ever really liked me.

And yes, I really did write the word "at" with @ and really did put an exclamation point after my name when I signed it in cursive. There are also hearts drawn around this entry.

Honestly, I really don’t remember much of anything in this post happening. I remember sneaking out of ML’s party and I think all we did is walk up and down the neighborhood streets. I remember going to the farm and sort of remember there being a hay ride but can’t remember any of these details I mentioned. It feels kind of weird to read about events that happened to you but you can’t remember.

August 28, 1992 – September 14, 1992

August 25, 2007 by Amy Leave a Comment

OK, this is going to be a “series” of journal entries. There are several posts on one or two guys that need to be posted together. So here goes…this is REALLY long so you’ll have to “read more” to get the whole thing.

August 17, 1994

August 13, 2007 by Amy Leave a Comment

I think I’ve finally gotten a grip on the fact that M is leaving here. It has really upset me. I feel like there’s goign to be no one there for me in school; no one to tell everything to; no one to go everywhere with. It’s like she’s going to be in a whole new world. Talking to new people; riding with new people; dating different guys; different girls will be spending the night; a whole new crowd of people to put up with her stupid self. I just feel like I’m being abandoned. My friend S might be moving, M is, Scott won’t be with me in school, MF is in only to of my classes. I don’t know what to do!

What you should know now:

Don’t you love my use of semi-colons? Yes, that was really written like that in my journal. I was even a dork then.

M is the same M that is on my P2P players list and we are still friends. We’ve been friends since 3rd grade and still are. She ended up moving for a year (or two, can’t remember) and she did find new friends and did a bunch of new things with them that we never did together and we did grow apart some that year. But we got back on track when she got home. I think it’s interesting I found this one though, while going through St and Sh leaving the church. Apparently I don’t handle people “leaving me” very well.

Tammy Faye

July 23, 2007 by Amy Leave a Comment

I was shocked last week to finally see Tammy Faye at 65 lbs. and then saddened to hear of her death this weekend. My family has a sort of history with the Bakkers.

We live in Fort Mill, SC home of the original PTL or Heritage USA, whichever you’d like to call it. My earliest memory of my childhood is actually from PTL.

When I was 3 and my sister is 1 my parents felt led to move to the South. They owned a 2 story house in Maryland and yet when they moved to Fort Mill, we moved literally into a pup tent on the campgrounds of PTL. We stayed there for 6 weeks and then other people on the campgrounds let us use their camper for a few weeks until we got into an apartment in Charlotte, NC. I still remember going with my mom to the public restrooms at the campground.

My dad got a job at PTL. He worked in the hotel and then in the “pyramind building” as a computer programmer on their systems. My dad worked there for several years, even after we moved back to Fort Mill to a house.

I remember going behind the hotel counter and up the stairs to my dad’s office.

I remember looking over the railing and into the open restaurant and seeing people eating there.

I remember swimming in the indoor pool at the hotel.

I remember shopping at the stores on the Main Street in the hotel.

I remember eating ice cream at the shop on the end of main street.

I remember eating at the cafeteria there.

I remember the water park and always being afraid of the largest slide.

I don’t think I ever went down that slide.

I remember the big cliff jump and the lazy river and the wave pool and the tube ride and the lemonade drinks and the snack stand behind the waterfall. I even remember the lockers.

I remember everything about that waterpark.

I remember the outdoor pool near the condos.

I remember seeing the Bakker show taped at the studio.

I remember the skating rink.

I remember the big Moose.

I remember the country store and shopping there.

I remember all the people. So many people went there. Especially at Christmas for the light show.

I remember being in line outside of PTL just trying to get to our house and there was a little side street you could go around to get past all the traffic.

I remember when Dad worked at the pyramid place and I pulled the fire alarm.

I remember seeing Dad changing tapes on the computer systems.

I remember drawing a picture of a house with windows and curtains while we visited my dad one day there.

I remember the tram and the train.

So many memories.

In fact, my first job was at the ice cream store on Main Street. Even after most things were shut down, the waterpark stayed open and I used to go there every afternoon after my second job at the real estate.

One time I met Tammy Sue at the hotel. I remember seeing Tammy Faye and Jim one day there. I even remember seeing Tammy Sue at our post office one day.

I had their records and I remember listening to the children’s songs.

I have lots of memories of PTL and the Bakker’s. And let me tell you, they’re good memories.

My parents shielded me from all the stuff that happened. I didn’t really understand all of it. But even now, as I understand what happened, I don’t harbor bad feelings for them. We all do things we’re not proud of. He just happened to be in the spotlight. I do wish him well and when I say I’m saddened by Tammy Faye’s death, I am. It’s like a part of my past is gone.

July 17, 1993

July 17, 2007 by Amy Leave a Comment

Last night my family was planning on going out shopping and Mom had to stop by “a customer’s house”. We got there and it was M’s house. M&M made me a birthday surprise. They decorated her room and made me a cake. They were so sweet. I was SO surprised. We went swimming and then just went up to her room and talked about church and speaking in tongues and OF COURSE guys. It was G, C and DD. He’s a new guy of M’s. We stayed up till 6:00am and got up at 10am. 4 hours of sleep. I am so tired. Last night I called G and he told me he was thinking about me – alot. I asked him what he was thinking and he said happy things. I was fixing to say happy, happy, joy, joy but I didn’t. He said he had to tell me something. I just don’t know what it is. I really, really want to find out. Like now.