31 March 2007
Quote:
How pleasant is the day when we give up striving to be young
-- or
slender.
--William James
I
came
across a bunch of old photos yesterday. That plus the nostalgia
kicked off
by seeing Christian's decades-stretching collection has made me
thing a
lot about aging lately...
Where have the years gone? LOL
I realised the other week that contrary to what I always say I
have
actually lived in Sheffield for 5 years already,
not 4! I
have been with Stephen for 3 1/s years now.
All my life I was struggling with my weight, thinking I was too fat. When I look at some of the 2003 photos now I look quite "skinny" compared to today! I'm all bloated now. And it's not getting easier with age, so should I just give up?
I
am really
bad in remembering years, so the listing below may be all
wrong... Most of
my photos are still at my parents' house in Germany so this
list is
totally not representative. I've only scanned a few photos I
found flying
around.
What's missing are of course all the school years, most of the
90s, Cairo
and Mexico, everything from Darmstadt and Leipzig... so quite a
bit!
I'll have to get my photos from Germany and make a proper
timeline soon...
First school
day 1978.
The photos is very faded, I think the suit was bright
red.
Deep in the
80s... Spring
1985 or 86 (?). This one was taken on the farm where my mum
took us kids
to spend the school holidays. That year Annette joined us, and
we spend
most of the time listening to Bronski Beat and singing (yes,
singing!
LOL). When did From Luxury to Heartache come out? I remember
listening to
that one a loton my Walkman. Not sure if it was the same
year...
My 80s hair
and my
outrageous glasses. Must have been around 1988(?). I was madly
in love
with Lutz and spent most weekends at GCL (a sort of YMCA)
happenings in
order to see him. Of course I was getting nowhere and was very
heartbroken.
Same hair but
contact
lenses. Spring 1989 (?). I was very much into Marc Almond at
that time. I
was wearing a lot of rings as well.
First time in
London. The
hair is off. Autumn 1989 (?)
I'll have to look up the year. We went on a trip with our
English course
and stayed about 2 more weeks afterwards. I went to all the
George sights,
from Eltham to Woolwich to Hampstead, and we took about 600
photos in
Hampstead alone!
Spring 1991.
It was Bow
Down Mister time, check the Hindu tilaks on my customised
jumper! I had
the hair like this when I passed my A-Levels. In the summer I
went on a
trip to Spain with Marion and lost my virginity in Barcelona.
LOL
Autumn 1991,
wearing my
special ID T-shirt. I remember that this was taken after our
1991 Spain
trip at Pitti's birthday party. I had just started my Graphic
Design
course at Darmstadt FH. That hairdo (or the proper version of
it) won my
hairdresser the first price at a talent competition. I got
great haircuts
for free by modelling.
Growing out
the hair. No
idea when that was taken... 1993? I had decided to let the hair
grow so
that I would be able to wear a "bun". I stopped using
chemical dye and
went all natural with henna. The no-fringe cut doesn't suit me
at all.
This must have
been
during another Spain trip. I have some photos from Granada
where I am
wearing quite skimpy clothes and I look skinny! I never was
more skinnier
than at that time. I had discovered Bulimia.
Big jump: Me
at work as
intern in Sheffield, 2002. This was taken at Plantation House
in Ecclesall
Road. The office was so crammed!
HaHa Bar,
early 2003? I
was there with Katrin, Johann and Fabrice, so it must have been
shortly
before Katrin went back to Berlin and shortly after I split up
with
Fabrice. Cropped fringe. Interesting.
With Lukas, my
youngest
brother, at Easter, Sheffield 2003. A very rare
"family" photo. Taken in
the Sheffield winter gardens during my parents'
visit.
At my birthday
party with
Mirjam, summer 2003. The T-Shirt I'm wearing was given to me by
my
colleagues. It is an S size and was always a bit tight. But I
look alright
wearing it there.
With Fabrice.
We had
already split up by then. I was stalking Stephen big-time, but
he didn't
come to that party. He did give me a present
though...
In Sheffield
at the canal
2003? Taken by Stephen.
Office XMas
party in
Sheffield 2003. Fabrice got very drunk and I had to take him
home in a
cab. That's party-popper paper in my ears in case you're
wondering. Not
sure why.
In Spain,
Christmas 2003.
I went to see my parents in Marbella and also paid a short
visit to
Barcelona on the way back. This year was the last time I've
been to
Taoufik's place. His baby sister was already living with
him.
In Lincoln,
Valentine's
Day 2004. Stephen and I had gone for a romantic 3-course dinner
and hotel
stay. It rained a lot that weekend.
With Stephen
at one of
our famous Halloween parties.
Can't remember which year. This is at Mirjam's
place.
At Pitti's wedding, summer 2004. I
still fit in
that dress, but it's a bit tight around the thighs. Apparently
I got very
tipsy at the champagne reception and talked about anal sex with
the
bride's auntie... or something like that! LOL
Some passport photos and self portraits:
This is my current ID card photo. 2000/1? I know. Don't
ask!
This is my current passport photo. Taken in Leipzig shortly
before I
left. It must have been early 2002. How pretty and misleading!
Another passport photo. I'm wearing earrings so it must be
quite old.
Probably taken in Leipzig.
In
Georgia, March 2003, visiting
Petra. It was
still very cold and snowy.
Probably in Barcelona, at Taoufik's place, Christmas 2003.
I'm wearing
a stone from Bridlington that Stephen made into a pendant for
me.
Possibly drunk and emotional in my room at Carol's. I'm
wearing
Taoufik's winter jallabia so it must have been in early
2004.
In
Tunisia, March 2004. This was in
Tozeur, in
the desert. I'm wearing a hood because it was either very windy
or very
sunny.
I took this in a photo booth in Nottingham, November 2004,
on the day I
moved house on the eve of our Florida trip. I am completely
knackered.
They had convinced me that I wouldn't be able to rent a car in
the USA
without an international driving license. I never got that
license at the
Nottingham post office that day, and they let me rent that car
in Florida
with my German license without any problems in the
end...
A nice one. Taken in Sheffield.
