Yearbook Photographs

Ok, this is going to be another Neurotic-Ex-Dork-Reliving-Her-Childhood post, so fair warning. Probably a waste of time.
Still with me? Ok. FAIR WARNING.

I have a few hot buttons. A few! (loud laughter) Is there anything at all worse than being a hideously geeky tin-teeth dork in high school?
Hi cutie! The worst picture ever taken of me. I didn't even show it to my parents, I was so humiliated.
Say "prom" to me and my heart begins to beat faster as I relive the moment that my little Sunday School crushee actually fled to New Orleans (1975) and France (1976) rather than go to the prom with me. Or the moment that my other little crushee just bluntly told me that he didn't care to go with me.

Now say "yearbook photography" and watch me begin twitching spasmodically.

For some reason I was obsessed with having my picture in our high school yearbook! Don't ask me why. Why do teenagers do anything? I was obsessed, and not particularly timid about it either. Now that I have a little perspective, I wonder why I didn't try to become a photographer for the yearbook. (shrug) It was all boys at the huge, impersonal high school I attended. Girls didn't do things like that in those days, at least not at Beverly Hills East High.

Freshman year, I managed to have my back in a shot by hurrying down the hall when I saw one of them aiming his camera. Nice looking back, I'll say.
I followed another one of 'em around and begged him to take my picture. Being a nice guy, he agreed. "Bring a flower and dress in your prettiest spring outfit," he told me. "I'll take your picture holding a flower for a Springtime theme."

I did, and he did. There I was, grinning like a fool, glasses and braces gleaming in the sunlight, holding a rose.

Imagine my surprise when a cheerleader's picture holding a rose was substituted. (shrug) That would have deterred lesser souls, but I was not a lesser soul. I pushed and shoved my way into every picture that I could for the rest of my high school career.

Well. I have two daughters. One is going to have a yearbook for the first time this year, 3rd grade. I learned this during my first Parent Teacher Conference in the fall. A list of possible volunteer duties was given to me and what did I see.....Yearbook Photography.

"I...I could take a couple of pictures for the yearbook," I volunteered shyly. (Yes, I am being sarcastic).

The teacher stared at me.

"No, really! I have this really expensive camera," I elaborated, babbling hideously. "Um..even some PROS use it. Really! Um.. I would be glad to take a couple of shots for you."

She shrugged and picked up a $3.00 disposable from her desk. "I guess you could do better than this," she smiled.

So tomorrow I go in to assure that THE NEXT GENERATION HAS HER SHOT AT IMMORTALITY.

Madeleine is very nervous. "Don't embarass me," she warned.

"Please make a list of dos and don'ts for me," I replied. And she did.

I will behave. And take a few pictures of a few of the kids...y'know...not playing favorites or anything. Oh no. No.........