The other night, Homer told me he was using the Wayback Machine to look at an archive of his blog. When I looked up my old Blog*Spot blog on it, I realized I could finally get screen captures of the way my blog has looked over the years.

May 2002

Unfortunately, the Wayback Machine doesn't have my first template archived. It was a basic Blogger template that I tweaked a bit. This was the second template. Behold the beginnings of my awesome Photoshop skills creating a PLAIN TEXT BANNER.

And check out the old school Blogger logo before they went all Web 2.0.

November 2002

This was one of my favorite headers. When I look at this I remember how long it took to turn that G into a guitar because I still had no clue how to use Photoshop.

May 2003

This is the only template I used that was aligned left instead of center. It was also the first time I veered away from the all blue & white theme.

October 2003

I forgot all about this one. I'm horrible with remember font names. I think this one was called Bird Brain or something. I thought it was a little funky and retro looking.

February 2004

Ah yes. The somewhat radical decision to defiantly have no blue. I kept this look for the remainder of my time on Blogger.

July 2006

My first design for this domain. I was pretty happy with how it turned out, even though I built it in tables instead of CSS.

Cuz that's how I used to roll.

My favorite part of the design was the mix cassette tape. There were twelve in all and they rotated some of my favorite albums. I'm not sure anyone ever noticed the tapes changed because no one ever mentioned it or asked me about it.

Hmpf.

So here's what they were:

• Rockin the Suburbs - Ben Folds
• 10 Cent Wings - Jonatha Brooke
• Come On Come On - Mary Chapin Carpenter
• Extraordinary Machine - Fiona Apple
• Say I Am You - The Weepies
• The Mysterious Production of Eggs - Andrew Bird
• Life, Love & Leaving - The Detroit Cobras
• Yankee Hotel Foxtrot - Wilco
• Plantation Lullabies - Me'Shell Ndegéocello
• Prozak for Lovers - Prozak for Lovers
• So Much Shouting So Much Laughter - Ani DiFranco
• Soul Journey - Gillian Welch

January 2007

And finally, the first appearance of the official logo for the site. Even though it may not look like much work to do, the logo took me a couple hours to create in Illustrator. getting it just the way I wanted before creating a custom shape to use in Photoshop.

Now

Last September I rolled out the current design which allows me to change out the banner more often without changing the whole thing. It's probably my favorite of all for that reason.

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Permalink | File Under: Blogging, Nostalgia

I was looking for a notebook I kept thoughts, ideas and doodles over a decade ago. I remember writing lists of things I was grateful for and thought it might be fun looking at them before Thanksgiving tomorrow. I still haven't found it but I did find a journal I kept for a few years when I first moved to Arizona. Flipping through it I ran across this passage.

April 14, 2001

I bought a guitar today. It's a cheap one but it'll do fine. Playing's been sort of like riding a bike. It's all coming back to me. It's a good feeling.

I've been thinking a lot about gratitude lately with the holiday approaching. Of course I'm grateful for the big stuff: loved ones, roof over head, food in my belly, job doing something I love, etc. But what really stands out to me are the little things that punctuate my day-to-day life that make me smile, laugh or touch me. The morning sky. The taste of root beer. Seeing a little old lady in the grocery store smile. Laughter. Even having a cheap, blue guitar to play, just because it feels good.

I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving tomorrow. Or just a great Thursday, depending on where you live.

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Permalink | File Under: Life, Nostalgia

Teacher's notes from first quarter.

Brian is maturing every day. We need to work on better study habits and not visiting with neighbors.

I'm developing my social skills. Lay off me.

Teacher's notes from second quarter.

Brian isn't always the last one now.

Bitch. She actually underlined the word last.

Teacher's notes from third quarter.

Brian has been wasting time lately.

And your point?

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Permalink | File Under: Nostalgia

My maternal grandmother died this morning. She was my last living grandparent. She and I were not particularly close, not for any specific reason other that distance. We've always lived very far a part. Growing up my family had no money to travel, so I rarely saw my mother's family in the east. I saw Granny, as she liked to be referred to, only three, maybe four times ever. The last time was when I was in high school.

The second time I saw her, I was in junior high. My mother and I took the bus across country to visit her family. After picking us up from the bus station, we stopped at a restaurant to eat. After dinner, the waiter brought the dessert cart over and my grandmother said I could have anything I wanted. I picked a slice of carrot cake. I'd never had carrot cake before and it looked interesting. After I devoured it, Granny asked me if I liked it and I told her it was delicious.

Two years later, my mother and I took another bus trip to visit her family again. At my grandmother's house, she was busy preparing a big meal in our honor. She took my hand and said she wanted to show me something. We walked into the kitchen and she revealed a freshly frosted carrot cake. She told me she made my favorite... just for me. I looked a little confused — my favorite was chocolate cake with cinnamon — but said thanks and told her I was looking forward to having a piece.

Later, I pulled my mother aside and asked about the cake. She reminded me about the carrot cake two years prior. Even though that was the only time I'd ever had carrot cake, in my grandmother's eyes, it was my favorite. Since I was her only grandchild that didn't live near to her, therefore not knowing well, she clung to whatever she could from those few and far between moments we had together.

After that and to this day, carrot cake is one of my favorite desserts.

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Permalink | File Under: Nostalgia

Last month marked a decade since I first set foot in the Valley of the Sun. Taking a prompt from page 49 of No One Cares What You Had for Lunch: 100 Ideas for Your Blog by Maggie Mason, here's my last ten years.

1997: Moved to Arizona in a car with no air-conditioning or windows that rolled down. In August. What was I thinking?

1998: Bought a car with air-conditioning AND working windows thankyouverymuch. Julie moves to Phoenix. We will be roommates for the next nine years. Began volunteering at the GLBT community center.

1999: My father dies. My only concern not attending his funeral is possibly offending my grandmother. My grandmother, one of the sweetest souls I've ever known, says she understands and it's okay.

2000: Received an award for volunteer work at the GLBT community center. Had to unexpectedly hug a large, sweaty lesbian on the stage of the Orpheum Theater.

2001: Started this blog.

2002: Visited New York City for the first time. Minor fender bender sets off major depression.

2003: Started therapy with the biggest quack. Had the good sense to flee. Julie and I move from our modest crack pad in Tempe to swanky new digs in Old Town Scottsdale. My mom visits during Christmas.

2004: Nothing sends you running back to the therapist couch faster than your mother visiting during the holidays. Worked out some major stuff and took some not-so helpful medication. Tripping the blog fantastic and meeting bloggers Adam, Dyanna, Kacy and Homer.

2005: My grandmother dies. After two days in Oklahoma, I was never more happy to see the desert skyline. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I was home.

2006: Started a new career that I love, love, love. Named Roller Derby Fan of the Month. Oh, and produced the hottest dance track ever. (See Thomas. There was a time when I publicly mocked other people.)

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Permalink | File Under: Life, Nostalgia

I have this box of photos that is in desperate need of sorting. Most of the photos are from high school and college. I was quite the prolific photographer. If only I would have had the skills to warrant such productivity.

At some point, I should probably scan and label these photos. But for now, how about a look at some vintage Brian.

I think we were watching the premiere of
Beverly Hills 90210 when this was taken.

I have absolutely no recollection of this photo being taken. I remember when and where it was taken (senior year in college, spring break, Orlando), but don't remember the photo actually being taken. That wine glass may have something to do with it.

Luckily that lampshade is hiding my mullet. Yes, I had a mullet. It was the 90s. Everyone had a mullet. Or as my friend Kristin likes to say, everyone in Oklahoma had a mullet.

Even though you can't see the mullet — and trust me, you will see it eventually; there are countless photos of its existence — you can certainly see the swinging fashions of the day. Shirt buttoned up to the top. Friendship bracelets. And HELLO! Rolled up jeans!

Effin' classy.

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Permalink | File Under: Nostalgia, Photos

Holy crap! Check out those eyebrows!

Scary, huh? They look like they need their own zip code.

I think Mary said it best. "You grew into your eyebrows."

Nice.

This is my friend Kimberly. Kimberly, not Kim. Isn't she adorable? I miss her and her husband Todd so much. They just had a kid. It completely blows my mind to think that they have a kid. He is as adorable as they are.

I'm cleaning out a bunch of closets and boxes and stuff and finding a tons of nostalgia to OD on. I found a picture of one of my friends who died this year. She is so happy and smiling in this photo. I'm glad I have found it.

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Permalink | File Under: Friends, Nostalgia, Photos