Evolution of A Nerd
by Jenners • 02/06/2009 • Life • 73 Comments
Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek
Stop by and check out the other great stories being told!
Maybe you can even create one of your own!
A Nerd Is Born…But You Can’t Tell Yet
I started out normal enough. I look like any cute happy baby. The bow taped to my head to signify that I am a girl. But really, nothing to indicate the horror to come.
My Glory Days — Oh How I Miss Them
Me at 2 years old. Or, as I like to think of them, my glory days.
I have my long blond hair. A cute smile. Appropriate clothing.
Seriously, wouldn’t any parent want a daughter like this?
I’m holding my own still.
I believe this was Kindergarten.
Look at the blue eyes. The pulled back sophisticated hair.
The Mona Lisa smile.OK…the clothing is not the best
but it was the 1970s and my mom dressed me.
The signs are beginning to show a little bit.
First Grade. The hairdo (although perhaps appropriate in the 1970s) is not so cute. And what the heck is up with that outfit? Really — was my mom color blind?
The beginning of the long slide to nerd.
I believe this was the same year as the previous photo.
What is significant is that my beautiful blond hair is cut.
And how about that dress????
And BOOM! There you have it:
the exact moment I became a nerd!
I mean LOOK AT THOSE GLASSES! And the horrible haircut.
And the knitted vest!
If this is not the classic nerd photo, I don’t know what is.
Don’t I seem to know that something bad has happened to me?
The Transformation Is Complete.
Another unfortunate choice of glasses. Another bad hairdo.
More poor clothing choices. (Could my collar BE any bigger?)
The horror continues.
I remember picking these glasses and thinking
“Maybe no one will notice them as much.”
Well, if you wear glasses half the size of your head, people notice.
And look at the unfortunate accessory choice:
necklace sticking out of a turtleneck.
And a denim vest. Good lord.
And how about that hairdo. I believe this was my Farrah look.
And could my teeth BE any bigger?
Can you believe I had my first boyfriend this year?
Me neither. Back to the big giant plastic frames.
And look at the bizarre and unfortunate hairdo.
And again with a vest!!!!
Perhaps Contacts Will Help.
This is my 8th grade graduation photo. I don’t know if you can see it, but my grandfather typed on the bottom and added “contacts” in parentheses. This cracks me up that he did that.
The collar is not my fault; I was in Catholic school at this point.
The contacts helped a bit; this also marks the beginning of my “go to” haircut.
The Start of the Perm Experiment (1982- 1985)
Well, I got my contacts (which helped) but then I began perming my hair — with increasingly bad results. Can you believe this was from my PROM photo? Can you believe someone asked me to a prom looking like this? I must have a good personality.
My Official Senior High School Portrait
I worked hard to achieve this photo–my best school photo EVER!
(And the one I wanted people to remember me by.)
Helps to have a professional photographer and soft focus.
The Reality Is That I Looked Like This In High School
See how deceptive photos can be? This is what I actually looked like, but I was trying to erase that image from my high school friends’ minds with my “glamour” shot.
College … Yes…College.
Up to my old tricks with the gigantic plastic glasses.
Did you notice them? They are clear, chosen to “blend in” so no one notices I’m wearing glasses. Did it work? Did you notice the glasses?
A dramatic self-portrait taken post-college.
Back to the giant, dark-colored glasses –combined with a perm.
And how much do my arms look like turkey legs?
I wonder why I had trouble getting dates after college?
My only real saving grace was that I was super skinny.
Back to Contacts and the Long Hair Experiment (@1993)
I always felt that if I could grow my hair long again,
I would regain my former glory. (You know, when I was 2.)
This was not true.
Do I look like a vampire or what? Or Bette Midler?
I swear we have the same nose.
The Long Hair Experiment Continues
Unfortunately, my fashion sense leaves something to be desired.
This is Me Now
On our recent cruise in fact. I’ve pretty much just given up and accepted my inner nerd.
At least the glasses don’t take up half my face.
And I’m married now…so I don’t have to worry anymore about fashion…or make-up…or hair.
This is me…at 41. A Nerd. But a Happy Nerd.
And, now, I believe I’m qualified to display this button on my blog.
Visit Andy’s hilarious and totally fun blog — Wild ARS Chase –
for equally embarrassing photos.
You inspired me, Andy! Thanks so much.
I mean, I wouldn’t have done this if I couldn’t get the button.
And here is Andy’s post with his bad photos! Check ‘em out!
And, Andy, I believe I have you beat in the
large glasses department.
In fact, I may be untouchable!
I BARELY noticed those HUGE-MONGOUS glasses! Why’d you bother pointing them out?! I mean, they’re clear. ahahahaa
Requesting permission to post the photo of you with those glasses in a future post … just to show that they can make good looking people look insanely goofy!
Ha! I don’t know I didn’t see it that well! Send it to me. And stop that crap you are beautiful too.
Pingback: “Treasures” From The Past: My High School Wallet | Life … With Books
that was hilarious! why is it that when given the opportunity, children invariably pick the WORST eyeglass frames for themselves? my sister did the same thing that you did–awful, awful, awful. but HILARIOUS in retrospect. she went with the multi-colored frames because a teacher wore that style. oh boy…
my photos are pretty bad too. in middle school i used to trim my own bangs–bad idea–and my mom gave me a few toni home perms that are bad memories. the worst part? i wouldn’t let her perm my bangs. i’d have curly hair and poker straight bangs. nothing says awesome like that does…
Oh man … I’d love to see that hairdo!! And you would think someone, at some point, would have stepped in and told me what bad choices I was making! It wasn’t until I was in my 30s that someone at an eyeglass store FINALLY told me that the smaller the frames, the thinner the lenses. What a revelation that was!!!
awwww…you crack me up. I like that crocheted jumper with the little flower on it.
I believe my grandmom made it for me. I was so fashion forward …. NOT!
"And I'm married now…so I don't have to worry anymore about fashion…or make-up…or hair."
But what about your husband? Doesn't he care about all this?
Greetz from Holland.
LOVE this post!!!!!!
ok – followed the link from today's post (10.26.09) and I laughed all the way through the "transformation" process!! I must admit, however, that I have many pictures with some of the same sweater vest outfits.
You brought back lots of memories – and numerous smiles.
I think I just peed a little. That was the most hilarious journey I have been on in a while. Childhood photos are so cruel aren't they. I love the addition of the book in the "Transformation is complete" photo. Looks like you are ready to give a discourse. Oh and I totally could have mistaken you for Blossom with the long hair and hat. Great post!
I think I love you!!
I have a smile on my face that just won’t go away!!!
This is awesome.
That’s hysterical! Kay e-mailed me and told me I had to check it out! I remember your “super thick, just this side of blind” glasses in college. How are your glasses so thin now? Has technology improved that much in eyewear? Mike and I got Lasik surgery about 9 years ago, so I’m out of touch with all that.
I would do a similar evolution slide show, but as the youngest of 7 children, my childhood was barely noticed, let along documented with photography! On the other hand, I have thousands and thousands of photos of my own kids…but they’re so cute, with fantastic hairstyles and clothes and where’s the fun in that? Maybe I’ll start one now and then I can laugh at it with them when they’re in their 40s!
Is it ok to laugh at your expense? I’m not sure…but I’m laughing anyway. I’m glad you’ve embraced your inner nerd and you’re happy with YOU!
Thanks for sharing!
There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with being a nerd. At least that’s what I keep telling myself!
Just had to comment again after reading it for the third time and yes I am still laughing. OUTLOUD. AT WORK. WOW you are hilarious! Why am I just now finding you? Love it! Glasses, clothes, perms and especially your commentary!
Ok the part where you said, “I remember picking out these glasses thinking maybe no one will notice them as much…” OH and “glasses half the size of your face” I AM LAUGHING SO HARD TEARS ARE ROLLING DOWN MY FACE! I was a “4 eyes” kids BUT I also had freaking BIFOCALS in 4th grade so I definitely know your pain but I am cracking up. OUTLOUD. AT WORK. I had to teach my parents how to read with bifocals……lololol…gotta go so I can stop laughing….well after I scroll back up to read it again!
Thanks, your blogs always bring a smile but today I actually laughed till I had tears!
Heather’s M
You are hilarious! I am glad that I did not have to have glasses growing up. Although I have to say that I love your glasses now!
OH MY GOSH…this was a brilliant post! I loved every minute of it. And ok…I’ll admit there were a few awkward years in there…and a few unfortunate choices in eye wear…but look how great you turned out!!! And your glasses now are perfect! I am however bummed that I did this on my birthday post…and totally embarrassed myself…and never even got a cool blog button! Thanks for letting us watch you grow up!
The deal is ~ those glasses ‘back then’ were stylin’!!! You were in style!! Don’t argue. I remember because those glasses were THE THING!!
This post is so brilliant! i loved all your pics!!! -but I can’t believe you didn’t also comment that your nerd transformation was complete when you started posing for class photos with a BOOK in hand!
Really a gem of a post! Thanks for letting your Nerd Flag fly!!!
I see some moments you look more like a boy than a girl. but I believe we should be whatever we feel comfortable to be.
oh, I really hate wide glasses, sorry. I love what you are wearing now..
thanks for visiting dandelion
I like you were cute at first and then… well, you are certainly back to cute now.
I don’t know how I stumbled over here, but I’m glad I did. I hope that you don’t mind, I’ve added myself to follow.
This post makes me SMILE and think you’re absolutely an adorable person!!!
I like this idea of posting our “not so favorite” pictures of self.
Want to see one that’ll also make you smile, check out C.Beth’s Blog and her Netti-pot photo…it made me feel real
).
First off, let me just say, wow. I am so very impressed at your courageousness. Second, I’m not feeling so badly about my horrendous pictures of homemade dresses, hair permed to frizziness, and bad skin….thank you.
Oh dear God. That was hysterical. I loved the progression of all of the photos!
Hey! Glasses don’t a nerd make! Or else i became a nerd at age 4. I guess I did. Nevermind!
At least you don’t have to live down pictures with glasses and butch wax flattop hair cuts!
oh girlie! this was too cute. I think I laughed the whole way through. You are ROCKIN’ the uber short hair with the skinny glasses.
Thanks for visiting my PSF! happy weekend!
You are so funny. That was a cute post down memory lane. I like the Nerd is the new black comment. I think I’ll steal it.
You were so cute. We can all laugh at ourselves now because it’s so far in the past and here we are. It’s a good thing getting here and accepting.
Nerd is the new black.
You are too cute! ‘a nerd is born’….Lol!!!!!!
OMG!!! I almost choked I laughed so hard… Each picture, the collars got bigger and so did the glasses!! You look spectacular now and you ARE a nerd! Must be why I like you… LOL
Oh this was TERRIFIC! LOL! Oh those glasses…THOSE GLASSES! Man oh man…you’ve come a long way baby!
You had me with the BOOM! I started cracking up and never stopped. The words you wrote were too funny! And, I’m thinking you’ve completely come into your own now. You look terrific!
Jenners! You almost made me pee my pants, you silly girl!!!! That was tooooo funny! I know I have some pics like that…what I don’t know is if I am brave enough to follow in your blog-steps! You Rock!
Blessings!
Every picture brought a smile to my face!
I’m only a few years younger and I have pictures very similar….. big nasty glasses and crazy 70′s clothes! Oh those were the days that invented “nerd”! And what I want to know id WHY on earth are the makers of glasses trying to bring them back??????? I for one love the smaller less obvious choices! My kids and I laugh all the time at my photos like these, thanks for sharing them!
My tummy hurts from laughing so much!! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing those pictures all in good fun!! I remember those big glasses days. Gratefully, glasses have come a long way since then. It would be healthy for all of us to look back at those not so great old school photos and smile for a change.
You are so funny. I love these photos! Now I have to go see Andy’s. I have a photo similar to his on that button but at least I’m a girl!
Jenners – I’ve missed you bloggy-buddy!
This is by far one of the funniest posts I’ve ever read. I LOVE that you have all of the photos even accessible. I’d love to do the same thing … lord knows if I could find them all ,,, and my commentary would not be nearly as hilarious!
Oh this was great! What is it about GLASSES that makes a shot so CLASSIC (aka, hilarious)!?
I love it. I’m a nerd myself. I’m still fighting it a little, but I think it’s pretty obvious.
Now I know why so many of the photos of you reminded me of photos of me – we are the same age! I didn’t get glasses until I was 16 and didn’t wear them much till college, but they were huge. And the perms. Yep, did that. And your Sr. picture is so much like mine. Oh my. I like being in my 40s – it’s so much easier to accept who I am now.
Fun! I had similar experiments with hair, and OH, the glasses! Yup. Been there.
I’m loving this post! Oh the horrible mistakes we made with glasses!
With that flowered hat you totally looked like Miam Biaylik (SP?) in Blossom, by the way.
I’m loving the crocheted vest too.
Fabulous post! I am a little bit younger, so for me to see your photos from a different era was great! We all have pics like these though. It’s the sign of the times. You look great today and I think you look good in your current set of glasses. The previous ones, well they were a bit big. loL!
Okay, that was hilarious.
Way to embrace it!
Oh, you are so much braver than me. I have a pic of me in college from when I thought I looked pretty good. OMG. The glasses! Freak show. I’m too ashamed to let anyone see the pic now.
You have a nice look going now. Beauty isn’t about an ideal, it’s about being you!
M
Oh, God bless you for posting these for all of us. Other than the glasses (mine didn’t make their appearance until fourth grade), the hair thing resonates soooo much! I had the “shag”, the “Dorothy Hamill”, the perms (oh, my, the perms), long short and in between. Good times!
Hilarious! You did have some huge glasses!
I’m 41 for a few more days. 
I’d say at 41 you have graduated from your nerd days. You cracked me up today! I love people who can laugh at themselves and be confident. Have a good weekend.
What a cool post! Love all those childhood photos.
Mine are buried under a pile of worthless stuff and that’s where they’ll stay!!! At least for now…
It’s wonderful when you can laugh and smile about yourself! I think you have a wonderful sense of humour and ought never look down on yourself
hilarious! I think the perm experiment might be my favorite! Awesome psf!
You have made me laugh today!
First, nothing at all wrong with being a nerd. I have six living in my house.
And the glasses and your crocheted vest are to die for. Literally.
Holy hell – that was hilarious Jenners. Your comments were THE BEST! You are so very brave. I would NEVER in a MILLION years post pictures of me in my awkward years. Very scary, indeed. I, too, had huge glasses and an even huger gap between my teeth. Then there were the braces. Nice. Hot pink and lime green bands around the wires, meant to look cool, yet failing miserably. Thank God that’s over. I might still be in my awkward years, who knows – but at least I have contacts and my teeth are straight now.
That helps, right?
That was great! I missed the 70s but the 80s and early 90s were equally bad!! I have a horror of my perm days pictures ever coming out into the light of day!!
This post was the best… the stuff of greatness. You are a magnanimous soul, even if you are a nerd. Thanks so much for sharing this chronicle of nerdiness. Priceless photos. And happy ones at that.
My 7-year-old daughter loved the pictures – and so did I! My goodness, the collars and the huge glasses (had some big plastic ones myself!!)
I know I shouldn’t – but I’m laughing hard!
Ok, this had me rolling! Hilarious!
I wish I could share all of my terrible childhood pictures now too, but sadly I ripped most of them up one day after my Mother showed them to a college boyfriend. I so wish I was kidding. I had some terrible perms back in the day too. And a real, authentic Glamour Shot with electric blue eyeshadow. It was horrible!
This was awesome!!! Seriously, were people just color blind in the ’70s? Thank goodness pictures fade so we can’t see the real horror that is orange and olive green! If there was any decade that was crying out for black and white photography…
Awesome post – I love how you go from your first pictures all the way up to now. I had one of those haircuts, too, where I had this nice, long blond hair and then for some reason I wanted to chop it all off and my mom said – fine, and I really never should have done that. I’m loving all the different glasses, too, and the sweet ’70′s clothing.
YOU ARE SO MEAN TO YOURSELF!!!!!!!!!!! Girl anyone that grew up in the 70′s (you and me both) look the same!!!
LOL!!! You’re sooo funny!!
And I’m loving all those photos – adorable. You’re so precious when you’re little and I love the glasses. I wear glasses at night and the one you have right now is so charming!!
Great post!
xo
Oh. My.
Those photos are almost unbelievable. Holy crap. The hairstyles. The glasses. Just too much, too much.
Thanks for posting them!
Don’t ask me how I found you, but I did (from blog to blog to blog to…you know) Anyway, awesome post! Hooray for Nerds! And the dorks and geeks! We love them all! Too funny. Thanks for sharing those photos…you are a brave woman.
You. Crack. Me. Up!
The knitted vest is just awesome! I have never seen one of those before. Tell me you still have it!
I just laughed out loud! Thanks for that!
As long as you’re happy!
Me, I’m more of a dork than a nerd.