getting what you asked for

While visiting my parents in Tucson, and being trapped indoors for most of the day by the oppressive heat, I helped them complete a few projects including sorting through old photographs.  Some of the older photographs were in sad condition due to being stored in acidic paper albums so I was only too happy to remove them and scan them into digital files.

Some of the photographs can't be improved easily, though a digital media graphics expert could probably fill this one in:

early 80's.  I'm the smallest person.  Yes, I know that I looked like a boy.

Yes, I also am aware that my shirt reads, "fondle with care."

But a few more years of weathering will erase that fact.

Other photographs I was able to scan and then edit in Photoshop until they were close to their original condition.  I am a huge fan of Adobe products.  Here's a photo of my father with his sister and their family pets:

circa 1946 in Whitesboro, New York.  I love how "Americana" this photo is.

But perhaps any rural photo looks that way to someone who grew up as an expat.

For my last batch of scans, I chose an album of high school photos.  One of my favorite photos is this one, which was taken during my sophomore year.  It was my first time wearing the white varsity top instead of the orange junior varsity top:  

I posted the photo on Facebook and several of my high school classmates responded with their own favorite photos.  I had a good chuckle at my friend Shannon's photo because I knew the background story.  Shannon used to work in the food service section of an independent theater.  It was a seemingly ideal job for a high school actor and drama club member, except that it wasn't.  The manager of the Cinema Grill might have benefited from reading up on workplace sexual harassment.  One of his less odious moves was to dictate that the female members of staff were required to wear lipstick.  Shannon eventually decided to comply.  Enthusiastically.

Technically, her manager did get what he asked for.

Thank you Shannon for reminding me that sometimes rather than protesting unfairness I need to think of more creative solutions.  I should keep a copy of this in my wallet for inspiration.