As I was writing this entry, it seemed to expand exponentially with each category I added. Therefore, I've decided to split it into several parts, including such esoteric topics as personality, social attitudes, and plans and dreams.

Remember that these opinions are from me looking outwards. You may have your own opinions on how I've changed. Feel free to share them with me if you want.

Today: The Body Perfect
Or, Why no one from high school recognizes me anymore.

Height:

Then: 6'0"
Now: 6'0"

I achieved full height fairly early on. In fact, when the rest of the guys were looking up at the girls they were dancing with, I was looking down at them all. I think I reached full height somewhere during junior high school.

I always figured 6 feet was the perfect height. Tall enough to look over most people, without being some gigantic freak (Sorry Dave).

Weight:

Then: 150 lbs
Now: 230 lbs

The change is due to some muscle mass - I certainly couldn't have had less back then - but mostly it's the bulk of comfy living. My ideal weight is somewhere around 200 pounds, given my bone structure and height and such. I think I was there for about two weeks back when I was 23.

Bear in mind that the change in mass wasn't due to any change in lifestyle. I still spend a lot of time in front of the TV or computer, and I still love me some rich food. Back then I had a really high metabolism I guess. I used to get hyperactive phases where I would run everywhere and talk a mile a minute and such. These have since devolved into sarcastic, stand-up-comic phases. Not quite the same for fat burning.

Overall, I am much happier with how I look. While I don't like having rolls of anything hovering around my middle, I have a physical presence I never had in high school. I like being able to put my shoulders back, walk tall, and have people get out of my way. I've even had the occasional person tell me I can look somewhat imposing when they first see me. Woo hoo!

Hair:

Then: Dark brown
Now: Dark brown with white strands

This was one of the rare pictures during my high school years where I didn't have a huge mess of curly hair wrapped around my head. I have naturally curly hair, which sounds marvelous to people with straight hair. They think it means nice, natural waves, when what it really means is that it requires a quart of gel to make the strands point in the same direction.

Anyway. I don't know what I was trying to achieve, but back then I would let my hair grow to frightening proportions. It never got that long as such - the longest it every got was to my shoulder blades - but it got bushy. It was referred to variously as 'the white-guy's afro' and 'helmet head' depending on the observer. The remains of haircuts usually resembled a terrier in terms of size and mass.

If I had been asked to describe my hairstyle, it would have been, 'parted in the middle and brushed back', when in truth you should add to the end of that statement, 'and then allowed to expand like a Chia Pet on high-speed film the rest of the day'.

These days I generally keep it short. Once every three to six months I shave it all down to about a half inch in length, and let it do what it wants from there. As soon as it shows signs of misbehavior, I buzz it all off again. When it gets long enough, I tend to part it on the right and brush it back. If I use gel, I can make it all spiky, but I have to use industrial strength gel. Anything less is insufficient to the starfish-like pressure my hair exerts on product. Once I used Brylcream for a greaser costume, but my hair took full advantage of the oily slickness to gather itself into tiny Shirley Temple ringlets. Danny Zuko, eat your heart out.

Of course now my hair is starting to go gray. I say gray, but in truth it looks like it is going white, which would be very cool. I refuse to color my hair, and really hope I end up with a shock of white hair once retirement rolls around. I've gone through some thinning around my forehead and the top of my head, but so far, it's not too bad.

Eyes:

Then: Brown, glasses
Now: Brown, contacts

My eyes have never been that great. Around grade 4 or 5 we realized I was unable to read the blackboard from the middle of the classroom, and I've needed corrective lenses every since.

I was also very hard on my glasses, which necessitated my folks buying me plastic lenses. Plastic lenses are generally twice as thick as their glass counterparts, so I always had the huge, thick, coke-bottle glasses. I even went the half-shaded look for a while. Yuck.

The day before I went to college, I got my first set of contact lenses. I've never looked back. I look a hell of a lot better now that you can see my face. And the babes came a runnin'.

Now I look at the new fashions in glasses and want to get a pair of those. Sometimes there is no pleasing me.

Nails:

Then: Bitten
Now: Mostly intact

I was unable to stop biting my fingernails until college. And this is not just biting them, but tearing them off down to a level that caused pain at the least, and bleeding at most. I still don't know why I did it. Regardless of where my self-esteem and stress levels were over the years, I've still had to fight it. Even now I find myself occasionally chewing on a sharp corner or loose hangnail.

And leave all your 'oral fixation' comments at home, okay? Thank you.

There was never a real moment I can remember deciding to stop biting them. One day, some small corner of my mind said, 'Hey, that nail there almost looks normal. Why not leave the rest alone and see what they all look like long?' And now, as long as keep my hands lotioned, I can avoid temptation.

Skin:

Then: Oily
Now: Mostly clear

Oily skin is part of my genetic heritage I guess. Luckily it hasn't translated much into acne. I've a couple acne scars at my temples, but overall I'm clean. I'm still fighting a running battle with blackheads on my nose, but in general I'm ahead. The little bastards have proved resistant to pore cleansers, strips and the like. I'm considering a facial to rid myself of them once and for all. For now.

Next time: Life lessons and life skills.

On Enterprise: Finally! Since the first episode we've been saying, 'Boy their weapons suck.' Now someone on the show said it, and they did something about it. Cool CGI aliens too.

On Buffy, the Vampire Slayer: Nobody told me the new season would begin so soon. I already missed an episode! Reading the recap at MBTV just isn't the same, although it doesn't look like I missed much.

Shuffledog's Slacking at the Office Tip #5: Beware the office move! If there is ever an internal desk shuffle, be very careful how you slack for the first while after. It is very easy to fall back into your previous slacking patterns, which may well not work given the new configuration of desks, sightlines, etc. I suggest a slow reintroduction of various methods, to give you some acclimatizing time. Don't resist changes. Also, look around for other people caught in this trap. You are not slacking if everyone else is doing it too.

One Year Ago Today: Fire in the hole - where I talk about the floor fire in our El Camino.

Mom Rating: 4 out of 5. Momma always thinks her baby boy is perfect. As long as he loses some weight.

Previous: Baby Piggies

Next: Resume of Life

Take me home, big fella