CENTRAL NEW JERSEY [1987-1992] : A PHOTO ESSAY, OF SORTS
[I have decided to write a series of picture-filled ‘sweet journey] posts that I hope will share my story, a story of a Third Culture Kid turned Adult. You can find earlier posts here : Paris [1980-1983] and Manila [1983-1987]]
This is where we begin the tale of a newly-initiated Jersey Girl trying to make her way in the blaze of neon, slap bracelets and New Kids on the Block, otherwise known as the ’80’s. We moved to a modest Colonial style home in central New Jersey, West Windsor to be exact but “near Princeton” to the non-Jersey folks. Surrounded by farm land and about a 70-90 minute drive to New York City or Philadelphia. Essentially the best of both worlds.
My life was all about school [I was a nerd – often found on my bed or couch, or up a tree on occasion, reading, reading and doing some more reading], playing the viola and perfecting my soccer fullback skills. We saw a lot more of my extended family since we were finally Stateside, so we often spent holidays together, at one or the other’s homes.
alexandra, circa 1989-ish . straight rockin’ the patterns, colors + neon .
my cousin Mary Frances & I on Santa’s lap . I finally could face Santa without tears!
me and my bestie, Anna, prior to an Elementary School orchestra concert .
me and my superstar viola teacher, Mr. Pugh . I loved being in pictures, can’t you tell?
The Comets . Man, don’t we just scream soccer all-stars? I scored the teams only goal all season, in position as fullback [coach just screamed “run! go! RUN!”], in the last few minutes of our very last game . All-stars, indeed!
A favorite summer tradition was celebrating my father’s July birthday at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ where I got to bring a pal or two along to ride the coasters for a day . I may not look like it, but I loved the super fast upside-down ones. Here, I’m with my pal Petra [my dad’s sitting behind her] .
Granny Mary, me & Grandpop Al after my First Holy Communion . The short period of time I had pink, instead of red, glasses .
Another favorite summer past-time was spending a few weeks a year at various spots along the Jersey Shore . Here with Petra and a friend of hers at Long Beach Island .
with Mom & Grandpop Pete on Easter Sunday .
slumber parties were all the rage . with my besties [bonnie, petra and anna] eating pizza, watching a riveting movie, apparently .
another birthday party where swooning over boys and sharing gossip became more important than watching movies and eating pizza .
in front of our gigantic lilac shrub with my great Aunt Dorothy [my Grandpop Al’s sister] . this must have been before or after a community orchestra concert, given my uniform . I often wear Pacifica’s French Lilac perfume to remind me of spring in New Jersey . this was taken a few months prior to moving to our next destination…
sweet betweens [blog] 