Looks like me

I was reading Boing Boing today and there was an article on how to make your own Bluetooth sniper rifle. This, in and of itself, was interesting 1.) because it was just pretty cool, like most programmers, I appreciate technology for technology's sake, 2.) because no one got arrested for pointing what looks like a rifle at a bank building in downtown L.A. (way to spend those Homeland Security funds!), and 3.) because the guy in the article (John Hering from Flexilis) looks strangely like me when I was in high school.



As proof, and because I know Mean Mr. Mustard might eventually pay my wife for similar fare if we're both still at the same employer when I turn forty, and I don't want her to feel like she's prostituting herself, here are pictures of me from my younger, trimmer days (clickable to slightly larger versions).

My tennis days. I also played for the boys' team. The girl third from the left (top row) is an old girlfriend, Julie. The one second from the left (top row), Katie, married my best friend Dan (same high school, though not right out of high school - by then she had a Master's degree and he'd had enough of Desert Storm) and I was best man at her wedding. The one just to the left of me (first row), Tori, I tutored in physics. The one on the far right, first row, with the Flock of Seagulls haircut, is also a Julie and was my brother's first girlfriend - not like the first girlfriend you have when you realize you might want to kiss them, but the first girlfriend you have when you're about 7 or 8. She used to chase me around the playground because I was her "boyfriend's" older brother. She was a very good tennis player. I'm front row, second from the left. Next to me is Pat. He and Katie once had very similar perms.


An action shot - I looked a lot better when I was exercising four hours a day.


This is the one I think looks similar to the picture above. Mr. Mustard will appreciate this one, it's a knowledge bowl picture - he once coached knowledge bowl or something with a similar name. I think it was to meet hot chicks.


And finally, because it's funny, my picture for the independent study class. There's Katie again (front row, left). Behind her, the tall guy, is Chris Sells, Microsoft evangelist, renowned author of C++ and C# books, friend of Don Box, and owner of www.sellsbrothers.com. I look forward to the hits from Microsofties - leave your Biztalk advice in the comment section. Second from the left, back, is Mark who set records running cross country for Duke and may or may not have been a Jesuit for a while (when I was on my class reunion bike ride last year, a female friend of his snorted when it was noted that he was a Jesuit and remarked that he may have been teaching for them, but he certainly would never "be" one). Fourth from the left, Kyle - a good friend of mine still and currently plying a jack of all trades roll as a printer and layout artist (among other things). Fifth from the left, Mark, who just got done with a tour of Antarctica setting up weather stations. Sixth (and shortest), Shelly, my fake wife from psychology class who was greatly embarrassed when some friends (refer back to "Kyle") ran into our classroom with a cabbage patch doll proclaiming she'd been unfaithful. And, on the far right Tanya, then (a different) Mark. Tanya was the recipient of a wonderful tape my brother dj-ed for her while she was in Japan studying veterinary science - he recorded romantic tunes for her like Dokken's "Beast from the East". Mark - well, I don't know where he is - one of the last times I saw him I was trying to trick him into eating an orange die with a barrage of peer pressure and the hypnotic suggestion that it did indeed look like candy.