Misc
Rick James
“That’s me when i was in the fifth grade. I begged my dad for that hair-style. We bought the beads and paid the lady at Fantastic Sams $80 to braid my hair and a tip. At the time, I was using organic shampoo. When i took the braids out several months later, my hair was covered in a strange film and swelled to a giant afro. I also shed three handfuls!”
(submitted by Shira)
Duck Date
“AFP Hall of Fame photo ‘Look Who’s Talking 2’ features me when I was seven years old. This photo I re-discovered today proves I was just as awkward when I was 15. My father was a magician back in the 70s and 80s, and since I looked just like him when he was younger, his friend thought it would be funny to recreate one of his publicity stills. I wasn’t really into the idea, since the duck wouldn’t hold still and the polyester tux was super itchy.”
Look Who’s Talking 2
(submitted by Taylor)
You Are My Sunshine
“This what it looks like when 1979 meets a perm and then gets dressed up for a dance recital. Just another one of my weird recital costumes from that era (my previously published photo is in the AFP Hall of Fame – Tinseltown… my claim to fame!).”
(submitted by Vanessa)
Born To Be Awkward In Stores Today!
We’re proud to announce the publication of our fourth book, Born to Be Awkward. We want to thank all of the families who so boldy sent in their photos… we say this often, but none of this would be possible without you. This book is truly for everyone– anyone that has a baby, knows a baby, or has been a baby at some point and we’re going to wager that’s most of you. The book highlights all of the awkward moments of babyhood– from trying to support the weight of our own heads to learning to eat, sleep, and take a punch from a sibling. Born To Be Awkward makes the perfect baby shower gift and even better, you could prevent another baby from having to take an awkward photo… but then again, why would you want to do that?
Bear Hug
“My father took this of me in 1968 in the parking lot of Lollipop Farm, a petting zoo in Henrietta, NY. Apparently, they just had a grizzly bear head lying around for kids to play with. I probably had bear brains in my hair when I too, that thing off.”
(submitted by Dorothy)
Recreating The Awkwardness
Lined up youngest to oldest, my siblings and I recreated this old family photo. We still had the same old painting to hang on the wall.
(submitted by Evelyn)
Blank Space
“Our mom’s first marriage didn’t end well so we have been told that my grandmother altered the wedding photo shortly after the dissolution. This is a good example of our families no-nonsense approach when encountering difficulties in life. Cut it out and move on.”
(submitted by Paula)
Tale Of Two Sisters
Rachel
“Here I am cheerly coloring alongside my older sister while she encouraged me, “You’re doing really good!” She suggested mom take a picture but the moment we held up our pages for the camera she whispered to me, “Yours is terrible!” The rest of the story is written across my face.”
Nichol
“I am the oldest of four, with my little sister here, being the youngest. Until she showed up I was the queen of everything. Needless to say, I was a little bit jealous. One day, we were coloring together and she as try I got to color like me. She was two or three. I was about seven. I was pretty proud of my newly honed artistic skills and wasn’t prepared to let her take this away from me. So I encouraged her and to,d her what a good job she as doing and that her picture was really pretty. Every time I’d use a crayon, she’d wait until I was finished and then use it and try to do what I was doing. My mother, clearly touched by the love and sisterly affection shown between us, wanted to see a picture to preserve the moment forever. She asked us to hold up our pictures. I asked my mom to wait a minute and whispered in my impressionable little sisters ear, “yours is a scribbled mess” the I smiled for the camera and my mom snapped. Capturing the moment I popped my sisters balloon and let her have it. Am I proud? No. Is it funny? Yes!!! Every time I see this pictures I cry with laughter. My mom didn’t knickname me Lucy (after the Peanuts character) for no reason. I showed this picture to my husband when we first started dating and was howling with laughter at the time. He was appalled, but he still married me. Ten years later, there are times he remembers this picture and wonders why he didn’t heed this warning. The way I look at it, I saved her from a lifetime of misplaced confidence. She was clearly not as good as me, and she could have ended up like those people who’ve ended up in X-factor because they’ve had encouragement when they should have been told to stop. Thank goodness my little sister had me.”
(submitted by Rachel and Nichol in the UK)
Outbreak
“Our kids 1st communion during the swine flu scare back in 2009. The Catholic Church made the decision that weekend to not have the moment in masses where everyone shakes hands.”
(submitted by Ted)
