those five years were good to me.

My aunt Dalis sent me a few old pictures yesterday, and I was completely struck by how different I look now versus five years ago.

In December 1998/January 1999, my family and I flew out to Seattle to visit Fred & Dalis there. It was immediately after I finished my college classes and literally less than a week before I broke up with the guy I dated throughout most of college — we decided to split up the day before I made it back home from my Christmas vacation. I had gained a lot of weight and was somewhere in the neighborhood of depressed. Here are pictures from that:

I’m particularly horrified when I focus just on my face:

Now, take a look at my trip to Hawaii last September to visit Fred & Dalis and Ma & Pa Norell on Oahu. I had known Daniel for about a month and had spent the previous nine months on a pretty strict no-sugar diet and working out tons. I was a vision of happiness:

And again, take a closer look at my face:

I am just stunned by the difference.