The Shake-Face

In some of my recent detours from job-hunting, I've been going through my baby pictures and looking at other more current pictures as I map out a strategy for scrapbooking. Let me start off by saying this: any detour that deals with looking through pictures is worth the time taken away from crossing the finish of my job-hunting maze because it makes me happy. Some pictures, however, make me want to cry--some from laughter and others from pain.

I mean, we all have pictures from our past that we hate. Personally, though, I dread the newborn to one-year phase of my not-so-glamorous babyhood. As a newborn I dropped into the world measuring a not-so-petite 10 1/2 lbs and 23 inches long...Oh, did I mention I arrived early? 

Because of these hefty numbers I am convinced that I ate my twin in the womb. Alas, my mother tells me time and time again that, no, it was no last minute pre-birth sibling gorge that resulted in my weighing the poundage of two healthy babes combined; I was, simply put, gargantuan. 

(You see why I stick with the twin theory?

Also, note the left eyebrow...can you say "hottie!")

This burden of being blessed at infancy with John Goodman's good looks, (because, let's be honest, that picture makes me look like him) ruined me. I was forever trying to make myself as adorable as the cute kiddos my age by modeling clothes from my dress-up box, hosting tea parties, and acting out the fairy tales from my imagination. Luckily, at around 2 years old I seemed to outgrow the awkward Sumo-wrestler baby look and, I'm proud to say, became a somewhat adorable little girl.

(See! I really was cute.)

Unfortunately, history has begun to repeat itself, and the pictures you might find of me today might make you question just what happened to all that cuteness I worked so hard to achieve as a kid.

You see, I've recently discovered this glorious thing that I like to call The Shake-Face.

A Shake-Face is simply an ugly--and i mean ugly!--self portrait taken with a digital camera, and all you have to do is shake your face as hard as you possibly can. 

Sounds like a brilliant idea, right?! Bear with me a bit, and you'll see why the Shake-Face is such a hit.

My friend and I were introduced to the Shake-Face on my 22nd birthday.  On the way home from dinner, my brother suggested (to a semi-buzzed me) that I try shaking my face as fast as I could so he could take a picture of it. I agreed because, let's be honest, a buzzed idea is always the best idea at the time of the buzz.

He took the picture, and I was absolutely blown away by the amazing/awfulness of the shot. 

And so, years of childhood hard work at looking somewhat photogenic were put to waste. My goal was no longer to be on the cute side of the how-do-I-look spectrum; I now sought the cringe-worthy end.

This was the beginning of the Shake-Face tradition!! One in which shouts of "We can look uglier!" and "That's not hideous enough!"cause many eyebrows to quirk and parents to wonder at the backwardness of the whole thing.

See for yourself why people wonder...

The Shake-Face @ Overflow (my church's group for high school, college, and young adults):

Responsible leaders hard at work!

(This is why we're best friends.)

The Shake-Face in Arizona on a mission trip with junior high kids:

(We got in trouble that night...

Lesson Learned: Shake-Face does not lull children to sleep. Who would have thought?)

The Shake-Face @ the Junior High All Girls Sleepover:

(After an all-nighter with jr. high girls I don't recommend Shake-Face....

Because. It. Hurts.)

The Shake-Face has been to Disneyland, Jersey Shore night at the best friend's house,  poolside, and church...It's basically become the we're-bored-so-let's-kill-time time-filler, and it has yet to be replaced by anything more giggle-enducing. 

I don't recommend Shake-Face to the self-conscious; however, if you decide to try Shake-Face, there is one important thing you need to remember:

YOU CANNOT LAUGH IN THE MIDDLE OF A SHAKE-FACE!!! 

And I do guarantee you'll be laughing...Also, it's semi-guaranteed that you'll get a headache. It cannot be good for your cranium, but it's definitely good for a laugh. 

Just relax your face, then shake and shoot!

P.S. If you know of any other ways to get-the-giggles and spend zero dollars, I'd love to hear them :D