Blast From the Past: 2006 vs 2016

Everyone has been doing these #2006vs2016 posts on Instagram. Is the internet largely dominated by 20-somethings, so that comparing the last 10 years became such a thing? Maybe people are excited about how their physical appearance has changed as well. If you take puberty into account, then it certainly changes many things.

January 2006. This is one of my favorite pictures of myself.

2006 has been a key year for me. I was 15 (turned 16 in October) and so many things happened in my life back then:

1. I started my first blog in the infamous israeli blogging site, Israblog. I am forever grateful for myself for starting that blog. It is a curious time capsule of me as a perky yet angsty teen. I wrote many stuff reminiscing on 2006 back in December of that year. I love coming back to that post.

2. I finished middle school and started high school. Both in music major, and both schools being the most amazing educational experience in my life.

3. Israel had a war with Lebanon in the summer of that year, which made us run to shelter a few times per day. This lasted only 1 day though before my parents packed their bags, my brother and me and moved to our relatives in south of Israel where things were quiet. We basically spent our summer in the warm desert bathing in the pool. It was "the best war ever".

4. I was introduced to Opeth's music. In high school I met a few metalheads who introduced me to bands I wasn't aware of before. Enjoying some nu metal music and visual kei in 9th grade, 10th grade started with a mixed CD burned for me by a classmate featuring Opeth, Epica and a few more.

5. I met Boris. And the rest is history ;)

September 2006. I bought my first ankh and was wearing it all the time.

The picture above: I got my hair dyed purple (had it pink during the summer). I was completely oblivious about the various grooming habits. I didn't do my eyebrows or makeup, sometimes my nails but that was already a stretch. I believed makeup didn't suit me. I was tanned because it's normal in Israel. I had a good idea what clothes I wanted to wear but no clue how to style myself.

In general, I was a kid. I wasn't trying to act "mature", I was pretty goofy, loud and cheerful. Everything excited me and when I fell in love with Boris - the world changed.

I like how your appearance changes with time, but I mostly like how my thinking changes. Some of that happy, hyped fangirling Maria is still left in me. Some things grew stronger, some new things came. I am so grateful for being able to change. I wouldn't imagine staying the same thing all the time. I was eager for change back then, and I always am.
This is why I like Opeth so much - apart from enjoying the music, they have been with me in that very eventful year, my love for them hasn't changed one bit despite so many other things moving forward. They remind me that the person from 2006 is still there.
Needless to say Boris reminds me of that too in every aspect possible.

Picture by Emilie Arfeuil for her project on changes in appearance. Boris and I took part in the project for a few years now, check it out: Official Website.

2016 has not been so horrible for me. Sure, it was a lousy year globally, but personally this year has been exhausting and unsatisfying, yet not completely bad.
I had plans that did not happen, my orthopedic problems continued and it really brought me down. There are some career goals I had planned for Autumn that flopped as well and I am still jobless which is a huge problem. On the other hand, I've been to 5 different countries this year, a new record! I played in a band and realized which music I really want to make.
So all in all things weren't that bad. I can safely say that my worst year has been 2010 so far, but that is a story for another post.
I am looking forward to the next year. I want to achieve some things for myself in many directions. Fingers crossed.

Picture by Emilie Arfeuil

Maria