mercedes & jean: Just Like The Old Times

Back in high school, my best friends and I were lucky enough to meet a great group of guys, who with open arms, welcomed us in to their tight little group, and of course by open arms I mean they attempted to create a petition to ban us at first however, unsuccessfully - boys, am I right?! After accepting the fact that we weren't going anywhere, it was all of us - everywhere, everyday. Morning by the gym, lunch in the courtyard, smoke breaks in the parking lot after 3rd period. Every night we would chill at someone's house listening to the newest Alkaline Trio album or jamming to the departed greats like Operation Ivy.

Danielle & Chelsea - 2004

Tyler, Danielle, and Kyle - 2003

Ferris, Chelsea, and Me - 2002

That was the one common factor that kept us all together. No matter what happened, no matter who broke up, no matter who hated each other the week before - it was the music. It was Punk. The lifestyle, the music, the shows - it made us family. We were regulars at our local down town venues like Ray's or Spanky's. All of our friends were in bands and we absolutely loved them. The three of us girls, the "Doody Clan" as we were coined, could always be counted on to show up, support our boys, and be their biggest fans.

MIA - 2002

MIA - First Show

If we weren't at one of their shows, we would go see our favorite bands whenever they came to town and spent every summer at the Warped Tour. Bands like The Bouncing Souls, Less Than Jake, NOFX, Goldfinger, Green Day - every one with their own sound and style that contributed to our love of that punk lifestyle. Those shows, day or night, rain or sky, were always the best of our lives.

Sum 41

Andy & Eric

Ten years later and I still remember all of it like yesterday and to this day remain good friends. We lost some great friends along the way though, Tyler Vanderwall and Jarret Hoehman who will be forever missed but forever in our hearts. Some of us, like my best friend Chelsea, has been dating one of the boys, Andy, for almost six years and the other, Danielle, is all but engaged to the one and only Kevin Vorse. I'm not going to say I didn't dip my feet into our dating pool but some relationships don't work or you just grow apart and have been happily single for over a year.

Chelsea & Andy - 2014

Kevin & Danielle - 2014

Me, Myself, and I - 2014

The music - and of course the bond formed over ten years - has kept us close together. The boys have been in and out of different bands since then but are now steady and loyally where they belong from the likes of Routine Scheme, 84' Sheep Dog, and Rude Hecklers. If you are ever lucky enough to visit South Florida and happen upon a show, you will still see us three girls standing at the front of the stage, watching our boys every weekend killing it and making the punk scene proud.