Picture this...
Memes still in braces with plaited pigtails, wearing a newsboy cap, white mesh turtleneck, matching acid-washed denim vest and jeans, numerous buttons and extra-large hoop earrings.

You probably think that I'm describing Memes when she was still in 6th grade, sitting on the bed in her room watching a recording of Diana Spencer's wedding to Prince Charles on her Beta VCR for the gazillionth time, daydreaming of having a wedding just like that to her #1 crush Julius Sitanggang, and opening her eyes to see Cyndi Lauper snickered on the wall, then realizing that no boy would ever like her, not when even Boy George looks way prettier than her.

But no, I'm not describing Memes circa 1984.



I'm describing Memes at present time, attending her son, Kevin Aprilio's high school yearly talent show, wearing something she thought was hip and trendy in order to be able to blend in with the other students and at the same time show the other mothers that her beauty regime has definitely paid off in keeping her looking youthful, smiling at the camera from an unknown tabloid, ecstatic that she still gets interviews even though she hasn't cut any album or done anything significant since 1998 and also from the fact that her whole enemble, from the colored contact lenses down to her cellphone, matched the folding chairs, but at the same time worrried whether people could see her crow's feet because her botox injection was starting to wear off or her bulging belly because she forgot to suck in her tummy and hold her breath, oblivious to her son crying in the bathroom wishing that he had a normal mother who wouldn't dress like a moron in public or do anything embarrassing, like coerce the talent show's committee to give her 15 minutes onstage to perform her mediocre hits.

THAT'S the Memes I'm describing.