OT: Family portraits, Rip Rokken style

[Rip Rokken]

So I'm working on something incredibly important -- yet another wisecrack post on MR.com -- when my wife starts griping at me to get up and get ready for our family portrait. I told her to wait 5 minutes, but she would not and kept bugging me. I guess she prefers to get there 30 minutes before our appointment and wait in the waiting room watching some off-brand Peter Pan DVD, whereas I'd prefer to get there with just enough time to ensure my ponytail is in good shape.

So I got irritated and decided to add some fun -- I put on the black button-down she requested, and then put on my Queensryche logo pendant (a big ol' pewter bat), hoping she wouldn't notice. She did ask me what it was, and I said, "Oh.... it's sacred... tribal, I think."

The pictures turned out quite well, but unfortunately my pendant had slipped behind my collar in every shot but the ones I didn't care for. Oh, well... I may try it again sometime.

[larryfromnextdoor]

dude,, dont fall for it again.. family portraits went out in the 70's... olan mills, sears.. ect..

[Rick]

dude,, dont fall for it again.. family portraits went out in the 70's... olan mills, sears.. ect..

So true Larry. That was hilarryious!

[Rip Rokken]

dude,, dont fall for it again.. family portraits went out in the 70's... olan mills, sears.. ect..

Ha! Well, this was Penny's! It is usually a 3-step process:

1) She promises me we are only going for the free 8x10 (or else she'll pay for whatever else she wants).

2) She ends up ordering wayyyyyy much more than the free 8x10.

3) She's conveniently forgotten her purse when it's pay-up time.

Seriously, they make cheap holiday gifts, and they've come a long way since the Olan Mills days... haha! These turned out pretty cool!

[mistiejourney]

dude,, dont fall for it again.. family portraits went out in the 70's... olan mills, sears.. ect..

Not true!!! They are still in vogue!!! I just refuse to pose for any until I'm skinny again. I'm figuring about 2020......

[StoneCold]

dude,, dont fall for it again.. family portraits went out in the 70's... olan mills, sears.. ect..

You guys are highfalutin, Olan Mills and Sears?

I remember a portrait studio at a KMart.

KMart didn't have the status then it does now.

[Perrydise]

My mother refused to have a family pic done until she was through with her menopause. She claims that everyone she knew that had them done had a surprise bundle come about the following year.

So with this advanced notice Rip....congrats to you and your lovely wife on your new addtion coming next yr.

[Rip Rokken]

My mother refused to have a family pic done until she was through with her menopause. She claims that everyone she knew that had them done had a surprise bundle come about the following year.

So with this advanced notice Rip....congrats to you and your lovely wife on your new addtion coming next yr.

(CHOKE!!!) No, way! 1 kid, that's it, and she happened on a cruise ship! That was also the night the DJ in the Karaoke bar on the ship talked me into singing some Journey! (which I hadn't done for several years) I did "Separate Ways" and I still remember the very cool compliment he gave afterwards. So for that week, I was a "cruise ship singer" myself... haha!

[Perrydise]

J/K Rip. Please post the pic when available, would love to see your lovely family.

[Rip Rokken]

J/K Rip. Please post the pic when available, would love to see your lovely family.

Hey, I certainly will! In the meantime, here is a Rip Rokken pic from a few weeks ago that is not a family pic... haha!



Just teasing... Mrs. Rokken thought it was funny..................................................... At first, anyway...

[CatEyes]

J/K Rip. Please post the pic when available, would love to see your lovely family.

Hey, I certainly will! In the meantime, here is a Rip Rokken pic from a few weeks ago that is not a family pic... haha!



Just teasing... Mrs. Rokken thought it was funny..................................................... At first, anyway...

Nice pic, R2

Cat

[Rip Rokken]

Nice pic, R2

Cat

Why thank ye! Here's my little pride and joy!

[Rick]

J/K Rip. Please post the pic when available, would love to see your lovely family.

Hey, I certainly will! In the meantime, here is a Rip Rokken pic from a few weeks ago that is not a family pic... haha!



Just teasing... Mrs. Rokken thought it was funny..................................................... At first, anyway...

How in the hell did you get that woman to let you pick her up like that? She's gorgeous. I'm not sure I know who she is.

[KenTheDude]

J/K Rip. Please post the pic when available, would love to see your lovely family.

Hey, I certainly will! In the meantime, here is a Rip Rokken pic from a few weeks ago that is not a family pic... haha!



Just teasing... Mrs. Rokken thought it was funny..................................................... At first, anyway...

How in the hell did you get that woman to let you pick her up like that? She's gorgeous. I'm not sure I know who she is.

Oh just my ex-girlfriend...I upgraded LMAO!!

[Rip Rokken]

How in the hell did you get that woman to let you pick her up like that? She's gorgeous. I'm not sure I know who she is.

LOL! You want the real story? Ok... This was at a horror convention recently, and I also got pics with Linda Blair, Shawnee Smith (from the SAW series), and two very cute girls from Rob Zombie's Halloween (all are on my PhotoBucket page).

This woman was a bikini model named Alex Del Monacco, and was sort of a Pam Anderson looking girl. I got the impression she actually kinda dug me, because when we took our photo, she wanted me to spank her. I laughed and said, "Umm... how about something else?", then she said, "No, really... spank me" and put my hands on her butt... haha! I laughed again and said, "My wife would KILL me.... how about I pick you up instead?" She went for that. When I lowered her back down, I thanked her and started to walk away. She took my hand and pulled me back for a big hug. Yikes! If I'd been single, I might have gotten myself into trouble.

[Rick]

How in the hell did you get that woman to let you pick her up like that? She's gorgeous. I'm not sure I know who she is.

LOL! You want the real story? Ok... This was at a horror convention recently, and I also got pics with Linda Blair, Shawnee Smith (from the SAW series), and two very cute girls from Rob Zombie's Halloween (all are on my PhotoBucket page).

This woman was a bikini model named Alex Del Monacco, and was sort of a Pam Anderson looking girl. I got the impression she actually kinda dug me, because when we took our photo, she wanted me to spank her. I laughed and said, "Umm... how about something else?", then she said, "No, really... spank me" and put my hands on her butt... haha! I laughed again and said, "My wife would KILL me.... how about I pick you up instead?" She went for that. When I lowered her back down, I thanked her and started to walk away. She took my hand and pulled me back for a big hug. Yikes! If I'd been single, I might have gotten myself into trouble.

Holy freakin moly! I'm glad I asked.

[Rip Rokken]

Holy freakin moly! I'm glad I asked.

I think she has a website if you want to know more about her. Google her name and you should find it.

[Rick]

Holy freakin moly! I'm glad I asked.

I think she has a website if you want to know more about her. Google her name and you should find it.

I did.


She's smokin!

[Rip Rokken]

LOL!!!

[nutz4Neal]

Why thank ye! Here's my little pride and joy!

, now this one is priceless. Aren't kids the bestest? Can't wait to see the family pics and your tail, RR.

[Rip Rokken]

, now this one is priceless. Aren't kids the bestest? Can't wait to see the family pics and your tail, RR.

Yeah, they really are! You can actually see part of the tail on the left of my head in that picture, but you have to look closely. Ok, this is the best I can do now for photos without borrowing someone's scanner, and I will probably take these down later and replace them with a new one when they come in.

Mr./Mrs. Rokken 7 years ago on our wedding day (we eloped). I still had short hair back then, and looked kinda scrawny in this pic...




Rip after deciding to grow his hair out one last time before I grow old. Now I wear it in a tail most of the time. I have very few pictures of me with my hair down anymore, and this one was taken for a specific purpose (hence the serious look)... haha!




Rokken's Rugrat, when she's not making silly faces (very recent):

[Sassie]

She's a doll baby!

[CatEyes]

OH my stars!!!

She is an angel R2 - and the Mrs. is good looking too??

How did you luck out?? Did you bribe her? Was cash involved??

Cat

[Moon Beam]

Great pics RR, thanks for posting em.
I love how Daddy's personality shines through in
your Daughter's silly pics.

[JH'sTXfan]

Good lookin' family Rip. Your daughter is bright-eyed and adorable.

[Rip Rokken]

She is an angel R2 - and the Mrs. is good looking too??

How did you luck out?? Did you bribe her? Was cash involved??

Cat

Hey, thanks to everyone for the nice comments on little girl -- she's really my pride and joy! And yes, she's starting to develop my sense of humor, poor girl!

As for the Mrs., we met in a way that I always promised myself I'd never meet anyone (and trust them, anyway) -- out on the town. It's really a strange story, and was extremely by chance. I'll try to make it super short -- there were a ton of people there that night -- hundreds -- and each of us were out with friends. Neither of us was really into the "scene", and weren't there to meet anyone. I was actually there to support a friend who had just broken up with his g/f. So I'm trying to encourage him to come out of his shell, and he starts trying to make it a joint effort, but I wasn't in the mood to meet anyone. Anyway, at some point I saw her and just remarked, "If I meet anyone tonight, it would be her." (with absolutely no intention of doing so -- I just thought she was the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen, and there was something about her, but she looked like trouble... haha!)

Total freak chance, 20 minutes later I hear someone talking to me in this crowded room, and it's her, asking how much it costs to play pool! I ask her if she'd like to stay and play pool with us, and she smiles and asks me, "Will you take me home later?" NO JOKE! I was freaking speechless... It turned out she was asking me if I'd give her and her friend a ride home afterwards... haha! (they had ridden with another friend they were hoping to ditch). I'm just nice and polite, and just let her go when her friend pulls her away. My friends start ragging on me, saying she was obviously interested, and I totally blew it. So one of them goes back to her and tells her I'm interested (I know, this sounds so stupid), and she comes back. I blow it again, and let her walk away. They rag on me even harder, so finally I go up to talk to her, and tell her I'd like to take her out sometime. She asks for my #, and I laugh, saying, "No, why don't you give me your number?". She does -- I wait about 2-3 days and call her at work, she says she'll need to call me back, and I just laugh after I hang up the phone, because you know how that goes... they never call back! But she DID! And that's what really piqued my curiosity. It just went from there, so actually, yes, I think fate and extreme luck played into it all the way around. Especially since I had absolutely no game whatsoever when I first met her. I just don't care anything for all that fakeness, line-slinging, all that "pick up" stuff. I'm surprised she even talked to me.

Cash? It's actually still involved from time to time... haha! A $20 bill works magic for a headache, ya know!

[Moon Beam]

Awwwwww schweet story RR, thanks for letting us read in on it.

[larryfromnextdoor]

-- I wait about 2-3 days and call her at work

awww.. the ole.. 2-3 day wait out... very sneaky.. gets them everytime,, ill gaurantee you.. if you called her the next day you would still be single..

[CatEyes]

great story R2!!!

Thank goodness you did not screw it up!!!!

Congratulations on your beautiful family.

Cat

[Rip Rokken]

-- I wait about 2-3 days and call her at work

awww.. the ole.. 2-3 day wait out... very sneaky.. gets them everytime,, ill gaurantee you.. if you called her the next day you would still be single..

Haha... Well, maybe I had "a little" game. Quickest way to turn someone off is to seem overeager or desparate, which is why if she hadn't have called me back, I probably wouldn't have tried again (extreme, maybe, but just my choice). I never had a problem knowing what to do once I had a chance... I just don't like club scene dynamics. I absolutely detest using lines, gimmicks, etc. You know, if I had to do it all over again, I don't know what I'd do in today's world. The dating scene has changed completely since I was single, and values are different as well. Too much phoniness and superficiality, hidden agendas, etc. I'm not even sure I'd want to get married again, because it's VERY hard work! (but well worth it)

In the end, all the things I thought were important 7 years ago quickly turned out to be not so important, and other things had to take their place in order to make things work. A guy has to learn when the grass is green enough on his own side of the fence and quit wondering what it's like on the other side. We don't have the greatest amount of things in common, and we have totally different temperaments, but she is completely loyal, loves me unconditionally, is a great mom, and still blushes when I smile at her like it was our first date. Can't trade that for all the tea in China!