So here's where it all began - more than 30 years ago! Some of these photos make me laugh: I'm not even sure if "Super Teen" and "Teen Beat" are still around, but they were a big deal back in the 70s. So was rollerskating and disco. If the 50-year-old Valerie could have given advice to this teen-aged Valerie, I would have probably grabbed myself by the shoulders and said, "You're healthy and young and beautiful!" I remember being very self-conscious back then, worrying that I was fat. I hope you enjoy these memories as much as I do!

P.S. Special thanks to Keri Kenney (Twitter - @valeriefans) for sharing these photos from her MySpace fan site.