D is for Dutchess County Pageant

So it is the last day of the A to Z challenge and I have letter D, A and Z left. I had so many topics for D
death, my dad's death, divorce, detachment, but they all seemed so depressing. I did not want to write a depressing post. I was looking thru old photos and found these ancient artifacts, the photos of me in the miss.dutchess county pagent missdutchesscounty.org So here is a look at me at the dutchess county pageant...

 While at a 2 year community college before I transfered I was told by the teacher Holly Molella that I should apply to be in the Miss.Dutchess County Pageant. I am not a fashion savy girl, and I am not a girl girl, I am a bit of a tom boy at times and so I laughed when she mentioned it. I am also not coordinated to dance on stage so what could be my talent??? I went home and did not think twice about it, the next day at dance class, she asked me again. She told me it was for 18-24 year olds and I was 19 or 20 so I did not have tons of years left. She told me it helps empower women, I thought how? they parade on stage in bathing suits?????????????? She told me it's good for the scholarship money and for self-esteem. This was something that was important to me, I had been advocating self-esteem in children for a few years in the early childhood field, why not see what all the hype was about for young women. So .. I applied... Was excepted ( of course I had to pay a 100.00 registration fee)

I was on the radio in my area K104 and I had a little spot to say about me, and come vote for me this Saturday blah blah blah.. then the practice began I decided to buy a poodle skirt leotard and do a rhythmic gymnastic routine, I had to go to Estella and Alphonso and get some lessons- I decided to do the routine to a
Janet jackson song. I had my talent now, so I practiced and practiced. Then it was swim suit shopping and let me tell you this was hard, finding a flattering one piece in a color good for me. The committee told me I should put breast cups into my suit so my nipples would not show, and so I would have a better curve. Then there were all the questions about virginity and about different rap groups and if I thought they were good or bad... Then the evening gown, These women spend tons of money and I did not have a lot of money so I had to find the best dress for me that I could afford.. Now, I am not one who believes in pageants for children so I was a bit of sceptic but the night of the competition I was excited and nervous. IT turned out that Holly Molella's niece was also running Lisa Molella and in the end she did win she is the one on the right of me in the light blue bathing suit. I won swim suit, I got a year membership to a gym in my area.  3 of the judges after the competition came up to me and told me to come again next year, that my talent was a little too cutesy and that I should do it more classic next year like a classic composer, do my routine to that. I thanked all of them for there advice. I did not try again, it was my one and  only time, but I do enjoy watching the Miss. America on television, and they have made it so much more modern, and hip.

 I was not able to locate my  interview parts, I loved my interview outfit it was dark yellow, but I loved the way it fit and looked, I wore it to my first job interview too, and I got the job. I was sad when I had to give it away.

  here we are the swim suit winner and the winner, she went on to Miss. New York-
So it's good to take a risk because it was an interesting genre of things I normally don't do, and I learned a lot about the industry, like at the time putting Vaseline on your teeth so you can keep smiling etc.. and lots of other tips... Oh, here is me wearing the poodle skirt and doing my routine....see the expression on my face...dramatic.... so funny My father came to support me, I still remember it to this day, and my sister she cried when I lost, and said, "you should have won." I remember it vividly. I do like to perform, but I am not good enough now to do anything on stage~