i stumbled onto an old fabric-covered box today and found it was filled with pictures and other tidbits that i had once had on my bulletin board during college. i really had to laugh as i looked through them. it was like looking at pictures of someone from a galaxy far, far away.
especially this one:
i think it was 1991 and i was miss state fair and here i am standing next to senator tom daschle, who later went on to become senate minority leader. but i gotta ask you...WHAT WAS I THINKING WITH THAT HAIR? i was clearly in a marilyn monroe period, which i guess was something i copied from the early 90s madonna.
my quest to go to the miss america pageant began as revenge on a boyfriend who broke up with me. i was so devastated that i lost 17 pounds in a week. this rendered me thin and publicly presentable in a swimsuit, so i very rationally decided that the best revenge was for him to have to see me on t.v. in the miss america pageant. how seriously misguided was that? why did no one tell me? bear in mind there was no reality t.v. in those days, so the pageant was to be my chance.
the other idea i got in my head about the pageant thing was that i would be the first smart woman to win a pageant--i would prove, again, on national television, while stating my deep and abiding desire for world peace, that you could indeed combine beauty, talent and brains all while looking seriously hot in a swimsuit. again with the seriously misguided notions! why didn't someone stop me? to be fair, my dad tried to tell me, but i wouldn't or couldn't or simply didn't listen.
i also didn't win. i didn't even come close. but i did have fun. if only i'd gone for a bit more natural look. seriously, what was i thinking?
9 comments:
well gosh i think you look enchanting! that blond hat and that shy smile are lovely :) but you had the daring...didn't over think it and don't you sometime wish you still had the nerve to go ahead and do something wild without thinking your way out of it?? great post! fun and heart warming all at once.
What a wonderful smile! You're positively beaming...
"i didn't even come close. but i did have fun." That ought to be enough to make you glad you did it, that nobody 'told you' :)
Wow. Thanks for sharing this with us.
robin & elementary--so glad you received this positively. i was sitting here having serious second thoughts about sharing it. i think i have a vague sense of shame over the whole thing...but your reaction helps. :-) thank you!!!
You do have a great smile :)
"stating my deep and abiding desire for world peace"
LOL!
(little old lady....too funny. I had to comment on your comment. Was too cute not to mention.)
Great post!
What do you mean we can't praise world peace...and look hot? I've been doing it for years! LOL!!!!!
I, for one, am glad you didn't listen to your dad.
Love this post...:)
This is wonderful! You look beautiful. And here in East Texas, that hairdo is still the style du jour. :)
What chutzpah you had!
PS - what did the ex-boyfriend think? And double PS - "thin & publicly presentable" is a funny, funny phrase. But 17 lbs in a week? OMG!
Debi
jaime--thanks. it is pretty funny with LOL. at least in my mind. :-)
enchanted--thank you too for receiving this positively. this felt like the most out-on-a-limb post i've done.
debi--i never found out what the ex thought, but since i couldn't even manage to win miss SD, i didn't really get on t.v. :-) and i think it scares me a little bit that people are still doing that to their hair--do you have any idea how much bleach and hairspray that took?
i really did lose 17# in a week. i cried all the time and couldn't even watch food commercials. it was the best diet ever. and i was totally better off without him!
jaime--thanks. it is pretty funny with LOL. at least in my mind. :-)
enchanted--thank you too for receiving this positively. this felt like the most out-on-a-limb post i've done.
debi--i never found out what the ex thought, but since i couldn't even manage to win miss SD, i didn't really get on t.v. :-) and i think it scares me a little bit that people are still doing that to their hair--do you have any idea how much bleach and hairspray that took?
i really did lose 17# in a week. i cried all the time and couldn't even watch food commercials. it was the best diet ever. and i was totally better off without him!
Im impressed. Not on my worst week could I even fathom losing 17 pounds. And 2) that you actually BROKE UP with someone. I am SO bad at making that happen....I mean, i finally worked myself up to breaking up....I just cant seem to END things.
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