Tires and Tiaras
Can I just start off by saying how I have missed this BlogSpot? I think of it often and have blogs in my head on a constant reel it’s just now finding the time to sit down and write them out. I miss talking out loud to myself as I type these things and hoping you read them with as I speak them into the keyboard! [I’m really not crazy! ;)] I am going to try to do better in between school and life! With that being said, let’s get back to business!!
Some of you might have seen where I was a pageant judge this past weekend and some of you might not have seen this…so this past weekend I was asked to come judge the Miss Simms pageant in Simms, Texas; a small community right outside of Texarkana. This experience was seriously all kinds of fun!! But, let me start at the beginning of this weekend journey. I needed to be in Texarkana between 6 and 7 on Friday night, so Friday morning I promptly left my house at 8:30am (with my luggage) to head to Avoyelles Hospital to do a little work before I left town. On my way I have my first flat tire. While a flat tire could be so much worse, I was already just having one of those days where I felt on the verge of tears and I honestly did not know why (Please tell me I am not the only person out there that has days like this!!) I am on the side of the road with a flat tire, knowing I do not have the money for a new tire, knowing that this is going to put me severely late. I call my dad…no answer at the bank because he is super busy. I call Greg, he’s super busy, but tells me to try to put some air in it at the Kolin General store and see if maybe it’s just really low. I ever so gently roll the car to the air pump, praying this works, and of course it doesn’t work. I talk to my dad…he can not leave work...Meanwhile my mom is calling…and I just burst into tears…yes...I do…Over a flat tire!!
I call Greg back and he is somehow able to leave his crazy office and starts heading my way. So I’m standing there at the Kolin General Store and behind my big sunglasses tears are flowing and I can not stop them for anything!! I start mentally getting angry with myself for these unexplained tears and the frustration with the situation….the mental rollercoaster was enough to just make me give up on the day being successful...it went something like this “flat tire…no money to replace the flat tire…I hate asking for help like this...maybe its pride...its probably ride...I am independent...but now I am not inconveniencing other peoples busy day and schedule because I can’t change a flat tire..I am a girl I shouldn’t have to change a flat...No one has even asked if I need help?? Its not that I can’t learn to change a flat or don’t have the capabilities to change the flat BECAUSE I am a girl...its just I am a girl…Oh Rosie Riveter would be so ashamed of me!!” (Need I continue on with the internal conflict of my inner feminazi self?!?!? That’s a whole other blog in itself!!) It was exhausting!! Greg gets there, changes my tire like its nothing and shows what looks like a nail hole. He gives me some advice and he has to then get on the road to head south and I am on my way to go buy a new tire, something I have never done. On my way, I call my Pops because he has been in the “tire business” for over 20 years and probably knows a thing or two ;) … He tells me to get a “plug patch” NOT a patch for the tire. I get to the chosen local tire place and tell them I need a “plug patch”; you would have thought I would have announced the apocalypse….EVERYONE in the waiting area looked at me and collectively said “no you need a patch” the blood rushed to my face and neck as they each gave me their own reasoning for the patch over the plug patch. I fill out paperwork then slip outside and call my Pops. At this point, he goes into protector mode because he’s a protector and a little cranky over his nieces. I tell him where I am and he says “stay right there I will call you back.” My thoughts go to “oh no...Please be nice...Please be nice!” My Pops is very professional and nice I just know how he can get in his protector mode. Not long I get a call back and he says “Ok I spoke to them; They are a customer of ours. They are going to take good care of you. Just do what they say.” This was one of those days where I wish I had a camera following me around because I can NEVER describe to you the difference in treatment when it was learned that I was Russ Brown’s niece!! It’s really funny to me now! I go inside and sit down to wait….but then I notice there’s something furry next to me….and its nothing else but a wonderful cat, and I am highly allergic to cats!! I just prayed against an attack!!
SO, after a phone call from Russ Brown for his niece and being a now VIP customer, my wait was not long and I was able to make it to Avoyelles Hospital for 1 and left there about 4. My ride to Texarkana was slightly eventful and I began wondering if I was just not supposed to go….While driving on the interstate this very large bird comes out of NOWHERE and flies right into the side of my car and then bumps my windshield. It was quite possibly the scariest thing I have ever experienced like that!! I gasped, screamed and then had chest pains!!! (next road trip I’m installing a camera…) after that my GPS decided to take a new route through Shreveport and takes me straight up through the ghetto of Shreveport, I was the only person in a car on the streets; after that this girl chased me down cause she thought she knew me…..When I finally arrived in Texarkana I was never so happy to be at my destination!!! (Forgive me for this is so long!!)
Upon arrival I learn that I have to go to the “hideout house” with another judge because the contestants are still at the auditorium. (this was so official!!) After my long exhausting day I did not get to bed until 1 am and had to be up by 6am on Saturday morning.
*****PAGEANT DAY*****
Saturday morning, upon arrival the other two judges and I were escorted to our “Judges Room” and we began judging for the “most photogenic” contestants. Judging a pageant really is not an easy task, you have to be on your game the entire day with a smile on your face!! When 10 am came and the morning pageant was getting ready to begin, we were escorted with our judge’s folders to our table. The best part was when the door opened and we filed into the auditorium a hush came over the crowd. I composed myself to look very professional on the outside while on the inside I was giggling and thought “OH my gosh that’s hilarious…I am so official right now!!” The day was full of frills, laughs, smiles, encouragement, numbers, decisions, and sparkles!! It truly was an exhausting but most rewarding task! I think I found the most rewarding part of the day was the afternoon interviews and getting to write little nods of encouragement and affirmation on the score sheets the girls get this week. I have never been in a pageant and never really understood the point; but this experience opened my eyes to some of the positives. What a better way to instill self esteem in young girls and help them overcome the insecurities that society influences in girls and women!?! I was so impressed with these girls who were true to themselves in their journey of the Miss Simms pageant of 2011.
We crowned a Baby Miss Simms, Toddler Miss Simms, Tiny Miss Simms, Petite Miss Simms, Little Miss Simms, Young Miss Simms and Miss Simms; but before we crowned them, we had a little fun of our own with the crowns:
You didn’t think there was going to be a room full of tiara’s and me not try one did you?!?!
All in All, after the dramatics of Friday and a weekend of total 10 -12 hours of sleep, it was a blast and an honor! I hope to judge a pageant again in the future!
Baylee and I
Just a pretty shot on my dramatic drive!
So until next time dearies!! Have a Fabulous day!!!
Some of you might have seen where I was a pageant judge this past weekend and some of you might not have seen this…so this past weekend I was asked to come judge the Miss Simms pageant in Simms, Texas; a small community right outside of Texarkana. This experience was seriously all kinds of fun!! But, let me start at the beginning of this weekend journey. I needed to be in Texarkana between 6 and 7 on Friday night, so Friday morning I promptly left my house at 8:30am (with my luggage) to head to Avoyelles Hospital to do a little work before I left town. On my way I have my first flat tire. While a flat tire could be so much worse, I was already just having one of those days where I felt on the verge of tears and I honestly did not know why (Please tell me I am not the only person out there that has days like this!!) I am on the side of the road with a flat tire, knowing I do not have the money for a new tire, knowing that this is going to put me severely late. I call my dad…no answer at the bank because he is super busy. I call Greg, he’s super busy, but tells me to try to put some air in it at the Kolin General store and see if maybe it’s just really low. I ever so gently roll the car to the air pump, praying this works, and of course it doesn’t work. I talk to my dad…he can not leave work...Meanwhile my mom is calling…and I just burst into tears…yes...I do…Over a flat tire!!
I call Greg back and he is somehow able to leave his crazy office and starts heading my way. So I’m standing there at the Kolin General Store and behind my big sunglasses tears are flowing and I can not stop them for anything!! I start mentally getting angry with myself for these unexplained tears and the frustration with the situation….the mental rollercoaster was enough to just make me give up on the day being successful...it went something like this “flat tire…no money to replace the flat tire…I hate asking for help like this...maybe its pride...its probably ride...I am independent...but now I am not inconveniencing other peoples busy day and schedule because I can’t change a flat tire..I am a girl I shouldn’t have to change a flat...No one has even asked if I need help?? Its not that I can’t learn to change a flat or don’t have the capabilities to change the flat BECAUSE I am a girl...its just I am a girl…Oh Rosie Riveter would be so ashamed of me!!” (Need I continue on with the internal conflict of my inner feminazi self?!?!? That’s a whole other blog in itself!!) It was exhausting!! Greg gets there, changes my tire like its nothing and shows what looks like a nail hole. He gives me some advice and he has to then get on the road to head south and I am on my way to go buy a new tire, something I have never done. On my way, I call my Pops because he has been in the “tire business” for over 20 years and probably knows a thing or two ;) … He tells me to get a “plug patch” NOT a patch for the tire. I get to the chosen local tire place and tell them I need a “plug patch”; you would have thought I would have announced the apocalypse….EVERYONE in the waiting area looked at me and collectively said “no you need a patch” the blood rushed to my face and neck as they each gave me their own reasoning for the patch over the plug patch. I fill out paperwork then slip outside and call my Pops. At this point, he goes into protector mode because he’s a protector and a little cranky over his nieces. I tell him where I am and he says “stay right there I will call you back.” My thoughts go to “oh no...Please be nice...Please be nice!” My Pops is very professional and nice I just know how he can get in his protector mode. Not long I get a call back and he says “Ok I spoke to them; They are a customer of ours. They are going to take good care of you. Just do what they say.” This was one of those days where I wish I had a camera following me around because I can NEVER describe to you the difference in treatment when it was learned that I was Russ Brown’s niece!! It’s really funny to me now! I go inside and sit down to wait….but then I notice there’s something furry next to me….and its nothing else but a wonderful cat, and I am highly allergic to cats!! I just prayed against an attack!!
SO, after a phone call from Russ Brown for his niece and being a now VIP customer, my wait was not long and I was able to make it to Avoyelles Hospital for 1 and left there about 4. My ride to Texarkana was slightly eventful and I began wondering if I was just not supposed to go….While driving on the interstate this very large bird comes out of NOWHERE and flies right into the side of my car and then bumps my windshield. It was quite possibly the scariest thing I have ever experienced like that!! I gasped, screamed and then had chest pains!!! (next road trip I’m installing a camera…) after that my GPS decided to take a new route through Shreveport and takes me straight up through the ghetto of Shreveport, I was the only person in a car on the streets; after that this girl chased me down cause she thought she knew me…..When I finally arrived in Texarkana I was never so happy to be at my destination!!! (Forgive me for this is so long!!)
Upon arrival I learn that I have to go to the “hideout house” with another judge because the contestants are still at the auditorium. (this was so official!!) After my long exhausting day I did not get to bed until 1 am and had to be up by 6am on Saturday morning.
*****PAGEANT DAY*****
Saturday morning, upon arrival the other two judges and I were escorted to our “Judges Room” and we began judging for the “most photogenic” contestants. Judging a pageant really is not an easy task, you have to be on your game the entire day with a smile on your face!! When 10 am came and the morning pageant was getting ready to begin, we were escorted with our judge’s folders to our table. The best part was when the door opened and we filed into the auditorium a hush came over the crowd. I composed myself to look very professional on the outside while on the inside I was giggling and thought “OH my gosh that’s hilarious…I am so official right now!!” The day was full of frills, laughs, smiles, encouragement, numbers, decisions, and sparkles!! It truly was an exhausting but most rewarding task! I think I found the most rewarding part of the day was the afternoon interviews and getting to write little nods of encouragement and affirmation on the score sheets the girls get this week. I have never been in a pageant and never really understood the point; but this experience opened my eyes to some of the positives. What a better way to instill self esteem in young girls and help them overcome the insecurities that society influences in girls and women!?! I was so impressed with these girls who were true to themselves in their journey of the Miss Simms pageant of 2011.
We crowned a Baby Miss Simms, Toddler Miss Simms, Tiny Miss Simms, Petite Miss Simms, Little Miss Simms, Young Miss Simms and Miss Simms; but before we crowned them, we had a little fun of our own with the crowns:
You didn’t think there was going to be a room full of tiara’s and me not try one did you?!?!
All in All, after the dramatics of Friday and a weekend of total 10 -12 hours of sleep, it was a blast and an honor! I hope to judge a pageant again in the future!
Baylee and I
Just a pretty shot on my dramatic drive!
So until next time dearies!! Have a Fabulous day!!!
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