Miss Universe: Predictions & Thoughts

Watching Miss Universe while 18 weeks pregnant was not the most ideal thing to do!

I realize that I am not that huge right now, but the stomach is only getting bigger by the day (Are you following my weekly Bump Updates?), and we still have another 22 weeks to go. I thought perusing some of my pictures as Miss Wisconsin USA would abate my anxiety of only getting larger or providing some hope that I, at one point, was thin!

Unfortunately, it only did the opposite!

Luckily, I thought ahead and ate a relatively healthy diet the whole day, which was one very small consolation for my misery. Since Sunday, I have killed, as much as a pregnant lady is advised, my CrossFit workouts on Monday and Tuesday! Oh, the struggles of body image while pregnant.

Early Sunday morning, Prince and I got up and reviewed all the 88 candidates vying for the title of Miss Universe. Ok, Prince just sat in my lap while I did all the decision-making. Every once in a while he would wiggle or squirm but he agreed with all of my decisions - smart dog.

Coach enjoys watching the pageants with me, and typically joins on my prediction game but he decided that narrowing the contestants from 88 to 15 was too daunting.

Here is my top 15, picked before the show, in no particular order:

Brains, Beauty & Basketball's Top 15 Predictions

USA*	Guatemala	Colombia*
Guam	Philippines*	Dominican Republic
Puerto Rico	Paraguay	Venezuela*
Costa Rica	Spain*	Jamaica*
France*	Peru	Great Britain

As you can see from my asterisks, I did pretty damn well with predicting the Top 15 for Miss Universe 2014!

I was most bummed that Miss Guam, Brittany Bell, did not make the cut. She actually competed at Miss USA in 2010 as Miss Arizona! Love her natural curly hair too (not pictured in any of her 'official' Miss Universe photos!)

I absolutely LOVED that the opening number showcased their National Costumes! I remember hoping that Miss USA would bring back the State Costume competition for Miss USA when I competed, but it did not occur. The last time that this was held at Miss USA was 1993. I would love to see a resurgence of this area, even if it is not weighed in the final standings.

After opening number, the girls changed into Sherri Hill sponsored two piece cocktail outfits – I believe there were three styles for the top and two skirt options. I actually prefer when everyone wears the same outfit, or they are all different. My brain wanders from girl to girl pondering if she chose the right ensemble for her figure. Oh gosh. Just have one dress option or many. Maybe I am a little neurotic!

And from there, our official Top 15 semi-finalists were announced. Here is the official Top 15, with my asterisks by the Top 10 that thought would continue after the swim suit competition.

 Brains, Beauty & Basketball's Top 10 Predictions (in asterisks)

Colombia*	Indonesia *	Jamaica*
Italy	Venezuela*	Ukraine
India	Spain*	Brazil*
France	Philippines*	Netherlands*
USA*	Argentina*	Australia

Excuse me a moment - toot toot! Uhm yes, I was pretty much dead on for the Top 10, with 9/10 of my girls going forth.

I enjoyed the swimsuit portion of the competition except all of the extra accessories that the non-finalist contestants adorned. At one point before that portion of the competition, the camera showed the girls backstage getting ready to enter and I simply prayed that the contestants would not be wearing the gloves, headpieces, and feather boas.

Luckily, the girls came out wearing their Yamamay sponsored swimsuit with simple, silver cover-ups which was great! Of course, the cover-ups were removed instantly, but the effect and movement of the silver material always bodes well for the camera.

After the swimsuit competition, we dwindled down the Top 10 to 5. Here is the Top 10, and my 5 picks!

Brains, Beauty & Basketball's Top 5 Predictions (in asterisks)

Jamaica*	Spain
Colombia	Netherlands*
Ukraine	Venezuela
Argentina*	Australia
Philippines*	USA*

Prior to the on-stage question, this was my order for the title!

Jamaica - Miss Universe

USA - Tie for 1st RU

Colombia - Tie for 1st RU

Ukraine - 3rd RU

Netherlands - 4th RU

During the commercial break, I said a few prayers for Miss Jamaica. Actually, I said them aloud because Coach said an “Amen!”

Ugh, I was utterly disappointed in nearly all of the contestants’ responses… However, I also sympathized for the contestants because I could barely understand many of the questions being asked of the judges! Like honestly, you must enunciate and speak clearly. I mean Colombia had a clear advantage since she was able to hear the question in English, and then her interpreter repeated it in Spanish! And I will be completely honest, after Miss Jamaica’s response, I was simply crumbled and got lost in my anguish for what I had just heard. My prayers to the pageant gods had not been heard.

I mean look at this woman…

ABSOLUTELY STUNNING!

And many in the stands and Twitter-land agree with me. This Washington Post article discusses many viewers dismay when Miss Jamaica was named 4th runner-up!

At the end of the day, pageants are so hard to predict! Any of the 88 women who vied for the title could have done a fabulous job as Miss Universe, especially the Top 5 from Sunday night. I, along with many others, were simply blown away by Miss Jamaica and disappointed when she did not go home with the title! I am certain that many more doors will open for her, and wish her the best of luck!

* All pictures were taken from the Miss Universe website*

Michelyn

2 Days Later... My Trip to Miss Florida

Well, this post is coming two days after I had intended to have it written and much shorter of a recap!

My only excuse, and a good one, is a major delay with traveling from Florida back to Ohio! I was to arrive in Columbus at 3:00 pm on Monday and did not arrive until 1:00 am! Big difference. Oh, and of course my luggage did not make it so I had to travel to back to Columbus yesterday, Tuesday! I am basically 1.5 days behind with everything I had planned this week, including blog posts!

On an aside, I need to purchase a new I-pad because that would have solved the issue of not having time to draft some of my posts for this week. Coach Kemp, good hint for my upcoming birthday, thanks!

But my time in Tampa was well spent. I had so much fun meeting up with my high school and college girl friends, spending time with my parents, and of course the pageant events!

My mother, myself , and one of her friend's, Janet, became certified Miss Florida (MAO) judges early on Saturday morning! It was very informative, and I look forward to judging a few pageants this upcoming pageant season. I think it was a lot for Janet, but she thoroughly enjoyed herself. Having competed for a number of years, I sometimes take for granted all the information that I know. It was nice to review the MAO with her, and answer all her questions. She too attended the Miss Florida's Outstanding Teen and Miss Florida pageants with us later that day!

Janet already has perfected her pageant stance! I am one proud lady!

The pageants themselves were so nostalgic! Jeeze, this past weekend made me realize how much I miss pageants. I do not foresee myself competing in any of the Mrs. pageant systems, although I know many women who have. Instead, I am enthused to start volunteering my time with the Miss Florida Organization, and am contemplating contacting a local here in Ohio!

Congratulations to the newly crowned Miss Florida, Elizabeth Fechtel. Also crowned this past weekend was Miss Wisconsin, Raeanna Johnson!!

Michelyn

Miss America vs. Miss USA

Oh my, readers! You are in for a treat today! I am so giddy to have my dear, pageant friend Ashley guest post about the differences between Miss America and Miss USA! I simply love this girl! She is such a fun, fashionista, dog lover, runner, and forever "sparkler" in my eyes! She is one of the lovely ladies that supported me in my quest to run a marathon! She has the cutest fur babies, hubby that adores her, and mother that I would not mind claiming as my own.

 

With the greatest pleasure, joy and excitement; please take it away Ashley.... 

 

Hello! I’m Ashley and I write over at If You Give A Girl A Ring. I wanted to first say thanks so much to Michelyn for inviting me to write today. The two of us met years ago competing in the Miss Wisconsin pageant and you won’t meet anyone as genuine and as nice as her! Now that we’re both married and living our happily ever after’s, it’s fun to stay in touch via our blogs and social media since we have a shared love of running and our dogs.

I wanted to share some information on 2 of the major pageant systems out there, Miss America and Miss USA. To the common person, they’re the same thing and no one knows the difference. However, both have some similarities but also differences as well. Both Michelyn and I have competed in each of these pageant systems. As pageant girls, the way we explain the difference between the two is " Miss America is the girl who lives next door and Miss USA is the girl you wished lived next door.”
 

 

 

 

The Miss America pageant is a scholarship program. In order to compete at the national pageant, which is televised on ABC in September, a contestant has to compete in a local preliminary pageant where she win’s a city or regional title. From there, she goes on to the weeklong state pageant and the state winner advances to the Miss America pageant. This system started out as a marketing plan by the city of Atlantic City as a way to keep tourist around after Labor Day and since then has evolved into a way for young women in college to earn scholarship money for college. Each time you win, you earn money to use towards your education.

There are a number of different areas of competition for this pageant including swimsuit, evening gown, onstage question and the two most important and heavily weighed areas are talent and interview. Each contestant has to have a 90 second talent that can be anything of their choosing. I’ve been around pageants for nearly 22 years and I’ve seen everything from dancing and singing to archery and art demonstrations. Contestants also compete in a 10-minute interview which is harder than any job interview I have ever had. You can be asked anything from politics to current events to questions about your state or your personality.

 One other thing to note about the Miss America pageant is that each contestant has to have a platform on which they speak about. This is an issue close to their heart that they want to create awareness on. Bullying, healthy body image, texting and driving, there are endless possibilities to what a contestant wants to promote during her year of service. Along with a contestant’s personal platform, they also promote the national platform of Children’s Miracle Network. Miss America titleholders help create awareness by raising money for the organization and also make appearances to local hospitals and volunteer their time to children in need.

 WHEW! Did you get all of that? That was just one pageant system. In short, the Miss America pageant is all about giving scholarship money to young women who are active in their community. See the connection of how she’s the girl next door?

Now, the Miss USA pageant on the other hand is a different ball game than Miss America. Some states have local pageants that advance to the state pageant, but in most states, girls pay an entry fee where they go to compete at the state pageant.

 At a state Miss USA pageant, each girl competes in three areas of competition; evening gown, swimsuit, and interview. As you can tell, there are less areas of competition when you compare it to the Miss America pageant. While Miss America puts an emphasis on talent, interview and earning scholarship money, the Miss USA pageant puts emphasis on the beauty portion. Having a toned body in swimsuit, a fun personality and exuding confidence and poise in evening gown are what Miss USA is all about, all while showing a little bit of sex appeal. Now do you see how Miss USA is the girl you wished lived next door?

 Having competed in both pageant systems, both are very different depending on what you hope to gain and win from a pageant. If you’ve got a smoking hot body and love getting glammed up, then Miss USA would be the pageant for you. If you’ve got a talent, and would love to earn some money for college, then give Miss America a shot.

In terms of preparation for both pageants, both are equally as hard to prepare for, but in different ways. Miss USA takes a lot of physical preparation of working out and eating right to make sure your body is swimsuit ready. Interview for Miss USA is more about your personality and doesn’t focus on questions about politics or current events in the interview. Miss America requires a lot of preparation in numerous different areas. You need to tone up for swimsuit, brush up on current events for interview, volunteer in your community to support your platform all while finding the time to practice your talent.

While both are very different experiences in competing, I’ve gained a lot of skills and life lessons through both that have helped shape me into who I am today. And, I know it’s a total pageant cliché but let me tell you that it’s true, I’ve met some of my best friends through competing in both pageant systems.

 

 

Nailing the Interview (Part III): Read, Question, Journal, Converse & Record (Repeat)

I never intended this to be a three-part post (sorry, not sorry), but obviously I have a wealth of information to share about this portion of the competition. In the two previous posts, we discussed the 3Cs to a Pageant Interview and Some Basic Interview Tips.

Today, I am going to share a few tactics and strategies that may be useful as you prepare for the interview. I am going to leave out the mock, or practice interviews, because if you have not figured out that that is paramount, then you aren't taking this seriously. Honestly, practicing is a given!

Read the Newspaper: I know that many today get their news from Twitter and other outlets; all of those I am not apposed to, but you need to be well aware to the events happening in your city, state, as well as, national and global issues. I recently came across a new service, theSkimm, a daily e-newsletter that breaks down the days news. Have you heard of it? Have a subscription? I have had a membership for a lofty 3 days, but my overall impression is that it is a clever idea but not my ideal source for news. I recommend actually reading the newspaper, like USA Today or the Wall Street Journal. Now, I do not think it is imperative to read the whole thing, but the main articles are a good idea. Watching the daily news broadcast can also be an alternative. I am better at grasping facts by reading, so simply listening does work for me; however, I do not think it truly matters how you gain access to this information - just get it!

Develop Questions & Responses: While reading the newspaper and/or listening to the daily news broadcast ask yourself some leading questions; jot those down on a paper or begin compiling them in a notebook. Then, develop responses for those questions and others. The "other" questions can come from the Interview Form or Questionnaire that is given to the judges. You should develop potential questions from the information you placed on the form. See, YOU are in control!?! Never place anything on your bio and/or interview sheet that you don't want someone to later ask you more about! Now when I state to develop responses, I in no way am encouraging for one to develop and then memorize responses. However, having a few bullets and main points that you want to convey with your response is a good idea!

Journal: Keeping a journal is a great way to document your ideas and get to know yourself better. Check out this article which shares 6 Ways Journaling Will Change Your Life!  The Interview portion of the pageant is your opportunity to share your opinion on many hot topics, which requires you to have a stance and opinion. Journaling will assist you develop this, and also have stories from your every day life! Hey, sometimes those are interesting too, and may support a question posed by one of the judges. You never really know!

Converse with Others About Hot Topics: In my previous post, I did say that others' should not provide you with direct responses to questions, but having conversations about topics is a good idea. I believe it is valuable to have your own stance as well as being knowledgeable about others.

Record Yourself: The support of pageant coaches, parents, and friends is always important, but I also believe that self-evaluation helps one grow too. I can remember people telling me things I could improve on in many areas, but at times, it was not until I saw it with my own eyes, that I was truly able to make a change. Observing yourself use too many hand gestures, or hearing yourself say "uhm" 10 times in 1 minute is the only way to break yourself of a bad habit. Or am I the only stubborn person out there? I encourage the use of video and audio recordings as a method of improving your skills in the interview room. You can, of course, also use this when practicing the other areas of the pageant too.

Michelyn

Nailing the Interview (Part II): The 3 Cs

Because I'm happy

Clap along if you feel like a day without work

Because I'm happy

Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth

Because I'm happy

Clap along if you know what happiness is to you without work

Because I'm happy

Clap along if you feel like doing nothing is what you wanna do

Because I'm happy it's Summer Break!!

Gosh! I am so darn cheesy that I can't handle myself! But, I am one happy lady since my summer vacation begins today! I know, I work from home how hard can it be... But, the fact that I can arise whenever I want; know that my phone will not be ringing and no emails need to be responded to is pretty fabulous!  Hello Summer Break!

Now that I made that announcement, we can get back to the topic at hand - Interview. If you have not done so already, please review my post from yesterday which introduces a few preliminary interview tips. After tackling those things, you are now ready to start practicing your interview! 

Let's take one step back. I said this yesterday, but I must reiterate it again today. The Interview portion of the pageant is your opportunity to SELL YOURSELF! I liken the interview and on-stage question to the presidential debates, hear me out on this one. When I watch the presidential debates, I am really assessing the candidates overall confidence level, their perceived candor in response, as well as their clarity in answering the question. So, how does this relate to a pageant interview...

Confidence: Are you comfortable in your appearance? What you are wearing? Your make-up and hair? This will exude in your presence and overall aura. Do not allow someone to persuade you to wear something that you don't feel comfortable in or say anything that you truly do not believe! You must believe in yourself - from your appearance to the words that are coming out of your mouth!

Candor: Being open, honest in one's response, showing expression and appropriate emotional responses are important. You may be wondering, how do you practice this? Well, this comes with time and truly being passionate about your stance and opinion. Again, this is why you, the contestant, have to formulate your stances and opinions on your own. I do think having discussions with others can assist your stance, but simply taking another's stance/opinion because it is easy is not the best approach. 

Clarity: Being clear and concise is imperative. You can first be clear by simply re-stating a portion of the question. For example, what is your name? Answer: My name is Michelyn. I know, very simple example! However, listening to the question at hand, and answering the question posed is critical. Also, not rambling is key to a good interview. Although the judges are asking the questions, if you are doing well in the interview, you are truly in control! You control your responses and provide just enough information that answers the question, but allows for  follow-up question. This may not always happen, but when there is good chemistry among the judge and contestant, it can, and you may be golden! 

That is it, right! Well not really. I do have a few techniques that I have found handy when preparing for the pageant interview. I too believe these tips can be advantageous for a job interview! Ask Coach Kemp what it is like to have a beauty queen wife assisting with an upcoming job interview! He was not too fond of my exercises but was later able to realize that my tactics were helpful. Love it when I am right! Wait, that is every day!

Michelyn

Pageant Tips 101: Nailing the Interview (Part I)

Welcome to the first of many posts providing some basic tips for competing in pageants. I have elected to start the series with the interview, since in many cases, the interview is the very first time the judges have an opportunity to see the contestants face-to-face and get an overall feel.

I competed in the MAO system for many years, and we always said that the pageant was won in the Interview. Now, all pageant systems are different, and they may weigh certain areas of competition differently, but in my opinion, if a judge likes you in the interview, they most likely will "like" you for the remainder of the pageant.

The interview is more than just the words that are coming out of your mouth, although that is very important. Also of importance... your appearance! Appearance as in the whole package - hair, make-up, attire, etc. A contestant can be eloquent in her responses, but wearing inappropriate attire and/or make-up, and it is a huge loss.

Now, it is hard to provide general tips for attire, but I recommend doing some research on what past contestants have worn. Pageants are not the time to completely re-invent the wheel. Yes, you want to set yourself apart, but if contestants have traditionally worn traditional suits (not really the case nowadays), I would not recommend that a contestant wear a party dress!

In addition to doing research on the appropriate attire for the interview, also research the pageant history. Research the respective pageant system and know it backward and forward. Also, if you are competing in a MAO preliminary, know your platform as well as the national platform (Children's Miracle Network). If competing in MUO then know about the charitable alliances (Ovarian Cancer, Best Buddies, Gilda's Club), perhaps even volunteer with one of the organizations prior to competing.

Most pageants provide a template for the Interview Biography or Interview Form. I recommend getting some assistance with completing that form whether it be your best friend, parent, or some one who has competed prior. You want feedback about the content in the interview form. This form can also serve as a starting point for your mock interview?!?!

What, you should practice interviewing? Yes, every aspect of the pageant should be rehearsed and practiced for some time. I am not saying that you should have responses memorized, no one wants you to sound like a "Pageant Patty," but you do want to be prepared.

A few things to also find out:

• How long is the interview
• Are you standing or sitting for the interview
• Do you meet with the judges individually, small group, or all of them at once

After knowing what to wear, some information about the national/state-level organization, the format, etc., now you need to prepare for the interview from a personal point-of-view. The interview is your opportunity to SELL YOURSELF!?! Why are you unique? Why would you be a good Miss XXX?

More tips about that tomorrow!

Michelyn

 

Pageant Gowns Seen at the Oscars 2014

Are you over award season and all the gowns? If so, don't continue reading any farther because I have a post today about the recent Oscars! Well, can you blame me? I've got pageant gowns on the brain, and just could not not post about some of the gowns worn down the red carpet that I could also see a pageant contestant adorning.

 

I will be honest, the evening gown competition is my favorite! My all-time favorite evening gown (EG) is the one I wore when I won Miss WI USA 2008. 

Not the best picture of the dress, but I also wanted to post a picture of one of my pageant besties, Ashley Rich, who blogs over at If You Give a Girl a Ring. On Monday she posted a cute recap of her top Oscar dresses, in typical pageant style, the Top 13! Ashley's blog is super cute. Every Wednesday, she does "Wedding Wednesdays" where she discusses various aspects of her recent marriage to her hubby! And, her wedding was fabulous! Her gown was to die for and she used the same wedding photographers, Bellow Blue!

Since I am emceeing the Miss Suncoast and Miss Nature Coast pageants tomorrow, can you tell that I am excited, I wanted to share a few Oscar dresses that I could envision gracing the Miss America or Miss USA stage!   

Lupita Nyonga's dress was absolutely breathtaking on the red carpet, and an overall beauty for a pageant! The color was on point, as was the train and cuts of the dress.

Kate Hudson's gown was a looker as well. I love the deep plunge in front, not crazy about the cape-action in back, that would need to be removed. I think this number would be stellar in black for a pageant!



 

One question, does Jada Pinkett Smith age? Lord have mercy, this woman is stunning! I loved the color of this dress, and how to accentuates her small waist and killer arms. I keep going back on forth on the chiffon shoulder train... If this was for a Miss America pageant, I would recommend that the contestant keep it. However, if a Miss USA contestant was looking at a similar style, I would recommend a higher slit in the front, a key whole opening in the chest region, and no chiffon train from the back.

 

 

Closing out my list is Nancy O'Dell. I actually have a very similar dress that is short. This dress could be taken directly from the red carpet to the pageant stage with no alterations!

 



Question of the Day: Which celebrity did you think was best dressed?

Michelyn

Body Fat, Body Weight, and Your Former You: From A Former Pageant Girl's Perspective

Hi Followers! Sorry, I know this post is coming very late in the day and will not encompass my planned "What I Ate Wednesday" post! I will return to regularly scheduled programming next week.

On Tuesday, when I actually document what I ate, I got a flat tire en route to the gym! Oh, don't you fear, I made it there safely, did my workout, and then the hubs came to the rescue and assisted me with transporting my car to the nearest auto care center. Basically, that early morning incident, threw off my entire day! I am so thankful that the flat tire decided to "pop" at a time in which Coach Kemp was actually in town until 10:00am! Yikes, frequent traveler husbands, can be MIA at the most inconvenient of times. But luckily, I was able to count on one of the coach's wives, Tish Mincy, to give me a lift later in the day and then a spontaneous Girls Night Out! We ended up having an enjoyable evening despite some questionable customer service at an area bistro. Not a good look as the owner is a booster. You know as a former waitress and customer service representative, you never truly know who knows who. The name of the restaurant will remain nameless, but pure disrespect and unprofessional handling by the restaurant manager, who was the main culprit. The husbands already got a FULL report of the situation. It is truly a shame since the food and atmosphere was cute for an area bistro.

Ok, so my next complaint is with the city of Toledo for all the potholes hence my flat tire! Get it together, and fill the holes! Next....

Today I ran across a great article that is so fitting for my stage in life and quest for optimal health and well-being. I have decided and am determined to stay on this voyage for the remainder of my life; through all of life's trials and tribulations, celebrations, and daily struggles. The article that I am referring to was written by a former Miss New York, Shannon Oliver, whose blog Generation grannY is now on my reader feed. In her recent post, More Than One Healthy Body: Former Pageant Girls Weigh In, she discusses how an individual "healthy body" may evolve (body weight and physique in her article) but still be considered healthy. She posits the notion that a healthy body does not have to mirror fitness magazines and celebrities. But she also touches on a more personal, and very small population of women, former pageant queens, who sometimes struggle with accepting the fact that they have gained 10-25lbs since their competition days!

What I enjoyed most was the numerous "former" queens during their pageant days verse the current weights, workout regimen, and outlook on health! I have on numerous occasions reminisced through my old pageant day pictures, especially those from when I competed at Miss USA and longed for the body I once had.  

Today looking at this picture, I am not even that impressed, although the scale tipped at the lowest it's ever been for me, at least as a grown adult. When I competed at Miss USA I weighed 130lbs, wore a 2-4, and am 5'8"! All of my friends and family, exclaimed that I was so thin, but I was actually one of the 'larger' contestants. Today I weight about 10-15lbs more, and am a size 4-6. So, when you look at pounds, it is not that significant which brings up another fact - muscles weigh more than fat!

Today, I am now more concerned with body fat than the number on the scale! I actually can't recollect my body fat percentage when I was competing, but I do my weight; maybe because that was the number I was most concerned about - losing the pounds and seeing the scale move DOWN! And, that's all anyone wanted me to report!

Question of the Day: Do you struggle with comparing your current weight/physique to your "golden" days? 

Michelyn

Benefits of Pageantry… 5 Years (and counting) Later

For a good portion of my life I danced and was surrounded around women who competed in pageants, specifically the Miss America pageant. Although in the end I never made it to the Miss America stage, instead I competed at Miss USA, I still cherish the life skills learned through competing in pageants. I learned how to accept constructive criticism and honed skills in self-evaluation, all of which are important for continual self-improvement in any field. My naturally introverted personality blossomed into something more of an extrovert. Many people would be surprised to know that I was a flower girl in two weddings and did not make it down either aisle. Or, the times in dance when I would puke my guts out while competing at a dance competition because of my “nerves” or… (ok, you get the picture). My keenness for proper etiquette was heightened because as a titleholder, one must always “be on” since you are representing not only yourself, but also an organization and a state/city. Lastly, let’s not even begin the countless hours spent perfecting the personal interview, on-stage question, and talent portions. One must always be able to think on her feet, speak eloquently and with confidence. My years of dancing prior to my competition days served as preparation for the talent portion, but it is more than simple "talent" that equates to a good talent performance. Not only must the contestant be technically sound in their area of expertise, but they must also be entertaining. Those of you who watch American Idol, Duets, ABDC, etc. should know what I am referring to. They simply have the "wow" factor and captivate the audience while they are performing. 

These are a few of the benefits that I personally gained through pageantry, but I do at times ponder about the role of pageants for the 21st century. I first began competing in pageants because well… I was surrounded by it. I then began simply enjoying the competitive nature of the “sport.” As I got older, I realized the impact titleholders have on their community. State and local titleholders are models to young girls and figureheads/representatives to many organizations. If you are interested in competing in pageants, I suggest that you do your research and actually attend a few local/state pageants depending on which system you prefer.

Recently, Lisa Quast, published an article entitled “Find Your Inner Pageant Queen to Excel Your Career” in which she paralleled pageantry to landing and excelling in your career of choice. I thoroughly enjoyed reading her article and found myself nodding many times in agreement. I had always realized that my pageant life transferred to my everyday life, but Lisa did a nice job explaining how pageantry tips can also help you excel in the business/work force, as well.  Although I have linked the article, I would like to take a moment to bullet her five points (or tips) for women to excel in obtaining their perfect job:

Tip #1: To ace the interview: Be extremely knowledgeable.

Tip #2: Walk the walk: Stand tall and show your most confident self

Tip #3: Show off your talent: Know your strengths and play them up

Tip #4: Pick the perfect pageant attire: Dress for the job you desire

Tip #5: Smile, smile, smile: Positivity is an incredible tool.

The above-mentioned tips can also be helpful if you are marrying a college and/or professional sporting coaching. For me, these tools really come in handy during the college basketball season in which I personally and mentally prepare myself for (ha, I act like we have been married for 20 years.). The season can be so long and there are so many events to attend which I have personally equated to titleholder appearances. For me personally though, I am completely unknowledgeable about the sport of basketball so I fail every time with Tip #1 so I guess that means that I am extremely good at Tip #3 because I typically talk to the “other” wives about non-athletic topics.

<3

Michelyn

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Career Woman Inc and/or Lisa Quast. All opinions are mine.

Honoring Women of Color at Miss USA

In honor of Black History Month I wanted to share this chart. I must admit that I am not the original author (Butler, R. originally cited from Francis AKA Pageant Fan). Needless to say, with only two more days left in February, i.e., Black History Month, what better reason to make a post like this. It is most important to pay tribute to the many women, including myself, who have made history and/or competed in the Miss USA system! If you are interested in competing in the Miss USA or Miss America system, do not hesitate to message me with any inquiries!

<3 Michelyn

Miss Ohio USA 1960 Corrine Huff Semi finals
Miss Idaho USA 1964 Dorothy Johnson....In 1963 the state of Idaho did not compete at Miss USA...The next year Johnson won the title and made it all the way to the Semi finals

Miss Ohio USA 1986 Halle Berry
1st RU to Miss USA

Alabama: 1993, 1996, 2000 (part black), 2002 (biracial)

Alaska: 1979

Arizona: 1976, 1999, 2003 (part black), 2010 (part black)

California: 1994, 2003, 2006, 2007

Colorado: 2000, 2004, 2011

Connecticut: 1976, 1995, 2000, 2002

District of Colombia: 1985-1988, 1990-1998, 2000-2011

Florida: 1987, 2009

Georgia: 1999, 2005

Idaho: 1964, 1988, 2005

Illinois: 2007, 2011

Indiana: 1976, 1993, 2002

Iowa: 2000

Kansas: 1974, 1995 (part black), 1997

Kentucky: 1973, 2008, 2011

Louisiana: 2005

Maryland: 1994, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007

Massachusetts: 1973, 1979, 1988 (biracial), 2001, 2002

Michigan: 1967, 1978, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1994 (biracial), 1995, 1998, 2001, 2004

Minnesota: 1973, 1996, 1997, 2002, 2006, 2009

Nebraska: 2001 (Korean/black), 2005, 2007, 2010

Nevada: 1986 (biracial), 1988, 1992, 2004

New Hampshire: 1976

New Jersey: 1970, 1986, 1991, 1994 (afro-latina), 2003, 2004, 2009 (afro-latina), 2010

New Mexico: 1992, 2003, 2009 (biracial)

New York: 1965, 1966, 1972, 1985, 1998, 2000, 2006 (afro-latina), 2008, 2010 (biracial)

North Carolina: 1997, 1998, 2000, 2010

Ohio: 1960, 1970, 1986, 2000, 2003, 2005

Oklahoma: 1985, 1992 (Japanese/black), 1995, 2003

Oregon: 2001, 2003, 2007

Pennsylvania: 1993, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2011

Rhode Island: 1997

South Carolina: 1991

South Dakota: 2008

Tennessee: 1990, 1991, 1997, 2000 (debatable), 2007, 2010

Texas: 1995 (biracial), 2008

Utah: 1979

Vermont: 2010 (Afro-Latina)

Virginia: 1994, 2003

Washington: 1985, 1998 (biracial), 2007

West Virginia: 2002

Wisconsin: 1996, 2008, 2011

        

Miss Florida USA 1987 Clotilde Helen Cabrera.. First African American Women to Win Miss Florida USA 1st RU to Miss USA

Miss New York USA 1972 Alberta Phillips 1st RU to Miss USA

Miss Nebraska USA 2001 Sujoing "Sue" Drakeford... First African American women to win Miss Nebraska USA