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?
