Miss Thousand Islands 2011

Drop Dead Gorgeous

2011-07-24T16:52:00.002-04:00

Every year, around this time, pageant season - Miss Thousand Islands season - I get this craving to watch one of my favorite movies, Drop Dead Gorgeous. It is a mockery of pageants, and a dark one at that. But for whatever reason, it gets me in the zone. So, as I struggle to put my year into words for my farewell letter, I decided I would watch it and finish blogging about Miss New York and my appearances since then.

Miss New York Pageant

My experience competing in Miss New York cannot be properly put into words. As I am sure I have expressed, I was changed in the best possible way during my time in Staten Island through all of the events and appearances that we, my sisters and I, were so lucky to be a part of.

Pageants are fun. That's the simple answer when I'm asked what I like about pageants. Miss New York was exactly that, but more than being fun, it completely challenged me, and forced me to push myself harder than ever before. You have to understand that I was competing with girls who attend some of the most prestigious arts schools in the country and who are auditioning on broadway. Of course, this was intimidating. I went into this entire experience with a specific goal set for myself. As I learned, in pageants you compete with yourself, not against the other girls. Who will win the crown is beyond your control, so the best thing to do is to have fun, be confident, and as my mom always tells me, to sparkle. Anyway, my goal was to make it to the top 11. After that, I left it up to God to decide what was best for me.

As the saying goes, a picture speaks 1000 words, so without saying anything else...

I reached my goal! And it felt good.

I was so honored to have the chance to continue to compete. I was in almost complete shock the rest of the pageant, but was elated to represent my fellow "upstate girls" in the final competition.

In the end, it was time for us all to gather on stage and embrace the winner as she began her journey as Miss New York. When Kaitlin Monte's name was called as our Miss New York 2011, I was so happy! This is one of the best parts of this organization and the girls who are involved in it. Because of the amount of time we spend with our fellow competitors, we get to know them, become close friends with them, and in that way we are always happy for the girl who leaves with a crown. Kaitlin is so deserving of this job, and I am confident that she will make us all proud not only at Miss America pageant in January, but also throughout her year as Miss New York 2011.

I would like to take this time to thank the Miss New York Board of Directors, Miss New York 2010 Claire Buffie, Miss America 2008 Kirsten Haglund, Miss New York 2008 Leigh-Taylor Smith, my MNY sisters, especially my roommate Desireé Wiley (Buffalo), and of course the Miss Thousand Islands Board of Directors, especially Sue, Shelby, Gary, Deltra, Stan, and Corri, my family, friends, and my boyfriend, Tony, for helping to make this experience what is was. I love you all!

I am also proud to announce that I was awarded several scholarships at the pageant, helping me to pay for school.
I was awarded the Miss America Community Service Award of $1000, which is a huge honor. I was also ecstatic to be named Miss New York's Favorite Contestant, for which I was awarded $400. This award was based on online voting that raised money for the scholarship fund, so I am forever grateful to all of those who voted me as their favorite contestant! I was also awarded $350 for being in the top 11. Lastly, I was awarded a community marketing award for over $200 for selling the most program advertisements. More than the money however was the numerous opportunities that I was afforded because I was able to participate in this program.

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Since states, I have been extremely busy working 40 hours a week at the Crescent Yacht Club Junior Division Swim and Sail program where I am a Swim Instructor. Aside from work, and coursework for online classes, I have found time to relax and spend time with friends and family. Now, I am preparing to crown my successor on August 13 at Miss Thousand Islands 2012.

On July 9, I was scheduled to be in the French Festival parade in Cape Vincent. It would be my last official appearance as Miss Thousand Islands 2011. I woke up that morning with a terrible stomach bug and didn't think I'd be able to go. I knew I had to be there though, so I powered through and headed to the parade. I am so glad that I was able to be there, and had a blast!

The next weekend, I was so excited to meet some of our contestants at the pageant workshop, held at the home of Deltra Willis. During the workshop we did mock interviews with the girls, like the ones that I did in preparation for the state pageant, and had a modeling session to help the girls learn to pageant model. The girls also had a make up tutorial with a Mary kay consultant, and learned about the pageant weekend schedule and other details! We ended the workshop with photo ops on Deltra's pond and tree house!

Now that the movie has ended and I am just finishing this post, it is time for me to get to work on my farewell letter. So, that's all for now!

Miss New York 2011!

2011-06-29T18:51:00.000-04:00

It's been just a week since my last day in Staten Island, and it was only two weeks ago that I was packing to leave for Miss New York State Week! It's hard to believe that after ten months of excitement and preparation leading up to the big state pageant, that it is now over. I have spent the last seven days digesting it all - relaxing, spending time with my family, friends, and of course, the best pageant boyfriend a girl could ask for. Oh, and of course, all of this has been done over FOOD! So, I suppose I have made you all wait long enough, so I will get to it, and share with you some of my most fond memories of the week!

Monday, June 13 (City Hall with Mayor Bloomberg, Staten Island Ferry, Postcards, Burrough Hall, Mr. NY)

It all started out at 2:30am on June 13. It wouldn't be a story if there wasn't some kind of adventure to kick start the week, so here we go. After hours of being on hold with Travelocity, in regard to the flight that I had booked and a Travelocity website error that changed it on me, just 48 hours before departure, I had a new flight, paid, in full. With a departure time of 5:40am from Syracuse, my dad and I were up VERY early Monday morning to drive to the airport, of course leaving time to check my luggage and get through security. In the past, I have been stopped and checked because of a make up brush that resembled a possible weapon, so as you can imagine, having packed for a PAGEANT, the contents of my luggage are a little concerning! It's a good thing I had other worries upon my arrival to the airport to distract me from looking suspicious at TSA. Oh yes, a trip to the airport is seldom smooth. After making a wrong turn - granted it was 4:45am, and dark - my dad and I spent fifteen minutes circling a clover leaf, over and over and over and over again. As we rounded the corner of the same turn a fourth time, I really started to freak out. I'm watching the digital clock in the car change from 5:10 to 5:11, and know that I should be at the airport. Finally, we get ourselves straightened out and arrive at the airport, but not without hurry. The stress didn't stop there either. After rushing to the US Airways check-in desk, and heaving my suitcase (that I had reluctantly agreed to check) onto the scale, I was greeted by the desk attendant: "There are no guarantees that you'll make the flight. Your bag is 17 pounds over - that's $90." Now, if you know me well, you know that I do not respond well to poor customer service, but at this point, I knew I had to get to my gate, and fast. I throw her a credit card, and in no less than a sprint, kiss my dad goodbye as he checks the bag, now labeled "HEAVY", and head for security. I have never realized how much of an inconvenience it is to take off your shoes at this point, and unload specialty items from your carry on, until this morning when I really just needed to get through. Needless to say, once I was through the scanner and had all of my belongings, I took my morning run, barefoot, through the Hancock International Airport. It's a good thing my Miss NY preparation included running, because I just made it to the gate. Actually, I had several minutes, but of course was still shaken by the idea of having to take a later flight. And just as I thought I was finally going to be able to sit down, the flight attendant informs me that there may not be room for my carry on, which I must add, was literally packed with every single piece of my competition wardrobe. My family and I had lost our baggage, temporarily, on a vacation to the Caribbean, and the event was so scarring that we now try to carry on as much as possible. In fear of losing my entire competition wardrobe including my evening gown, talent gown, shows, jewelry, and other outfits, my mom and I strategically packed the regulation size carry on. With this in mind, I said to the flight attendant, "I'm competing in Miss New York, and that is where I am going right now. That bag has my gowns and competition wardrobe - I need it." They found room. :-) The rest of the trip went very well, with the exception of being bumped up to an earlier flight without my checked luggage that caused me to wait at the airport. But hey, I'd rather wait for baggage than lose it! It was at the airport in Newark that I met up with my first MNY (Miss New York) sister and roommate, Miss Buffalo, Desireé Wiley! A friendly face after my hectic morning was just what I needed!

Arriving at the hotel, after a speedy and crazy ride with a nice shuttle driver, made everything seem so real! All of my MNY sisters were checking in to their rooms, unloading cars chocked full of pageant gear, and mingling with family and friends in the lobby. I was excited to get to my room and unpack, and of course, freshen up from my flight - our bus was leaving at noon for our first appearance! We all met in the lobby, and for the first time since our spring workshop, we were all together as a class! (A quick note - we refer to the group of contestants as a class...not sure why, but it makes sense because of the closeness that we share the sisterhood that develops, and all that we learn. In the words of Christina Moore, Miss Brooklyn, - "I love that we refer to it as a class!") It was very exciting boarding the bus for the first time, especially because it had Claire and Alison's faces on the side of it - like we were all famous!

As much as we were star struck by the glamour of it all, we had no idea that we would be the celebrities when we arrived in Manhattan! It was a long drive from Staten Island to Manhattan, but I don't think that anyone noticed because we were all so elated to be there. It seems that we all became great friends almost immediately - talking about anything and everything like we'd known each other for years. I love that. This was only my second time in the city, and the first time I was with my mom and we covered as much ground as we could in a weekend, but one sight that I had yet to see was Ground Zero. One of the first photographs I took that week was of Ground Zero.

Our first stop was City Hall where we would meet Mayor Michael Bloomberg. We took several photos outside the building, on the steps, and then filed inside - a beautiful facility by the way.

Mayor Bloomberg welcomed us to the city, and took several pictures with us - what a trooper!

Upstate girls with the Mayor!

The press coverage was unreal as we met with the Mayor, and even when we left. Little did we know, the flashing cameras were something to get used to. As we left the City Hall gates, tourists were stopping and taking photos, left and right. I learned very quickly to always smile, and keep my lips on (meaning, always have lipstick, liner, and gloss!). Looking back, it probably was quite a sight to see 23 girls being herded around Manhattan, wearing crowns and sashes.

We headed to the Staten Island Ferry, where we snapped more photos with "fans" and met up with our Mr. NY contestants! (More on that in a minute!) I will share an interesting (short) story about a woman we met while waiting for the ferry. I couldn't tell you her name, because she was soft spoken and only gave us her pen name that was very unique. A poet, our new friend was a character who seemed to carry many of her possessions with her, interviewed us, asking for a "word", and took our photo, telling us she would be writing poems about us. So, for those of you in the NYC area, look for poetry including words like, "river", "believe", and maybe mentioning us girls in crowns and sashes!

A first for me, the Staten Island Ferry ride was wonderful! We got to stand on the very back of the ferry, which I thought was the best spot to be!

After getting off the ferry we walked to the "Postcards" 9/11 Memorial. An amazing sight, this memorial is in memory of Staten Islanders who perished on 9/11. What is so unique about this memorial is that it features the actual profiles of these heroes, as approved by their families.

Wow, it's a good thing we were so busy and having fun, because as I am writing about everything we did, I am realizing how long that day was! And there's still more! Don't worry, we didn't do this much EVERY day! :-)

Our next stop was at Burrough Hall, where we were excitedly greeted by the Burrough President, James P. Molinaro, who was so happy to have us on Staten Island and made sure that we had a wonderful week!

The last event on our to-do list for Monday was the Mr. New York pageant fundraiser! After a quick stop at the hotel for outfit changes and make up and hair touch ups, we walked to the Hilton Garden Inn Lorenzo's Bar and Cabaret where the pageant would be held.

With Mr. Thousand Islands, Hunt Ethridge, before the show!

Our table - with Kasey Waters, Greater Gotham, Kieren Sheridan, Fulton County, Tara Szczepanski, Metropolitan, and Allison Carlos, Forest Queen!

And the winner is, Mr. Rochester, Scott Larsen! Way to represent Upstate NY, Rochester!

That night, I think we ALL passed out as soon as we got to our rooms, because Tuesday was another early morning!

Tuesday, June 14 - Flag Day (World of Chocolate Factory Tour, Flag Day Ceremony @ The Boardwalk, Eger Harbor House, Staten Island Zoo, and Project Hospitality Soup Kitchen)

Want a way to excite 22 pageant girls during pageant week? Take them to a chocolate factory, and see who breaks down first! That was probably me! Actually, a surprising fact for many of you may be that, we like to eat, especially chocolate!

After treating ourselves to chocolate, we headed to the boardwalk for a Flag Day ceremony featuring a local middle school band (talk about talent!), an elementary school chorus (CUTIES!), speeches by our very own Claire Buffie and Miss New York 2009, Alyse Zwick, and of course, many honorable veterans. Although it started to rain, and gusts of wind were ruffling our dresses, the ceremony was moving and I was so glad to be a part of it.

Not the best look on my face, but hey, look at Colleen with her scarf on her head!

Next stop was at the Eger Harbor House, which is an assisted living facility for senior citizens. To be perfectly honest, I had no idea what this visit would entail and wasn't expecting the excitement I found awaiting me! You could feel the happiness and excitement just pouring from the hearts of the residents as soon as we walked in. We were treated to a lovely lunch, and then had the chance to mingle. Among many wonderful residents was my friend Antoinette.

I'll admit I was a bit shy when we first arrived, and was unsure of how to approach the residents like the other girls were. I haven't spent much time in nursing homes, and didn't know what to say. Instead of standing in a corner, I pushed myself to sit with someone. Antoinette happened to be that someone! She didn't really need me to say anything at all, because she got the conversation going just like that! I gave her my autograph, and then we shared the song packet when we all sang together!

We even started a kick line for "Give My Regards to Broadway!"

Thank you to Gloria, one of the residents, who handmade these bracelets for all of us! It took her 3 DAYS!

This resident celebrated her birthday with us!

Even though it was sad to leave my new friend, and all of the residents at Eger Harbor House, it was time to spend time with the children and families from Project Hospitality! We were off to the Staten Island Zoo to meet up with a group of families from Project Hospitality, a not-for-profit organization located on Staten Island that provides services for individuals dealing with homelessness and disease, including substance use.

It wasn't long before I had a new friend at my side. Lucero, whose name means shooting star, paired up with me to visit the animals!

Among my favorite exhibits at the S.I. Zoo were the emus, the roaming peacocks, the fish, but definitely NOT the snakes! Those were Lucero's favorite! Yikes!

Oh, and how could I forget the very hungry goats! These guys wouldn't stay still long enough for a high quality picture, but we did get to feed them!

Feed me!!!

We wandered the zoo for a while and then headed to the Soup Kitchen to learn more about Project Hospitality, and of course, eat! We were treated to pizza and salad - YUM! It was an amazing experience to hear stories of the families who are helped by Project Hospitality, and we all promised them that we would do anything we could, as titleholders, to help them!

It was time for our first rehearsal, and while we were excited, it had been a long day! Off to the theatre we went, where we started rehearsal with a group ab workout, and then learning choreography! I'm not a dancer by any means, but I worked really hard to learn all of the moves, knowing that I would have to do it in front of hundreds of people on Friday night.

Charlotte, Desiree, and I working it!

It was a LONG day, but full of so many phenomenal experiences that I will cherish forever. It was back to the hotel, and to bed, but not before a quick rehearsal in the hallway with the fantastic Brooklyn Christina Moore!

Wednesday, June 15, 2011 - Rehearsal, Children's Museum, Botanical Gardens, Rehearsal

Wednesday started bright and early, again, at the theatre for rehearsal! Before I left for the week, my mom had said that it seemed like I was getting ready for "Ultimate Beauty Summer Camp", I think we should rename it to "Ultimate Beauty Boot Camp"! Even though I had fun throughout the rehearsals, let me tell you - it is HARD WORK. From dancing to modeling, all in heels, by the end of the day, I was exhausted!

The Staten Island Children's Museum provides interactive exhibits for children, and come to find out, beauty queens! Haha! We toured the museum, stopping to take pictures in the mermaid grotto, and rainforest, before having lunch in the museum cafe, run by learning disabled teens and adults.

Christina & I in our "grotto"...inspired by Kaitlin Monte, Miss New York 2011!

We headed outside to tour the rest of Snug Harbor, visiting a 9/11 Memorial, and the only Chinese Botanical Gardens outside of China!

Our last stop before heading back to rehearsal was at Edith Susskind's Gift Shop, also located at Snug Harbor. On top of owning her own business, Edith has been highly involved with the Miss Staten Island Organization for years! She even served on the judge's panel for Mr. New York!

It was back to rehearsal for the next two days up until the pageant, but I'll have to post about that later since I've already written a novel! Enjoy!

It's finally here!

2011-06-12T18:48:00.003-04:00

Well, it is finally here! I cannot believe that in just 8 hours - yes I said *8* - I will be leaving for the airport to get on a plane that will take me to Staten Island for Miss New York!!! As you can probably imagine, I am pretty busy in these final moments - packing (yes, still), finishing homework (yikes!), and preparing emotionally by trying to relax! I am so excited for the week, and know that no matter what, I will leave next Sunday with a million lasting memories, and having had the experience of a lifetime. My mom keeps calling it "Ultimate Beauty Camp" because with the several store runs and late night packing, it really seems like I am packing for summer camp, except that instead of staying in a cabin, we are in the Hampton Inn, and instead of bug spray, we have butt glue! Wait...bug spray....will I need that???

I can't stay for long tonight because I have lots to do before I leave, but before I go, I need to ask for your help!!!

We were just informed that there will be a Top 11, not 10, but 11 at Miss New York! The 11th place will be filled by the contestant who receives the most votes for favorite contestant - it costs just one dollar to vote, and you can follow the link below to make me Miss New York People's Choice Finalist!

It looks like this ^^^

Thank you all so much for your ongoing support - it means the world to me! I will try to keep you all updated as much as I can, but for the time being, I appreciate your love, support, thoughts, and prayers!

Love,

Morgan

A Show, A Party, and Much More!

2011-06-07T16:56:00.004-04:00

Ahhh, I admit it, I have been an awful blogger in the past few weeks, and I'll spare you my poor excuses, because as Shelbs says, "no excuse is a good excuse"...or something like that! Anyway, I promise I'll make up for my lack of web presence with a fabulous post today!

Where to start? Let's see, two weekends ago...May 27...I was preparing for my big event - The Variety Show for Miracles! After months of planning and coordinating, the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals fundraiser was finally here! I have to say that, while I was very excited about the performance that combined my own platform and the national platform of Miss America, Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, I was a bit nervous as the variety show had ended up falling on the start of the big holiday weekend, and I worried about the turn out! I had full confidence in my diverse and talented group of performers, and the last thing I wanted for them was an empty gym-a-torium. I certainly surprised myself! Thirty minutes before the show began, we were standing room only! I couldn't believe it, but I was absolutely ecstatic.

Before I stepped into the role of emcee, I began the show by showing my love for music through a vocal performance of "Memory", from Cats. For the next hour and a half, I welcomed fourteen amazingly talented individuals to the stage to share their passion of performing, and dedication to community service. Special thanks to all of the performers: Madison Draper, Bethanne Vandertang, Darryl Manwaring, Angela Galasso, Tommy Barber, Lacey Robinson, Rochelle Richardson, Cody Wilson, Skyler Bocciolatt, Brianna Lockwood, Michele Bariteau, Beth Wagenaar, Izzy Marsala, and Rachel Gardner. Among our performers, our special guest of the night, Madison Draper, is a Miracle Teen, who has endured hardship but thrived, and has directly been helped by Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. Madi performed three times in the Variety Show with three of her friends from her mother's studio, Rhonda's Footeworks. I so appreciate their support! Rhonda was there to speak on the importance of Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and expressed her gratitude for the support of everyone at the event. Thanks, Rhonda! And the love kept on coming! I also had the support of my Outstanding Teen, Kaili Schindler, who spoke to the audience between acts about her experience as Miss Thousand Islands Outstanding Teen 2011. Kristina Blackstock, Miss Ireland 2010, and Briana Sharlow, Irish Princess 2010, also joined me on stage to talk about their pageant system! Last, I have to thank Angela Galasso one more time, for her ongoing support! Angela is a pageant sister who I have been competing with for my entire pageant career. I surprised Angela by asking her to come on stage to talk to me about her experience at Miss New York, and asked for advice. Thanks for being a great impromptu speaker, Angela! :-)

I also need to recognize the Lyme Central School chapter of Future Business LEaders of America, especially their advisor Beth Wagenaar, and the chapter president, Lauren Wagenaar for helping to organize this event. Because I was in school in Ithaca during most of the planning, I relied heavily on Lauren and the FBLA to help with things like hanging posters and promoting the show. Lauren also helped me to find student volunteers who helped on the day of the event to set up! Also, a special thanks to Lyme Central School!

After 18 acts of fantastic talent, and many laughter, and some tears, the Variety Show for Miracles had ended. What an amazing feeling! Together, with the help of so many people, we raised $365.00 to be donated to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals!

With Madi, Izzy, Brianna, and Bethanne from Rhonda's Footeworks!
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With the success of the Variety Show behind me, I spent last week running errands and working out! By Saturday, I felt like I had moved into Lillian's Alterations...or at least my pageant wardrobe had! From shortening my talent gown, to fixing the slit in my evening gown, and fashioning a sarong for swimwear, Lillian is simply amazing! With experience in the Miss New York system, Lillian knows exactly how to "make me look beautiful" with the clothes I wear. A huge thanks to her for everything! Anyway, I started another busy weekend with my last breakfast mock interview of the year at the Clubhouse on Saturday morning with Shelby, Sue, Carol, and Kaili. I have to say, even if it means getting up a few hours early, mock interviews are so incredibly helpful in my preparation for Miss New York. I feel so much more prepared going into ANY interview after practicing and hearing feedback from my interviewers. This Wednesday I will have my final mock interview...in the interview dress...complete with scoring!

On Sunday, June 5, my send-off party was held at the Copley House in Chaumont, my hometown. I can't believe that this event has already come and gone. It seems that just yesterday I received an invitation to Kristina's (Miss TI '10) send-off party, and already I am preparing to travel to the "big city" for Miss New York 2011. AHHH! I can't even believe it!

Before the party, I received this message from our current Miss New York, Claire Buffie... "Have a wonderful send off today!! Soak it all in an bottle up all of that love and support for the week!" Claire, I really wish that I could've taken all of the well wishes and love and support and stuffed it all in a bottle to bring with me to the pageant! Seriously, I couldn't believe all of the love! I modeled my evening gown, interview outfit, and performed my talent, in "costume", and shared many conversations with friends and family. We took pictures, and I even received a special gift from Shelby, Sue, and Gary - a Miss America bag my "State Bag") filled with all sorts of goodies that I can't wait to eat...use. :-)

I have to give a huge thank you to my family and friends and of course, my boyfriend, Tony, for being at this event, showing your support, and for always being there for me! I love you all. I especially need to thank my mom, who not only made this event possible, but made it so beautiful! She spent hours in the kitchen baking treats (not for me ;-P), and then before I was even awake on the day of the party, had hand picked bouquets, and decorated the Copley House to prepare it for the party. Thanks, Mom. :-)
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Now, it's on to major pageant prep! I have less than a week until I depart for Staten Island for Miss New York 2011 State Week, and I couldn't be happier! I know that I am ready, and I am confident that the week itself is going to be an amazing life experience. I will update later about this last week at home! :-)

Thanks for listening. That's all for now! :-)

Cars, Caps, and Catch Up!

2011-05-23T10:29:00.004-04:00

Hello everyone! I apologize for the delayed post, but I hope that I can make up for my prolonged blogging absence with an interesting blog post today. It's been a busy weekend, so I have a lot to talk about! Plus, the Miss New York pageant is quickly approaching, and that means things are getting really exciting for me!

We started out the weekend bright and early on Saturday morning for the Armed Forces Parade in Watertown. It was this event that marked the first appearance by our new Star Princesses, Joelle Leek and Sarah Roux. Joelle and Sarah will travel to Staten Island for the Miss New York pageant, where they will officially be crowned. They will have the opportunity to work with our choreographer and meet several other young girls participating in the new Star Princess mentoring program, and even go on stage at the pageant! The Star Princess program is not a pageant, and aims to prepare young girls, ages 5 - 12, for the Miss America pageant system through mentorship.

And here they are! Sarah on the left, Joelle on the right!

Saturday, May 21, brought large crowds and excitement to Clayton, NY. And no, the people of the Thousand Islands did not gather to prepare for the Rapture, but rather to celebrate classic cars. Now, I don't know much about classic cars, or cars in general for that matter, but it was hard not to appreciate the sleek beauty, and fabulous colors, of all of the cars that came to the Highway Legends Classic Car Show. It was my honor to, along with Kaili, and one of my princesses, Joelle, choose the car that would receive the Miss Thousand Islands Award. Kaili happens to be the guru of classic, and non-classic, cars. While I scoped the lot for a car that would best represent our organization using the criteria of unique and beautiful colors, Kaili could hardly choose because she was so enamored by all of them. She even got to "test drive" a few for a photo op. In the end, we all agreed on a turquoise one, that I cannot remember the make and model of right now. I have to say, although the winner was cool, I have to say that my favorite was a bright purple and clean white car that reminded me of something from a 60s movie.

Throughout the day, I signed several autographs for some of the cutest little kids, and even took some pictures! I met the sweetest elderly lady who was dressed up in a poodle skirt that she had sewn just for this occasion! Many of the car show goers were dressed to reflect the era of the car that they had brought. In fact, it was my pleasure to host and judge a fashion show held later in the day! Along with Kaili, Shelby, and Sue, I enjoyed a small showcase of people who had worked hard to create a costume, complete with hair and accessories, that reflected their car's era. In the end, we awarded each contestant with a first place prize because everyone was so creative. According to one of the event coordinators, fashion shows at larger car shows are becoming very popular, and their chapter of Highway Legends hopes that while their car show grows, so will the fashion show!

Shelby & I taking a break from tabling!

Almost as soon as the fashion show had ended, I hurried out of the arena and drove home to meet my family and Tony to leave for Ithaca. After three years at Ithaca College, I turned my tassle yesterday morning at the Ithaca College Class of 2011 commencement. It was an exciting milestone in my life, and I am glad that I took the time to be there. It was just November when I found out that by taking a few online classes this summer, that I could graduate an entire year early. While it was bittersweet to leave my friends, the decision was the right one for me.

With 1600 students in the graduating class, it took an hour to process across campus and into the football stadium. When we finally were seated, we were so lucky to enjoy addresses not only by Tom Rochon, the college president, but also by Dorothy Cotton, a woman who traveled the world with Martin Luther King, Jr. and David Muir, Ithaca College '95. You may also recognize David Muir from the ABC World News! His address was so interesting and inspiring. His message was to use our voices, and through personal stories from world events in Cairo, Japan, Haiti, and New Orleans, he communicated this message very clearly. At the end of his speech, he recorded us on his phone and showed the clip on the news last night! If you visit you can hear his speech, and see our class! You can see me up close at 18:07! Following the ceremony, I introduced my family and Tony to two of my favorite professors, met up with my boss, and then celebrated in my apartment with a delicious spread of food, and packing! Pictures to come!

Now that I am done with college, aside from the online classes I still have to take, my focus is completely on preparing for Miss New York. In the past few weeks I have been spending extra time working out, practicing my talent, and securing my entire wardrobe for the pageant. With less than a month until my departure for state week, I am excited, overwhelmed, and busy! I am really looking forward to the entire experience, and can't wait to tell you all about it!

Cinco de Mayo!

2011-05-05T17:56:00.003-04:00

Feliz Cinco de Mayo, amigos! Tonight, my roommates and I are celebrating the Mexican holiday with some homemade Thai cuisine...authentic, right? :-) So, anyway, I apologize for my prolonged absence and lack of posts lately - my schedule has just been crazy! Crazy, but exciting, I should add.

April just flew by, and I cannot believe that I am now only three weeks away from graduation! During the month of many showers - especially in Ithaca - I traveled to Staten Island for the Miss New York State workshop, enjoyed a giant hot dog (see previous post), burned off the hot dog and officially chose my evening gown and talent dress for the state pageant, and spent a weekend at home with my family and friends for Easter. Okay, so I know that I have already told you all about my trip to S.I. and the "giant wiener" as Shelby likes to call the infamous Fuddrucker's hot dog, but it was one of the best hot dogs, and experiences at the workshop, so I had to mention it again! For details, check out previous posts! Now, I can't tell you exactly what my dresses will look like, but I will say that A Touch of Grace and Kathy Lettiere in Watertown, NY, is THE PLACE TO GO! I've not once had a bad experience, and Kathy is wonderful! She has been so gracious and helpful through this entire process, and let me tell you, it has most definitely been a process! The gowns are beautiful, but furthermore, the service, care, and LOVE that you feel once you walk through Kathy's doors is amazing, and I always look forward to going there, even just for a visit with her! Plus, I just love trying on any and ALL dresses that my mom, Kathy, Shelby, and Sue throw at me! :-) Now that I have my dresses all set, I will really miss trips to A Touch of Grace. So Kathy, I know you this already, and if you are reading, if you ever need someone to play dress up, let me know!

Even though May is just beginning, I can tell you that it is a busy month now, and it is going to be busy right up until Miss New York in June! Good busy, as my mom says....busy, but all good things! Well, except for all of these final papers and assignments! The good thing is that, once all of this work is done and out of the way, I will be on my way to graduation...and best of all....SUMMER! So, here's what in the works for the next few weeks....

May 6 - LAST DAY OF UNDERGRAD CLASSES!!!!!
May 13 - END OF FINALS WEEK :-)
May 20 & 21 - Highway Legends Classic Car Show for Children's Miracle Network in Clayton, NY!
May 22 - Graduation from Ithaca College!
May 27 - The Variety Show for Miracles! (See more below)
June 5 - Morgan & Kaili's Send - Off Party! (more info to come soon)
June 13 - Leaving for Miss New York week!!!!!!!!!

....can you tell I am really excited...I am really exclamation point happy this post....

Now, you are probably all so excited and wondering, "what is The Variety Show for Miracles?" Well, I'll tell you!

"Miss Thousand Islands 2011, Morgan O'Brien Bocciolatt, will be holding The Variety Show for Miracles at Lyme Central School at 7pm on May 27, 2011. All proceeds will be donated to the Children's Miracle Network! Seeking performers of all ages to participate in the variety show. $5 for individual performer, $15 for performing group. E-mail Morgan at mobocciolatt@yahoo.com for more information and to sign up! General admission will be $5, and $2 for students/children. The Variety Show for Miracles is for a great cause, and is an exciting event that will showcase talent from all around the Thousand Islands! Help support your Miss Thousand Islands 2011 in her journey to become Miss New York 2011 by becoming a part of this amazing event as a performer or audience member!"

If you are interested in attending or performing and have questions or would like to sign up, please contact me!

Also, if you or someone you know is interested in competing in Miss Thousand Islands 2012, you can contact my faulous Executive Director, Sue Pilon at (315) 782-3992 or visit our website: www.missthousandislands.org. We are still accepting applications and always seeking contestants who are new to the system, and always welcome our veteran sisters as well!

I've gotta get back to work and chow on some Thai, so that's all for now, but before I go, I want to thank you ALL for your ongoing support and love. So much love to you all!

Adios!

SUPPORT ME & YOURSELF IN THE MISS NEW YORK 2011 PROGRAM!

2011-04-13T12:05:00.004-04:00

CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO READ!

If you are interested in purchasing advertising space, please see below for details on pricing, layout design, and other requirements. Payments should be made to me, and I will make one payment at time of submission. I will design advertisements using photos chosen or provided, message, and other information regarding business (if a business ad). To see an example of the program, and what the ads should look like, please visit: http://www.missny.org/ads/index.html (ads begin on page 26). If you would like, we can arrange to meet and I will bring a program for you to look at.

Full Page - $250.00
Half Page - $125.00
Quarter Page - $62.50

Each advertisement must include a message of support, a photo of me (can be alone – one of my professional headshots – or with individual/business placing advertisement). Materials can be sent via e-mail to mobocciolatt@yahoo.com. If a digital copy is not available, I can arrange for pick up, or materials can be sent via mail to:

Morgan Bocciolatt
27431 Three Mile Point Road
Chaumont, NY 13622

Your support of the Miss New York Organization scholarship fund, and myself is so appreciated! THANK YOU!

There's a place for us...

2011-04-10T13:14:00.003-04:00

And it's in Staten Island!

On Friday, I met Shelby, Sue, Gary, and Kaili-girl in Endicott at Shelby's house where we began our journey to Staten Island for the Miss New York State workshop. After an hour or two of highway driving, we made a pit stop in Scranton at the most uniquely themed restaurant I have ever been to - Quaker Steak & Lube, a gas station/car themed restaurant/buffet. Pictures to come! After lunch, we, of course, stopped at an outlet mall where I found my interview dress and AWESOME floral Coach sneakers...ON SALE! Our shopping was a success! We ventured on to Staten Island through New Jersey traffic and finally arrived to the hotel at 6:30.

Ordering in "real pizza", as Kaili called it, was not only delicious but so relaxing! So delicious, that we were dangerously full by the time we were done. Shelby, Kaili, and I decided a Zumba party in the hotel was necessary, so in our studio room with extra floor space, and my wicked instructor skills, we worked it out hard! After a pit stop in the hotel store, and photo op with pageant sister Kieren Sheridan, we were in bed for girl talk by 10, and asleep before 11 (Kaili passed out mid-conversation!).

Saturday started bright and early with alarms sounding at 6am. Even with and hour to get ready, I was rushing to finish my hair and make up before breakfast with some of the girls at the hotel before the big day. Finally, it was time to head to the theatre for a long but exciting day of pageant prep!

Once we arrived at the theatre, there was NO stopping! Paperwork, talent run-throughs, photos, lunch, meetings & talks, rehearsal, and modeling! I was energetic the whole day, but the minute I sat down in the car, I just about passed out! The day was so exhilarting from learning about state week to dancing, and especially, meeting and catching up with my pageant sisters! What an amazing experience! It was absolutely wonderful, and I enjoyed it very much, even if I was exhausted on the way home, or at least until dinner...

"Morgan's Wiener" - Fuddrucker's Big Dog

YUM! The giant hot dog dubbed "Morgan's Wiener" by Shelby, completely revitalized me for the remainder of the trip. Thanks Fuddruckers! Not THIS is a treat!

Even the drive home was a lot of fun - especially with our goofy jokes and overtired laughing! The weekend ended with a good night's rest in Shelby's guest room, and a delicious breakfast...and COFFEE!

I am SO excited for State Week in June! If you are interested in attending the Miss NY pageant, stay up to date by visiting www.missny.org! Also, please contact me if you would like to purchase ad space to support me in the Miss NY program book!

Spring Break happenings!

2011-03-25T11:34:00.002-04:00

So sorry for the delay in this post - I had written the entire thing, but failed to post it, earlier this week! It's been a very busy first week back, and I have to admit that I kind of wish break had lasted a little longer. However, with so many exciting events coming up, I suppose staying busy, working my way through heaping to-do piles, will help suppress the excitement and make the time go a little faster, while still enjoying the time in between! So, before I tell you all about my busy spring break, here are some upcoming events in my life that I am really looking forward to:

April 1 & 2: Lyme Central School's Musical Production of Grease - my little brother Sky is starring as Danny Zuko! After bribing him to help out in the chorus last summer in Cinderella, he is back on stage and pretty soon I can say, "told ya so!"

April 2: Crescent Yacht Club Junior Division Chili Cook-Off - to benefit the Junior Division Swim & Sail program where I work in the summer - come taste my "Staff Chili"!

April 3: Zumba for Baby Kate with Holly & Dani, and Morgan & Ashley! In my last post I asked that you all send prayers for Baby Kate who is currently in critical condition after a tragic incident. To help out this loving family, several Zumba instructors, including myself, will be hosting this benefit to raise funds and celebrate Kate's life! Everyone is invited to this 1st Birthday Zumba benefit for Kate - details here : http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=198216583542290

April 3: LA on Broadway at Lafargeville Central School - In high school, my mom and I performed in this community production for two years, and following my graduation I was unable to continue. However, I always try to make it back for the performances! La on Broadway is an annual fundraiser musical revue that changes up each year, so the songs are always a surprise!

April 9: MISS NEW YORK STATE WORKSHOP!!! I am SO looking forward to this. I am really eager to meet all of the girls, and learn more about the entire experience! Only 14 more days!

Just a little busy over the next few weeks...

Now to tell you all about my exciting spring break! Being home for a week was so great not only to catch up with friends and family, but also because I had more time to dedicate to representing the Thousand Islands at local events and speaking engagements.

In addition to the Miss Ireland pageant, mock interview session, and dress hunting that I already posted about, I spoke at two local schools and also helped out at an event hosted by Highway Legends. Highway Legends is a classic vehicle club that raises money for Children's Miracle Network and Wounded Warriors. When I was asked to attend this event, I couldn't say no!

My long weekend of appearances started out on Thursday when I visited a senior psychology class at Immaculate Heart Central to speak about my platform, community service, and bullying. Seniors can definitely prove difficult to speak to, especially in the morning, but I felt that out conversation was engaging and effective. Thanks to Mrs. Brady for inviting me to visit her classroom!

On Friday, I spent the whole day at my mom's school, LaFargeville Central. My morning started out with some observations for a research project I am working on this semester. After I got my homework out of the way, I visited a kindergarten and second grade class to read some of my favorite childhood stories, and talk about their character education theme, Forgiveness. I always really enjoy my time spent in the classroom! That afternoon I had been asked to speak at the character education assemblies on the same topic, Forgiveness. I must admit, it was challenging to come up with a way to express the importance of forgiveness in a way that children can relate to. Luckily, my mom was able to share a story about a time in my childhood when I had to learn the meaning of forgiveness which really helped me to focus my speeches. I spoke to groups of K - 3 and 4 - 6, and after finishing my speech each time, I was able to help hand out awards to students, and at the end, I was so honored to also be awarded with a medal and certificate presented to me by the Elementary Principal, Mrs. Anita James. I would like to thank all of the teacher, students, and especially Mrs. James, and Superintendent Whitney for welcoming me into their school and giving me the opportunity to speak on this important topic!

Lastly, on Saturday I attended the Highway Legends fundraiser dinner held at Bistro 108 in Watertown. The benefit raised funds for Children's Miracle Network and Wounded Warriors. After a lovely dinner of crab cakes, followed by I delicious mint-chocolate treat, I had the chance to thank the guests for their support, and then help draw raffle tickets! At one point, I think some people thought I might have rigged it after pulling my mom, dad, Sue, AND Gary consecutively! Thanks to the Highway Legends for inviting me to this event, and I look forward to helping out at their Thousand Islands Extravaganza May 20, 21, and 22, when I will have the opportunity to award a car the Miss Thousand Islands Award, and help with several other events! Keep your eye out for information on this event, and join Kaili & I for a great time!

That's all for now!

Pray for Kate!

2011-03-22T13:14:00.002-04:00

Friends and Family: I am writing this post to ask you all to pray for Baby Kate. Kate is a one-year old from the Town of Lyme in the Thousand Islands Region who has suffered injuries and is now in the hospital fighting to recover. As advocates of Children's Miracle Network, we as titleholders understand the importance of coming together, and rallying for children who are inflicted by sickness or injury. I ask that you all take the time today to say a prayer for Baby Kate and her family, and think positive thoughts for her! It is in times of strife that it is so important for communities to show love and support for one another. Thank you all!

So many new sisters!

2011-03-13T17:02:00.008-04:00

As I anxiously await the results of the Miss Greater Rochester pageant, I thought that I would tell you all about my exciting weekend, and congratulate some new pageant sisters, hopefully including Miss Greater Rochester 2011!

After a crazy and hectic midterm week, I drove home Friday afternoon, to start my spring break off by attending the Miss Ireland Pageant, an annual event that has become a tradition for my mom and I. This year was extra special because I was able to attend as Miss Thousand Islands! Of course, Sue, Gary, and Shelby joined my family and I for the scholarship pageant, my personal favorite event at the North Country Goes Green Irish Festival, held annually to raise funds for Project Children, as well as many other charitable organizations. We also were joined by Kristan and Kathy Letteire! As Miss Ireland is a festival pageant, the phases of competition are a little different than those of Miss American Organization pageants. The contestants are introduced in evening gown, they then express their Irish Heritage, which is done in various ways - music, storytelling, speeches, etc.. The girls are not judged on talent but on the way they express themselves. Last, they answer an on stage question. I began watching the Miss Ireland pageant after I started competing in pageants, and a friend of mine, Bridgette Sharlow, was competing in the Miss Ireland pageant, 3 years ago. That year, she was crowned and awarded a scholarship. Last year, she was able to crown one of her sisters as the new Miss Ireland, Brittany Sharlow. This year, the third sister in the line of Sharlow sisters decided to compete, and sure enough, was crowned Miss Irish Princess, and awarded a scholarship! Congratulations, Brianna Sharlow! And, to Miss Ireland 2011, Kristina Blackstock!

Irish Princess 2011, Brianna Sharlow, Miss Ireland 2011, Kristina Blackstock, and Brittany Sharlow, Miss Ireland 2010!

Brianna, Kristina, and I!

Kristan, Miss TI 2009, and I after the pageant!

Saturday morning, I was up bright and early for breakfast at the Clubhouse, and my first mock interview! Shelby, Sue, Corri, and Deltra Willis did a fantastic job compiling challenging and insightful questions and I so appreciate their help as I prepare for the Miss New York State pageant. I certainly learned a lot about myself, and am thankful for the advice these wonderful ladies provided me with. A few rounds of interview questions, and they had worn me out, so we moved on to A Touch of Grace to try on more gowns! If I could, I would just try on gowns all day long! Thanks to Kathy and her awesome staff for always being so accommodating to us!

And now, I can finally congratulate some new pageant sisters who I will be competing with this June! Here are the results from today's pageants:

Miss Greater Rochester 2011 - Chelsea Prophet
Miss Southeast New York 2011 - Amanda Mason
Miss Manhattan 2011 - Mallory Hagan
Miss New York City 2011 - Hannah Wright
Miss Greater Gotham 2011 - Nardeen Bilan
Miss Liberty 2011 - Kimberly Cantoni
Miss Metropolitan 2011 - Tara Szcezpanski

Also a huge congratulations to all of the contestants who competed in these pageants today, and to all of the runners-up! At Miss Greater Rochester, 2nd runner up is Heather Knowles, and 1st runner up is Lorna Rose! If anyone can fill me in on any other award winners or runners-up from the other pageants, please let me know so that I can update here! Congratulations ladies! And to the new titleholders, welcome to the Miss New York Class of 2011! Looking forward to seeing you all at workshop in April!

Ash Wednesday

2011-03-09T16:29:00.003-05:00

I have a million things I need to be doing right now, including working out, studying for tonight's test, writing a paper or two, and cleaning, but I just had an experience that I felt I simply must share. Today, as many of you know, is Ash Wednesday. For Christians around the world, today marks the beginning of Lent, and an opportunity to renew our relationship with God, and today, with ashes on our foreheads, we take this opportunity for grace and repentance. In the middle of midterm week, as I anxiously await spring break, I knew that it was important that I make it to Ash Wednesday Mass, not just because the church tells us to, but because it is important to take this time to step back from things like school and work to cherish our faith, what truly gets me through the stresses of college. So, I found an early mass, and went. As I went through the day, taking time off of work to complete schoolwork and studying, I had several mental lists going in my head, trying to figure out how I could fit everything I needed to into my busy day. Finally, as I finished classes, I walked to my car and as I backed out, I, of course, got stuck! For those of you reading in Ithaca and other parts of upstate and Northern New York, you can understand my frustration with the massive amounts of snow in parking lots! Anyway, as I was alone, I tried rocking my car back and forth to get out, and after several minutes of failure, a student who was walking by noticed my distress, and came to the front of my car and motioned for me to reverse as he pushed. We tried several times and when that did not work, he stuck around to see if we could kick some of the snow out from under the car (because we had no shovel). Soon after, another student walked over and tried to help. He then offered to get a shovel and ran all the way to his dorm to get a shovel. The first student finally left when I suggested calling a tow truck to pull my car out, and I continued to try on my own in hopes of a miracle. After a few more minutes, the second student came back with a shovel and immediately began shoveling my car out. A few minutes later, the first student returned, saying "I don't have anything better to do, and I feel really bad that you are still stuck here." So with a few more pushes, and some excellent shovelry (get it, like chivalry), my car was out! I couldn't thank them enough for helping me. And on top of their help, they were happy to do it! As I drove away, I watched these two strangers walk back to their dorms, and couldn't be more thankful. My faith tells me that these two young men were sent by God to help me.

Today, for some, is just another day. For me, I celebrated a Holy Day, but did not take much time to really think about it in that way until these two young men came along and truly showed me the meaning of almsgiving. I am so thankful for these two students, and wish that I had asked them for their names so that I could thank them again. I thought as I drove back home about how truly good people can be, and that "we are all but dust and will return to dust..."

I wasn't sure what I wanted to "give up" for Lent this year, and I don't think that I will give anything up, but I now have an idea about what I would like to DO and work on this Lenten season. I hope that everyone is able to gain something from this post, and for those of you celebrating Lent this season, I hope that you will all consider this while you do...

Thanks again to the people who helped me today!

What a busy, busy weekend!

2011-03-07T16:52:00.009-05:00

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope that you all enjoyed this weekend as much as I did! It was on Friday that I traveled home for the first time in a month, and I was really looking forward to all that was planned. Friday evening, I met my family for dinner at my grandmother's house - Jean's Beans, yum! For those of you who don't know about Jean's Beans, I am so sorry - while it is definitely a "once-in-a-while" treat, it is quite popular among the residents of the Thousand Island's region, especially during Lent because its specialty is Fish Fry! My mom, who is just as busy as I am, thought that Lent had already begun and planned the Fish Fry dinner a littler early - nonetheless, it was great to spend time with family, and stuff ourselves with delicious Watertown treats! After dinner, I spent time with my boyfriend, Tony, and his sister and brother-in-law. It is always so nice to spend time with my friends and family when I get the chance to come home, even though it can be hard to fit everything in to just a few days!

The weekend really started to get busy as soon as I woke up, bright and early, on Saturday morning when my mom and I went to our friend Allison's Zumba class, at LaFargeville Central where they both work. Even though I'm not always happy to wake up early, it really is great to start the day with a work out! Saturday afternoon I met up with Jessica Renzi, Miss New York 2003, at her house in Watertown for a modeling lesson. Jess has been so supportive of me in my year as Miss Thousand Islands, and is always willing to help! I so appreciate her and her valuable insight. We worked on "the walk" and of course, afterwards, we had a little pageant talk! Thanks for everything, Jess!

Sunday was the 4th Annual Teens for Miracles Fashion Show held by A Touch of Grace to raise money for our local Children's Miracle Network Hospital at Samaritan Medical Center. I was so honored to be the hostess of this amazing event, especially after having been a volunteer model for two years. The event is really fun for everyone - the models AND the audience. Those who watch the fashion show get to see all of the most popular prom styles of the season, and the models get to dress up and get their 5 minutes of fame, almost like a second prom! And there were male models, too! They borrowed tuxes from Nelson's Formal Wear and really did a great job! Ticia Marra's Stage Notes was there to provide entertainment, along with For Pete's Sake Entertainment and Production. It was so wonderful to see so many people come out to support the Children's Miracle Network, and I really had a blast! A huge thanks to Kathy & Kristan Letteire for inviting me to host the event and for all of their hard work in planning the event AND for the beautiful dress I wore, as well as all of the sponsors and other volunteers who were there to help out! To all my pageant sisters, I highly recommend A Touch of Grace for all of your pageant wardrobe needs!

With Madison Draper, one of our Miracle Children, who performed yesterday with Ticia Marra's Stage Notes!

With one of the models, Miracle Child Kaitlyn!

With friends & my brother! From left to right: Alex Weston (former soccer teammate), Tommy Barber (co-worker & neighbor), Skyler (my brother!), Olivia Speno (best friend!), Jake Speno (Liv's brother), and Lindsey Barber (neighbor)! It was great to see them all come out and donate their time to this cause!

With surrogate little brother, Zach Lanzar, and real little brother, Sky!

My dad and I! :-)

Mom & I! :-)

My pageant family, Gary and Sue, and I, minus Shelbs!

With my mom's best friend, Yasmin, and nanny Ruth!

Upcoming Events:

Friday, March 11 - North Country Goes Green Irish Festival and the Miss Ireland Pageant!
I am so excited to watch the Miss Ireland pageant this year! It has become tradition for my mom and I to go and watch the pageant at one of the North Country's most popular events, the Irish Fest! Last year, one of my good friends, Bridgette Sharlow (Miss Ireland 2009) was able to crown one of her sisters, Brittany Sharlow, as her successor. I'm looking forward to see who Brittany will pass her crown onto this year!

Sunday, March 13 - Irish Fest Parade!

Before I go, I also want to congratulate two new members of the Miss New York Class of 2011! Colleen Gagne was crowned Miss Empire Rose 2011, and Jennifer Pollard was crowned Miss Empire Star 2011 at the two-title pageant on Saturday! I am looking forward to meeting my new sisters! Congratulations, girls!

Also, I would like to wish all of the ladies competing in the upcoming pageants good luck! I wish that I could be there to root you all on in the coming weeks!

Miss Finger Lakes 2011 is...

2011-02-27T13:25:00.004-05:00

Charlotte Boothe! Welcome to the family, Charlotte, and again, congratulations - you are in for a whirlwind of excitement!

And a huge congratulations to all of the other contestants, as well, including 4RU Vicky Rippel, 3RU Amanda Boyer, 2RU Margaret Feldman, and 1RU Chelsea Prophet! All of the contestants were so incredibly talented, and it was near impossible to predict who might take home the crown.

This weekend was really special for me because it was my first time watching a pageant! Of course, I have seen Miss America on television and watched festival pageants, but this was so much more exciting. In addition to seeing so many pageant sisters, I really enjoyed seeing the pageant from a completely different perspective. With diverse talents, beautiful evening gowns, an upbeat opening number, and so much more, it was truly a fun evening, and an insightful learning experience as well. A big thanks to Chris Keefer, Pilar Miller, and Jane Eikov, for allowing me to speak on my experience as Miss Thousand Islands!

The weekend as a whole was a lot of fun, a little exhausting, and I'm now looking forward to the Miss New York State workshop and pageant more than ever! Before the pageant, Shelby, Sue, Gary, Corri, and I all spent the day shopping. We had a delicious dinner at an Italian restaurant in Corning before the pageant, that made up for our less than mediocre lunch experience in food quality AND laughs, as I successfully spilled the delectable garlic butter clam sauce down my new dress. Luckily, I had an extra dress with me! When I said pageant prep takes organization, I meant it - and not just for contestants, because you never know what could happen! If anyone knows of any pageant poncho vendors, please let me know, because we've determined I'll be needing some type of coverage to protect my wardrobe! I think I need to add "mess prevention" to my list of pageant prep!

Like my mom said, at least I have a good story...

That's all for now! Oh, and remember to get your ticket for the Children's Miracle Network Fashion Show, sponsored by A Touch of Grace, which will take place this Sunday, March 6 @ 2pm at the Best Western Carriage House in Watertown, NY!

Pageant Prep!

2011-02-21T10:42:00.003-05:00

It's not the easiest thing to wake up on a Monday morning, look outside to see four inches of snow (after the spring-like weather that melted it down to green grass on Friday), and still have a positive outlook on your day, but I try to look at Mondays as a day to get back into the swing of the week. Lucky for me, my Mondays aren't too hectic, and I always have lots of time to catch up on schoolwork in hopes of making the rest of my week less busy. Plus, this week, my boyfriend is visiting! Now, I always look forward to the weekends, but try to keep my thoughts and daydreaming to a minimum because I like to enjoy each moment for what it is, and find joy in ordinary and daily activities. This weekend is especially exciting for me, as I will be attending the Miss Finger Lakes Pageant in Corning, NY, to support the contestants vying for the title of Miss Finger Lakes 2011, and the chance to compete in Miss New York State in June, and to support my pageant sister, Amy Valenti, as she ends her year as Miss Finger Lakes 2010.

Just one year ago, I was getting ready to compete in Miss Finger Lakes 2010, and looking forward to the pageant almost as much as I am this year. This year, I will get to attend the pageant as an audience member and titleholder, which is especially exciting for me because I have never actually watched a Miss America local pageant before. I am looking forward to the experience and hoping to learn from the other contestants. I know I love competing, so I am hoping my experience watching a pageant is just as thrilling! I want to wish all of the contestants good luck in their final week of preparation for this pageant, and offer some insight:

In the words of Mary Johanson, a titleholder in a corny pageant flick of mine, Drop Dead Gorgeous, "With one week to go before the pageant, I was finishing my outfit, rehearsing my talent, brushing up on current events, and running 18 miles a day on about 400 calories. I was ready."

Now, obviously this is a joke, but I do love watching this movie as it gets closer to any pageant I am competing in. It's cheesy, strange, and oddly funny, and we all know it's really nothing like the pageants we compete in, but what people reference every time we say, "I compete in pageants."

Unlike the unwell titleholder in this dark comedy, with a week before a pageant, I absolutely do not recommend running 18 miles a day on 400 calories. But I do have a few tips to offer, especially to the contestants in the Miss Finger Lakes pageant this weekend, as they enter their final week of prep for this pageant.

It's a lifestyle for those of us who compete regularly in pageants, but pageant prep seems to increase in intensity and importance in the week leading up to a pageant. Just one year ago, I was spending extra time at the gym, saying "no thanks" to treats, and reading up on my current events, but also trying to relax and find time in my busy schedule to just think about the pageant. This time is so important to reduce stress, set goals, and plan for a successful week. While it may seem stereotypical, I like to pamper myself in the week prior, not because I think slathering my face with green clay mask is really going to help me win, but because I know that it will relax me and help me to boost my confidence. It is confidence that is the key to winning a pageant. So, to the contestants of the Miss Finger Lakes, many of whom are pageant sisters, I want to wish you good luck in this week and at the pageant. I will be there to cheer each and every one of you on as you further your dreams.

I would also like to offer some advice, as a fellow competitor, based on my own experience, and current pageant prep for Miss New York.

1) Set goals. If not the crown, what is it that you hope to gain from this pageant? If you have set goals in mind, you are bound to be successful. There are no losers in pageants.

2) Relax. Find a yoga class, and go. Yoga has boosted my motivation, plus it is a really great workout in itself, in addition to reducing stress. Stress reduction is so important, not only this week, but always, because negative stress makes it difficult to be focused and successful.

3) Pamper. Whether it is a pedicure or at-home skin care remedies, find something that will add to stress-reduction and relaxation, as well as boosting confidence, in turn promoting overall success.

4) Organize. Getting ready for pageants certainly includes some tedious list making, quick shopping trips, and trying on all outfits, and maybe even practicing hair and make up. This is really good to do earlier, rather than later, so that any issues with clothing or otherwise can be taken care of, preventing stress. Plus, this can help to get you really excited for the pageant, and always helps me to feel more confidence.

5) Practice. Pageant practice is kind of like practice for any other hobby or sport. Continue work on your talent, interview, onstage-question, and walks/poses, and stick with your fitness plan. Read the news every day, practice speaking while you are driving or with friends and family, put on your heels and walk in front of the mirror, and record your talent and critique yourself or have others help you so you can improve to your fullest.

We all have our own ways of getting in the zone during pageant week, and I hope that some of these tips can help your pageant preparation, and that my learning experiences can be beneficial to you all. I am so looking forward to the Miss Finger Lakes pageant, and am excited to cheer each and every one of you on, and support Amy in her final moments as Miss Finger Lakes 2010. I offer this advice not only to the contestants of MFL, but to those in all upcoming local pageants. I hope to attend as many locals as possible, and look forward to meeting new friends, welcoming new titleholders to the Miss New York Class of 2011, and catching up with my pageant sisters. Good luck!

All my best,

Morgan

The Power of Mighty Power Yoga

2011-02-14T10:22:00.003-05:00

What a great way to start the week! Yesterday, Sunday, usually cleaning, catch up day, I went to my first ever yoga class. Not just a regular yoga class, but what is called power yoga, aka Mighty Yoga or Hot Yoga. I went with a roommate and friend, and was a little nervous not knowing what to expect, especially because I had only ever done yoga from a DVD. After 75 minutes being in a 100 degree room, I felt completely renewed! I am so ready to start my week, and enjoy every second of it! I can't wait to go back next weekend, but this time I will bring a bigger towel! I encourage everyone to try some type of yoga, especially this particular class if you are in the Ithaca area! Prepare to push yourself to the "edge" and sweat, a lot!

This 18 credit semester s certainly a busy one, so I don't have much time right now to post, but before I go, I'd like to wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day, especially my Valentine, Tony! I hope you all, regardless of relationship status, find a way to enjoy this day. Celebrate not only love and commitment, but health and happiness! I challenge everyone to do something good for their own heart today - I know I will be spending some quality time with the elyptical and treadmill today!

A new addition...

2011-02-07T10:30:00.002-05:00

First and foremost, I would like to congratulate my pageant sister KIeren Sheridan, Miss Fulton County 2011! Unfortunately, I was unable to attend this local competition, but kept a close eye on Facebook Saturday night so that I would know who the winner was! So, again, a huge congrats to Kieren, her runners-up, and all of the talented women who competed in Miss Fulton County. I am so looking forward to seeing many of you at Miss Finger Lakes 2011!

Now, I have even MORE exciting news. I had posted in my last blog post that I will be hosting the Children's Miracle Network Fashion show on March 6th. Well, on Saturday I had plans to try on the gown that Kathy & Kristan Letteire at A Touch of Grace had chosen for me. What was supposed to be a quick trip, turned into a fabulous morning of gown shopping during which I found both my talent AND evening gowns for Miss NY!!! It happened that the dress Kathy & Kristan wanted me to wear to host the fashion show was so amazing, that I ended up getting it for states! Needless to say, I will be wearing a different dress at the fashion show!

I also suppose I should tell you all about my morning, mostly because it involves my crown. Because last night was the Super Bowl, I decided to drive back to Ithaca early this morning, despite my parent's warning that the drive might encounter some weather. Regardless, I decided I wanted to wake up this morning, and thankfully did not come across any snow or ice. However, just as I was rolling into Ithaca around 8:15 this morning, I was involved in a minor, two-car accident. I am so thankful that no one was hurt, besides my car, and that it wasn't worse. At the time, I was completely overwhelmed, mostly because my car was obviously damaged, and also because I needed to get to my first class in which I was responsible for conducting an interview. The man in the other car was so kind and considerate, as was the policeman who was on the scene. I have never been in an accident and really wasn't sure what to do. Anyway, once everything was taken care of, my car was towed and the police told me to take only what I needed from my car and to put it into his car. Because I was on my way back from home, my entire backseat was full of my bags, filled with clothes, make up, etc, but I decided that I needed my backpack and purse more. Then, at the last second, I realized my crown was in its box that had wedged itself from the impact. I quickly grabbed it and put it in the car. As I started thinking more clearly, I realized that I had some of my essentials in my car which is now at a shop, and I had taken my crown instead, I just had to laugh at the whole situation.

Thank God I am OK, and for the crown box that saved my crown!

Back to School, Back to School

2011-01-31T17:27:00.003-05:00

Today is officially a week and a day into classes for the spring semester, and for me, my last semester of undergraduate and Ithaca College! While exciting, it is also bittersweet to know that this is my last semester of undergrad, and my last semester at Ithaca. The next fourteen weeks will be full of first lasts, and I am really looking forward to living this semester to the very fullest! And although it has only been a week, the schoolwork is already beginning to pile up. Because I elected to graduate a year early, I am taking a full load this semester - 18 credits - plus taking 12 credits this summer at Jefferson Community College. I will be graduating in August 2011, but fortunately, I will be able to walk at graduation in May. My decision to graduate early came a little late because, shockingly, schools don't like to broadcast the opportunity to save a year's worth of tuition, especially to students like me who came in with credits from high school. So, as you can imagine, these past few months have been spent realizing the changes ahead for me. I will be attending graduate school, moving out of my parent's house, and finding a "real job"! I'm a little anxious to do all of these things, but at the same time, I am really excited and looking forward to the opportunities that the real world will have for me.

Now, for some updates on Miss TI!

I've started a new workout plan (Thanks Shelby!), in addition to my previous workout. It is imperative that I maintain my fitness and health, plus, the plan helps me to stay on track with my schedule that includes classes, work, homework, and meals. I have found that by staying busy after classes end, I have been much more productive with schoolwork and other things that need to get done! Remember to mix up your workout, fuel your body with wholesome and healthy foods, and find time every day for the gym or a home workout!

Over winter break, I also met with Corri Dartnell, Miss Thousand Islands 2008, who is a music teacher, to work on my song for talent! I'm keeping this a surprise, but I'm really excited about it!

Upcoming Pageants & Events:

February 5 - Miss Fulton County 2011 (Gloversville High School)

I would like to wish all of the girls competing in this pageant good luck! Unfortunately, I will be unable to attend, but I will be thinking of my pageant sisters as they compete! I encourage you all to venture out and support these amazing young women on their journey to the crown! Also, I would like to congratulate Heather Shaffer, Miss Fulton County 2010, on a fabulous year of service!

February 26 - Miss Finger Lakes 2011 (Corning, NY)

I will be attending the Miss Finger Lakes 2011 pageant, and am SO excited! I realized that I have never actually watched a local pageant in the Miss America Organization. Plus, last year I competed in Finger Lakes and met some wonderful new pageant sisters who I hope will be competing! I would like to wish all of these ladies good luck as they prepare for this competition, and encourage you all to join me for this event! Last, but certainly not least, I would like to give a shout out to my pageant sister, Amy Valenti, Miss Finger Lakes 2010, and congratulate her on her amazing year of service. I was there to witness Amy's crowning, and have to say, it was one of the best I've seen!

March 6 - Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Fashion Show sponsored by A Touch of Grace (Watertown, NY)

This is another exciting event that I will be hosting!!! This fashion show holds a special place in my heart, not only because it will raise money for CMNH in a really fun way, but also because I have been a model in this fashion show twice. You can call Kathy or Kristan Lettiere (Miss Thousand Islands 2009) at A Touch of Grace at 315-788-6164 for more information on attending or being a model. The event will be held at the Carriage House at the Best Western in Watertown and begins at 1pm. Tickets are $10, and you can call the above number to purchase. The fashion show will feature this season's hottest prom looks, so come out and support a great cause and find your dream dress for prom!

March 11 - North Country Goes Green Irish Festival - Miss Ireland Pageant

The Miss Ireland pageant is another event that I have looked forward to year after year, and I am excited once again to attend this pageant and festival. Two years ago, one of my closest high school friends won the crown of Miss Ireland, and last year, she was lucky enough to be able to crown her younger sister as Miss Ireland 2010. Must be the luck of the Irish! The phases of competition in this pageant include evening gown, on stage question, and expression of Irish Heritage. Girls express their heritage in many different ways, including storytelling, poetry, music, dance, and comedy. In this phase, the contestants are not judged on their talent, but on how well they are able to express their Irish Heritage and its importance to them. If you happen to be in Watertown or a surrounding area, be sure to stop by the Irish Fest, a tradition in the North Country and Thousand Islands region, and the pageant!

Lastly, I would like to encourage you all to follow the link below and make a donation to the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. In doing this, you will be helping me compete in Miss New York and reach my fundraising goal of $500 (required, $250).

In the works:

Keep your eyes open for news about my big CMNH fundraising event that will happen in mid-May!

Have a great week everyone!

Clayton, NY @ #3 for Top Ten Coolest Small Towns in USA!

2011-01-24T12:18:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone!

I know it's been a long time since I've posted, and I'm just getting back to classes today, so I promise to post with updates and news about my life soon, but I wanted to quickly encourage you all to follow the link below and vote for Clayton, NY to be one of the Coolest Small Towns in America! Clayton is only one of the unique and picturesque towns within the Thousand Islands, but it certainly deserves this great honor!

http://www.budgettravel.com/bt-srv/coolestsmalltowns/CST2011.html

GO CLAYTON! :-)

Miss America!

2011-01-15T19:35:00.003-05:00

As I impatiently wait for Miss America to begin (tonight at 9pm on ABC), I thought I would update my blog, something I haven't done in quite a while. Before I start babbling, I want to wish Claire Buffie, our Miss New York 2010, luck at the pageant tonight. Claire has done an AWESOME job in preliminaries this week (view them on the Miss America Facebook or YouTube) and no matter what the results of tonight's pageant are, New York is very proud.

Now, I was supposed to be at a Miss America party with my pageant family, but because of the crazy winter weather, I had to stay home, snowed in. Even so, it will be fun to watch the pageant with my mom, something that I remember doing when I was really young. Anyway, I am beginning the last week of my winter break, and it is pretty bittersweet. It is exciting, and also a little scary, that after this semester and a few summer classes, I will have completed my degree and will be on to graduate school. Much of my vacation has been spent making a plan for the next year. Of course, I compete at Miss New York in June 2011, then will return to my summer job at the Crescent Yacht Club Jr. Division as a Swim Instructor and Head Lifeguard. As the summer comes to an end, I hope I will have found a "real job" and will start taking classes at Jefferson Community College through SUNY Potsdam to pursue a Master's in Childhood Education with a specialty in Special Education. Even though it sometimes seems really overwhelming, everything seems to be falling into place and I'm so lucky to have the support of my family and boyfriend, Tony.

Upcoming Miss NY prep: modeling/walk practice with former Miss NY, Jessica Renzi! I would like to thank her for her ongoing support! It means so much! Thanks, Jess!

That's all for now! Remember to tune into ABC at 9pm EST for the 90th Miss America pageant!!! And again, lots of luck to Claire! I'll be watching in my I <3 Miss NY shirt! (Thanks to Shelby & Sue for that :-))

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T20:36:00.003-05:00

Well, it's almost that time again! Santa Claus is comin' to town! And before I go to sleep, to welcome visions of sugar plums to dance in my head, I thought I'd bring you all up to date of my Christmas season adventures, my latest appearance, and some exciting news!

As I look back upon the holiday season, I am glad to report that I finished my Christmas shopping early, well not early, but surely much sooner than some of the people whose gifts I wrapped at Borders today! I can't imagine the stress of waiting this long, but I suppose for some, the pressure is helpful! Just watching Jingle All the Way stresses me out! Anyway, as I was saying, today I had some holiday fun with Kaili, Shelby, Sue, and Gary, wrapping presents for last-minute gift-givers and Santas at Borders Bookstore at the Salmon Run Mall. The spirit of Christmas really shone through with each person who donated to our scholarship fund in exchange for a gift wrap! One little girl in particular really put us to work for a big hunk of change, literally, and really challenged our expert gift-wrapper Super Shelby with small items like packs of trading cards and even a rubber duck!

We even got to spend some quality time with Ann Walck Ianotta, Miss Thousand Islands 2005 & 2007 and her husband and Miss TI Pageant Stage Manager, Andrew. Oh, and we saw Leslie Stackel, my Zipper Master Hostess! We exchanged gifts with Sue and Shelby - I got an I <3 Miss NY t-shirt, and LOVE it. Actually, I'm going to go put that on with my new Christmas jammies! Thanks, ladies!

Now, for the exciting news! Drum roll please....I have chosen my song for talent, finally! I can't tell you what it is, of course, but I will tell you that it is going to be awesome!

And now, it's time to go watch some Friends and get to sleep early, because even though my brother and I are 16 and 20 years old, we somehow can't sleep much past 8 on Christmas! So, a Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!!!

Oh! And a very happy one year anniversary to my wonderful and supportive boyfriend, Tony! :-)

Footloose in Watertown!

2010-12-10T12:27:00.001-05:00

Just saw this posted on 7News! If you're in the Watertown area this weekend, check it out!

http://www.wwnytv.com/news/local/Watertown-Gets-Footloose-111629004.html

Oh! The Places You'll Go

2010-12-09T13:22:00.003-05:00

I'm sure many of you have read this poem before, but I wanted to share it anyway. While it is not between the whimsical, brightly colored cover of the Dr. Seuss book, the message in this children's poem, is profound to people of all ages. I am currently in a poetry course, and while browsing famous poems to read for a class assignment, I came across this piece, and although I had read it before, I really enjoyed and found meaning in it. So, here it is.

"Oh! The Places You'll Go!"
by Dr. Seuss

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction
you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know
what you know. And YOU are the
guy who’ll decide where to go.

You’ll look up and down streets.
Look’em over with care. About
some you will say, “I don’t choose to
go there.” With your head full of
brains and your shoes full of feet,
you’re too smart to go down a not-
so-good street.

And you may not find any you’ll
want to go down.In that case, of
course, you’ll head straight out of
town. It’s opener there in the wide
open air.

Out there things can happen
and frequently do to people as brainy
and footsy as you.

And when things start to happen,
don’t worry. Don’t stew. Just go right
along. You’ll start happening too.

Oh! The Places You’ll Go!

You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers who soar
to high heights.

You won’t lag behind, because you’ll
have the speed. You’ll pass the
whole gang and you’ll soon take the
lead. Wherever you fly, you’ll be
best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don’t.
Because, sometimes, you won’t.

I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s
true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups
can happen to you.

You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly
perch. And your gang will fly on.
You’ll be left in a Lurch.

You’ll come down from the Lurch
with an unpleasant bump. And the
chances are, then, that you’ll be in a
Slump.

And when you’re in a Slump, you’re
not in for much fun. Un-slumping
yourself is not easily done.

You will come to a place where the
streets are not marked. Some
windows are lighted. But mostly they’re darked.
A place you could
sprain both your elbow and chin! Do
you dare to stay out? Do you dare to
go in? How much can you lose? How
much can you win?

And if you go in, should you turn left
or right…or right-and-three-
quarters? Or, maybe, not quite? Or
go around back and sneak in from
behind? Simple it’s not, I’m afraid
you will find, for a mind-maker-
upper to make up his mind.

You can get so confused that you’ll
start in to race down long wiggled
roads at a break-necking pace and
grind on for miles across weirdish
wild space, headed, I fear, toward a
most useless place.

The Waiting Place…for people just
waiting.

Waiting for a train to go or a bus to
come, or a plane to go or the mail to
come, or the rain to go or the phone
to ring, or the snow to snow or
waiting around for a Yes or No or
waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite or
waiting for wind to fly a kite or
waiting around for Friday night or
waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle
Jake or a pot to boil, or a Better
Break or a string of pearls, or a pair
of pants or a wig with curls, or
Another Chance. Everyone is just
waiting.

No! That’s not for you!
Somehow you’ll escape all that
waiting and staying. You’ll find the
bright places where Boom Bands
are playing. With banner flip-
flapping, once more you’ll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky.
Ready because you’re that kind of a
guy!

Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun
to be done! There are points to be s
cored. There are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do
with that ball will make you the
winning-est winner of all. Fame!
You’ll be famous as famous can be,
with the whole wide world
watching you win on TV.

Except when they don’t. Because,
sometimes, they won’t.

I’m afraid that some times you’ll
play lonely games too. Games you
can’t win ‘cause you’ll play against you.

All Alone!
Whether you like it or not, Alone
will be something you’ll be quite a
lot.

And when you’re alone, there’s a
very good chance you’ll meet things t
hat scare you right out of your pants. There are some, down the
road between hither and yon, that can scare you so much you won’t
want to go on.

But on you will go though the
weather be foul. On you will go
though your enemies prowl. On you
will go though the Hakken-Kraks
howl. Onward up many a frightening
creek, though your arms may get
sore and your sneakers may leak.
On and on you will hike. And I know
you’ll hike far and face up to your
problems whatever they are.

You’ll get mixed up, of course, as
you already know. You’ll get mixed
up with many strange birds as you
go. So be sure when you step. Step
with care and great tact and
remember that Life’s a Great
Balancing Act. Just never forget to
be dexterous and deft. And never
mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)

Kid, you’ll move mountains!
So…be your name Buxbaum or
Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ale Van
Allen O’Shea, you’re off to Great
Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!

On a cold December evening...

2010-12-05T21:54:00.002-05:00

...Kaili & I rode in a convertible. It had to have been below 20 degrees in Clayton last night for the Clayton Christmas Parade but as we rode, #46, behind a trailered boat lit up with Christmas lights, "driven" by a large inflatable nutcracker, we sang with Shelby's Christmas mix, bundled up atop Gary & Sue's convertible, waving, throwing candy, and wishing the hundreds of people Happy Holidays & Merry Christmas. Now, I have been in the holiday spirit for a while now, turning on my Pandora Christmas station, full volume, as my roommates and I get ready in the morning and decorating our entire apartment, complete with a mini Christmas tree. Anyway, this parade was so exciting and if it is possible, made me even more excited to be celebrating the Christmas season! There were some awesome floats - from what I saw, I have to say I really liked the mini Thousand Islands Bridge, all lit up, and the Coyote Moon Winery float. Despite the cold air and long waits, I really enjoyed myself and now, even more than ever, I am ready for the holidays!

Here's a link to a video of the parade featuring my two favorite floats and Kaili & I!

http://vimeo.com/17484341

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

2010-11-29T10:13:00.001-05:00

For those of you reading this from a screen in the Thousand Islands, were you one of the many spectators lining Washington Street in Watertown today for the annual Christmas Parade? If you were, did you spot Kaili & I riding in Sue & Gary's awesome convertible PT cruiser? It was so great to see the parade from our perspective - in the middle of it all - seeing the excited children, ready for the holidays and of course, Santa. Personally, I think that we were ALMOST as exciting as Santa. As we rode down Washington Street, children, young and old, shouted, "it's Miss Thousand Islands" and "look at the princesses!". I have to say, the most difficult part of this (I know, what can be difficult about riding in a parade?) was the candy throwing. It seems pretty easy, but there is a lot to think about - don't hit the people, look graceful, get it close to the sidewalk, etc.

With Mayor Graham before the parade started!

With Sheriff John Burns - a little closer to moving!

More pictures to come!

Now, it's back to the grind. I just arrived at my apartment in Ithaca after a two and a half hour drive from Chaumont. I have to admit, I'm really not ready to go back to classes tomorrow after a 10 day vacation. But, I guess I really don't have much of a choice. Luckily, most of my big projects are almost completed, and there isn't much left to do. I'm already so excited for Winter Break, even though I have to take two classes! Even though the holiday season has officially begun, it always feels more holiday-ish at home, than it does at school. Anyway, on my way down to Ithaca tonight, I noticed so many houses decorated with lights, Santa Claus statues, and reindeer. There is one house in particular that was not only decked out for Christmas, but is ALWAYS showing holiday spirit, for EVERY holiday, covering their front lawn with hundreds of decorations. Tonight, I noticed flashing Christmas lights, of every color, and several Santas and reindeer and snowmen. That said, we obviously all have our own ways of celebrating and getting in the holiday spirit - whatever your holiday may be - but I got to thinking, what is it that inspired the most common Christmas traditions like putting up lights, a tree, buying presents, etc.? Some may be more obvious than others, but I decided to do some research and I want to share it with you.

Origin of Christmas Traditions:

I couldn't find much about where the tradition of hanging Christmas lights began, but I like to believe that they represent the bright North star that led the shepherds and Three Kings to the manger on the night when Jesus Christ was born.

The Wreath, now a common decoration that is hung on doors, comes from the belief that the crown of thorns placed on Jesus Christ's head was made of holly, and that the berries, originally white, turned red from the blood. Also, evergreen is said to represent eternal life because it does not die or go brown in the winter.

Mistletoe comes from a pagan tradition during the celebration of winter solstice.

Christmas Trees have been said to also be a pagan tradition, however there is some Christian reasoning behind why we put up a fir tree. Whether your tree is freshly cut, purchased from the local tree farm, or assembled from three pieces, creating the illusion of a perfect tree, it is said that the triangular shape of the fir tree, and probably the belief that evergreen represents eternal life, inspired the tradition of Christmas trees. According to an online article, "In Germany during the 7th century, a dedicated monk went to spread God’s word. In order to simplify the Holy Trinity, a fundamental tenet of Christian faith, for new converts he compared it to a Fir tree and its triangular shape. New converts he encountered began to associate the tree with God. This association gained popularity, and five-hundred years later, the custom of displaying trees during the Christmas season became widespread."

What are your Christmas traditions?

In my house, probably the biggest Christmas tradition is something that my mom does. A top-secret recipe for homemade caramels, passed down from my mom's grandmother, is brought to life each Christmas season. Throughout the month of December, several square sheets of caramels are cut into hundreds of bite-size buttery drops of goodness, and wrapped individually in squares of wax paper. When we were little, my mom was able to make the caramel wrapping into a game, but as we have gotten older we have realized that it is a chore. Nonetheless, somehow the majority of caramels get wrapped and given to friends and family - something that is now anticipated. It's a busy season for our family this year, so I offered to help make the caramels, knowing that I will someday have the privilege of making them myself.

So, as we approach this holiday season, whether you are celebrating the first night of Hanukkah this week, or bringing out your advent calendar, remember the reasons behind the things we do to celebrate.

Thanksgiving ABCs

2010-11-26T15:04:00.004-05:00

A little late on this, but I want to wish everyone a belated Happy Thanksgiving and an on-time Happy Black Friday! Last night, after a HUGE and delicious dinner of the Turkey day works, I was thinking about everything that I have to be thankful for. I am so blessed with an amazing and supportive family, boyfriend, and friends (who are like my family), I have also been given this wonderful opportunity to be Miss Thousand Islands - a journey that I have only partially traveled thus far, but one that I am SO thankful to have. I thought I would jazz up my thanks a little bit with some Thanksgiving ABCs!

A - Aspen (my GIANT Alaskan Malamute & German Shepherd "puppy")
B - Being Miss Thousand Islands
C- Church & Spirituality
D - Dad
E - Eating
F - Friends
G - Grandparents (Bee, Bud, & Nan)
H - House
I - Ithaca College
J - Jobs
K- Knowledge
L - Lyme Community Foundation/Theatre, for helping to make my ideas and dreams reality
M - Mom
N- Nature
O - Opportunities that I have been afforded
P - Pageant Family (Shelby, Sue, Gary, and everyone else!)
Q - Q is hard, but if you flip the letter upside down, it looks kind of like an Apple - so, my Macbook Pro
R - Roommates
S - Skyler, my little brother
T - Tony, my boyfriend
U - Uggs
V- Voice (Singing)
W - Water - that we drink AND play in
X - Xcellence
Y - You all - my readers & supporters
Z - ZUMBA

For the above and so much more, I am thankful. Remember to think about thanks, and that not everyone can say they are thankful for the things we sometimes take for granted like food, water, shelter, and clothing.

Enjoy your Black Friday and the beginning of the Holiday season! :-)

Good Ol' LCS

2010-11-26T14:19:00.002-05:00

In June 2008, I graduated from what I thought was the smallest and most drama-filled, yet BEST school, Lyme Central School. When I tell people that I graduated with a class of 40, one of the largest in Lyme history, and attended a school that is Pre-K - 12 with less than 500 students total, their jaws fall to the floor. It's not often that students know most everyone in their school, including at least 50% of the elementary - because they are either relatives, relatives of relatives, or your best friend's younger sibling. It's even more rare for faculty and staff to greet each student by name in the halls, whether they've had you in class or not. Even though I sometimes wished that I went to a bigger school with more opportunities to foster my passion for theatre and music, I look back at my years at LCS and could not ask for a better educational AND social experience.

Now, I lay here on my couch, blogging about the two days earlier this week spent with Pre-K - 5, 6 - 8, and a small group of seniors at Lyme. So much has changed at the school and navigating the small school, now undergoing construction, with classroom swaps was very surreal. I suppose you could say it was a bit nostalgic to be back in the halls of my alma mater, especially the elementary wing, and almost strange to see how much is different. Nonetheless, I am elated for the current students, especially the young ones who have many years to come at Lyme, who, as a result of the physical changes, will benefit greatly educationally.

When I was asked to visit Lyme as Miss Thousand Islands, I was so flattered and excited. I always enjoy going back to Lyme for visits with many of my influential teachers, some who I can now call friends. It means a lot to me to know that I am seen as someone who is both credible and inspiring, and so much so that I would be asked to speak to students.

Starting with an 8th grade English class Monday morning, I kicked off my visit to Lyme by talking to middle schoolers about bullying. Although this is not my platform, the school asked me to address this topic due to the recent tragedies caused by bullying. Thanks to Claire Buffie (Miss NY '10) for giving me some ideas for these presentations! We talked about bullying and the different types, and realized that at one point in time we had all been bullied or been the bully. So many insightful and thoughtful comments were made by the students and even I learned a great deal about what bullying means to the students, especially in middle school. Fortunately, because Lyme is so small and so is its hometown, Chaumont, the students said they hadn't experienced any serious acts of bullying. It was interesting however, that during an activity that required the students to split into groups, the teacher and I witness something that could probably be called quiet bullying. As their teacher split the 8th graders into cooperative learning groups, we noticed that certain students would complain that they did not want to work with a certain other student. Because many of the students were saying things under their breath about having to work with someone who they do not like, it was not immediately evident to me that anything was wrong. However, the teacher and I discussed this with the class and I think even they were stunned that this is a kind of bullying. Luckily, the activity was flexible, and I was able to alter the way that it would work, ceasing to split the remaining classes into groups, and rather working as a united group to brainstorm and complete the activity. Overall, I think that my presentation was very effective with most of the students, and I hope that discussing this topic openly will have a positive impact on their interactions between one another and on the school as a whole.

After lunch on Monday, I was scheduled to speak to a very small group of seniors - 8 to be exact, only 5 showed up. Having been warned that the group would probably be smaller than normal, and also because I am familiar with many of the seniors, I decided to make my talk with them very informal, focused on what is important to them, while sticking to the topic that the school had requested - civic responsibilities ( as Miss Thousand Islands). I was hoping to get some of the girls pumped up about getting involved with pageantry, but their turned out to be only one female student, and the boys certainly weren't interested in hearing about pageantry. Regardless of the size of the class and the lack of interest in the topic, I think it was nice to just have a conversation with them, and I think that even though most of the students seemed to lack enthusiasm, they really enjoyed telling me what was important to them and their ideas to implement their interests and passions into their community.

Tuesday was my day to visit all of the elementary classrooms. I knew that the younger students would be more responsive, with more questions or stories to share with me. I have to admit, I was a little nervous but also excited to meet the kids! Anyway, with my mom's help (she is a teacher), we prepared two character education 'lessons', one for the younger grades, and another for the older. I had a crazy schedule - visiting an entire grade each period, with the exception of two. I started out in kindergarten where I read "Rainbow Fish", answered many questions, and mostly listened to what the young students had to say. Things like, "my cousin is in college", when the teacher told the students that I am in college, or "I have a dinosaur toy." At the end of the visit, I put on my crown and took a picture with the whole kindergarten and left autographs for each class, something I did for every grade. I visited 5th grade next, and as we ended a little early, the entire class wanted to try on the crown. The rest of the day was very fun, with unique students, questions, and happenings in each grade. In the 2nd grade, I joined the class in song while they practiced their holiday concert songs, "Let there be Peace on Earth" and "All I Want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth." I remember singing the latter when I was in elementary school, but I was a little rusty on the words. They sounded great though! My second to last stop for the day was Pre-K, who was in the middle of nap time when I arrived. As they all circled up on The Rug, I was astonished at their tiny size. So cute! Some of them must have only been 3 - still just babies! Nonetheless, when I asked them what they learned in school, without prompt they sang the Alphabet Song in unison - wish I had that on tape!

All in all, it was a really fun two days during which I actually learned a lot. As some of you may know, I am currently a 3rd year senior at Ithaca College, majoring in communications. I decided recently to pursue a Masters degree in Childhood Education, beginning the program next fall. Although I am already a substitute teacher and swim instructor, I realized some of the challenges AND rewards that come from not just teaching, but spending time with students. A big thanks to Lyme Central and all of their students and teachers for inviting me to come!

A2O Environmental

2010-11-17T17:23:00.002-05:00

Thanks to my cousin Juan, I am now aware of this great cause and non profit organization - A2O Environmental. I recommend that you check out their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=154119221288728 and their website http://www.algae2omega.com/. According to their Facebook,

"A2O Environmental is a non-profit organization that utilizes local community resources to educate residents of our fragile coral reef ecosystems. Providing a hands-on approach to lowering community emissions is another one of our goals coupled with reducing the nation's carbon footprint as a whole. Along with rainforests, coral reefs are the most diverse ecosystems in the world. They make up the foundation of the food chains in our oceans. Just as trees in our forest's and jungles, coral produces oxygen and are crucial for the survival of fauna in our oceans. Our plan is to procreate change in the way we handle these natural gold mines by raising awareness amongst boaters, divers, and others in close contact with coral reefs. If we can save our reefs, maybe we can save our planet too."

I remember when I vacationed in St. Croix, it was my parent's second time visiting, and we were going snorkeling. They had snorkeled when they were in St. Croix 25 years earlier and my dad was excited to do it again. He described the coral reef to be brightly colored - red, purple, green, blue, yellow. His expectations were not met, and the realization that in less than three decades a reef can die was so disheartening. The message and purpose of this organization is one to keep in mind no matter where you live.

Nice work, Juan! :-)

Miss New York State Pageant has a new home!

2010-11-15T20:29:00.002-05:00

Check out this article!

http://www.silive.com/northshore/index.ssf/2010/11/miss_new_york_state_scholarshi.html

Miss New York State Pageant has a new home!

2010-11-15T20:29:00.000-05:00

Congratulations!

2010-11-14T12:32:00.006-05:00

Just a quick update to congratulate two new members of the Miss New York Class of 2011 - MIss Staten Island 2011, Maria DeSantis, and Miss Richmond County 2011, Amanda Lee Alicea! Also, I somehow missed the Miss Brooklyn 2011 pageant - so I would also like to congratulate Christina Moore, Miss Brooklyn 2011 and also Carmen Mendoza, Miss Kings County 2011! It's a good thing for Facebook!

Appearances, appearances, appearances!

2010-11-13T15:33:00.004-05:00

One of several fantastic and exciting things about being Miss Thousand Islands is being able to make appearances. As many of my pageant sisters know, a great deal of these appearances include parades and community events. Additionally, the other portion of appearances are platform based and fundraisers for either Children's Miracle Network or the scholarship fund, in my case the Miss Thousand Islands Scholarship Fund.

I try very hard to update my blog about all appearances, and keep you all posted about upcoming events. While 'appearances' could be construed as titleholders walking around with their crown and sash, just being seen, signing autographs and taking pictures, there is really more to it than that.

If you have ever looked at a Miss America style tiara closely, you know that there are four distinct points, making the crown very different than those of the other pageant systems. The Four Points of the Crown each stand for a character trait that is to be emulated by the woman wearing the crown. They are: Scholarship, Service, Style, Success. While knowing these four points is really great for an interview, the importance truly lies in the meaning and implementation of each word. Thanks to our crown sponsor, Waterbury Jewelers, I have a beautiful crown to wear and represent the four points.

Appearances happen to fall under Service. All Miss America titleholders, local, state, and Miss America herself, participate in, as I said, several appearances through her year of service. Although there is usually lots of photo ops and signing autographs, the title holder is usually present at an event as a way of showing dedication to her community.

So far this year, my service has included having a pink streak in my hair to support breast cancer research at the Ritz Spa & Salon in Watertown, an event that benefitted the American Cancer Society, helping out at the Lyme Community Foundation's Chaumont Harvest Festival at the Copley House, and last Saturday I was the Keynote Speaker at the North Country Arts Council Art Show.

Today, we helped to raise money for the Miss Thousand Islands scholarship fund at the Bon Ton Community Days at the Salmon Run Mall in Watertown. The Community Days in a one-day event at the Bon Ton during which local organizations are placed throughout the store and sell coupon books, $5 each, with all the proceeds going to their particular organization. Sue, Kaili, and I got a table right in the front of the store, and trying our hardest to be strategic salespeople, we ventured outside of the store front, catching the shoppers' eyes with our crowns. We were only there for an hour, but surpassed our goal, and raised even more than last year. I'm not sure of our final total, but nonetheless our sometimes intimidating and awkward efforts asking each passerby to purchase a coupon book, some of them trying to take one without paying, worth well worth it. Our very first sale was to an individual who was obviously a well-seasoned shopper. Before purchasing a booklet, she looked through the store to make sure she was going to get a deal - I thought this was smart, and something I would probably do myself. Anyway, she came back to purchase a booklet, and went on her way...or so we thought. After she had left, my kindergarden teacher, one of the nicest people on this planet, came to say hello and although she had already purchased a coupon book, she spent another $5 and gave the coupon book to me. I had set it down on the table while I was talking to her and as she walked away I noticed our smart shopper was back, looking through a coupon book trying to make sure she was getting the best deal. Noticing that mine was gone, I assumed hers was buried deep in her purse and she was just using my for reference. Anyway, I went to greet another customer and when I cam back, the booklet was gone and so was the woman! I couldn't believe it! Well, it is what it is, and I probably wouldn't have used it anyway, but it saddened me to know that after such a giving person had spent extra money to support our organization, that someone else would take extra coupons for herself. Personally, I just give her the benefit of the doubt that she truly needed the booklet, and she would use it anyway, or maybe that she accidentally took it with her. But with all of the holiday spirit among the shoppers in the mall and the decorations, this was an experience that reminded me of what truly matters in life. Today, I saw that importance of service as something that actually matters.

As I approach these next few weeks, I am faced with a busy schedule, but the scents of Thanksgiving and knowing that soon, I will be home for five weeks for Winter Break - which also mean Christmas, my stress is eased a bit. Aside from my busy schedule at school, my Miss Thousand Islands schedule is equally as busy, but much more exciting!

November 22 & 23 - Speaking to grades 1- 5, 6 - 8, and 12, at Lyme Central School on various topics including my platform, the four points of the crown, service in particular, and anti-bullying/building confidence
November 28 - Christmas Parade in Watertown, NY
December 4 - Christmas Parade in Clayton, NY
December 18 - Holiday House Tour in Chaumont, NY to benefit the Lyme Community Foundation
December 24 - Wrapping Gifts at Borders in the Salmon Run Mall, Watertown, NY

If your organization would like to schedule an appearance, you should contact Sue Pilon, my executive director!

Lastly, I wanted to let you know about an ongoing fundraiser for Children's Miracle Network, which is an official partner with the Miss American Organization. In order to compete in Miss America pageants at the local, state, and national level, contestants must raise a minimum dollar amount, based on the level of competition, for CMN. In the past, I held a basketball tournament to raise money for this amazing cause. This year, I am planning another great fundraiser, but in the meantime, I will be using an online profile to collect donations. To visit my profile, to learn more, and to make a donation, please visit:

https://www.missamerica4kids.org/m.aspx?i=76387B98EA2B+7

I'll keep you updated about my progress and when I have more details about a physical fundraiser.

Thanks for reading! Now I'm off to a birthday dinner for my little brother Sky, who just turned 16, at Texas Roadhouse - a family favorite!

Happy & Healthy Holiday Eating

2010-11-10T19:49:00.003-05:00

I just received an e-mail from the American Heart Association with information on how to avoid gaining weight and staying healthy over the holidays and I wanted to share some of the advice, and add some of my own. In preparing for Miss New York, I knew it was necessary to really pay close attention to everything that I intake in order to get in shape and maintain a healthy weight, in addition to exercise.

I know I look forward to Thanksgiving dinner, and special appetizers served at parties throughout the holiday season all year long, and I'm sure most of you do, too. It's not a matter of self-control, but I believe this desire for delicious food is something that is engrained in us, and if it's just me, (Big Hungry) Shelby knows what I mean. But as I learn to fight these temptations and prepare for cravings for crescent rolls, ham & cheese pastry, homemade mashed potatoes, Christmas cookies, and my favorite, Pumpernickel dill dip...yum. I'll be the last person to tell you to avoid these and other delicacies of similar deliciousness, but I do know it is important to our health and physicality, to know how to enjoy these as a treat, in lesser portions.

So, I have developed a list of guidelines that I challenge you all to follow, based on tips and information from the American Heart Association and the South Beach Diet (eating lifestyle).

1) From the AHA, eat healthy and filling snacks before you leave your house. When you get to the party, don't head straight for the food table, but get a drink, non-alcoholic, and that will help you to feel full, and less inclined to mingle with the snacks rather than the people. But of course, it would be impolite to completely avoid the food, which someone probably slaved over by your host for hours, so remember to sample a little of what looks to be more satisfying.

2) Exercise. If you live in Northern New York, or any part of the Northeast, you know that the snow is a common excuse to hunker down with a blanket and relax on the couch, essentially hibernating. As we learned in elementary school, when bears hibernate that sleep all of winter, they get fat so that they can live without food for the length of winter. Anyway, we don't want that. Here are some exercise ideas to warm you up and burn calories and Christmas cookies:

- I'm a ZUMBA instructor, so I'm biased, but it's an awesome workout! As they say, "lose the workout, join the party!" It's so much fun you forget you are working out. Check with your local gym or in community centers to find classes in your area. Or visit ZUMBA.com! If you live near Chaumont, check out my winter classes in Three Mile Bay! :-)

- Get a gym membership! A month at the YMCA is usually less than $50, and totally worth it. A wide variety of machines and workout classes to choose from. Tip: Get a gym buddy to keep you motivated and dedicated to your regime.

- If you prefer working out alone, not in public, try workout tapes. They can be very effective if you stick to them. Personally, I do best with motivation from others.

- When you do indulge, because that is OK once in a while, especially if you are working out daily, you should remember some tips:

1) Whole wheat is better than white. Anything starchy, especially baked goods and other treats made with flour, are loaded with carbs. Try to eat whole wheat, and use whole wheat flour, when possible. (South Beach)

2) Sugars - you know the rule. Not too much! Things like sugar free jell-o or treats made with Splenda have less calories, carbs, and sugars. (South Beach)

3) Be a label reader! If you have access to the labels of what you are about to eat, check them out. When looking at ingredients, I always look for words that are hard to read or pronounce. My roommate told me the other day, "If your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize it, don't eat it!" Obviously it is hard to avoid these things all the time, and I like the saying, "everything in moderation."

4) For those of you who are 21 and older, keep in mind that not only are there many empty calories in alcohol (remember to avoid ALL empty calories, in food, too!), but it can also make you hungrier and more likely to make poor eating decisions. (Also from AHA)

- Lastly, if you want to lose a few pounds for the holiday season, I personally recommend the South Beach Diet (not really a DIET). Read the book! It's easy, written by a doctor and approved by other doctors, healthy, and effective! And of course, ZUMBA is a great workout! :-)

I hope this advice is useful and helpful and I strongly encourage you all to think about eating, while still enjoying those special treats!

Before I go, I would like to extend an HUGE thank you to our troops, and our veterans. My grandfather is a veteran of WWII and my cousins and I have been lucky enough to hear lots of war stories from him. He has accomplished so much in addition to his success as a performer. Watch the video below to see him!

Also, I want to wish my little brother Sky, a very HAPPY 16th BIRTHDAY! :-)

Alright, that's all for now!

What a weekend!

2010-11-07T21:24:00.002-05:00

I admit it - I am watching the pageant DVD for the second time today. Ok - I didn't actually watch the entire thing yet, but I am a little obsessed. Thanks to Juliann Schindler for an awesome memoir and a great resource! As I watch, I am looking for my strengths and weaknesses as a contestant, while enjoying the pageant like an audience member, something I rarely get to do. If you would like to order your own copy, check out the Miss Thousand Islands website for more information! It's definitely worth it, and the proceeds of course benefit the scholarship fund. Ok, enough about the DVD - onto my weekend!

Well, my weekend started prematurely when I had to be picked up and taken home from school by my dad, due to a case of what Jess Renzi might call the 'plague'. After four days of sleep, I was up bright and early on Saturday morning for a full day of Miss TI happenings and pageant family reunions. The day started out with a breakfast meeting at the Clubhouse, during which I guzzled hot tea for my sore throat, while we discussed the Alphabet of Pageant Prep - something Shelby, Sue, and Corri invented to efficiently run our meeting, without forgetting anything. It was really helpful to me because I was able to take each pointer and bit of advice, process it, and then prepare for the next. Afterwards, we headed back to Sue's for a quick pit stop before meeting up with April McClintock to see proofs from my photo shoot! So exciting! I have been looking forward to this for weeks, especially after seeing the two teasers on April's Facebook page, but I have to say, I think Shelby and my mom were even more excited. The pictures all turned out wonderful, and I just want to thank April again for her creative eye and for working with us! The photos are truly fabulous. Sorry to say, you'll have to wait to see them! :-) Once we were done looking at the pictures, we visited with Kathy Lettiere at A Touch of Grace, our gown sponsor, for some preliminary dress shopping! Even though I was feeling a little tired and under the weather, I was more than happy to try on every dress that we laid eyes on. I will say that we found at least two dresses/styles/colors that are on our list of potential evening gowns! Wooo! Now, I could probably dress shop all day long, but Saturday night was my first big speaking event, and I still needed preparation, so we headed home. I have to add here, that when we left the shop, it was SNOWING! :-)

Alright, on to the big event! Because my platform deals with the importance of the arts, Jess Renzi, former Miss New York State, and resident of Watertown, had contacted me soon after I was crowned with an awesome opportunity to team up with the North Country Arts Council. I was elated when I was asked to speak at their Fall Art Show on the importance of arts in community. For me, this is a topic very close to my heart. We were invited to attend the reception prior to the awards ceremony, which is when I would speak. I was lucky enough to be able to check out all of the artwork on display in the State Office Building and meet and greet with some of the other guests before going on stage to speak. The speech went very well, and it was a great learning experience overall. I was really happy to have the opportunity to demonstrate my public speaking skills while talking about something that is so important to me. Thank you to Jessica Renzi, Kari Robertson, and the North Country Arts Council.

Before I go, I would like to give a quick shout out to all of my pageant sisters who just appeared on the DVD - yes I am still, watching. The famous Irish Step Dancing Walck's are doing their thing, so until next time!

Goodnight!

Fall Break

2010-10-18T12:29:00.008-04:00

Hi everyone! I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend - I know I did! At Ithaca College, we don't get Columbus Day off but we do get a long weekend called Fall Break. It's always such a nice break after the craziness of midterms (waiting to see my grades still!!!). As most of you know, I always seem to be busy, with school or work or other obligations, so as you can imagine, my break was not necessarily relaxing, but still very fun! Over the weekend I had my photo shoot with April McClintock (sneak peek to follow below!!!), added some pink to my blonde hair for a great cause, and spent quality time with family, friends, and Tony, on my downtime.

The Photo Shoot

I was so anxious for this appointment - excited, but a little nervous. I spent all of Thursday night consulting with Shelby, and packing outfits, shoes, and accessories for the big day. By the end of my packing spree, I had stuffed at least 30 dresses, including evening, cocktail, and casual 'shopping' dresses, into two garment bags, and everything else into the largest suitcase I could find (so big that I bet I could fit inside of it, when it is empty of course). And I still felt like I was forgetting something. Anyway, I woke up early on Friday for a hair and make-up appointment with Rosie at the Ritz Spa and Salon in Watertown, one of our sponsors. Rosie has done work for some of April's other clients before and I typically go to Rosie for my regular hair appointments, so I felt confident that she would make me look and feel my very best. I headed to April's studio located in the Paddock Arcade on the Square in Watertown, and lugged my suitcase and garment bags in, in the rain, all while wearing heels, to her beautifully unique and creative studio. Luckily, my hair only suffered a little from the rain, and I put my trust in April and her assistant to assure that I looked great in the photos. My mom was unable to be at the photo shoot, and fortunately, Shelby was able to come from Binghamton to the studio to be with me and help with everything. All in all, it was a wonderful experience and I would highly recommend April as a photographer for anyone looking for portraits or photographs to be done. She is so creative and very fun to be around. She made me feel so special and this truly helped the success of the shoot. Thanks again to April McClintock, our photo sponsor for Miss Thousand Islands! Visit her website at http://www.aprilmacphoto.com/
or on Facebook. FINALLY, below is a sneak peak of the photo shoot! I can't wait to see the rest on November 6! Enjoy!

Didn't she do a beautiful job???

Saturday was also very exciting for the Miss Thousand Islands family! Kaili, Miss Thousand Islands Outstanding Teen, and I had pink streak extensions put in our hair at the Ritz Spa and Salon to support Breast Cancer Awareness and Research. This is something that the Ritz has been doing since September, and it has been a huge hit! So far, they have raised over $34,000 for the American Cancer Society. As much fun as it is to have pink in our hair, it is important to remember why the pink is there in the first place! So many people are affected by breast cancer, and cancer in general, and I applaud the ladies at the Ritz Salon for what they are doing to help! Check out their website for more information - http://www.theritzdayspa.com/.

Shelby crowns Sherri Munson, one of the owners of the Ritz!

Sherri puts the pink extension in - only takes a few minutes!

Voilá! Sherri and me with the pink streak!

Me and Cindy, the other owner of the Ritz!

Kaili and me!

Kaili and I pose with Sherri and Cindy, owners of the Ritz, one of our sponsors. :-)

Pretty in Pink at the Ritz!

Other highlights included lunch at a new franchise restaurant in Watertown, the Tilted Kilt, with Shelby, where I got to take part in her food review for her blog, and enjoyed a delicious French (they mean Irish) Dip Sandwich, one of my favorites! I was able to attend my younger brother Sky's last in-season soccer game - their team is #1 in their league, and 4th in their section! This is really exciting because when I was in high school, my soccer team took the title of State Champs for our Division, so it would be really cool if Sky's team went that far as well! Good luck, boys! I also supported Sky at the First Frost AIDS Walk at Thompson Park in Watertown on Sunday. Sky was there walking as a part of a health class he takes, and it was really neat to see how excited the walkers and runners were to be part of such a powerful event! If I had known about this event in advance, I would have liked to run! Other than that, I enjoyed Mom-cooked meals, a few new movies, being able to see my friends and boyfriend, and of course, ZUMBA!

Upcoming happenings...

November 6, as I mentioned earlier, is the day I go to see the rest of my photos, and also my first interview practice session at the Clubhouse. Also, I have been asked to speak on the Importance of the Arts in Community at a North Country Arts Council event! This is really exciting as I have never had this kind of opportunity before and I am looking forward to talking about my platform, which involves the importance of the arts, and about my involvement in the Lyme Community Theatre.

On November 13, we have the Care and Share Event at the Bon-Ton as a part of their Community Days. This also sounds like it will be a fun day and a great fundraiser for the Miss Thousand Islands Pageant!

And finally, on November 19, I will be traveling home for Thanksgiving Break! I absolutely love Thanksgiving - the food, the start of the holiday season (still debating whether I will try Black Friday again this year...), and a break from school! This year, I have decided to run in the Turkey Day Run, aka the Turkey Trot! I will be doing the 5K race with my brother and friend Terra. I hope some of you will consider joining me! I enjoy running and I think that this will be a great motivator and help me in my journey to the Miss New York State Pageant, not to mention, I won't feel as guilty for eating seconds, I mean thirds, at Thanksgiving dinner!

That's all for now - thanks for reading!

Monday, Monday, Monday.

2010-10-04T14:12:00.002-04:00

TGIM?! It’s another rainy Monday in Ithaca, and I’m battling sleepiness with Pumpkin Spice coffee, and trying to focus on my classes despite being extremely distracted by my excitement for this weekend! I would like to remind everyone that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and to support research, Miss Thousand Islands Outstanding Teen, Kaili Schindler, and I will be having pink extensions put in our hair Saturday, October 16, at 9:30am (we have had a few date mix-ups, but as far as I know, this is correct) at the Ritz Day Spa and Salon. We are both very much looking forward to this experience not only because we will get to have pink in our hair, but also because the proceeds will go to the American Cancer Society. So many of us have been effected in some way by this disease and it is important to do our part and work towards a cure. Last Wednesday, two of my best friends lost their mother after a three-year battle with cancer. Although her particular case was not breast cancer, I will be thinking of her and her family while I get my pink streaks. I invite you to join Kaili and I on Saturday the 16th , or any time this month in the fight against cancer. Below is a link to a video from WWNYTV 7 News with more information.

http://www.wwnytv.com/news/local/Use-Your-Head-And-Think-Pink-103944514.html

After ‘going pink’, I will be attending the Fall Festival at the Copley House in Chaumont. The annual celebration of autumn is hosted by the Lyme Community Foundation and began about a decade ago, shortly after my mom founded the not for profit organization. For me, the fall festival has become a tradition and I am very excited to attend this year as Miss Thousand Islands 2011, especially because I am the first Miss Thousand Islands from Chaumont. Another Chaumont titleholder, Miss Ireland 2010, Brittany Sharlow, may also be in attendance. There will be food and games, and much more – I hope to see you there!

The series of events doesn’t stop there, though. Saturday afternoon is my high school cheerleading coach’s wedding! I’m really looking forward to seeing old friends and celebrating Coach Mo’s special day. Congratulations to her and her soon-to-be husband! ☺

After the wedding, I’ll be heading to IHC to watch my younger brother, Sky, in his under the lights soccer game against IHC. My brother is so very dedicated to his team and to the sport, and is one of the most driven players I have seen. This is his first year on varsity, and because I am away at school, it isn’t very often that I get to see him play. He definitely was blessed with the athletic gene! Go Lyme!

The busy weekend will end with a relaxing Sunday, a drive back to Ithaca, only to turn around and come back for Fall Break on Wednesday. That’s all for now!

Happy Autumn!

2010-09-22T13:27:00.003-04:00

Hello everyone! I hope you are all finding a way to enjoy the first day of fall. It's true, yesterday was the last official day of summer. It truly was a wonderful summer full of sunny weather and personally, I had many accomplishments including successfully re-launching the Lyme Community Theatre and playing Cinderella in the summer musical (a dream come true) and of course, being crowned Miss Thousand Islands 2011 (also a dream com true). I also had a really great job working with kids, instructing swim lessons, and spending the majority of my day in the sun, on the water, which contributed to a great tan...for the most part - one piece swimsuits don't make for the best pageant tans! Anyway, as I reflect on the summer of 2010, it really brings a smile to my face to think of all the wonderful, simple memories I made with my friends, family, and boyfriend. As you have probably gathered, I feel so very blessed to have had such amazing, life changing experiences, and a really fun summer overall. Thank you to all who were part of it!

So, we begin fall, on a rainy day here in Ithaca, which I like to call lazy days. Lazy days call for rain boots and warm, comfortable clothing. In the past couple of weeks I have been busy with schoolwork, of course, but also with planning some special things for Miss Thousand Islands - my photo shoot with my photo sponsor, April McClintock, and a mini-event with Miss Thousand Islands Outstanding Teen, Kaili Schindler! I am so excited for both and will tell you a little bit more below...

First of all, I would like to say a big THANK YOU to April McClintock for sponsoring my photos, which include state head shots and of course some really fun and creative shots in beautiful outfits. I am really looking forward to the shoot and seeing the ideas that April, Shelby, Sue, my mom, and I have come up with come to life! I think that it is going to be a really fun day and I can't wait! The shoot is scheduled for October 15, during my fall break. My hair and make up will be done by Rosie at the Ritz!

I will share photos when I have them!

Visit April's website:
http://www.aprilmacphoto.com/

Also coming to the Ritz Salon in October...

On October 16, Kaili and I will be having pink extensions put in our hair to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We are both extremely excited about this! This is a month long event that the Ritz is holding, so consider getting your pink streak. All proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society. It's a great cause that is close to many people's hearts. I firmly believe in showing support for causes like this, especially in such a unique way! Plus, we love pink!

Check out the Ritz Day Spa and Salon's website for more information!
http://www.theritzdayspa.com/

Now, to back track a bit...my last post was all about my birthday plans and so I thought I should tell you about my birthday weekend! My 20th birthday weekend kicked off with a dinner at Chili's with my roommates and friends. I drove home on Friday and spent the afternoon with Tony (and opened my present!), and then we joined my family including my cousin, Kelly, for dinner at my house. Saturday started bright and early at the Clubhouse in Watertown where my mom and I met Shelby and Sue for my first breakfast meeting. We discussed all sorts of things including appearances, photos, and pageant prep over a delicious comfort food breakfast. Yum! After breakfast, my mom and I spent the morning and early afternoon after the Burrville Cider Mill, one of my favorite places in the world and Nothern New York's 'best kept secret', and birthday shopping! As much fun as it was, I was sick with a bad cold, so I ended up spending the rest of the afternoon on the couch, watching TV with Tony. I do have to mention that he made me a really great lunch and took extra special care of me! That night we celebrated with a birthday cake made by my mom - Lemon Raspberry Cake with homemade whipped cream frosting (the same birthday cake I had on my first birthday). Determined to overcome my illness, especially on my birthday weekend, I pushed myself to have a fun night - and even though I spent a lot of it on the couch (again), I did see some friends that night! Sunday was ZUMBA day! My mom woke me up that morning, very early, and brought me to the dining room that was decorated with balloons and I opened a present - ZUMBA gear! As you can imagine, I was super excited to ZUMBA my birthday away, but with the cold, I wasn't as chipper as I usually am. Nonetheless, my friend Ashley Lothrop (A-Lo) and I worked very hard that day and after almost 7 hours of ZUMBA, we left as licensed ZUMBA instructors! I have been doing lots of ZUMBA and will start to work on choreography soon - I hope to have my own classes over Winter Break, and I hope to see many of you there!!! After 7 hours of ZUMBA, I was ready to eat...so I enjoyed my mom's creamy shrimp pesto and two types of birthday cake - leftovers from the Lemon Raspberry cake and a colorful and delicious ice cream cake from Tony. Then, we of course, opened more presents, relaxed and talked the rest of the night. Overall, it was a fabulous 20th birthday, sick or not! Quick fun fact...did you know that Sue (my ED) and I share the same birthday? And that Shelby's is the 16th, just a few days after? :-)

Oh, and I can't forget to thank Lillian of Lillian's Alterations on Arsenal Street in Watertown for a special birthday present - a $300 gift certificate for alterations for my state wardrobe. This is so wonderful of her and I really appreciate it!

That's all for now! Thanks for reading.

Morgan

Updates!

2010-09-09T11:25:00.004-04:00

Hi everyone! Sorry it has been so long since my last post - it's been a busy couple of weeks! Now that I have some free time before work in the Journalism Department, I have a few things I'd like to share with you.

Last weekend, I received and e-mail from an Ithacan writer. The Ithacan is a student-run publication at Ithaca College. The writer told me that she was doing a story on pageants for the widely read newspaper. Thanks to my pageant sister, Lauren Crandall, for giving her my name! :-) Naturally, I was very excited, and after consulting with Shelby and Sue, I agreed to be interviewed. Earlier this morning I met with the writer and we had a really nice conversation about pageantry, my experience in pageants, within the Miss America system, benefits of pageantry, how I became involved in Miss Thousand Islands and others, and of course, one of the questions was, 'What did it feel like when that crown was put on your head???" While it was really nice to flash back to my crowning moment and share with her how ecstatic and shocked I was (remember the face? :-O), I really enjoyed being able to tell her what pageants are really like - not Drop Dead Gorgeous, even though I (and Corri Dartnell) love this movie! We talked about my talent, too - NOT lip syncing to "Don't Cry Out Loud". Anyway, I am really excited to read the article and I hope that it will help to show what a wonderful experience pageants are, and I hope it will encourage other girls to participate in pageants as a way to gain scholarship money and of course, friends and fond memories. I made sure to express to the writer all of my skills that have been improved through pageantry as well, such as public speaking, self confidence, self expression, and so much more. Did I mention there's a photo shoot??? So excited for that! I'll keep you all updated on that and make sure to post a link to the online article!

Other than that, I will attend my first breakfast meeting with Shelby, Sue, and Gary this weekend and I am really looking forward to that...especially breakfast! :-) Unfortunately, the Miss Italia Pageant has been postponed, but I am looking forward to appearing at the pageant, hopefully next month. Oh and there is another very important date this weekend - MY BIRTHDAY!!! On Sunday, September 12, I will turn 20 years old! Ahhhh...it seems like just yesterday I was turning 18 and thinking that I was old...now, two years later...I'm no longer a teen! I am really excited to spend the weekend home with my family, friends, and boyfriend, Tony. It's going to be a busy weekend, but if you know me, you know that I'm ALWAYS busy. Anyway, my birthday weekend starts tonight (I lobbied for a birthday week but it didn't work) with a fun dinner at Chili's with my roommates and friends from school. Tomorrow, I will head back to the Thousand Islands, and spend time at home. Saturday starts bright and early with a Miss TI breakfast, and then will be spent going to the Burrville Cider Mill (one of my favorite places...ever) to indulge in fresh apple cider, DONUTS, Croghan bologna, and cheese curd, shopping at the Silver Shoppe with my cousin Kelly (another favorite Thousand Islands exclusive), and an assortment of other places! I'm really looking forward to bundling up in sweats and sitting by the lake, at a bon fire with all of my friends on Saturday night. Finally, Sunday, my actual birthday, will be spent at the Carthage Augustinian School, becoming a ZUMBA instructor! I am thrilled to be able to spend my birthday doing ZUMBA (especially since this weekend will surely include delicious food), even though it is from 9am -6pm. Nonetheless, I am really looking forward to this experience and being able to teach ZUMBA classes, meaning I will get paid to work out - perfect preparation for Miss New York! The weekend will commence with a family and boyfriend dinner at the restaurant of my choice, and then it's an early morning drive back to Ithaca on Monday.

I'm sure this weekend will inspire a new blog post - talk with you then!

Morgan

Some random rambling...

2010-08-28T17:43:00.000-04:00

Happy weekend everyone! The first official week of school, even though we only really had two days of classes, is complete. I really like all of my classes and I think, based on the syllabi and first impressions, that my course load will be well balanced; some courses are going to challenge me while others will serve as 'easy A's' and 'refresher' courses. My biggest disappointment so far has been that because I am a junior and in higher level courses, the professors don't feel it necessary to have us introduce ourselves. The way that this usually goes is the professor gives us a formula for our introduction: Name, year, major, hometown, and FUN FACT. Normally, I can never think of a fun fact, but this year, I really wanted to be able to say, "My fun fact is that I am Miss Thousand Islands 2011!" Oh well!

Now, as I'm sure many of you have heard, Miss Thousand Islands 2010 Kristina Ferris's crown has been stolen. It was one of many items stolen in a burglary spree in her neighborhood. I wanted to take the time to first of all express my devastation for Kristina and the loss of her crown. Although the crown is 'just a thing', it is truly so much more than sparkly rhinestones. Not only does the crown stand for Style, Success, Scholarship, and Service (the Four Points of the Crown), but it also represents a titleholder's year of service and all of their accomplishments. As Kristina has stated in interviews with the media, the crown is not really worth much money, so to anyone but her, it is not very valuable. I am hopeful that the crown, along with the other possessions stolen in the string of burglaries, will be returned to their rightful owners.

To completely jump topics to something more positive, I am very excited to announce my first appearance as Miss Thousand Islands! I will be attending the Miss Italia 2010 pageant in Watertown, NY on September 10. The Miss Italia pageant is a part of the Bravo Italiano Festival that is held in Watertown every year. I have never been to the festival or the pageant before, and I am really looking forward to seeing a non-Miss America pageant. I hope to see you there! Although the winner of this pageant will not be a part of the MAO pageant family, I am excited to welcome in a new pageant sister to the Thousand Islands and Watertown area pageant family! OH...I'd also like to congratulate Allison Carlos, Miss Forest Queen 2011! Miss Forest Queen is a festival pageant, but she will be competing in Miss New York 2011 with me! Welcome to MNY Class of 2011, Alli! :-)

Before I go, I'd also like to give a quick shout out to Alison Stroming, Miss New York's Outstanding Teen who is competing in Miss America's Outstanding Teen pageant tonight in Orlando. She has been competing all week and won a preliminary talent award! I was lucky enough to meet Alison during Miss Thousand Islands and she is very deserving of this crown! Tonight is the big night, so send thoughts her way!

That's all for now!

Morgan

Some advice for college freshmen...

2010-08-22T08:09:00.000-04:00

After I posted last night, I was laying in bed, anticipating today, the day I go back to school. This year is of course different than any other year, and the change from dorm room to apartment is certainly a lesser change than going from home to dorm room for the very first time. I thought back to this same time, two years ago, when I left home for the first time and moved in to my college dorm room. For some, the transition seems easy, while for others, it is much more difficult. For me, it was the latter.

I remember crying when I left my house, almost all the way to Watertown, and then falling asleep for the entire ride to Ithaca. Once I arrived on campus, the biggest step, even though physically it would be the easiest, was getting out of my car. Immediately, we checked in, and started unloading the car. I was living in one of the two Towers, on the 9th floor. Luckily, there were elevators, and luckily there were upperclassmen and giant laundry carts to assist us in the move. Although I was still sad to leave home, my friends, family and the guy who was, at the time, my boyfriend, moving in was sort of fun. Now, not to say that I had the coolest dorm room, but my mom and I really took the ugly dorm room and its just as ugly furniture and made it look beautiful. So, the tiny dorm felt a little more like home, but until we went to dinner, it hadn't really hit me that I wouldn't be leaving with my family that night, and that I wouldn't be going home for a while.

I had a beautiful view from my first dorm room, and alongside Cayuga Lake was the highway out of Ithaca. Even though it was too far away to actually know if one of the set of lights that grew smaller and smaller was my family in our van, I perched myself right near that window, crying on the phone to my mom, watching and watching. She kept telling me that I needed to have fun and that I couldn't let my homesickness get the best of me. She told me that I would come home soon but that I had to push through the next few weeks. Looking back, this is advice that really applies to any type of trivial situation and honestly, anytime I am stressed or worried or sad, no matter what the occasion, she tells me basically the same things. As much as I appreciate my mom's advice, the painful homesickness really had already gotten the best of me and I didn't want to listen to what she said. Also, although her advice is good advice, it is really hard to follow when one first arrives at school and is left there. Now, I am a Junior and I have had some time to figure college out and I have some advice of my own that I still follow when I get a little sad...

1) STAY BUSY. For me, this is extremely important. Luckily, my major keeps me very busy with schoolwork, especially group projects, which are not only time consuming, but they allow a group of people who might not have met otherwise, really get to know each other and I have met some great friends through group projects. Check out the activities and groups on campus. Trust me, you will feel a lot better if you stay busy, rather than sit in your room doing nothing.

2) GO TO THE GYM. When you work out, your body releases endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Plus, getting in shape is not only fun, but it makes you feel better about yourself. Taking care of your body by eating right and working out definitely helps to change your mood. Remember, you don't have to be athletic to work out. Even if you have never set foot in a gym, start out college and your life right by working out and staying fit - there are not only machines and weights, but lots of fitness classes too!

3) STEP OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE. This is a big one. College is full of opportunities waiting for you, but you have to find them. Most of the time, opportunity doesn't come knocking at your door. If you get a chance to do something, even if it is going to what you think will be a boring lecture, do it. You never know what great things could come from it. Now, don't be discouraged if you go to a lecture and don't leave feeling like a new person...you have to expose yourself to lots of lectures and events and you will see, when you are in my shoes, how the bigger picture has been effected by stepping out of your comfort zone.

4) BE WITH PEOPLE. This goes along with staying busy. As much as we need time to ourselves and to be alone, during your freshmen year, many of us are plagued with vulnerability and being alone all the time is not going to help. It's not as easy to be alone when you have a roommate, but because I ended up living in a single after a falling out with my roommate, I had to learn to get myself out of the room even when I really just wanted to stay in bed. You will make friends in class, in your dorm, and all over campus, and in groups or within your major. Spend time making friends and not sitting alone.

5) VISIT HOME often, but not every weekend. My mom was right...you do have to push through, especially the first few weeks because this is prime bonding time when you will meet the people who will end up being roommates and friends for life. When you visit home, make sure that your parents cook you your favorite meal (b/c dining hall food isn't always the best...) and that your laundry gets done, and that you see your friends. But don't forget that you HAVE TO go back to school and that you HAVE TO get your work done. If you think going home will make you want to stay home more, then do not go.

6) GET IN A ROUTINE. Get up more than 20 minutes before your first class, whether it starts at 8AM or 12PM. Give yourself time to get up, SHOWER, get ready (yes, actually fix your hair, make-up, and wear something other than sweats), eat breakfast, and get to class early enough to get a seat in the front (this keeps you from getting distracted and keeps you on task because the professor is right there). I thought I would try being a 'cool' college kid and just rolling out of bed a few minutes before I needed to leave my dorm to make it to class 'on time" (which Shelby would actually call late). I found that I didn't feel happy when I was dressed in baggy sweats, un-showered. Now, if you tend to normally dress in baggy sweats and you don't shower, I'm sure this won't be a problem for you. For me though, I LOVE getting ready and looking nice for class, so I don't know what I was thinking. Go to your classes and try to be excited about it, even though it sometimes is hard. EAT. EAT. EAT. Go to the gym or work out in some way. Do your work and don't procrastinate. Go to bed as early as you can, even though sometimes this is 5am. Basically, wake up each day ready for a new challenge, and keep a smile on your face.

Now for my pageant sisters, when college becomes difficult and you are feeling frustrated or sad, and you really don't want to do what you know you need to do, think, "What would Miss America do?" I know it doesn't seem like Miss America would come across these situations, so it might be hard to imagine what she would do...Miss America emulates true beauty. She is not only beautiful from the outside but from the inside too. She is a strong, confident women. She demonstrates the Four Points of the Crown each and every day and we must always think about this because it truly does help.

To my freshmen friends:

Whether you are going away or staying home, college is going to be a big difference and will present you with trials and tribulations that sometimes might seem unbearable. Listen to the advice above, listen to your parents and you will be just fine. I would like to wish you all good luck as you begin your college journeys. In these first weeks, know that I am thinking about you, and you are in my prayers! Have fun & be safe!

On a quick Miss T.I. note, I just wanted to share that I received a congratulatory letter from Congressman Bill Owens. I thought that was pretty awesome! :-)

Morgan

A week as Miss Thousand Islands...

2010-08-21T20:13:00.000-04:00

I believe that as a titleholder it is very important to publish a blog post at least once a week, to keep my followers and readers up to date on my life and my plans for Miss T.I. I also really enjoy writing and by writing for fun, not just writing papers and essays for school, I am improving my writing skills, which Shelby would say is highly important, not only as a titleholder, but as a Public Relations professional and a successful person in general. So, although I have yet to make a Miss T.I. appearance and am unsure when I will first get to wear my crown and sash publicly, I have had a busy, yet wonderful, last week at home, that I would like to write about.

Tomorrow, I will be driving to Ithaca with my family and boyfriend, Tony, to move into my very first apartment where I will reside for the school year. Before I tell you about this, let's rewind back to Monday.

Not only was this week my last week at home, it was also my last week of work. This summer I was employed by the Crescent Yacht Club Junior Division, Inc. Junior Division, for short, is a Swim and Sail day camp program that is run on Lake Ontario at the Crescent Yacht Club in Chaumont, NY. I was the Senior Lifeguard and Water Safety Instructor (which is the reason I had a terrible racerback tan line for the pageant!) So, aside from teaching swim lessons and lifeguarding, my job basically entailed supervising a group of awesome kids, ages 6 - 16, and hanging out in the sun on the lake all day. Pretty cool, huh? Anyway, in our last week we try to have as much fun as possible. The week started out with swim tests, which were a breeze compared to swim lessons, and then finished the week off with sponge dodgeball, water wars (which took place on Sawmill Bay while the campers sailed and the counselors were on the motor boats), and Watermelon Olympics, which entails covering watermelons in Crisco and then completing a series of events - the team whose watermelon breaks first, loses. Even though the Crisco left a big mess on our picnic tables, the activities were all a lot of fun. The week ended with the annual Awards Ceremony. Although this was my first time as a staff member, I had attended the ceremony for many years as my younger brother, Sky (who is also on staff), was a camper for many years, and I was in the program for a short time as well. As the swim instructor, I had four awards to give and present - two Most Improved, and two Best Swimmers (one for the younger group, one for the older). For each award, the staff member who is presenting, writes a brief, suspense building speech, and reads it to the group of campers, family, and friends, before announcing the recipient. Just a quick and interesting note about these awards: the Swim & Sail program is 79 years old and many of the awards which are trophies and plaques have been around since the beginning of the program. When a camper wins an award, they get to keep the trophy or plaque, carefully of course, for a year and have their name and winning year engraved before returning it the next year. Many of the trophies have winners dated back to the first year and many times, campers win an award that their parent or grandparent may have won many years ago! All in all, the entire ceremony was lovely and I believe that the recipients of my swimming awards were very grateful and I hope that I made them feel as special as I did, and still do, about winning Miss Thousand Islands.

With the rest of the CYC Jr. Division Swim & Sail Staff (From L to R: Me, Mark Derbyshire, Tommy Barber, Luke Norman, Billy Monks, Kent Derbyshire, and Sky Bocciolatt; not shown, Nick Sellers.)

With my brother, Sky :-)

So, now that the craziness has halted for at least today, I am rushing to get ready to go back to school. As I said earlier, I will be moving into an apartment. Even though my apartment is an on campus apartment, it will be a big change from the dorm rooms I have lived in for the past two years. I will be living with three of my friends, Lindsey, Monique, & Cassidy and since I lived in a single dorm room for the past two years, I am excited to have roommates! It has been a lot of fun shopping for the apartment, although I still have lots more that I need to get. Because of my busy summer with producing and playing Cinderella in Cinderella, and then preparing for Miss Thousand Islands, on top of my 40 hour a week job, I really hadn't had much time to shop until this weekend. Luckily, I have a few days before classes start and I will have time then to shop and buy any last minute items. Currently, I have nothing packed and we are set to leave for Ithaca around 11am tomorrow. I usually would try not to put something like this off, but I really don't like packing, especially for school because I never want to leave anything behind but don't have enough luggage to carry all of my clothing and other possessions! Well, with that said, I suppose I should try to at least unzip the suitcases... :-)

Pictures of the new apartment to come!

A few pictures...

2010-08-16T21:19:00.000-04:00

Just a few pictures...

My first few days as Miss T.I...

2010-08-16T16:58:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm not sure where to start. The past few days have been such a whirlwind of excitement that I have hardly had the chance to sit and process the fact that I am now Miss Thousand Islands. I couldn't be happier. I'd like to start this first post by telling you a little bit about my journey to become Miss Thousand Islands.

As I said to the judges in my interview on Saturday, "third time's a charm." I began competing in pageants following my graduation from Lyme Central School in 2008, my first pageant being the Miss Thousand Islands pageant. I had no experience in pageantry, and had never intended on competing. My mom was really the one who ended up convincing me that doing something I love, performing, for a chance to win scholarship money, wasn't such a bad idea. So, with my senior prom dress, an Italian aria I had learned for my NYSSMA solo, a normal bikini, and some painful shoes from a regular shoe store in the mall, I arrived on the day of my first pageant feeling very prepared. Little did I know, the pageant world was much more than I thought. Although inexperienced, I walked away with a few hundred dollars in scholarships, new friends, and had won 1st runner up! I think the most important lesson I learned from this pageant was to have fun, be confident, and let God's will be done. I ended up competing in a second pageant before going back to Miss Thousand Islands the next year. I decided that I wanted nothing more than to be Miss Thousand Islands. I spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars on pageant 'stuff' and was ready to win. The outcome of the pageant was not what I had expected, and I was devastated. After days and weeks and months of contemplation over this, I realized that what I had lacked in the pageant was confidence and I had taken it too seriously, and didn't let myself have fun. After competing in another 'practice' pageant, I came back this year not only armed with a lovely pageant wardrobe, but also with my true self and my confidence, and most importantly, I had a blast! I have absolutely grown and learned so much from the pageant world, and have realized that although the ultimate prize is the crown, I have gained so much from being involved in pageants.

I can't even describe how I felt when my name was called, and I was announced as Miss Thousand Islands 2011. I have to mention, and I am sure all of my had pageant sisters can relate to this: some of the most nerve wracking moments I have ever experienced have been on stage in pageants, waiting for the winner to be announced. The night I was crowned, I told someone that while waiting, it felt like my heart was going to pound itself out of my chest and roll out the opera house doors into the river! Looking at pictures, I feel as though I had a pretty typical pageant queen reaction, although there was no face fanning. It's hard to imagine what it will feel like to win or how one will react, and I must admit, I never saw myself as a crier - however, there were tears along with lots of smiling! Now, as we all know, pageant guru or not, there is always the first walk that follows the crowning (which is more like a wall squat - thanks Kristina :-)) during which the winner waves to the audience. According to Shelby, it is bad luck to practice this sequence, and while I am glad I didn't taint myself by practicing, I have to admit I was turning back to Kristina to ask what I was supposed to be doing. Let's just say, my wave needs some work! :-)

In terms of Miss T.I. duties, I have only had one and it has been to sign the program books for our sponsors as Miss Thousand Islands. As my first duty, I felt special sitting in my E.D.'s living room signing my 'autograph'. I'd like to take the time to thank all of our sponsors and the people who make this pageant a reality, especially Sue, Shelby, Gary, and the Board of Directors. You are all amazing and I am so excited to spend a year working with you all!

I'd also like to thank a few others for special gifts that I received as Miss T.I. Thank you so much to Sherry, Cyndi, and the girls at the Ritz Salon for the amazing gift basket - I love it! Thanks to Barbara Yerdon for the Mary Kay gift certificate! Also, a big thanks to Darcy Burns for the beautiful blue jewelry! To Kristina Ferris, Miss Thousand Islands 2010, thank you for your support, advice, and your special words left in my crown box. You will forever be in the Miss T.I. family, and always Miss T.I. 2010. Your warm welcome into the Miss T.I. family means the world to me (and by warm, I mean the burning of my thighs as you crowned me ;-P) Thank you to, of course, my family and friends, and to all of you who have been so supportive and left congratulatory messages for me - I thank you from the bottom of my heart. And to all of my pageant sisters, especially to those of you with whom I competed on Saturday, you are all some of the most talented and beautiful girls I have ever met and I want to say thank you for making my pageant weekend even more special and I hope that you all had fun, and will come back next year, and that I might see some of you at Miss New York!

As I begin my first week as Miss. T.I., I am preparing to go back to Ithaca College, where I am a Junior Communication Management and Design major in the Roy H. Park School of Communications. I will be living in my very first apartment and am very excited! It is also my last week of work as a Water Safety Instructor and Lifeguard at the CYC Junior Division Swim and Sail program in Chaumont. So, with a busy week ahead of me, I need to end this post by thanking you all again. I will be posting as much as I can, hopefully at least once a week, and hope to hear from many of you!

All the best,

Morgan

Miss Thousand Islands 2011