State Meeting, the actual meeting part!

So much has happened in my life since I became Miss LA Watermelon Festival this past July...

Many of these happenings lead up to the State Meeting. This weekend is the opportunity to meet the other girls, turn in paperwork, finalize ads, visit with vendors, see ULM's campus where we will stay, learn about the state pageant and production numbers, take pictures with Miss and Teen contestants, tape commercials to play during the state pageant, and drumroll... choose competition numbers!

I left Baton Rouge on Friday morning after a long work week filled evenings of finishing paperwork details (the evenings that I wasn't working for LSU, that is). My first destination in Monroe was Antique Alley, where I filmed a commercial with several girls. The costume shop was pretty funny, as we got to play around with Mardi Gras masks and hats and wigs. The best part of filming was definitely the free ice cream at one of the antiques stores.

After filming ended around 4pm, I picked up my final check from ad sales and headed over to campus to turn it in along with all my other paperwork. I was one of the first Miss contestants to have it all complete... it felt pretty dadgum good to have everything check out ok AND to have my ONE cashiers check plus Miss Louisiana checks add up to the correct amount. Officially a big girl I suppose. : )

I then stuck around campus for the Gala. We had a delicious, carbalicious meal provided through the campus caterer, which included cheesecake. Mmmm. Following dinner we were entertained by Jeremy Dupree, brother of Miss Louisiana 1998 Heather Dupree Kirkpatrick. After a long day of traveling and filming and eating, I went straight to bed, whew!

The next day was the official meeting part of state meeting. I was able to sleep in (relatively speaking) because my paperwork was already complete and turned in, as well as my filming complete for the commercial. Insert ANOTHER sigh of relief. We learned about scholarships, Children's Miracle Network, tickets, operations, hostesses, dorms, the Job of Miss Louisiana, rules, preparations, judges, phases of competition, the Program Book, production numbers, and our competition numbers. From 9am to 3pm.

My favorite part was hearing the job description of Miss Louisiana. One of my unique qualities as a contest is that I already know what it means to have a job and be concerned with a job description. Let's face it- I go to work from 8-5 everyday and do want I'm told in order to pay the bills. :) It's exciting and sexy, I know. So having this work experience for the past 1.5+ years has allowed me to really value a well-written job description, like the one for Miss Louisiana. This document included the "Face," "Voice," and "Talent" of the MLO, as well as the job expectations. I am even excited about the possibility of being "on-call" all the time and living at the University of Louisiana at Monroe... I miss living on a college campus. :)

I talk a lot about the amazing people I meet in this organization... so I MUST give a "shoutout" to Stenson Baker and Wayne Gentry. Stenson is a prelim director and was named Volunteer of the Year! Wayne was inducted into the MLO Hall of Fame for his many years of service in the organization. I've had the pleasure of being mock-interviewed by Stenson and hangin' out with Wayne in Vegas... congrats to two amazing men who have had an impact on my life and hundreds of young women.