I've noticed that my last couple of blog entries, while sharing
important chapters unfolding in my life and the life of Lime Light
Fashion, have started to lose some of my signature sarcastic tone. I
suppose its a good thing really, that my state of mind these days has
been so much sunshine and lollipops and hope for a better future and
feeling as though I can singlehandedly change the world – it just
doesn't make for a very entertaining read. Well, sorry readers, I
just can't shake the positivity. Its oozing out of me from every
pore: happiness, confidence, health, energy, passion, and strength.
Its been some time since I really felt this powerful and awesome, in
fact it may be that I've never quite felt as awesome as I feel right
now. Not that I haven't been a strong powerful woman all along, it
has taken all of the strength I have inside me to persevere through
some of the struggles I've faced in the past few years, I just wasn't
as AWARE of the strength I possessed.
I think some of my awareness now comes from the fact that I've been
working out a LOT. When I first decided back in December that I was
going to participate in the Mrs. Washington pageant again this year,
I committed to it wholeheartedly and promised myself that this time
around, I would truly give it my best effort. The first couple of
times I did the pageant, I did it mostly to make friends and get to
wear pretty dresses. I got out of it exactly what I wanted, wonderful
lifelong soulmate “I knew you before we met” kind of friendships
and some pretty dresses, which I later sold when I needed cash (the
dresses, not the friends). I did not, however, really put my best
effort into the physical fitness portion of the competition. “Eh,”
I thought, “its only 25% of the total score, my personality rocks
so much I totally don't even need to lose weight.” When I look back
at the photos, I can admit, I was wrong.
Since the last time I competed in a pageant, I'd let myself get
waaaaaay more out of shape than I was admitting. I hadn't been
working out much at all in the past year, and I hadn't been REALLY
working out since about 1999. The initial change was painful and
frustrating, but now that I'm actually back into the habit of it, the results of the past
few months of training are finally starting to be visible and I'm
feeling stronger than I ever have. I'm aware of my muscles as I just
go about daily life, and I like the feeling. Putting away dishes, I
can feel the stretch of my bicep as I reach the shelf where the
plates go. Its kind of an amazing feeling. I'm strong, I'm sexy, I'm
. . . AWESOME. This new found physical strength of mine, combined
with the time and opportunities I've had lately to pursue my dreams
and do meaningful work that comes from my heart and contributes to
the world with what I love, has made me feel completely unstoppable.
Looking back on the challenges of the past few years that I've
overcome to get to the place I'm at now in my marriage and my career,
I realize now that the results I'm finally getting on the outside are
the reflection of that inner strength I've always had. I just never
applied it to my body before. I'm really glad I finally decided to do
so, though, because now I can't stop staring at myself in the mirror, and my
husband can't keep his hands off me. I'm totally hot.
I still have just about 8 weeks until the pageant, and I plan to
spend them wielding my newfound power and hotness wisely. On October
13th I'm showing a collection in the Ruby Room's annual
fundraiser fashion show auction. This show has been an annual
pilgrimage for me and several of my pageant sisters from my first
year competing every year since. Its the one event a year that I know
I'm going to spring for a VIP ticket to, not just because the swag
bags are awesome, but because I love supporting the cause. The Ruby
Room is a fantastic charity that provides prom dresses to
underprivileged girls (and young gays who want to attend Capitol
Hill's LGBT prom in drag). For their annual fundraiser they give the
old and/or ugly dresses that come in as donations throughout the year
to local fashion designers who rework them into new, wearable gowns,
and put on a swanky fashion show with wine and hors d'oeuvres and
auction off the dresses from the runway.
Every year I attend the show and sit in the audience wishing I could
do more, wishing I could give more or be involved in some greater
way. Well this year, my wish was granted. I was asked to be one of
the showcasing designers in the show! I'm truly honored for the
privilege, and for the chance to finally raise more money for the
Ruby Room through my creations than I could have ever afforded to
spend at the show. So I'm hard at work on the collection made from
ugly prom and bridesmaids dresses, and I think you might even be able
to pick up on some of my recent feeling of strength and power in the
collection. Its just a tad on the S&M side, but kind of sweet and
girly meets The Hunger Games, meets S&M. Yah. I'm totally hot.
