Housekeeping

Hello all, just wanted to give you a brief update on my life in the past week or so.  I started classes again (after only one week off) and I am taking Criminal Law right now.  It is actually very interesting but it gives me a lot of room to voice my opinions on the law and sometimes that is not so good. :-)

 Anywho, I am also still processing for the New York States Parks Police.  Not sure if I mentioned this before but if you have read any of my tweets ( @LonnaLu or @MissTI_MAO ) you would know how excited I am to possibly be getting this job.  I have already tested for the physical (runing, sit ups, push ups and swimming), the medical, the psychological and now I am just hammering away at a bunch of paperwork while they background check me....and everyone I have known since the first grade.  Kidding, kind of.  This is actually the dream job of a lifetime and if I get it I will be able to retire at 43 years old and teach Criminal Justice at the college level (another dream of mine).  If you are a Criminal Justice student like me and are looking for a job, they are actually about to administer the written exam (the first step in getting any police job) in November, all across the state.  For more info and an application, check out their website at http://nysparks.com/employment/park-police/default.aspx

But besides that I really haven't been doing anything too crazy, just trying to relax on my week off before life got crazy again.

On a different note; I realized after I wrote my novel-length first blog that I never explained exactly why I told you so much about my past.  I told you that so that you could understand the reason for my platform.  My platform is called "Love Shouldn't Hurt: Teen Dating Violence Awareness."  I try hard to emphasize the word "dating" because many like to replace it with the word "domestic" which implies that a couple is living together (usually not the case for teens) and also sounds a lot scarier.  When students or parents hear the word "domestic" they immediately think of fists being thrown and bruises on their little girl.  They don't always realize that the bruises aren't always visible and that girls can hurt just as much as boys.  My main goal as Miss Thousand Islands 2013 is not to go to Miss America (although that would be pretty neat) but it is to educate the youth in New York state on the dangers of teen dating violence.  The ultimate for me would be to get teen dating violence to be a part of our teenagers education curriculum (perhaps in health class?)  If any of this interests you and you would like me to speak to students or just have a "hang out" with students or young adults at your school, church, soccer team, etc. please contact me at MissTI2013@gmail.com and also, feel free if you are going through something yourself to send me an email.  I am always hear to help but if you don't feel comfortable talking to me or would like to talk to someone completely anonymous you can check out this really cool website http://www.loveisrespect.org/ their livechat is ALWAYS running online or you can even TEXT them!!  Text "loveis" to 77054 for help.

So now that you know a little bit more about me let me tell you a couple exciting things coming up!!

-I was asked to represent my undergraduate school, Hilbert College, at a local alumni networking night in Buffalo, NY on October 18th.  I was asked specifically because my school wants 3 "young successful alumni" to feature.  Pretty cool eh?  I won't be going as Miss TI, just little ol' me but I am still very excited and honored.  Hilbert is the reason I went to Africa, worked for the Secret Service and they also sponsored me for Miss NY last year so I pretty much love them!  Their 8 core values of Peace, Love, Joy, Respect, Service, Integrity, vision and compassion have really shaped who I am today and I am really honored. 

-Also, I will be doing my first photo session on September 28th with my new photographer, the official photographer of Miss Thousand Islands 2013, Miss Priscilla James of High Key Photo.  I am so excited!

Speaking of awesome sponsors, I would like to take a minute to thank the wonderful companies and individuals who donated to this years pageant to make it so great:

-Watertown Savings Bank

-Big Apple Music

-A Touch of Grace

-The Ritz Day Spa and Salon (AND thanks for all my goodies!! :-) )

-Waterbury Fine Jewelers

-April McClintock Photography

-Dancing Queen Studios

-Image Now

-Gray's Flower Shop (My flowers were lovely!)

-Big Hungry Shelby www.bighungryshelby.blogspot.com

-Page Fitness

-Stewart's Shops

-Mary Kay Cosmetics, Barbara Yerdon

-Cam's Pizza

-Jreck Subs

-Morgia's Pasta

-Attilio's

and  Bella's Bistro

Until next time... Lonna