The Wanderer

This Christmas break has been so crazy and hectic!  Sorry I haven't been able to keep you all updated with every single detail via my blog, hopefully you are following my facebook, my twitter and my instagram (thegirlwhocaughtfire) though!  If you do, you are more than likely aware that I have been traveling quite a bit.

Before hitting the road for the long haul, I took a tiny road trip down to Rochester to hang out with the amazing Miss New York, Mallory Hagan.  We had some much needed girl time as well as a sleepover.  The next day, we visited two different schools as well as Strong Memorial Hospital for a competitive game of Bingo with some pretty cool kids.  Strong is a local Children's Miracle Network hospital in the upstate area and they really were great.  Not only was the hospital staff great, the kids were awesome and I really had a wonderful time getting to know Mallory better.

It was difficult to really get one-on-one time during Miss NY week this past June, so I was hesitant so see what a full 24 hours with a this BQ would be like.  I am pleased to tell you that I am pretty sure I have a new lifelong friend.  Not only did she drive by herself from the city to Rochester, she then did five appearances in one day, three the next day and still found time for girl talk.  I really enjoyed Mallory before but now have a whole new respect for her.  She is able to all of her duties and more while still finding time for her friends and family, and never forgetting where she came from.  I am confident that she will do awesome next weekend at Miss America!  If you think so too, please get in your last second votes for America's choice!!  It is super easy, you don't have to give any personal info and you are literally only 3 clicks away from helping her after you click this link > Miss America Voting.

So after my visit to Rochester, I came home and finished my second-to-last graduate level course!  Whoa, what?  I have about one more month before I am done with school, (hopefully forever).  As if things couldn't get any better, my Marine came home to visit me!

My boyfriend Aaron and I took a trip up to Watertown to visit my Miss Thousand Islands family.  I had such a good time at our Christmas gift wrapping fundraiser and hanging out with my "little" Joelle!

After my trip to Watertown, I went down to Ithaca, NY to spend Christmas eve with my boyfriend's family.  I love going to Ithaca, it is small but incredibly gorgeous with cute shops and great food.  I had a great time with Aaron's family and felt relaxed, which barely ever happens.  Christmas eve, we made the hike back to my home to spend the night and Christmas morning with my family.  It was nice to have my family of six, who are usually running around like crazy, in one place.  My mom always unnecessarily spoils me every Christmas, but this year insisted that it would be a "light" year.  I don't blame her, the economy is awful, everyone is hurting, especially myself, being an unemployed graduate student.  She had told me and my sister in advance that we would be receiving Taylor Swift tickets for Christmas (only because she knew we would impatiently go and buy the tickets on our own if she didn't).  I had felt extremely guilty because she told me that the whole concert had sold out and she had to buy the lowest end tickets available on a third party website for triple the price.  So boy was I surprised to open my last gift that read that my ticket was NOT the "lowest end" at all but included:

One Incredible Top Price Reserved Floor Ticket in the First Twenty (20) Rows*
One Autographed Copy of ‘Red’ – Taylor Swift’s Fourth Studio Album
One Entry Into the Official Preshow VIP Party, Which Includes:

• Separate Preshow VIP Lounge – Let’s Have a Blast Before the Show!
• Food & Drinks Galore – Expect All of Your Favorite Foods and Drinks**
• Don’t Forget the Sweets – A Fantasy World of Sweet Creations Awaits You
• Preshow Prizes & Giveaways – Includes Memorabilia & Limited Edition Items (Subject to Availability)
• On-site VIP Paparazzi to Capture the Preshow Action & Moments
• Access to Secure On-Line VIP Site Where You Can Download Preshow Images for Free
• Preshow Party Music Playing Your Favorite Taylor Swift Hits and More
• Dedicated On-Site VIP Preshow Host

Exclusive On-Site VIP Perks

• VIP Priority Check-In*** (Where Available)
• Separate VIP Entrance*** (Where Available) o VIP Customer Service Hotline

One Premium Taylor Swift VIP Gift Bag

• Created Exclusively for Taylor Swift VIP Package Purchasers
• Gift Bag Also Contains One Commemorative VIP Laminate & Matching Lanyard

 
UM CHEAYHHH!  This was my face, and my tears ^  VIP pre-show party?!?  Ahh!! Taylor goes to those!!  Mom, you rule!!

After I finished crying my tears of joy, I packed up and hit the road with my boyfriend and my dog.  We headed to Virginia where my daddy lives because he will be taking care of the pup for awhile while I finish up school.  It was great seeing my dad again, it has been awhile so It was nice to let loose and do what we do best...

Shoot at inanimate objects. =)  Now I know most of you know I am country and love shooting but I have to admit that this was my first time with a pistol.  I did alright but I should probably keep practicing if I am going to make it through a police academy.

After visiting my daddy's for Christmas, we went back toward Quantico, VA.  I got to tour Aaron's Marine Corps base and see the National Marine Corps Museum which was breathtaking.  For New Year's, our friends all split and amazing hotel suite near Washington, D.C.  We got to dress fancy! :-)

There was even a fun dance-y place that the owner was from Buffalo!!  Awesome flag.

 

The next day we toured Washington and saw, the Capital, the Washington Monument, and a few of the Smithsonian museums.  One of the museums even had my favorite prop from my favorite movie; Dorothy's shoes from the Wizard of Oz! 

So now I am back at my daddy's house in Chesapeake,VA, just a stone-throw away from where I was born a Navy brat.  I have had an awesome time spending time with my boyfriend, family and making new friends on my journey.  Now I am filling out boatloads of paperwork (getting a police job with Federal government is not easy), and sorting out all the school work I have to do when I get back.  I have five weeks left of graduate school so I am going to be a very busy, stressed, and bored girl for the next month or so.  I will try to keep you all updated on my life, although I can't promise that it will be extremely interesting!  I will find time to take a break and watch ABC next Saturday though.  I hope you all had a relaxed, happy and blessed Holiday break!  I will be flying into Buffalo tomorrow after yet another long drive back to DC.  

Until next time,

Lonna

Reggie Bush: The Backlash

I was contacted tonight by my good friend from Rochester with a simple text saying: "nice article in Yahoo! Sports."  Um...what??  Ladies and gents, I do not play sports, and if I did, my skills would not grace the pages of a National news site, so I was pretty confused as to what he was talking about.

With my head still spinning, full of confusion and curiosity, I asked him to send me the link.

The title to article was: "Reggie Bush Bashes the Women of Buffalo." 

Oh, ha ha!  Yet another joke about Buffalo.  I sigh, roll my eyes and start reading.  Keep in mind, this isn't the first time an NFL star has bashed Buffalo.  Earlier this year, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady bashed the conditions of Buffalo's hotels, and a few years ago, Buffalo's own Willis McGahee publicly bashed Buffalo as a whole, so it wasn't a surprise to see that someone else had something to say.  I also wasn't surprised that my smarty-pants friend thought it would be funny to scare me into thinking some news blogger at Yahoo! Sports wrote something about me.

However, I was surprised to see my four points on my screen when I scrolled down the page.  Some news blogger HAD written about me on Yahoo! Sports!!  Had he heard I had that I had a crush on Mr. Bush?  I was sure that it couldn't be for two reasons: 1) I can't compete with miss Kim Kardashian, 2) a Miami Dolphin can't be with a Bills fan. (FYI: I crushed on him when he was a Saints player, WHO DAT!)

Apparently I was referenced in this article as the "exception to the rule" when it comes to Buffalo women being trashy.  I don't know where this stigma came from but it is obnoxious.  It is cold here, not very comfortable for people to play football in (or walk their dog) if they weren't raised here or trained in these conditions.  Sorry buddy, stinks for you.  But I still don't get it, why all the bad animosity when it comes to girls from Buffalo?

I promise you, I am not the exception to the rule.  I am an average girl who works and goes to school and there are plenty like me.  After pondering this for an entire hour of my life, I have came to the conclusion that Mr. Bush, Mr. MaGahee and Mr. Brady are just hanging out in the wrong part of town.  What do you think?

I will leave you with some of my favorite BuffaLOVE moments:   GO BILLS!

Children's Miracle Network event at Women and Children's Hospital

Working with teen girls on dating violence issues at a Fellowship in Buffalo, NY

Liebster Love

I am always honored when I receive any kind of award, be it the blue ribbon I won in a Grape Stomping competition or being honored at an Alumni gala at my college.  My most recent nomination came from my amazing pageant director/fashionista/food enthusiast Shelby Cohen.  If you haven't heard of Shelby, (I'm Sorry!) but here is her blog: Big Hungry Shelby.  She has amazing input on all topics but mostly spends her time being fabulous and exploring fabulous new foods.  Shelby recently nominated me for a "Liebster."

This Liebster thing is a blogging award system based on paying it forward to other up and coming bloggers you like, and to encourage more networking throughout the blogosphere. What is a Liebster? Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome.

Here are the rules for receiving this award:

• Each person must post 11 things about themselves.
• Answer the questions that the tagger set for you plus create 11 questions for the people you’ve tagged to answer.
• Choose 11 people and link them in your post.
• Go to their page and tell them.
• No tag backs!

Eleven things about me:

1. I spent a majority of my life with my grandparents and was extremely close to my grandpa.  I now have creepy interest in having long conversations with old guys, especially veterans.  Not only do they remind me of my papa but they also have amazing stories to tell.
2. I was born in Virginia, on  the coast, because I was a Navy baby....and I hate swimming.
3. I love running long distances to clear my mind, but don't have the time to do it as much as I would like to.
4. I have tattoos...yes, I do pageants and I have tattoos.  They are all in places that can be covered in a job interview and each have a meaning. One is about my grandpa, one for my grandma and one is an anchor for my Sailor dad who is a Vet.
5. I have done everything possible with my hair; extensions, blonde, red, black, brown, long, short.  You name it, I've done it...except for dreads.
6. I have a SERIOUS addiction to premium television shows.  For example: True Blood, Dexter, Girls, Game of Thrones.
7. I love country music and dream of singing at the Grand Ole Opry someday
8. I have a not-so-secret obsession with Taylor Swift.  I know her shoe size and birthday.  You can stop reading now if you want.
9. I hope that within the next five years I will be a police officer
10. I love love love Sour Patch Kids
11. I love being in calm settings.  Don't get me wrong I love my Iphone but if I could get rid of all of my electronics (except my music) I would dropkick them all into Lake Erie.

Shelby's Questions for me:

1. What is your favorite dish containing bacon?  Bacon wrapped scallops
2. What is the foreign country you've most loved visiting or would most love to visit? Kenya was amazing and I plan to take my children there some day.  I truly believe it is God's land
3. What were the top five meals of your life?  I have an awful memory so this question is a fail for me.  Also, I love food and after going to Kenya I truly am grateful for any meal I receive, no favorites =)
4. As a child, did you have an imaginary friend? Who or what was it? I was an only child for ten years of my life and I didn't have an imaginary friend but I was extremely close with my dog Buster.
5. What color is your bedroom painted? Gray...does that mean I'm boring?
6. Do you have recurring dreams? If so, of what? When I was little I used to have really freaky dreams involving the not-so-jolly green giant but it's been years since I've seen him.  Now I just have pageant nightmares involving my arch-nemesis beating me lol
7. What two people, living or dead, real or ficticious, would you want to be stranded with on a deserted island?  Garrett Hedlund and Garrett Hedlund's clone
8. What is your favorite kind of lip balm? Burt's Bees Grapefruit
9. Do you have a favorite spice or herb? What is it? Cinnamon
10. Who is the person who always brings a smile to your face, and why is that? She isn't a person but she always, always brings a smile to my face.  Her name is Bracie 
11. What is your favorite children's book? HARRY POTTER!

So....I am not extremely popular so I don't have 11 friends but here are some pretty interesting blogs! Please check them out!!  Tag guys...you're it!!

1. Mallory Hagan at Miss New York 2012
2. Chelsea Brumagen at You Don't Need a Crown to Be Miss America
3. Gabriella Lexer at Life Without Hair 
4. Patrick Scullen at Engaging with Conflict
5. Theresa Guirola at A Day in the Life of Tiny T 

Here are my questions for you:

1. What is your comfort food?
2. Favorite place in the world to travel?  And/or dream destination?
3. Favorite shopping location? (Can be online)
4. Animals?
5. Hidden talent?
6. What's your favorite holiday?
7. Best gift you ever received
8. Favorite article of clothing
9. Last book you read
10. Favorite band?
11. Your role model

Keep it going!