Kentucky in the Spring / #NoFilter

Letters, Lists, Random 5 Friday

There's no other way to say it: Morale has been down on my end. Spring has sprung, but I've been in a funk. I am tired, my to-do list is analogous to the Universe ... never-ending and somehow growing every second, and my recent "vacation" threw my normal routine for a loop that I have yet to escape. My calendar is full and all I want is another break.

Just as I'm becoming frustrated with myself  for saying "yes" to so many commitments, I search through a notebook on my night-stand and come across a letter I wrote to myself in November. It was kind of, maybe, exactly what I needed to see.

This letter hit the nail on the head. 2013 Kiley was very intuitive of what 2014 Kiley would need to hear. I chose to share this with you because this letter names no names, and I think it's applicable to everyone, no matter what your current situation is.

Today, on Good Friday, I find myself focusing on that last part.

"Today I'm grateful for: A heater in my office."
This is definitely something cold-natured me would be thankful for in late November, but why did I feel the need to count my blessings that day, but have forgotten to do so 80% of days since? Was that heater the only thing good enough to wake me up to how fortunate I am? 

That inspired me to tweak my Friday To-Do List. This is a general map of a day in which I have surprisingly few things to do. But, I'm following it very diligently.

Hopefully my to-do lists will look a little more like this in the future.

Random 5 Friday

1. I didn't bring a jacket to work today. I MAY have had the heater on for a little while this morning, but that's because City Hall is cooler than the outside temperature! This has been a LONG time coming, fellow Kentuckians....amirite?

2. My mom took the sweetest, simplest picture. It makes me smile!

3. Does this mean I should start eating Krispy Kreme more often? I THINK IT DOES.

4. This is the best and most useful list. My favorite is no. 31! (You may recognize it from a recent #100HappyDays instagram post)

5. I will be selling cards at Art in the Alley in Downtown Greensburg on May 17th. More about that later!!!

Have a Fantastically Good Friday, a Super Saturday, and an Extraordinary Easter! (Morale may be down but cheese-factor is UP.)

The Top 10 Questions Pageant Girls Get (Outside the Interview Room)

Most of my readers know by now that I compete in pageants. So, I guess that makes me a “pageant girl.” Currently I am in the final stages of preparation for my last year competing in Miss Kentucky America. I have been involved in the Miss America Organization for close to 10 years, and I would do it all over again if given the chance—I would relive all the losses, all the miles run…and walked…in heels. I’d soak up all the embarrassing moments, the nerves that, for me, have only gotten worse with time, and all the hours I spent at the piano even though it was the LAST place I wanted to be. Why? Because of the friendships I have made, the invaluable experience I’ve gained, and the confidence I’ve developed since being an out of shape 13 year old with glasses and braces. 

All of that is to say… I love answering your questions about pageants. Really, I just love to talk. You kind of HAVE to if you want to be a force in the interview room—the place where the competition is really won. And, if you’ve never worn a crown and sash out and about, you may not realize how uninhibited the public is with their questions. In the past, I have found everyone wants to know the same thing.

I wasn’t sure if this was my sole experience or if other pageant girls felt this same way. So, I asked! 

With the approval of a few pageant friends from across the United States, I think I’ve put together a pretty accurate list.  

A few of the girls who helped me out! Thank you all!

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All of THIS is to say…I am a firm believer in “there are no stupid questions, only stupid answers.” If I met an astronaut, I guarantee you I wouldn’t pop off even ONE question he hadn’t gotten before. Each profession or hobby comes with it’s own stereo-type and set of expectations. This list is meant to inform and aware you of what questions we not only get the most, but what answers you might hear. 

Let’s get started!

1. Do you know that girl that gave that embarrassing answer at that pageant that was on TV that one time?

Answer: Nope! I don’t. I sure wish you could see that for her one-time flub, there are countless young women knocking it out of the park every time! Next time you’re asked about current events on nationally broadcasted television, don’t choke! Or we’ll continue to relive the most embarrassing moment of your life 7 years later.

2. Some variation of: When do you start your diet? Guess you can’t eat a lot, huh? When do you stop eating? Are you eating enough? When do you get to really eat again?

Answer: I prefer not to call it a diet. I am simply changing what I eat to a healthier set of foods that help me build muscle and shed unhealthy fat. I eat the appropriate amount of calories my body needs to sustain energy through a long and busy day of school/work (for many girls, BOTH), a workout, talent rehearsal, and the errands we all have to run. I stop eating when I’m full and I aim for the recommended amount of protein, carbs, and healthy fats my body needs per meal. I eat 3-5 times a day, and if I turned down dessert at dinner, it’s probably because I had one with lunch. If my stomach growls, I reach for fruit, nuts, or a realllllly yummy Quest Bar. There are a box of thin mints stashed in the back of my freezer and I love a lean and juicy hamburger just as much as the next girl. As for that last question…ummm…my next meal?

3. If you win Miss Kentucky, you’ll go to Miss USA, right?

Answer: No, but the titles can be very confusing! I will go to Miss America. Miss USA is a different system of pageants, with a different set of requirements, run by a different set of people. 

4. Ok, so if you win Miss America, you’ll go Miss Universe?

Answer: Once again—quite confusing. Miss USA goes to Miss Universe. Miss America stays right here… (cue ‘Merica joke)

5. Are pageant girls catty? *This may be the most asked question of all time*

Answer: *This may be the most disappointing answer of all time* No…they aren’t. In fact, half of all my friendships were made through the Miss America Organization. Thanks to the National Sweetheart Pageant, I have friends in ~40 states! (ROAD TRIP!) That’s not to say there aren’t unpleasant or unfriendly contestants….just as there are unpleasant or unfriendly people walking the streets. For every “catty” pageant girl, there are at least 15 that are as sweet as pie. 

6. No offense…but you don’t really look like a pageant girl. 

Response: None taken! I know exactly what you mean by “pageant girl” — a parody that television and movies have run RIGHT into the ground. If anything, thank you for letting me know my makeup is natural, my hair can make it under the clearance bar at the McDonald’s drive-thru, and my tan (if I even have one) isn’t fake and/or orange. 

7. Do you ever wave like this? (I watch as they display the classic, cheesy “beauty queen” wave)

Answer: Let's be real... I’ve definitely practiced it in the mirror. But trust me, I looked as ridiculous as you probably felt when you showed me. I like to call my awkward, floppy-hand wave the “peasant waggle.” 

8. Is your crown real?

Answer: It’s actually a hologram. I KID! It’s okay to laugh, I used to wonder the same thing! It’s not “real” in the sense that you mean it, but it sure is pretty. Want to try it on?

9. Any quote or reference to Miss Congeniality, Toddler’s and Tiaras, or Drop Dead Gorgeous.

Answer: Deadpan look….followed by a quote of my own. I make fun of those things just like you! It’s FAKE! 

10. Why do you do pageants? Doesn’t that take the focus away from school and/or work?

Answer: Yeah, sometimes it does. That’s when the art of prioritizing and organizing come in handy. Pageant preparation is time-consuming and sometimes very exhausting. But at the end of the day, it’s worth it. I am a more self-disciplined person than ever before, which helps me excel in both educational and career fields. I know how important time-management is and how impactful first impressions are. I have the ability to switch gears at the drop of a hat, and can keep a smile on my face in the midst of chaos. I am paying for college and supplying myself with communication and networking skills not learned in the classroom. Oh, and I’ve also supplied myself with a closet full of outfits perfect for a determined young woman ready to take on the world. It may have taken me a little while to strike the perfect balance, and it’s not perfect every day, but I think I’ve got this one on lock. 

I hope you've enjoyed something a little different this week! As always, thank you for reading and I'll catch ya next Friday!

Doc Shuffett

This week has been wonderful and sad and wonderfully sad all at once. 

There are a million and one things I could focus on, but only one thing I want to talk about.

Since last Saturday, I have battled with what this week's post should be about. There were many things it could be about, but I knew what it would be about. Thursday, March 27th, I leaned down to let my Popadoc kiss my cheek for what I knew would be the last time. I flew to New York on Saturday, and dreaded the inevitable call I would get to tell me Popadoc had left this world and entered another.

Since then, I have written a few different versions of my own Popadoc tribute. Whether in my head, at the airport, or at my desk, none of them felt "right." They were either too sad or too long or too detached. In the few days since my grandfather has passed, I haven't yet found words to describe him with all of the love, sensitivity, and respect that he deserves. 

In October of last year, my cousin Dave, host of KET's Kentucky Life, did a segment on my Popadoc. I watched it today for the first time since it debuted. Within seconds, I was in tears. Sad tears mixed with grateful ones, as I can't describe how thankful I am to have such a recent and real depiction of my grandfather at my very fingertips. 

So, today, instead of battling myself over the "perfect" tribute, I want to share with you the 5-minute video I must have watched 10 times today. It won't take you long to see why he was so loved and why he will be so missed. 

My Popadoc is easily one of the greatest men I have ever known, and I am confident no one I encounter will ever match him in wisdom, sensibility, or work ethic. I am lucky to have only happy memories of my grandfather as I continue to keep searching for the certain words that will rightly convey my connection with him. But for now, I'm going to watch this video again. This time, I'm going to smile instead of cry. 

Have a lovely weekend and I'll see y'all next Friday...