Starfish

One of the taglines I like to tout about volunteerism is “One person can start a movement.  Let the movement start with you”.  I think too often we lose sight of the potential impact one person can have.  More than this, we lose sight of the bigger picture – if we are ALL doing good things (even small acts of kindness) we can affect great change.  One of my favorite stories to illustrate this is “The Star Thrower”.  Read on and be inspired to do your part today…

A young girl was walking along a beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. People watched her with amusement.

She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said, “Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach! You can’t save all these starfish. You can’t begin to make a difference!”

The girl seemed crushed, suddenly deflated. But after a few moments, she bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied,

“Well, I made a difference to that one!”

The old man looked at the girl inquisitively and thought about what she had done and said. Inspired, he joined the little girl in throwing starfish back into the sea. Soon others joined, and all the starfish were saved.

adapted from the Star Thrower by Loren C. Eiseley

Seek Happiness,

Jesse Ladoue
Miss International 2013

Mrs. California International Pageant

Isn’t La Quinta beautiful?

This weekend I found myself waking up on the West Coast, in La Quinta which is a charming community just outside Palm Springs, California

I met this adorable 5year old who wanted a glimpse of the crown. She was incredibly sweet!

Eddie Peterson is the director for Mrs. California International. He also is a beloved person to all those who meet him. It was a privilege to be a part of his beautiful pageant this year. I was a chance to catch up with three of the judges from this year’s Mrs. International pageant. I owe them SO much for giving me this year of opportunities. The judges for the 2014 Mrs. CA International pageant were each former Mrs. California Int’ls along with Rebekah Negrete, who won Mrs. International 2007. I had THE BEST time having lunch and late dinners with everyone and even pulled a side muscle from laughing so much with them!

Although the weekend was very busy, I was so happy to sit and talk for a while with Shana Smith, Mrs. California Int’l 2013. Shana is a devoted mother and supportive military wife. The work she has accomplished on behalf of the “Got Your Back Network,” is just the beginning of all she will be accomplishing in years to come.

The New Mrs. CA International 2014, Eddie Peterson and me.

Congratulations to the new Mrs. California international 2014, Staci Ortiz – Davis! She is providing scholarships through an organization she started on behalf of her late grandmother. She is now part of a wonderful family that is California International and with the support of her sister queens and Eddie Peterson, she's going to have a fantastic journey ahead of her.

Be the change!

Amy Gregorio
Your Mrs. International 2013

www.californiaintl.com

My Second Chance At My First Pitch

After I was crowned Miss Teen Arkansas International, one of the first events that I was able to attend was a Dickey Stephens (Arkansas Travelers) baseball game where I would be throwing out the first pitch. I was so honored and excited, but there was an issue. I’m terrible at sports. I can’t even throw a baseball straight! So, before the game I buckled down and practiced, practiced, practiced until I could throw a decent pitch. I thought that I was ready… and oh how wrong I was!

It wasn’t until I was out on the field, standing on the mound and gazing up at the large crowd and the catcher who was signaling me to throw the ball that I realized I was far from ready. But, still, I let it fly and even with all of the catcher’s speed he wasn’t able to catch it before it hit the dirt. At the time I was a little sad that it wasn’t the pitch I had hoped for, but I was ecstatic that I even had this opportunity.

Fast forwarding to after I won Miss Teen International, I discovered that I would be able to throw out the first pitch again! And I was being given a second chance to redeem myself!

This time I didn’t practice, but went straight into the pitch with confidence that I could throw a decent strike. Unfortunately, the second time around the pitch was far worse than the first! I honestly couldn’t believe it! It practically didn’t go anywhere near home plate!

When I look back now, I can’t help but laugh! It’s alright that the throws weren’t perfect, because I had the time of my life doing something people only dream about. I’m grateful for the opportunity and I’m proud of my first pitches, even if they didn’t exactly make it home!

Always,

Haley Rose Pontius

The Perfect Face

One of my first appearances as Miss New York International at a very public blood drive gave me a real wake-up call.  It went well enough. I mixed and mingled, took photos with fans and attendees, manned my assigned stations to make donors feel at ease, and spoke in great lengths about the International Pageant System and Volunteerism.

As it was time for me to leave I was shaking hands and thanking the staff and one of the coordinators, a man, said to me “I didn’t think you looked the part when you walked in, but seeing you in action and hearing you speak I can tell you are very deserving of your crown”.  While it is a compliment that I proved myself with substance, it was a lesson to me – never take your role as a “beauty queen” lightly.  Since that day my mission has always been to be the most glamorous woman in the room with the warmest heart.

While every aspect of a make-up routine is important there are three things I find most essential to elevate my look from a nice Saturday evening dinner out to titleholder appearance that I now NEVER skip: Lip Liner, Eyelashes, Eyebrow Definition.  The eyes and lips are the focal points of every face so it’s important that they are emphasized (but not exaggerated… save that for the stage).

Lips: With all the smiling, talking, and laughing titleholders do, a soft yet defined lip is a beautiful thing.  If this is a new trick to you, play it safe and draw your line right where your lip meets your skin.  I usually blend my liner inward for a more seamless look when I add my lip color.  My two favorite Clay Spann combinations are: Whisper liner and Nude Beach color or Paradise liner and Bubble Gum color for brighter looks.  Finish off with a clear lip glass.

Eyes: Eyelashes are not always fun and they take lots of practice (at least they did for me).  I typically use lashes that will build up my volume as opposed to my length to keep the look as natural as possible, but again giving that amped up glam that will make your eyes pop.

I was amazed the difference that defining my eyebrows made for my overall appearance.  The adjective that comes to mind most is “polished”.  It just pulls everything together. I use a brow gel and Clay Spann Brow Definer in “Soft Brown” to ensure they always look neat and sleek.

All ready for the camera – decked out in my Clay Spann cosmetics!

Practice, practice, practice!

Seek Happiness,

Jesse Ladoue
Miss International 2013