Christina, The Beauty Pageant Contestant

es, you read the title correctly. I competed in the 2012 Miss Sinergy beauty pageant (all for charity of course). And I placed second! Crazy, right? Now, for those that know me well, this seemed completely out of left field, but I really did it to do something outside my comfort zone and to try and help me improve on my inner beauty. After all, with the help of a good spray tan and a makeup artist applying drag queen levels of make up, I had plenty of help with the outer beauty element.

Internal beauty? How would a pageant named after the outside physical beauty help my inner beauty... Well, that's simple. Since when does the most beautiful girl win the beauty pageant? Ok yea, the ugliest girl never wins, but the final winner always has to have the entire package. She has to be (or at least seem to be) beautiful from the inside out. Have you ever met anyone that was drop dead gorgeous but then after getting to know them for a few minutes or days or years later you find them to be repulsive because their inner beauty does not reflect the outside appearance? I know it's cliché to say this, but I honestly believe that physical beauty is overrated and inner beauty is all that matters, except maybe in a photograph. I know too many people that become more beautiful physically to me because of what they offer from within and so many gorgeous individuals with sucky personalities who I can't look at for too long without getting annoyed. To a certain extent, I really only see the inside after a while. Maybe that's how everyone works, or maybe I'm unlucky, or maybe I'm actually really lucky because of it. No matter the explanation, it's the honest truth. There are many people who may not have a very fortunate lot in the beauty department, but then after getting to know them I can't look at them any other way other than as beautiful. Physically beautiful, really just because their inner beauty radiates outward.

The Evening Gown Competition

Anyways, back to the pageant. The seeds for entering a competition like this were planted when I was an audience member at the last year's Miss Sinergy competition. Initially I was convinced to attend because the ticket money went towards charity (mainly a breast cancer foundation), plus it's always fun to dress up for events. At the event I met some great people and got to talking to a judge who was adamant about my entrance in the next year's competition. He said I would be a great candidate. Then, at the after party, I met some of the contestants who also recommended that I enter next time since they had so  much fun participating. The candidates said that they met a bunch of amazing people and it was just an overall great time. They didn't report any of the usual catty-ness you'd expect at a pageant, plus it's all for charity. Since then my little sister had been encouraging me to just go for it. And you're only young once, so I just went ahead and entered.

Set Goals ☑ Accomplish Goals ☑

ating good food improves your health, yeah yeah, but to-do lists too? A friend recently told me that to-do lists are actually good for your health. Which means my obsessive list making isn't as off as I thought. (Here's an article for more explanation) Eight months have passed since I took the LSATs and I am, I guess luckily, still on a non-academic goals kick. I'm obsessed with figuring out what I want and then doing it. Checking off to-do boxes are just so much fun. Please try it --> 

Anyway, here's an update of the goals list I made back in October:

• Run a 5k race on Thanksgiving ☐ Even though this is a no check,  I did raise a little money for it and actually walked a 3K later in April for MS. So maybe half check?
• Take belly dancing classes ☐ I looked into it, but it’s on the back burner right now.
• Learn to play tennis/golf ☐ Setting this goal right before winter started wasn't the smartest...
• Move out in December ☑ Blog post raving about my roomie and living situation to come soon.
• Shoot a gun at a shooting range ☐ I’m still looking forward to getting this one checked off.
• Learn to cook (at least one dish really well) ☑ This check may not be valid because I’m counting the one and only time I attempted to cook a very difficult Persian dish and it shockingly came out fabulous. I have not attempted since, for fear that it was only beginner’s luck.
• Understand football better ☑
• Read for fun again ☑ I still don't do this as much as I'd like, but I'm glad I'm at least improving ... it's just so hard to make any time for it.
• Travel more ☑ Since I set this goal I've been to Colombia, Switzerland, Italy, and even a little more around the US (Philly and Boston) for the first time.

I accomplished a bunch of goals that weren't even on that list too. (I don't want you to think I'm a slacker since some of the check boxes are empty.)

Goals set since the above-mentioned list that have already been accomplished:

• Earn a black belt ☑ Yeah, that one was a surprise check to me too. After more than four years of practice, it definitely feels nice. A lot more expectations, but that always comes alongside accomplishment.
• Get into Law School ☑ (See previous post)
• Blog more consistently ☑ (see posts between now and last October if you want proof)
• Enjoy watching the NBA ☑ Yes, I may have a workable understanding of the NFL, but all that pales in comparison to what I now know about the NBA. More specifically, I know way too much about the Lakers. Considering that two years ago I couldn't have told you what a series in the playoffs was or what it meant to be "inside the paint," now I can tell you all that, including what an ally-oop is, the history of Nowitzki's shooting skills, and why I’m not a fan of LeBron James or JaVale McGee’s on the court attitude/style.
• Get to know DC better ☑ Seeing as I've lived within a 20 mile radius of it my whole life, this one was a must. But it might technically only be a half check for now, only because I go out of town so many weekends, but I’m definitely getting there.
• Go out more ☑ Left in my natural state I'm definitely a homebody. All my life my friends have had to drag me out to social situations. Once I’m out I definitely enjoy myself, but it’s always been very difficult to just get me out. Yes, odd, but I’m slowly getting over myself, ok?
• Dye my hair black, again ☑ I don’t know what it is, but I LOVE black hair. Jet black, none of that dark brown nonsense either. Maybe it ties in with the other extreme tendencies I have, extreme likes/dislikes, etc. But no matter the reason, I just love black hair. Whenever I go to get it dyed the hairdresser is always baffled by my love of black hair since my hair is already very brown. I've been told how unusual it is for women to want darker hair. Also, many people don't even see the difference afterwards, which also makes no sense to me because my hair has a lot of red/blond in the sun, during the summer months. Oh well, I guess my main point is that I am very glad this box is checked off.

From boring brown to beautiful black! yes! 

All of this to-do listing is making me feel healthier already! I highly recommend to-do lists for everyone, and not just for those with OCD tendencies like myself.

Another move towards moving

ot official and booked the movers today... well, more like got my living social email today, saw that movers were the deal of the day, thought it was a good idea to take advantage of 51% off something I'll be buying in a little more than a month anyways. A little more than a month! That's when I'm finally moving out. :) Wow, it's about time.

My final destination for the next year is Arlington. Probably, more specifically, Ballston.

Now please watch following educational raps about Arlington.

Where I will be much more metro mobile. :)

I'll miss you Fairfax area.... but I'm long overdue for a change of scenery.

What I REALLY learned from the LSAT

ow, so my blogging experience didn't quite get off to the glorious start that I envisioned for it. Whoops!

I've been busy? Well, I don't know what my excuse from February to July was but for the past 2-3 months I’ve been working fulltime AND studying hardcore for the LSAT. Pretty stressful stuff. I don’t think I’ve ever spent so much of each day devoted towards one goal like that. I must say though, I was pretty impressed with myself and my ability to stay (relatively) on track. I have a tendency to get distracted from goals I set (this blog is a prime example of that). I finally took the LSAT on the 9th and I’m totally ok with the fact that I have to wait until November 1 to see my score. I don’t think I did horribly, but I definitely wasn’t at my absolute best that day. Game day jitters got the best of me. Hopefully I will be pleasantly surprised by my score? Keep your fingers crossed for me please! Then it’s law school application deadlines to meet. The fun never ends!

Anyways, so what did the LSAT end up teaching me? To REALLY appreciate my newfound freedom. I am just so motivated to enjoy every moment and improve myself in ways that having to study all the time didn't let me. I’ve come up with way too many goals that I might decide against in a week or I might actually go through with. If I do end up enrolling in a law school next August then I definitely won’t have time for any of this type of self improvement so now’s my chance so I will try my best to take full advantage of this low stress time in my life.

Here are some of the newest goals I’ve set for myself:

• Run a 5k race on Thanksgiving
• Take belly dancing classes
• Learn to play tennis/golf
• Move out in December
• Shoot a gun at a shooting range
• Learn to cook (at least one dish really well)
• Understand football better
• Read for fun again
• Travel more

The list is always changing and growing and shrinking, but for the moment, that’s what I want out of the next couple of months. Wish me luck! And thank you LSAT for showing me what it feels like not to have a life. I will never be unappreciative again.

Oh and maybe if you’re lucky I will keep up with the blog this time around. :)