VERSATILE BLOGGER AWARD | FEB. 23, 2019

I am so happy to receive the Versatile Blogger award from Jessica at loveinjune16.wordpress.com. Thank you for the nomination. Please go check out her blog when you get the chance!

The rules of the Versatile Blogger Award are as follows:

1. If you are nominated, Congratulations you have been awarded the Versatile blogger award!
2. Thank the person who gave you the award and include a link to their blog.
3. Select 10-15 blogs/bloggers that you’ve recently discovered or follow regularly.
4. Nominate those bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award.
5. Tell the person who nominated you 7 things about yourself.

You can read all about the Versatile Blogger Award here.

Here are 7 facts about me!

​7 FACTS ABOUT ME

1: I WAS THE DRUM MAJOR OF MY COLLEGE MARCHING BAND

The drum major in the marching band is usually a student and they are the person who directs the band.

I played saxophone for two years in college before I served as the drum major for my final two years of school. It was a hard job, but I loved being able to serve the band in that position.

Pictured is my best friend Tyler who has lost a TON of weight since this photo was taken. 

ANOTHER FUN FACT: I was actually the first female drum major in the school's more than 60 year history! It feels great that I was able to make an impact, because every drum major since has been a female!

2: I USED TO DANCE AND PERFORM IN BEAUTY PAGEANTS

My brother and I were quite cute when we were younger. Peep his coconut head haircut to the right.

My mom will tell you that I often threw fits on stage during pageants, and she isn't wrong! My brother and I both danced for a company called Dancers Unlimited. I was not a competition dancer, but he was. He stuck with it much longer than I did, and I commend him for that!

3: I'VE MET A LOT OF COOL PEOPLE

To date, I've been able to meet a number of really awesome people. You've probably seen my Ruby Bridges blog post.

I've also met Cal Ripken, a number of state and national representatives, SNL writers, Olympic alternates (Ashton Locklear), and more.

In my home, I have a poster that was signed by T-PAIN and Hunter Hayes, two popular musical artists. This is because I did the design for the poster through my job.

I didn't get to meet them, but I do have this awesome piece of memorabilia that simply needs a frame to live in!

A lot  of things have been made possible by the jobs I've held. I'm blessed, for sure!

4: I WAS MY COLLEGE'S MISS CONGENIALITY

The quality of this picture is so bad, so I apologize. But, it's the only one I have in my dress with my sash and certificate (which you can't even read). 

My college does a pageant called "Miss Methodist." I entered in to it two years in a row. This year, my talent was comedy. I did a little bit of standup that was heavily inspired by songs and other comedic acts. 

It's all about the delivery! The last year that I entered the competition, I didn't get anything. However, I was so happy to have won the favorite award and show other big, beautiful women that you can have the confidence to show yourself off to the world!

5: I HAD A RADIO SHOW

Again, when I was in college, I had my own radio show. At first, I was only doing the show because it was a requirement for one of the classes I needed.

The show was called "Gabbie and the Ghost." I was Gabbie, of course, and my friend Taylor was "Ghost." We also had a producer, my friend Jessica. 

We entered ourselves into a national competition and were delighted when we found out we were finalists.

This scored us a trip to the Big Apple for a conference and awards ceremony. We were going up against much larger schools and we were the only cohosts to be nominated that year. Such an amazing experience!

6: MY BROTHER AND I HAVE SIBLING POWERS

I kid you not. Growing up, we would each be riding separately at separate times with my mom and we would pass signs and say the same thing the other person had said.

We aren't twins. My brother and I are two years apart (he's older). We are also like Yin and Yang. Growing up, he was the sporty one and I was the artistic one. Whenever we went to college, he favored the logical degree of Biology, and I decided on Mass Communications. 

My mom had an interesting experience in raising us!

7: I'M A REFORMED JOURNALIST

I graduated magna cum laude (3.9 cumulative GPA) from Methodist University with a BA in Mass Communications. I worked at a daily newspaper as an Education Reporter and Features Editor for a year and a half before taking my current job at my alma mater.

When I graduated, I was a member of four honor societies, a sorority (sister Kayla pictured), and a member of the marching band and the campus' gospel choir.

MY NOMINATIONS

1. Laureny Loves: ​https://www.laurenyloves.co.uk/
2. Thoughts Parsed: www.thoughtsparsed.com/
3. Black Princess Diaries: blackprincessdiaries.wordpress.com/
4. Gratisoul: gratisoul.com/
5. Evolving Man Project: lornettvestal.wordpress.com/
6. Tales of a Bearded Man: talesofabeardedman.com/
7. Auburn Roe: www.auburnroe.com/
8. Mich Joseph: michjoseph.com/
9. The Kelly Diane Report: thekellydianereport.co.uk/
10. The Lexperience: www.thelexperience.com/