My Birthday: Reflection on Year 24

                I am writing this on the eve of my 25th birthday on this beautiful Earth, and can't help but reflect on the seemingly imaginary past 365 days I have enjoyed. I count my blessings every night and find it hard to believe that age 25 can get any better than my life has already proved. The truth, however is that I earnestly  feel that this quarter century marker in my life is going to blow the past years out of the water. While I may be a dreamer, I'm also a doer. Life throws us curve balls and introduces people into our existence for specific purposes, whether it is to lead us to our next chapter, for us to help guide them to theirs, or to begin to walk forward together. I am beyond grateful for all of the people I have met to this point.

                One year ago to this moment I was sitting in the Staples center at the 2012 Grammy awards ceremony  thinking how incredible the previous year had been. I posted a photo on Instagram stating that age 24 was going to be my best yet. And oh, it was. That night, I had the honor and privilege of personally meeting Sir Paul McCartney backstage. As an extreme music enthusiast, I really thought I was on cloud nine! That night went down in my history book as one of the most memorable nights of my life.

                Last April, my beautiful sister and best friend, Megan married the love of her life. Between her, my brother, and myself, she was the first to cross that bridge. I was honored to serve as her maid of honor and welcome a new member into our family. 

                Not too long after that, I experienced the bitter sweet moment of passing on my title of Miss Dallas USA to my gorgeous friend, Christina Entsminger. This feat was an extremely significant accomplishment in my life, as I had placed 1st  runner up 5 different times between the Teen and Miss category while striving to obtain the title. My reign as Miss Dallas USA was everything I hoped it would be and more and taught me so much about myself as a human and what I stand for.

                Age 24 also marked an enormous geographical change in my life, as I moved 1,300 miles from my family  to my newfound home in Arlington, Virginia. While being apart  from my family and my boyfriend is by no means easy, I have become absurdly familiar with airplanes this past year. I honestly think my average for the year was at least one plane ride a week. Thank goodness I conquered my fear of flying long ago!

                The sweet icing on this birthday cake I enjoyed all year was my life-changing win of the Miss Virginia USA title. Finally after, years of aspiring to become Miss USA, I am finally in the position to make this dream a reality when I compete later in 2013. With this title, I gained a new family and feel unbelievably grateful to have them in my life. From my amazing directors, Kim and Steven to my one-of-a-kind little sister, Caelynn, I have been welcomed with open arms and know in my heart I am exactly where I am supposed to be.

                Other notable mentions include my amazing boyfriend Ryan placing in the World Series of Poker for the second year in a row, getting to see my gorgeous friends Ali and Jessica win the Miss Texas USA and Miss DC USA titles, my wonderful brother proposing to his girlfriend, winning a Mercedez Benz for the year (THANK YOU, Rick Hill Imports), getting to root on VCU in the Bahamas at the Battle for Atlantis, and attending the Miss Universe pageant for the first time.

                After the millions of things to be thankful for and opportunities I have been given, I feel this silver jubilee will be an anniversary marking my turn to give back; to begin to really fulfill my destiny and live to help others reach their dreams and goals. While I always tend to see the bright side of life, I have never felt this optimistic or positive about what lies ahead. It's been a winding road so far, but I also feel my life is just beginning to take flight... and the view is much more beautiful from above.

Trust Yourself

It is beginning to become apparent to me just how funny life is. How every decision changes you and molds you into the person you are supposed to become. The key is believing that you are supposed to become something important, worthwhile, or unique. Your life is shaped by the people you meet, the adventures you pursue, and the energy you emit. Stop buying the sales pitches. Stop giving into the consensus. Be yourself... to the fullest extent. We are not created equal... and that is not a coincidence.

For me, its music that inspires and mesmerizes me every day. If I feel I am taking something in life for granted I know I can always turn on some of my favorite music to pull me out of the funk. The second I begin worrying about what I am supposed to become or what I should do with my life, I lose sight of what beautiful  blessings are directly in front of my face. Living in the present and establishing the end result of your dreams without intently planning the in-between will allow the end result to unfold without strained effort. Have faith. Keep walking, one foot at a time.

Life is too short to be afraid. It's too precious to waste opportunity, yet it is also too fragile to take a risk too big. That is what following your heart is for. So you can seize low-risk opportunity because you are confident that it is the right path. Just trust in yourself.

Mind Full of Music

The other night, I had the chance to catch dinner at an awesome Thai restaurant with my good friend, Evan. This seems to be a rarity now-a-days, not only because of distance and my chaotic schedule that has ensued, but also because one-on-one time with anyone for a meal lately seems to come less often than it ought to. As a society, we have become so consumed with the dependence on connecting via social media, text messaging, phone calls, or Skype, that face-to-face interaction has become the minority in the hustle and bustle of our ever so busy lifestyles. It was refreshing to say the least to catch up with someone who has helped encourage me to express myself and share my thoughts with the world.

One of the more notable advantages of our meeting though was his ingenious point that my blog thus far has covered a few interesting and even educational topics, yet it has lacked one of the more influential points of interest that encompasses my life: Music. Since I was a little girl, I have always been obsessed with music. My parents would tuck me into bed at night around the age of four and my mom would turn on my plastic, primary colored FM/AM radio to the oldies station to lull me to sleep. By age eight I had graduated to Dallas' local rock station at the time, 94.5 The Edge. I then had the pleasure of falling asleep to Alice in Chains' sick guitar riffs and Billy Corgan vocalizing his transition from youth to adulthood in "1979". Even at such a ripe age, I still recognized and thoroughly appreciated the quality of sound within the era.

First and foremost, I must say I have the coolest parents on the planet for allowing me to listen to rock, and furthermore, for taking me to see some of the incredible bands that shaped the 90's while they were high in their prime. I remember going to this enormous festival called Rock Fest in 1997 where headliners like No Doubt, Counting Crows, Collective Soul, and Bush played. I'll never forget that experience mostly because of the overload of ear candy I heard, but also because I was upset when the idiotic dehydrated drunkards began throwing beer bottles just before Bush played. Not surprisingly, we had to leave.

By middle school, I discovered my attraction to heavier rock bands like Deftones, System of a Down, Staind, Tool, and Metallica. I would carry a huge black CD case around with me and listen to music any chance I had on my portable CD player I kept in my orange Jansport backpack. I then grew to love and appreciate my parent's music they would play on family road trips like America, The Beatles, The Guess Who, Creedence Clearwater, and Eric Clapton. The irony is that the music I enjoy listening to the most today reminds me of music from my parent's generation... bringing me back around full circle. I suppose the members of "my" bands were subjected to "Stairway to Heaven" one too many times too.

It wasn't until late high school that I transitioned into the Indie genre and began appreciating music that hasn't been oversaturated on the FM airways. I also noticed that by welcoming bands that haven't made it to enormous stages quite yet, I get the chance to experience them live in personal, quaint venues.

The dilemma occurs when I take notice that my circle of friends and the people I have associated myself with throughout school, work, or in my hobbies,  do not seem to take an interest in music the way I do... And especially not the same genre. I have always felt isolated in this sense. This could be attributed to the notion that I don't fit the typical mold of a rock lover or an indie chick. I oppose being in public without my hair perfectly addressed, form fitting clothes, and a full face of makeup. (Thanks, mom for always making me put on lipstick).

My outer stereotype is polar opposite of my inner stereotype. I suppose society could be to blame for this... and for creating stereotypes in the first place. The point I am making though is through my discovery of all the insanely talented bands I have fallen in love with to date, I have not had many people to share this passion with. I have essentially been a music loner trapped in my own opinions and perceptions of sound. 

Nonetheless, I am perfectly comfortable in my own skin and appreciate being unique. It's not every day you meet a pageant queen who can sing every word to Bohemian Rhapsody, verbatim. My goal by writing about my music interests is to reach audiences who share my same enthusiasm, and who can bounce ideas and opinions against mine. In the meantime, I am going to expand my music library, discover new sound, and attend more live shows. So keep an eye out for me... I'll be in the pit.

Staying on Track with Exercise

Trust me... I know firsthand that it's not easy to work out and especially to "want" to work out. Some people even claim to always despise working out, regardless of how long they have been doing it. Personally, I have found that when you get into a groove, it just clicks. Your body begins to "get it" and you begin to crave exercise. Through my ten years of on and off training and working with a multitude of experienced professionals, I have discovered that the only way you will come to appreciate exercise and what it can do for your body, mind, and confidence is by never stopping the routine. You have to create a lifestyle that includes exercise and eating properly. I truly feel that this is one of the biggest problems with America and why one third of our population is overweight.

Exercise has never been pushed as a lifestyle, as it needs to be. It should come as natural as eating, bathing, or brushing your teeth. Sure, you are tired. Yeah, you had a long day. I know you don't feel like it... But the bottom line is one day of excuses is going to lead to yet another. Treating our bodies with the respect and consideration they deserve will come back ten-fold... I promise. When you exercise, your bodies release feel-good endorphins... You know- the same stuff released by dessert, or alcohol, or drugs, or happy pills, or laughing. It makes you think and feel positive thoughts. It may not seem like it at first, but after you get into the swing of a routine you will notice a significant neurological change.

For years, I would get ready to compete in a pageant and think that hitting the gym hard and crash dieting 1 to 2 months prior to a competition would suffice and get me in shape just enough to win. Boy, was I wrong. For one, when you begin any new exercise routine, it takes your body a minimum of two weeks to see any sort of result. The toxins have to be removed from your body and your muscles have to comprehend the insanity they are being subjected to. You will be sore. You will probably even get discouraged. In all honesty, the first month is by far the most difficult and takes a ton of courage and determination to push through and overcome temptation and adjustment to stick to the plan. Most people will give up. That's a fact. 

You see this first hand around the beginning of EVERY year. Everyone and their dog makes a resolution to lose weight and finally get into shape. They hit it hard the first week... They are tired but determined to stick with it the second week... The third week is tough but they begin to see the scale drop a few pounds (which, by the way, is usually water weight) and by the fourth week they are so proud that they made the numbers on the scale go down or they notice their clothes aren't as tight so they were that they reward themselves by splurging... Which turns into an added bonus of a cupcake or a cookie. The next morning you feel guilty and bloated. As a result, you blow off the gym because let's face it, It's tough to work out when you feel mentally and physically gross. One day of slacking turns into a few days, and before you know it your routine is shot. This among other things is why the gym is much less crowded in February than January.  

Then there is the crash dieting. I can name a million and one reasons why you will never attain your goal weight for an entire year straight if you begin a regimen on a crash diet. It's called crash for a reason. You WILL burn out. The best way to lose weight and live a healthy life style is to make it a routine. Don't reduce your caloric intake lower than what is expected by your body (that is less than 1200 calories in a day for a female), stick solely to whole and live foods (that means unprocessed), avoid fast food, don't try fad diets or believe anything that seems too good to be true, and most importantly don't reprimand yourself when you slip... We all do. Trust me, it's NOT the end of the world. 

Photo credit to Dixie Dixon

Be good to your body. You only have one and it's a beautiful thing, regardless of what you may have been told or how you have seen yourself in the past. NO ONE is perfect. NO ONE is genetically made the same. And NO ONE can  maintain what we have all been unfortunately led to believe is real in magazines, Hollywood, or on TV. Sure, you can work your butt off for a long period of time and obtain the superstar appearance for a moment, but it WON'T last. It's not realistic and it's not healthy to assume that you can keep that up 24/7. After all, we are all human and can only physically take so much before we plateau.

Your body does and will need breaks. You do deserve cheat days. You should be comfortable with enjoying dessert. But, keep in mind, dessert is a "treat" for a reason. It is not an everyday occurrence nor should it make us feel guilty when we allow ourselves to indulge. You deserve to live and enjoy rewards. However, I personally feel that these rewards should only come when you are mentally stable enough to handle them and once you have become used to a routine. That way, you are less prone to slipping consistently or giving up on a plan altogether. Just to be clear though... Indulge does not mean eat everything in sight, all day. It means allowing yourself one "bad" meal or one serving of dessert at a time. You must learn to listen to your body and FEEL when you have had enough. If you cross the line, chances are you will feel guilty or sick or you will over-do the indulgence to the point that you fall out of your routine. It's a delicate task and you must constantly stay in touch with yourself to manage it.

We all have what it takes to create and stick with a routine. The first and most important step is the initial commitment. Get off your butt and believe in yourself. Lose the Negative Nancy attitude and push through the fight, one day at a time. No one is perfect, but the best way to obtain anything close to your goal requires a permanent, life commitment. It's a life change and it takes a lot of time and practice. By time, I mean at least one year. And by practice, I mean changing your diet, your routine, and your mentality to ONLY positive thoughts and for an infinite amount of time. It's not a "need to lost 15 pounds so I will do and be done in 2 months." it's a lifelong change. You have what it takes. It's not hard in the end though, I promise. The initial few months are the platform. Once you are off the ground though, you will be airborne. 

Just keep flying :)

Live life to the fullest

I know I haven't blogged in an extremely long time. A million amazing things have happened in my life since my last entry, and while I would like to fill everyone in on what has occurred these past 8 months, I feel it might be best to just pick up where I left off. I am a brand new person. I have had unfathomable life changes (for the better), and have met some of the most wonderful people during this journey I am considering to be my winding road. Most of what has happened is very personal so, I don't think it is necessary to make it public to the world. Instead, I'll let my current words be my informant to you on how I have grown into myself.

There are an endless amount of things to be thankful for right now. Not only in my life, but in everyone else's lives as well. We are so unbelievably blessed to be living in this day in age, in a country that grants us the freedom to become who we are meant to become. One of the many things I am making sure I recognize are those very things that have shaped me into who I am today. The struggles, the heartache, the times I feel I want to give up, but also the laughter with family, the gracious company, the simple things like breathing  in fresh air, and the adventures that unfold on a daily basis are all what true living is about. We have to learn to take the good with that bad in such a way that they complement each other. How boring would life be if everything was always perfect, or if we were never given the chance to appreciate what we have?

I am writing this right now in the presence of my two beautiful Bengal kitties, on my patio, sitting in the warm sunshine, listening to one of my favorite new artists called Blind Pilot, and now "Black Bird" by the Beatles just began playing. It  is 65 degrees outside in the middle of the winter, birds are chirping, water is trickling in the distance, and a tireless view of the sun streaked lake is beaming before my eyes. I should also mention that I have two ice packs on my face, I am swollen like a marshmallow, and my jaw is throbbing from the pain of just having all four of my wisdom teeth removed. This, ladies and gents, is called taking the good with the bad and appreciating every waking second of existence. God really has a great sense of humor.

A few weeks ago, I was driving back from California to Dallas with my good friend, Alexander and we decided to make lists of things we want to accomplish before we leave this earth, AKA: "Bucket Lists". So as we were passing through the open desert in the middle of nowhere, Arizona, we took turns shouting out our dreams and aspirations and then writing them down. The biggest surprise to me with both of our lists was how accomplishable our ideas truly are. I honestly don't think there was a single thought listed that was too far out of reach. Over the past few weeks I have glanced back over my list several times and have begun to imagine what the final result of these dreams might visually look like. So a few nights ago, I found pictures online corresponding to each item on my bucket list and then I created a collage of all of my ideas. This collage is now my laptop background so that every day when I log on, I see a glimpse into what I want my future to be. I wholeheartedly believe that as long as I am doing good things in my life and I am walking in faith, my aspirations will one day become reality.

I think it is important for all of us to actually know what our dreams are on paper, what they look like in our heads, and to be able to tangibly see them so that we know how to make them reality one day. As silly as it may seem, I urge anyone reading this to do the same thing and create a life "to-do" list, and then create a visual collage of what that to-do lists encompasses. Set it as your desktop  background, or print it out and hang it somewhere in your house so you are reminded on a daily basis what you really want out of life. You will be thankful you did it one day later down the road.

Before my pain medicine kicks back in and impairs my ability to write intelligent thoughts, I'll end on this note: I have never been happier with where my life has taken me and where I know I am going. I am excited to share the new Shannon with the world, and I am going to make a genuine effort to blog on a weekly basis... so stay tuned, folks!

Life is good :)

Wow... This blog is WAAAAAAY overdue! This has been a phenomenal month for me and everything has happened so fast, I haven't had time to document it until now. My last blog left off in April, when I was on my way to Las Vegas for the True Beauty Expo.

I met some of the most amazing people, including the Miss Nevada USA state director and host of the event, Maureen Atwell; the renowned and life-changing motivational speaker, Dale Thomas; the one and only, Sherri Hill; and the stunning MUO runway coach, Lu Sierra. A friend and idol of mine, Robin Fleming of La casa Hermosa was also present in addition to about 20 other beautiful women and young ladies competing at various levels across the globe. I also had the opportunity to meet and work with photographer, Fadil Berisha, which was a blast to say the least! The whole weekend exceeded my expectations, taught me more about myself than I ever realized I didn't know, and brought me closer to a group of genuine people that I feel blessed to have met.

Also in April, I attended the Miss Houston USA pageant and watched Brittany Booker take home the crown. It was an exciting show and will be a lot of fun to compete with Brittany at state! While in Houston I also had the privilege of shooting with Ben Urcuyo, the artist and genius behind Benizo. The end result of the photographs blew me away! I have worked with Ben before, and I swear his work keeps getting better each day! He's one of a kind :)

Then came May...

The month of has May brought more clarity and bliss to my life than I have ever felt before, for infinite reasons. After years of perseverance and aspiration, I have finally received the prestigious honor of being crowned Miss Dallas USA, 2011. My first official shoot with Zac Grimaldo occurred the very next day after being crowned. My new little sister, Breanna Young (Miss Dallas Teen USA 2011) was with me, which put the cherry on top of an extremely exciting day!!!

As I have said numerous times before, I did not earn this title alone. It takes a village to raise a child... and this village just happened to be the most supportive, encouraging and inspiring group of friends and family that anyone could begin to ask for. To say that I am blessed is a narrow understatement. The even better news is that the title is just the beginning. I am certain that I have the most remarkable year ahead of me, with Dallas as a stepping stone to the frame of my big picture. Doors have been opened wide, and not solely for me. My goal is to connect with as many people as I can, impact lives, and touch people on a daily basis. Don't get me wrong... I know I never needed a title to attain this goal. It has been the journey that has allowed me this liberty in addition to the beautiful understanding of myself as a human and my purpose. The voyage that brought me to this point is what matters and has provided me the strength and courage to flourish.

May is also a significant month for my family because my beautiful sister, Megan just got engaged!!! I am simply ecstatic for her and overjoyed to know that I will soon have a wonderful brother-in-law joining my family! There is much more I could say about the past month, but I will conclude this blog for now and save the rest for later!

Ultimate Weaknesses

Written 4/1/2011

I'm on a flight to Ameria's adult playground, Las Vegas right now. I am headed here for the True Beauty Expo hosted by Maureen Atwell, the Miss Nevada USA state director. I finally have a second to actually breath and write a new blog, which I have been slacking on lately. I don't think I have ever been so busy in my entire life! I will be on a plane going somewhere every week for the next 5 weeks... Talk about jet lag!

Part of my busy schedule has to do with work, and the other part is pageant prep. I am competing in the Miss Dallas USA pageant in 5 weeks and have officially transitioned into "crunch time". Needless to say, I have very little free time. Crunch time also means being extremely cautious and particular about my workout regimen and eating habits. So no more free diet days on the weekend, no more sleeping-in instead of morning cardio... It's go time! 

This has made me think a lot more about food lately... And how I would LOVE to eat a big chocolate cookie, a bag of BBQ chips, or a delicious fully-loaded veggie burrito from Chipotle. Mmmm. Don't get the wrong impression though. I am extremely careful with my diet as to ensure my body receives all necesary nutrition and  an appropriate amount of calories each day. I don't starve myself... But I am strict as to eliminate any and all "bad food" from my diet. It's hard and not exactly the most fun thing to do especially considering it is extremely difficult to find "healthy vegetarian" resturaunts to go to eat out. 

I am used to the odd looks when I order things like a chicken salad without chicken, steamed tofu, steamed veggies, black bean patty without bread, no butter, minimal oil, no salt, no sugar... You get the point. I'm sure most waiters are thinking... "What an annoying date she must be." Thankfully, Blake (my boyfriend) is used to it now too and is very understanding of my odd food habits, limited time, and drive to achieve my goals. I'm lucky to have his support.

Anyway, back to food. Since I can't give into my "ultimate weaknesses," I figured it might be fun to at least hear about everyone else's. So what is YOUR ultimate weakness? You know... the one thing that if placed in front of you, you probably wouldn't have the will power to turn down. I'll start- mine is Rice Crispy Treats! :) 

Spring is here!

Today is March 21st; the first day of Spring. Here in Dallas, it was sunny and warm with a high of 82. It was one of those days that made it difficult for anyone to be in a bad mood. Everything seemed to be alive and awake, growing and thriving.  I woke up earlier than usual this morning and had a light cardio workout, followed by a yummy bowl of Kashi cereal (my favorite) and 2 cups of coffee.

Work was productive and I was able to take care of a lot of administrative things I have been meaning to do. When I left my office, it was still clear and warm outside. I would have put the top down if I had a pony-tail holder with me, but instead I had to settle for rolling the windows down. I listened to some of my favorite tunes, The Doves as I made my way home, and I gave a homeless man on the corner of the street an orange.

I was too sleepy to work out immediately when I got home, as I usually do, so I decided to lay down and take a quick snooze. This turned into an hour-and-a-half nap. I woke up, reoriented myself and threw on some workout sweats. I decided to work out in my living room with all of the doors open and music blaring overhead. The cats kept fighting and interrupting my workout, but I just yelled at them every once in awhile and they knocked it off. After I was finished, Blake and I made a fresh dinner with the veggies we bought from the Dallas farmers market yesterday and watched an unbelievable sunset over the skyline. It was a great day, and a perfect way to start off the week, and new season. I truly am blessed to live in such a wonderful place, with amazing friends and family close by.

Knox meets Nora

My Christmas present this past year from my amazing boyfriend Blake was another Bengal kitten (I already have one). If you know how much I love cats, you can only guess how ecstatic I was! Blake surprised me by having me open a box that contained a picture of a kitten. At first glance I was a bit confused, but after about 5 seconds of processing why he would give me a picture of a kitten for Christmas, I freaked out! It was the perfect gift and I decided to name her Nora.

In case you have never met or seen a Bengal cat, they look like miniature leopards. The name is a bit deceiving because they are bred from an Asian Leopard, not a Bengal tiger as the name would imply. While they have the coat of a leopard, they are only a bit larger than a typical domestic cat. Fans of the breed like to claim that Bengals have personalities similar to dogs. They can learn to fetch, they like water, they love being around humans, they are extremely active, and they are typically very vocal.  All in all, they are pretty cool cats.

My first Bengal kitten was Knox. I went through a breeder (cheetahsdenbengals.com) to find him. When I adopted him, he was already about 7 weeks old. Most accredited  Bengal breeders have a policy of not releasing the kitten until it is at least 12 weeks old. This is fine and completely understandable, but it makes the anticipation of waiting to bring your kitten home excruciating. I consider myself a patient person, but for some reason waiting for a new baby kitty drives me crazy!

Anyway, back to Knox. After waiting  5 weeks, I was able to bring him home last May. Ever since he became a part of the family, my life has become much more interesting! At first he drove us crazy because he was clawing everything in the house, especially our leather furniture, but has since become more mindful. He still cries whenever you leave the room, cries when our 7:00AM alarm goes off until you feed him (so much for snoozing), and loves to play a game called "Attack Shannon whenever she walks by". Needless to say, I often have claw-marks and scratches all down my legs and arms. While we love having the little guy around, I was beginning to feel as though Knox was bored. With Blake and I gone most of the day, Knox is alone a lot... something that is not ideal for a Bengal. So when Blake adopted another kitten for us, my mind was eased at the idea of giving Knox a companion.

Well, after three long months of waiting... and waiting... and waiting... we finally brought baby Nora home this past Wednesday. She is such an Angel! Unlike Knox, she loves to snuggle and cuddle. She is much more affectionate, and less aggressive. She has the most beautiful, feminine face with piercing brown eyes and a squatty little body that is so adorable it would make a die-hard dog lover convert .

When we first brought her home and tried to introduce the two, it went much worse than we had hoped. Obviously, I didn't expect for Nora to jump out of her carrier and greet Knox with a big hug while Knox held a hand-painted "Welcome Home" sign, but I guess I had higher hopes than what actually happened.  

The second Knox noticed the foreigner in the house he started growling a deep, wild growl I have never heard him emit. He was hissing furiously at her, but to our surprise she simply counteracted his aggression by sniffing his nose. She's a brave one! Unfortunately, that entire first night Knox was enraged and wouldn't even let us go near him. Nora just continued to play and prance around, even as he hissed directly at her. This same pattern repeated the following day and night, although the severity of Knox's anger subsided slightly. Finally, he lightened up some yesterday when he realized that Nora didn't mind it when he chased her. A light switched on in his head and he discovered that she might just be fun to have around.

Now it is Saturday and they are doing MUCH better together. They have been chasing each other (in a playful manner) all day long and Knox has only become frustrated with her once or twice all day.  I am highly impressed with their progress and am now confident that they are going to be best friends!

Make sure to check my "Cats" album on my website as I will be updating pictures to include the two playing soon!

Why am I a Vegetarian?

I am asked this question often, especially during pageant interviews. People always want to know why I don't eat meat. Is it because I am an animal rights activist? Is it because my parents don't eat meat? Is it because I am a weirdo hippie? Well, the truth is that I just don't like it!

Ever since I was old enough to recall eating, I have turned down meat. As a child my parents would try to insist that I eat it, but I was always disgusted by the idea of chewing on flesh. Of course I love animals, but I honestly believe that God put them on this earth for humans to consume and use for various needs like warmth, shelter, etc. I am not offended when other people buy/cook/order/cosume meat... I just don't want it in MY belly.

You might even say I am borderline Vegan. I don't eat eggs, I don't drink milk, and I am turned off by some other dairy products. Again, this boils back down to the fact that I just don't like it. I don't like the taste, I don't like the texture, and I don't like the smell. I have never even tried/tasted an actual steak in my entire life and honestly, I have no desire to.

Another question I am often asked is "How do you get enough protein?" The truth is that I probably don't get enough... but I certainly try. I eat meat substitutes, lots of soy products, any kind of whole grains with increased protein like Quinoa or Kashi cereal, and protein shakes daily. However, I haven't always been this conscious about my health. As a child, I could care less if I took in enough protein or vitamins. It didn't hit me until I was about 17 that I probably don't get enough nutrients in my diet.

Now, I'm kind of obsessed with making sure that I am eating properly for more than one reason. I won't go into detail about my dad's heart health just yet, but I will say that due to his extreme heart issues I am much more concerned for my own future state of health and try to promote heart health awareness as much as I can.

Please feel free to ask me any vegetarian related or heart health related questions! I am happy to help or give my insight!!

Website/True Beauty Expo/Miss USA

Since I finally had some extra time today to work on my website, I thought it might be something worth writing about. I don't consider my self an expert, by any means at web design, but it is still fun to do. If any of you out there have built you own sites, you know know my frustrations when it comes to getting code right. Its hard! It is such a long and tedious process that would make most impatient people's heads spin. Luckily, I am one of the patient ones.

A more notable topic of today is the True Beauty Expo. I just bought my plane ticket and will be attending the weekend expo in Vegas in about a month. It will be part of my training process for Miss Texas USA. I have coaches I work with here in Texas, but it is always good to get additional tips/advice/perspective. I am open and willing to absorb any and all training I can get my hands on this year!

This trip to Vegas will be one of many this year. I also recently booked my ticket to Vegas to attend Miss USA in June. I am so excited to be apart of it, and cheer on the beautiful Texas state title holder, Miss Ana Rodriguez along with the Florida state title holder, Miss Lissette Garcia (In case you didn't know I have a history with Florida pageantry). Let me know if you will be attending Miss USA in June as well; I would love to connect with all of the pageant people out there!

Blog Launch!

This blog was written a few days ago... but just now posted :)

Today marks my first official blog for www.shannonmcanally.com! It's a snow day here in Dallas, TX and I'm for the most part trapped inside my house which freed up a lot of time for me to work on the website.

I wanted to have the chance to explain exactly why I created this website. It's not because I was just bored, but rather because I wanted to share parts of my life with everyone that you would otherwise not be able to see. To be honest... I Googled my name one day earlier this year and saw a lot of old random pictures and news that wouldn't be very helpful to someone who wanted to know more about me. I like to consider myself technologically savvy, even though I am nowhere near an expert level of website creating.

So as of right now, the site is basic, my blogs might be boring, and the site visitation will be slow. But... I have to start somewhere. :) So in short, Thank you for taking the time to stop by and be a part of My "Big Picture."

-Shannon M.-