VIVIAN'S VOICE - SEPT & OCT 2024

This post covers both September and October.  The season is in full swing, life has been busy and I am about to tell you all about it! Besides, I heard a quote on Princess Diaries once and I will apply it to this: "The Queen is never late, everyone else is simply early."

SEPTEMBER

There’s something about September that just hits different for me. The weather starts to change. My birthday approaches. My son is back in school. Change can be such a beautiful thing. In fact I've learned that in life, it's the only consistent thing. Friends come and go and sometimes it's not as upsetting as it once would have been. Life can change so quickly.

The summer flew by and I've been so busy. We didn't get the opportunity to take a summer vacation with our son and we really needed some quality bonding family time. With being MGMA, obviously,I am very busy and my family has been placed on the back burner so it was nice to have a reset and enjoy each other. We went to Universal Studios and Laguna Beach. It was absolutely beautiful and we had an amazing time.

My husband and I celebrated our anniversary. Amongst the sunshine there were somber moments: we experienced the tragic loss of a dear friend, Suzanne Shay. She was the woman that married my husband and I in 2013 and she's always remained a close friend. Coming to support drag shows, helping Tyson with his camp for neglected and abused children. She was such a giving soul and it was so sad to hear about her lost battle with cancer. We're taking comfort in the fact that she is no longer in pain and is resting in paradise and watching over us.

I oversaw my second preliminary and qualified two AMAZING contestants with the comeback of Miss Gay Northwest America. Congratulations to Heather Fellas and her first alternate Lorilie! This team is going to slay at state and I'm so excited to witness it. We have (hopefully) 8 more preliminaries to qualify a total of 20 contestants this season. That is my goal and I've been working to ensure it happens! October is next and there's about 6 months left to my reign. So much more in store!

OCTOBER

October, my love. Our time has come and gone. You were filled with so much celebration, joy, and abundance and it's a shame I won't see you for another year. I always love the change of the weather and upcoming holidays are on the horizon. My favorite holiday (my birthday) was this month. I turned my annual 27 in my mind but in real life I guess you could say that I am 34 now. I threw a small little shindig at my house with a few friends and a lot of family and even had a special surprise of one of my favorite humans on earth coming to visit me, my cousin. We grew up together but we have never had the privilege of living in close proximity. Seeing each other every 5 years or so but always remaining together in spirit. Now that we are adults we see each other more often and it's so nice. She is just one of my tribe but I love her so much and it was a lovely surprise. I had amazing food cooked by the master chef of the family, my stepdad Ralph. It was to die for. I also had a permanent jewelry vendor, a Botox injector, a tattoo artist and a tarot card reader. We set up little stations in different areas of my house and just indulged and ate and laughed and celebrated the night away. I felt so loved and special. Thank you to my amazing husband for putting such an extravaganza on for me. 34 is definitely one for the books. With age comes wisdom and I'm feeling so clear and focused right now and I love that for me.

I got to support Miss Gay Missouri USofA by attending.  The sisterhood is real and palpable.  Great job to Veronika Versace and L’oreal.  Veronika is also part of Team Missouri for MGMA this year and Im glad we got to spend time together.  I also got to spend time with many of my MGMA sisters.  Congratulations to Roxana Rexia on her win!

It was also a busy month for MGMA preliminaries. I had Miss Gay Kansas City America first and I always LOVE all the formers and kiki'ing with them. Misty Meanor gave up her crown and we shared a tiny little walk in closet for a dressing room but we had a blast! Two qualifying contestants were proclaimed! Congratulations to Kaycee Adam's and her first alternate, Alexchandra Luv! This was my third preliminary and I finally felt like I was getting in the groove of things. 

Then came Miss Gay St. Louis America and I had so much fun! I got the privilege of doing my makeup and having Lexsus Chaney beside me the whole time and we just talked and formulated ideas and I really enjoyed it. One of the best parts of this job is the people. Definitely thankful for her and our relationship. Congratulations to our new Miss Gay St. Louis America, MaryAnn Bright and her first alternate, Venus DM Steele! Job well done ladies.

I am excited to announce that Miss Gay City of Fountains America is coming back this year but with a new promoter as well! Please welcome Chad Salmans to the family. We are still in the scheduling process but hope to have the prelim in early December!

In our community, my partner and I got to speak with the local chapter of PFLAG about being parents! In the pageant scene, we mourned the loss of Miss Gay Missouri America 1983 ( and MGA 1989), Vicki Vincent.  She was always so kind and encouraging to me.  May she rest in peace.

I am also expanding my esthetics business and moving to a bigger suite and it's gorgeous and I'm very excited! I will be doing some training for new services so that's exciting as well! Blessed to have this opportunity with a job I love. 
Couldn't end October without Halloween and we have a tradition at my house. We invite a few friends and family over and we make a fire in a pit in the driveway and have spooky music and pass out candy to hundreds of trick or treaters. I make chicken tortilla soup and everyone brings something like a dessert or appetizer and we hangout and take our son trick or treating to a few houses. It was a good night with great food and ever better people. 

The next prelims are Springfield (which happens to be my give up) and we also have City of Columbia. For details, please see our Preliminaries Page on the website. It was a great month.

My heart is full. Nationals are getting closer and November is here, so that's wild!

‘Til next time. 
Xoxo, Miss Gay Missouri America, The 50th
Viv