05.04.08
Style Cravings
Working retail, especially in a mall, can be a real pain because it’s more sales driven than anything, but I so love when I get to help the customers plan outfits and accessories. I want to work at a smaller boutique so that I can focus more on doing that, the styling. I don’t like having to sell people on the store credit cards and all of that, i want the simple pleasure of style consultations. Too bad there’s no where around here to work at that would let me thrive in that. So regular retail it shall be until I probably move to Los Angeles. I wish a mall around here at least had a Nordstroms or something so that I could work my way up to being a personal shopper! Damn these “average” stores around here 
My birthday is Wednesday 
I can’t believe a whole year has passed; man, time flies! I’ve turned 21, graduated, gotten published more, so some good has happened the past year. Got fatter though, lol, so I need to get that baggage off of me! Wonder what this 22nd year of my life will hold.
01.23.08
Updates
Got back RAVE reviews from the editor on my piece that I wrote 
She said that I’m very talented and will be a star at the magazine. Woot Woot! Best thing I’ve heard all year(granted, we’re not even a month in, but YA KNOW, lol). That is my great news, and they want to use me for much more, so I am very pleased.
Went to a party on Sunday. The thing is, I hate clubbing in the winter, because most of my going out clothes are summery (read: skimpy, legs out, boobs out, etc) so it’s tough picking something for winter. Not only that, it also means coat check. Boo! So, I didn’t feel like coat checking since we parked only a block away, so like an idiot, I ran that block with no coat in below zero weather in a satin shirt. Needless to say, now I’m sick as a dog Doesn’t help my friendly disposition. On top of that, there is supposed to be a great party tonite with pro athletes and what not and now I can’t go….boooooooooooo!
well, I did get to meet another of my fave video vixens at the party, Melyssa Ford.
Melyssa Ford
01.14.08
Professional Standard
Today I did my first interview as a freelance journalist. Not a student, not an intern, but a journalist. Wow, that feels good
I think that it went well, at least, i certainly hope that I got enough info to write something stellar. They pay well for it and I look forward to doing more. I’m grinning, aren’t i a giddy loser? lol.
My friend was saying, oh, you seem so professional now. Little ole me, Vonnie the professional! I’ll let you guys know when the article is out. Ciao, bellas
01.03.08
Driven for the Good Life
My trip to LA has renewed my vigor and desire for the good life. My tastes run too rich and lavish to not drive myself to succeed beautifully. With that said, I am glad that things are starting to roll and I will continue to make moves towards a career and, hopefully soon, a move to Los Angeles. The great thing is, my mom also wants to move there, which would make me very happy. That’s one of my best friends, ya know?
So for the new year, I am on a MISSION:
1. Write, write, write….this means, working on my novel, pumping out articles for freelance, updating my blog at least every 2 days, and hopefully finding a job with a magazine or ezine.
2. workout mind and body….If I’m moving to the land of the superficial and expect to write about beauty/fashion, I need to be ON POINT. I want to get down to size 4, 6 at the most (I’m a 12/14 now). So that means working out, eating right, getting rid of excuses. And I will be reading even more. I already read a lot, but I want to read all of the books that I’ve ever said I wanted to read. Get my mind right!
I would suggest the book “How to Become Famous in Two Weeks (or less)” for anyone looking for help on becoming fabulous. I just read it in LA and it was fantastic. I also want to read Posh’s book and Kimora Lee Simmon’s.
3. Network, socialize, put forth more effort. I’m such a laid back person, I need to actively get out and network. Nothing will be handed to me since I am not a true socialite or possess supermodel looks. I have to get on the grind, charm my way into fabulosity!
What are some of your new years resolutions?
11.30.07
Saying Goodbye…My Farewell to UM
As 7:40 pm hit, I walked out of the last classroom I would ever be in as an undergraduate student at the University of Miami. God, I should have worn waterproof mascara today! This has been my favorite semester, class/professor wise and I am happy to be going out on a very happy note. With that said, this will be a rundown of my time there…it may not have all been magic, but damnit, it was an experience from screaming bums on the metro to sunrises over the Portofino balcony. I’ll always love you, UM. Go Canes!
**Freshman Year, Age 17 ‘03-04′ (this was the best year, so this section will be longest): Walked onto campus with my long ponytail swinging (rust colored pretty weave, lol), bright braced-out smile across my face and thoughts of crushes/first loves, football games/national championships, sororities, and parties filling my head. Orientation games, met Felicia because she loved my hair and we instantly clicked. Voila, my first friend! Met my country roommate JaMia, saw we were both black girls with braces and got along, voila second friend. Blasted music with my door open and drew the girls on my floor to come say hello and ended up making some of the most important friends I’d have the whole time, like Jonelle(Nelly), Shannyn, and Tinina(Nani). Unforgettable football games where we still expected to win and had a killer squad: Sean Taylor (RIP), Sinorice Moss, Devin Hester, Kellen Winslow *drool*, the unbelievably talented list goes on.
Nani and I hung tight, sneaking off to south beach all of the time and having our “SoBe Adventures”. Meeting random people like Kanye West and Fat Joe on the side of the road, staking out the red carpet at the Source Awards, scoring tickets to the MTV music awards, sneaking in the back doors to the hottest clubs on SoBe and getting invited into VIP. Ahh, the good life.
(me and nani, my partner in crime)
Second half was all about JaMia, Felicia, Alexis, and I getting into mischief. I love you, my bumble “bees” 
Our late nite talks of JANCUS men, going to “celebrity” basketball games, “MAGIC” moments, and sweet talking our way into VIP clubs. JK betrayals, misplaced birthday presents *cough* Phil *cough*, and other randomness. Great, GREAT year.
(JaMia and I)
**Sophomore year, Age 18 ‘04-05′: JaMia and I lived together in the holiday inn for a semester. LOTS of drama with an incident when I chose poorly about some colors. Hurricanes grounded us at Felicia’s, my favorite Auntie passed away, may have allowed a great potential boyfriend, Will, to fall through the cracks. Fell hard for an Alpha who never felt the same….Got a fabulous “certified” lesson that summer…an acquaintance, Kamari, became one of my best friends and I taught her how to Chi-town Juke, crazy times scheming with Igho as we seemed to crush on everybody that year (my alpha, P.E., #3, Singer, and Red Light), fun times with Nelly, Alex (one word, haha….DUCK-SAUCE)
(Nelly and I)
**Junior Year Age 19, ‘05-06′: Infatuated with one of the best football players here who was as close to perfect for me as I could imagine: handsome, can sing, star of the football team (went pro), EVERYTHING….Le Sigh….Got “kidnapped” by Alex and Jonelle for a nice dinner in Key West, thought it’d be an hour trip, turns out it’s 3 hours each way! Developed something of an eating disorder because I wouldn’t eat more than 700-1000 calories a day and worked out overboard so I dropped 20 lbs quickly, fell hard for a UIC basketball player who broke my heart.
**Senior Year Age 20 ‘06-07′
Interned with JET Magazine, my fantastic grandpa passed away, Kamari and I had a crazy Nupe experience (lol). Kamari and I hung practically all day every day, went to a Halle Berry movie premiere, partied at model parties, experienced the Chicago/Colts Miami superbowl activities, and just tried to enjoy some of the Miami life. Had to say good bye to all of my girlies as they dispersed around the country after their graduations. Good luck with life, ladies!
(Kamari, JaMia, and I)
(me, Shay, Kamari)
**Extra, Final Semester, Age 21, Fall 2007
Hung with Nelly and Alex since they were pretty much my only friends left. Tried new restaurants, interned with Elite Model Management, partied some, but mainly enjoyed the classes and semester in order to go out with a good vibe.
(Curt, ABG, Nelly, Alex C)
So to conclude this marvelous, irreplaceable chapter of my life, I’d just like to say: I love you, UM and all of the memories you have given me. We didn’t always agree, we didn’t win them all, but damn it, we partied hard! Kamari, JaMia, Felicia, Alexis, Shannyn, Alex, Nani….I love you guys with all of my heart and thank you for making my time here a blast. There’ll never be another class like the badass crew who came and conquered in ‘03! We made sure of that, huh?
-UM HURRICANE, 2003-2007-
(me and my latin luver, Alex C.)
10.25.07
REAL WORLD CAREER
I can not believe how quickly graduation is approaching! My internship supervisor sent out my resume yesterday so that it would come from the agency to a magazine that I really want to work for, and it just solidified that I will be really looking for a job, not just an internship, not just for a break, but a career. How daunting!
Anyone know of any model agency/magazine job openings in Illinois or for online magazines? I can’t believe my time as a student is almost up Real world, here I come….ready or not
