The Weekender from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania • 32

32 THE WEEKENDER October 16, 2002 "Yir ded Welkoun crown TflB Modsl Proving to be well rounded, Parry also volunteered for the By RACHEL A. PUGH Special to the Weekender Miss Teen USA 2000 and AIDS Foundation, where she met Jennifer Love Hewitt, was a spokesperson for Mothers Against Drunk Driving and made a celebrity Perm State University student Jillian Parry. Who says you can't have it all? Jealous ugly people, that's who. It appearance at the Special Olympics in Anchorage, Alaska. Representing Miss Teen USA 2000 in the highest of all manners, Parry also had another responsibility; maintaining the expectations of always looking good not is a misconception that beauty and brains do not mix.

In fact, some of the smartest people I know are simply breathtaking, combining their high IQs with their ability to turn heads repeatedly. The public responds to Diary of a semi-hip chick entry 78 A spectator's perspective You can learn a lot by not dancing.My husband and I went to two weddings these past two weekends. Usually I dance like a fiend at events like that-, I'm sort of a ham when I put on the heels and hear the strains of wedding tunes like "Celebration" and the macarena. But as my middle grows larger, it's somewhat of a risk to boogie down the way I'm used to. Plus it feels weird, frankly, to shimmy and strut my stuff on the dance floor when I'm six months pregnant, Kinda wrong.

So at these weddings I sat on the sidelines, more than happy to watch everyone else have a good time. The first wedding was for a lifelong friend of my husband. It was in Towanda, and while not quite a metropolitan mecca, I relished the chance to get away for an overnight with my hubby. Who knows when the next one will be, right? All our friends were there, all of them without their kids. It was funny to see them all as they had been years earlier, before anyone had kids.

All the men clustered outside, drinking and gossiping. All the women clustered inside, gossiping and drinking. Mike had gin and tonic after gin and tonic; Lori had a lot of something, enough to make her tipsier and funnier than I had ever seen her. We all stayed up late, laughing at old stories and enjoying the ease and comfort such friendships bring. The next weekend's wedding was for my husband's niece.

She's a beautiful, mature young lady. Her three brothers were there; one had flown in from Chicago with his new girlfriend. I can't get over how much they've all grown. My husband loves remembering how much fun he had with them all when they were little. He was young himself, too difficult for a natural beauty, but chal- lenging when trying to find the perfect them, making their voices heard and giving them the full advantage thing to wear at each event and in the public eye.

over someone who I nere was, of course, an expectation to look great every time I went to an event, but it was so fun to dress up. It hates to think or match, for that matter. It's proven that most of the top was like going to the prom over and over," Parry said. She was fortunate salespeople in enough to attend a Lilona Rich Fashion Show and visited the stu the nation are not only knowledgeable, but also good-looking. The confi dio of fashion designer Marc Bouwer, whose gown she wore A W- during Nationals.

She also had the chance to wear attire by dence that these people carry far surpasses the common brain or the common Attention fashion police: Know a trendy nightspot where the hip kids mingle in style? Are your favorite restaurants frequented by tastefully dressed diners? Do the outfits in your office spell a-l-l-t-h-a-t? Call Rachel at 831-7349 to offer tips for 'Style Files which will appear twice a month in the Weekender. Randolph Duke and Gen Gerard. Parry states all designers were very helpful when assisting her in selecting the perfect outfit. bimbo. Brains and beauty create a combination that proves to be beneficial self-esteem and con After all, she resided in New York City dur ing her reign.

fidence are healthy. Of course, there's always the pompous ass who tries to ruin it for all, but for the most part, While there, she people who take pride in themselves, all the way around, create a successful pack attended several fash ion shows dur i ai -r- ing Fashion J- Week. Her JU3L a lM.llOgbl He wresded with them, teased them and even dressed up as Santa for them one year. We don't see them too often now. They have jobs, spouses, school the usual stuff that keeps 'families in their own busy worlds.

At the wedding my husband wanted to take a picture of his nephews and niece together. With too much bluster, he hustled them into a well-lit hallway for a quick photo. "C'mon, c'mon!" he thundered at them. "Geez, trying to get a picture of you guys is like trying to reunite the Beatles!" I knew his gruff act was a cover. He's told me too many sweet stories about these four as little children for me not to -catch how important this moment was to him.

As we face the growing of our own little family, I feel lucky that we have to much to rely on. We have our close friends, who have gone through the infant years arid the terrible twos with their own kids. We have our families, and memories of younger nieces and nephews and the joy to bring. And we have each other, with all our combined gruffhess A perfect example of my theory is bio-behavioral health major at Penn State University and the first Miss Teen USA of this century, Jillian Parry of Newtown, PA. Going to response, l.just loved it." As would Jillian, as would I.

I am confident in the Miss Teen USA Pageant in 2000 on a whim, Parry and her family were "beyond saying Jillian Parry, as Miss Teen USA 2000 was well deserved. Her eye catching beauty, outgoing it- jk, ana tnusruness, to -see tnrousm mis nexr shocked" when she came home witlvthe crown. Party's beauty is obviously croi-worthy, but having no modeling experience, and further more, ho pageant experience, made the experience surprising. Starting Ais eeoUSA 2000, 'meant mm responsibiEijes far thqi collegiate beauty, but fione too overwhelming for a young woman able to balance school studies, charitable events, Miss Teen USA promotions and, of course, an every-girl's-dream social life (that's right, Parry was invited to the MTV Music Awards and went to the 'NSYNC after party, socializing with Destiny's Child and, of course, the infamous boy band). Congratulations, Alura.

I hbpe you and your new husband are as blessed. personality, keen perception, and overall charm makes her a weH-jroMae4 -asset to Penn State University and representative sfT the apwti, as weJTas to This, my friends, turns theory to inthat confidence builds stronger when all swans are in a row. Can beauty be combined with brains to create a positive reaction? She blinded me with science, baby, she blinded me with science. -Photos from: iuww.missteenusa.com i r-n Kattie Kief's column appears every other week in the Weekender. Contact her at kathenn8akyahoa.com I Mjs, Pittston Win a $25 gift certificate to Send this coupon complete with your name address phone to the Weekender at 90 E.

Market Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18703 or fax it to 570.831.7375 by Friday, October 25, 2002 to be entered to win the random drawing. This week's winner is Amie Rosiak, Pittston. Winner will be contacted by phone. Look for your next chance to win on Wednesday, October 30, 2002. Limit one entry per person..