Dear Pumpkin,
Happy Birthday! You'd be 22 today! Can you imagine? I remember your 16th birthday like it was yesterday...the Mary J. Blige concert....you wore that turqoise snakeskin top from Express and i wore that tan and cream zebra print 2-piece whatever it was! LOL...thank God the fashions have evolved...didn't we think we were soooo hot?!
So I guess you saw the tattoo...hope you like it. I can't tell you how much I miss you. But I know you really never left and you speak to me in my dreams. Life is hard. Sometimes I wish I could be there with you but I know it's not my time and honestly, I'm living enough for the both of us. I wonder what you'd be like...I mean at 22. Would you really have come to Howard like we talked about? What would your major have been? I mean, forget college...I wonder how prom would have been? We had been talking about it forever...was Labat ever really going to ask you? It's been five years now and somethings never change.
To this day no one has ever been able to measure to the bond that we share. It's funny how we would stay on the phone for hours because for the most part now I hate the phone. And to this day no one else's tongue gets those extra sensitive bumps on them after eating too many Sour Patch Kids...I can't eat them without thinking of you. The tree they planted for you is growing leaps and bounds. I can't tell you how much I miss you. As you know, God sent me really awesome friends after you left. It was gonna take that or else I don't think I could have survived, even after 5 years too many thoughts of you can bring me to tears. It's crazy that I got this tattoo so that when people saw it they'd ask "Who's Gabby?" and I'd be able to tell them what an amazing person you were but I sometimes when they actually ask it pains me to tell them. They ask how you died and how old you were and I get mad at God for taking you all over again.
Well, I won't keep you...I have some more to do today but I did want to take a second and stop to tell you how much you are loved and how you are never ever ever ever forgotten.
Love Always,
Yasmine

October 31, 1984-April 9, 2001

Then and Now...HILARITY IN A CLICK!

Striving
just when you think things are returning to normalcy (is that a word?) things seemingly become even more crazy. I thought life was going to return to the everyday once Homecoming was over ...I couldn't be more wrong! My life is such a pyscho-melodramatic soap opera these days filled with random happenings and things you only see in Spike Lee movies. And for once I think I may have more on my plate than I can truly handle...I know that's very dangerous to admit on the internet but between being the Vice-President of University Fashion Council and HU Association of Black Journalist plus mentoring with LADIES, Girl Scouts and working at the boutique ON TOP OF being a student and pursuing other ventures it's beginning to be alot and now that the fashion show is over there is no excuse. So, I think the answer is to quit the job...as much as I LOVE my hair discount I just can't be the employee I pride myself on being with all these other things on my plate. I just don't want to do an injustice to any of my organizations by not being the leader I wanted to be. It's sooo crazy how I have these positions because I truly never ran for any of them they were given to me. And because of that I know God has entrusted me with these responsibilities that I need to do better at fulfilling.
I have to admit that I'm quite a perfectionist but not in the traditional sense of the word. It's more like I try to be perfect and become quite hurt when it comes out that I'm not. It's weird I know. Clearly, I understand that I am not perfect and that perfection is unattainable but when I come face to face with that fact it truly hurts me to the point of tears. Frankly, I don't get it...how can I know that something is unattainable yet hold myself to the standard and be hurt when I don't meet the mark?
I guess I'm just trying to reach my "peak"...

Now Playing: Welcome to the Black Parade- My Chemical Romance

My Final Words

"The Other Side...

10/17/06
Perspectives


It has overwhelmingly warmed my heart to feel all of the love and support people have shown me and how not only has the Howard Family but the greater global community has appreciated my vision for the 2006 Howard University Homecoming Fashion Show.When I first received the job as Homecoming Fashion Show Coordinator, even I was a little nervous about my abilities.My mentor and predecessor, Danielle Perkins, was such a big name within the fashion world of Howard, it was a bit daunting to come behind her. I knew I had huge shoes to fill and great expectations to meet.I’m not quite sure if I was truly ready for the pseudo-celebrity that this position would cause. I’ve never had much of a showstopper personality, so to all of a sudden be the center of attention was interesting/cool/slightly scary. It’s weird for people to know who you are when you may or may not know that they exist, especially when you were once them.This position was like hitting the lottery. A true Cinderella story for me. My sophomore year was the worst ever. In just three semesters I was turned down from three organizations! I couldn’t win for losing. It never seemed like the ball was in my court. Needless to say, when it was time to turn in my proposal, I had my doubts. I knew my idea was good, because I went through so many horrible ones. Thank goodness Danie Rae shot down my first idea, “Genesis: The Beginning of Fashion!” I should probably thank William Shakespeare for creating the original play, Hugh Hefner for having his annual “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” party, and Victoria’s Secret for inspiring me to have huge pieces of candy somewhere in my show. It turns out that when something is meant to be, it all works itself out. Once I reviewed the play, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” and remembered it was about the hottest party of the season I thought about how I could interpret that in scenes. I heard the song, “Pimping All Over the World” and figured I could do something of the sort to my theme by “twisting” it to different genres. That’s when I came up with each of my scenes.Although before Harajuku there was Africa, I figured Africa was a bit overdone and decided to take out the motherland and travel to the Land of the Rising Sun.After that, everything went like clockwork. There were a few glitches along the way: a crazy overbearing stylist whose name has yet to pop up when I google him, some wayward designers and sponsors that fell through. I truly learned the power of my voice during this time and the art of simply saying “no.” Compromise, teamwork, and respect are all things that have helped me along the way. I understand that grace and poise also works in your favor and that bad/diva attitudes get you nowhere but sent out the door. Through the stress, the victories, and even a few tears, I’d like to believe my show was pretty great and I’m happy that everyone was able to see the fruits of my labor.
-Yasmine Parrish, 2006 Homecoming Fashion Show Coordinator"


http://www.thehilltoponline.com/media/storage/paper590/news/2006/10/17/Perspectives/The-Other.Side-2371730.shtml?norewrite200610172231&sourcedomain=www.thehilltoponline.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/13/AR2006101301626.html

http://www.thehilltoponline.com/media/storage/paper590/news/2006/10/13/Campus/Fashion.Show.Combines.chic.With.Shakespeare-2349474.shtml?norewrite200610172235&sourcedomain=www.thehilltoponline.com

C'mon Homie We Major

My second show sold out in a single day. Though I still have some reservations on receiving congratualatory remarks, since I dont think it has too much to do with me personally, it is pretty cool that people are that excited to see what's coming. I can't wait quench the thirst of everyone who waited in long deadly lines, bought outrageously priced tickets, and did everything in their power to be at my show. It definitely won't be a dollar spent that's not worth it. I truly feel like God has directed my path every single step of the way and allowed me to see the mistakaes I've made and helped me to correct them inorder to make even better decisions.

One HUGE thing I've learned is though while you may be friends with someone that does not mean that you all work well together. I had my friend helping me with one aspect of the show and just about every conversation ended with a death battle argument. Sad but true, it took me way too long to realize that our working relationship was simply not going to work. He was causing more stress than what his work was worth. This experience has taught me so much about myself. My stregnths ....my weaknesses, what works...what doesn't, WHO works and who DOESN'T ...everything. I'm a lot more tough too. This was no easy task but it's my goal to make it look easy...I can't wait for everyone to see the fruits of my labor!

Now Playing: Lost without you- Robin Thicke