Just a Kid T-Shirts

Just a Kid T-Shirts

Hey friends!  I hope you all had a great weekend and beginning of your week!  I had a very productive one catching up on a lot of work and finishing up the hair videos for you guys!  I will be releasing them on my YouTube Channel over the next two weeks along with some other beauty stuff; but, today, I want to take a sec to explain the meaning behind my Just a Kid T-shirts because most of you are probably thinking what in the world is “da parish”.  Well, let me explain!

I could have easily gotten a shirt that said “Just a Kid from New Orleans” because I live ten minutes from New Orleans and that’s the city that is familiar to most as well as where I say I’m from.  However, I am from the outskirts of New Orleans, a little town called, St. Bernard Parish (aka Da Parish … like the cool kids or something).  Growing up there, I didn’t realize how strong our accents were but we pronounced our “th’s” as “d’s” (hence “da parish”) and our “r’s” didn’t exist.  In fact, anytime I went out of town, I got asked if I was from the Bronx lol. I never understood it until later but, yeah, I definitely had an accent.  When I started doing pageants, I had to lose it because a standard American accent sounded more “professional” I guess and, overall, it was better for my acting career in the long run.  Otherwise, hello typecast ha!  Thankfully, my dad was in broadcasting my entire life so he stuck to being my voice and speech coach lol.  I mean, it wasn’t that bad but he didn’t let me slack.  Side note, my dad is being inducted into the Tulane Hall of Fame this year, as he was the radio voice of the Tulane Green Wave for 20+ years.  Proud daughter moment!  Anyway, after getting rid of the accent, I was relieved when I met people and they said, “Oh, you don’t should like you’re from St. Bernard.”  BUT, just because I needed to lose the accent doesn’t mean I am not so proud of that little city and where I am from because that made me who I am today!

Unfortunately, it is no longer now what it was then, as it was also the city that got destroyed by Hurricane Katrina and my family, along with many others, lost everything during that time.  Lots of our friends and family now live much father apart, some in different states, and some places, like my original high school, don’t even exist there anymore!  It was a VERY hard time in my life, as we lost so many sentimental things; however, if you know me, you know I have to find the positive in everything.  Sooooo, I am sharing 5 lessons I learned from Hurricane Katrina

1. Material things DO NOT matter – Even being a fashion blogger, if a hurricane was to hit tomorrow, my clothes, accessories, etc. would be the last thing on my mind.  I mean, I would evacuate with some to have stuff with me but I wouldn’t freak out over it.  All of those are replaceable!  I would go straight for the sentimentals!  After experiencing that and now owning my own home, I have a drawn out hurricane survival plan prioritizing what needs to get packed along with lifejackets for the pups.  I hope I never have to use it; but, if I do, I am ready!
2. When you think your family can’t get any closer, you will surprise each other – My family is very close and we always have been but that storm strengthened our bond and relationships tremendously.  We realized how much we could depend on each other and how strong we could be for each other during this time!  You also learn very quickly who you cannot count on, which is sometimes a blessing in disguise.
3. Laughter will get you through anything, point blank!  You just have to laugh through things and find the humor in everything.  Even in the darkest times, we can find reasons to smile and laugh, especially if we surround ourselves with the right support group!
4. You are not alone – My family wasn’t the only one who went through this!  It was an entire community of people and a few other cities, as well!  Although, we were each others strongest support, you just literally hugged a stranger because, in your gut, you just knew you could lean on each other without question.  We had so many people reach out to donate and help us gut our home and I cannot count the amount of endless tears of gratitude that we shed and thank you notes that we sent.  Talk about writers cramp!  On that note, whether it’s something like this or a personal issue you are going through, you are never alone!!!  There is always someone who is feeling the same or has felt the same that will be there for you because they know, deep down, they wouldn’t want anyone to feel that pain!  Always speak up, reach out, and start the conversation!
5. Pack photos – This was the worst part!  We lost baby photos, baby albums, etc.  I am thankful that I have amazing memories to look back on.  That home was the only one I knew my entire life.  It was my slumber parties growing up, family bbq’s and pool parties, family holidays, building forts with my brothers, baking with my mom, late night homework sessions with my big brother that turned into Taco Bell trips, playing the game ‘LIFE’ because my brother made me lol, every Christmas and New Year’s party, flocked Christmas Trees and decorating, girl talk with my besties, belly laughs until it hurt, my first job, my first car, my first prom, my first date, my first kiss, living next door to my best friend, and the list goes on.  That house was not a house, it was a home and so many countless beautiful memories, which I will cherish as long as I can!

Speaking of packing photos, I had so many printed photos during that time and they were all in tupperware containers.  The water got in them but they stuck together so we were able to save some of them.  My mom, such a trooper because it still smelled like sewage water, went through each box, cleaned the pics, and cut around them with those little swirly scissors to make me a new album.  I legit cried like a baby and could not be more thankful for her caring heart to make sure I still had photo albums to look back on!

One more big lesson I learned is that I may NEVER know why that happened to our community but I know everything happens for a reason.  See, I was supposed to head to Los Angeles for some modeling/acting work earlier than I did; but, due to Hurricane Katrina, I had to push the move back.  I met Dean shortly after I moved there; and, maybe, if I had moved earlier we would have never met or it would have been different timing.  Turns out, we are both from Louisiana and met working across the country in Los Angeles.  So crazy!  I mean, next time if God or the universe wants to send me a sign, we can take it down a notch lol; but, again, sometimes you just never know!  In that case, we couldn’t resist getting the “Just a Kid from Louisiana” shirts also since we are both from here!

I’m not here to sell you shirts, as Just a Kid Co. did not pay me for this blog or the photos.  They sent us the shirts; but, I love representing my home so much that I chose to share this with you all so we can all get to know each other a little more.  Feel free to comment below or on my Instagram post telling me how you changed a negative situation into a positive changing your life for the better!  And, if you do like our shirts, Just a Kid did send a coupon code giving all my friends, you guys, 10% off with code “TEAMWEST”.  When you purchase, tag me and Just a Kid so we can see where you are representing!

On another note, stay tuned for the hair videos starting this week on my YouTube Channel!

XOXO,

Michelle

written by: Michelle West