The Miss USA Pageant of Q-TIPS

You read that title and it runs over a bit in your mind. You mumble it to yourself as you try to make sense of it, "Miss USA Pageant..." What's he getting at this time???

Well, dear reader, I just spent a whirlwind trip down in Los Angeles to attend the Miss USA Pageant (co-owned by Donald Trump). WHAT?!?!? Yes, I -- a straight and confident male -- went willingly and happily to the Miss USA pageant. Say what you will about it: That these girls are dumb; that they're fake; that it promotes negative body images for women, etc. You are entitled to your misconceived beliefs. I had the opportunity to meet and lead many of the women from the pageant in a week-long leadership & success seminar (Eagle U - it's amazing, I'll have to blog it later!) in the earlier part of the year.

I can tell you that of the girls I met and know they are some of the nicest, intelligent, and outgoing individuals I have ever met. They are passionate and focused. Yes, they're beautiful. Yes, they learn "to walk and turn". Yes, they smile ALL the time. But that's part and parcel of "pageant work". I always feel after these pageants that, sure, you get to see them in a bikini, an evening gown, do silly looking choreographed dances...but you really never get to know how great they are like I do. None of the girls I know made it to the top 5...however, I know that when posed the with the question: "If you could ban anything in the entire world, what would it be?" My girls would not have answered, "Cell phones while driving." This girl did not go to Eagle U.

Which brings me to my use for Q-TIPS...shoving so many in my ears that I don't have to hear stupid answers.