I'm in a Pageant

A casual visit with some old friends yesterday culminated into a lot of embarrassing revelations on my behalf. It started with my friend bribing me to show him my old Chinese commercials (he said he would turn them into a reel).

Oh yeah, I used to do old Chinese commercials. I got recognized the other day too. Don't mess.

And that led to other topics of conversation, which eventually led me to muttering under my breathe, "oh yeah, I'm also a contestant for the 2010 Miss LA Chinatown."

My friend stares quizzically at me. "Why do you sound so embarrassed? Good for you! You should be proud of all of this. You have to embrace it," he instructs me.

I thought about it. Yeah, I should embrace it. Yeah!

I'm usually a big braggart in every other aspect of my life. "Look at me! I did this! Look at me! I hung out with him! Look at me! Look at me! Look at me!" but one area where I'm generally a lot more guarded is the commercial and beauty pageant stuff I have done in the past. I'm not sure why. Maybe because the commercials are quite cheesy and I have bad acting galore and a fat face in most of them? And as for the pageants, maybe it's because they have a rap for being superficial and shallow and catty and old-fashioned and even though I know firsthand that THAT IS NOT TRUE, some part of me don't want to tell people because I'm afraid they'll judge me for it?

But the thing is, the reality is, they are a part of my life. I have done Chinese commercials, I have done pageants and I will probably be doing more of them in my life. I'm doing a pageant on February 6. It's the 2010 Miss LA Chinatown pageant. And I'm proud of it! Yeah!

I really am, though. This is the first pageant that I willingly signed up for, the first one where my mom didn't say, "Surprise, I signed you up for a pageant!" or dragged me through concrete and asphalt and grass and dirt to join.

We've been rehearsing almost every Saturday from 1 - 6. That chunk of time cost me many a missed dates, friends hangouts and even a holiday job but I am learning so much each week. You think pageant girls just strut around onstage and smile wide? Think again.

There's dancing: we're learning this really pretty fan-ribbon dance which is REALLY grueling and gives me cuts and bruises and injured ankles. We have to dance as though we are butterflies (yeah, you heard me, I said, "butterflies.") and because I am neither graceful nor cute nor do I flitter and flutter, this dance helps me out in that area.

There's walking: Walking is an innocuous act we often take for granted. But it is highly important to making an impression. Think back to a time where you were at a party and this lady walks into the room. More like glides. Upon closer inspection, she's no Helen of Troy nor is she sporting a dress made out of bubbles but she just has that presence that makes you take notice. There's a buzz about her. It's most likely her walk, the way she moves, the way she stands. And that presence is what we're trying to develop every Saturday.

There's talking: This is the portion I think I'm most nervous about. I'm a chatty gal but more of the bumbly, crazy hand-gesturing variety. For the question and answer portion of pageant night, we're going to try to be poised, calm, collected while answering questions like, "what do you think is the cause of the California real estate downfall?" Hope hope hope I don't pull a Miss South Carolina Teen USA.

There's more: There's etiquette, how to smile, how to get along with other people, how to dress yourself, how to muti-task, how to become a more important figure in your community, all very vital skills to becoming a better person. I'm blessed for this opportunity to practice and hone in on those skills. And it doesn't hurt that I get to wear a pretty dress and show off my pretty hair come pageant night! In fact, it doesn't get any better than that.