So I did something totally out of my ken recently
I joined a beauty pageant..me being the scientist and tomboy didn't think things were going to sail for me
Main reason I joined?  They were going to give all contestants $500 whom made it to the final ten. 
Of course if I had won first place I would have gotten $1000.
Oh Jeepers..I wasn't able to pull the pageant look
At some point I felt like Sandra Bullock in Miss Congeniality
Girls were all kind and polished up in front of the comity people. But back stage?
Meow!! Bring on the claws.
You've got to remember everyone is everyone's competitor, even simple questions like "What is your talent?" "Where are you buying your dress?" Becomes a hush hush no mention.  A simple reply of "Oh I haven't decided yet" or "Oh I haven't looked yet" is often what I got when I was really asking for tips.
These girls had pageant coaches and had been looking forward to the pageant since high school freshman year!!
It's crazy how much pressure there is on everyone. 
Pageant is definitely not just about looks, its about your showmanship and how well you handle pressure even when you mess up.
I definitely learned a lot from the pageant.  Although I didn't make first, I learned so much more about myself how I handle pressure and what I do best.
It's a great one time experience to have.
But thats it for me
Peace!
Caroline from part time jobs
PS it's almost as though beauty pageants can be a temp job