What doesn't kill you...

I am absolutely amazed, the more I think about this.

Donald Trump took over the Miss America pageant a few years back, and he seems to be applying good business logic to it. It has gone from the height of glamour to a caricature of itself. The girls are considered stupid and plastic.

The Trump organization spoke with people in focus groups and out on the streets to identify what people thought was wrong. Knowing the popularity of reality shows and that many people said the girls weren't relatable to normal people, they put together 'Miss America: Reality Check'. It is all 52 of the Miss America contestants for 2008, together in a house, getting makeovers, trained OUT of their pageant training, and making the position more 'real'.

At the same time, Americans are getting to know each of the girls, judge them on more than just looks, the Trump organization is updating the pageant and getting publicity for it.

Wow. People may think this whole thing is stupid, and I've never been much of a pageant follower, but I think it is absolutely BRILLIANT marketing and business planning!

Of all of the great toys Michael and Matthew got for Christmas, one of the coolest was a little treasure hunt that their Gamma got them. This is a bunch of teeny-tiny gravel glued together and shaped into an island. There are even little plastic palm trees. As they chipped through, they found several small treasure chests, with gems (sparkly beads) or coins (tiny, tiny coins). There were also quite a few skulls, snakes, crabs and larger coins. I was amazed at the amount of stuff buried in this. It took the boys a good three hours to get through it, with the help of two friends.

Look at my little archeologists in training:

I finally finished and blocked the new soaker for misskerri's pending arrival!!!

I love everything about it, except for my pathetic stitching job on the sides *laugh* I'm hyper critical of my own work.

Anyway, presenting 'The Claudia' (since the colors were chosen to match her room)