Well, pageant fans, I arrived in Las Vegas yesterday at 10:30, ready and raring to go. Okay, actually I was tired and cramped from waking up at 3:00 AM and sitting in the airport/on an airplane for several hours. BUT as I was wrestling my luggage off of the carousel, I saw a big billboard in the airport with Kirsten Haglund's smiling face and I felt rejuvenated.

We made our way to Planet Hollywood which is the same, nice and busy and full of Miss America signs and Miss America people. I grabbed my press pass and immediately ran into Rick Brinkley, the judges chairperson for MAO. He's such a fascinating person and really picked a great panel this year.

After a much-needed birthday pedicure (I turn 26 tomorrow!), it was time to head to the show. This year, a different person is hosting the prelims each night. Former Miss Michigan and third-runner up to Miss America 1987 Kelly Garver hosted last night. She is quite a comedian, plus she has five kids on top of it. Her humor is certainly one-of-a-kind, but it was nice to have a breathe of fresh air on prelim night.

It was ALSO nice that PH had open seating, so I got to sit a lot closer than I normally would have. The opening number for the pageant was set to a song by Madonna and Justin Timberlake. I don't know the name of it, but maybe some of my young readers will. The contestants are wearing jeans of their choice with black ballet style tops and their white sashes. They use a few props and do this big dance sequence. Like last year, they are introducing themselves by their TLC groups and have these funny little introductions. My favorite had to big Miss New York's. She is very petite and said something along the lines of.

"I am Miss New York Leigh Taylor, where the buildings are big but the pageant winners are small."

I thought it was hilarious.

The show went on in the usual way, except for the fact that almost EVERY talent was piano. I was shocked. I don't know how THAT worked out, but that's how it was. I felt bad for the crew wheeling out that piano every other talent, but I felt good for me because I love piano.

An interesting talent was Miss Montana's, who did a special kind of belly dance. I loved it. I love belly dancing and even did a series of classes once. It is so hard and I have a lot of respect for the women who master it. So good on you, Miss Montana!

At the end of the night, Miss Delaware and Miss Indiana won the prelim awards. Very exciting stuff. When I was a judge for Miss Missouri, Miss Delaware was a guest and performed her talent, and I knew then that she was dynamite.

Today is the first day of the MAO tradeshow and I have split my time between the tradeshow and the pressroom.

This morning I went to a press conference with the judges and I have to say it is THE best press conference I have ever been to. And I'm not just saying that. Truly, this group of people is so dynamic , so funny, and so passionate. And they really GET what it means to be Miss America. Of course, it probably helps that Nicole Johnson is on the panel. Anyway, there will be more about this special panel in the next issue of the magazine.

This afternoon I checked out the tradeshow, where everyone is just DIVING in to all the pageant goodies. I got to talk to Lee Meriwether, who was on the cover of the last issue. She is so neat. And I also met a few other people I have only ever "met" through the phone, which is the best part of pageant week.

Tonight I am having dinner with MAOT staffers and hopefully Taylor and then it is off to the show. Pageant week has kicked off with a bang and I can't wait to see what else happens!