TRIX OF THE TRADE - SEPT 2021

​“The world is filled with people who, no matter what you do, no matter what you try, will simply not like you. But the world is also filled with those who will love you fiercely. The ones who believe in you and value you for your present actions and they are your people.
 
Don’t waste your finite time and heart trying to convince the people who live in the past and who aren’t your people that you have value. They will miss it completely. Don’t try to convince them to walk your path with you because you will only waste your time and your emotional good health. You are not their cup of tea, and they are not yours.
 
Seek your path with those who recognize and appreciate your gifts. Be who you are now and know that you may not be everyone’s cup of tea and that is OK!”

I have always been the person that wanted everyone to like them and valued myself by the opinion’s others had of me. This past month I was reminded that no matter how hard to you try and no matter what you do, you will never be everyone’s cup of tea. This realization was hard at first but once I stopped trying to be “Something to Everyone” and instead focused on being “Everything to Someone” I was able to breakthrough and mentally prepare for these upcoming months as Miss Gay Missouri America. This message is one that I believe is applicable to many and is a great reminder for those preparing their packages for this competition season. Be you and let your light shine for those that believe in you. Your value is not determined by the amount of applause, but your value is already achieved by you putting yourself out there and stepping on the stage!
 
August was such a fun filled month with lots statewide traveling, great conversations with promoters, formers, and potential contestants as well as the gathering of information to kick off this pageant season. Some highlights include:

1. Spending a friendship weekend at the Lake of the Ozarks with my good sisters – Sable Sinclair and Akasha Royale. We ventured up to the lake on a Thursday and enjoyed some fun with friends swimming in the lake, taking boat rides, hot tubbing and sharing much laughter and liquor over some great home cooked meals. Our show that weekend at Coconuts Caribbean Beach Bar & Grill was the most successful show to date bringing in over 250 people to their open air outside party venue. It was such a humbling experience to perform for such a diverse crowd and it still makes me tear up every time I am introduced to the stage as Miss Gay Missouri America. The coolest part was talking with so many supportive people about my pageant journey and the words of encouragement they were giving as I prepare for my return to Miss Gay America in January. This weekend was filled with many great memories like Akasha bringing out her inner Beyoncé at Tap & Grill poolside bar as well as the late-night girl talk the three of us shared in our lakeside condo eating my famous mac-n-cheese. Can’t wait for next year.
2. Hosting Pride St. Louis’ “Pride is Alive Celebration” downtown at Ballpark Village, although extremely hot, was fun to spend some time with my dear friends Tabbi Katt and Akasha Royale. I thank Marty Zuniga so much for allowing us to volunteer our time to give back to the community and get the opportunity to meet such great entertainment such as Alex Newell who played Unique on Glee as well as my childhood diva – Tiffany!
3. Photoshoots with the infamous Scotty Kirby are always a great time! Thank you to Jade Sinclair for bringing us all together. Working with Scotty is truly a fun time as he encourages you to be yourself and have fun during the shoot. He was open to most of my creative ideas and allowed me to challenge myself to think outside the box. I learned that day that I no longer possess the skill set to blow amazing bubble gum bubbles, but fireball can be a good substitute for tea!
4. Spending time in Kansas City with my bestie Flo and celebrating her husband Tony’s birthday. Loved watching a Royals game for the first time! I also enjoyed watching some of my KC favorites perform at Hamburger Mary’s. I’m excited to bring MGMA back to Kansas City for my step down in late March 2022.
5. Pattaya Hart, Miss Gay America, announced the theme for MGA this year in January which is “Queen Universe”. For presentation we as contestants were asked to pick a country and create a national costume similar to what you may see at a Miss Universe pageant. The top ten will be judged in this additional category at nationals. I am excited to share with you all that I chose a country that I have always wanted to visit and is applicable to my stepdown theme. Can’t wait to get the creative juices flowing on the concept and execution!

 
All in all, it was a productive month filled with lots of shows, travel and I have officially filled my calendar through March 2022 with events, bookings, and an occasional boy trip weekend getaway. I also want to give a huge shout out to KC Sunshine and Jamison McQueen for representing the state of Missouri at Mr. Gay America in Vegas. You both made us proud. Congratulations to KC Sunshine for your top 5 placement and really making a name for yourself nationally.
 
We are now less than 4 weeks away from our first city prelims to MGMA 2022 and as you contemplate competing for one of the nine confirmed preliminaries this year- just remember this:

“Last year you said next year. Last month you said next month. Yesterday you said tomorrow. Words are just words until you take action, so start today.” – Roger Lee

The other day I was chatting with a potential contestant, and we were talking about if he wanted to compete this year or wait until next year. His concern was that he didn’t want to compete until he had a package perfected enough to win the state crown. He wanted to compete and win it all in his first year. I then asked him how does he as a performer learn new music? As we all do this differently. For me I have learned the best way is to listen to a song or mix on repeat until I have most of it down but then I need to perform it knowing it won’t be perfect so I can identify my trouble spots. Then the next time I perform that song I will have corrected those spots and get the whole thing perfectly. I said this is the same way I feel about pageantry. I learn best by throwing myself out there and using the judge’s feedback as a tool to improve and fine tune for the next level of competition. A clear example of this was my Flight Attendant stand up comedy talent. I first did this as solo talent when I competed for Miss Gay St. Louis America in 2010. I literally walked on stage with only an idea of a concept in my head. Over the years I tweaked it and fine-tuned it and in 2017 it ended up winning the Leslie Rage Best Overall Talent Award at Miss Gay America. This never would have happened if I waited until I thought it was perfect before presenting it to an audience or a panel of judges.

So today is the day ……

• Achieve your dreams – Don’t put them on hold!
• If you are not everyone’s cup of tea – that is OK! Be you and use your energy to fill the cups of those that support you and not those that may tear you down.
• Be Everything to Someone not Something to Everyone!

 
I appreciate you,
Trixie LaRue
Miss Gay Missouri America 2021
#forever21