Travel Check List
Tomorrow evening, R and I leave for San Fransisco. On Saturday we will be competing in Sacramento, but we are spending Friday day in San Fran with family and friends - possibly Sunday also.
While I hope to have fun, this is primarily a "business" trip. I put business in quotes, because while we will be working the entire time, we won't be getting paid. If we win, we'll get some money, but that's all. The main job of the weekend is a competition. As you will no doubt remember, R and I are the current United States Same-Sex Rising Star Latin Champions in the men's division. This weekend will be the World Championships and we are competing in both the Rising Star and Open divisions.
Wish us tons of "Merde."
As with any athletic competion, there are things you do in advance to prepare. I'm not talking about practice and training - that's a given. Things I had/have to do:
Tan - I went for my last possible tanning session last night. Tonight I will be too busy and tomorrow night I'll be in the air. I'm not as dark as I'd like to be, but it will have to do.
Clip Nose Hairs - This is still on my "to do" list. Besides making me look years younger, I find I breath better with shorter nose hairs. Don't believe me? Oh well.
Dye Hair - Now I'm referring to the hair on my head. I don't need grey coverage, yet, but I have decided I no longer want the red highlights in my hair. This is mostly because they aren't red anymore. Any red dye, or even platinum blond, ends up looking brown before long. So, instead of jarringly vivd red highlights my whole head has just adopted a browner hue. This doesn't look bad - just boring. So tonight I will die my hair black. Yes, I understand that no one will know unless I tell them, but I'll know.
Go to the Gym - I am one day short of my work-out schedule. So during lunch tomorrow, R and I will meet up at the gym and I will do one last work out. I biked in today and will bike home. I lifted this morning and this evening is Yoga. This morning I weighed myself at 176. 174 by Saturday? We'll just have to hope.
Pick Up Costume - R is handling this for me. When Valentina, our wonderfully talented seamstress, began making these costumes, I was over 195, by the time I wore mine for the first time, I was twenty pounds lighter. Needless to say, the costume was too big. I had her take it in further at each of the fittings I went to, but there is only so much you can do. Two weeks ago I tried the costume on for her and she agreed that it looked ridiculous. So R is picking up the smaller version of it today. I only hope I never go above 180 again. That's reasonable, right?
Pick Up Dry Cleaning/Laundry - For those of you who don't live in NYC and/or have washing machines in your home, I do not do my own laundry. I drop it off and pick it up. I compared the cost of having someone else do my laundry with what I charge hourly and decided, no matter how hard the little tibetan woman laughs at my pink polka dot string bikinis, it's worth having her do the laundry.
Hydrate - Of the utmost importance, must have clear bright skin and eyes for the comp.
Shave nipples - I have the strangest hair patter around my nipples. It swirls like a galaxy. The nipple galaxy. And frankly, I don't want my nipples to be the stars of the show.
Pack - This will be accomplished tonight, long after I should have been in bed. I need to pack three costumes and a back-up costume. Three pairs of dance shoes and also street shoes (I wear sneakers on the plane). Multiple thongs - always have a back up, it's not like they take a lot of room. Appropriate family meal wear for two possible family meals. Appropriate gay wear for going out Saturday night. Work out gear, lots of tank tops because I sweat profusely when rehearsing. Pro-Tan in case I want to get darker at the last minute. Teeth whitening kit, for that winning smile. Dark foundation, body shimmer cocoa butter (I rub it all over - it makes me happy). Lip glass by MAC, actually $1.99 cotton candy flavored equivalent. Additional shimmer to be added as needed. Hair glitter. Are you sensing a theme? Video camera, Still camera, iPod, iMate, Speakers, DVD Player, watchable DVDs. Books for take-offs and landings. Blow dryer. Am I forgetting anything? Socks. Extra black socks. Oh, and regular underwear - after a few hours of dancing, the thongs start to chafe.
And when that's all taken care of, I just have to worry about the dancing. Phew! | 
