It's all about Nikki. Actually it is.

Cynde sent me this photograph after the Northstars stopped at a beach for a photo opportunity. I like the shot, because it is misleading. Blue sky, waves, smiles. One would think that Rhode Island was a blissful experience.

Rewind. Frigid air. Bus fails inspection. Room smells like a urinal. Heat pours out of vents. Wake up is 7 a.m. The judges don't seem to like the Northstars show. The Rhode Island arena food is rancid.
People like to cut their heads open with blades. Hours of prep time go into 5 minutes of performance. The mat is heavy. Return at midnight. The pizza tastes like cardboard. I drove 2 and a half hours. They traveled seven. And this costs all of us at least $200 a piece. Joy.

Actually, the truth is I loved every minute of it. It is hard for me to believe that Nikki is a junior (my favorite year to teach) and to know that she only has one more year of high school. Here she is with her blues and even if the judges don't seem to like their show, I love watching her perform. She is awesome (and her snarky personality doesn't hurt either - I wonder where she gets that wit from).

And so, next year we might focus on Dayton, Ohio. I refuse to drive there, though, so I will see about an alternative plan - a mini vacation for the spring. I gave Ga-Lutz my ideas for shows...maybe she will bite. I'm proud of her (my niece that is) no matter what the results. When she graduates, the community that was embraced by my parents (and then my sister and Mike) will be a thing of the past.

That seems strange.