So, I have less than two weeks left before the next competition being held in Sacramento. This one is the big season finale. I think it's pretty cool that we now have competition seasons that end with a big prize at the end. People understand that when I try to explain it — like the World Series sort of, or the Superbowl.

But, as I've mentioned in the past, I have a long way to go before I take home any giant, season-end trophies. Nevertheless, I'm not going to get there if I don't compete. Because nail competitions are a lot like the lottery; you can't win if you don't play. (That’s the California state lottery slogan, btw.)

So here I am, with less than two weeks left in the countdown, and I need to order some more product. I need a new brush, I need to make hotel reservations, and I still don't know if the BF is going to get the Monday after the show off, so I don't even know which days to reserve the hotel room! AND I STILL NEED MODELS! (insert panicked screaming here)

I have two models picked out, both clients with really good personalities whom I am pretty sure will still love me after living through the competition process with me. But they have lives and families and stuff to rearrange before they can commit to going, and I haven't heard a definite yes or no from either of them.

But I'm not panicking. No no. I'm cool as a cucumber. Total Zen master here. It's just a total coincidence that my breathing sounds like I'm doing Lamaze.

I could — and possibly will — tell this story every time I enter a competition, so be warned. Meanwhile, it's also time for the annual Strut Your Stuff Online Competitions over at BeautyTech. Which, for yet another year, I have failed to enter. Mostly because I procrastinate really well, so, despite the fact that I could do the nails for the SYS at any time during the year, I have no chance of getting an entry in this year — even though Deb has extended the deadline.

But just the other day someone was mentioning the rule that if you won last year, you don't get to compete this year. Deb says she does this to make it more "fair." Well, it's Deb's contest and it's her website — she can do whatever she dang well wants and I'm not about to argue that. But it reminds me of when competitions wouldn't allow you to compete if you worked for a manufacturer. It basically guaranteed that once you'd become a seasoned competitor, you got disqualified from competing if you managed to parlay your new skillz into a respectable job with a manufacturer.

I always thought that was dumb.

I don't understand the trend in our culture toward avoiding actual competition. We argue about it as it is applied in children’s sports and so forth — whether it's good or bad for the kids and the future of our society — but here it is, sneaking into the nail biz as well.

I don't want the big names in competition to essentially "age-out." I want them to keep competing! For as long as they want to keep competing. I'll never know if I've reached the level of skill that could kick Tom Holcomb's butt if Tom can't compete. I mean, I don't see Tom much around the shows these days, but I think we all still know his name and his legend.

I'm glad the major competition circuit finally changed that rule. It's good to see Trang in the pits again.

But I don't really see how the SYS "sit out a turn" rule helps. Yeah, it does give someone else "a chance to win the goodies" as Deb said, but it feels a lot like you get punished for winning.

I, for one, compete to test my skillz against other competitors. Once you're playing in the top division, it's about finding out if you have what it takes to go up against those who have already proven themselves in the game. I can't do that if they aren't there.

Just sayin'.