As painful as it is I am looking forward to the No Doo Dah Day Party and Queen Tryouts Sunday. A gathering of the Doo Dah family is always an event to remember, but this time it’s going to be hard.

I’ll miss the amount of opportunities I have had to promote the Light Bringer Project and all the wonderful things it does, as well as some of the other charities and causes I hold dear and, of course, Pasadena.  I will still be able to spread the word on these things, but not in the same capacity, as for the past year people have wanted to hear everything I had to say and now I will be fading back into obscurity…

I was almost in tears yesterday at lunch as I told my friend how much it has meant to me to be Queen this year. Sagely, he told me that, “You’ll always be a queen.” And I know he’s right.

Photo: Tom Costen of Light Bringer Project chats with Queen Mickie at the 31st Occasional Doo Dah Parade after-party.