What Did You Do This Weekend?

I took a step towards fulfilling a dream of mine: to be a contestant on Wheel of Fortune!

Here's how it worked: first, I joined the Wheel Watchers Club about, oh, 7 or so years ago. I completed an online form several years ago saying I'd like to be alerted when the WheelMobile (pictured above) comes to my area. Then, I found out a couple of years ago that the WheelMobile was in Denver and I wondered why I wasn't notified. I checked and found out that I need to keep my club account "current" by visiting it at least once every 6 months, which I now do.

That's how I was alerted a couple of weeks ago that the WheelMobile would be in nearby Cripple Creek, at a large casino, auditioning contestants. According to the instructions, there'd be 3 opportunities to audition: one at 1 p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 4 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday this past weekend. You had a chance to attend one of those "show" times if you arrived up to an hour before the show. I got there at 12:15, and it was already too late to attend the 1 p.m. show.

That's me standing in the line that I waited in for 2 hours.

It was a 90 minute drive for me. The reason I was late was because I couldn't find a parking place. The reason I couldn't find a parking space was that they had blocked off the parking garage level for us to stand in line for the show.

So, I waited in line for 2 hours to get into the 2:30 show, and I was near the front of the line, so I got in. At the show, they drew names from the group of about 500 of us to choose 25 contestants, in groups of 5, to play a short version of the game and audition.

I wasn't chosen.

But, I still got my name in the drawing, and they will choose more contestants from that pool to invite to a second audition here in a couple of months.

After the 2:30 show, they told us that they had plenty of space at the 4:00 show if we wanted to complete another application and try again.

I was kind of ambivalent about staying. On the one hand, it meant a second chance without having to go back out there on Sunday. On the other hand, I hadn't eaten since breakfast, it was 3:30, and I'd been standing up since noon on my poor aching heel spurs.

But, I stayed anyway.

I didn't get chosen the second time, either. But: I did get another entry in that drawing! So, wish me luck!

When I got home, I had a package waiting for me on my doorstep from my friend Phyllis, who I went to Denver with last month. Inside were 3 hats, like the ones we had so much fun trying on that day!

How sweet is that?

What did you do this weekend?