Wheel of Fortune

I have been a fan of Wheel of Fortune for decades. It was a game that I excelled at; always solving the puzzles before the contests. It seemed so easy at home and I thought numerous times to myself and out loud that I would be a great contestant. I went online and submitted an application more than once in the hopes that I would get on as an individual, or with my best friend (for Best Friends Week) or during the NFL week where I would share the stage with Tiki Barber. I never did get that call from Pat or Vanna but the next best thing did happen. The Wheel contestant bus made a stop in Jacksonville in November. I went down to the baseball grounds both days, sweating in the extreme heat, where a mock stage was set and all the excitement buzzed around us in the stands. There was a letter board, a wheel with various prizes to be won, cutouts of Pat and Vanna as well as a table displaying Wheel paraphernalia. There were 3 sessions each day (I did a total of 5) where you completed a different colored application each time, waiting in line once again to have your chance at winning. Each slip went into a large rolly bin and 6 people were called down at one time. There were about 60 or so people called within a 1.5 hour time frame. I waited patiently as the names were called out, watching the excited hopefuls scream and bounce down the stairs, wishing I would be able to do the same. You got your picture taken first then you met the traveling MC and answered a few questions and showcased your talents or personality while the Wheel staff taped your moment in the spotlight. Then you had an opportunity to solve the puzzle. Whether you did or not, it wasn't a guarantee that you were or weren't going to make the next audition round. My name never did get called either day, but it was certainly an experience to see firsthand how contestant searches were conducted. The good news was that the remaining applications were going back on the bus to L.A. where they would randomly pick applications for the next round of audition tryouts. You would be notified via email if you were lucky enough to make it, which would take place back in Jacksonville in the beginning of 2010. I figured my chance had expired, after not hearing from them, but lo and behold, today was the day I received the email informing me that I made the final cut and am due back on 3/11 for my audition. If I am chosen, I will be on my way to L.A. for the taping. This is a dream come true and I'm one step closer to the reality of winning a million dollars. You just have to believe...

Bejeweled Blitz

Are you a Bejeweled Blitz addict on Facebook? I would always see the posts on my friends' pages with their medals and scores. I knew the premise of the game but didn't want to get involved. For those who don't know of this game, you must move around the colored jewels on the board, 3 of the same color in a row in order for them to burst. If you burst more than 3, you get more points, quickly adding to your score. I would read the smack talk amongst the players; each week trying to outscore each other and climb up the ladder of high scorers. Well, one day my curiosity finally got the best of me so I decided to see what all the fuss was about. It didn't take me long to be become an "addict." Each Tuesday the game resets allowing you to climb back up the leader board, trying to beat your previous scores. Every so often new game features and elements are added, only making the game more interesting. Up to this point, my highest score was around 375,000 but many of my friends regularly scored in the 400's never allowing me to be in first place. Today I scored my highest ever, 495,300 and slid into second place behind my friend Scott who had a score of 587,800. He is always the high scorer and is always the one to beat. I'm not sure if I'll ever see that score again so I wanted to share my excitement and document it.

Bowling Queen

Last night I bowled with my special friends, all who are over the age of 55. Now you're probably wondering why would a 33 year old be spending a Saturday evening with seniors...let me explain. They are part of a Double Nickel club that my parents started when they moved to Jacksonville. They are the most amazing, supportive and loving people who came into my life during my illness. They are not just friends; they are family. I became the mascot for the club and two monthly activities that I partake in are Bunco (a dice game) and bowling. I bowled a 112 (2nd place) and a 142 (1st place) which was one pin shy of tying my all time highest score. We continued the fun by going out to dinner at IHOP enjoying breakfast for dinner. I was the only one that ordered off the regular menu while the others enjoyed the senior fares. There are some benefits of being "older." These are things to look forward to and after thinking I was never going to see my 32nd birthday, I will celebrate the year I turn 55!

Book Worm

One passion of mine is reading. I am always seen with a book. When people ask me how many books I read in a given period of time, I can estimate but never know for sure so I decided to keep track last year. I read 68 books in 2009 and read 16 books in January alone, definitely on track to exceeding my previous year count. I read many different books and authors and have enjoyed each one. I am a huge fan of James Patterson and have now read all of his books. He writes one a month (or so it seems) so there will be new books coming soon. Janet Evanovich is an author that many suggest but I hadn't been all that impressed with the books that I had read of hers. They were predictable but the number series, profiling a character Stephanie Plum and her ridiculous journeys in life, are enjoyable and I'm reading those into between other authors. I also picked up Nelson DeMille again. He is an incredibly talented author and I enjoy his stories, most of which takes place on Long Island, a place that I called home for 28 years. For those who are book worms, I would suggest the following authors: Jodi Picoult, Sophie Kinsella (also writes under Madeleine Wickham) Debbie MacComber, Jane Green, Emily Giffin (have read all of hers), Mary Higgins Clark, Dan Brown, and that is only naming a few! Here's a tip: for those who favor authors, copy their list of books and cross them off as you read them. This saves you from forgetting what you read and wasting time re-reading a book that you did already. There is also a rule of thumb for readers--if you get to the page of your age and you're not into the book, close it up and pick up another one. There are too many good books out there for you to waste your time on a bad one. I'm always open for new authors or titles of books that come highly recommended. So please share!