Contestant Blogs
This Week's Contestant
Rebecca K.
| Theme: | Wheel Loves LA |
|---|---|
| Hometown: | Sterling, CT |
| Week of: | 11-01-2010 |
POSTED 11-5
The morning of my taping I woke up three hours before my alarm, too anxious to sleep. Had I picked out the right outfit? Had I practiced enough? Had I done everything I could possibly do to prep myself for this day? There was too much on my mind to possibly sleep. What would Vanna be wearing? Would I get to meet Pat before the taping? Would all the other contestants be nice?
Once at the studio we were prepped as to what to expect and then given a tour of the studio. We were asking to practice spinning the wheel, call out letters, and use the toss up buzzers. All of the contestants were so nice and just as excited to be there. After we practiced, it was time for make-up. The woman applying my make-up put me at ease, telling me I was going to do great. It was the final boost I needed to appear on the show. I was able to watch three shows before my own, which helped get me excited and feel prepared. As I made my way up to the blue podium, I took a deep breath and thought about my Auntie Doris. She would have been so excited to see me on the show, and I was not about to let her down.
However, after the first toss up, second toss up, and first puzzle I had yet to utter a single letter, spin the wheel, or solve a puzzle. I was feeling a little discouraged. The make-up artist came over to fix my makeup during the commercial and encouraged me. I was ready. After a couple spins, landing on a bankrupt, I knew the answer to the puzzle. Though it was not my turn and unlikely to come back to me. The contestant next to me began to solve the puzzle. I was crushed. But she forgot to pluralize "Margaritas" in "Margaritas Made From Scratch". I solved the puzzle, and it was a prize puzzle! I won a trip to Mexico, and that was when everything changed. I solved the third toss up, and then Pat spun the wheel for the final round. I knew that I needed to get it. I called a few letters before I finally knew the answer. After I picked a letter I yelled, "Award-Winning Director!" I won! I was going to the bonus round!
Everything from that moment was a blur. I spun that small wheel as hard as I could and wished for a puzzle I could solve. I knew that I did not want to pick the standard C,D,M,A letters like most contestants. However, as I picked my letters I realized that I called the C,D,P,A. So much for sticking to the plan. I just kept talking through the puzzle. The category was People. I thought the bottom word could possibly be clowns. So I kept repeating, "And clowns. And clowns." Until it hit me. "Jugglers and Clowns"! I yelled, hoping it was right, because there wasn't much time left if it was wrong. But I was right, and Pat opened the envelope I had won the car! My boyfriend came running towards me, spun me in the air, and we ran to the car. It all happened so fast that I feel like I forgot to take it all in, to enjoy the moment.
Since my family was unable to attend the taping, I had to keep quiet about the outcome. Though they bugged me for months, I was able to keep the outcome a secret. At the large viewing party we had at a local bar, everyone was surprised and excited to see that I had in fact been able to cross something off my bucket list. A month after taping my boyfriend proposed and we are now in the process of planning our wedding. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world and I feel like I have my Auntie Doris to thank.