In June 2013, Dustin spent the month at Air Force Field Training, so I took the opportunity to visit my mom in New Jersey for the first time since she had moved there. I couldn't wait to go into New York City for the day, and my mom decided it would be fun to audition for a game show. I was indifferent, but she seemed excited about it so I was along for the ride. We showed up at ABC studios for the written test, which was 30 multiple choice questions you had ten minutes to complete. After they scored the tests, I made it to the next round! This was an interview with some of the show's producers where you had to tell them about yourself and what you would do with the money. We were coached not to give obvious answers like "Pay off my student loans," and to think of something unique, so I went with Dustin's dream of having a house and converting the basement into the bridge of the Enterprise. They LOVED IT. Sent me to the third round, which was a camera test where someone asks you sample questions that it didn't matter whether you got right; they wanted to see how you would talk through your thought process and what kind of camera personality you would have. I finished up and they said they would be in touch if I was selected.
A month later, I got a post card congratulating me on being selected for the contestant pool and explaining that this did not necessarily mean I would appear on the show. I put the post card on the fridge and forgot about it, until I got a phone call on my lunch break in late September telling me that I was to appear on the show the following week. I couldn't believe my luck! I frantically called everyone I knew and arranged for time off from my brand new job, and that weekend Dustin and I packed up and drove the 16 hours to New Jersey. The whole way I was listening to as many previous episodes as I could find on YouTube and flipping through a book of trivia questions trying to sharpen my mind.
I had to be at the studio at 6 a.m., so we were up at 4 to get to the train station and get into the city. I got to hang out in the green room, which wasn't green at all, with other contestants and play Pictionary with the production assistants while we all waited for our turn. Before any filming started, we were all taken on set to practice where to stand. It's smaller than it looks on TV! When it was my turn, they got me and Dustin and my mom (they were my audience supporters) all set with our microphones and stood me off to the side I was to walk on from. The nerves started to hit me then and I honestly wondered if I could walk, but I did! Shook Cedric the Entertainer's hand and his humor immediately set me at ease. It was remarkably easy to forget about the money at stake and just play the game. I was a little discouraged to have to use a lifeline on the first question, but thankfully the audience knew their reality TV better than I did and I got it right. I made it all the way to the last question of round 1, having accumulated $55,000 and used all of my lifelines, and was faced with the choice of whether to walk away with half of my bank or risk it all to get to round 2. I had a hunch as to the answer to the question, but nothing concrete to lean on. Dustin was sure I would walk, and I almost did, but then I blurted out "C, unibrow, final answer!" and covered my face for the eternity that it took Cedric to tell me I got the question right! I had made it to the $100,000 question and had absolutely no idea, so I happily walked away with my $57,600.
For 6 weeks, I couldn't tell anyone how I did. Then finally I was notified that my episode would be wearing within the week, and we threw together a viewing party. When the show aired and my 15 minutes of fame were up, the check arrived and we were pretty responsible if I may say so. We paid off our credit cards, started an IRA, gave money to charity and some to friends and family, took a vacation, and set aside money for my maternity leave, since by then I was already expecting our little man. We also started him a college fund. It was pretty great to ring in 2014 with some financial stability; I was even able to quit my second job at Best Buy (but not before we squeezed every last drop out of my employee discount)!
A month later, I got a post card congratulating me on being selected for the contestant pool and explaining that this did not necessarily mean I would appear on the show. I put the post card on the fridge and forgot about it, until I got a phone call on my lunch break in late September telling me that I was to appear on the show the following week. I couldn't believe my luck! I frantically called everyone I knew and arranged for time off from my brand new job, and that weekend Dustin and I packed up and drove the 16 hours to New Jersey. The whole way I was listening to as many previous episodes as I could find on YouTube and flipping through a book of trivia questions trying to sharpen my mind.
I had to be at the studio at 6 a.m., so we were up at 4 to get to the train station and get into the city. I got to hang out in the green room, which wasn't green at all, with other contestants and play Pictionary with the production assistants while we all waited for our turn. Before any filming started, we were all taken on set to practice where to stand. It's smaller than it looks on TV! When it was my turn, they got me and Dustin and my mom (they were my audience supporters) all set with our microphones and stood me off to the side I was to walk on from. The nerves started to hit me then and I honestly wondered if I could walk, but I did! Shook Cedric the Entertainer's hand and his humor immediately set me at ease. It was remarkably easy to forget about the money at stake and just play the game. I was a little discouraged to have to use a lifeline on the first question, but thankfully the audience knew their reality TV better than I did and I got it right. I made it all the way to the last question of round 1, having accumulated $55,000 and used all of my lifelines, and was faced with the choice of whether to walk away with half of my bank or risk it all to get to round 2. I had a hunch as to the answer to the question, but nothing concrete to lean on. Dustin was sure I would walk, and I almost did, but then I blurted out "C, unibrow, final answer!" and covered my face for the eternity that it took Cedric to tell me I got the question right! I had made it to the $100,000 question and had absolutely no idea, so I happily walked away with my $57,600.
For 6 weeks, I couldn't tell anyone how I did. Then finally I was notified that my episode would be wearing within the week, and we threw together a viewing party. When the show aired and my 15 minutes of fame were up, the check arrived and we were pretty responsible if I may say so. We paid off our credit cards, started an IRA, gave money to charity and some to friends and family, took a vacation, and set aside money for my maternity leave, since by then I was already expecting our little man. We also started him a college fund. It was pretty great to ring in 2014 with some financial stability; I was even able to quit my second job at Best Buy (but not before we squeezed every last drop out of my employee discount)!
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