Congratulations! You're Caller #8 (and Ichiro trumps Bridget Jones)

When I was in junior high, the classic rock station my dad listened to had a nightly contest. They would play clips from 10 songs and the goal was to name all 10 songs by title and artist. It did not take long for me to realize that Dad almost always got them right. I decided we should try to call in to the radio station. I didn't really care about the prize; I just wanted everyone to know how smart my dad was. As soon as Dad would ID the last song, I would start dialing. It was a long distance call and I never did get through. Eventually they stopped doing the contest but I was determined that one day I would win a radio contest.

I won my first radio contest in the spring of 1996. It was the end of my senior year of college and my friend and I were up late one night studying. The local radio station was having a contest in which they were giving away a gift certificate for Branigan's, a locally owned restaurant with really good pizza. All you had to do was be the right caller. My friend said I would never win. This just made me more determined to win-I hate to be told I can't do something. (I blame my parents and their "you can do anything you set your mind to" speeches for this). I not only got through but was the right caller. And, after rubbing it in-a lot-I took my friend with me to enjoy the pizza.

The next contest I won was within the first year I lived in Portland. I don't remember the specifics, but I was working for the glass company so it had to be between July 1996 and July 1997. I won lunch for the office. I remember talking to the DJ about "The Love Boat," and going to pick up the certificate with my good friend and then boss, but I don't remember the contest specifics or ever actually having the lunch party.

The third contest I won was a couple of years later. I won a spot in the ladies' golf clinic that was held during the Fred Meyer Golf Classic. I had to name 10 golf related items in 15 seconds. I know I said "tees" at least 3 times. In addition to the lesson, I won a bag of golf goodies and a putter. A couple of years later, my grandmother bought a new set of clubs for herself and as the only left-handed granddaughter (out of two granddaughters), I inherited her old clubs-that had everything but the putter so that worked out well. After that, I thought maybe I should take up golf-but that's another story.

After that, I pretty much stopped trying to win contests, going on the "quit while you're ahead" theory. But for some reason, one day in October 2001, I decided to try again. Again, I don't remember all the specifics of the contest but it seems like there was a trivia question involved. Whatever it was, I was the right caller or had the right answer and I won a copy of "Bridget Jones' Diary."

I was so excited and I couldn't wait to tell James. But he was at an MV-90 conference in Seattle. All afternoon and evening, I impatiently waited for him to call. When he FINALLY did, I exictedly told him all about the contest and winning the DVD.

And then he told me that he and a few others had decided to skip the conference that day when they were able to score tickets for the Mariners game and they had seats right behind Ichiro. This was game 1 of the ALDS against the Yankees. This was my boyfriend who hated baseball. And this so totally took the wind out of my sails. Because really, even with as straight-laced and by the rules as I am, I totally would have done the same thing. This was not the first time he trumped me with a better story and it would not be the last. I told him he was lucky the Mariners weren't playing the Braves because if that had been the case, there would have been no point in him coming home. (I'm still waiting for my dream matchup of a Braves-Mariners World Series. Pretty sure it isn't going to happen this year).

When he got home, I forced him to watch the movie with me. He thought the punishment was far worse than the crime. Silly, silly boy. I haven't won another contest since, although the only one I have even tried to win was last year when they were giving away Beach Boys tickets. Maybe some day I'll try again, but I don't know how much fun it will be without him here to top my story.