Survivor

I'm one of the 500-plus crazy people that showed up at Randall Noe Ford on Jan. 3 for the Survivor tv show tryouts. I have no idea why I wanted to do that but since one of my resolutions for 2009 was to step outside of my comfort zone, it was a good fit. That and it was in Terrell so I didn't have to do much to get there.

I filled out the application and spent most of Saturday morning talking myself out of going. Wayne and I joined Raylan, Lindy and Dustin at Beau and Dax's basketball practice at 9. Then Wayne and I jetted over to WalMart (what is Saturday unless you go to WalMart?) for a few things. By 10:30 when we got home, I had made up my mind to go and at least check it out.

I got there, parked and was in line at 11:00. The line stretched behind the building and snaked around the parking lot. I stared at it then took my spot. What the heck? How long could it take? The answer is four hours. I left there at 3 that afternoon, a little sunburned and a lot happy that I had taken the chance to make a fool of myself. I was officially No. 411. I got to visit with several of the people in front and behind me. The couple directly ahead of me were firefighters from Chisholm that both work for the City of Dallas. She is also a part-time law student. Behind me was a young man and his girlfriend. She came along for the ride but about 2 hours into the experience let the boyfriend fill out an application for her. Robert, a 2000 graduate of Terrell High School, was next in line. He joined the Marines after he got out of school and did three tours of duty in Iraq before he got out of the service. He is now a manager at Autozone in Terrell and has gone back to school to get a teaching degree. Joe was an advertising salesman for CBS-11 but now buys wine.

There were the requisite freaks and slackers, ditzy looking girls wearing heels and low cut shirts, Viet Nam vets, bikers, and a bunch of regular folks that wanted to add Survivor tryout to their resume'.

Do I think I have a snowball's chance in hell of making it on the show? No. Did I get what I wanted out of the four hours in line? Sure. Everyday I learn to take a chance, even if it seems like it won't make a difference. Maybe it did. I had fun and I got to plead my case on camera. Now I won't have to wonder if I could have made it.

Thanks to Janna and Alison for encouraging me. If I get on the show, I promise I will wear jewelry and lipstick and be encouragment for all of us that are approaching "the far side of 50."