What is a quince?

This has been by far my busiest and most stressful week since I came out here, so I haven't had much time for blogging, unfortunately. But I wanted to get something up, so here's this:

If you've ever wanted to try out for Jeopardy!, here's your chance.

I've actually auditioned for the show 3 times. I took the online test once and once they came on their touring test bus to SLC, and both times I failed. The first time, though, I came SO close.

Back in 2002, I convinced my freshman roommate Kyle to drive me to LA so I could audition for the College Tournament (he paid for gas, I paid for everything else). I had always dreamed of being in the College Tournament, since they get the hardest clues besides the Tournament of Champions (it goes, from most hardest to easiest: T of C, College, regular, teen, kid, and celebrity. I passed the first test, a 50-question short answer exam similar to what you'll get if you take the online test.

Then I got to play in a mock game, where I got to use an actual Jeopardy! buzzer (although the entire audition took place on the set of Wheel of Fortune, which was kind of cool but kind of weird. There were no winners and losers of the mock game, but the producers used that to make the final list of 15 participants--and they didn't choose me. I came as close to making the show as I could've without actually making it. I was nearly Ken Jennings before Ken Jennings was Ken Jennings.

But I will not be denied this time!