Who Wants To Be A Millionaire - 07/11/07

In Dr. Zimmerman's book, he presents a recipe for a "positive attitude diet".  This "diet" is a seven day program where he has the reader perform a different strategy each day.  You then repeat these strategies again and again until the positive attitude is just a constant part of your life.

The seven strategies are:

1) Feed Your Mind

2) See All The Good Around You

3) Speak Words of Gratitude

4) Think Positively About Yourself

5) Speak Only The Positive

6) Do Positive Things For Others

7) Try Something New

I plan to try each one of these strategies each day.  Today I started with #7.  I tried something new.  Dr. Zimmerman states that trying something new has three main benefits.  First, you learn something.  Second, you have more fun.  Third, you'll probably live a longer, more positive life.

The main reason I chose #7 today was because Who Wants To Be A Millionaire was holding auditions in Kansas City.  I have always watched games shows wondering what it would be like to be on the game show.  I would talk about it with my wife, but before today, I never actually went beyond just thinking about it.

So today, I went to the audition.  The first part of the process was standing in line.  I arrived at 7:30 a.m. for a 9:00 a.m. start.  I was 114th in line when I arrived.  They gave each of us an application to fill out while we waited.  We then each got a number printed on the back of a magnet.  Once it was time, they let the first group in to take the test.  I think it was around 200-300, but not sure exactly how many got in the first round.  We took two tests.  The first one was specific to movies.  The second one was more general questions.  Each one was 30 questions and we had 10 minutes to complete each one.  After a brief period in which the computer was grading the scantron cards, they then announced the numbers of the people who had passed.

If you are one of the lucky ones that pass, you then get an interview with the staff.  They then decide from all of the interviews who they would like to add to the contestant pool.  If you are lucky enough to be in the contestant pool, that means you are now eligible (but not guaranteed) to be on the show.  Only those in the contestant pool will be called to appear on the show.  If you are called, theywill give you a date and you have to confirm whether you are available or not.  If you are not available, they will put you back into the contestant pool.

Unfortunately for me, I did not pass today.  However, I did learn something and I did have fun.  I will use this as a learning experience.  I plan to try out for Wheel of Fortune when they come to Kansas City.  I am going to apply for Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?  There is a possibility that I may never make it on any of these games shows, but the only way to make it is to try.