Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained

This week has been an interesting one to say the least.

I had a letter published in The Sun on Monday and another one published on Thursday.

This boosted my spirits before I went to audition in Birmingham for Countdown. I arrived really early, an hour early to be precise. Someone else was heading for the auditions too. I didn't realise that they were holding auditions on the hour for at least a couple of sessions. So I followed the guy who had arrived at the venue the same time as me and headed into the lift and to the room set aside for the auditions.

There was no one around to direct people or to let them know where they should sit and wait so I just followed everyone else like a lost sheep.

The Producer went round the room ticking names off her list, some people hadn't even bothered to turn up, nerves or a horrid travelling experience possibly. After she had completed calling out names she looked at me and asked who I was I explained I was early. She said not a problem and just put 11 am by my name and allowed me to sit the audition early.

Knowing I was early and had messed up the schedule made me more nervous. I had been practising over the last few weeks while watching Countdown. I had been advised that there would be no visual aids and that I just had to listen to the letters as they were called out and the same when it came to the numbers round.

As the numbers on the show are called right to left I had chosen to write them right to left when practising and this seemed to help. A word of warning. This is not what happens in the auditions the numbers are read out as they come with the larger numbers first. This completely threw me.

Each time I have watched the show and a phantom letter has appeared I could not understand how or why this had happened. Well it happened to me in the audition. I thought there were two Es and there were not. This happened in the first few rounds of the letters game and made me angry with myself for doing it.

I knew the audition hadn't gone well for me but the producer did explain at the outset that many contestants on the show have two auditions or more before they are accepted into the show. One gentleman in the audition I attended was on his fourth. He did really well and got good scores in every round.

Well the letter hit the mat this morning informing me I hadn't got through.

As Steve had dropped me off at the hotel and was expecting to collect me at 1pm I was going to hang around and wait. The lady sat next to me in the audition asked me how I had got to the hotel I explained and she immediately lent me her mobile phone to telephone Steve to collect me. I thanked her and we chatted outside the hotel.

She had informed me that she may not attend for another audition I said she ought to give it a go as she had come this far and now knew what to expect.

I knew how she felt though I had felt the same way during the audition too.

Now the letter is here I know I tried and have written proof of that. I wonder how many people see something and think I could do much better but never attempt it?

Life is for taking challenges and I certainly do that so I can be proud of myself for having had a go.

Best wishes to you all.

Fee