From Riches to Rags ...

Well, I didn't make it onto Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Not because I didn't know the answers to the questions - I know for a fact that I only missed 2 of the 30 that we had to answer in 10 minutes. Mainly, I think, I didn't know the "system," because the 5 (out of 250) who were selected had all tried out between 4-8 times previously.

Here's what happened: Our tickets said to arrive at 2 p.m. and to wear dark clothes. After a late breakfast, however, we decided we'd walk by the ABC-TV studio on W 67th and check out the scene. People were already lining up so we joined them and wound up being in the first group of 20. Our group really bonded and we held places for people who had to run down to the nearby Starbucks to use the restroom, etc.

Once we were called in, we couldn't leave for any reason and come back. (Thank heavens for those Starbucks' runs!) We were ushered into the studio - it was cold! - and our group got to sit on the front row, right behind the chair where Meredith Vieria sits during the show. We clapped and laughed and hooted and hollered right on cue, and I suspect you'll "see" us (just our dark-clad bodies, not our faces) at the opening of the new season's shows.

After several hours of that we went into a cafeteria and sat at assigned tables. Each of us was given an envelope with our question sheet inside and an answer card just like the ones that are used for SATs and such. Our finished cards were "graded" while we waited and, like I said earlier, they only called on 5 veterans out of 250 auditioners.

But guess what? It was a wonderful trip to New York! We ate in some old familiar places (Cafe Bryant, behind the NYC Public Library) and some terrific new ones (The Palm ... lobster, yum!). Our hotel was all refurbished and was in a midtown location, which meant we could walk everywhere (except for cabbing to the studio). Heck, even in this summer of airline horror stories, our planes were on time going and a little early returning!

Now it's back to writing and knitting. I've about got my proposal ready to submit. Wish me luck on that one! And I've settled on Patches by Plymouth in Brights for the marble cardigan.

Which raises the question: What are you all doing to defeat the dog days of summer that are now upon us?

Fran

P.S. Yes, Barbara, I felt the good vibes from everyone and really, truly appreciated them.

Naughty Knotty!

Well, you simply have to see this. Following is a link for the Naughty Needles Knitted Burlesque Revue which debuted last Friday night at the Jackpot Music Hall in Lawrence, KS. The show was coordinated by Nikol Lohr, author of the spicy knitting guide Naughty Needles. Lohr and some volunteers knitted all the costumes ... which were shed by the show's performers.

Here's the link: http://www.KansasCity.com/fyi.

Scroll down to the Naughty Needles article. Then click it on to read and watch the video. Hilarious!

Okay, I'm off to New York on Thursday to audition for Who Wants To Be A Millionaire on Friday. Wish me luck, knit on, and I'll tell you all about the process when I get back.

KURE-all

Oh, isn't that just the cleverest headline? LOL!

How about I draw for a winner on July 11 (7 come 11!) for these three balls of Noro Kureyon, color 92. One is missing its wrapper but they're all the same color. Send an email to Fran AT FranBaker DOT com, with Contest in the subject line.

Now while I'm yammering on ... do you want to hear something fun? I'm going to New York to try out for Who Wants To Be A Millionaire! This is on my list of "Things To Do Before I Die" list. Wish me luck! I leave for NY on July 19 and audition on July 20. I'll report back on the process when I return.

How about y'all? Any special thing you want to do while you're still around?