I see that Egypt was our poll winner. Could it be because currently in the States we are freezing, trudging through sleet, fishtailing in snow, and forgetting what it's like to see the sun?
We'll get another poll up soon, it's fun to see the results. Also, go to our Facebook page and leave your thoughts on our discussion post question about travel.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Saturday, January 15, 2011
New YouTube Video from our friend in Poland!
Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel, EllaysTeam47, and our Facebook page, "Get Ellays Team 47 on the Amazing Race." If you like this, definitely leave a comment and click "share" at the top of our blog page!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Amazing Race Tryouts…Our 1 Month Anniversary, Part 2
It was as though every team in the line had already won. The audition numbers enlivened the crowd more than any amount of caffeine ever could. Standing tall with our bib numbers, Ellie reached for a pen to finally sign her life away to the Amazing Race via the intimidating all-encompassing waiver. I was still a little leery of this, so I held off until the last minute. As the line moved, amazingly ahead of schedule, we engaged in the “what if” game with the team behind us. What if you got on the show? Where do you most want to travel to? What if that team (pointing to one exiting the audition room) gets on the show? What if we get on the show???? This occupied me for the remainder of the wait, which was pleasantly not that long.
Number 47, that’s a good number. I like odd numbers. And it was great to be in the top 100 teams! By now the line had wound all the way around the casino. To guesstimate, I’d say over 1000 teams were now in line. We would walk by them all night as they continued to wait, long after our call had ended. Lindsay and I gave a “yes” or “no” to people we thought looked like their audition had gone well after they passed us on their way home. Finally we got into the next room, a waiting space where all us hopefuls sat and were called into one of four rooms with a different color Amazing Race sign on the door. Lindsay sat for minutes agonizing over which color was best to get called into, convinced that there was a secret system. I denied it, and think I am right. Two younger guys next to us started to talk to us. Several people, including myself, noticed that the Medium sticker was still on one of their shirts. Turns out he and his teammate had bought a full set of safari/trekking gear and were going to return it after the audition. Interesting. They asked why we should be on the race, then in return spewed oddly similar reasons for themselves. One major difference, however, was that they were dead set on the million, something Lindsay and I hadn’t much thought about. I was nervous by now, and Lindsay was trying to pump me up. That’s why we’re great friends; we balance each other.
“47!” The woman gestured us to the Green sign door. That was us! Here we go. The hours of discussing what we wanted to convey was behind us. “We can do this!” I thought. The cameraman, who opened the door for us, smiled widely and exclaimed, “Uh-oh, here comes trouble!” Who? Ellie and I? We bust out laughing. The most trouble Ellie and I could find ourselves in would be something like getting sucked into paying for an overpriced sandwich. Nonetheless, a positive way to enter the interview room - laughing! We shuffled into the room to find a table, a video camera that looked like the one I had at home, and a lady whose head was so deep in stray papers that she wouldn’t have noticed if Steven Spielberg himself had walked into the room (then again, I might not either; my pop culture knowledge is so bad). This set up was a lot different than we imagined!
A Sony home video camera on a tripod! This was it?! The big audition footage. I set down the bag, yes the one that was broken and being held like a small bear in my arms. I was glad we got this room. I had seen the cameraman several times that day. We stood on our tape line and said our names and team number. Then the guy said, “Why do you want to be on the Amazing Race? Go.” Boom! We were rolling. No timer, no interaction with the woman or cameraman. No indicators. No nothing. Lindsay took it away first, and I wrapped it up. 14 years of friendship, growing up together, leading very different lifestyles and having different interests, yet being united as friends through our faith and the longevity of our relationship. We covered most of what we had gone over together beforehand. I guessed when I thought it had been around a minute. “Okay,” the cameraman smiled. That was it. I leaned down and got the bag, and we headed out.
That was definitely the blurriest minute of our lives! We can barely tell people what we said, it went so fast. We strolled past, and past, and past, the line. Where did it end? We went up to our room, dumped our stuff, and went straight to the 50’s looking burger restaurant downstairs, where we laughed about how nearly every table was filled in 2’s, just like ours.
Number 47, that’s a good number. I like odd numbers. And it was great to be in the top 100 teams! By now the line had wound all the way around the casino. To guesstimate, I’d say over 1000 teams were now in line. We would walk by them all night as they continued to wait, long after our call had ended. Lindsay and I gave a “yes” or “no” to people we thought looked like their audition had gone well after they passed us on their way home. Finally we got into the next room, a waiting space where all us hopefuls sat and were called into one of four rooms with a different color Amazing Race sign on the door. Lindsay sat for minutes agonizing over which color was best to get called into, convinced that there was a secret system. I denied it, and think I am right. Two younger guys next to us started to talk to us. Several people, including myself, noticed that the Medium sticker was still on one of their shirts. Turns out he and his teammate had bought a full set of safari/trekking gear and were going to return it after the audition. Interesting. They asked why we should be on the race, then in return spewed oddly similar reasons for themselves. One major difference, however, was that they were dead set on the million, something Lindsay and I hadn’t much thought about. I was nervous by now, and Lindsay was trying to pump me up. That’s why we’re great friends; we balance each other.
“47!” The woman gestured us to the Green sign door. That was us! Here we go. The hours of discussing what we wanted to convey was behind us. “We can do this!” I thought. The cameraman, who opened the door for us, smiled widely and exclaimed, “Uh-oh, here comes trouble!” Who? Ellie and I? We bust out laughing. The most trouble Ellie and I could find ourselves in would be something like getting sucked into paying for an overpriced sandwich. Nonetheless, a positive way to enter the interview room - laughing! We shuffled into the room to find a table, a video camera that looked like the one I had at home, and a lady whose head was so deep in stray papers that she wouldn’t have noticed if Steven Spielberg himself had walked into the room (then again, I might not either; my pop culture knowledge is so bad). This set up was a lot different than we imagined!
A Sony home video camera on a tripod! This was it?! The big audition footage. I set down the bag, yes the one that was broken and being held like a small bear in my arms. I was glad we got this room. I had seen the cameraman several times that day. We stood on our tape line and said our names and team number. Then the guy said, “Why do you want to be on the Amazing Race? Go.” Boom! We were rolling. No timer, no interaction with the woman or cameraman. No indicators. No nothing. Lindsay took it away first, and I wrapped it up. 14 years of friendship, growing up together, leading very different lifestyles and having different interests, yet being united as friends through our faith and the longevity of our relationship. We covered most of what we had gone over together beforehand. I guessed when I thought it had been around a minute. “Okay,” the cameraman smiled. That was it. I leaned down and got the bag, and we headed out.
That was definitely the blurriest minute of our lives! We can barely tell people what we said, it went so fast. We strolled past, and past, and past, the line. Where did it end? We went up to our room, dumped our stuff, and went straight to the 50’s looking burger restaurant downstairs, where we laughed about how nearly every table was filled in 2’s, just like ours.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Quick Action Needed!
Our goal with this blog and our YouTube channel is to garner awareness of our trying out for the Amazing Race Season 19 and thus get the people at CBS to cast us. We need your help with this goal! Please post the following around the web, including but not limited to sites like: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, comment sections on CBS, Yahoo, etc, blogs, and so forth.
Here's an idea of what you should post: "We want team 47, from the Durant, OK Amazing Race casting call, for the Season 19 Race!" Of course, you're welcome to embellish, but keep the main details in it so they know who you're talking about.
On our YouTube channel, we're having people around the world post videos with a sign saying "Team 47" and saying, "Team 47 from Durant, OK casting call come visit our city!," as well as saying their city name and maybe a bit about why they love it. If you or someone you know can post one of these videos, leave a comment and we'll work to get it up asap!
According to Lindsay's research, we only have a few weeks before decisions are made for who will be called in for the next round of auditions. Therefore, we need to hit the web like wildfire. Will you answer our call? Get your friends, classmates, neighbors and coworkers in on this too! We want a ripple effect of followers and fans! Truly, if this gets big enough, then CBS will notice Team 47 around the web and maybe we'll have a shot!
This is a huge dream of Lindsay and mine. In our 14 years of friendship, we've been through and experienced a lot. Doing the Race together would be the most incredible event of our many years. We really are relishing the experience, no matter how far it goes, and thank you thank you thank you for your support.
Hang with us, it's a wonderful ride! Let's see where we can take it!
Here's an idea of what you should post: "We want team 47, from the Durant, OK Amazing Race casting call, for the Season 19 Race!" Of course, you're welcome to embellish, but keep the main details in it so they know who you're talking about.
On our YouTube channel, we're having people around the world post videos with a sign saying "Team 47" and saying, "Team 47 from Durant, OK casting call come visit our city!," as well as saying their city name and maybe a bit about why they love it. If you or someone you know can post one of these videos, leave a comment and we'll work to get it up asap!
According to Lindsay's research, we only have a few weeks before decisions are made for who will be called in for the next round of auditions. Therefore, we need to hit the web like wildfire. Will you answer our call? Get your friends, classmates, neighbors and coworkers in on this too! We want a ripple effect of followers and fans! Truly, if this gets big enough, then CBS will notice Team 47 around the web and maybe we'll have a shot!
This is a huge dream of Lindsay and mine. In our 14 years of friendship, we've been through and experienced a lot. Doing the Race together would be the most incredible event of our many years. We really are relishing the experience, no matter how far it goes, and thank you thank you thank you for your support.
Hang with us, it's a wonderful ride! Let's see where we can take it!
Amazing Race Tryouts...Our 1 Month Anniversary
It all started with some innocent time wasted on the internet, checking into my usual secret ambitions, which included being on the Amazing Race. Unbelievably, I stumbled into the information that the show would be having a casting call within a reasonable distance from where my friend and I live. No hesitation, I called her immediately.
"Okay, let's do it! I am in! We are perfect for the show! Let's do it, why not? I just have to talk to my professors, and check with the lady I babysit for first." This phone call followed our typical routine. Ellie had an incredible idea that she wanted me on board with. I love the idea of the idea, but can't commit on the spot. I told her I would get back to her by Monday, just days before the audition on the 15th.
As usual, I was able to finagle a way to follow through on my idea. I was concerned, for about 15 minutes total, that Lindsay really wouldn't go with me. But she did, and so two days later I packed way too many bags (after all, I hadn't decided what outfit was casting call attire) and headed out to see her. Before I continue, I think you should know that several weeks before, we had pulled up the application form and videoed ourselves laughing about what answers we would put. This whole process was already an experience, and we were loving every minute of it, even though the Amazing Race as yet had no idea who we were.
I finished my last final of the semester about an hour before Ellie arrived at my door. Exhausted from the busy semester I knew I didn't have the energy Ellie would beam the moment she got out of her car. So I greeted her with a smile, and seeing the disappointment in her face, as reassuringly as I could I told her I would be pumped for tomorrow. And I was pumped! From the moment we woke at 2:30 a.m. I was ready to rock. I finished packing my one overnight tote with the essentials and we pulled out of town right around 4:00 a.m. We were headed east toward Choctaw Hotel and Casino in Durant, OK. What an adventure....
Let's just say our music was pumping as we cruised through the darkness to the Choctaw. We were ready to rock! We got there behind schedule, but no worries. After taking pictures from the car of the Amazing Race event banner on the electronic hotel sign, we parked, grabbed our bags and entered the first leg of our Race experience. A security guard smiled/smirked as we asked him where the casting call was. "People slept over," he told us as we asked how many were there for it. Uh oh, maybe we should've left earlier. On our way to the line, my great tote bag loaded with waaay too much weight broke, the beads from the strap spraying all over the tile flooring. Thus 5 minutes of our time was spent on hands and knees tracking them down. A fashionable start, especially as we held the bag in both arms the rest of the day. Better events unfolded however, as we realized that our spot in line was not so bad after all!
We quickened our steps the closer we got to the people in line, which was beginning to wrap around the curves of the casino. We got behind a lady and her husband who were as prepared as they come, complete with a carrier of food...what's it called, oh yes, a cooler. They brought a cooler, which made our mouths water. Anyway, she thought we wouldn't be seen until five or six that evening. It was currently eight in the morning; What have we gotten ourselves into? I couldn't believe this, so I left Ellie behind as I started the supposedly interminable trek past all the die hards who had been working their necks into incredibly painful kinks by sleeping awkwardly on chairs. It was a sight to see: a couple hundred people of various shapes and maturity all thinking they have what it takes to be on The Amazing Race. By the time I made it back to Ellie, about five minutes had lapsed. I grinned and said, "Nah, we will be done by 3 p.m."
This was good news, so I settled in for the day. Being the foodie and cheap person that I am, I quickly scored a free banana from the woman, as well as coffee and water from the casino drink station. I too walked the line, casually eyeing the competition. I wish we had videoed the guy in the Scottish bagpipe outfit, the two women in short tennis skirts that were way too short, not to mention young, for them, and the lady who walked by at least 10 times in several different outfits. There was also the woman everyone thought worked for the Race but didn't. Yes, we were amongst vultures ready to pounce on any CBS official to pass by. After playing cards, chatting with our neighbors, and rating crazy outfits and teams on a 1-10 scale, the numbers finally began to be distributed along the line. Boom! We were Team 47!!!
"Okay, let's do it! I am in! We are perfect for the show! Let's do it, why not? I just have to talk to my professors, and check with the lady I babysit for first." This phone call followed our typical routine. Ellie had an incredible idea that she wanted me on board with. I love the idea of the idea, but can't commit on the spot. I told her I would get back to her by Monday, just days before the audition on the 15th.
As usual, I was able to finagle a way to follow through on my idea. I was concerned, for about 15 minutes total, that Lindsay really wouldn't go with me. But she did, and so two days later I packed way too many bags (after all, I hadn't decided what outfit was casting call attire) and headed out to see her. Before I continue, I think you should know that several weeks before, we had pulled up the application form and videoed ourselves laughing about what answers we would put. This whole process was already an experience, and we were loving every minute of it, even though the Amazing Race as yet had no idea who we were.
I finished my last final of the semester about an hour before Ellie arrived at my door. Exhausted from the busy semester I knew I didn't have the energy Ellie would beam the moment she got out of her car. So I greeted her with a smile, and seeing the disappointment in her face, as reassuringly as I could I told her I would be pumped for tomorrow. And I was pumped! From the moment we woke at 2:30 a.m. I was ready to rock. I finished packing my one overnight tote with the essentials and we pulled out of town right around 4:00 a.m. We were headed east toward Choctaw Hotel and Casino in Durant, OK. What an adventure....
Let's just say our music was pumping as we cruised through the darkness to the Choctaw. We were ready to rock! We got there behind schedule, but no worries. After taking pictures from the car of the Amazing Race event banner on the electronic hotel sign, we parked, grabbed our bags and entered the first leg of our Race experience. A security guard smiled/smirked as we asked him where the casting call was. "People slept over," he told us as we asked how many were there for it. Uh oh, maybe we should've left earlier. On our way to the line, my great tote bag loaded with waaay too much weight broke, the beads from the strap spraying all over the tile flooring. Thus 5 minutes of our time was spent on hands and knees tracking them down. A fashionable start, especially as we held the bag in both arms the rest of the day. Better events unfolded however, as we realized that our spot in line was not so bad after all!
We quickened our steps the closer we got to the people in line, which was beginning to wrap around the curves of the casino. We got behind a lady and her husband who were as prepared as they come, complete with a carrier of food...what's it called, oh yes, a cooler. They brought a cooler, which made our mouths water. Anyway, she thought we wouldn't be seen until five or six that evening. It was currently eight in the morning; What have we gotten ourselves into? I couldn't believe this, so I left Ellie behind as I started the supposedly interminable trek past all the die hards who had been working their necks into incredibly painful kinks by sleeping awkwardly on chairs. It was a sight to see: a couple hundred people of various shapes and maturity all thinking they have what it takes to be on The Amazing Race. By the time I made it back to Ellie, about five minutes had lapsed. I grinned and said, "Nah, we will be done by 3 p.m."
This was good news, so I settled in for the day. Being the foodie and cheap person that I am, I quickly scored a free banana from the woman, as well as coffee and water from the casino drink station. I too walked the line, casually eyeing the competition. I wish we had videoed the guy in the Scottish bagpipe outfit, the two women in short tennis skirts that were way too short, not to mention young, for them, and the lady who walked by at least 10 times in several different outfits. There was also the woman everyone thought worked for the Race but didn't. Yes, we were amongst vultures ready to pounce on any CBS official to pass by. After playing cards, chatting with our neighbors, and rating crazy outfits and teams on a 1-10 scale, the numbers finally began to be distributed along the line. Boom! We were Team 47!!!
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