My Road to Jeopardy

 It began several years ago with the online test. It was the first (of many) times I would take it and I adored it. I have always loved taking tests - I know, I'm a weirdo - and this was the best one ever! Fifty clues with 10 or 15 seconds to answer; thankfully not in the form of a question. I felt pretty confident while I awaited the call that would surely come. 

The third time I took the test it did! I was invited to New York City to audition. My pal Kristine came with me and we had a grand time. The audition took place in a hotel. Twenty or thirty of us hopefuls sat down to take another 50 question test, play a practice game and pretend to be interviewed. I was charming and witty (in my mind if nowhere else) and was sure I would be invited to play soon.  We were all told that we were in the contestant pool for the next 18 months. Oh joy! At one point the coordinator asked those who had interviewed before to raise their hands. Over half of the participants put their hands up. She said, "Don't feel bad if you don't get called this time around, it can take some time."

Three years later, after taking the test yet again, in the midst of covid times, I was invited to a zoom interview. It followed the same narrative, minus the trip to NYC, and while I enjoyed it, I kept my expectations low. 

That must have been the trick because I received a text from the contestant booker asking if I could come to Los Angeles to play! Well, I was only one vaccine in to feeling good about traveling so I asked if I could hold off until I was fully shot. He was very kind and said he would reach out again in a month. 

Thirty days later I sent the text I had painstakingly constructed (over the past 30 days) to remind him that I existed, and he texted back with a date. IT WAS ON!!

I began reading about science and geography - definitely my weak spots. I decided to ignore sports. The field was too vast and I was too disinterested. I learned a lot of facts that I promptly forgot and I even began to understand some concepts that I had long given up on understanding. 

The safety measures the Jeopardy folks had in place were excellent. I had to take a test two days before traveling and I had to take another the day before playing. The communication from the studio made me feel very confident that they were being thoughtful and careful with their precautions. 

Westward ho - I left home on Sunday, which gave me all day Monday in case there were travel issues. Tuesday was my covid test at the studio and then Wednesday was the day of destiny.  

It turns out that I didn't need the extra travel day - everything went smoothly. But I was glad to have the extra 24 hours to sit on the deck of my Airbnb and study the National Geographic book of countries from 1985 and hoping not too much had changed. Well, Yugoslavia did, I guess. But there were so many countries that I didn't know. So many -stans!

(I also managed to binge watch Never Have I Ever and Shadow and Bone. But  my time was mostly taken up with geography, having given up on science. Again.)

On Tuesday I went to the studio (conveniently located right across the street from where I was staying) for a covid test. They were a well-oiled machine and had me in and out of there in 10 minutes. Reading, viewing, eating and settling my nerves constituted the rest of my day.

And then it was Wednesday! 

I got to the studio and met the rest of the contestant pool who would be playing the rest of the day. We were all excited and chatty and it felt a lot like camp. The staff was composed of true professionals who made us all feel confident that we would be ushered through this experience smoothly. 

We sat in the audience section of the WHEEL OF FORTUNE set. There were signs everywhere telling us not to touch the Wheel. As if! We would never demean ourselves that way. There then commenced a couple of hours of instructions, another 50 question test. It turns out they were testing the test for future applicants. I was happy to help. I've never met a 50 question trivia test I didn't like!

We were introduced to Matt and told of his three - soon to be four- game streak. We shot daggers at him with our eyes and began to plan his demise. Except he was really nice and seemed almost embarrassed to be so exceptional at playing the game. We decided to accept him. (And still try to vanquish him, of course.)

We were taken to the set where we played a practice round. I got to touch the "signaling device" and felt like Indiana Jones when he touches the grail. It was glorious!

My chosen outfit was found wanting. I was wearing an open weave sweater over a white shirt and, to be frank, it looked weird as hell. We had been told to bring three outfits, in case we had  (got!) to play more than one game. Ever the optimist, I brought five. None of them was great, but we worked it out. 

We were told to do our own hair and makeup before coming to the studio. This, of course, threw me into a tizzy. My son's girlfriend taught me how to use makeup, but it was clearly not my strong suit. Luckily the hair and makeup people were delightful and made me look amazing! My face was it's regular old self, but smoother and less ruddy. My hair looked AMAZING! Have you ever heard of a curling iron? I might just invest in one. 

I bonded with the sound guy over our love of Grover Beach, California and he gave me the skinny on all the previous hosts. I won't spill any secrets, but I will say that he told me when Alex was hosting they were finished at about 3 pm every filming day. He said the average end time with the guests hosts was about 8 pm. He also said that while all the guest hosts were nice people and improved as their hosting time went on, Mayim Bialik was the one who got the rhythm of the process the quickest. Well, she is a PhD, after all!

Finally it was time for the first game. Matt was trying to keep his seat against Kathleen and Patrick. You probably already know what happened. Poor Patrick just couldn't catch a break! It was my worst nightmare unfolding in front of me, but happening to someone else. I always over-inflate my ability to guess and I could totally have seen the same thing happen to me. It could have happened to any of us! Well, probably not Matt - the guy's a machine.  Kathleen did her best, but there was no beating him. 

We all felt awful for Patrick, but he took it well. I bet he is going to get free beers for the rest of his life, telling people of the record he broke. He didn't hang around after his game as the rest of us did, and it was too bad. He is a nice guy. If you know him, don't you DARE bust his chops about this. It is terrifying on the stage. I mean, in a good way, but still.  He was taking chances like a boss and sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't. I bet he's still the best trivia player in Mountain Valley. 

As soon as that game ended, with all of us in a bit of shock, they called the next two players up. Jon and I looked at each other - him with cool confidence, me with a mix of dread and excitement - and we hit the stage. 

And here is where my story ends. I can't say anything about my game or those after until they air so I will spill the beans on the rest of my adventure at the end of the week. 

THE RELUCTANT HEART by Janet Lambert

 

FOR MY OLDER GIRLS

Governor's Island, New York, August 10, 1950

Janet starts most of her books with a letter to her "girls", her readers. She writes so prolifically that she certainly doesn't have time for correspondence with strangers. In this one there is an ALL CAPS notice that this book is for older girls. She says in a post script to her younger readers "I haven't neglected you, my younger girls. I hope you will all enjoy The Reluctant Heart and won't find it uneventful and too old." As a much older reader, I found it fascinating!

The covers are not great. My copy had the hipper pink room picture with Penny sitting pensively, while the older yellow cover has, I assume, Josh clutching Penny as if they are stranded in the Amazon. Neither one gives any hint that this is a "Can she have it all?" look at the age old marriage vs. career conundrum.

As the book begins, Penny is blissfully happy out in the country. Except for having to navigate small town grocery shopping and gossip, life is a dream. Josh is working on a play and Penny barely cares, so wrapped up is she in the lives of her children,  Parri and boring little Joshu. Trudy, the stalwart housekeeper tries to remind Penny that she probably needs more than this provincial life, but Penny is married to the perfect man and is adamant that her life is perfect. Of course, if it was, would this book exist?

Josh has a new play, clearly written for Penny. Even though she has her heart set on leaving the theater and being a country mom, she can't help but start thinking of the mechanics of playing the part of Anne, whose entire identity seems to be that she is in a wheelchair. Enter Neda.

Neda is a typical Lambert femme fatale - she wears makeup and smokes and she wants Josh, bad! When she is invited out to the country for the weekend, she brings an entire trunk. She immediately begins acting proprietary about Josh and is, in general, awful. But Penny is confident in Josh's love and worries not. 

Penny wants to help with the play and Josh appreciates it, but there is a gross little bit where he is talking to her brother and shows that he "understands" her unwillingness to take a bigger role (like, the lead role) - "Women are meant to be wives and mothers." Yep, that's us...

Neda comes to the country a lot and Josh stays late in the city a lot. Interestingly, there is never a hint that Josh is tempted. It is the separation, rather than jealousy that finally spurs Penny to head into the city one night when Josh fails to come home. She finds him in their tiny bet-sit and they hash it out. Penny says, "I want to be with you and working. The children aren't enough. I found that out, too. Nothing's enough when we aren't together, when I'm not a part of you." Which could be endearing or terrifying, depending on the marriage, I guess.

Well it turns out that Neda sucks as an actress and has failed as a homewrecker so now the play is in jeopardy. However, Penny has decided she want to be involved and can take over the lead role. And she does, with some success. 

There is a bit where they have to break it to the cast and she has to smooth some feathers. She even goes to Neda's apartment to let her know that she now has a guardian angel called Penny who is putting in a good word with directors on her behalf. In one adorable piece, she bemoans the fact that she doesn't have any gloves to wear to the theater to meet the rest of the cast and crew. This is even funnier to me because I was just in her hometown of Crawfordsville, Indiana to research her and it turns out that the museum, the library, and even my friend Susan who hosted me all have at least one pair of Janet's gloves. She apparently scattered them like grass seed, 

 They begin work on the play and it's going swimmingly. Penny insists on bringing the kids down to the Philadelphia previews and I feel so sorry for Trudy who has to entertain them in a hotel room. There is an interesting exchange between Penny and Josh that gives lie to Lambert's usual "a woman's place is in the home" attitude. Penny says "I wish...I could be like a man and have neat pigeonholes in my heart. Business in this slot, family in the next. I wonder if women will ever be able to do it?" Josh replies, "Probably, after they've been in business as long as men have. They're still rather new at it." Which isn't 100% correct - many women have been doing it for a long time. But the attitudes of they day still stack the deck against the success of the fairer sex. Josh also opines, "Business is business, and it doesn't run on sentiment. Perhaps that's one reason why a woman may never make a good President, and few of them ever rise to top executive. They aren't ruthless enough." Has he not just met Neda??

The Philadelphia shows are well received and they open on Broadway, a resounding success. However, all is not well in Parrish-ville. Penny's sister-in-law Caroll has had a nervous breakdown. More accurately, since her son Davy has recovered well from his polio bout, Carol no longer has to be the pillar of strength she has been and can now feel free to give in to the anxiety attacks she has been holding off. It is interesting that they are so perfectly described. I wonder if Janet had some experience with them. Of course they are not named or specifically diagnosed, but she clearly has anxiety and perhaps clinical depression. Don't worry, the love of her husband and children, and Penny sticking her nose in, cure her in a minute. 

Penny decides that she loves the show, but misses easy access to her kids. At first, I thought she was going to pawn them off on Caroll to help her recovery. Because nothing says "I'm getting better" more than taking on two additional kids. But Penny wants to get a family apartment in the city. Poor, poor Trudy. There is a confusing conversation where Penny tries to talk Josh into moving the kids and he thinks she is pregnant at the beginning of the show's run. A big fight ensues, but it all calms down with communication. 

The housing crisis is brought up again, but eventually Penny is summoned to look at a perfect apartment. But who is this showing up the very day she needs to view it? Why it is Terry Hayes, the trademarked Lambert-necessary second tier fella who almost gets the girl. He goes to view the apartment and confides in Penny about how his marriage in England fell apart because his wife wasn't Penny. And then he kisses her! This is so un-Lambert-like that I nearly dropped my book. He has ruined the new apartment (that is where the crime is committed) and made her feel all icky inside. 

At the end, she tells Josh about this horror show and he is nonplussed. He says something along the lines of "You did notice Neda being all over me, right?" and Penny realizes that their love is so strong and perfect, no outsider can ever mess it up. 

Penny, in full career gal mode realizes that she can spend the day with the kids and when they are going to bed, she goes to the theater, like other society moms. It's just that she's on the stage instead of in the audience. And her matinees are the equivalent of going to "bridge club" or the DAR meetings. Which she would hate anyway. The end of the book is her finally admitting that she loves the stage and is pleased to have a life where it can coexist with her natural and Lambert-approved desire to be a perfect wife and mother. 

Penny can have it all!

CONFUSION BY CUPID by Jane Lambert

 

Look at these gorgeous covers!! My copy had no cover at all and now I long for any of these three. It almost seems like they are three different couples. The first could be Gwenn and Bill, the second Jon and Alice and the third Peter and Maxsie. Who ARE all these people? Let's see if I can keep them straight. 

Let's start with Peter, Gwenn and Alice - they are the Jordans, you've met them before. Alice and Gwenn are Peter's step-sisters and Alcie is wonderful and Gwenn is awful. Read Friday's Child if you want the background. 

So Gwenn is trying to get Peter (who is a football star at West Point) to get involved with her super-rich future college roommate. He is disinterested and meets a tough but beautiful girl on the bus. He and Alice help her get he job back (there's already so much going on!) and he begins taking her to the Point for events. 

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!

Remember Bill, the dud from the Drayton books? Well he has met Alice and invited her to a party at his house. He has told his parents and friends that she is his fiancee. Good grief!! This makes it even crazier when Gwenn crooks her little finger and he runs off with her to elope! 

This actually works out for Alcie because now Gwenn is someone else's problem. And she gets to meet Jonathan Drayton who seems charmed by her. Christie shows up at the house party too and it is nice to see her again. 

In the meantime, Peter is getting worried that Maxsie wants to go steady - which we all know is WRONG - but she is actually hoping to trade up to her old hometown boyfriend. There is a big football game, a nice bit with Maxsie blowing off Peter only to find out he is honorable as hell. But he remembers he is in love with Tippy who is ON THE WAY HOME!!

The whole brouhaha ends with Gwenn deciding to stick it out with Bill in Hollywood - good, they deserve each other. Alcie deciding that she still cares for Bobby, but certainly enjoys Jonathan and Peter getting goofy about Tippy. There is mention of Ken, but I am sure he will fade in Tippy's mind when she sees Peter again. OR WILL HE??

Once again, if you want a terrific recap, check out Carly's review at her Malt Shop!

LITTLE MISS ATLAS by Janet Lambert

 

Tippy is back!

I've enjoyed the Jordans, but I am glad to be back with the Parrishes. When we last saw Tip, she was getting on a transport to Germany and she wasn't pleased about it. She and Mrs. Parrish are ready to make the best of an awful room situation when they are granted a reprieve in the form of a stateroom not being used by a big muckety-muck. Tippy meets some other kids and has a fine time. A certain Ken Prescott is an officer on the ship and once again he seems to come around when she is acting goofy, but he likes her anyway.

The Parrishes are known for making the best of any situation, but Tippy is worried about "the dragon" which is the way she describes her unease about this posting. Sadly, no actual dragons appear in this book. 

It basically boils down to Tippy accepting her fate and learning to love the Marshall Plan and Ken Prescott and me learning that I need to write my reviews while the book is still fresh in my mind. I didn't take notes this time around and it shows!

The things that stuck out to me are how Lambert often puts a glamorous foil in her stories. This one is snobby but barely there. The patriotism level is HIGH! I could have sworn that there was allusion to the Holocaust, but it was brief at best. The big reveal here is Ken and DAMN his is hot. The age difference is icky, but he alludes to it when he colludes with Tippy's father to send her home. So many instances of men choosing what is best for our heroines in these books. However this time Tippy makes up her own mind.

Alcie Jordan makes an appearance and it is lovely to see her again, I am sure Bobby would agree with me. He is smitten. There is skiing (terribly in Tippy's case) and a new puppy. Maybe some skating... If you want a really good review of this one try Carly's Malt Shop. I have lost the narrative thread, which is too bad because I really loved this one! Alas...