Due to the nature of the tournament and the four "wild card" spots, we were not allowed to see any of the games that preceded our own.  Thus, we had to wait for hours on end in the windowless locker room until we were randomly called in groups of three to participate in the next game.  I wound up playing the fourth game of the day, so I had to sit in the green room for hours on end.  To ensure fairness, the contestant executives did not allow us to read, listen to iPods, take photos, or carry cell phones.  Basically, the two things we could do were play card games or watch pre-approved films.  The Jeopardy! writers had specifically chosen these movies because they did not contain any references to clues they had composed.
 
So, my fellow contestants and I watched "Talladega Nights: The Legend of Ricky Bobby" and "About A Boy."  Quite honestly, I was glad that I was not called to play in the first game; my nerves would've been too wracked.  At the same time, we all grew a bit anxious and stir-crazy in the sequestered space.  I drank copious amounts of caffeine to ensure that I wouldn't fall asleep at the podium, mid-game.  After the first three games were filmed, we took a break and had the opportunity to practice using the buzzers one final time.
 
Then, they announced the lineup of the fourth game: Danny, Suchita, and myself.  It was an ironic pairing, because Danny and Suchita were two of my favorite contestants!  It felt a little strange to have to compete against two people whom I genuinely liked.  We all wished each other the best of luck and Suchita even announced that she hoped we would all secure semi-finalist spots, by virtue of the wild card tactic.
 
Also, because I was playing in a game with Suchita, the UW-Madison student, the crowd went wild whenever she entered the venue or answered a question correctly.  Maggie Speak, the Contestant Executive, warned me that I would have to pay particular attention during the game because my podium was situated closest to the roaring live audience.
 
Truly, the game is still a blur in my mind.  It happened so quickly, and I just tried to enjoy every moment of it.  I started out rough--in particular, I had difficulty getting a hang of the buzzer.  During the first commercial break, Maggie Speak came over to me and gave me advice on how to buzz in more effectively.  It was particularly frustrating, because I knew the answers to many of the questions.  It's easy to be an "armchair player" and watch Jeopardy! in the comfort of your own home, shouting out answers at random.  It is so much harder to actually stand under the bright studio lights and perform well.  And that ridiculous category, "Fishin' Impossible?"  Ha, I'm still bitter about it!
 
I know that I answered a slew of questions incorrectly, but I also managed to do moderately well.  Going into Final Jeopardy, I was aiming for a wild card spot.  I knew that I had to bet conservatively if I wanted a chance at the wild card (if I bet everything, then I would risk winding up with $0 and no shot of being a semi-finalist).  Given the category, Famous Austrians, I thought that the question would be much less obvious than Mozart.  So, I bet a moderate amount: $3000, a little less than half my total of $6800. 
 
In the end, Danny won the game, and Suchita secured a spot as the second-highest wild card.  The three of us hugged one another.  Onstage, as the cameras rolled, Alex Trebek informed me that I was one spot away from the fourth wild card.  Had I wound up with $1,301 more, I would have bested Vera's total.  However, because I had no notion of the outcomes of the prior games, there was no way that I could have factored this into my final wager.
 
We all walked away from the stage and breathed a sigh of relief, elated that the anxiety of playing the game was over.  Although I didn't qualify as a semi-finalist, I was happy with my performance.  If I had to lose to anyone, I'd rather lose to people I like.
 
Katie will have another blog entry on May 16.
Be sure to read her parting thoughts!