I've been up in Park City for the last two weeks at a PCMI conference. This is my afternoon working group, and I adore all of them. Most of them are crazy, but we all know that the crazies are my favorite. I know that there are more pictures of me: me and Governor Huntsman, me making a fool of myself playing the Price is Right ... I need to find all of them, and I will ... probably.
In the morning session (before this lovely group meets) we meet with all of the teachers involved with the Secondary Ed part of PCMI. There are about 100 + involved, many from different parts of the world. I was quietly pulled aside at breakfast by Kelley and asked to be involved in the Price is Right opening game. We play Games of the Day and then attack math problems that involve those games. It's nerdy, and I love it. I nervously ate my raspberry yoplait, and then tall/rugby playing/I have the majorest crush on him/silly boy in a man's body Ben came by and asked if I was okay with playing. I wanted to be witty so that he'd instantly fall in love with me and explain that I'd already been drafted, but instead I gloriously replied, after a nervous swallow, "Yes."
"For the game of the day today," Bowen shouted into his mic, "we have randomly chosen ... Amy!" I had been so nervous all morning, knowing that I would be in front of so many people, wondering if I was going to make a complete fool of myself by making a lame comment or goofing up a math problem. I was trapped in the middle of all of these tables, but I made sure to make a Price is Right worthy run to the front involving a tricky leap over a chair and wild waves of both arms. I debated kissing Bowen on the cheek ... nah, too weird. I made a big dramatic deal about slipping in lame comments. "I've watched your show since day one," this got the crowd laughing considering we've only played for seven days. Bowen said I got to choose any game that I wanted to, but I knew that they were set up to play Plinko, so I crossed my fingers and begged them to let me play Plinko.
It wasn't very fun to play because I did nothing except cheer on the chip as it bounced off of the pegs on the computer animation. I didn't get to push any buttons, but I was a great contestant regardless. I sank to my knees as I managed to $0 on the first drop, jumped in circles when I landed $10,000, and did a little jig when I left with $10,500. Why did the jig have to come out? Oh well, they ate it up. Ben cupped his hands, encouraging "Let's hear it for Amy!" He's definitely falling for me ...