Musing on ESPN Zone

In 1987, I won a spelling bee hosted by the 81st Precinct. Seeing my name etched on a plaque conjured up feelings of accomplishment, and it's one of my favorite childhood memories. I tried to revisit those glory days by combining my passion for words with my interest in sports to participate in ESPN Zone's Sports Spelling Bee on May 28.





35 people competed in the event, with men outnumbering women by a ratio of four to one. (I was Contestant #19.) I watched my fellow competitors cram names from the worlds of hockey, football, basketball, and baseball -- among other sports -- in the Sky Box, where we'd gathered beforehand. My instinct told me to brush up on foreign athletes, so I memorized names like Francois Beauchemin and Wladimir Klitschko. It didn't work, for I was eliminated in the first round. (I tripped up on Yunel Escobar. I suppose that's what I get for not being an Atlanta Braves fan.)



While I didn't have my heart set on winning the grand prize -- a VIP party at ESPN Zone for six people, a $250 gift card, a sports almanac, and a trophy -- I was disappointed in my early exit. I felt like the stereotypical woman who knew nothing sports ... and it didn't help the feminist cause that by the fourth round, no woman was left standing. What really left me frustrated, though, was the "difficult" names were ones I knew how to spell, like Dahntay Jones and A.J. Pierzynski. After a little more than an hour, a winner was crowned when Contestant #10 correctly spelled Paul Posluszny.



I wanted to lift my spirits, so I hung around the bar to watch the Cleveland Cavaliers - Orlando Magic game in the Screening Room. As a die-hard basketball fan, I joined dozens of strangers in cheering for Dwight Howard and LeBron James. (When it comes to the NBA playoffs, I'm rooting for any team except the Los Angeles Lakers.) When I wasn't sitting in awe of spectacular plays or yelling about botched calls, I was stuffing my face with a Zone Cheesesteak (beef sautéed with mushrooms and onions, topped with provolone cheese) and a side order of French fries.





Misspelling an athlete's name may not have cost me anything, but it came at the expense of my pride. Nevertheless, I enjoyed bonding with my fellow sports junkies for a few hours (and $17). With any luck, I'll redeem myself at next year's competition.

Musing on the Job Hunt

Regardless of one's employment status, navigating the job market in this economic downturn is about separating yourself from the competition. With the jobless rate in New York at 8.2 percent (as of March 2009), this scenario may sound like another case of "easier said than done" ... but Staples and the Apple Store are providing free tools to help people rejoin -- or remain in -- today's workforce.



The office supply chain is letting customers make 20 copies of their résumé -- along with 40 business cards -- as part of their "Career Stimulus Program", which expires on June 13. I took advantage of a similar promotion held by FedEx Office on March 10, and Office Depot is also offering comparable services through May 30.



The only thing more valuable than a well-formatted résumé is up-to-date skills. I took a one-day workshop at the Apple Store, Fifth Avenue, on May 7 to learn Final Cut Pro, a non-linear editing software program. My experience in video editing is limited, and if I hope to find another job in journalism -- or make a living in a field where my storytelling abilities can be put to good use -- I have to evolve with the technology. (I also registered for two of their Pro Labs in June.)



Job hunters need all the advantages they can get to stay afloat during this recession ... and while the complimentary printed products are only available for a limited time, the computer classes are ongoing. Good luck!

Musing on Museums

Anytime is a good time to mix highbrow culture with low costs, for I only needed $1 to gain entry into the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7. (Thanks to indefinite unemployment, I'm in no position to pay the "suggested price" of $20.)



It's rare that one can spend so little money on the Upper East Side and get away with it, so I used the opportunity to check out exhibits like The Pictures Generation: 1974-1984 and The Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion. The first installation challenged the premise of "seeing is believing" by manipulating and reappropriating images in playful and provocative ways, while the second show tracked the symbiotic relationship that designers and models have in defining fashion and beauty.



If these subjects aren't your cup of tea, cultural institutions like the Brooklyn Museum and the New York Hall of Science are among several venues that have inexpensive admission fees. Even better, some places offer free admission with limited hours, like the Museum of Modern Art (every Friday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.) and the Studio Museum in Harlem (every Sunday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.).

Museums pride themselves on being accessible to everyone. Do your part and visit one.

Musing on Cinco de Mayo

Since I'm not from Mexico, I've never felt the need to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Nevertheless, I found myself at Columbus 72 on May 5 celebrating all things "south of the border" for $5.



Most Americans use the holiday as an excuse to pig out on nachos and get drunk off Corona, but it made for a good time to immerse myself in Mexican culture. (I visited the country in 2004 and dressed as a margarita for Halloween the following year ... but I digress.) I passed on the beef, rice, and salad buffet, heading to the dance floor instead to do some Latin dancing. My two left feet may have stepped on some toes -- literally! -- but it didn't stop me from having a good time. (Thanks to Al, Butch, David, Freddy, Howard, and anyone else I may have forgotten for being brave enough to dance with me.)



Learning salsa and sipping tequila don't have to be once-a-year activities -- at this nightclub, you can get your "fiesta" on every Tuesday.

Musing on Red Mango

When I was a teenager, Lay's Potato Chips aired a commercial starring Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Larry Bird that featured the tagline "too good to eat just one." After trying Red Mango's product for the first time on April 29, I found myself at their door again on May 2 for a one-day special on the latest addition to its frozen yogurt menu.



My free small cup of tangomonium tasted like a mixture of mangos and tangerines, and the free topping of mandarin oranges enhanced its citrus flavor. Tangomonium is an ideal treat for a spring day, for it's sweet but not overpowering ... and saving $5.36¢ in the process (again!) put me in a good mood, so I gave the cashier a 50¢ tip before continuing with my errands.





Call me crazy, but I don't think it was a coincidence that upon exiting the store, the overcast sky gave way to a sunny one.