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The 80th annual Scripps National Spelling Bee is underway on ESPN and, later, ABC. If the highlights inspire feelings of nostalgia and competitiveness, you can go spell your ass off at an adult spelling bee.
Last summer, we discussed the bees at Pete’s Candy Store in Brooklyn, where people go to get drunk and slay demons from bees past. I only have one spelling bee story, so I’m going to tell it again.
That’s the word that spelled my downfall in the 1989 Lakeview Elementary Spelling Bee. Some say my ignorance of alcoholic beverages should have been celebrated, not punished. OK, nobody says that. I assume by now, fourth graders are spelling words like Chlamydia and ménage à trois.
I’ve sat stationery these last 17 years, knowing there are four better spellers than me. In Denville, New Jersey. Born around 1979. Who attended public school. And weren’t sick during the preliminaries. I can accept that. But if I were compelled to justify my intelligence, I could always turn to the thriving adult spelling circuit.
Perhaps the most famous competition is Brooklyn’s Williamsburg Spelling Bee, held every other Monday at Pete’s Candy Store. So famous, in fact, they even have a blog. Hosts Jennifer Dziura and Bobby Blue are a little more lenient than our grade school Language Arts teachers. Three strikes before you’re out. And while I’m not sure alcohol improves spelling prowess, the liquid courage increases turnout. (If you’re a TimesSelect member, you can read their Thursday Styles profile from last year.)
In addition to providing grown-ups an opportunity for redemption, adult bees have also been successful fundraisers. In Maplewood, NJ, $17,000 was raised to fund a tutoring program that had been cut by the school district. Want to hold your own? Scripps Howard has posted “official” adult spelling bee rules.
To keep things interesting, I’ve intentionally misspelled one word in this entry. A virtual high-five to the first person who spots it. No points will be awarded for pointing out any words unintentionally misspelled. And let’s hear your spelling bee stories.
[See the original post and comments here.]
Stationary was misspelled.
posted by Jessie on 5-31-2007 at 7:20 am
We have a winner! Now if we only had a prize…
posted by Jason on 5-31-2007 at 7:25 am
T-O-M-O-R-R-O-W.
I was in the 2nd Grade at Ludwigsburg Elementary School. Sometimes I still have nightmares about 2-R’s not M’s.
posted by Stephanie on 5-31-2007 at 7:42 am
Oh, man… the BEE! I did it in 6th and 7th grade. 6th grade my dorky self got out by misspelling “jeopardy” which was 100% nerves because I, as a nerdling, watch Jeopardy every. damn. day.
7th grade I got 3rd place but misspelled “cygnet.” I don’t know anything about swans, anyway. I love love love the national spelling bee and have the TiVo set to record it. My husband calls me the human spell-check.
posted by Rachel on 5-31-2007 at 8:30 am
In eighth grade, I competed in the citywide spelling bee. I received fourth place after I misspelled “desideratum” (My spelling? D-I-S-I-D-E-R-A-T-U-M…the schwa killed me.). I had never heard that word in my life.
Among the words I spelled correctly were “cerberean” and “aioli”. Apparently, I was good at guessing.
posted by Rachel on 5-31-2007 at 9:43 am
I think I was knocked out in 3rd or 4th grade with “business.” Probably put a “z” in there, if I remember right. Ever since then, it’s always been pronounced “bussy-ness” in my head.
posted by Jeremy on 5-31-2007 at 10:57 am
And I thought I was the only self-grudging person who remembered her misspellings. . .
seriously - 4th grade
credentials - 5th
equation - 6th
cognizant - 7th
candelabra - 8th
yep.
posted by liz on 5-31-2007 at 11:21 am
The only one I really rememberwas spelling “world” W-O-R-A-L-D in second grade. Oh, and in fourth grade, when I was one of two people two leave out the third “O” in “notorious”. The spell-off between us lasted until the last three spellers had figured out where they placed, as well as most of recess. Neither one of us spelled another word wrong.
posted by Pointy-Hatted Geek on 5-31-2007 at 5:58 pm
Sorry, that’s “two people TO leave out…”
Maybe there’s a reason I only got fourth(ish) place.
posted by Pointy-Hatted Geek on 5-31-2007 at 6:00 pm
The misspelled word is stationery. Along with stationary it is the bete noir of many writers.
posted by Ed Hawkins on 5-31-2007 at 7:36 pm
In fifth grade, the class spelling bee. I got out on “fuel.”
I spelled it F-E-U-L.
I am the worst spelled ever. I will fight anyone for that title.
posted by natalie on 5-31-2007 at 10:01 pm
After correctly remembering to ask for a definition to the word to find out whether it was March or march, I had a mental gap and went “m-r” and immediately sat down. Sigh.
posted by Christinia on 5-31-2007 at 11:19 pm
Yeah, well at least you didn’t spell assassinate as assinate.
posted by Larissa on 6-1-2007 at 6:08 pm