I Lost at the Spelling Be

coolerifyoudid

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Feb 8, 2013
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Since the Scripps Spelling Bee just came to its conclusion, I figured this was a good time to reopen old wounds. I can easily forget things that actually matter, but I will never forget the stupid words I missed at spelling bees when I was younger. I wanted to see if I was alone in my pain.

I missed "proceed" one year because the announcer pronounced it as "precede" and I was too shy to ask for a definition.

I then missed "barbecue" the following year because I spelled it as "barbeque" which, at the time, was not a recognized spelling.

And I now live in Kansas City where I eat barbecue and proceed to wonder what might have been.
 

Cyclones_R_GR8

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Feb 10, 2007
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The only spelling bee I did was in 2nd grade (I think)
I missed business.

Still shake my head on that one and it's been over 50 years
 

ISUAlum2002

Well-Known Member
Apr 11, 2006
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Toon Town, IA
I was in the finals of a spelling bee in 5th grade, and missed "unruly." Had never heard that word in my life up until that point. Misspelled it as "unruely." Sigh.
 

JP4CY

Lord, beer me strength.
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Testifying
I was in the finals of a spelling bee in 5th grade, and missed "unruly." Had never heard that word in my life up until that point. Misspelled it as "unruely." Sigh.
Same age with me at the regional spelling bee, IIRC it was the county school's. I made it much further than the "teachers pet" and missed out on "grieve."
I then learned the I before e thing after.
For the rest of the year my teacher was beyond nice to me.
 

DeereClone

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Nov 16, 2009
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Not spelling but in the 7th grade geography bee I was essentially a 12 seed that made the finals and was up against a 1 seed (eventual valedictorian of our class). I can't remember the question, but pulled the answer "The Netherlands???" completely out of my ass to win. Crowd went wild and I chest bumped the history teacher that was asking the questions on stage as part of my celebration.

It was unfortunately the highlight of my entire life and I've been all downhill since.
 

cyclones500

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Jan 29, 2010
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basslakebeacon.com
The only formal Bee I did involved fifth- and sixth-grade students at our school. (The winner moved on to "district" level.)

I survived until there were about five or six of us remaining ... got bounced on "addle." I guessed a-d-d-e-l.

How appropriate to misspell a word that means “to confuse.”
 
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Angie

Tugboats and arson.
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Mar 27, 2006
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I won our school spelling bee, won at the district one, and finished seventh at the state one. I was six kids away from being at the National Bee! "Menagerie" did me in.

However - HOORAY for that girl from Louisiana!
 

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