ZOMG

Author's Note: Turns out this contest ain't for "professional news writers." Though I'm ecstatic to be considered under this label, I guess I have to bow out and leave the Olympic dream to others. Enter at: www.journalismdream.com.

Zoh. Em. Gee. (No idea what the 'zed' is for by the way, I've just seen this before and thought I'd use it for emphasis.) If I invented a contest, I couldn't think of a better one for me to enter than the 2010 Vancouver Olympics' journalism showdown. 

However, I may have inadvertently screwed myself backwards and forwards when I entered a one-letter entry to "test" the website and see how an entry works. Great. 

I tried to go back and reverse this colossally erratic act when I saw my submission was permanent, and then ended up re-sending my 'letter e' entry only to find you can only enter the writing comp once. (And, of course, I tested the site with my real name. Was I a natural blond before this!?)

Anyways, the directions surely were misleading: They said to send a story or photos you've taken at a sporting event you went to.

Then it says "Write about it. Take Pictures."

Write about the story, or the actual goings-on at the event? (if-so-facto, just sending the original report of the event?) Wtf, eh?

Later it says to convey your passion for sports, along with capturing the glory, heartbreak, humour, artistry... you get it, of sport. 

But there's only one entry to make. Should I be present in my story, or should it just be so all-encompassingly awesome that the simple coverage of a game shows my own passion? (See my confusion now?)

Needless to say, I'm gonna try to gather some old stories from my trusty i-Book, but I sure as shit dunno if I'm gonna get another chance, or if I have anything compelling enough to put me ahead of the race with other reporters competing to cover the Olympics for the Globe and Mail. Soo dreamy. 

I guess I'll just interpret the assignment loosely, and have faith in whatever I put forward. I thought my personal account would fare better than the odd atom female hockey game I've covered, but that doesn't sound like what they want.

Athlete/reporter would die for this shot/or the peewee A2 girls bring home the prize?

Which has more drama? Which might get neglected for butchering the guidelines?

aaargh.