Victory from the jaws of defeat...

Well, that was a pretty damn successful curling bonspiel. How successful was it? Well, I lost.

Trust me, couldn't be happier.

I played four games. Friday night's was a bit of a blowout, but I was on the right side of it. And my opponent just missed a couple of shots. If he makes them, things become a lot more complicated. The second game saw us down by four early, but we managed to rally back to the point where I had an open draw for three to win. Instead, I through it heavy and took only two, forcing an extra end. He had to hit and roll a little bit to get shot rock. He hit and didn't roll quite enough. We won by about an inch.

Third game was the semi-final. Again, buried early but managed to rally back and forced an extra end again. I had to make a perfect draw shot to the four foot to win. It was a touch heavy, but stopped just in time. Again, I won by an inch. The team we beat is one I consider the best in the club, I was pretty damn happy.

So clearly, having won two extra end games by an inch, the curling gods and karma were about to make me pay for it. Just after the semi-final win, one of my player said to me, "You know, we haven't lost as a team yet." This was the same team I played with for the first bonspiel of the year and won. So yeah, we were doomed. We lost 10-3. I could have called it after six ends, but really, despite being blown out, I was having fun out there. So why not stay out and play the full four ends?

Also pleased to report, no psychotic episodes during the bonspiel. Perhaps that's not something to cheer about, but seeing as how I'm trying to behave better when I curl, I'll take the small victories.

All that was left after that were the prizes. I won't get into the structure, but for losing in the final I still got to pick something from the prize table. Which turned out to be a comforter. There were door prizes, which was basically anything left on the prize table. And my name was miraculous drawn again. So this time I grabbed a cold weather extension cord.

Finally there was the draw for two plane tickets. Curtis, playing on the media team, got the first ticket. And then he drew the second ticket.

Let's just say there was an audible groan when my name was called out. This is about the biggest thing I've ever won, so I'm pretty damn excited about it. But I'm really glad now I lost the final. Because if I had won two bonspiels in a row, plus a plane ticket, well, I'm not saying there would be a mob of irate curlers with brooms waiting for me in the parking lot, but I'm glad I don't have to find out.

(Yes, have a chuckle at the notion of roving gangs of irate curlers. You can laugh right up until they come for you, my friend. Then you will learn fear.)

This is only a couple of hours old, so I haven't decided what I'm doing with the ticket yet. It's good until November 1, 2008. I figure I'll either use it to go to New York and attend the New York Comic Con (along with maybe catching The Daily Show if the writer's strike is over, a Yankees game, perhaps Spamalot) or to pay for part of our trip to Italy in July.

I think I've burned most of my good karma for the rest of the year. In retrospect, perhaps I should have bought a lottery ticket as well, but I've been told the machine is down (yes, there is only one lottery terminal is all of Iqaluit) until the end of the month. Ah well...