Alter Egos

I'm watching Teen Jeopardy right now and I feel the need to tell you all that I'm an idiot. (My mom's going to be so annoyed when she reads this because she hates the word idiot.) Not only do I not know the answers to the questions, I don't even understand what they are trying to ask. But I did totally laugh at the kid that forgot to respond in the form of a question. Not so smart now, are you buddy?

(Yes, I know he's still smarter than me, but you gotta give me something here, people.)

More along my plane of understanding is the commercial that just came on. Did you all know that Knight Rider is going to be back on television? Yep, the cool show with the talking car that first aired before these Jeopardy contestants were born is going to be remade.

I'm a bit trepidatious about it. (That was a big word to compensate for my Jeopardy incompetence.) Last year I was over the moon about the fact that Bionic Woman was being remade, but it turned out to be a dud. It was extremely disappointing for me - and with good reason. You may not know this about me but when I was little, Jaime Sommers was my alter ego.

I was the Bionic Woman.

And my poor, sweet, loving godfather put up with me making him into Steve Austin, the Six Million Dollar Man. Uncle Donny would patiently wait, wide-eyed with enthusiasm, as I'd run up to him with stories of bad guys that would need to be taken care of. All of which ended, every time, with me telling him that I had to go to the studio but would check back in with him later.

Now, I don't actually remember what Jaime Sommers' cover story was so people wouldn't know she was the bionic woman. But in my world, when I was off fighting evil I told people I was going to the studio. I'm sure I liked the term studio because it sounded like I was a dancer or a singer or was practicing to be Mary Lou Retton... regardless, Uncle Donny was a good sport.

Me with my godparents, Don and Janella... Donny and I were the only superheros, though. Sorry, Janella. (And a side note to my mom: remind me again why we always cut my hair like a boy?)

It wasn't until I was much older with nieces and nephews of my own that I realized how easy Donny had it. I mean really... he sat with the adults chatting and got credit for a whole day of playing with me because I'd run up to him and periodically give him status reports on the evildoers. But I now gladly give him credit because the man never failed to make me feel important. Every tale I told him was greeted with enthusiasm as he fed wholeheartedly into my imagination.

And you wonder why I love to tell stories?

I was so lucky to have godparents who loved me more than I thought possible... and I hope I'm giving that same security to my godchildren. After my inability to answer Jeopardy questions today I'm pretty sure they're already smarter than me, but I promise I'll be the proudest godparent out there when they win Teen Jeopardy... especially if they win by saying these words:

I'll take 80's television for 200, Alex.