Pacers/Magic Game & Daddy/Daughter Orlando Trip

February 10, 2013

Yesterday wrapped up the Goofy Challenge portion of Orlando, and here’s the rest of that awesome trip!

Every year since I was a little girl (and we lived in Indiana), my dad has taken me to see the Indiana Pacers play in a different arena. We went to see them play the Magic, and we had front row seats! (Front row of regular fans… There were reporters in front of us.)

It was funny, ’cause my dad and I both noticed ourselves at a few points looking up at the jumbotron, catching ourselves, and thinking, “Why am I looking up? The players are freaking right in front of me!”

During a karaoke segment of the night, I ended up getting on camera on the jumbotron. (Woot!) I played right to the camera. (I know what’s up.)

After the game on the way to the car, someone even said, “Nice singing!” (What? Does the “dust off shoulder” move.) I didn’t even realize someone had said that. I heard something, but didn’t understand.

My dad told me only once we’d already passed the person. So, if that was you who complimented me, sorry for ignoring you. Also, thanks! (Even though I know you meant nice lip-syncing. Still, I’m taking the compliment.)

Speaking of music, there was this amazing senior dance team that we loved. And what was hilarious was they broke out into “Gangnam Style.” Of course, it’s only hilarious if you knew how many time my dad and I had heard “Gangnam Style” during the week.

Starting with the DJ doing it at the Family 5k on Friday, we seemed to hear it all the time at the races. We were practically having dreams about that song. So, when the Orlando Magic Silver Stars broke out “Gangnam Style,” we found it to be absolutely hilarious.

Another hilarious time was when these pump-up-the-crowd guys on stilts, sat right in front of my dad and I, pretending to be us. They were making fun of me for tweeting.

Why was I tweeting, you ask? Well, as if I haven’t talked enough about the awesome power of twitter – we noticed that Brook Olzendam (Pacer’s reporter) was sitting in front of us. We tweeted her. (…I guess it sounds creepy when I tell the story of tweeting someone to say “I’m behind you!” (Eek).) But she was super nice, came over and talked to us, and tweeted us back.

The Pacers didn’t win. I don’t mean this as a diss to them, ’cause I love my team, but we often don’t win in the games my dad and I go to. Granted, we never see them with home court advantage since we’re seeing a different arena each year.

Even though our team didn’t win, my dad and I had a great time. But, I always have a great time with my dad whether at the Pacer’s game or just hanging around the hotel.

One final little anecdote speaking about our time at the hotel. On one of the days where we were just hanging out, I decided to try to get some Price is Right tickets for when I got home. I’d been saying I was gonna go to the show practically since I’ve moved to L.A. – yet, I’d never gone.

The website I was using kept not allowing me to go to the final screen of getting tickets. As I lamented, “Why can’t I get these tickets to The Price is Right,” my dad joked that Drew Carey had put me on a list after I accidentally snubbed him at the half marathon. (Again, so sorry about that.)

That was sort of a big running joke of that week, and when my dad didn’t even skip a beat in making jokes about me being on a secret list (when I hadn’t even thought about the fact that Drew Carey is the host), I cracked up for about 30 seconds. That joke just tickled me. Although, I don’t know that it translates as well in print to people who weren’t there. So, I suppose just forget everything I ever said.

(And yes, I did end up going to watch The Price is Right, and you can bet there will be talk on the blog of what it’s like to attend a taping of the show.)

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