To Those Of You Who Aimlessly Enter Every Contest That Seems “Cool”,

(Warning: Mildly strong language, deeply passionate feelings!) 

There are two types of people who enter contests. The people with the mind-frame, “Hey it’s worth a shot, I might win!” and the people who considerately pick and choose which contests they enter because they wouldn’t want to take away a prize from someone who might want it more than they do. (For example, I wouldn’t try to win tickets to a concert for an artist that I only know a few songs and don’t 100% “love”… because there is a super-fan out there that I might take that opportunity away from.) Those people who fall into the latter category, of course only enter the ones that are really important to them, those that they would be able to actually attend/claim if they won. (High five to you like-minded souls out there!)

50th Annual CMA Awards. #ForeverCountry. You’re looking at the girl who wants to move to Nashville, who works at a country radio station, who has a country blog, who has been to over 130 country concerts, who has country music beating in her heart and running through her veins. You think I want to be there? Hell yeah. Am I bitter that I didn’t win any of the ones that I entered? Absolutely not, that’s not what this is about, AT ALL. (I actually fully trust God’s plan and that there’s a reason that I didn’t make it there, again, this year.) It’s about that one lady who did win…

Here I am, jumping up and down screaming, “Pick me! I’ll do anything! I’ll sell my soul!” to win or have the opportunity to go… and then there are those who are like, “Yeah that would be kind of cool, might be fun.” IT DRIVES ME INSANE. I know it’s life and life’s not fair, but for cripes sakes, please bestow blessings to those people who are truly passionate and deserving. It just makes me want to cry when there is something that you want so badly, and some unappreciative jerk wins and doesn’t even go. FUCK COMMITMENTS, fuck your job, tell them you’re peacing out for a few days, do what it takes to get sitters for your kids or pets (if you have some), pack a bag, and MAKE IT HAPPEN. You don’t get opportunities like that every day! Or, better yet, DON’T EVEN ENTER if you don’t want with all of your soul and being to be there and to win. GIVE OTHER MORE DESERVING PEOPLE A CHANCE! There’s a concept! Imagine that, folks.

It really breaks my heart into a million pieces when there are people like me who enter literally every contest under the sun to get to the 50th Annual CMA’s and then there are people who win and don’t even go. People like me who want it more than anything in the world and then people that just brush it off like it’s no big deal. Actually, I tried to qualify for my own station’s trip, knowing that if I was a qualifier, I would be willing to give my notice at work (employees cannot win) just for the opportunity of going. WHO DOES THAT? You gotta want something badly enough to go to those extremes… oh wait, I do! I did! It’s TONIGHT and I’m not there. And I’m riding the struggle bus fighting back tears today because of it.

You have no idea how many concert tickets/prizes aren’t picked up at the radio station every month. Hell, last summer there were several winners who won Luke Bryan tickets AND meet and greets, and they didn’t even pick up their prize. HELLO?!?! Do you know what I would have done (ha, and did) for a Luke meet and greet? What person in their sane mind enters to win meet and greets for Entertainer of the Year and doesn’t bother to come in to claim their prize? THOSE people anger me more than anyone could ever comprehend. You find out when the show is going to be, then figure out if you have other commitments that day, and for the love of God, do not enter if you do! Wedding or something that day? Don’t text the keyword to win, because you’re taking away that chance from someone who can actually (and really wants to) be there.

Maybe it’s because I’m an INFJ, a Cancer, and feel things deeper than 95% of the rest of the population of humans on this Earth. Maybe it’s just because being a decent human being comes easy to me. Maybe it’s because country music is the most important thing in my life. But I believe this message applies to other aspects of life as well! The message is simple… think things through and be considerate of others. That’s basically like a golden rule of life, you would think people might remember…

 

Disclaimer: I’m sorry if you do not agree with these thoughts. This is a topic that I feel strongly about and could debate until I was blue in the face. I apologize if anyone was offended by this post…