Hooked on the Spelling Bee

Last night I found myself watching the coverage of the National Spelling Bee which, I have to tell you, was riveting television. Talk about impressive 13- and 14-year olds! Unfortunately, our local contestant from Olathe, Kavya Shivashankar, was one of earliest eliminated in the Final 13.

I have to tell you that I was playing along at home - and doing rather poorly - until the word "weltschmerz" came up. This was the word that eliminated the runner-up... AND I KNEW IT!

Weltschmerz: sadness concerning the evils of the world, or, romantic pessimism.

On the other hand, "hukilau" would have really tripped me up.