See comments for a bit more about this game…

We knew going into Thursday’s Sporcle Live game at Original Gravity Brewing Co. that we would need a “milagro,” which is Spanish for “miracle.” We’ve been sitting in fourth place for a few weeks, looking for a break that would help push us up into at LEAST third place. Well, we didn’t QUITE accomplish that, (yet) but did narrow the gap significantly between us and the third placers Where’s Trey – AND the top two teams Big Heads Big Hearts and This is Sparta. Now, only 21 league points separate the top four teams at the bar – and we have two more weeks to make a final “push” for those precious tournament points! It was a bit “miraculous” that we managed to finish in third overall for the night (tying with BHBH), despite a game one final question that seemed to trip up every team in the room, including ours (we only wagered four points on it). We had just two ‘Pods show up for this trivia battle, read on to see how we fared on the questions! And here’s a photo showing some of our answer brainstorming during the game…

We get a little silly during trivia games! My husband drew the geese, but the horrible handwriting is all mine! Guess which one of these brainstormed answers was incorrect?

Game One
1. Waterfalls – Which of the seven continents is home to the world’s tallest uninterrupted waterfalls? 10
2. Hosts – Prior to her stints as host of “The View” and “Fox and Friends,” Elizabeth Hasselbeck finished fourth on the second seasons of what reality series? Had our choices narrowed down to two, and picked the wrong one, miss for 1.
3. Groceries – In June, 2017; Amazon announced the purchasing of what grocery chain, which would give discounts to Amazon Prime members? Social, everyone got this, we got it for 9.
4. Scandals – This question was worded in a very, very confusing way. So I’m going to try to “re-do” it…Here goes…
Albert Fall, while serving as U.S. Secretary of the Interior, was the first cabinet member to have been convicted of a crime for his involvement in what famous scandal? 9
5. ’90s Hits – The 1999 hit song “Hey Leonardo” by Blessed Union of Souls had what five-word parenthetical title, which is also part of the song’s chorus? Miss for 2.
6. Food – What food, popular in North African countries, consists of steamed balls of wheat, and is often served with meat, vegetables and a soup-like sauce? 8
7. Women in Film – What is the last name of the character played by Sigourney Weaver in the “Aliens” film franchise? For an extra bonus point, what was her character’s first AND last name in the 2009 film Avatar? My comment? “Was I supposed to pay that much attention to that movie?” Also…why was this bonus question not about her character’s first and last name in Ghostbusters? Whine…Got this for 7, but missed the bonus.
8. Kids’ Books – What was the title character of a popular series of children’s books by Jean Brumhoff – which also featured characters named Celeste, Arthur and Flora, among others? Question is abbreviated, got this for 6. Funny, Mike and I watched a movie featuring this animal just hours before Thursday’s game!
9. Hold On – In most bull-riding competitions, what is the minimum number of seconds a rider must remain on a bull? FB clue, 5.
10. Games – Chicago 50, Billabong and Follow the Queen are all variants of what card game? Miss for 3.
Mystery – Fortune 500 Companies
Identify the Fortune 500 company based on the following clues.
1. Company #1 with the most employees in the world at 2.3 million
2. Company #397 on list based in both Plano, TX and Shanghai, China whose divisions include Taco Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut with 450,000 employees
3. Home improvement supply retailer in the #23 spot with headquarters in Georgia – and 413,000 employees
4. Chicago-based pharmaceutical retailer (#19) with more than 290,000 employees
Missed #4 on a virtual coin toss, got the others. Yay, this is a topic I actually attempted to “study” before a trivia tournament months ago. Got #2 correct because of missing a question about this years ago, though!
Scores – Eleven teams, scores 23 to 61 with Death in first (did not catch their whole name). We were in second with 58 playing under the moniker Jack Lemmon Fan Club. Before the game, I asked Mike to name the most obscure celebrity he could think of, preferably going back to the 1960s/1970s. And this is the guy he named. And since I like this guy as an actor, well, why not? And here’s a picture of him!

Actor Jack Lemmon in the 1960 film The Apartment, which won the Academy Award for best picture.

Final Category – Software
In December 2017, Apple unveiled its list of the most downloaded iOS apps of the year. Name two of the top five most downloaded apps of 2017, according to Apple.
We were not confident with this category, so we only wagered four points on it.
Final scores: ‘Pods, 54; Mott and Significant others, 75.
Game Two
1. ’70s Hits – What term for a group of martial arts shares its name with a #1 Carl Douglas hit song? 10
2. Alter Egos – Clint Barton is the alter ego of what Marvel superhero? I came up with the right guy right away, but we were not really sure of this, so only wagered 2. In light of some of the disastrous [SPOILERS AHEAD] things that will happen later in this game? Should’ve wagered higher on this!
3. Airports – Give the three-letter abbreviations for one of the two busiest airports in Queens, NY. Both for a “nerd” bonus point. Miss and miss for 1.
4. ’90s Films – What dark comedy/political satire film, released in 1997, was the most recent film for which Dustin Hoffman received an Oscar nomination for acting? 9
5. Video Games – In a series of video games first released in 2005, the character Phoenix Wright holds what occupation? No teams got this correct, this question was thrown out and replaced with this one…
5. Museums – The museum containing the largest number of works by Vincent VanGogh is located in what capital city? Should have gotten this…but missed for 7. It was a matter of one person talking the other out of the correct answer. Pardon me for a second….(ahem) I have read TWO DIFFERENT BIOGRAPHIES OF THIS ARTIST. Yes, I may have brainfarted on the name of the capital city of his country of origin, but my trivia partner would have known this capital city’s name. But we went with a different capital city because of a “Doctor Who” episode. Yes, I am telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth – so help me Cthulhu! And…(sorry I guess I am not quite done with my little rant) – Why oh why did VanGogh – who was Dutch – have a Scottish accent in that “Doctor Who” episode? Inquiring minds want to know! Now excuse me while I go drink large quantities of absinthe and sit in the blazing sun painting a bunch of sunflowers…and crows!

VanGogh and “The Doctor”

6. Elements – What #12 element on the Periodic Table is commonly used as a laxative and antacid? We went with another element that is used for similar purposes…but much, much, much farther down the Periodic Table…for EIGHT POINTS. Do you REALLY want to keep reading this game recap? If you do, why don’t you go ahead and look up the definition of “schadenfreude” while you are at it!  Pffft…you are a sadist! 
7. Sports – The Dallas Elite, St. Louis Slam and Arkansas Wildcats are the most recent champions of what women’s sports league? Women’s sports always reminds me of a comment made by a German woman I met in an Ultimate Frisbee league years ago. She said about women’s sports, “Why would I want to watch something where they do not run as fast or jump as high?” Indeed…can’t argue with THAT! Ironically, she worked in mechanical engineering, which was a highly male dominated field (damn I miss her)! She made me look subtle by comparison! Miss for 3.
8. Comedies – Audio clip of USA series debuting in 2006. Miss for 4.
9. Universities – In which U.S. state is Creighton University located? Miss for 5.
10. Kings – What was the Regnal name of the king who served immediately before Queen Elizabeth II? Mike helped me arrive at the right answer for 6, even though I was the one who saw that one movie and he didn’t (strange things afoot at the Circle K)? Hey…this ALMOST makes up for that VanGogh debacle!
Mystery –

Missed #2 and #3.
Scores – Nine teams, 31 (uh…that would be us) to 59, with Bunchicken in first.
Final Category – Beverages
Although it seems to refer to a fruit that is actually entirely unrelated to the product involved, what two-word term is used to refer to the highest-quality grade of black tea?
Got this and wagered it all. But it was not enough to put us in the prize zone. Oh well…despite my ranting about that VanGogh question (let us not speak of that again), our moods were actually very good on this trivia night! We will actually be back on the trivia saddle tonight at Bobby McShane’s in Belleville – for a My Trivia Live show hosted by Stacy (it will be good to see you again)! So my next recap will be posted Saturday. As always, Go Pods, and stay classy, Paul Gauguin!