After a rousing afternoon at the water park, we thought it would be a hoot to sign up for a late-night virtual trivia game. We figured we wouldn’t look as much like outcasts in a Zoom based trivia game as we did going to the water park without any kids in tow! The park we visited is doing a “online reservations only” policy which cuts down significantly on crowds – and more importantly – lines! But you have to make the reservations days ahead and pay whether the weather is pleasant – or not (no refunds, exchanges, yada yada). We lucked out by having a decent weather day, though it could have been a little warmer (poor Mike got a little goose bumpy after getting out of the water)! Me? The weather and water temperature was fine with me (I’m better at handling the cold than he is).

As for the trivia game, it was kind of a rough question set! The final question about populations was especially rough – we only managed to come up with two of the correct cities we needed.

Here were the questions:

1) U.S. Geography – What hook-shaped peninsula extends into the Atlantic Ocean from Massachusetts and is a notable summer tourist spot?

2) Reality TV – Drill instructor Harvey Walden IV and Dr. Ian K. Smith were among the staff on what reality TV series that aired on VH1 from 2005-2010? Miss, we went with Biggest Loser.

3) MLB Players – What pitcher who made his debut in 1966 and played his final game in 1993 is one of two MLB players to have played in a record 27 seasons? Nope.

4) Debuts – Bella Murphy made her film debut as Princess Omma Joffer in a 2021 sequel to what 1988 film that stars her father? Haven’t seen this, but heard about it, so we knew it.

5) Cereal – As of 2018, what is the best-selling cereal in the U.S. that is NOT a variety of Cheerios? Thank you for this “GRREEAT!” Facebook clue!

6) Compromises – Which U.S. state was admitted to the Union as one of the provisions of the Compromise of 1850?

NERD POINT: What Whig senator from Kentucky helped broker the compromise?

Nope, we need to brush up on our history and statehood dates!

7) Mythology – With a Roman equivalent often depicted wearing a blindfold and holding balance scales and a sword, Dike is the Greek goddess of what principle?

8) Rock Music – What song with a rhyming title is the opening track on AC/DC’s 1980 album Back in Black?

9) Authors – In 1995, what author of the Patternist series and Kindred became the first science-fiction writer to receive a MacArthur Fellowship, and later had the landing site of NASA’s Perseverance rover named in her honor? Missed for BIG by picking a similar author but not the right one. This was on me (sorry)!

10) Characters – Tenderheart, Love-a-Lot, Birthday, and Cheer are among the characters in what group, who have appeared on television and in other media?

Mystery –

Give the first and last names of the people described by the following clues, all of whom have the initials A.H.

M1 – English writer whose works include the 1932 novel Brave New World

M2 – Comedian who hosted a self-titled late-night talk show that originally ran from 1989-1994

M3 – Actress who won a Daytime Emmy Award and Soap Opera Digest Awards for her roles on Another World from 1987-1991

M4 – Founding Father who served as the first secretary of the treasury

Final Category – U.S. Cities

There are eight U.S. states in which the two most populous cities have names beginning with the same letter, including Ohio (Columbus and Cleveland) and Pennsylvania (Philadelphia and Pittsburgh).

Name two of the other six states that share this distinction.

(Note: City proper population).

This was tough…we only came up with one correct pair.

Oh well…as always, Go Pods, and stay classy, Anne Heche in that awful movie “Seven Days, Six Nights.” Wait…was that what it was called? The one where Harrison Ford gets annoyed with her and says “Get off my island?”