It was a cold, dark and snowy night in Southeast Michigan – the home team won a big important college football game, I had just finished two busy shifts at work in my retail job on the biggest shopping weekend of the year and I was “supposed” to meet with family after work to celebrate my parents’ 53rd wedding anniversary. Alas, a text from a friend who had reported being COVID positive put a kibosh on all of those plans, so by the time I got home about 10 hours later or so (OK, OK, I’m exaggerating, but post college football game traffic ain’t nothing to f— with). What was I saying? OK, so I got home from work and since roads were snowy and crappy and the snow wasn’t stopping…

Why not play a virtual trivia game? I sent my husband to a nearby brewery to pick up some beer, and we were ready to party! Both of us really wanted to get our party hats on, since we both had the next day off, and we were both a bit upset about life at the moment.

For inquiring minds, it’s now been six days since sitting in a bar with that friend who reported COVID symptoms, I’m still symptom free, had a COVID test on Monday, and will (supposedly) get results by Thursday. Today, I spoke to a health department contact tracer. I honestly can’t remember the last time I had a conversation with another human where I said the word “no” as many times as I did. And this was when they were rattling off a symptoms list and did I have any of them. I wanted to tell them I’d suddenly developed telekinetic skills, but alas, these people aren’t people to joke around with!

They told me that since I didn’t have any symptoms that quarantining wasn’t necessary, but that I should get a test. If I was symptomatic, the end date for my quarantine would be this coming Saturday. I’m off for three days this weekend, which is a rare treat! Including Friday – which I have not had as a day off in months!

How about something decidedly non COVID related? Trivia questions? Here you go!

Round One

1) Presidents – Who was serving as U.S. president when ZIP codes were introduced nationwide in the mid-20th century? Not a good start, we went too early.

2) Shoes – What German shoe manufacturer’s footwear, known for its cork and rubber soles, was first available in the U.S. in the 1960s?

3) Villains – What villain has been portrayed by Burgess Meredith on the 1960s TV series Batman and by Robin Lord Taylor on the 2010s TV series Gotham?

4) 2000s Movies – This was audio and involved a clip of Aaron Carter.Missed it.

Mystery One

Name the U.S. city with “X” in its name based on the clue.

M1) Northeast Texas city that shares its name with a city directly across the border in Arkansas

M2) City that is home to the University of Mississippi

M3) City known as the “Horse Capital of the World”

M4) Most populous city in South Dakota

Jesus how could we miss horse city? We also missed #2.

Round Two

1) Literature – What 1847 novel by Charlotte Brontë opens with the line, “There was no possibility of taking a walk that day”?
NERD POINT: This novel was originally published under what pen name? Got this, but didn’t know the pen name.

2) Athletes – In February 2019, what Olympic gold medalist skier retired, finishing with a bronze medal in the women’s downhill event at the Alpine World Ski Championships?

3) Compounds – What is the common name for the form of magnesium sulfate that can be used to treat skin inflammations or eclampsia, as a growth aid for potted plants, and as an ingredient in making beer?

4) Pasta – Gnocchi are a form of pasta that are most commonly made of what vegetable that is part of the nightshade family?

Mystery Two – Easy Movies

Name the film with the word “easy” in the title based on the year and a portion of the cast.

M1) Geena Davis, Jeff Goldblum, and Jim Carrey (1988)

M2) Rodney Dangerfield and Joe Pesci (1983)

M3) Emma Stone, Penn Badgley, and Amanda Bynes (2010)

M4) Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, and Jack Nicholson (1969)

Got all of these.

Final Category – World Politics

The inter-governmental political forum currently known as the Group of Seven (G7) consists of seven nations and representatives of the European Union and has convened 47 times since 1975.

Name either of the countries that have been a part of this forum that were NOT present at the first meeting.

Fail…

As always, Go Pods, and stay classy, Penguin!