Even though we’re still not currently playing any “in person” hosted trivia games, I still try to keep as much tabs on the live games as I can! Example – the two final questions from December 15 were very, very exciting to me when I saw them – even though we only played one virtual game so we had only one final question. Why? Because me and my “trivia pardner” would’ve gotten both of them correct! You’ll have to scroll on to see the question we had, but here was the “other” final question:

On Billboard‘s Greatest of All Time Holiday 100 Songs, only three bands or artists reached the top 20 of the list with songs recorded and released in the 21st century. Name any one of the three artists who released those songs.

I know what you’re thinking if you know anything about me and my husband Mike! And you’re probably thinking, “Hell, they don’t listen to any music that’s been recorded in the past quarter century. No way are they going to know this answer!”

Well, you’re sort of right! But there is “that” music that one of us is somewhat “forced” to listen to at work. Ugh, HOLIDAY MUSIC! Sure, it might be fun to hear when you’re out buying air fryers, whimsical holiday onesies and plush decorative gnomes for every member of your family, but it’s a bit different when it’s all that you hear for every f—ing shift. Yeah, it loses it charm. One starts craving the harder rock songs after listening to this sappy drivel (apologies to any holiday music fans who might be reading this). Out of morbid curiosity, I even listened to the controversial Guns ‘N Roses song “One in a Million” on Spotify after a particularly harrowing recent shift. Aside from the bigotry, racial slurs and even more bigotry, it’s really not that bad of a song (oy). The guitar and off-the-cuff story telling is very nice – it’s just not a very nice story! I can see why it raised controversy way back in 1988.

Truth be told, the one artist I would have been able to name in that holiday music final question shares their name with a popular sparking water beverage. And would only know their name because a co-worker pointed that name out a few years ago. But when it comes to trivia, it doesn’t matter HOW you know an answer as long as you know it!

We wound up finishing in first in our virtual Stump! game! Not bad, especially after having missed the first question we had, which was:

Round One

1) Tournaments – With a name similar to the NCAA Basketball Tournament’s “Final Four,” the semifinals and finals of the NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament have been known by what name since 1999?

NERD POINT: In what decade did this hockey tournament begin?

We needed our “hockey guy” Brad for this one, miss and miss.

2) 20th Century Literature – The Diary of a Young Girl is a publication of the writings of what German-Dutch person from 1942-1944?

3) TV Episodes – In the final episode of the TV series MAS*H, which character is hoping to return home in time for their daughter’s second birthday? Yay Mike for remembering just enough about this show to get this (we knew it couldn’t be Klinger, since we didn’t think he was married).

4) Alliances – What military alliance signed in 1949 currently has 30 member states and is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium?

Mystery –

Mystery Round: Sharks Pick ‘Em
Among the following list of seven names, choose the four that are real types of sharks. Teams will receive two points for each correct answer.
Balloon
Boat
Desert
Piper
Pocket
Tiger
Zebra

Anyone else think “Pocket Shark” sounds like some sort of portable vacuum? And does anyone else want a tiny shark to keep as a pet (hand raised)! We got all of these correct.

Round Two

1) Activities – Meaning “circle” or “wheel” in Sanskrit, what term often associated with yoga refers to any of several key points of physical or spiritual energy in the human body? Mike again for the points.

2) Bands – Broken Social Scene, Tokyo Police Club, and Hot Hot Heat are all indie rock bands that formed in what country? Facebook clue, thank the trivia gods…

3) Video Games – Sega Genesis game partially titled Moonwalker, players control a character with what name, who is on a quest to save children that have been kidnapped by Mr. Big? Nice that our joke answer turned out to be correct!

4) Memorials – From 1965-2018, what 630-foot-tall structure was the centerpiece of an area called the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, which has since become a national park named after the structure?

Mystery Round: Twisted Titles – Jennifer Lawrence

The correct response to each part is the title of movie starring Jennifer Lawrence with just ONE letter changed. Give the new title based on the new description.

(For example, if I said, “Jennifer lives in a nation that is speeding away in a wild, uncontrolled manner,” you would answer “American Hurtle,” which is one letter different from American Hustle.)

M1) Jennifer stars in an extended X-Men universe film as a nerdy bird who cyclically rebirths itself from its own ashes

M2) Jennifer earned an Academy Award nomination for her role as the inventor of the title food product used in many vegan recipes

M3) Jennifer comes up with a collection of sports plays that will allow her to change the displayed color of her positively reacting to Facebook posts

M4) Jennifer participates in an annual event in which gun-toting sportsmen compete against each other to survive

Nice teamwork to get all of these. We were in first going into the final with 51 points.

Final Question:
The two snowiest cities in the U.S., based on average annual snowfall from 1981-2010 in the 51 most populous metropolitan areas in the U.S. are Rochester and Buffalo in New York.

Name one of the U.S. states that is home to one of the next three snowiest cities, all of which are ahead of Denver, Colorado.

Got this and held onto our lead, finishing with 65 points.

The Abbey hosted games are always fun! As always, Go Pods, and stay classy, Michael Jackson!