I can’t tell you how many licks it takes to finish a Tootsie Pop, but I can tell you that just six points divided our team and the teams tied for first in a competitive My Trivia Live game Tuesday at McShane’s in Ypsilanti.

My oh my…McShane’s on a Tuesday has become almost as competitive of a trivia scene as the old Friday trivia nights at Maplewood Lanes in Saline! I know that some of the players Tuesday also used to hit up that trivia hot spot regularly – or at least occasionally. Wild horses couldn’t have kept me away from that place when I had nothing better to do on a Friday night! Those jackpot prizes were a real draw for the local trivia elite. I only recall playing there a handful of times. I did bowl there once!

We didn’t quite have the cojones to make the prize cut, and there was a tiebreaker for first place going on when we scooted out to make last call at our favorite bar before heading home. I very jokingly was yelling “CHOKE, CHOKE, CHOKE” to the tiebreaker participants after I’d gone outside (rest assured that was all in mischievous jest 😉). What fun is competition without some good hearted trash talking? 🤔

Here were our very abbreviated questions, but first, a Raising Arizona meme:

Round One

At the Table – Unless soup is on the menu, most diners provide only knives and what other “tiney” utensil to diners?

At the Store – Huggies, Pampers and Luvs are leading brands of what?

At the Movies – What is the industry term for movie previews? We incorrectly guessed “Coming Attractions.” I thought that the correct answer actually sounded not “official” enough. Yup, we knew our game was sunk when we flubbed one in round one! 😔

Round Two

Rock Bands – What band, founded in San Francisco in 1973, had hits including Escape, Faithfully and Wheel in the Sky ?

Corporate Parents – Disney is the corporate parent of what broadcast network? My initial guess turned out to be correct, but I wasn’t really sure, and someone else’s guess sounded more “right.” Whoops… second “tell” that this wasn’t going to be our game to win!

Rivers – What river in South America has the biggest drainage system in the world?

Round Three

Scientific Notations – What is the scientific term for ten to the 100th power?

Health Food – Kefir, kimchee and sauerkraut are all examples of food that can be described by what adjective? Mike was the hero here, funny, we were talking about kimchee not too long ago! He had a half Korean friend when he was a kid whose mother made kimchee. He said the friend told him that the best way to eat it was to tilt your head back, hold the kimchee over your open throat and just let it fall in, making sure to not let it touch your tongue!

World Leaders – As of September, 2024, who is the current Speaker of the US House of Representatives?

Halftime – Name four of the five powers possessed by the Planeteers named Kwame, Wheeler, Linka, Gi, and Ma-Ti on the 1990 TV series Captain Planet. These powers are all considered natural elements.

Damnnit – We should’ve thought of that disco group! We put “air” as an incorrect answer, so only six points for us. I honestly don’t even remember this series (though my two teammates did)- but I was 18 and in high school. Off my radar. The only animated stuff I watched at this time was old Looney Tunes and Simpsons! Later on? Ren and Stimpy!

Three teams were tied for third with 33 points, one team was in second wirh 36 points and three teams were tied for first with 37 points. We were right behind this herd with 31 points and were in fourth. This was our first trivia meetup with our “trio” since July, we were playing catch-up and maybe we were not as focused on the game as we should have been!

Round Four

Festivals – In the annual La Tomatina Festival in Buñol, Spain, participants throw what at each other for an hour? How do I get an invite to this?

Currency – You’ll want to exchange your dollars for what type of currency when you fly into Cape Town, South Africa? I’m glad my teammates were all over this, beyond knowing what Yen, Pesos and Deutsch Marks are, I’m not really the “currency guy” on the team!

Spacecraft – Radioactive isotopes of what element provides the electricity to both Voyager space probes? What would Captain Planet think of this? We ALMOST used our freebie answer for this one, but I wanted to gamble on us knowing it (thankfully we did).

Round Five

Sports Contracts – Quarterback Sam Bradford signed an $86 million contract with what team in 2010, making him the highest paid rookie of all time? NOW was our time to use our freebie answer (though we woold regret that decision later)!

TV – What animated sitcom originally aired on Fox, moved to Comedy Central, and after moving again to Hulu, is projected to air new episodes until 2026? Yes this is an animated series I watch!

Flag Fun – Rather than try recreating this question, here’s a pic of the flag we had to identify in Africa:

We incorrectly guessed Senegal.

Round Six

World Capitals – What world capital is closest in distance from Washington, D.C.?

Memoirs – What actor published a memoir in 2022 titled Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing? I thought about the correct guy, but…nope, didn’t write his name on the slip.

Body Parts – What arachnid species has parts called spinneretts?

We were in fourth…again (cough) with 61 points going into the final. Hey, on a competitive night of trivia, that’s still holding our own – just a couple of right guesses instead of wrong ones might have placed us a bit higher (thems the breaks)!

We used the alias ” Walter Kovacs Fan Club.” Anyone else want a second season of that Watchmen series? Though I loved the movie and graphic novel, I was really drawn to the series because of who the composers were 🎶 ♥ ☺ Not sure about that Adrian Veidt storyline with all of the clones though, that was kind of f—ed up.

That final scene in the series by the pool though 🤔 😂

Our final category was:

Inventions

What XY position indicator for display systems was patented in 1970 by Douglas Englebart?

Nope, we did not know this.

One team was in third with 67 points, and two teams had to duke it out for first. Don’t know who won, we were in the parking lot and on our way to the next bar.

A possible “team” game for us next week! More than three playas! Anyone else excited? I know I am! Not saying where or when we’ll play (oh the suspense)…

As always, Go Pods, and stay classy, Matthew Perry!