Pub Trivia Time

For one freedom-filled night each month the Hubby and I are allowed to pretend like we are still young, free, and somewhat intelligent.

I escape my role of a simple suburban stay-at-home mom and hit our local English pub for a night of pints, adult conversation and fiercely competitive pub trivia. I can dress in something besides playground clothes. I don't have to worry about watching my mouth (in fact, no one swears like a buzzed Englishman--or woman). And there are absolutely no discussions about potty training or preschools. Heaven.

The Guinness and Cider start flowing and we all start to forget about our insane jobs and crazy lives. The inane sounds of Sponge Bob drift out of my subconscious, replaced by classic English Pop and Rock. And since it is an English Pub, this is not a night for girly little light beers or wussy wine (which, if you ask for, you have a choice of red, white, or pink). Jager Bombs, perhaps...

The many teams, consisting of up to seven smarty-pants, huddle around their pub tables, scribbling down answers to questions from all ends of the trivia spectrum. Each answer is then debated in sometimes fervent yet hushed tones before we finally settle on the final answer.

The competition is fierce, as there is usually a decent pot going out to the winning team--at least enough to cover the bar tab. Many teams have been joining us at the Pub for nearly a decade. There are teams we respect and don't mind if they pull out a win over us and other teams we abhor (due to their cheating and overall poor sportsmanship) and must beat at all costs.


Below are the question for August's Quiz (except for question 50, which was just too long for me to scribble down after a couple of ciders). It is one of our most difficult quizzes to date. And FYI: there are no books, internet, or other study aids allowed.

How well do you think you can do?

Answers are listed at the end--no peeking!



QUESTIONS:

1. Which is the rarest blood type: A, B, or AB?

2. What is the more common name for the Emperor Charles I?

3. At which two prisons did Johnny Cash perform live in concert?

4. What mountain range lies between France and Spain?

5. How may eyes are there in a standard deck of 52 cards?

6. Henry Alfred Kissinger was the first naturalized citizen to become Secretary of State. Where was he born?

7. What is the name of the British air craft carrier which docked this month at Port Canaveral?

8. Which scientific instrument is used to measure atmospheric pressure?

9. Complaints about this caused many broadcasters to filter the sound coverage of the 2010 World Cup.

10. Which team won the 2010 Six Nation Rugby Championship?

11. Name the skateboarding star nicknamed "The Birdman."

12. In which year was the last execution at the Tower of London: 1901, 1920, 1941, or 1950?

13. Which rock band has been playing together for the most number of years?

14. What is the common name for the ailment tinea pedis?

15. Which person made headlines by appearing at Wimbledon for the first time since 1977?

16. Wimbledon also made headlines this year with one of the longest tennis matches played. Who was the match between and how long did the match last?

17. What is the formula of the Pythagorean Theorem?

18. Name the General fired by the Obama administration after he made disparaging remarks during a Rolling Stone interview.

19. Who is the youngest: Renee Zellweger, Jude Law, Jack Black, or Adam Sandler?

20. How many squares are on a chess board?

21. Who dropped two balls from the Leaning Tower of Pisa to prove a point: Newton, Galileo, Einstein, or Coppernecuis?

22. Which invention by Benjamin Holt improved farm life in 1900?

23. In June of 2010, Utah executed a prisoner by what controversial method?

24. What was the name of Madonna's first album?

25. How many laps of 200 did Dale Earnheardt finish during his final NASCAR race, the 2001 Daytona 500?

26. Name the first husband and wife to win Best Male/Female Singer at the CMAs the same year.

27. Tourism increased 46% in this city after the release of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

28.Name the crooner also known as "Dr. Love" and "The Prince of Pillow Talk."

29. What car maker cashed in on the retro craze by reintroducing the Cooper Mini in 2001.

30. At the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, how often is the Guard changed and how many steps does he take in his walk across the tomb?

31. How many females have been commissioned to fly the presidential helicopter?

32. Who was the Orlando Magic's 1st round draft pick?

33. What Cold War Eastern European alliance was an equivalent of NATO?

34. What Bronze Age sculptor is famous for his piece The Kiss?

35. Who is the only Hollywooder besides Robin Williams and Tom Hanks to star in 7 films during the 1990's grossing over 100 million?

36. What is the name of a group of lions?

37. What rock band includes members Frances Rossi and Rick Partiff and songs include Rockin' All Over the World and Whatever You Want?

38. Put the movie studios in order from oldest to newest: Warner Brothers, Universal, MGM.

39. Which planet is the brightest object in the sky after the sun and the moon?

40. What American author's works included The Raven and The Tell Tale Heart?

41. The Sami People are indigenous to which continent: Europe, Africa, South America?

42. Name the character who made his debut in the novel Red Dragon.

43. This designer profited by claiming that a woman looks beautiful wearing her boyfriend's t-shirt and underwear.

44. This historic song was recorded right after the 1985 American Music Awards.

45. What does PDF mean?

46. This company appeared in 1990 as the first real competitor of Nintendo.

47. Name the American teen who had the Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act named after him.

48. What golfer won the British Open in both 2007 and 2008?

49. Which European automaker introduced the first side air bags in 1998?


ANSWERS:


1. AB

2. Charlemagne

3. Folsom and San Quentin

4. Pyrenees

5. 42

6. Germany

7. HMS Ark Royal

8. barometer

9. Vuvuzela

10. France

11. Tony Hawk

12. 1941

13. The Rolling Stones

14. Athlete's Foot

15. Queen Elizabeth II

16. John Isner and Nicolas Mahut, 11 hours

17. a^2 + b^2 = c^2

18. General Stanley McChrystal

19. Jude Law

20. 64

21. Galileo

22. tractor

23. firing squad

24. Madonna

25. 199

26. Faith Hill and Tim McGraw

27. Savannah

28. Barry White

29. BMW

30. every 30 minutes, 21 steps

31. 1

32. Daniel Orton

33. The Warsaw Pact

34. Rodin

35. Julia Roberts

36. a pride

37. Status Quo

38. Universal, Warnner Bros., MGM

39. Venus

40. Edgar Allen Poe

41. Europe

42. Hannibal Lecter

43. Calvin Klein

44. We Are the World

45. portable document format

46. Sega

47. Ryan White

48. Padraig Harrington

49. Volvo


So, how did you do?

Unwinding on Star Island

I am lounging on my porch, cooling my heels after this evening’s inane drama with a chilly glass (or two) of chardonnay to help speed up the process. A thunderstorm has been teasing my scorched grass, lingering around the outskirts of my yard for hours. I'm thrilled the thermometer arm has finally slid under the 80 degree mark, but the humidity is still hovering around 100% and I can see the moisture (and mosquitoes) hanging in the over-saturated air.

And I swear it is raining on my next-door neighbor's lawn.

Ah, the joys of Florida.

Thankfully I am being thoroughly entertained by the most recent Carl Hiaasen novel, Star Island.

Thank you, Carl. Your new novel is exactly what I've been needing.

This new Florida fairy tale lampoons the glut of vaporous pop culture superstars taking over South Beach. The story revolves around Cherry Pye, a rather randy disaster of a lip-syncing pop star--essentially a Brittany Lohan. The cast of characters includes her spunky "stunt double" Ann DeLusia; Bang Abbot, an obsessed and odorous paparazzo turned inept kidnapper; and Chemo, a weed whacker wielding bodyguard charged with keeping her from going on a permanent bender. Throw in the requisite corrupt developer and the endearingly off-kilter crusader Skink and I am in for an entertaining ride.

I may have been dedicating most of my book related blog posts to Chick Lit and romances, but a special place in my book-loving soul is saved for smart and snarky satires.

And the King of that genre is Carl.

I read his first novel, Tourist Season when I was a young and impressionable reader around the age of 14.

And I friggin loved it.

The blatant sarcasm. The witty repartee. Murder, mayhem, and outrageous characters that seemed to push the envelope of parody...yet if you ever lived in South Florida, you were surrounded by them everyday.

Hiaasen tells of the dregs of society who somehow end up flowing (or fleeing) South and end up in the bizarre Wonderland called Florida. Who else can spin tales involving a crusading one-eyed ex-Governor turned Everglades hermit who dines primarily on road kill? Or a deranged red-neck with a decaying pit bull head attached to his arm? And why not dump a spiny sea urchin into the diaper of a greedy developer who paid crackheads to cut down acres of endangered mangroves in the Florida Keys? It's absolutely brilliant and rather appropriate. I have secretly always wanted drop shopping bags full of snakes on a cruise ship and feed annoying tourists to a crocodile named Pavlov.

His books always have an unlikely hero, a gorgeous and gutsy young woman, corrupt bad guys to foil (usually developers, crooked politicians, and someone trashing the environment), a whacked-out ally who may be the voice of reason, and tons of examples of why most Floridians should be chased back out of the state or used for bait at Gatorland.

Perhaps I am biased because I am South Florida Native who has always been outraged over the "knock it down and pave it over” mentality of Florida transplants, developers, and politicians. I actually prefer swampland to strip shopping centers.



A little Florida before and after...
















And it doesn't hurt that my Mom went to high school with the guy, which is why we always referred to him just as "Carl" in my house. And he's a Gator. I remember reading his savvy Miami Herald columns from the time I was old enough to pick up a newspaper (although sadly those should be on the endangered species list now as well).

I honestly can't think of another author who can have me laughing out loud so frequently. I have to be careful about reading his books in public places. I could easily get kicked out of a library or off an airplane for sudden raucous outbursts. Drinking hot beverages while reading his novels can also be dangerous (coffee out the nose has been know to occur).

Carl's black humor is usually laced with scathing truths regarding the callousness and immortality of our Sunshine State's motley population. But sometimes I just need one of his clever capers to remind me how I tolerate living in this screwed up paradise we call home.

Crashing the RWAs

Last Wednesday night Orlando was overrun with women with only one thing on their mind--romance.

The Romance Writers of America Annual Conference was held in a sultry and magical corner of O-town and from the moment I learned it would be here I knew I must be a part of it...one way or another.

I'm not a RWA member yet. I think if--no WHEN--I actually finish my first draft I will feel as if I deserve to be considered a genuine writer instead of just another hopeful hobbyist. Since I am not a card-carrying member I couldn't attend the workshops, meet and greets, and networking events even if I had coughed up the $500 bucks it cost to attend. I just wish it could have been held here in O-town next year or the year after when I will be ready--and so I wouldn't have to find the dough for plane fare and hotels in some far-flung city. Oh well, perhaps it will be a fabulous (and tax deductible) excuse for a mini vacation next year...

I wanted to get a feel for what it was like to be surrounded by so many professionals, and secretly hoped some of their insight and talent could be stealthily soaked up by some miracle of osmosis. Luckily a couple of my Book Club Girls decided that we should pay a visit during Wednesday night's "Readers For Life" Literacy Autographing. My heart audibly palpitated at the thought of being let loose amongst 500 published authors.

Funny thing was, I had never heard of the vast majority of them. Of course I recognized Nora Robers, Jayne Ann Krentz, Sherrilyn Kenyon, and Linda Howard since their books regularly grace the NYT Best Sellers List...but I don't read their books. I discovered that my idea of a romance novel is actually considered Contemporary Women's Fiction, Chick Lit is a dying genre (oh no!), and trashy bodice-rippers are still heavily en vogue.

I (along with a couple thousand fellow book lovers) arrived armed with book bags, cameras and cash to find ourselves swimming in a sea of estrogen and expectations. Authors were lined up in neat rows, their books stacked in front of them displaying covers illustrated with fanciful images of lust and love.

Most writers had a few fans in front of their tables and seemed delighted to sign stacks of books lovingly presented to them by their admirers. The stars of the show were stationed in the back of the ballroom with lines of eager readers snaking through the crowd.

I hit Meg Cabot's line at the start of the evening and picked up a signed copy of her latest lively read, Insatiable. I read the book when it was first released last month (checked out from the library, shhh!) so I already knew the spunky, tongue-in-cheek vamp story would be a welcome addition to my collection. Plus it looks good on my bookshelf (cool spine cover art). I was hoping there would be some copies of The Princess Diaries to pick up and have signed (come on, it's practically a classic now) but I suppose I should have just brought my own since none were available. Anyway, it was fun to finally meet her after following her witty chatter on facebook for a while.


After navigating my longest line of the evening I dropped by Mary Kay Andrews booth. I love her breezy, Southern prose and I had some well-loved (and slightly beat-up) copies of Savannah Blues, Savannah Breeze, and Little Bitty Lies for her to sign. And I had to pass along how much I loved her beach cottage featured in last month's Better Homes and Gardens.





Next I headed over to visit Jane Porter with a copy of Flirting with Forty. I have only read her "Modern Lit" novels--I had no idea she did Series Romance as well. I had a chance to chat with her for a little while, and found her delightful and down to earth. And she liked my new accidental haircut. (Never get a new hairstyle when voiceless and under the influence of cold meds.) How could I not love her?

But that was it. That was all the authors I had read.

My friends (and MANY other bibliophiles) went looking for some new books and browsed the author booths as if casually perusing a bookstore. I simply could not do it. There was no way I could walk right up to an author's table, nonchalantly pick up one of her novels (created through weeks, months, or even years of blood, sweat and tears), read the back cover and then just put it down and walk away. OMG--it's rejecting her right to her face. You might as well be saying her kid is too ugly or dumb for your taste. I was waiting for one writer to cry out, "Why don't you want to read MY book?"



I hope they have thick skins. I overheard one woman (whose identity I shall protect) say, "NASCAR romances? Even I couldn't read those..." It seems she was standing not quite far enough from the author, whose eyes widened in horror at the comment. Oops. But I can't blame her--no way I could read one either.



Instead, I moved within the crowd, secretly coming up with snarky comments about the covers and titles. I read one Harlequin Romance when I was in high school, and it's just not my thing. But apparently romance novels are still a hot commodity. Stacks of steamy cowboys, counts, princes, and billionaire tycoons (all with glistening abs of steel) stared up at me from the covers. And it seems only a true romance novel can make getting knocked up a story of passion and promise a happy ending.


Keeping up with the trends, vamps and other supernatural beings are hot, with their sultry, sharp teeth and dark, brooding gazes enticing women of all ages to cross over to the dark side.



And we couldn't help but notice the abundance of Jane Austin related spin-offs. It seems that Mr. Darcy is eternally the epitome of romance...


All in all it was a fun night. I hope to be at the RWA Conference again...only next time with a finished novel and a book deal in the works...

...after all, the moral of the story is a girl can always dream...