I auditioned for the game show Jeopardy once upon a time. The test didn't strike me as all that difficult, although if I'd studied the Supreme Court justices and which President nominated them, I would have aced it. Anyway, I passed, as did three other people in the group, but they only accepted one of us as a contestant. So my brief career as the Queen of All That is Trivial ended about as well as Lady Jane Gray's attempt to circumvent the English line of succession for the throne. I guess that makes me the Historical Footnote of Useless Info rather than the Queen.
While I might not have had the chance to humiliate myself on TV (maybe I won after all), in my hovel, I am still the undisputed champ of specialized knowledge. Want to know where the fingernail clippers went to since they aren't where they belong? I know. When is R's sister's birthday? I know. I can even field the vague ones. "What was the name of that ...*snap, snap* You know. Where we went with... *helpless look* Were Pam and Mike with us? You know. Last May. And they had the thingy, and... *pleading gesture*" And believe it or not, I will know what R is talking about from just that bit of information, and have the answers.
There are also things I'd rather normal people didn't know that I know. While shopping for ski gear with R last November, the topic of Star Trek naturally came up. You know. Like it does. As I looked through a rack of parkas, R commented about the blue aliens in the original series but couldn't remember the name of their race. Without looking up, I said, "They were the Andorians, dear." A deep, melted chocolate sort of chuckle jolted me out of trivia mode. On the other side of the circular rack was a scruffy, buff, twenty five-year old sex God. His brown eyes fairly twinkled with amusement. Yeah. Great time to get my geek on in public.
My real trivia talent, other than finding nail clippers and embarrassing myself in front of out-of-my-league-anyway hotties, is the ability to remember obscure facts about people. Tell me that you're looking for a horror writer who has worked in film production in Canada, and if I've ever met such a person, I'll not only remember that they mentioned it in passing several years ago, but I'll introduce you. Connecting people is a bit of a hobby of mine. While the experience or traits that bring them together are trivia, I don't think that's a trivial pursuit.
Saturday's Guest could be YOU! Yes you, dear reader ... here's how.
ReplyDeleteI challenge the Oh Get A Grip readers to all be this week's Saturday guest. Send me an email at theeroticpen@yahoo.com with the subject 'OGG Trivia' before Friday night, and include your favorite ONE piece of trivia and what name you want it posted as. NO email addys will be included. I will compile the results on Saturday morning and post them. So, any takers?
Kathleen - Hubby has that whole geek thing going on with music. Band members, songs, albums, record labels (to some degree), year ... and even in some cases, if it was a #1 hit at any point in time. Sometimes, he is really good - remakes. If its a remake, who did the original, how does it differ, etc. Although, most of his trivia is from the late 70-early 90s, and is rock, and some pop rock. No country, rap, etc.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how the brain works sometimes.
I'm somewhat like you, Kathleen, in terms of the ways my memory works. (Apologies if the comparison alarms you.) But, seriously, it's fun being the "memory banks" and the "finder," don't you think?
ReplyDeleteKathleen,
ReplyDeleteI need somebody like you. I'm horrible at remembering people's names. Always have been.
I love the Star Trek story, though.
The only cultural phenomenon where I might be able to compete is facts about Gilbert and Sullivan operettas!
Best,
Lisabet
Michelle - Well, someone has to know that stuff! One of the many things that I love about the internet is how people who have specialized knowledge like your husband will take the time to document it in a website so that people like me can tap into their memory.
ReplyDeleteJeremy - that doesn't scare me at all! How frightening is that?
ReplyDeleteAnd I do love being the "finder." Hooking up people across the universe is fun.
Jeremy - that doesn't scare me at all! How frightening is that?
ReplyDeleteAnd I do love being the "finder." Hooking up people across the universe is fun.
Lisabet - I'm so tempted to make a comment about have only a "smattering of elemental strategy," but I'll hold back. R and I both came from Gilbert and Sullivan families, so it's not uncommon for us to throw in an "Oh joy! Oh rapture!" or "I say, that's a picturesque uniform," into our conversations, but it's not as if I know enough to recall the title of their operetta that makes fun of Lord Byron and the other romantic poets.
ReplyDeleteStar Trek - I want to know who that platinum blonde with the big hair and the tin foil brassiere was who the aliens had chosen Captain kirk to mate with. They had these choke collars on to make sure they got the message, and where can i find pictures of her on the internet . . . no I didn;t say that.
ReplyDeleteGarce
Garce - They better come out with a new movie so we can talk Trek and not seem like old folks. I liked the reboot for the franchise. Oops, I mean, R liked the reboot for the franchise. *shifty eyes*
ReplyDelete"You know. LIke it does."
ReplyDeleteYes, I do know! Great post. On the East Coast, I'm the trivia queen, or at least I like to think I have an answer for everyone (geek!). But, somehow, I think you've got me beat.
Although, I do have a deluxe Star Trek trivia game I got in Vegas when the Hilton still had the exhibit... that I kick ass with!
D.L.
ReplyDeleteI only have surface knowledge of Star Trek, but enough to fake knowledge. I do panels at a science fiction convention in San Diego every year, and I hide during their trivia for chocolate game because every time they say, "Okay, this is an easy one," I realize how little I know. On the other hand, I've been to a wedding that was done entirely in Klingon, so I have some geek cred.