We Gave Up Winning for Lent

Overview

Christine and I adopted the timely moniker "We Gave Up Winning for Lent" this month (after considering and dismissing "We Judge Mike D When He Uses Poor Grammar"). All I can say about that is, mission accomplished!

Apparently, almost everybody else in Cleveland gave up staying home on Wednesday nights, since the place was pretty packed. I got there an hour beforehand and couldn't find an empty table. Some of the lepers told me that when they arrived at 5:30 the tables in the front were already taken. Luckily, they managed to stake out a rather large table in the center; since it was just me and Christine, there was room for our team of two at one end while the lepers (a/k/a "Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?") kept to the other end.

Scores & Standings

Round 1: The Arts — 8 points
Round 2: Scientificals and Mathenomics — 4 points
Round 3: Sports Things — 8 points
Round 4: The Film Industry — 13 points

Picture Round: Board Games — 9 points

Round 5: Geography — 7 points
Round 6: Random Questions from My Brain — 9 points
Round 7: Video Round — 7 points
Round 8: Missing Link — 5 points


We were in seventh place at halftime, after doing surprisingly well in sports and totally killing the movie round, which had several bonus-point opportunities.

We finished eighth out of twenty-four teams. We were hoping that the mass exodus while Mike D tabulated the final scores would mean that we would get the lottery tickets by default, but no such luck. (I finally remembered to give Christine her share of the tickets we won the other month. She came thisclose to winning $2,500. Sigh.)

Once again, Team 11 came in second, much to the delight of the assembled crowd. On our way out, Christine and I quietly mocked them for having to split $136.25 between seven people.

Quotable Quotes and Notable Notes

• While I was waiting for Christine to arrive, one of the lepers politely offered me a Sudoku-like puzzle to help me pass the time. (He always has a book of math-related games with him.) I totally suck at regular Sudoku, but this was some variant called KenKen, which uses basic math operations to add a whole level of complexity that I was not anywhere near ready to deal with. Thankfully, Christine showed up after only a few minutes of me staring at the sheet of paper in utter confusion.
  
  

• The second question of the night was about the first unsupported standing work in bronze cast during the Renaissance. It boiled down to "Name a Ninja Turtle," and we picked the wrong one. Doh!
  
  
• In the aftermath of the question about the Adrien Brody film The Pianist, we found out that Mike D would have been more willing to accept "the penis." O, the hilarity! This was just after the debate that broke out after the Jonas Brothers question: "Resolved: Mike D looks like a Jonas Brother." His mom successfully refuted the assertion by pointing out that the Jonas Brothers are cute. And talented.
  
  
• The question for this video was, "Did the x-ray vision include the mailbox, or just the clothing?" In conversation with some team at the front of the room, Mike D had to emphasize "That's M-A-I-L!!!!," which sent me and Christine into fits of giggles. Because we're twelve.
  
  
• The missing link was once again impossible for us to figure out. To make it even worse, it was worth 16 points. Sadly, my suggestion to make it worth negative points was summarily dismissed.

I'll Take Fake Answers for $1000, Alex

• What American novelist created the fictional county of Yoknapatawpha?
  Dr. Seuss (William Faulkner)
  
  

• Which insect has been used to treat baldness?
  dung beetles* (blister beetles)
  
  
• Name the three Jonas brothers. Bonus question: Which name sucks the most?
  Blossom, Buttercup, Bubbles; all of them (Nick, Kevin, Joe; Jonas)
  
  
• Notre Dame cathedral is in what city?
  South Bend (Paris)
  
  
• What's the answer to the secret question?
  You're a douchebag. (Misa Amane)
  (Each month, a secret question is posted on Mike D's site. Sign up on the site to get access to the secrets section.)
  
  

*Which prompted the reaction, "What have you been rubbing your head in?"