Who you calling trivial?

So far, my New Year’s resolutions are going well. My first resolution was to write every week. This being my third blog post in three weeks, I call that one a success so far. My second was to finally stop saying I would go to bar trivia and actually go to bar trivia. I’m happy to report that I have actually gone. Twice!

For those not in the know, bar trivia is exactly what it sounds like. One night a week, several bars around the city host a trivia game. Teams of five or so people show up, drink beer, and answer trivia questions read by some sort of host or DJ. There are seven rounds of ten questions, and the top teams win gift certificates, cash prizes, or a percentage off their bill.

My teammates and I went in with low expectations – rather than trying to win, we were just shooting to not be last. On our first night, out of 17 teams, we came in 16th. Not last! On our second try, we came in not last, not second to last, but third to last. Moving up in the world, ever so slowly. In approximately three years, we might win.

Obviously, going to these trivia games is not a big confidence booster. I can’t say I’m surprised by the outcome, but I am surprised by one of the reasons our scores are so low. Sure, there are questions I don’t know. For instance, I don’t know the name of the last University of Michigan player to win the Heisman Trophy. (Charles Woodson) I don’t know which alcoholic drink is also an international radio code word. (whiskey) And I certainly don’t know what world nation is named after a ruler that lived there most recently from 19-something to 19-something. (The answer was Bolivia, but let me assure you, even with the years filled in, the question made no sense.) These missed questions don’t bother me much. There are bound to be lots of bits of knowledge I haven’t come across in my lifetime. The misses that bother me are the answers I DO know, but don’t allow myself to retrieve at the right moment.

Let me illustrate with an example. I knew the answer to this question: What Chinese philosopher was featured in a 1980s song? The answer, of course, is Wang Chung. But the answer we wrote down? Confucius. That’s right. Everybody have fun tonight – everybody Confucius tonight! The most irritating and belittling thing about getting that question wrong is that one of my teammates said the correct answer immediately after she heard the question. We all agreed for a moment, then promptly dismissed the idea that Wang Chung could be a real person. Then, when the DJ read the answers, we all kicked ourselves.

I know lots of 80s music, and I know only one Chinese philosopher. So why did I bank on the Chinese philosopher? Probably because I didn’t want to admit that I know more about 80s music than Chinese philosophers. I would have rather guessed right about a Chinese philosopher than guessed right about 80s pop. It was a stupid kind of pride, and in an attempt to feel smarter, I made myself look (and feel) like an idiot. Score one for Katie!

We’re going to another game next week. My strategy for moving up to fourth to last? Play to my strengths, even if I’m not proud of them.