It's early Thursday morning. I just went to my osteopath (for my lower back and hip pain - yes, some days I might be 80), which apparently makes my breakfast digest faster, so I'm hungry and lunch is over 2 hours away. All of this is a long explanation for this week's trivia topic: food. We, once again, boycotted trivia, this time in favor of a Sea Dogs baseball game. So, I found my own trivia. Here it is:
*What is the most recognizable smell in the world?
*If the Japanese delicacy fugu pufferfish isn’t prepared by an expert chef, what will happen to the eater?
*How many pounds of cheese does the average American eat per year?
*Spilling salt is considered good luck in which country?
*According to superstition over which shoulder should you sprinkle salt?
*What was E.T.’s favorite candy?
*In which decade was the Slurpee introduced – 1960s, 70s or 80s?
*Who was the first Ronald McDonald?
*How many eggs does Paul Newman’s character eat in the movie Cool Hand Luke?
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Because trivia and house-hunting seem to go hand-in-hand in my mind, I'll provide a brief update. We found a condo - it's great, we want it. In crunching numbers, we have realized that it might mean stretching ourselves to purchase it, which is mind-boggling since my house in Mass cost 2 times as much and we made less money. Perhaps, we're being too conservative, but I just fear the house-poor situation I just left behind. We press on...
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Answers:
Coffee
S/he’ll die (it’s poisonous if not prepared correctly)
28 lbs.
Japan
Left
Reese’s Pieces
1960s – 1965 to be exact, at 7Eleven
In 1962 Willard Scott of the Today Show and Bozo the Clown fame became the first Ronald McDonald
50
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
I Keep Forgettin'
Besides being a great Michael McDonald song from the 80s, this is how I feel about my relationship with my blog sometimes. I actually forget that I have it and that I have to keep the content fresh and new in order to keep it happy (yes, I just admitted that I think my blog has feelings). You'd think it would haunt my sleep or something.
If I had blogged about my weekend, I would have written about the vile black liquer known as Jager. I was about to have a button made for myself: "32.5 years without puking". From drinking, that is. But, thanks to a shot of Jager (with a little help from its lesser offender the Lemon Drop and 6 beers), I have to call the printers and cancel the order. Happy Hour started at 5:00, I was all puked out and in bed by 8:30.
After pickling myself on Friday, did I listen to the sober voice of reason telling me that alcohol was not my friend? Did Britney rush out and buy some new underwear at wal-trash? (that means no) I actually felt pretty darn good on Saturday but by my the 2nd beer on Saturday night, my throat started to close and I realized that I should keep a water in my hand to ensure no more malted beverages made it to my stomach.
And then...
Friends came in to town on Sunday and after a meal that took 2+ hours and 3 bottles of wine, we made our way to a local pub for some after-dinner drinks. I capped my weekend off by getting pulled over by Portland's finest because he thought that our car wasn't inspected (it was but MA puts its sticker on the right side of the windshield where ME puts it on the left or center). He also mentioned that I had "rolled" through a few of the blinking red lights but for some reason he spared me with a verbal warning and my weekend of self-pickling and drunken debauchery came to an end.
If I had blogged about my weekend, I would have written about the vile black liquer known as Jager. I was about to have a button made for myself: "32.5 years without puking". From drinking, that is. But, thanks to a shot of Jager (with a little help from its lesser offender the Lemon Drop and 6 beers), I have to call the printers and cancel the order. Happy Hour started at 5:00, I was all puked out and in bed by 8:30.
After pickling myself on Friday, did I listen to the sober voice of reason telling me that alcohol was not my friend? Did Britney rush out and buy some new underwear at wal-trash? (that means no) I actually felt pretty darn good on Saturday but by my the 2nd beer on Saturday night, my throat started to close and I realized that I should keep a water in my hand to ensure no more malted beverages made it to my stomach.
And then...
Friends came in to town on Sunday and after a meal that took 2+ hours and 3 bottles of wine, we made our way to a local pub for some after-dinner drinks. I capped my weekend off by getting pulled over by Portland's finest because he thought that our car wasn't inspected (it was but MA puts its sticker on the right side of the windshield where ME puts it on the left or center). He also mentioned that I had "rolled" through a few of the blinking red lights but for some reason he spared me with a verbal warning and my weekend of self-pickling and drunken debauchery came to an end.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Happy Mouth, Happy Team
Yes, my mouth is still happy about having eaten lunch at the local Greek Festival. Tall Guy and I waited in line for about 30 minutes, but the gyro and greek salad were worth it. And the pastries for dessert...mmmmmm.
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Another kickball victory last night for "Rick is 21." We played killer defense and had some amazing base-running to put us ahead 4-1. I know it's only supposed to be for fun, but, Damn! I like winning.
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Another kickball victory last night for "Rick is 21." We played killer defense and had some amazing base-running to put us ahead 4-1. I know it's only supposed to be for fun, but, Damn! I like winning.
Makin' our way to the bar after the game
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Makin' my own fun
First of all, happy summer! It's freakin' gorgeous out, here in Portland.
Due to last week’s egregious emceeing at the local trivia night, we decided to skip it this week in protest (I’m sure that guy really missed us). In lieu of “pub trivia,” here is some good ol’ fashioned U.S. presidential history followed by trivia about my new home state.
*Who were the tallest and shortest presidents?
*Who was the only bachelor president?
*Which president served the shortest term?
*What was the first movie shown in the White House?
*What percent of the country’s lobster is caught off the coast of Maine?
*Portland is the birthplace of what famous poet, author of "Paul Revere’s Ride"?
*How many and which other U.S. states does Maine border?
*What is the nickname for Maine?
*How fast can a moose run?
*The state motto is Dirigo, also the name of a high school and health system in the state. What does it mean (in Latin)?
*What is the name of the largest indigenous Indian tribe in the state?
*What do the call letters of WCSH-TV, the NBC affiliate in Portland, stand for?
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‘Cause I can’t resist reporting about the stupidity of some people out there, here is a story about some candidates for a Darwin Award. Notice that I didn't mention that they are southern. I hope they at least got to smoke a cigarette.
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Apartment search update: We gave up the great place we had found because it meant taking a risk and putting down a bunch of money without knowing that our current place would definitely be rented. So, the bad news is we lost a pretty awesome apartment. The good news is we don’t have to move next week and we can now leave our lease when it’s actually up thereby ensuring we get our security deposit back. Because we can't accept having leisure time for some reason, we have now turned our eyes toward purchasing a home and have filled every available minute looking at possibilities. Between apartment and house hunting, I'm pretty sure we've been in over 2 dozen homes in the area. An important lesson learned: Tall Guy's head is higher than many ___________ (insert here: ceilings/stairwells/basements/showers).
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Answers:
*Lincoln at 6’4” and Madison at 5’4”
*James Buchanan
*William Henry Harrison (1 month)
*Birth of a Nation
*90%
*Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 2/2/1807
*One – New Hampshire
*Pine Tree State is the official nickname, but Vacationland is the other, more accurate, nickname (hint hint, come visit)
*About 30 mph
*"I lead" or "I direct"
*Abenaki
*Congress Square Hotel, owned by the founder of WCSH radio and television
Due to last week’s egregious emceeing at the local trivia night, we decided to skip it this week in protest (I’m sure that guy really missed us). In lieu of “pub trivia,” here is some good ol’ fashioned U.S. presidential history followed by trivia about my new home state.
*Who were the tallest and shortest presidents?
*Who was the only bachelor president?
*Which president served the shortest term?
*What was the first movie shown in the White House?
*What percent of the country’s lobster is caught off the coast of Maine?
*Portland is the birthplace of what famous poet, author of "Paul Revere’s Ride"?
*How many and which other U.S. states does Maine border?
*What is the nickname for Maine?
*How fast can a moose run?
*The state motto is Dirigo, also the name of a high school and health system in the state. What does it mean (in Latin)?
*What is the name of the largest indigenous Indian tribe in the state?
*What do the call letters of WCSH-TV, the NBC affiliate in Portland, stand for?
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‘Cause I can’t resist reporting about the stupidity of some people out there, here is a story about some candidates for a Darwin Award. Notice that I didn't mention that they are southern. I hope they at least got to smoke a cigarette.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Apartment search update: We gave up the great place we had found because it meant taking a risk and putting down a bunch of money without knowing that our current place would definitely be rented. So, the bad news is we lost a pretty awesome apartment. The good news is we don’t have to move next week and we can now leave our lease when it’s actually up thereby ensuring we get our security deposit back. Because we can't accept having leisure time for some reason, we have now turned our eyes toward purchasing a home and have filled every available minute looking at possibilities. Between apartment and house hunting, I'm pretty sure we've been in over 2 dozen homes in the area. An important lesson learned: Tall Guy's head is higher than many ___________ (insert here: ceilings/stairwells/basements/showers).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Answers:
*Lincoln at 6’4” and Madison at 5’4”
*James Buchanan
*William Henry Harrison (1 month)
*Birth of a Nation
*90%
*Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 2/2/1807
*One – New Hampshire
*Pine Tree State is the official nickname, but Vacationland is the other, more accurate, nickname (hint hint, come visit)
*About 30 mph
*"I lead" or "I direct"
*Abenaki
*Congress Square Hotel, owned by the founder of WCSH radio and television
Monday, June 18, 2007
Family
This weekend brought together a lot of Italians in one place. The highlights:
*Homemade wine. Almost 2 years ago, my cousin Jayne revealed that she had all of the original wine-making equipment from my great grandmother’s basement. This brought a flurry of planning to make wine “like grandma.” So they tried it. And it’s pretty good, but my cousin Jayne and her husband have continued to refine the process and they are now really good at it. They have even bought part of a vineyard so they can grow their own grapes and make more wine. A future wine-tasting was promised.
*Music. We’re Italian, there was accordion music. It was ethnic and good.
*Food. See the Italian thing above.
*Whiffleball. A 4-on-4 game, my 2 bros on one team, Tall Guy and I on the other – a smattering of cousins rounding things out. Despite taunts from my brothers, I hit 2 singles, helped a rally that put our team up 5-1 and then closed out the 5th inning, striking out my cousin Erik to end the game victorious. Dingers!
*My younger brother/Slipping and sliding. My younger brother is a walking human party. It was hot, he thought that a slip ‘n slide would be fun. He went and bought one. It was fun.
*My family. Despite some lone crazies who try to bring down the enjoyment level, my family is not bad and I enjoyed seeing everyone and catching up. The old timers can still tell a story. My mother can definitely take a joke. And at the end of the day, it can be nice to reconnect. And then to go home until next year.
*Homemade wine. Almost 2 years ago, my cousin Jayne revealed that she had all of the original wine-making equipment from my great grandmother’s basement. This brought a flurry of planning to make wine “like grandma.” So they tried it. And it’s pretty good, but my cousin Jayne and her husband have continued to refine the process and they are now really good at it. They have even bought part of a vineyard so they can grow their own grapes and make more wine. A future wine-tasting was promised.
*Music. We’re Italian, there was accordion music. It was ethnic and good.
*Food. See the Italian thing above.
*Whiffleball. A 4-on-4 game, my 2 bros on one team, Tall Guy and I on the other – a smattering of cousins rounding things out. Despite taunts from my brothers, I hit 2 singles, helped a rally that put our team up 5-1 and then closed out the 5th inning, striking out my cousin Erik to end the game victorious. Dingers!
*My younger brother/Slipping and sliding. My younger brother is a walking human party. It was hot, he thought that a slip ‘n slide would be fun. He went and bought one. It was fun.
*My family. Despite some lone crazies who try to bring down the enjoyment level, my family is not bad and I enjoyed seeing everyone and catching up. The old timers can still tell a story. My mother can definitely take a joke. And at the end of the day, it can be nice to reconnect. And then to go home until next year.
the four (of 7) remaining "greats"
having "cosmos" with my adorable niece
i hope he never grows up
call it a tie
Friday, June 15, 2007
Too sad to talk about it
I didn't mention our kickball game last night. It was a tough game - we were down some key members of our team - and the end result was not in our favor. Despite having a lead at two different points of the game, we lost 5-3. The team that beat us is a good team and we were out defended.
On a happy kickball note, I won this week's photo contest with the high-five pic I posted earlier. Ten bucks at $3 Deweys. That's a whole pitcher with $2 to spare. Drowning my sorrow tastes all the sweeter when it's free.
This weekend is my annual family reunion. Tall Guy is thrilled beyond words to be accompanying me (or maybe he's not talking to me?). I'm banking on at least one good post from the event.
On a happy kickball note, I won this week's photo contest with the high-five pic I posted earlier. Ten bucks at $3 Deweys. That's a whole pitcher with $2 to spare. Drowning my sorrow tastes all the sweeter when it's free.
This weekend is my annual family reunion. Tall Guy is thrilled beyond words to be accompanying me (or maybe he's not talking to me?). I'm banking on at least one good post from the event.
Pride
Speaking of rainbows...
I am proud of the legislators in my home state for protecting the decision that allows people to live their lives as they'd like.
When the head of the Mass F@mily Insti tute says "it's certainly a setback," I kick my heels together in glee. The idea that people can define a family as one thing is absurd and insulting. A lot of my life was spent with a non-traditional family life and I have not gone on to bite the heads off animals. Why it matters to Bible-thumping conservatives how people conduct their business INSIDE their own homes is beyond me. Especially when some of those same thumpers are not so clean and "holy" behind their own doors (I'm looking at you, Ted Haggard).
From the Boston Globe: "Isaacson, cochairwoman of the Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus and its chief legislative lobbyist, said the amendment's defeat is a "monumental and historic moment" that not only marks a crushing setback to gay-marriage opponents in Massachusetts but also to conservative forces across the nation.
"This was the battleground; our opponents considered this to be ground zero," said Isaacson, referring to Massachusetts' status as the first and only state in the nation to sanction gay marriage.
Guerriero, a former Republican legislator from Melrose who is now executive director of Gill Action, a national political organization that promotes gay rights, said the Legislature's vote has broad national implications.
"Every single state in America was looking at Massachusetts today for a message, and the message is clear, that this state's experience in marriage equality has endured and thrived," Guerriero said." (Phillips/Estes June 15, 2007)
If the amendment had been put to the voters, there is a great chance it would have been overturned anyay, but I'm glad that this won't be the focus on the ballot in Mass in November 2008. Take that Karl Rove. Now if we could get some of this enlightened thinking to permeate northern Maine...
I am proud of the legislators in my home state for protecting the decision that allows people to live their lives as they'd like.
When the head of the Mass F@mily Insti tute says "it's certainly a setback," I kick my heels together in glee. The idea that people can define a family as one thing is absurd and insulting. A lot of my life was spent with a non-traditional family life and I have not gone on to bite the heads off animals. Why it matters to Bible-thumping conservatives how people conduct their business INSIDE their own homes is beyond me. Especially when some of those same thumpers are not so clean and "holy" behind their own doors (I'm looking at you, Ted Haggard).
From the Boston Globe: "Isaacson, cochairwoman of the Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus and its chief legislative lobbyist, said the amendment's defeat is a "monumental and historic moment" that not only marks a crushing setback to gay-marriage opponents in Massachusetts but also to conservative forces across the nation.
"This was the battleground; our opponents considered this to be ground zero," said Isaacson, referring to Massachusetts' status as the first and only state in the nation to sanction gay marriage.
Guerriero, a former Republican legislator from Melrose who is now executive director of Gill Action, a national political organization that promotes gay rights, said the Legislature's vote has broad national implications.
"Every single state in America was looking at Massachusetts today for a message, and the message is clear, that this state's experience in marriage equality has endured and thrived," Guerriero said." (Phillips/Estes June 15, 2007)
If the amendment had been put to the voters, there is a great chance it would have been overturned anyay, but I'm glad that this won't be the focus on the ballot in Mass in November 2008. Take that Karl Rove. Now if we could get some of this enlightened thinking to permeate northern Maine...
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Someday, we'll find it...
We did find it! It's right here in Portland, Maine - the rainbow connection. I wanted to hunt down the leprechans at the end of this one, but Tall Guy wisely advised against this. We went to the pet store instead and bought 2 new fish. One died overnight, continuing our streak of fishicide in Maine. We are down to one fish we brought with us from Mass and one that we bought the other night and who hangs on to its fragile life in our doomed fish tank. I showed them the rainbow on the way home. Would've thought that would want to make them live.
I heart rainbows. All those colors.
I heart rainbows. All those colors.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
I'm not normally a praying man, but if you're up there, please save me, Superman!!*
Trivia last night was one of the most contentious contests to date. In the first round, a question was asked about a 4-sided shape with 2 parallel sides. A trapezoid, right? Wrong. A trapezium. A word that none of us had heard.
From Wikipedia: "A trapezoid (in North America) or trapezium (in Britain and elsewhere) is a quadrilateral, which is defined as a shape with four sides, which has a pair of parallel sides...The exactly opposite concept, a quadrilateral that has no parallel sides, is referred to as a trapezium in North America, and as a trapezoid in Britain and elsewhere."
Either way, the answer should have been trapezoid and we should have had a 10 in our first round. Then, at the end of the game, two teams were tied for first (we were not one of them) and the emcee asked "What is the largest American city?" One guy said, "New York". Incorrect according to the announcer. "Los Angeles" said the other. Correct. When conducting a search, by population, of our largest American cities, by population within city limits: NY=8.2 million. LA=3.8 million. Maybe he meant metro area? NY metro area=18.8 million . LA? 12.9. We are definitely starting to question where this game gets its facts.
Moving on...
The title of my post was a question - which animated character said it? D'oh.
The ones we missed, whether due to horrendous question reading by the emcee, or otherwise:
*Who composed the musical/story "Peter and the Wolf"?
*Yasser Arafat had a state funeral in which country?
*According to Islamic law, after having sex with a lamb, it is considered a mortal sin to do what? The answer is NOT smoke a cigarette
*From which plant does linseed oil come?
*What is the only capital mentioned in Genesis still in existence today?
Two questions we overthought when the simple, obvious answer was right:
*At the Siege of Yorktown, to which general did General Lord Cornwallis surrender?
*What is the term for the asexual reproduction of an organism resulting in a new multicellular organism genetically identical to another? Or something like that.
And, 'cause we're not total morons:
*What is the name for a triangle in which all sides or angles are different?
*What was the title of the tv show about a Canadian mountie who settles in Chicago?
*Who's first novel was The Time Machine?
*What is removed when an orchidectomy is performed?
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Still no word on our apartment front. Found the perfect place. Check. The owners want to rent it to us. Check.
Hurdles one and two down. However, we just can't bear the thought of eating our original security deposit if our current place doesn't re-rent. So, we now play the waiting game as our landlady tries to get new tenants and we cross everything we can (and I mean everything).
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Answers:
It was Homer Simpson and I totally agree with him
Sergei Prokofiev
Egypt (we put France, which is where he died)
Eat it
Flax
Damascus
George Washington (we put Horatio Gates cause Purple Peter wrote a paper on this Battle in, like, 9th grade and remembered that name)
cloning (not meiosis)
scalene
"Due South"
H.G. Wells
testicle (ouch)
From Wikipedia: "A trapezoid (in North America) or trapezium (in Britain and elsewhere) is a quadrilateral, which is defined as a shape with four sides, which has a pair of parallel sides...The exactly opposite concept, a quadrilateral that has no parallel sides, is referred to as a trapezium in North America, and as a trapezoid in Britain and elsewhere."
Either way, the answer should have been trapezoid and we should have had a 10 in our first round. Then, at the end of the game, two teams were tied for first (we were not one of them) and the emcee asked "What is the largest American city?" One guy said, "New York". Incorrect according to the announcer. "Los Angeles" said the other. Correct. When conducting a search, by population, of our largest American cities, by population within city limits: NY=8.2 million. LA=3.8 million. Maybe he meant metro area? NY metro area=18.8 million . LA? 12.9. We are definitely starting to question where this game gets its facts.
Moving on...
The title of my post was a question - which animated character said it? D'oh.
The ones we missed, whether due to horrendous question reading by the emcee, or otherwise:
*Who composed the musical/story "Peter and the Wolf"?
*Yasser Arafat had a state funeral in which country?
*According to Islamic law, after having sex with a lamb, it is considered a mortal sin to do what? The answer is NOT smoke a cigarette
*From which plant does linseed oil come?
*What is the only capital mentioned in Genesis still in existence today?
Two questions we overthought when the simple, obvious answer was right:
*At the Siege of Yorktown, to which general did General Lord Cornwallis surrender?
*What is the term for the asexual reproduction of an organism resulting in a new multicellular organism genetically identical to another? Or something like that.
And, 'cause we're not total morons:
*What is the name for a triangle in which all sides or angles are different?
*What was the title of the tv show about a Canadian mountie who settles in Chicago?
*Who's first novel was The Time Machine?
*What is removed when an orchidectomy is performed?
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Still no word on our apartment front. Found the perfect place. Check. The owners want to rent it to us. Check.
Hurdles one and two down. However, we just can't bear the thought of eating our original security deposit if our current place doesn't re-rent. So, we now play the waiting game as our landlady tries to get new tenants and we cross everything we can (and I mean everything).
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Answers:
It was Homer Simpson and I totally agree with him
Sergei Prokofiev
Egypt (we put France, which is where he died)
Eat it
Flax
Damascus
George Washington (we put Horatio Gates cause Purple Peter wrote a paper on this Battle in, like, 9th grade and remembered that name)
cloning (not meiosis)
scalene
"Due South"
H.G. Wells
testicle (ouch)
Monday, June 11, 2007
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Friday, June 8, 2007
Rick rides again
The kickball competition was fierce last night as we played a team much better than their 1-3-1 record conveys. They had solid fielding and base-running, and some very spirited costumes, but they ultimately couldn't overcome the excellent offense of the "Rick is 21" crew (including a 3-run homer). I managed to go 2 for 3, ultimately driving in the game-winning RBI. I also managed to get into the direct path of a stellar 5th-inning line-drive made by one of my own teammates. The ball left his foot and zoomed straight toward me (I had stepped off of first base to head to second and then turned to watch the ball). Like a deer caught in the headlights, I took the ball directly in the arms, which I had put up to protect my chest.
Brilliant.
Some pics of the team:
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No plans this weekend other than baseball and packing/organizing for the move. We still don't know about the status of our current apartment, but we're crossing our fingers that it is rented by Monday.
Brilliant.
Some pics of the team:
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No plans this weekend other than baseball and packing/organizing for the move. We still don't know about the status of our current apartment, but we're crossing our fingers that it is rented by Monday.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Social Butterflies
Attended a work event Tuesday night – a lovely cocktail reception to celebrate the people who have given to the UW endowment – at which our brightest, bubbliest selves were required. This event also required that we dress up, so once the reception ended, Tall Guy and I high-tailed it to trivia wearing a suit and heels, respectively. People were impressed with our dedication. The fancy duds did little to help our scores; the questions were tough this week and we didn't fare too badly, but we didn't win. Final score 38 - the winners pulled in a 42.
The questions that got away:
*Who wrote "A Long Day's Journey Into Night"?
*According to Greek mythology, who founded Carthage?
*What is the gestational period of a horse?
*What is the country where couscous orginated?
*Which NFL team won the Super Bowl in 1981 as the Wild Card?
*In which country was Florence Nightingale born?
*In the game of Snooker, how much is the yellow ball worth?
*What is another name for the mountain lion?
*Which African animal kills the most humans per year? (no, the answer is not other humans)
A couple that we got, just to show that we're not blithering idiots:
*What is the second largest ethnic population in Iraq after Arabs?
*Which African country did the U.S. bomb in January 2007?
*An egg does not contain which of the following vitamins: A, C, or B?
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We are deep in the middle of a hunt for a new apartment. Our current place is nice, but we have never really gotten cell phone reception within the walls of the house (pretty chilly when you want to give someone a call in January) and our cable reception was shoddy, too, so much so that we cancelled it back in February and turned entirely to Netflix for our entertainment. We want a place where we can happily host all the people who come visit (hint hint), and where we can live for a few years until we decide where/when to buy a house. And, we have found a place that we love, but we are cutting out early on our lease and have to make sure that our current place is rented before we put down $$ on the new place. Ah, the joys of renting.
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Answers:
Eugene O'Neill
Queen Dido (I went with the patriarchal angle of Aeneus)
11 months
Libya
The Raiders (I erased this in favor of the Philadelphia Eagles who, in fact, have NEVER won a Super Bowl
Italy
2
Puma (pronounced by the Irish emcee as pume-ah, which for some reason was hilarious)
crocodiles
Kurds
Somalia
Vitamin C
The questions that got away:
*Who wrote "A Long Day's Journey Into Night"?
*According to Greek mythology, who founded Carthage?
*What is the gestational period of a horse?
*What is the country where couscous orginated?
*Which NFL team won the Super Bowl in 1981 as the Wild Card?
*In which country was Florence Nightingale born?
*In the game of Snooker, how much is the yellow ball worth?
*What is another name for the mountain lion?
*Which African animal kills the most humans per year? (no, the answer is not other humans)
A couple that we got, just to show that we're not blithering idiots:
*What is the second largest ethnic population in Iraq after Arabs?
*Which African country did the U.S. bomb in January 2007?
*An egg does not contain which of the following vitamins: A, C, or B?
---------------------------------------------------------------
We are deep in the middle of a hunt for a new apartment. Our current place is nice, but we have never really gotten cell phone reception within the walls of the house (pretty chilly when you want to give someone a call in January) and our cable reception was shoddy, too, so much so that we cancelled it back in February and turned entirely to Netflix for our entertainment. We want a place where we can happily host all the people who come visit (hint hint), and where we can live for a few years until we decide where/when to buy a house. And, we have found a place that we love, but we are cutting out early on our lease and have to make sure that our current place is rented before we put down $$ on the new place. Ah, the joys of renting.
------------------------------------------------------------
Answers:
Eugene O'Neill
Queen Dido (I went with the patriarchal angle of Aeneus)
11 months
Libya
The Raiders (I erased this in favor of the Philadelphia Eagles who, in fact, have NEVER won a Super Bowl
Italy
2
Puma (pronounced by the Irish emcee as pume-ah, which for some reason was hilarious)
crocodiles
Kurds
Somalia
Vitamin C
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Vote for Ron
I got an email from my younger brother this morning with a plea for my vote. Since my brother is not the mass-email type, I was touched by his message: one of his greatest influences and personal heroes, Ron Burton, is up for induction into the New England Patriots' Hall of Fame. This year, fans get a say in whether or not this player gets in. So, I thought that I would also ask the 7 people who read my blog to throw your support Ron’s way.
Here is my bro’s message:
The New England Patriots have announced their three finalists for this years Patriots Hall of Fame, Ron Burton, Ben Coates and Stanley Morgan. While all three are worthy of your vote, only one can be selected, and while some of you may have no knowledge of any of these players, and possibly no affinity for football, only Ron Burton stands out for his work off the football field.
I was extremely fortunate to attend his summer camp for 5 years between the ages of 13 and 17, in Hubbardston, Mass; the Ron Burton Training Village. It is primarily a football camp, but we participated in all sports while also running 7 miles a day, partaking in an obstacle course, reading time twice daily, rotating kitchen responsibilities, attending weekly mass, and computer classes and SAT prep classes were also offered. Basically it taught us skills on and off the field.
Ron's message was simple; Humility, Patient, Peace and Love. It was spoken and practiced every day of the 5 week summer camp, and no one set a better example than Ron himself. He ran the camp with love and patience, along with his childhood friend, his wife, and their 5 children, and the campers were not allowed to fight, swear or tease each other.
Ron was the first player ever drafted by the New England Patriots in the 1959 American Football League Draft. He passed away on Sept. 13 from bone cancer. He was 67. The camp is still going, run primarily by his sons.
Below I have included a blurb from wikipedia as well, please visit The Patriots Web site and cast your vote for Ron, an amazing player and role model, and one of the most amazing and influential people I have ever met in my life.
Thank you all so much
From Wikipedia: Ronald E. "Ron" Burton (July 25, 1936 - September 13, 2003) became a college All-American running back at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, a member of the Northwestern Hall of Fame, and a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. Burton was the Boston Patriots' first-ever American Football League draft choice in 1960. He was the first Patriot to rush for over 100 yards: 127 against the Denver Broncos on 23 October 1960. His 91-yard touchdown return on a missed field goal in 1962 remains a Patriot record. He compiled 1,009 combined yards in rushing and receiving in 1962, and provided strong depth at running back for the Patriots from 1960 through 1965.
After leaving professional football, this former child of poverty became an eminently successful motivational speaker who then made a major financial and emotional gift to needy children. In Massachusetts, he donated land for and established the Ron Burton Training Village, which holds free summer camps for disadvantaged inner-city youths.
In 2003, Burton died from bone cancer
Here is my bro’s message:
The New England Patriots have announced their three finalists for this years Patriots Hall of Fame, Ron Burton, Ben Coates and Stanley Morgan. While all three are worthy of your vote, only one can be selected, and while some of you may have no knowledge of any of these players, and possibly no affinity for football, only Ron Burton stands out for his work off the football field.
I was extremely fortunate to attend his summer camp for 5 years between the ages of 13 and 17, in Hubbardston, Mass; the Ron Burton Training Village. It is primarily a football camp, but we participated in all sports while also running 7 miles a day, partaking in an obstacle course, reading time twice daily, rotating kitchen responsibilities, attending weekly mass, and computer classes and SAT prep classes were also offered. Basically it taught us skills on and off the field.
Ron's message was simple; Humility, Patient, Peace and Love. It was spoken and practiced every day of the 5 week summer camp, and no one set a better example than Ron himself. He ran the camp with love and patience, along with his childhood friend, his wife, and their 5 children, and the campers were not allowed to fight, swear or tease each other.
Ron was the first player ever drafted by the New England Patriots in the 1959 American Football League Draft. He passed away on Sept. 13 from bone cancer. He was 67. The camp is still going, run primarily by his sons.
Below I have included a blurb from wikipedia as well, please visit The Patriots Web site and cast your vote for Ron, an amazing player and role model, and one of the most amazing and influential people I have ever met in my life.
Thank you all so much
From Wikipedia: Ronald E. "Ron" Burton (July 25, 1936 - September 13, 2003) became a college All-American running back at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, a member of the Northwestern Hall of Fame, and a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. Burton was the Boston Patriots' first-ever American Football League draft choice in 1960. He was the first Patriot to rush for over 100 yards: 127 against the Denver Broncos on 23 October 1960. His 91-yard touchdown return on a missed field goal in 1962 remains a Patriot record. He compiled 1,009 combined yards in rushing and receiving in 1962, and provided strong depth at running back for the Patriots from 1960 through 1965.
After leaving professional football, this former child of poverty became an eminently successful motivational speaker who then made a major financial and emotional gift to needy children. In Massachusetts, he donated land for and established the Ron Burton Training Village, which holds free summer camps for disadvantaged inner-city youths.
In 2003, Burton died from bone cancer
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Know what's kind of cool and a little disconcerting at the same time? Sitting at a table, under a tent, drinking a cold beer, completely surrounded by familiar faces and yet knowing almost no one. Tall Guy and I enjoyed the picnic at Holy Cross and, in spite of our glaring lack of 1+ babies, we mingled with a group of the people who made my college experience some of what it was. A reunion makes me realize how little I socialized during the last 2 years of college, but I do enjoy catching up with the people I actually did know. And, it really is a surreal experience to look around you and see so many people you remember from a class or a play or a party, and yet have no common history or reason to approach them and start a conversation.
Friday, June 1, 2007
Ouch!
Trivia was not kind to us this week. The Beards finished at an all-time low of 10 points behind the leaders. We added 4 people to our usual team and for the first few rounds, this seemed to help us, but then we fell apart and argued too many questions thereby causing us to erase many “gut reaction” answers, which often turned out to be right, and go with the loudest voice.
Not a great strategy.
I can’t say that I took any questions myself, except for one:
*Which movie had a husband, a perfect wife and a psychotic mistress?
Questions we should/could have gotten but either by erasure or erroneous consensus, we didn’t:
*What is the longest running comedy show on American television?
*What company invented paper towels?
*What is the most popular drink in Greece?
*What is the name of Susan Lucci’s character on whichever soap she’s on?
*What is the most popular board game in the world?
AND, though this is a tough question, I felt with my extensive knowledge of 80s music, I should have gotten it:
*In the 80s, Chubby Checker remixed “The Twist” with what other artist/group?
I’m gonna tell you the answer to this last question right here: The Fat Boys. I had a forehead-smacking moment when I heard this answer while everyone else at the table, all born circa 1980, looked puzzled and said, “Who?”
The Fat Boys, aka Buffy the Human Beat Box, Kool Rock-Ski, and Prince Markie Dee, were 3 large men who became famous in the mid-80s for hip-hop that relied on beatboxing. Basically, anytime you see a white guy trying to imitate scratching a record with his hand over his mouth, thank The Fat Boys (along with Doug E. Fresh). They also did a very nice SWATCH commercial and starred in the smash hit Disorderlies, which I watched over and over on channel 56 (WLVI). Should've gotten that.
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I joined the Maine Kickball League board this week. I get to help plan the end-of-the-season party for 200+ beer-drinking, fun-loving kickers. Woo-hoo.
Our game last night brought a big W for “Rick is 21”. We beat our opponent 9-7 in a twilight game filled with some great fielding, excellent base running and a cooler of beer. I ♥ kickball. I ♥ winning. I ♥ beer.
I ♥ drinking beer while winning a kickball game.
The down side of last night’s game? The “Tall Guy” slid into home and hit the back of his head on the ground. He was dizzy and a little disoriented afterwards. Today, the disorientation continued so he had to go for a head x-ray. A head injury from kickball. Only my husband…
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This weekend brings us to Worcester for my 10-year college reunion. I can’t believe it’s been 10 damn years! It will be good to go and see how many babies I don’t have yet, and how many law degrees and medical practices I haven’t got. And, how few houses on the Cape or Long Island I've bought.
Seriously, the 5-year was fun and it really was good to catch up with some people; it will be good to catch up again five years later. And there will be a free-beer truck. See above to know how I feel about that.
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Answers:
“Fatal Attraction”
“The Simpsons” (we decided that Sat Night Live has been on longer, but it’s considered an “entertainment program” and not a “sitcom”)
Scott
Ouzo (we went with Coca-Cola ‘cause how many 6-year-olds are drinking Ouzo – apparently a lot)
Erica Kane (came up with this 2 minutes after we turned in our answer sheet)
Monopoly
Not a great strategy.
I can’t say that I took any questions myself, except for one:
*Which movie had a husband, a perfect wife and a psychotic mistress?
Questions we should/could have gotten but either by erasure or erroneous consensus, we didn’t:
*What is the longest running comedy show on American television?
*What company invented paper towels?
*What is the most popular drink in Greece?
*What is the name of Susan Lucci’s character on whichever soap she’s on?
*What is the most popular board game in the world?
AND, though this is a tough question, I felt with my extensive knowledge of 80s music, I should have gotten it:
*In the 80s, Chubby Checker remixed “The Twist” with what other artist/group?
I’m gonna tell you the answer to this last question right here: The Fat Boys. I had a forehead-smacking moment when I heard this answer while everyone else at the table, all born circa 1980, looked puzzled and said, “Who?”
The Fat Boys, aka Buffy the Human Beat Box, Kool Rock-Ski, and Prince Markie Dee, were 3 large men who became famous in the mid-80s for hip-hop that relied on beatboxing. Basically, anytime you see a white guy trying to imitate scratching a record with his hand over his mouth, thank The Fat Boys (along with Doug E. Fresh). They also did a very nice SWATCH commercial and starred in the smash hit Disorderlies, which I watched over and over on channel 56 (WLVI). Should've gotten that.
------------------------------------------------------------------
I joined the Maine Kickball League board this week. I get to help plan the end-of-the-season party for 200+ beer-drinking, fun-loving kickers. Woo-hoo.
Our game last night brought a big W for “Rick is 21”. We beat our opponent 9-7 in a twilight game filled with some great fielding, excellent base running and a cooler of beer. I ♥ kickball. I ♥ winning. I ♥ beer.
I ♥ drinking beer while winning a kickball game.
The down side of last night’s game? The “Tall Guy” slid into home and hit the back of his head on the ground. He was dizzy and a little disoriented afterwards. Today, the disorientation continued so he had to go for a head x-ray. A head injury from kickball. Only my husband…
----------------------------------------------------------------------
This weekend brings us to Worcester for my 10-year college reunion. I can’t believe it’s been 10 damn years! It will be good to go and see how many babies I don’t have yet, and how many law degrees and medical practices I haven’t got. And, how few houses on the Cape or Long Island I've bought.
Seriously, the 5-year was fun and it really was good to catch up with some people; it will be good to catch up again five years later. And there will be a free-beer truck. See above to know how I feel about that.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Answers:
“Fatal Attraction”
“The Simpsons” (we decided that Sat Night Live has been on longer, but it’s considered an “entertainment program” and not a “sitcom”)
Scott
Ouzo (we went with Coca-Cola ‘cause how many 6-year-olds are drinking Ouzo – apparently a lot)
Erica Kane (came up with this 2 minutes after we turned in our answer sheet)
Monopoly
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