NTN Trivia, Snyder, Jill and Damon's

After some goading, from who I suspect is Chris Snyder, I suppose I could relate to you the details of an evening out while I was in Ohio.

Before I go any further I should preface the following story with some details. My sister Jill and I have always claimed the trivia crown. For many years we have gone head-to-head in numerous contests in order to one-up the other...it's intense! Neither one of us is willing to concede the title of trivia master.

We found ourselves in a position to once again do battle. A chain of restaurants throughout the U.S. known as Damon's has for years had a nation-wide trivia game that you can play while you eat and drink in one of their restaurants. It's called NTN Trivia and it's cool because you compete against the entire country, not just the restaurant you happen to be in.

Jill called up my good friend Chris Snyder to see if he wanted to join us. He obliged and we headed out to the local eatery. Also, Jill's two oldest boys joined us for a good dinner prior to the showdown. After noshing and enjoying hearing about the craziness of the lives of the boys, we said goodbye to them and headed over to the bar to show off our incredible grasps on the world of worthless trivia.

I had just had a good meal and was feeling pretty confident so I decided to take on Chris and Jill in a 2 against 1 challenge...perhaps not my best decision of the night. To make a long story a wee bit shorter, I think I did pretty well, I held my own. Considering I was playing against two folks that are considerably older than me (yikes, I am gonna pay for that remark), I think my performance was strong. If you ask my opponents, they might gloat in their victory...don't be fooled. The final score doesn't always reflect the quality of the competition. I had those two squirming and on the run throughout the evening!! My spirit has not been quashed regardless of the fact that the scoreboard didn't favor me. I accept the silver medal/loss in this battle but I certainly haven't lost the war!

One aspect of the challenge that I didn't see coming was Chris' wide knowledge-base. He was a worthy opponent. Don't get to comfy at the top Chris and Jill, I will return stronger and more committed than ever!...lol

In all seriousness, I had a lot of fun. Chris and Jill are two of the best people walking this planet. I am truly blessed to have these two folks in my life. The evening at Damon's was big fun despite the damage to my ego!

The Pig Catapult

What a wonderful surprise! I got a package in the mail last night...and yes, I did open a few off the wrapped pieces inside...I couldn't resist! Thanks Mom, Jill & Jayne. You are the greatest.

Mom decided to include a few fancy toothbrushes instead of chocolate, why doesn't that surprise me??? The DVD is sooooooooo cool, I've been dying to see it and it's everything I thought it would be. Since I emailed Jayne about getting it for me, I'm going to assume she is the one who found it...thanks a ton! The "pig catapult" has Jill written all over it. Who else could possibly know that I'd enjoy such a silly thing? Jill, you've out-done yourself! The pics of the cats are a hit at the hostel, they provide some context to my crazy cat stories. I haven't opened the other two packages yet, I guess I could wait until Christmas day for any further unwrapping.

I can't express how great it felt to see that box with my name on it. Getting stuff from home is priceless.

One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest

The cast of characters that passes through this Hostel is mind-boggling. I've been here for 38 days, and it seems like I've met about 38,000 different types of people.

They range from a Canadian guy with less-than-honorable intentions to a group of Malaysian girls going to college in London on vacation. Perhaps the most intriguing actor has been the Italian guy with his Chinese wife. He is about 50 years old and she is about 30. He treats her like garbage. She rarely comes out of the room, as if she is being held prisoner. He seems to fit the stereotype of the overbearing, rude Euro with little regard for women. Most of the time he is so caustic that his appearance in the "living room" of the hostel is reason enough to go read a book in my room. He can clear a room faster than someone yelling fire in a crowded theater...lol.

I have managed to make some good friends while here. Graeme, a South African here to teach is a great guy. He got here the day before I did and has essentially followed the same route as me. I'm still not sure I want my child to learn English from a guy with such a crazy accent and tendency to drop the occasional Afrikaaner word in his daily speak? Scott, Steve and the other Scott are cool guys too. Three Americans here trying their luck on the island. The first Scott is here studying Chinese at the university. 6 hours a day of nothing but Chinese is killing him, and he just started last week...lol. Steve & the other Scott are here to teach. Having them here has been a real stress reliever. It's nice to know that I can come home and vent my frustrations to these guys and they'll understand because they are dealing with this craziness too.

Lately I've been having the craziest dreams. I'm not sure if it's the diet, my work, or the insanely uncomfortable bed? The dreams range from deep-sea adventures to being part of a group of cannibals (don't ask about the cannibal thing, it's too bizarre to explain). Needless to say, I've awoke many a night babbling wildly.

Yesterday was "Teacher's Day". It's a day set aside to honor teachers. My boss gave each of the teachers a really cool insulated thermos with our names engraved on them. I had about 50 kids approach me with their good wishes. Several parents brought in flowers and candy for us, it was interesting.

I need to wish my sister Jill a belated Happy Birthday! I'm such a stiff, I forgot about her birthday. She is so important to me and I feel like such a jerk for forgetting to call her. I love you Jill.