Dear Friends of the Pub Quiz,
My son’s bus driver John might be the kindest man I know. Certain jobs require such kindness: nursery school teacher, children’s librarian, and anyone who works with kids with special needs come to mind. I think all of us could learn lessons about patience and wonder from such people, and, as a dad, I am lucky to get to interact with a great number of them.
This morning I told John about how my son Jukie had spent most of the weekend in one bouncy house or another, for we attended a carnival at the Mind Institute on Saturday, and then attended two different outdoor birthday parties on Sunday, complete with piñatas, water balloon tosses, and, at one, another bouncy house. The parks of Davis are magical enough on their own, but they seem especially so when filled with exuberantly bouncy children who are hopped up on cake and ice cream.
John the bus driver told me how pleased he was that I spend so much time capering about with my children on various outdoor adventures on the weekends. Evidently John’s father was too busy working to spend much time at John’s sporting events in elementary and high school. John resolved “always to be there” during his sons’ track meets and other competitive events, and just last week his sons remarked how much they appreciated all the time they got to spend with their parents, how their support was evident and constant. Evidently John had broken the cycle of well-meaning parental neglect, for his sons also set aside time for their children, cheering (as many Davis parents do) along the sidelines of soccer fields and baseball diamonds.
Imagine the cheering tonight if you answer even two-thirds of the questions right on tonight’s Pub Quiz, which may be a little trickier than others, even though I’ve included a few questions about expected topics in the news. Some people are already comparing Jason Collins to Jackie Robinson. Expect questions on other topics, such as board games, internet memes, books and the people who read them, California counties, the seed storage of horticultural crops, Italy, billion-dollar actors, cover models, genetics, senators, donkey noises, weasels that glint, stinging insects, ambitious interviewers, comedians, table riddles, The Beatles, Star Wars, repeats, optometry, diamonds, deficiencies, fish culture, Egypt, poets, Samuel L. Jackson, shoes, languages, super-villains, British culture, candidates for Congress, ancient Romans, chimpanzees, and Shakespeare.
Thanks to all of you who participated in the KDVS fundraiser, including the following folks who contributed during my show: John, Lynn, Chuck, and The Mavens. I enjoyed reading your names on the air. Please let me know if you or a member of your team has contributed (and they will still take your donation today at http://fundraiser.kdvs.org) if you want me to read your name or team’s name on “Dr. Andy’s Poetry and Technology Hour” this coming Wednesday.
I hope to see you this evening. We shall have some fun.
Your Quizmaster
https://www.yourquizmaster.com
http://www.twitter.com/yourquizmaster
http://www.facebook.com/yourquizmaster
Here are five questions from last week’s quiz:
1. Great Americans. Born in 1954, who calls himself “King of All Media”?
2. Unusual two-syllable nouns that starts with W. What word has the following meanings? “An odd or fanciful idea,” or “a quaint or fanciful quality.” If you are looking for synonyms, you might consider caprice, fancy, vagary, or fad.
3. Magazines. What is the name of the international news magazine devoted to music and the music industry?
4. Pop Culture – Television. America’s most appealing celebrity, according to a market research firm, evidently appears in the TV sit-com Hot in Cleveland. Name the celebrity.
5. Another Music Question: Songs with Five Words in Their Titles. What was the only 1980 Queen song to be certified platinum in the US?