Let's get Trivial

Now that the little strep bug is under control (see post below), I am feeling much better, one indication being that I am back to pondering odd things as is my normal habit. Anyone can tell you that I love trivia and especially obscure tidbits that would only be very helpful to know if you were ever called to be on a quiz show like Jeopardy or the 25,000 Dollar Pyramid. Usually these little bits of information just swirl around and around in the trivia cortex part of my brain-- waiting for an opportunity to be passed on, because, let's be real, trivia is meant to be shared. For instance, here's one you might not know, I didn't until I happened across this piece of information the other night: In the Major Leagues, brand new baseballs are seasoned with this special mud that can only be found in an undisclosed location in New Jersey on the Delaware River. It's called Lena Blackburne Rubbing Mud. It's true! I read it in the Baseball Field Guide.

It should be no surprise at all to you, then, to know that I love reading the Guinness Book of World Records, or that in the 80's I was huge fan of the TV shows Believe it or Not and That's Incredible! (remember those, anyone?)

Curious minds want to know, after all.

I was a whiz on those trivia games that were popular way back when. When hubby was in college, we loved to go to the neighborhood gathering spot and play trivia games on a big screen tv while visiting with friends. He always wanted me on his team, and we usually won.

But I have to ask myself, in the big scheme of things, what good will any of that information do me in life? I am quite certain that I will never be on a quiz show or in a Trivial Pursuit tournament. Hmmm, well, I guess that leaves writing about it in my blog.

But, being me, still I wondered how well I would do if I were on a quiz show such as the Newlyweds where they ask questions as to how well you really know your mate. Most people like to think they really know the person they married. Now, I have a great advantage to those newlyweds as I have been married to BWH (busy woodshop hubby) for going on 15 years. I know things about him that others might not know: Things like that he likes cinnamon in his coffee; he is listed in Who's Who 2002; he always remembers my birthday but has to ask me how old he is EVERY YEAR! I know lots of little things such as that but even after 15 years of marriage and 17 years of knowing him, I still find out things all the time that I never knew. He recently told me a story from his childhood that I had never heard before (and believe me, I thought I had heard them all! many! times!) I found out one day that his favorite jello flavor is cherry. Something so basic should be already in the trivia databank. Is it important to know these things? I don't know. I just know that there are still little bits of trivia to uncover even after all these years. I wonder about all the things I don't know, except I don't know what I don't know, you know? Luckily for me, love doesn't depend on knowing every last small detail. Maybe that's what makes life interesting, the little things we learn each day about those we love.