Stellar night as usual at the ‘Shoe. We had a field of ten teams to start off the night and the competition was fierce and featured many tie breakers. Mess Hall finally got their day in the sun. After taking third place so many times they finally won the game, swapping places with the ever dominating Swashbuckling Sisters who took third. In the middle was Ramrod. Ramrod didn’t win any rounds but managed to stay consistently good. Cop a Feel kept forgetting to put their team name down but they’re still ok in my book.

As for the nonesense surrounding the final question? Here are my thoughts. The question was what’s on AOL Travel’s list, not what’s on my list. This is trivia, while guessing can be effective, you’re supposed to KNOW the answer. If you don’t know and have to guess then don’t bitch to me about something I have no control over, I cannot change facts. If you have a problem with the places AOL Travel put on their list of most dangerous tourist destinations perhaps you should e-mail their customer service. As little as they will care I can promise it’s still more than I do. This brings me to another topic: Rules. We all know the three written rules:

1. Maximum team size of six people.

2. Don’t shout out the answers.

3. No cheating.

Then of course I like to add super secret rule #4: Pick a team name, stick to it and always write it down. Well now I have a new rule to add. #5: Don’t bitch to me because I don’t care. While the five bucks you spend may entitle you to subject everyone to your bullshit at Taco Bell or Starbucks, I will not appease you. I simply don’t have to. Yelling at me like I’m your waitress at Applebee’s, in order to impress your fratboy friends, will not get you anything except laughed at.

On a more serious note, trivia will be on a one week hiatus for Xmas. But the ‘Shoe is still open. If you’re Jewish, or just need a drink after dealing your family all day, stop on in.

Ok, it’s never good to update a blog for a weekly event a week late but that’s what I’m doing. First off, lets say I was totally planning on updating this on Wednesday evening of last week, which would totally have been acceptable. That was before I popped a tire on a pothole, one that wasn’t in stock anywhere in the state, and also flooded my condo while cleaning my aquarium. All of this only a few hours before flying to Connecticut to visit my girlfriend’s family.

We just got back yesterday morning after the most horrible flight ever. It was one of those flights where the cabin of the plane was at least 564 degrees Fahrenheit. You have to understand, I don’t travel well. I’m not scared of flying but I really hate airports. You’ve got to love traveling when the fascists have elevated the Color Coded Fear Level just in time for the holidays. I kept telling the security people it didn’t feel “orange” but they insisted it was, right before “puffing” me with unknown gases. Traveling these days is just damn Orwellian.

But anyway, onto last week’s trivia. It was a good night. I’d say about average for the ‘Shoe, rocking about 6-7 teams. The Swashbuckling Sisters won back their title by a landslide.

Well I almost did this blog on time. And I certainly did it almost within 48 hours. Which is awesome. Next week I’ll try to do it even faster. It’s like a game. You know what else is a game? Trivia. Which is what happened at the ‘Shoe on Tuesday evening. This was a week of change for Trivi-ites at  the Horseshoe. Why? Well it was because it’s the first time in about four weeks that The Swashbuckling Sisters didn’t shame everyone. In fact they didn’t even place. Some things didn’t change. I enforced rules like an overzealous hall monitor, insulted Islam, and when challenged on questions I was unmoved by any arguments presented. In other words, I was pleasant as always.  More stuff that was the same is Mess Hall took third place, getting beaten 31 to 27 by The Space Cowboys. Eclipsing both of them, however, were The Old Stylers who won the game with 37 points.

What’ll happen next week? Will The Swashbuckling Sisters reclaim The Bucket of Brilliance? Will Mess Hall get third place? Will The Old Stylers prove it wasn’t a fluke? Will I insult various cities and religions (I know the answer to this one: YES)? Find out next Tuesday at the Horseshoe.

What’s this? I’m actually posting the blog? That’s right, after a series of broken promises (which much to the dismay of my girlfriend, friends and family will probably continue) I am finally doing a blog. I’m going to start doing it every week in a timely manor too… I promise.

Anyway, this one team, The Swashbuckling Sisters, keeps coming back and winning each week. Tuesday night was no exception and they won by a huge margin. I like them because they don’t seem to hate me that much. Although I don’t think anyone in the bar ever gets my hilarious jokes or is amused by tales of my misadventures. Nevertheless, I am still pretty awesome.

Another guy I want to mention is Steve. He introduced himself to me on my second night and has been there every night since with a different crew of teammates. Last night him and his Mess Hall took glorious third place and walked away with a pair of much coveted PBR socks and other PBR items.

Middle but not least on Tuesday was a team whose name I can’t remember. I get about four hours of sleep per night, this has been going on for a year now and consequently I am always angry, argumentative, apathetic, and aggravated, not to mention unpleasant, unshowered, unshaven, unbuttoned, unglued and undone (I think I know what it feels like to be Britney Spears, minus the cesarean scar). Plus also forgetful. But still enjoy alliteration, which I think was an answer to a trivia question on Tuesday. Anyway, many apologies for forgetting you guys. My score sheet is usually my guide to the blog but I forgot where I put it. I know it’s no excuse but hopefully writing a whole paragraph about you guys makes up for it. If I find the answer sheet I’ll try and retroactively mention you in a future blog.

Next week’s blog will be better. I promise?

EDIT: Well I found my score sheet and the 2nd Place team was The Fugi Brothers. Rather than be sly about it and edit the blog to make it appear as though I have my shit together I think I’ll leave my memory lapse up there for all to see. Congrats to the Fugi Brothers for taking second place.