...and the second half was Cara and her family.

Margie was doing well without her albatross until the final round. She still managed to place seventh. so she's going with candy as next week's theme (even though her heart was set on famous librarians).

Gouda've You to Vote!

Victor, a friend of Curtis Earth's, is competing in a Food Network recipe contest which will be determined by online votes. His recipe for Smoked Gouda and Chanterelle Mushroom Stuffed Burgers with Sweet Onion and Cherry Relish sounds fantastic, so I threw a vote his way. And you can, too, by going to this page. You can vote once a day for the next two weeks. If he wins, he gets to cook with Bobby Flay. Thanks!

Music Alert!

I'm psyched that I'm finally going to get to see the Greatest Funeral Ever perform. You can listen to this band, featuring Ben of the Tony Danza Slap trivia team on keyboards, on their MySpace page. They'll be playing at Bube's this Friday (tonight!), June 19th at 10 P.M. Be there!

VFW: Let the Foreplay Begin Again!

Tonight's big news was the return of the Foreplayers, who once again did their patented fourth round  flameout. Chicks and Dicks were the eventual winners, beating the B52s by one question. A little farther back was Iranian Election Officals @ 8. Cody joined Karen and Bob to form KBC and they only missed the bronze by one point. Giggles and Friends and Prius tied for fifth, while Jack & Coke and Mets Suck tied for seventh (kind of). We have two sports-related themes for next week: American Bikers and the Tour de France and Philadelphia's pro sports teams.

Bube's: Where You Can Find Big Love

I think I'm going to go pictureless this week, since I'm in a spartan, minimalist mode (SPARTA!!!) You Can't Fix Stupid picked tonight's theme of the HBO series Big Love and also were promoted to the front of the room, but they landed in their comfort zone, fourth place, right behind The Fresh Nutsack of Bel Air. Quietly Making Noise had a stellar last round and sent Jack-off™ newbie Brian up against Becky of the Toxic Olives for a battle for first place. Becky was victorious. The Koala Farts and Jameson on the Rocks had to leave before the finale, so they did not get to see one of the most spectacular flame-outs in recent history as the Tony Danza Slap whiffed the entire last round. That maneuver did plop them in seventh, however, so they get to pick next week's theme: Zombies! Also, I think we are going to see Drauto von Schnitzelpuss again and there are rumors of the return of Team Discovery Channel. Stay tuned!

The Secret's Almost Out

There's a whisper-down-the-lane secret that there will be a special trivia show at Bube's on a rare Monday night (July 27th) and it's almost official.

Chuckles: Newsflash

It's amazing what a little adrenaline can do. All day Sunday I had been fighting some kind of stomach bug/headachy combo, but it cleared up enough for the gig (then it came raging back after I got home, but that's probably t.m.i.) Nonetheless, it was a great night of trivial combat with Ubersmack returning to the winner's circle. They beat the Real Housewives of Lititz by one question. Of Pixie Stix and Whirlygigs blame their third place finish on not listening to Sue. Skirtland woke up in the fourth round, but couldn't make up for the other three. Andy Rooney's Eyebrows Are Predicting a Harsh Winter tied with the Lap Caps for fifth and the Super Karate Monkey Twin Roses get to pick next week's theme: historic fires of the U.S. So bring a pyrophiliac next Sunday.

Relay for Life Trivia

The defending champs Jim's Team (half of the team is in the above pic) was once again the champions of early morning trivia at the Relay for Life. They beat the Cancer Kickers by one mere point, but it was good enough to win them Olive Garden gift certificates. The Kickers were one question ahead of the Otterbein Shooting Stars, who were one point ahead of the Rowdy Rankins (actual the Rowdy Rankin, singular). The Thinkers, Dancing in the Streets and The Monkey Bunch were a little farther back. And, proving that there is no nepotism in the land of trivia, my cousins' team, Anita Cure, came in dead last.

I'd like to thank the Lancaster Relay for having me for the fifth year in a row and ask everyone to help support the work of the American Cancer Society as they combat this insidious disease that touches everyone.

Happy Birthday, Noah!

Super Nephew Noah turns two today!

Keep Your Friends Close, And Your Enemies Closer

VFW: Something Fishy

Tonight's highlight was a tie-breaker between Mary Lynn and Karen. Both were virgins in encounters with Captain Jack, but Karen prevailed, so KB took the silver and the B52s the bronze. The gold went to The Skeletons in David Carradine's Closet (once again ripping their name from the headlines). Chicx and Dix was fourth and Giggles and friends fifth. Trivia at 8 missed theme choice by two points to D&M, who are going with Nicktoons for next week.

Bube's: Live, From Mount Joy...

...it's Tuesday Night!!! We enjoyed several SNL questions tonight, as I've Got Your Nutsack Right Here, Trebek blazed through the last round to win the night. Quietly Making Noise, The Return returned after a couple of week's absence to claim second, followed by The Toxic Olives Featuring Birthday Girl Laura in third. TDS was fourth and the newly renamed When News Breaks, We Fix It was fifth. There was a tie for sixth between Prius and You Can't Fix Stupid, but since Prius can't make next week, theme choice once again goes to Stupid. And they want to spread Big Love around.

Chuckles: In Stitches

Terry used his needle knowledge to guide his team to second place on a night of knitting at Chuckles. It was a very tight game, with less than 10 points separating the top seven teams. Three Roads won by one point, followed by Second Collection, Twin Roses, Gawky Domino, Out of the Vortex and Of Pixie Stix and Whirlygigs in one point intervals.

We Will Win....with PBR! are going with the sitcom Newsradio as next week's theme.

Three Roads attribute their win to Ray's lucky Viking tattoo.

Charlie's Angels.

Susie demonstrates how to KTBL.

Of Pixie Stic and Whirlygigs were fueled by lime-centered Dentyne.

Gawky Domino missed third place by a measly point.

Bill demonstrates how Out of the Vortex manages such high scores every week.

Thanks to the Miami Blades for sharing one of Cara's birthday cupcakes with me!

The Zombies had to settle for Kimmy's favorite: chocolate coconut snowballs from Little Debbie.

VFW: It's Not Straub's Brewery

No, this is not a picture of tonight's winning team Phillies 5 Game Win Streak - Suck It Mets! It's actually the Strawbs, a seventies progressive rock band that I had never heard of until this week. Clyde had chosen them as a theme to protest the selection of Springsteen the following week. We were going to boo Clyde for not showing up, but he put in a fourth round appearance and played with the second place team, Chicks and Dicks. Mike and Kevin, AKA Still Stupid took the bronze, six points ahead of the B52s. The Brooklyn Dodgers were only two points behind, one question aahead of KB. That gave theme choice to It's Just a Freaking Game, and they are going with freshwater fish.

Bube's: Ties Galore

Better Nate Than Lever had their first victory after tying for the top spot with the Lame-Os. Jason then proved to be the better Jack-offer than Katie and took the prize. There was another tie, this time a three-way for third between the Nutsacks, the Toxic Olives and the Tony Danza Slap, so Steve, Laura and Matt went at it, with the Slap victorious.

The Tony Danza Slap enjoy their bronzy victory.

God Save the Nutsacks was one of the tie-breaking casualties.

The Cereal Killers changed their name to the best of the night: One Ball Paul and the Rhythm Disciples.

You Can't Fix a Broke John Thomas are our theme pickers for next week, and they're going with Saturday Night Live.

Ashley and Josh of Puff 'N Suds took a break from grad studies to return to their old corner of the bar.

After much deliberation, they settled on We're Pretty as their team name.

Wait for It...

There's a rumor that there will be a very special trivia night at Bube's on Monday, July 27th . . .

Chuckles: We Love the '80s!

Carol and Dwight, AKA the Jello Shooters, used their extensive recall of 80s pop tunes to win a special bonus audio round of trivia which we played "after hours." They scored a whopping 19 out of a possible 20 points! They won a Starbucks gift card and, more importantly, a huge Sunshine Care Bear. Gawky Domino was second, followed by our theme pickers, Slick Freddy and the Usual Suspects. Thanks to Andrew of the Miami Blades for de-clogging my iPod, btw.

Second Collection moved to the bar and took home the gold in our regular game, one question away from Team C.H.U.D. Farther behind were Big Vac Attack, Slick Freddy, Gawky Domino and Ubersmack. Twin Roses was thrilled to get next week's theme pick: the wacky world of knitting!

Upcoming Themes

Still doing barebones blogging. Here are the upcoming themes:

Chuckles: '80s song lyrics

Bube's: all things British

VFW: the Strawbs

Also, congrats to Twin Roses, the 'Sacks and  Chick and Dick for their first-place victories this week.

I'm starting to freak out since I haven't gotten nearly as much done on my stay-cation as I had planned. So, for the time being, here are a bunch of pix with some limited captions from the last couple of weeks. Enjoy!

Pix, Pix and More Pix!

Captain Crunch and the Cereal Killers made a return appearance.

My Corn changed their name for the last night of May Madness

Ryan brought his brother along as a good luck charm when he was on the other side of the bar and they came in second!

The Nutsacks had a most excellent night, winning total points for the month and first place for the night and also getting a Pellman's chocolate chip cheesecake (okay, it was a second, but still tasty, right?)

Linuscratchitt consoled themselves with some snicker doodles and placed fourth.

You Can't Fix Stupid was the grand prize winner of tickets for six to a Barnstormers game. I think we're going next Saturday.

Drunk in Oregon were just passing through.

The Earth Girls and a Dude celebrate with some Gummi worms.

The Toxic Olives won third place and the coveted Lasagna Dinner.

The Tony Danza Slap are overwrought with distress that Aaron is off to Africa.

Adolph Oliver Nipple have chosen All Things British as next week's theme at Bube's.

Karen and Bob have been on a roll the past two weeks at the VFW, claiming the bronze both times!
Quietly Making Noise missed out on the May Madness finale.

Chris' friend jay was in visiting from Las Vegas tow eeks ago. The duo managed to grab the silver.

Two weeks ago the Tony Danza Slap went maxi-sized.

Skirtland celebrated Claire's seventeenth birthday.