I’m sorry I wasn’t there Tuesday, as things basically went to hell. There’s a more detailed account here, but suffice it to say that the guest host stole the pot for his buddy. I’m thinking a boycott of the Old Pequliar is in order, and apparently at least one other regular team thinks the same thing.
So it’s a perfect time to discuss: what next? I’ve noticed that trivia turnout for our team is down. Are people burned out? Should we let this go gentle into that good night? Should we take summer off, or switch to every other week, or monthly? Would another night work better than Tuesday? Or are we just in a perfect storm of other commitments right now, with interest still keen?
At the very least, we need to figure out a place to play. Back to the George & Dragon, or somewhere else? Or are we interested in giving the OPQ another chance, even though lissener won’t be hosting anymore?
My sporadic attendance probably merits me, what, 1/8 of a vote? 1/10?
I’d certainly be open to moving on. Of the two trivia joints I’ve seen so far, I prefer G&D to OPq. G&D has a better beer selection, a seediness that’s nearly charming now that the cigarettes have been extinguished, friendlier bartenders, and in my opinion a better quiz. Don’t get me wrong, I think lissener is a very good quizmaster (who I hope will ignore the insult he suffered from some drunk whose life is so small he can’t retire gracefully from his 15 minutes of what’s-your-name-again), but I like my trivia the way I like my Google mail: flat organization, minimal categorization. All questions “misc.,” essentially. Keeps me paying attention, whereas I tune out for 10 questions at a time when the rubric is unfamiliar to me.
My 2 cents. Multiplied by my 1/8 vote = 1 farthing. Respectfully submitted.
Anybody who comes at all should feel free to speak up. It’s not about voting so much as getting an idea of interest.
I mean, I’m interested in trivia, and whether or not we coordinate something through the boards, I’ll be playing at least a couple of times a month. inkysplotchy will probably be going semi-regularly, especially if a) it’s not Tuesday nights or b) he’s not fencing at the time.
It doesn’t have to be Tuesday nights, though that’s fine, and we don’t have to settle on a permanent location yet, either. Several of the comments on the Seattlest post suggest other venues; I’d be interested in trying several.
So far as format goes, the big improvement both the OPQ and the Emigrant have over the G&D for me is that the G&D’s quiz seems to proceed glacially. Sometimes the former two places feel rushed, but I prefer that to five-minute gaps between questions.
I was thinking, however, that we could return to the G&D on Tuesday (next week) because we’re familiar with the venue and we can see how we feel after a few months away.
Whoa. Was the guest-host the guy that was there right before lissener, or from further back? Where does it say that lissener’s not coming back?
That said, I think we reached a bit of a burnout as well as a perfect storm of other commitments at the same time. I myself would be completely open to a new place/new day if others felt the same.
As for frequency, right now I’d say let’s change that around, too, but I suspect that might be the commitment storm talking. So I’ll abstain on that question.
The guest host was from further back. John, the guy immediately preceding lissener, was not to my knowledge a scumbag.
It’s not explicit in the story, but I have confirmed with lissener that he won’t be hosting at the OPQ (or Ravenna Alehouse) again. His choice, but I can see why.
I’m not burned out, I just happen to have other committments on a lot of Tuesdays. I’m planning on being available this week (both Monday and Tuesday), if we’re going – I was planning on bringing cupcakes, too!
Man, that’s too bad about the OP. Is the G&D even having trivia during World Cup? They got voted one of the best places to watch it (can’t remember who voted them such, just saw a teaser on the news last week). I’d be up for the Irish Emigrant again; I really liked their trivia structure and Mondays tend to work better for me. I think I’d be willing to give the OP another shot, after a decent interval and/or making our displeasure known to the management. I guess it would also depend on who their new quizmaster is!
I’m pretty open to trying new nights and new places, whatever works for most people. I think it’s more fun when we have a decent crowd, so it would be great if we could find a place with a high team-limit (or no limit at all).
Cool. Let’s plan on a Tuesday night showing somewhere this week – maybe Murphy’s, in Wallingford?
In the meantime, inkysplotchy and I are going to try out The Jones tomorrow (Sunday) night, up at 88th and Roosevelt. They’ve got a new quiz that runs from 7:30 to 9:30. No entry fee, and no cash prize, but the top 2 teams get $25 and $10 off their bill. Also, the food’s supposed to be good. Anyone who’s interested should feel free to join us – no need to RSVP here unless you want to.
Most of the time, I really like having a weekly reason to be out on the town, rather than sitting at home watching TV. It’s just that lately my job’s been throwing deadlines at me on Tuesday. I think that’s at an end, so I can come regularly again (though not tomorrow, I’m afraid).
Bummer about the OPQ. It wasn’t perfect, but then no place is, and I rather enjoyed it most weeks. But that incident definitely shows it’s time to reassess.
I was recently told about another quiz. The master is a member of that team that got so very screwed at the OPQ (my friend on that team that works with me told me this). It’s on Wednesdays, at Changes, a gay bar near the Guild 45th. He didn’t give me too many details, but one intriguing aspect is that the scoring and payout is round-by-round. He said that in the past, he and his son won two rounds in a row, decided $35 was a good take, and went home at 9pm.
I’ll try to get more info from him if I see him this week. I’m sure, if he was at the OPQ this week, he’ll have a lot to say about the events there. Maybe he’ll have some other suggestions as well–he seems to do trivia several times a week, all over the city.
I’ve got my last SIFF movie tonight (a Russian comedy, for what it’s worth, which should be, um, interesting), so I won’t be able to join you. However, I can confirm that the food at The Jones is very, very good, but the prices will give sticker shock to anyone used to the tavern-food rates we’ve been enjoying at other places up to now.
For that very reason, I don’t forsee making it a permanent trivia spot. (Also, no cider on tap–only bottled.) But the Pequliar incident reawakens my desire to sample a broader range of trivia locales. Plus I can blog about it at Seattlest. Plus it’s five minutes from my place.
Saltire, the other person quoted in the article is GP, another guy you know. I must admit that their team’s decision to leave the OPQ is another strong reason I’m not eager to go back – I like the rivalry.
So, would anyone be up for the Irish Emigrant tonight? I probably wouldn’t be able to get there until close to 8, but if we have a quorum, I’d be interested.
I can’t do it tonight, but I’m up for tomorrow. I propose Murphy’s in Wallingford. Their website says trivia starts “after 7:00,” but my friend who’s played there says the quiz starts more like 8:30 or 9:00.
The Jones was great food, good quiz, great host, kinda sucky prize. Basically you play for a discount off your meal – $25 applied to a winning team’s check is still going to leave plenty to pay. I enjoyed it, I’ll probably go back, but I wouldn’t make it my regular trivia gig.
The line “we went early with our wife and daughter” cracks me up. I’m immature that way.
My Mondays are about to free up for a short time, so while I can’t do the Emigrant tonight, I could next week. As of right now, tomorrow is a maybe unless they really do start at 9.
Remember what I said last post? Forget it. I’m socked in at work again, and a miracle is needed to get me free in time for trivia. See you all next week, somewhere.
GP tells me he’s written to the OPQ’s owner, and is awaiting a reply. Depending on the reply, his team may or may not go back. He is looking for trivia later in the week (Wed. or Thu.), but hasn’t found anything lately.
So, what time is everyone planning to get there tonight? I’m trying to decide if I should have dinner there, because the menu looks kinda good, or if I should save money by eating at home, since I’m still jobless.
