Trivial Pursuits
"What mighty contests arise from trivial things."
- Alexander Pope
Tonight, I attended trivia night in-person for the first time in over two years.
Our trivia team consists of Rae (sometimes Nick), Erin, Suzanne, myself, and in the old days, Sarah (and sometimes Brian.) We have been doing virtual trivia (Zoom) for the past two years. It is not the same, but there are good things about it (such as being able to shut off your camera), and it also allowed us to re-unite with Sarah and Brian (who had moved to Tucson.)
Tonight we were at the Common Market in South End. I have been to Tuesday night trivia once before at the Common Market (although it's been a while because, you know... COVID.) Our trivia location in the old days was on Monday nights at Sir Edmund Halley's (with a few unfortunate excursions to the Rusty Onion on Thursdays.)
Although I now have a new committment on Tuesday nights (Bible Study), I considered this a reasonable option because I have long labeled trivia nights as "group therapy" (which it really is, because we are basically all teachers.) Also, I have often observed people missing church events for family reasons, and our trivia team is a family of sorts. In attendance tonight were Erin and Rae (whom I have seen only once in-person for two years) and Nick (whom I have not seen at all.) Suzanne was not there, but I have seen her several times.
In addition, I was persuaded by Erin to attend by the following message:
"I also have a work friend coming with. Maybe 2.
Kevin. You should be there."
It turns out the two work friends were named Charlotte and Sam. More about that later, by which I mean never.
Our team won first place, and thus a $50 gift certificate.
More importantly to me, it was one of the few times in the past two years in which I attended something just to BE PRESENT. No responsibilities. Nothing to prepare in advance, nothing to teach, nothing to livestream.
I was just experiencing the moment.
And that is not trivial at all.