Not a Trivial Life
I asked David how this big win changed his life. He responded that it definitely didn't change it at all. He says he just got lucky with this big win and another one. Since I have known David for over a decade, I have to disagree with him. I think it gave him leverage in trivia so that he is able to recruit high quality players to his trivia teams. Also, having an extra 10 grand in your bank account provides a nice little cushion for life's challenges and increases your confidence in life in general.
One thing about David that hasn't changed is that he is authentic and always has been. When I first met David, I found him to be a little quirky. Let's face it, we are all quirky, but many of us try to hide our quirks. David embraces his quirks and is unabashedly owning them. In this world which we try to conform, I have always found David to be a breathe of fresh air. His authenticity has always inspired me to show the world who I am, quirks and all. I'm guessing that David has inspired more people than he will ever know. I asked David if he had always embraced his quirks. He has and had wisdom beyond his years. Growing up, he felt he didn't fit in, but he felt trying to be a persona that fit in was such hard work, that it was easier for him to be just who he was. Authenticity. He says it was easier for him. Many people never achieve the authenticity until much later in life. This guy is smart at more things than just trivia.
What do I mean by quirky? Well, David once worked for an organization called "Rent-A-Geek". He played a very convincing geek. Here's the beauty of David. I don't think he was acting.
David is a great friend and I was not uncomfortable asking him tough questions and he was not uncomfortable answering the questions. He traces his love of trivia back to middle school. He was not into sports but still liked to compete, so, somehow found his niche in trivia. The benefit of enjoying trivia was also that he got to build his knowledge his base. David has always enjoyed geography and that is his specialty that he brings to any trivia team. His love of geography inspired two other trivia categories for him to dominate. When the Berlin Wall came down, countries in the Eastern block emerged and in other parts of the world, countries were separating and being renamed. Flags and anthems were emerging and changing. Flags and anthems became more than interesting, it became his hobby. Did you know that Winnipeg has a flag museum? Have half an hour of time with nothing to do? Ask David about it. He will tell you. He also has a website devoted to anthems. Again, David didn't build the site for himself. He found as he was researching and learning about anthems, emerging and changing, that he knew more than what was on the internet. He selflessly filled this need. Again, the topic of the national anthem of Croatia may come up in conversation once a year, just don't be next to David. You will feel useless as he regales you with 20 minutes about everything anthem. Just smile and nod. Whatever you do, don't ask a follow-up question. I am saying this from experience.
I asked David whether he prefers playing trivia solo or if he prefers playing in a team. He says he prefers playing in a team. There is a practical reason. In a team, you have a better chance of winning. Team trivia is pretty exciting. Also, everyone always knows something that they didn't realize they knew. When that happens, it is a pretty exciting moment. Also, friendships develop quickly in trivia teams as you get to know what knowledge a person values to keep inside their brain and you learn about people quickly. Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I have to note that I have been on a few trivia teams with David. I don't want to give readers the sense that his trivia teams are all wine and roses. After all, David is competitive and he tends to recruit competitive people on his teams. Sometimes, I have been recording and I can't keep up with David's answers. It is very stressful. One time, we didn't get the front table and I had to rush our answers up to the quizmaster from the back. You can't imagine the pressure that I was under. (By the way, apologies again to the two ladies who I tripped.) But, even though David is competitive, any trivia team he is on is guaranteed to include a whole bunch of laughs. So, he prefers team trivia but playing trivia solo is still better than not playing trivia.
HQ recently changed main hosts. To David, he is ok with that, although he will always have a soft spot for exited host Scott Rogowsky. Yes, Scott was the host for his big wins, but that is not the real reason. Scott is a huge baseball fan and thought the dh in his nickname on HQ stood for Designated Hitter. So, in a way, David has achieved success in sports, something that has alluded him.
One of my favorite pictures of David is one that he often posts and that is his wedding picture. You have never seen a more proud groom and I love the way he looks at his wife. True love. In July, they will be celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary and he still looks at his wife that way. I love that and I sigh deeply when I watch them together. They have two children that are getting close to be launching. That is one of the reasons I drag my partner out to trivia teams with David and his wife. I want him to be inspired to look at me that way. Unfortunately, I have a little competitiveness inside me so I don't think I am inspiring love when I yell at my sweetie that he should know this one!
So, I encourage you to ask David anything. He probably knows the answer and he probably knows the answer to other life questions as well. Ask him, for example, how do you build a successful life? He knows that one, too.
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