Families have been gathering around the dining room table to answer silly questions since 1981. It was back then that a group of Canadian men decided to launch the new game they had developed. The game, Trivial Pursuit was born, and families have been addicted to answering silly questions about trivia, ever since.
But like most good things, the game spilled out of our homes and into pubs, club-houses, libraries, and anywhere else that would adequately house teams of avid trivia-ites.
A group of like-minded people at Mountain View have banded together to present Trivia every Monday at 6.30pm. There are about an hour’s worth of questions for the teams that opt-in. You don’t have to have a team to play, just come to the Community Centre and join one of the groups that have a spare chair at their table. There are a couple of specific groups, but most of us just turn up for a bit of a laugh and an opportunity to socialise. And just for the record – the exclusive groups don’t necessarily win – sometimes it’s the just-for-the-night group that hardly know each other that take away the winning honour.
Prizes?
Did I mention the prize for winning? No? That’s good – because there isn’t one. There is a lucky door prize (for those who enjoy a drop or two), and players enjoy an ice-cream at the end of the game.
So if you are hoping to win a sheep-station – don’t come to our game – you’ll be disappointed.
If you are keen to exercise your brain and hone your team skills – then run – don’t walk – to the Community Centre on Monday night at 6.30. Bring a $2 coin with you, and you are good to go. And if you are so inclined, you can bring a drop of something good to drink – otherwise the coffee machine is on ($2 a cup), and the water bottle is full.
Oh, and feel free to bring a couple of neighbours with you – they’ll enjoy the night as well, and you can either walk up and back together, or car-pool. At least when you get home at 7.30-8.00 – still laughing at some of the funny things that happened, you won’t disturb them.
Is it just for fun?
According to healthline.com, playing trivia is good for our mental health. Terms like – Frontal cortex; hoarding circuits; and addictive circuits are mentioned – but we’ll focus on the positive. Bruce and Mark will encourage you to ‘surf’ the Internet for trivia questions and answers, without becoming obsessive about hoarding facts. They will encourage teams to play to win, but not become addicted to winning.
One of the features of playing Trivia games in teams is the opportunity to meet and interact with others. This should remain one of the focal points of the game. Yes, winning is fun, and we all want to win, but it isn’t the most important thing. Widening our circle of friends has to be a major component.
And a flow on from the above is the challenge of working collaboratively in a team. Yes, that is T-E-A-M. There is no I in team.
We might be convinced our answer is the right one, but so is the person opposing our suggestion. Working out how to accommodate different opinions is a skill, and one that can be developed and enhanced by playing Trivia games in a team.
Use it or lose it
Another compelling element of Trivia games is the workout for our brains. Not only do we have to delve into the deep, dark corners to find the answers, but we have to meet the timelines imposed by the presenter. Learning to think faster is like taking a brisk walk as opposed to a slow saunter. The brisk walk will work our cardio system for a better overall benefit, just as thinking faster will work our brains harder. The old saying ‘if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it’, couldn’t be more true – especially for our brains.
As we age, we lose physical strength – our bodies just don’t bounce back as easily as they used to. We are constantly being reminded of the need to be active.
But what about our brains?
The old picture of retirees typically showed seniors in a sedentary lifestyle. But not now! The latest research shows us that we need to stay physically, and mentally fit. Learning a new language is one of the best ways to stay mentally alert as we age, and so is playing Trivia games.
So, are you going to sit back and wait for dementia to kick in, or are you going to make a stand against it?
Great Choice
See you at the Community Centre on Monday night – at 6.30!
Use the comments section below if you have any questions…