Now what?

When you've written over 65 blog posts somewhat dedicated to one subject and created one quasi-mascot for said collection of these blog posts and then on one otherwise ordinary, rainy Thursday night you meet this quasi-mascot, purchase his book, get his autograph, hear him crack jokes and hear him read from the book, then maybe you will be able to relate to the evening I just had. Until then, this brief summary will just have to do.

My excitement a few weeks ago distracted me and when I awoke today I was not really thinking it through. What do I mean? Well, first off - I forgot my camera!
I also forgot my Jeopardy hat. (Not that I really think I would have brought it though I did think that if I wanted to take this as far as I could I would have worn the hat and/or have asked Ken to sign it)
Then don't get me started on one other idea I had as we waiting upstairs at the Union Square Barnes and Noble before HE arrived.
During Ken's run on Jeopardy, I was definitely the one in my family who had the most info on Ken Jennings. I read everything I could about the guy. Mind you, this wasn't that much. Maybe one article on cnn.com before he lost (when everyone started to take notice - hey! this guy is breaking records) and then a few articles after he lost. So, naturally, when my birthday rolled around, fellow bloggers (though this was way before AALNJ) gifted me with the Can you Beat Ken board game. It's true. I've got it. So, you might think the best part of the game are the questions. You are wrong.
AALNJ:One.
You:Zero.

The best part is there is a play piece that is a photo of Ken! It's about four inches high and two inches wide. (I will take a photo sometime in the next few days and post it). So as we are sitting waiting for him to show his face we think how great if I had thought to bring that piece to have him sign! Let's forget about the fact that I would have been quickly escorted out of a Barnes and Noble but still . . . it would have been pretty awesome!

So, Glen, Liza and I sat in the fifth row and we'd estimate there were about 120 people there. Not bad for a game show celebrity huh? Jeremy couldn't join in the Jeopardyfulness as he had to work.

I saw Ellen Ripstein and John (another crossword champ) from the movie Wordplay.
Ken came out told some stories including how his trivia interest started (when he was 4!) and sprinkled in some excerpts from the book. He spoke of trivia and how it really isn't so trivial but as a 'starry eyed trivia idealist' he thinks trivia actually brings all people closer together. Learning about different cultures and different types of people could probably help the world and make it a better place. Aw.

He opened it up for questioning. A few pretty good questions came up but the all time best was the woman who asked if he had ever seen Cash Cab on the Discovery Channel and what he thought of it! Heh. I was definitely in my element. (What that means, I don't really know but it seems to fit just right)

Then in a civilized and very organized manner whoever wanted to get their book signed did just that. Liza and I approached and I said to him that we write a blog that he had visited. He shook his head and said "Oh yeah - I think I just checked it out and it was like, 'Oh I am going to see Ken in a few days' and now here you are! It's all coming together. Freaky.
Isn't it weird how the Internet can predict the future?"

That guy!

Then Glen took a photo of the three of us (Me, Liza, and Ken) with my cell phone. We'll see if the computer genius that we know and love by his birth name - Jeremy - can help me load it up to the site.

I really loved it tonight.
I started to read the book on the train ride home and I am sure I will finish it within the next few days. It's fun. It's interesting. It's trivi-abulous!