Trivia Category 3: Dang It, Jim, I’m a Doctor

Dang It, Jim, I’m a Doctor

The Stengel’s youngest son, Huang Guang Hui, will be named James. This category is about famous people names James or Jim.

1. Kevin James found success playing Doug Heffernan in The King of Queens. However, he made guest appearances in 1998 & 1999 playing Doug in what other sitcom?

2. Six different actors have portrayed James Bond in feature films. Roger Moore has played 007 the most often (7 films). What is the name of the actor who portrayed the suave spy only once, in the film titled, On Her Majesty's Secret Service?

3. In the 1960s, Tommy James & his back-up group gave us such hits as “Mony Mony”, “Crimson & Clover”, “I Think We’re Alone Now”, and “Crystal Blue Persuasion”. What was the name of his back-up group?

4. How many U.S. presidents have had a given first name of “James”?

5. What uniform number did Jim Edmonds wear as a St. Louis Cardinal?

6. What famous outlaw was portrayed on film by actors Stacy Keach, Henry Fonda, Johnny Cash, Bill Paxton, Leonard Nimoy, Sam Shepard, and James Brolin? First AND last name required.

7. At what college did NFL running back Edgerrin James play football?

8. The movie Pocahontas featured Jamestown, the first successful English settlement in America. In which present-day state was it located?

9. In 2009, Beyoncé Knowles performed the song “At Last” during Barack Obama’s Inaugural Ball. “At Last” is the signature song of what R&B singer inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993?

10. In Riverside, Iowa, there is a monument engraved with the date March 22, 2228, marking whose future birthplace?

And the answers are...

1. Everybody Loves Raymond

2. George Lazenby

3. The Shondells

4. Six (Madison, Monroe, Polk, Buchanan, Garfield, Carter)

5. 15

6. Frank James

7. Miami

8. Virginia

9. Etta James

10. Captain James Tiberius Kirk

Trivia Category 2: Are You Joshing Me?

Are You Joshing Me?

One of the Stengel boys, Long Xiao Xiong, will be given the American name Josh. This category is about famous Joshes.

1. Sometimes called “the Black Babe Ruth”, Josh was a catcher in the Negro Leagues and is thought to have hit between 800 and 1000 home runs in his career. What was his last name?

2. Barbra Streisand has a stepson named Josh that has had a successful movie career. What is his last name?

3. As the leader of the Israelites, Joshua fought the battle of Jericho. Whom did Joshua succeed as leader of the Israelites?

4. What popular rock band released an album titled “The Joshua Tree” in 1987?
5. Starting in 2004, Nickelodeon ran a sitcom geared at teenagers. The show was about two stepbrothers learning how to share a bedroom. It was titled “_______ & Josh”. Fill in the blank.

6. Josh Holloway gained success playing the role of what main character on the television series Lost?

7. Josh is the oldest of 19 children born to Jim Bob and Michelle. Josh and his wife Anna have a child of their own and are expecting their second one this June. What is Josh’s last name?

8. In 2007, Evan Ellingson debuted in the role of Josh Bauer, the nephew of the main character in what television series?

9. The 2010 American League MVP, Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers, was the #1 overall draft pick in 1999. What team drafted him?

10. Actor Josh Duhamel played Danny McCoy on NBC’S Las Vegas. In real life, he’s married to the lead singer of which band that performed at half-time of this year’s Super Bowl?

And the answers are...

1. Gibson

2. Brolin

3. Moses

4. U2

5. Drake

6. Sawyer (James Ford)

7. Duggar

8. 24

9. Tampa Bay Devil Rays

10. The Black-Eyed Peas

Josh & James Trivia Category 1: What a Character!

Joe & Lynne leave in 3 days to go get their new sons, Josh & James (Long Xiao Xiong & Huang Guang Hui). Shaling seems thrilled at the opportunity to be reunited with her "big brothers" in a couple of weeks. A few weeks ago, Brock & I assisted with running a trivia night fundraiser to help with the expenses of going to get Josh & James. I wrote the questions and he emceed. For the next several days, I'll post categories from the trivia night, as many of them were written with the adoption in mind.

What a Character!

Questions about fictional characters who were orphaned.

1. “Leapin Lizards”, Little Orphan Annie called him “Daddy”, but what was Mr. Warbucks’ given first name?

2. In Rudyard Kipling’s series of books, a young boy is raised by a pack of wolves. What is the boy’s name?

3. In a series of books released in the 1800s, a young orphan is nicknamed “Deerslayer”, “Hawkeye”, “Pathfinder”, “Leatherstocking”, and “the trapper”. What is his given name?

4. Harry Potter was orphaned as an infant when Lord Voldemort killed Harry’s parents, but failed to kill Harry. When is Harry’s birthday (month & day)?

5. After witnessing his parents’ death at the hands of a mugger, Bruce Wayne dedicated his life to fighting crime as the superhero, Batman. Who portrayed Batman in the 1995 film, Batman Forever?

6. Charles Dickens wrote about several orphans, including David Copperfield and Oliver Twist. In what novel did he write about the orphan “Pip”?

7. Because their father had already turned to the dark side, Luke & Leia became orphans when their mother Padmé died during childbirth. To which planet is Princess Leia sent to live?

8. Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer lives with his aunt in St. Petersburg, Missouri. What is the name of his aunt?

9. In the 1950 Disney film, Cinderella has two stepsisters. One of them is Drizella. Who is the other one?

10. J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan has been portrayed on stage by several women, including Cathy Rigby and Sandy Duncan. What is the name of the actress (& mother of Larry Hagman) who portrayed Peter in the original 1954 production?

And the answers are...

1. Oliver

2. Mowgli

3. Natty Bumppo

4. July 31

5. Val Kilmer

6. Great Expectations

7. Alderaan

8. (Aunt) Polly

9. Anastasia

10. Mary Martin

Jack & the Beanstalk

Preston recently read Jack & the Beanstalk to Shaling as a bedtime story. Brock took two quick videos of it. In the first one, she's listening well. In the second one, she realizes Dad is videoing, so she starts acting silly.

Jack & the Beanstalk, Video 1 from Amy Reynolds on Vimeo.

Jack & the Beanstalk, Video 2 from Amy Reynolds on Vimeo.

Our Little Stinker Comedienne

We are quickly learning that Shaling thoroughly enjoys practical jokes. Her favorite targets are Mom & Dad. Once she believes she's successfully pulled a "Gotcha" on one of us, she heartily laughs in a very contagious manner.

Example #1:

This side of her personality peeked through just a smidge in China. Our hotel key cards (plastic cards the size of a credit card that granted as access in & out of our room) also granted us access to our lighting. There was a slot on the wall near our door in which one of our key cards had to be inserted for the lights to work. Once the card was removed, the lights remained on briefly, but automatically shut off after roughly 15 seconds. One day as we were all getting ready to leave, Brock was the last to use the bathroom. As the other 3 of us gathered near the door, Shaling ever so quietly reached up and took out the key card. I didn't realize what she had done and didn't understand why she looked up at me and whispered, "Dad"...that is I didn't understand until the lights went out, Brock hollered, and Shaling laughed hysterically.

Example #2:

Tuesday night of this week, I was chatting on the phone with my cousin Joanna. Shaling asked for the phone, thinking it was Brock. I told her it wasn't Dad, but that she could talk if she wanted. She chatted for a few minutes with "Aunt Joanna". Eventually, Joanna must have asked to talk to me again, because Shaling said "ok", and started to hand me the phone. Then, she jerked the phone back, put it up to her ear, and disguised her voice, "Hello?" Somehow, even with the disguise, I don't think Aunt Joanna thought the voice with the Chinese accent was me.

Example #3:

Yesterday afternoon, I was in our computer room, checking email, with Shaling looking over my shoulder, when my phone rang. I could tell from caller id that it was my mom. I asked Shaling if she wanted to say Hi to Grandma. She answered the phone and after the initial pleasantries, said "Mom, bathroom".

I looked at her incredulously and said, "I'm not in the bathroom."

She proceeded to make the sound of streaming water after which she said, "Mom, done." She then let out a series of giggles.

Example #4:

Last week, while I was at a meeting, Brock was home with Preston & Shaling. The kids were sitting on the couch watching television, so he sat down in between them. After a couple of minutes, Shaling began demonstratively counting with her fingers and said:

"Daaaaad..."

"One"

"Two"

"Three"

She then leaned away from him, with her tiny little bottom aimed right at him, and cut loose.

He was still horrified when I returned home about an hour later...telling Shaling to "tell Mom what you did to Dad".

I think she enjoyed my reaction to the story more than he did.

Shameless Attempt for a Bonus Point

I participate in trivia quizzes at springfieldtrivia.com and the current one is offering a bonus point to anyone who posts a link to the quiz. Therefore, I am urging everyone to go to http://www.springfieldtrivia.com/2011/03/ql2-round-five/ and give it a shot!

A B-U-S-Y Weekend: Trivia, Baseball, Baptism & Acrobats

Friday night, Brock & I helped organize & run what ended up being a successful & wildly fun trivia night for Joe & Lynne, who are adopting Long Xiao Xiong & Huang Guang Hui from Shaling's orphanage. Shaling has told use several times that Xiao Xiong & Guang Hui are her big brothers. We cannot wait for her to be reunited with them. TODAY, Joe & Lynne received their Travel Approval, which means they could be leaving as soon as next week to go get their new sons.

At the trivia, we discovered that Shaling has a "boyfriend". She has been telling us all about one of her classmates, Jose, since mid-January, shortly after she began school. We spoke with Jose's mom Friday night and she tells us that Jose is constantly talking about her. He apparently frequently picks her flowers, but never brings them to school to give to her because he is too shy. I find the whole thing adorably sweet.

Saturday, we went to St. Louis for the Cardinals-Padres game. This was Shaling's first-ever Major League Baseball game. Grandma & Grandpa Coonrod, Uncle Scott & Aunt Barbara, Mom & Dad, Preston & Shaling all enjoyed the day. Shaling didn't fully comprehend all that was going on down on the field, but I think she was enjoying it. She was definitely enjoying Grandma, who reciprocally was enjoying spoiling Shaling rotten. Thanks to Uncle Scott & Aunt Barbara waiting in line with Preston & Shaling, they got animal balloons made by a clown. We all thank Uncle Scott & Aunt Barbara for treating us to the game.

Yesterday, Shaling was baptized into the Lord's family at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Rochester. Uncle Scott & Aunt Barbara are her godparents, just like Preston. She didn't fully understand all that was happening here either, but she did great...responding along with us & her godparents. We all went to eat at International Buffet (a Chinese & American food buffet) after the baptism & church. It was lovely.

After lunch, I had Shaling quickly change clothes, as I wanted to take her to the University of Illinois-Springfield for a performance by the Golden Dragon Chinese acrobats. She didn't fully understand where we were going and initially showed disappointment, as I think she really wanted to enjoy the unseasonably warm weather by staying home and playing with her brother. However, once we arrived and the show started, she loved it, saying "oh, so cool!"

She is in for several busy weeks. She still has 4 more weeks of volleyball (5:00 on Mondays AND Thursdays) and starts softball this week (3 practices this week, but we don't know yet what her regular time slot will be). Plus, her brother Preston ahs volleyball at 6:00 on Mondays & Thursdays, Sangamon Valley Youth Symphony Concert Orchestra from 6:45 to 8:15 on Tuesdays, plus his 5th grade chorus mini-musical this Thursday.