Life without Quizzes

Sorry if you've been missing the reviews, and the usual vague ramblings about quiz life in general. I've been in Spain since Sunday, but only 8 days this time as opposed to the 4 weeks I spent last year, so normal service will be resumed on, or soon after Tuesday.

Last year it took me about three weeks, but I did eventually find a local quiz. I hated it. Actually let me qualify this comment. Obviously I'm exaggerating for effect, since almost any quiz is better than no quiz at all, but I didn't really enjoy it very much, mainly due to the fact that over half of it was made up of Family Fortunes type guessing questions. So I was dithering over whether I really wanted to go back to it this year. Well, that dilemma was soon settled. The bar where it took place is a victim of the credit crunch, so it seems, and has closed its doors in the 12 months that have passed since I was last here.

Now my mother in law and Mary's step dad do have British telly - but its really temperamental and there's only so much that you can get on it. Add to that the fact that the cardinal rule in pretty much every house I've ever lived in, and every home I've ever lodged is that she or he who controls the remote control decides on the evening's viewing, then I haven't seen any quizzes on TV either. They can't get BBC2 ! Can you imagine it ? A week without University Challenge ! Its not even as if the iplayer is available outside the UK either.

So, a week without quizzing, then. Even at Christmas, when there's no quizzes on in the pubs and clubs locally you can usually find some on the telly, even if its only celebrity versions of various shows. I'm well over the worst of it now. Only another three days, and I'll be back at my own laptop, and able to take my pick of the local quizzes should I so choose. You probably know me well enough to know that I will definitely so choose. But they do say that we should be able to draw something positive from even the most negative of experiences. So what have I learned from my week's enforced lay off ? Actually, not a lot. I already knew that I CAN live without quizzing - but I don't want to.

Come to think of it, there's not a lot more to add to that, really. Before I get accused of being an ungrateful so and so, I should probably stress that I've had a lovely week in all other respects. But come on - a week without quizzes ! See you on Tuesday.