According to Webster’s, trivial is defined as information that is unimportant or of little value. Certainly to me, there are a lot of trivial things like screaming over spilled milk or worrying about something that can not be changed, but for me, trivia is not trivial. In fact, it has expanded my intellect. Allow me a few examples:

Name the toy manufacturer that produces the most tires in the world. What was the United States longest poker game? How many bones does a shark have? In what country is Casablanca? Your response may be so what? Who cares? But these four questions can serve as interesting conversation starters at a boring cocktail party.

Legos produces over 830 million tires per year, outdistancing ever tire manufacturer you can name. The longest poker game was in Tombstone, AZ, and it was played continuously for over 8 years by such notables as Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, Doc Holliday, Diamond Jim Brady, Adolphus Busch, and George Hearst. An estimated $10 million dollars changed hand during the eight years. The game terminated when the Bird Cage saloon flooded. As to sharks, they have no bones, and Casablanca is Morocco’s chief port. So the next time you’re forced to watch Bogie and Ingrid, you’ll at least know where Casablanca is.

Feel free to test my theory the next time you try to engage someone in conversation. Ask them one of the questions I posed.