The Microphone and the Amplifier

After hosting several “fill-in” trivia games for other trivia hosts, I received my first-ever regular trivia night – Tuesday evenings at Beer Bones Bar and Grille in Loudonville. Last week’s debut went very well, with seven teams competing for the big prize (a gift card from Beer Bones Bar and Grille).

So this week, I wanted everything to be perfect. The trivia company host lent me an amplifier / mixer, I purchased my own microphone, and we’re ready to go.

Sunday night, I’m going through all the cords and wires to prepare for my first solo set-up of this new equipment, and …

Where’s my microphone?

I can’t find my microphone.

Aw, nuts. Did I leave it at Beer Bones? Did I leave it in my car? Where did it go?

Okay. Have to think of something. I have options. No need to panic.

At that point in time, I had three options. I could either –

• (A) Run to my local Guitar Center and hope they had a sale on microphones.
• (B) Contact the trivia company host and see if he had a spare microphone.
• (C) Go to Beer Bones without a microphone, and scream all the questions at the top of my voice.

And in the end, I went with Option D.

Option D was to order another microphone from Amazon. It should arrive just in time – I would just stop home prior to my trip to Loudonville, pick up the package, unwrap it, plug in the microphone, and we’re good to go.

Tuesday morning. I’m packing the mixer, the wires, and my laptop all in my car. Figured if I time it properly, with light traffic, I should get the Amazon package without delay.

Hmm. What’s this grey box on my shelf?

It’s the box containing the original purchased microphone. It was here all the time. I put it away and forgot where I put it.

Damn it. I need one of those Harry Lorayne books in my old age.

Okay. We’re good. I don’t need to stop home on my way to Beer Bones. Let’s go host some trivia.

I arrive at Beer Bones, say hi to the waitstaff, and immediate set up my gear. Cords go into a specific junction box that integrates within the bar’s sound system. Other cords go into the mixer. Microphone goes into XLR cable, which goes into the mixer. And …

No sound.

Wha?

Did the trivia company provide me with a busted mixer?

I check my watch. 45 minutes to first question.

Okay, Miller, do not panic. There has to be a solution here.

And at that moment, I had three options. I could either:

• (A) Go to Guitar Center and try to pick up a mixer / amplifier on sale, if they have them.
• (B) Call the trivia company and see if someone can zip over to the bar with a replacement mixer.
• (C) Go back to the concept of screaming every question at the top of my lungs.

And in the end … I went with Option D.

And Option D meant quickly powering up the YouTube channel on my phone, looking up that particular mixer product, and …

Oh, that’s why it’s not powering up.

I kept my cool, I quickly followed the steps … and the mixer finally powered up. Whew.

Need this in the memory banks for future reference.

And after all that … last night’s trivia game went very well. Five teams competed, and the team that won outpaced the squad who was leading all night (they bet safe and were surpassed by the winning team, who bet all their points and got the answer right).

After the trivia competition, I went home. Successful day. Oh, what’s this on my front porch? An Amazon package?

Trying to remember what I ordered from Amazon …

Oh, yeah. It was the replacement microphone.

Well … at least now I have a spare. You never know when I might forget that I have a backup plan. Just in case senility finally takes over. #hahahahaha