It’s today, it’s yesterday…it’s over 20 years ago. 

I don’t remember when I started watching Jeopardy…I only remember that it became a nightly ritual with my dad, where we’d talk over the phone every evening at the same time and “compete” with the show on tv.

Every night, we’d wage through final Jeopardy, feeling brilliant and ignorant depending on the category and questions.

We always bet it all with the Daily Double and went for broke with Final Jeopardy.

Alex Trebek sounds exactly the same as he always has.  Sure, he’s older, like the rest of us.  But this small and simple routine, with that familiar voice is something I’ve come to love and kept as a family tradition.

My dad died in 1995…and the three years leading up to that continued our tradition, even when he was too sick to do anything else.  Funny how something simple sometimes sticks.  My routine of competing continues with my kids.  First, with my firstborn (now 26), and now with our 11 and 13 year-old-sons. 

I still remember my oldest, when he was about 7, when Greek Mythology came up and he randomly answered correctly with, “Snakes” to describe Medusa.  A proud moment indeed!

So much has changed and re-arranged in my life…but 7:30 p.m. continues as a reserved time slot in the family room.  We sit around the couch, over the computer desk, and test our skills.  We all get lucky sometimes…and on those tough category nights, we go for broke and lose it all.

So at the beginning of the work week, I look forward to tonight, watching Alex introduce the new contestants.  I’ll wrangle at least one of my boys to serve as a “contestant”  and we’re continuing a simple, but familiar tradition that somehow creates a link between two children my dad never had the chance to meet…and me as I embrace this warm memory of my dad every day.

I’ll take “Good Company” for $600.00.

Thanks, Alex…”What is #jeopardy and my #family.”

M