And the Cup goes to...

Welcome back to the Queen's Corner. As you might have heard, something terrible happened in Texas last Monday evening, sending the Queen herself into a deep depression in which she simply did not have it in her to hand out the Queen's Cup.

However, time heals all wounds, and I need to get this beautiful Cup out of the tudor house before I become attached to it and have to keep it for myself. (You may have noticed that there was no prohibition in the official Queen's Cup Rules barring me from winning…)

But alas, after spending hours reviewing the many entries into this year's competition, something incredible happened. A dead heat between the top two scorers. A tie! The first ever in the short history of the Cup. So, in an effort at transparency, I will share the top answers to this year's Queen's Questions so that you can understand just how this all shook out.

1. Who is going to win the NCAA Men's Final Four this year, and why?

Both of the top finishers answered correctly: the University of Kentucky! +5 for each.

2. How have you personally helped Kentucky make it to the Final Four?

Top Answer, verbatim: I am fortunate enough to own a pair of leggings which depict a pattern of relaxing felines, colloquially known as my "cat pants." Though they are decidedly on their last legs (threadbare and replete with holes), I have worn them for each and every tournament game. Additionally, I have worn the 2012 National Championship shirt, and my fun blue monogram sweatshirt (which matches the Queen's of course) and a furry blue and white scarf. Today, I am wearing the same shirt that I wore when we won the 2012 championship, but I have the 2012 National Championship shirt in my bag in case it becomes a necessity. I plan to change into my cat pants just before I leave work. 

You may notice that this respondent got bonus points for the cat reference and for mentioning the Queen. All hail me!

3. In what ways is the Bonanza Queen like -- or better than -- Duchess Kate?

Top Answer: The Bonanza Queen is equally as awesome as Kate (because even the BQ would get mad if anyone suggested that someone was better than Kate)!! They are both destined to be royalty and are overall better than everyone else.

This is so very true. An obvious winner.

4. How cute was that picture of the royals and Baby George?

Top Answer: I will admit, I'm not sure exactly which one you mean, because all pictures of them are incredibly cute.  I have attached two that I like.  In the first, labeled "cute", I admire that Kate is wearing a cute bathing suit so as to avoid inappropriate boobage, and I think even Dana would approve of how adorable George is with his strategically placed bubbles.  In the second, I believe that George is thinking, "Why are you not a cat?" 

 

source

This is, of course, the photo that I was referring to. The respondent is correct that Baby George would prefer a cat. And, this respondent got bonus points for bringing to my attention this beautiful gem:

5. Where would you display the Queen's Cup, and how would having it make your life more worth living?

Top Answer: I'm still thinking about the best display option, but right now I'm thinking about a rotating situation where it goes from my house to the office and everywhere in between - such as dinner at Noodles & Company and my constant visits to the emergency vet. Two things that make my life worth living: Molly and the Queen's Cup.

This competitor got bonus points because she has promised, in writing, to display the Cup at our mutual place of work, where it is sure to inspire many questions and conversations about how I am the Queen. This competitor obviously knows that with the Queen, flattery is the best policy.

Honorable Mention: I imagine I would spend many days admiring the Cup filled with a sense of pride and honor.  I would undoubtedly have to quit my job.

Yes, wouldn't we all?

6. Agree or disagree: Marcus Lee (not to put any pressure on you here, but he is the Queen's favorite player) looks dead-on like Doug Funny.

Top Answer: Absolutely I do.  Plus sometimes he is regular Doug, riding the bench, cheering on his teammates.  But sometimes he is Quailman, soaring through the skies to fight crime and snatch incredible rebounds.


This respondent gets this question correct because she pointed out a comparison that even I hadn't noticed. Well done, my friend.

Other points were awarded for watching games with me (2 points per game, with a bonus 3 for being with me for the national championship game), for commenting on my blog, for letting me decide where and when to go to lunch one day, for guest posting on my blog, and for being Mabel's godmother. Tallying the scores was truly a nightmare. But I persevered, and present to you the TWO inaugural winners of the Queen's Cup:

Ms. Courtney "Big Red" Samford, who chose to take 

her victory portrait in a field of big red flowers, 

and 

Ms. Anna "Incognito" Girard, who chose to take her 

victory portrait in a dark, dark room. Too bad I missed

 that free Photoshop class at the public library 

or I could have let you see Ms. Anna's face.

The Official Queen's Cup rules applicable to Co-Cup Winners:

1.  The Cup will first be awarded to the person closest in proximity to the Queen on Tuesday morning, April 15, 2014.

2. The Co-Winners must meet at the stroke of midnight every night throughout their reign to exchange custody of the Cup.

3. Each Co-Winner must keep an accurate, detailed account of the Cup's activities and whereabouts each day in a hand-sewn book made by one of the Co-Winners. This Queen's Ledger must accompany the Cup at all hand-offs and must be made available to the Queen at her request.

4. Each Co-Winner should provide the Queen with frequent photos and narratives written from the perspective of the Cup, to be posted on the Queen's blog in the Queen's sole discretion.

There will likely be more rules added as time goes on, but that's it for now. It's been a great season, y'all, and thank you kindly for your entries. Until next year,

xoxo
the Queen

The Queen's Cup

Behold:

This thing of beauty is, of course, the inaugural Queen's Cup, a coveted trophy awarded just as March Madness draws to a close to one lucky subject of the Bonanza Queen. You've heard about the Cup, but until now, no one outside of the tudor house has laid eyes on this masterpiece.

I say masterpiece because it is. Hand-crafted by the Queen herself, it is plated with real gold spray paint and topped with a slightly broken glass figurine that was found in the basement walls of our house by the guy installing our man cave bar. The true heart of the Cup, of course, is the authentic pom-pom that i have torn apart and stuffed inside the mason jar that makes up this Pin-spired piece's base. I have slaved over this work of art for months, and finally it is time for the unveiling. It pains me to think that it may not sit on my mantle for much longer.

I had intended to award the trophy earlier in the season, but in case you have been living under a rock, my poor Cats finally stepped up and started dominating in the tournament, and miraculously have made it to the Final Four! So I've had quite a bit of cheering and eating cheese dip to do for the last couple of weeks. But now I've turned my attention to where it should have been all season long: the Cup.

Unlike the Bonanza King, I host a tournament that can really be won by anyone even up to the last minute. (Out of the 961 brackets entered in the Bonanza, only five could still win the top prize, which I won't post here but let's just say it's nowhere near the quality of the Cup.) So, if you find yourself at the bottom of the Bonanza standings, there is still hope for you in the Queen's Corner.

So, how does one win this wonderful prize, you ask? It's quite discretionary, actually. No rules and fine print in the Queen's Corner. I have already awarded points to some people for a variety of things, including but not limited to: watching UK games with me, being a true Cats fan, reading my blog regularly, commenting on my blog (AHEM…I think there have been a grand total of 3 comments to my blog, ever. Is there anyone out there?), and giving me compliments and things. Not surprisingly, Mabel is in the lead at the moment. But have no fear, the rest of the competition is based on your answers to the following questions, and Mabel doesn't have a computer so she won't be much competition in this last and most important phase.

So without further ado, I reveal to you the Queen's Questions. Send your answers to these questions to my Queen's email account -- thebonanzaqueen [at] gmail.com -- or by leaving your responses below.

1. Who is going to win the NCAA Men's Final Four this year, and why?

2. How have you personally helped Kentucky make it to the Final Four?

3. In what ways is the Bonanza Queen like -- or better than -- Duchess Kate?

4. How cute was that picture of the royals and Baby George?

5. Where would you display the Queen's Cup, and how would having it make your life more worth living?

6. Agree or disagree: Marcus Lee (not to put any pressure on you here, but he is the Queen's favorite player) looks dead-on like Doug Funny.

Be forewarned that you should get your answers in quickly, because if Kentucky does not advance to the Finals … ohpleaseohpleaseadvancetothefinals … I may lose interest in the Queen's Cup Competition as well as the tournament itself.

It's been quite a ride, ladies and gents. I'll be back here before you know it with an exclusive, one-on-one interview with the Cup winner and an unveiling of this year's One Shining Moment. If you miss it, I'm sure they'll be showing it on the Today Show every day next week.

Coronation Day

Do I sound a little more regal blogging to you today?

If so, it’s likely because as of this morning, I have been crowned Bonanza (TM) Queen. As you know, Evan is the Bonanza (TM) King, the firm but sometimes fair ruler of the Bonanza, his 15-year old March Madness pool/complete obsession from February through April. As you may also know, I believe I should be crowned Bonanza (TM) Queen by the fact of my marriage to Evan alone.

from http://katemiddletonforthewin.tumblr.com/, which

you really need to start reading if you don't already.

 

However, he disagreed, and instead lay down the law that, to be crowned Bonanza (TM) Queen and thus entitled to list that title on each of my brackets, I had to recruit 25 new brackets into the pool to show my dedication.

 

 

seriously, check it out.

 http://katemiddletonforthewin.tumblr.com/

 

And that is why you haven’t heard much from me lately: I’ve been pounding the pavement nonstop to rustle up some new bracketologists. And as of this morning, I recruited 37 undisputed new brackets, as well as 23 more that the King probably won’t let me count, but should count towards my total. (My own dad and brother, for instance? I guarantee they wouldn’t be in the Bonanza without me. But they’ve been in it before (you’re welcome), so Evan says they aren’t “mine.”)

 

Ahh, doesn’t it look nice? I’m almost guaranteed to win this year.

Or maybe I’ve already won. I AM a queen, after all.

Let’s see, what else have I been up to since we’ve last spoken? Well, I got a splinter that I never could get out of my finger and my body seems to have just swallowed it up. I bid adieu to Juan Pablo, who I no longer love from afar (what a jerk!), and I counted the days on my calendar till the Bachelorette premieres in May (60 days as of right now). I was on national (umm…maybe just local) television at the KET telethon. You probably were watching Yoga for Balance and saw me during commercials. I held TWO adorable new babies and didn’t hurt either one of them. I baked a layer cake and it didn't collapse.

… hmm.  Other than the new babies (which obviously I didn’t even birth), not a whole lot of noteworthy stuff. But the weather is improving, my craft juices are flowing again, and it could possibly be a really great time to be a follower of the tudor house blog. Not to mention, there’s a Queen’s Corner trophy to award in the next couple of weeks. Get ready, it’s going to be a REALLY exciting time!

Welcome to the Queen's Corner

By now, you have probably seen Evanshine’s Bonanza trailer, a video which has gone viral on every continent. I hate to take too much credit away from Evan, but that video was made with my* laptop, which seriously impeded me in my blogging efforts. So you can feel free to blame Evan for my recent absence in the blog-o-sphere, if you’re the type of person to place blame.

* Evan claims it is not “my” laptop, but “our” laptop, since we got married. Uh, not in my America!

If you’ve been living under a rock and have not heard of the Bonanza, it is the nation’s premiere March Madness pool, complete with its own website, unmatched commentary courtesy of my husband, The Bonanza King, and unmatched prizes courtesy of the hundreds of participants every year. This is its 15^th year in existence, as you probably have heard. I tend to be ignored a bit from mid-February to early April, because Evan has his Bonanza business to take care of. I usually get my feelings hurt, as I’m sure you can understand.

Now, you probably noticed some critical wording in that last paragraph: … my husband, The Bonanza King. This is yet another similarity that Kate Middleton and I share – marrying into royalty. You probably want to know: does my recent wedding make me The Bonanza Queen?

True story: This was our Christmas Card this year. No, really.

Why yes, yes it does. And though poor Kate must wait to be crowned Queen until her husband assumes the throne, I have actually already assumed the Bonanza throne.

A birthday gift from my dad this year: laminated card showing me that he reserved this email address right after our wedding! Truly a thoughtful gift.

Alas, I have not yet had the chance to use my Bonanza Queen status … until now. Even though Evan promised me a corner of his Bonanza website where I could post my Queenly thoughts, he has since reneged. Luckily, I was able to coerce him into emailing me the tournament logo – and thus the Queen’s Corner of the tudor house blog was born. It is here that I shall post my own thoughts, trivia facts, and commentary on this year’s tourney.

As you can see, I even have my own Queen’s Corner logo. Cute, isn’t it?

Well, lady friends, feel free to check in to the Queen’s Corner after every day of the tournament for a real Queen’s touch. Have questions you’d like answered? Just email them to me at the e-mail address shown above or leave them in the comments section of this post! I’d love to hear from you. There will also be a crowning of the Bonanza Princess this year, a title subordinate only to mine in the land of premiere March Madness pools. A trophy will, of course, be awarded, and the trophy comes with a premiere bio right here in the Queen's Corner at the end of the season or at the end of Kentucky's run, whichever comes first (I tend to lose interest in the tournament when Kentucky chokes). I will decide the criteria for awarding the trophy, but these things will help you in your quest: (1) having entered the Bonanza or the Bonanza Gold (TM), (2) leaving numerous comments right here on my blog, (3) becoming a follower of my blog by clicking the button at right, and (4) sucking up to me. Easy-peasy.

Good luck, and godspeed!

xoxo,

the Queen