Lee Hartman, co-captain of But, Fun! trivia team, answers The Pitch‘s questionnaire

Name: Lee Hartman

Occupation: Adjunct instructor, UCM; artistic director, Mid America Freedom Band; editor-in-chief, kcmetropolis.org. I dwell among the rank and file of underemployed 20- and 30-somethings. Thankfully, Kansas City is hospitable to such a lifestyle. On Monday evenings, though, I put on my serious hat as co-captain of “But, Fun!” – my trivia team based out of the Green Room.

Hometown: West Chester, Pennsylvania. When I moved to Kansas City for grad school, I thought I would be entering the land of tumbleweed and rodeo. I was shocked to find out about free art museums, high-caliber music in all genres and gorgeous parks.

Current neighborhood: Waldo! Wouldn’t live anywhere else … especially not in Brownbackistan.

Twitter handle: @LeeHartmanMusic

What’s your addiction? Coffee with too much half-and-half to be appropriate and Trader Joe’s cranberry-pistachio biscotti. My CD collection. Yes, CDs. I can’t bear to part with them. I have tons of out-of-print, rare classical discs.

What’s your game? Every Monday night it’s Geeks Who Drink Pub Trivia at the Green Room with my awesome, eclectic team, But, Fun! shout-out to Calli, Cully, Katie, Lara and Thomas! We’re oddly formidable.

What’s your drink? Salty Dog. No one drinks them. Grapefruit, vodka, salted rim. So good. I enjoy trying new craft beers, too. Tallgrass Vanilla Bean Buffalo Sweat is pure taste-bud happiness.

Where’s dinner? When we’re going to drop some cash: Pierpont’s, Bluestem, Louie’s Wine Dive, Gram & Dun. Otherwise, Jalapenos in Brookside, Waldo Pizza, Green Room, but I cook a lot at home. I can make a mean brined pork chop.

What’s on your KC postcard? If there was one with the J.C. Nichols Fountain spurting Oklahoma Joe’s BBQ sauce, I’d be all over that.

Finish this sentence: “Kansas City got it right when … ” They approved the zoo tax. That penguin exhibit is delightful! I can’t wait for the expanded centers for the tigers and orangutans.

“Kansas City screwed up when … ” The Chiefs hired Andy Reid. I’m an Eagles fan, and he was our coach for over a decade, so these words are said with love and sadness. Oh, sure, the Chiefs will make the playoffs repeatedly. Just don’t expect them to advance to the big game.

“Kansas City needs … “ Public transportation! Light rail! Accredited and well-funded public schools! I love living here, and it pains me to live in a city that can’t meet some of those most basic needs.

“In five years, I’ll be … “ Paralyzed from riding Verrückt, the new slide at Schlitterbahn. It better be worth it. No, seriously, my husband and I hope to become dads, more gainfully employed, that sort of thing. How domestically prosaic is that?

“I always laugh at … “ A well-placed Dark Crystal reference.

“I’ve been known to binge-watch … “ Last summer, I watched the entirety of Deep Space Nine over two weeks.

“I can’t stop listening to … “ Glass Animals, Janelle Monáe, the National, the 1975, Other Lives. I get to attend a lot of classical concerts for KCMetropolis, so I’m always drowning in music, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. But to prep for this Austin trip to Geek Bowl VIII, it’s been a lot of Top 40: One Direction, Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift.

“I just read … “ A Feast for Crows. I lost some serious geek cred admitting that. Also, probably some sophomoric BuzzFeed post involving otter or puppy GIFs or an article on Salon, ThinkProgress or Towleroad.

The best advice I ever got: Don’t burn bridges. Being in education and music, this maxim is especially important. I’ve had many opportunities come up years later just because I was nice to someone in undergrad.

Worst advice: When I got rejected from the Sibelius Academy after applying there for a Fulbright, they wrote “lacks the basic skills in which to succeed in such a program.” The past nine years have been dedicated to proving those judgmental Fins wrong!

My sidekick: My two rescue dogs, husky-mix Feyd and chow-mix Rabban.

My dating triumph/tragedy: Well, I have to say meeting my husband, Thomas, right? That counts as “triumph,” btdubs. We met on Manhunt, so there’s that tawdry knowledge bomb.

My brush with fame: I once rang up Paul Rudd at what was the Borders on 119th and Metcalf. He was very nice and very dreamy. Sadly, I was so taken aback at the time, I don’t remember what he bought.

My 140-character soapbox: But, Fun is coming for you, Austin! Kansas City represent! We’re bi-state-ual! #geekbowl, #geekswhodrink

What was the last thing you had to apologize for? Not knowing enough of Mariah Carey’s oeuvre or wars fought in Ancient Greece. Trivia is an unforgiving mistress.

My recent triumph: Being a member of the highest seeded team in the Cowtown Trivia Challenge qualifiers. We had the highest score in the nation on November 18. That was pretty rad. My high school academic-competition coach would be proud. Here’s to you, Mr. Chappell!

But, Fun is one of two Kansas City teams heading to Austin, Texas, for Geek Bowl VIII on January 25. They’ll compete, with $10,000 on the line, against 175 other teams.