Warrior Chess

Good One...

2011-12-09T08:23:00.004-10:00

Every now & then a game gets played that is pretty special. Hmm... I rarely play anymore these days (1 or 2 blitz games/month), so any game I get a chance to play is special. lol

Anyway, here's one against a stronger player containing some interesting motifs, sacrifices, exchange-sac's, and all around crazyness. I haven't checked the moves against the computer yet, so I'm not sure how sound it is. However it's interesting enough that I'm putting the entire game on here....

[Event "ICS blitz match"]
[Date "2011.12.09"]
[Round "-"]
[White "BARRY"]
[Black "Jorka"]
[Result "1-0"]
[TimeControl "0+7"]

1. e4 e5 2. d3 Nc6 3. Nf3 h6 4. g3 Qf6 5. Bg2 a6 6. O-O b6 7. h3 Bb7 8. Nh2
O-O-O 9. Be3 Qe6 10. f4 g5 11. f5 Qe7 12. Ng4 f6 13. Nc3 h5 14. Nd5 Qf7 15.
Nf2 Bd6 16. Bxg5 fxg5 17. f6 Nd4 18. c3 Bxd5 19. exd5 Nf5 20. Ne4 Nxg3 21.
Nxg3 h4 22. Ne4 Bc5+ 23. Nxc5 bxc5 24. Qa4 Kb7 25. Qb3+ Ka7 26. c4 Rb8 27.
Qa3 d6 28. b4 Nxf6 29. b5 Rb6 30. bxa6 Rxa6 31. Qc3 Rb8 32. Rf5 Qg7 33. Qd2
Nh7 34. Qf2 g4 35. Rf7 Qg6 36. Rxc7+ Ka8 37. hxg4 Rf8 38. Qe2 Ng5 39. Rc6
Ra7 40. Qxe5 h3 41. Rxd6 h2+ 42. Kh1 Qg8 43. Rd8+ Rxd8 44. d6+ Rb7 45.
Bxb7+ Kxb7 46. Rb1+ Kc6 47. Rb5 Rxd6 48. Qxc5+ Kd7 49. Rb7+ Ke6 50. Qf5#
{Jorka checkmated} 1-0

Winning on Time...

2011-11-16T06:46:00.003-10:00

Here's a win on time... Time controls were -0-7. Zero minutes & just seven seconds to move. Very sloppy game & it's obvious I hadn't played in a long while - I went up big early, then started losing. My opponent gave up some initiative & paid for it - allowing my complications and eventually losing on time. I'm down in this final position but it's very volatile & potentially explosive for Black. My opponent sensed the danger and took too long to move.

Still Pondering....

2011-10-20T01:21:00.002-10:00

...what the best move is here.

WHITE to move....

Positional Score

2011-10-10T05:12:00.028-10:00

I played this game as Black in Battle Creek last week & was asked by my opponent how I thought the computer (Fritz) would evaluate the current position. Black stood better is what I figured. He disagreed and was curious what Fritz would think. So, here it is....

White is numerically ahead in material (31-29), his pieces are active, influential, and well-placed. This image is after Fritz evaluated at a rate of 1.7 million possible resulting positions. After 20 minutes of thinking, Fritz says Black is winning by almost 2 pawns -+ (1.69).

The computer can't tell us why it thinks that way - we're left to guess. We know it considers material, space, forcing continuations, activity, and numerous other factors in its analysis. Obviously, Black isn't better here because of material. lol

Here's why I think the computer evaluates the position favorably for Black: Despite White's material advantage and activity, I figure Black to be standing better because of White's crippled & weak structure and the semi-open files all around White's somewhat-exposed king. There is a ton of tension in the position and Black's pieces aren't so badly placed to justify a plus score for White.

I suspect any master would glance at this position and say it's a technical win for Black. Trade all the pieces off and Black's pawn structure beats White's (Fritz says Black is up -+1.54 with pawns only). Given reason and statistical odds with all things being equal (meaning both sides of equal strength), the best that White could do here is draw ....theoretically. On the other hand, for Black to convert this advantage into a win is easier said than done. The position is very dynamic. Still.... it's like a ground & pound fight. White's outside passer makes it good chances for both sides. I'll set it up for the computer to play this out a hundred times or so & see which side wins. My guess is that Black wins more than White.

It's encouraging to have correctly evaluated the position as better for Black just as the computer did, but it's difficult to explain exactly how the White side could be so active, ahead in material and yet - still losing the game. This goes along with Kasparov's "material, time, quality" theorem and it's just another part of the fascinating beauty and mystique of chess.

Still Trying....

2011-07-21T06:04:00.002-10:00

I'm still trying to squeek in moments to play chess. It's tough & sometimes frustrating to know you're not as good as you were. Nice when those moments come when you realize you're good enough, even now, to hang with some strong & solid competitors! : )

BC Chess

2011-04-08T01:46:00.011-10:00

I take back what I said about the Battle Creek Barnes & Noble chess guys... Years ago, there was Jim and then there was me ...for the most part as far as competition goes. Everyone else was fairly easy to win against. It's not that way anymore. There's new faces along with others who are solid class A & B players and some of their ancient ratings don't reflect their current playing strength. And some of the others are quite strong, too. That was discussed last night at the club. I like the attitudes there. Most guys want a shot at the strongest players instead of settling in to a game expecting to lose, now. And they let it be known they're gunning for you, too. lol My opponent wrote the moves down. I was just slightly better in the game and I got a copy & here's the end analysis -

Chess

2011-03-18T01:14:00.013-10:00

My cousin talked me into playing the Michigan Masters/Experts Chess Championship last January. I knew how my results would be given that I hadn't thought about chess since Feb. 2009. Yep, I got slaughtered - losing all 5 games. :-( Last month I just browsed a few of my better tournament wins against high-rated players from years ago and was impressed with the creativity and dominance in those particular games. I missed being creative like that & started watching chess lectures & studying some GM games and even played some blitz games online during lunch at work. It took a few more weeks of frustration but I found a comfort zone on the board again and started winning. In some ways I feel stronger than I was before. In others, I don't. So I hit the Battle Creek Chess Club last Thurs (3/10/2011) and had to play Jim, the best player there who plays about a 1900 level. He outplayed me early, I sac'd a bishop to stay in the game and won a close one using the Lucena position technique in a rook, pawn vs. rook endgame. I feel I got lucky & caught him by surprise. Years ago, I was his primary competition at the club but he had the better score against me. He really started to pull away as I was on the oxymorphone & other meds. ...and then the marriage breakdown, and then... well. Retirement from chess. lol Anyway, I figured Jim was probably stewing after losing to me last week and wanted to play me again but he showed up late and I played Maurice. I won another close one. To give you an idea of how good Jim plays - after my game against Maurice, we watched Jim quickly destroy Larry 3 times and never making it to an endgame. Larry is a former Michigan Open Reserve champ. I noticed Jim would have a superior position right from the opening and figured I'll need to pay particular attention in the opening when I play him again. Then Barnes & Noble closed & we all met at the donut shop to play and I played Jim two games & won the first game very convincingly. The second game, Jim lost his nerve in a close endgame and blundered - allowing knight fork with check& losing his rook. Jim seemed to gauge himself against me years ago and I believe his losing now against me is purely psychological. I haven't lost at the chess club since returning, yet. 4 close, but solid wins and I'm not really sold that I'm as good as I was back in 2003-2005. But it feels good to be playing again. Here's a position from my game with Maurice. I played Black & it's black to move. It's dead even. My move in the game was ...Bxe4. I eventually went up a pawn and won the endgame. It feels good to be playing chess again. Not sure I'm ready for guitar, yet. That's an emotional thing & I'm still emotionally whacked-out from my ex and the fact that she's got our 9 year-old son doped up on heavy medications just as bad as she had me doped up. Maybe worse. :-( I understand and have complete faith that God is in control. At the same time, as Christians, I don't believe we're expected to just praise God while watching the house burn down. Jesus was aggressive. He wants us to do something...

Spring =-)

2011-03-01T05:16:00.007-10:00

A sure sign of spring is....

....when the robins arrive in abundance.

Finally........

2011-01-21T07:04:00.006-10:00

Dec. 17 I got to spend a few minutes with them. Then had them from Christmas Day thru Jan 2, 2011 and now it's back to every other weekend. :-) It's been absolutely AWESOME!!!!! They're loving it, too!

There is still hostility from their mom and her new _____ ...I mean her new husband - trying to intimidate & provoke me, and accusing me of lying among other things. And she is still flying accusations & allegations. Apparently she still has a need to try to make me look bad somehow in the eyes of others - including and especially our sons' eyes. :( Thankfully they seem to know better but I have no doubt she'll keep trying to re-enforce her ugliness, her past actions & bitterness on them by continuing to plant thoughts & suggestions as she has recently. ...sad, sad bummer.

Anyway, I'm just focusing on the boys. No girlfriends or activities that might interfere with them, etc. Just the boys, their well-being & happiness. :-)

Missing My Sons

2010-11-04T00:51:00.001-10:00

With the exception of a single supervised hour, it's been 270 days since my boys have seen their Daddy.

270 days since this father has seen or heard the voices of the little ones he loves so much....

Punkin :-(
Pottimus :-(
Daddy :-(

I am moving in two weeks. I finally found a house, praise God. A fixer-upper right smack dab on the water!!!! :-) It's been long enough and the apartment served its purpose of allowing me to gather myself after Jill left while she continued doing those things. It allowed me to focus on being closer to God, getting my mind, body, & spirit back on the right track. Now it's back to where I belong - the deep woods country for me. The house is right on the water and the lake isn't very populated,either! I lucked-out big time. I've been very, very blessed, rather! I want to scout for a church near there, now.... Not sure because I really like the one I'm at. In any event, I'm really looking forward to ice skating, hockey, & ice fishing this winter and this coming spring, summer, and into next fall - I plan to be stepping out my back door, hopping on the boat and fishing!!! :-)

Just wish I had a family to enjoy it all with... :-(

But it is what it is & God has mercifully and graciously seen me from some hellacious circumstances - all the way to this point. He'll continue through the ups & downs He uses to guide us while continuing to put me in places I'm needed, desired, and useful and placing His people in my life...

One Hour

2010-08-02T04:59:00.004-10:00

I had the most wonderful hour with my two boys last Tuesday (July 27). It was as if nothing had ever happened... Hugs, smoochies, squeezes!!!

We jammed so much into that one hour, it was exhausting. I must've lost 5 lbs with all the running. We played baseball, football, ran, played on the swings, the slides, we played in the water and we rested. Then we wrestled! Fun, fun, fun!!!

The boys were emotional in the last 3-5 minutes after getting in the car to leave. They both said they didn't want to leave me.... Sweet boys... It tears me up.

The next day, I received a call from the case worker stating that if everything was a go for normal parenting, it could take another 6 weeks/two months or so before CPS's recommendation makes its way through all the attorneys, the counselors, & finally back to the judge. Pathetic & sad.... It hurts everybody involved - especially my sons..

Read Into Record....

2010-07-19T06:48:00.003-10:00

The divorce is final, now.

Only choking up once, I read the following statement into the divorce record. My ex stood mute throughout.

-----------

This is a time I’ve dreaded. I never wanted this divorce. I knew [she] and I had problems, but thought they were connected to our financial struggles. I loved my wife and love my boys and would do anything for them.

I’ve been through dozens of books on marriage, relationships, and infidelity, and many, many hours of counseling on why things turned out the way they did – why I was the way I was and why she did the things she did. I wanted to go through all of it – and every letter I sent to her - again to prepare for this day, this very moment. But why? It’s sad and terribly depressing. Re-living those things won’t change what happened and will only serve to hurt me again.

My father passed away on July 4, 2006. He and I were very close & I was devastated - especially when she seemed to not care or not care enough. When a son loses his father, vulnerabilities can set in. In 3 short years after my father died, I’ve been through hell and back. I’ve been betrayed by my wife, as well as an older sister. I’ve suffered wrongful and false allegations to justify her behavior and to make it appear to everyone that I deserved everything she's done and lied about. It brought her sympathy and attention, exactly what, I believe, she became attached to during her affair.

I’ve lost my wife, my sons, a dream farm, my right to possess and carry a firearm – many of the things I love most in this life - including missing out on my son, Christian’s very first day of school, his very first year of baseball and the privilege and joys of teaching chess in my boys’ school. It’s as if I had been cast into the wilderness.

When her marital unfaithfulness first became evident to me, I set about to get off all prescribed medication. I felt it may have negatively changed me. My own doctor, who prescribed the medications, did not see what it was doing to me. I faced down a terrible addiction I’ve had beginning in April 2008 to prescribed narcotics in the form of oxymorphone. For 11 days I went through the most horribly painful withdrawals in an effort to save my marriage and to better myself. Except for an occasional Tylenol or Motrin, I haven’t taken a pain med of any kind since May 21, 2009, my son’s 8th birthday.

At the age of 40, I’m starting over with nothing. I’ve always been a motivated, solid person, but I have weaknesses. I try to be an up-standing man of God, of good moral, sound character and judgment, an honest husband and father. I inadvertently scorned my wife, publicly, after finding sexual pictures of her and another man. I have been paying for that ever since. She has re-written our marriage and relationship history in her mind and will likely try to make me pay for her offenses until she comes to grips with her own personal, psychological, and moral issues.

A person’s ability to handle life’s challenges can be a measure of strength of character and often faith. I’ve learned from the wisdom of others God has put in my life at one time or another, through trial by fire, personal tragedy, being lost and alone while going through hard times – the same hard times in which others have turned to drugs, alcohol, and even suicide - yet I’ve turned away from those things.

My marriage has given me an abundance of laughter AND tears. The good times – I put in my pocket to savor. The hard times went into my heart and into my soul and built upon my character.

For the last few months and despite the setbacks, I feel it’s only a matter of time before the truth comes out and is evident to everyone.

I feel good, healthy, solid, and better than I ever did while being on any medication.

I cannot deny that she is partially responsible for some of the success that I may claim and she’d be wrong to deny that I am not partially responsible for her successes. But I cannot find it in me to love her anymore – not as a wife, anyway. She had, and neglected to take advantage of, a sizeable window of opportunity to repair and work through our problems but that is gone, now, and I feel sorry for her. It’s sad. There has been too much dishonesty throughout her betrayal and infidelity. She will probably continue to project her guilt and shame towards me and try to create stories and excuses for her behavior to our sons and her family for the rest of her life. I have to prepare for that and yet I am still confident that in time, they will see and know the truth. Everyone will.

Having been completely broken and gone through all that I have, I feel bulletproof, as if I can do anything and withstand anything – physically, mentally, emotionally and without being numb. Except for the loss of my sons, nothing will ever hurt me worse than I’ve already been hurt. As a result, I feel a sense of obligation to help others, compelled to share the fact that no matter how difficult a life may become, or how hard the shots come at someone, no matter what lies someone says about them, there is always reason to keep on going and fighting – no matter what. I survived great loss, the worst of addictions, the worst of marriage circumstances and infidelity, watching and trying my best to help my hurting and confused children as they experience the same pain and then watching as my children were removed from my life.

The worst has come in the last few weeks as I find pictures of my sons posted on the internet, with the new man in her life - while I am forbidden to have any contact with them. I don’t know how any father can endure that pain.

I hope and pray that I will be able to speak to, hug and interact with my children very, very soon.

And yet, in spite of this, I am still thriving – the right way. I am told that I’ve inspired and empowered some around me to understand that no experience in their lives is too difficult to overcome. No defeat is permanent and no failure is too overwhelming.

I’ve learned to look beyond temporary setbacks and understand that God has a plan in all of this. I pray to be reunited with my sons, and to find forgiveness towards [her].

165 days....

2010-07-19T04:48:00.016-10:00

...and counting.

I am not allowed to contact them. It's been 165 long, difficult days since I've seen them or even heard my two young boys' voices. I'll bet they don't even sound the same. I'm sure they don't even look the same.

Finally, after 5 months of her prodding, there is a 4th deg. child abuse allegation (the most minimal child abuse charge possible) - all this so she can make others think and perceive that her multiple offenses of infidelity and her divorce is all about .....ME.

So sad....

Apparently the boys & I are waiting on our 5th or 6th different psychologist to say everything's okay, since everything's been fine on mine since April 21. I've endured four-hour psych evals, several days of testing, answering over 800 questions, counseling, etc, and they all determined 1 (one) finding - that I am completely normal and without issues. I have absolutely no psychological or emotional issues. However, it showed that I was highly stressed during testing.

So.....

I'm wondering at what point is it determined the problem doesn't lie with me? Probably not until after 1. She finally stops seeking sympathy and attention, or 2. She finally comes to grips with herself & then shuts up about me, or 3. God gets her attention with some negative consequence, just like he gets mine and everyone else's and has done so through out history.

Here's to hoping she wises-up & stops all her nonsense regarding me.

Missing My Boys....

2010-05-17T05:52:00.002-10:00

Gosh I sure miss them....

It's been 103 long days without any contact whatsoever. They need their Daddy...

: (

Suffering & Prayer

2009-10-12T08:20:00.001-10:00

Our greatest example, Jesus Christ, prayed to have it “all” (His suffering and crucifixion) removed if possible but immediately followed up with an understanding and submission to the greater glory of God - Not My will but yours be done! (Matt 26.39).

Sometimes I prayed about my problems without regards to the depth of God’s sovereignty or glory. I prayed “God, please give me money, please restore my health, please make everything good, please fix all my problems”. While those are natural desires and not necessarily wrong to pray, I need to be ready for God’s answer that may very well involve more suffering thru and without.

I should really be praying, “Lord, you know my heart and what I would like to see happen, but what is most important to me is that You are glorified in my suffering to the greatest possible degree. So, Father, I ask that You open my spiritual eyes and show me what brings You the most glory even if it does not fix my problems like I want, even if it does not grant my desire, or restore what is lost or what I am missing/craving.”

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

If God receives greater glory through my greater suffering (1Pet 3.17), then suffering is the answer to my prayers (1Pet 2.19).

If the Lord is magnified in the lives around me through a loss of material possession, then take it all.

If the Son of God is lifted up through tragedy in my life, then let the tragedies begin (1Pet 4.16)!

It’s all a question of true priorities. Which is more important - my comfort? The restoration of my marriage? My emotional healing? Our prosperity? Or is the glory of God and the Lord Jesus Christ more important(Phil 3.8-10)?

No matter what - I need to pray for and accept the answer to prayer that brings the greatest glory to God (Rom 8.18).

1 Peter 2:21 - For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps;

YES, God can be glorified by healing us, blessing us materially and restoring what is broken in our lives. But if that is where we stop, then we are settling for only a portion of God’s blessing - and a lesser portion at that. We’re setting up other Christians to have a “faith crisis” when suffering and trials become God’s will for them.

Thank you, Brent Riggs at http://www.seriousfaith.com

Love and Having Faith, Patience.

2009-09-09T03:36:00.007-10:00

The definition of love in the Bible in 1st Corinthians 13.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."

Influence...

2009-08-10T01:04:00.003-10:00

The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day.

Proverbs 4:18 But - Just men daily grow in knowledge, and grace, and consolation, 'till all be perfected and swallowed up in glory.

Commentary:
Much of Proverbs chapter 4 is a word of caution. We must take heed of falling in with sin and sinners: Enter not into the paths of the wicked. Jesus, our teacher, being like a faithful guide showed us the right paths, warned us of the pathways into which we are in danger of being drawn aside and away from God. It can and sometimes happens even to the best of us. Those that have been well educated, and trained up in the way they should be, let them never turn aside into the way they should never go; let them not so much as enter into it, no, not even just to try it, it is a dangerous experiment and difficult to retreat with safety.

Even tho Jesus said it is the sick that need a doctor.....

There comes a point to where we are obligated to leave & forget the 'sick' or avoid them altogether - Proverbs 4:14-20 basically tells us to venture not into the company of those that are infected with the plague. Not even if we think we are guarded with an antidote.

In these verses, having exhorted us to walk in the paths of wisdom, he cautions us against the path of the wicked.

1. We must take heed of the ways of sin and avoid them, every thing that looks like sin and might also lead to it.

2. In order to accomplish this we must keep out of the ways of sinners, and have no fellowship with them. To keep us from falling into wickedness, we must shun wicked company.

Thru All My Pain.......

2009-07-14T02:55:00.005-10:00

.....I have this among other encouraging words from the Lord our God

“Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.
He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will
return with joy carrying sheaves with him.” (Psalm 126:5-6)

Hmmm. I guess we'll have to do the best we can and see how it goes.

Some Inspiring Quotes....

2009-04-22T05:35:00.008-10:00

From various sources.....

* When there are two people in business who always agree, one of them is unnecessary.
* If we want a thing badly enough we can make it happen. If we let ourselves be discouraged that is proof that our wanting was inadequate.
* The strongest words are often used in the weakest arguments.
* Chance favors the prepared mind.

----------------------------

I prefer just about anything from the book of Proverbs..... (these are randomly chosen)

* Do not answer fools according to their folly, or you will be a fool yourself.

* It is better to live in a corner on the housetop than in a house shared with a contentious wife.

* Ch. 2 V. 6-11: For the LORD gives wisdom, and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.

He holds victory in store for the upright. He is a shield to those whose walk is blameless - for He guards the course of the just and protects the way of His faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair — every good path.

For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.

— King Solomon

Fun With Oranges

2009-01-29T04:04:00.003-10:00

Everyone's probably done this at some point.

I just went another step in carving out the squares in the orange peel.

Geez, I look like a bonefide nutcase!

:)

Ninja Secrets

2008-11-18T09:47:00.002-10:00

I found this description online just surfing. Cracked me up.
--------------------------------------------------

This e-book contains all the secrets of the ninja that no one else knows but true ninjas. learn these secrets and you can be a ninja, even if you're still in high school.
you can do badass stuff, like climb walls and even crawl on the ceiling and drop down on your victim and cut their throat with a ninja belt buckle knife before they even know what hit them.
you can be invisible and knock out your enemy and even give him a ninja psychic punch. you can knock him out with the secret ninja psychic punch before he can even be close enough to reach you! who cares how much bigger he is! he's on his ass like that and the ninja (you) is already climbing up the walls of a dark alley.
and you get to learn how to kill with ninja stars. ancient ninjas in japan used to buy these in secret markets, actually not much different from the suburban outdoor flea markets where some of the best ninja stars manufactured today can be found. who cares if the other guy has a gun. you can throw a ninja star over a hundred yards away and in less than a second, like when he blinks, you hit him with such force that he doesnt even see as the ninja star kills him because it hits him in his blind spot, right between the eyes. and it's like halfway into his skull, so he can't see it. he wont even know a ninja killed him, it'll have to be someone else to tell him that it was a ninja who killed him because he would never know otherwise.
and the ninja just doesn't care. he's totally psycho. ninja blood runs through his veins. and he dresses all in black.
all the ninja secrets that no one knows are here in this e-book
please do not share this e-book with enemies of ninjas.

about the only thing that sucks is that you have wear those secret ninja shoes with the big toe sticking out. but i think you can hide it with a bigger pair of shoes on top so your ninja secret that you are a secret ninja stays secret.

Happiness is.....

2008-11-02T16:26:00.005-10:00

Taking little nature walks witt da Wiff!

I'm still here. It's just that there's more time between posts on this blog.

Got more projects coming up & they'll be posted here - pics & all. You're gonna like them.

I actually set some time aside to go over a few chess games from the 2008 Michigan Open. That's about all I've done regarding chess in the last 6 months! Felt good, too.

Debut

2008-08-22T16:57:00.005-10:00

Historic Bridge

2008-08-07T06:04:00.009-10:00

Check this out -
http://www.historicbridges.org/truss/c22halfmile/index.htm

TONS of quality pics & information on the bridge bordering our property.

It was built in 1906 & scores a 7 on the site's "Historic Significance Scale".

It's in much need of repair.

The site goes on to say, "It would be great to see Calhoun County step forward and restore this bridge so it continue to carry 22 1/2 Mile Road's light vehicular traffic in its attractive wooded setting."

------------------------------

UPDATE:
"On Tuesday, December 16, 2008 the Calhoun County Road Commission is permanently closing the bridge on 22 ½ Mile Rd over the St. Joseph River. This bridge is located between cross roads M-60 and P Drive South in Clarendon Township."

Seven "P's"

2008-07-24T04:13:00.003-10:00

Proper
prior
preparation
prevents
piss-poor
performance!

Speed Chess Sucks

2008-06-17T10:20:00.001-10:00

It's fun sometimes but technique really suffers. Lot's of solid opportunities get overlooked on both sides.

Here's a sloppy win.

Acknowledging our Losses

2008-05-22T06:38:00.005-10:00

As a player, losing a hard-fought chess game rewards me with a great opportunity to learn more about myself or the game of chess.

As citizens, economically, we're losing a game we could never hope to control ourselves. $500 today will only buy us what $300 could just 10 years ago and it's getting worse. The dollar has fallen behind the euro & continues to slip.

Change is inevitable.......

We must change to survive economically and physically. We also need to change our lifestyles to survive spiritually. This means we need to think smaller, utilize local business and farming and continued use of alternative energies.

I don't plan on going anywhere, just changing.

As a whole, we have become a much poorer society and we're faced with the unavoidable task of making major changes in how we live.

So, I'm getting some chickens and maybe a cow, too. And minimize uneccessary expenditures.

Amnesia

2008-05-12T05:47:00.002-10:00

Geez, I darn near forgot I had a blog.

Surgery went very well. They snipped an adhesion & fixed a double hernia. The next two weeks were pretty rough.

I'm feeling great, now - just been busy. Gonna get some chickens & put fencing up for a cow for next year. I cleaned the barn, too.

Gotta finish the chicken coop first, tho.

And get corn planted today.

:)

Evolution

2008-04-01T07:49:00.001-10:00

The topic & the evidence for both sides is fascinating & I always enjoy the discussion.

Evolution, I believe, wasn't pushed so much as part of a great conspiracy, it's just that the average publicized information & evidence for evolution gets generalized & smoothed over & misconceptions get created & passed on - especially in our textbooks. Students don't let questions fly (or they go unanswered) hoping that it'll make sense some time later down the road. When later comes around they believe evolution but can't tell you why & try to justify with the same ignorant & fraudulent misconceptions. It's a shame - they're told WHAT to think, not HOW to think.

Evolution defies itself, defies logic & defies at least two established laws of science (2nd law of thermodynamics is one). The more we learn & find out, the more exposed it gets. For those not honest enough to accept that, they have every reason to be worried & defensive.

I certainly won't say there is any concrete proof of creation but we do know that evolution didn't happen & that is based on real physical evidence (tho some are still having a hard time letting go).

What I find especially interesting is not so much the evidence against evolution, but the physical evidence that suggests the possibility of Biblical events (layer-transversing animals, trees, dinosaur depictions & tracks, bacterial flagellum, etc). It certainly keeps some questions out there (is there a God? Did the events mentioned in the Bible really happen?) and in some cases the evidence suggests & indicates that it is VERY possible & perhaps even likely.

Atheistic Arrogance

2008-03-28T13:19:00.000-10:00

Crown of Thorns

2008-03-24T05:34:00.003-10:00

I drew it up & had it tattooed for an armband.

:)

The Perfect Cheer!

2008-03-13T05:23:00.001-10:00

That one may not work every time. Here's another -

Quid Est Demonstrandum

2008-03-07T04:00:00.000-10:00

....

MTQ

2008-03-04T16:38:00.003-10:00

Material, Time, Quality.

Brought to my attention by Kasparov, I've found the balance among these 3 factors is the foundation of every move & decision in chess.

Making a correct evaluation of a position and then a correct decision requires an understanding of the tradeoffs & relative values of these core elements.

Material - describes the tangible assets
Time - how long it takes to achieve a specific objective
Quality - value

Quality = value? Sure. There are some positions in which a bishop may be of more value than a rook or some in which a particular pawn even more valuable than a piece. Anything if it wins the game.

He says "evaluation trumps calculation".

I'm sure there are better examples but here is one instance where this was part of my play.

White to move.My opponent just played his bishop to h7. I immediately took the knight on f6 with my rook on f1. As you can probably calculate, I got a knight & two pawns for my rook. Even tho it adds up to a rook's numerical value, it was the resulting position as the very reason I gave less value to the rook.

I had been losing the game badly & been outplayed up to that point. This gave me an easy draw from a previously losing position.

You can replay the entire game here.

Two Games

2008-03-03T05:19:00.003-10:00

I played a couple of games over the weekend. Two wins. I'm still making mistakes, tho.
Click here to replay the games.

Nifty one from Fischer

2008-02-28T19:27:00.004-10:00

I'm at a work training in Grand Rapids, MI. Hopefully getting out of here won't be too bad with the 5" of snow forcasted. Anyway....

From Fischer-Spassky 1992.

Fischer (white) just played Nbxc5 which wins a pawn. Very creative. If Spassky takes the bait he stands to go down another pawn. Actually he goes down two pawns regardless.

Fischer was a Christian believer & had a bad experience with a church. It was nice to read that he didn't give it up despite the issues.

Simple Calculation

2008-02-27T19:32:00.003-10:00

It looks like the Chess base diagram (left) might be better. It's easier, too.

I'm really low at this point - missing combinations that used to come easy. Here I self-destructed as Black, playing d5 (??).

It continued with:
11. exd5 Nxd5
12. Nxd5 Qxd5
13. Bxh7+ Kxh7
14. Qxd5
1-0

Old Days

2008-02-25T08:55:00.004-10:00

The Summer Rain & Crew. That's me & Dad workin' a dream job - actually getting paid to take people fishing in Kona, Hawai'i back in 1988. For no reason in particular, I never wore shoes while working on the boat. Maybe just because they inhibited my cat-like reflexes. Or more like ninja reflexes. More like 60% - 40% ninja - cat.

The newspaper clipping is of angler, Richard Hartom, John Prettyman & Cpt. Jack Prettyman with the boat's largest fish to date - a 1229 lb pacific blue marlin caught in 1986.

4-2 vs. 3-3

2008-02-24T19:44:00.002-10:00

English GM Daniel King on why he likes the 4-2 vs. a 3-3 pawn structure -

From the 4-2 side, the 2-3 disadvantage can be aided by a piece while slowly storming the opposing pawn minority on the other side of the board. I reckon space plays a factor.

Game - Feb 19, 2008

2008-02-22T06:31:00.002-10:00

White was losing after missing the checkmate on move 25. That's the thing about doing stuff like that. You have to play very accurately & not give the opponent time to recover. So, I most likely would've lost if not for my opponent running out of time. Here's that game -

Sacrifice

2008-02-20T19:03:00.010-10:00

As White, I gave up 3 pieces to reach this position and missed mate in two.
Can you find the next two moves that end the game?

The answer is 1. Qg6+ ...Kf8 (only move). 2. Qg8 mate. Well, I ended up winning this game anyway because the other guy ran out of time. That sucks. It was one of those positions - I had a feeling might work out if I sent everything.

Immediately after sac'ing the pieces I had an opportunity to force a draw but decided to go for the win even tho it wasn't clear to me that it was winning.

The computer's analysis even recommended the sac's (!) but I missed its perfect continuation.

So, the chess intuition isn't too bad at this point but that's about all I have right now. After a few 2 minute 12 second blitz games, I still can't calculate & I'm missing easy things. Relying on keeping it simple & a lot of feel. I'll have to post that game on here tomorrow.

Solid

2008-02-17T08:38:00.006-10:00

When possible, I save every chess game I play & send it thru the computer chess program, Fritz version 10. Every one of them - win, lose, or draw. Fritz will analyze the game according to some adjustable parameters that are set & provide feedback in the form of comments, better moves and/or continuations. The term used for this process is "annofritzing". When the analysis is finished, the game is said to have been annofritzed instead of "annotated" or commented on. It's a very useful process in becoming a better player and most serious players are well aware of it.

A key here is to have Fritz analyze ONLY my moves.

My personal goal is to see that Fritz adds little to NOTHING to the games I play. In other words - seeing that it hasn't recommended anything better than what I've done means the computer agrees with my moves as being very solid. To do that, I have to play very good chess. If I see Fritz has added recommendations, then I'm missing those particular things and not playing to the computer program's top-level standards.

On average, I'll play one or two of these "perfect" games out of 20 or so played. Much of the reason those games are perfect is because the opponents make it easier although there are a few that stand out as exceptional. Which is motivating - like in golf. The average Joe makes enough good shots to keep him excited & playing more.

Anyway, having just returned to chess again I was suprised to play the following game. I hate to associate the word, luck, with chess but I wasn't feeling comfortable with the early endgame. Here it is -

Black resigns after queening the pawn is inevitable.

Played One!

2008-02-14T06:36:00.003-10:00

I finally played one & didn't do too bad. Here's a 2 minute blitz game from yesterday on Free Internet Chess Server. using the BabasChess software interface. My opponent, PoolDiddy, wasn't rated but he wasn't a weak player, either. I'm going to start playing more. ....I mean it this time. :)

I wrote too many notes in this one. I'll keep it down next time.

DC Talk

2008-02-11T19:36:00.000-10:00

These guys are good. Bummer they don't play together anymore.

Indoor Wood Boiler - Update 2

2008-02-11T09:33:00.000-10:00

Had to whip out the digital video cam to get the still pics because of the aforementioned issue with digital camera. Maybe I'll up a video to show the cycle one of these days.

Anyway, the boiler is working really well & there's just a few things to tidy up. One is the conduit for the electricity wires & I also need to finish the cover for the reserviour.

Here are some explanatory pics -

The actuator is shown here in the closed position.

The plastic pipe shown is rated for 180 degree water. Suprisingly, it's not hot to the touch like copper or steel piping. Does this thick plastic have decent insulating properties?

Indoor Wood Boiler - Update 1

2008-02-07T03:41:00.000-10:00

The actuator & aquastat arrived. I was bummed because I ordered a 24 volt actuator when there was a 110 available (I thought I ordered the 110). I just gave them the wrong number. Oh, well - it's cheaper & easier to throw a transformer into the circuit instead of returning the one & waiting for another, so, we'll be good to go as soon as that gets here. Safer than 110v, too.

All plumbing is roughly 80% complete & I'll be finalizing that & making the mounts for the electronics on the reserviour this afternoon after chess class (I'm teaching the fine art/critical science of chess to grades K - 10 and my son's school).

I hate plumbing under the house. I hate ANYTHING under the house. With all the recent flooding, I feel like John Rambo while doing the belly crawl thru the cold, wet, poorly luminated underside of our dwelling. The only thing missing was the AK-47 and the torch to light the way (no rats, either). The UNDERWORLD is more like it - the water, the mud, the webs, spiders, centipedes, & even just the smell of this place where only the most undesirable critters care to venture (Hmmm..... since I'm under there, does that mean I'm undesireable, too?). I happened upon a couple of them that never made it out. Not sure how they got there or even what species they were - one looked like it might've been a bat & another may have been a little red squirrel. I'm really happy I brought the water pump up inside the house last month so I never have to go under there to work on it again. On the plus side, I did find a silver-clad quarter from 1977 under there last night. It's probably worth all of 29 cents. Oh, BOY! :) PERSPECTIVE: Just a minor inconvenience that could never offset the fresh air, the peace, the spaciousness, & tranquility of living in an old farmhouse in the marshy wetlands of beautiful Calhoun county, Michigan. Gotta love it.

No new pics yet. Our digital cam ain't working - the battery door won't stay shut because the little plastic thingy broke. Makes no sense. We've gone thru two digital cameras because of the same problem - little plastic thingies that are supposed to hold the doors shut.

Progress is slower than I'd like but then again I ain't killing myself over it, either.

....stay tuned.

Indoor Wood Boiler

2008-02-03T18:06:00.001-10:00

Since my waterline splice broke (underground) I've been heating the house with an old wood burner salvaged from the barn. It's done a nice job with the exception of two rooms upstairs and the downstairs bathroom. So, my engineering skills are out in full force again - converting this indoor wood-fired stove into an indoor wood-fired boiler. Words of wizdum: never put a water splice underground if you're using pex tubing. Even if you're in a hurry.

Frankly I'm suprised at the lack of information available on the internet to convert a mid-sized free-standing stove to a boiler that'll heat the entire house as well as domestic hot water. I'm sure it's been done & I've heard of add-on units to oil-fired systems. I read a lot of "hey, you're gonna blow that thing up" when it comes to some boiler ideas and yes, they likely woulda blew those things up.

One thing I'm looking forward to is the minimal amount of wood I'll be going thru compared to the large outdoor one I built in 2003 (Central Boiler inspired design). That thing has been very dependable but seemed to go thru more wood than I was comfortable cutting.

Anyway, I built a reserviour to sit on top of the woodburner - it's 14 x 14 x 27 and will hold a capacity of 23 gallons (most likely will keep it at or around 20). Just sitting on top, the water in it heated to 170 but it seemed like the heating took too long to be effective as a boiler. There wouldn't be enough recovery because the furnace fan removes 30 degrees out of the water that goes thru the water to air heat exchanger on every cycle. That's my outdoor boiler figure but it must be pretty much the same.

That is unless I piped water inside the box (which isn't unheard of and standard on some units that you can buy). So, I made a manifold to sit inside of the burn chamber & this will allow the fire to super-heat the water, thus allowing for a quicker recovery of water temperature.

Here's what it looks like inside the fire chamber now. I don't think there'll be any problem getting water up to temperature quickly with this arrangement.

So far, it's been a fun project. I've got to plumb in the pump & order the motorized actuator and an aquastat for the automated function. Should be nice. In case you're wondering, it is a non-pressurized system so it's safe, too.

The key is to be sure there is no air or steam in the system. Air expands and steam creates dangerous pressure.

The actuator I'm looking at will take 15 seconds to cycle the draft door once the aquastat sends the signal that the water temp is too low. The draft door will open via the actuator and then when the water is up to temp, the aquastat will break the circuit and the actuator will close the draft door by way of spring return which is another safe feature. It'll spring return in case of power outage or failure. Also in 15 seconds for a smooth and quiet operation.

The pics are sizeable so if you're having difficulty seeing because they're a little fuzzy, right-click & select "open in new window".

More pics & updates to follow.

Seeker of Truth

2008-01-28T14:29:00.000-10:00

No doubt he finally found it.

Tako

2008-01-21T17:16:00.000-10:00

Some Old Pics

2008-01-16T04:17:00.000-10:00

Unearthed in Hawai'i. I've never seen them before. Mahalo, Sheri!

No Fear

2008-01-08T10:34:00.000-10:00

St. Joseph River, Calhoun County, MI

2008-01-04T08:01:00.001-10:00

Capital One Bowl - Jan. 1, 2008

2008-01-02T05:42:00.000-10:00

Michigan 41
#9 Florida 35

Michigan put the smackdown on SEC powerhouse & defending national champion, Florida.

So much for the speed argument. Michigan is now 23-5-1 overall against SEC teams and 7-3 in bowl games.

Also, the Big10 is 14-12 against SEC teams since the start of the BCS era. So, why do SEC people think they're teams are athletically superior to every one else - especially the Big10?

Crazy

2007-12-30T18:50:00.000-10:00

I'm in this old video. Not the guy rolling thru the fire, tho.
.....Crazy days.

2007-12-30T17:34:00.000-10:00

Paniolo o Waimea

2007-12-30T17:15:00.001-10:00

2007-12-30T17:13:00.001-10:00

2007-12-30T17:10:00.000-10:00

BeachBoyz

2007-12-26T20:07:00.000-10:00

More photo editing fun. The pic was taken this past summer as they played in the backyard kiddie pool.

2007-12-26T13:20:00.000-10:00

Animation

2007-12-24T20:31:00.000-10:00

Here's another animation - this is Jeff playing Nathanael a game of chess.

Click on the picture to animate.

The Lord and the Centurion!

2007-12-15T11:28:00.000-10:00

Philippians Chapter 4 Verse 7: And the peace of God, which is deeper than all knowledge, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

The text preceding verse 7 tells us not to worry about anything, but pray about everything. Praise God with a thankful heart while offering up your prayers, letting your requests be known to God.

Thank you, Nick and Glen, for the ideal title and verse!

2007-12-08T10:13:00.001-10:00

Merry CHRISTmas!

2007-12-07T12:14:00.000-10:00

T'was the month before Christmas
When all through our land,
Not a Christian was praying
Nor taking a stand.
See the PC Police had taken away,
The reason for Christmas - no one could say.
The children were told by their schools not to sing,
About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.
It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say
December 25th is just a "Holiday".

Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit
Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!
CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod
Something was changing, something quite odd!
Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa
In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.
As Targets were hanging their trees upside down
At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.
At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears
You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.

Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-is-ty
Are words that were used to intimidate me.
Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen
On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !
At the top of t he Senate, there arose such a clatter
To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.
And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith
Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace

The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded
The reason for the season, stopped before it started.
So as you celebrate "Winter Break" under your "Holiday Tree"
Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.
Choose your words carefully, choose what you say

Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Not Happy Holiday!

Simplicity

2007-12-04T11:10:00.000-10:00

Yukon

2007-12-03T09:29:00.000-10:00

Thanks to two deer that cracked up our van last Friday, here's the latest vehicle our ohana has been blessed with.

I've always wanted one of these - either in Blazer or Yukon form and it's everything I thought it'd be.

So, we're modestly stylin' now. :)

Here's to hoping we can afford to drive it. :/

The Soap Opera That is Les Miles

2007-12-02T18:30:00.000-10:00

Everyone knew Les Miles wanted the Michigan head coaching position and would likely address the issue after LSU played the SEC championship game.
On the day of LSU's conference championship game, ESPN reports that LSU head football coach, Les Miles, will accept the Michigan job.

LSU's Atheletic Director & Board scramble to create & offer Les Miles an incredible new contract, increasing his annual salary by at least another $1.5 million and who knows what other incentives.

Then after the game, Mr. Miles declared his love for Michigan and announced that he'll remain as LSU's coach & has signed a new contract. Now, Les Miles is probably the highest paid coach in the country behind Alabama's Nick Saban, or maybe even the new highest paid coach.

ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit (also a former Ohio State quarterback) sticks by his original sources & believes LSU intercepted Michigan before Michigan could actually move in with a contract offer.

I believe Herbstreit's initial report that Miles was going to Michigan. Then LSU's staff moved in.
In hindsight, this smells of an Ohio State conspiracy - at least to achieve the following:

1. Thwart Michigan's hire of Miles.
2. Stick the new Michigan coach (whomever it will be) forever with being the "2nd choice guy" even tho Michigan never formally offered Miles the job.
3. Who knows what else - trying to create some negativity & controversy involving Michigan.

More like The Soap Opera That WAS Les Miles.

Odd coincidence - LSU's Michigan Man has his team playing against Ohio State in the National Championship game on Jan. 7, 2008. I'm not sure which team I want to win that game. I like Miles & would like to see him win. On the other hand, Ohio State should win because they're representing the BigTen conference. If OSU wins, Michigan people could say, "See? We didn't want Miles if he couldn't beat Ohio State anyway."

I've a feeling OSU will lose again.

Linear Burn - Linear Dodge tools

2007-11-25T18:15:00.000-10:00

....in PhotoShop.

Michigan football coaches, Lloyd Carr & Bo Schembechler.

So long, Coach

2007-11-21T04:55:00.000-10:00

University of Michigan Football Coach, LLoyd Carr announced his retirement.

Finishing with the National Championship in 1997, five BigTen championships and an overall record of 121-40 in 13 seasons as the head coach of the Wolverines.

More PhotoShop Animation

2007-11-20T11:57:00.000-10:00

The rockin' Mamaw!

Click the picture to see
the animation.

All it needs is that "What
is Love" music like the
Saturday Night Live skits.

Pistol Grip

2007-11-16T10:41:00.000-10:00

I knew some of this but it's fascinating to watch a pro demonstrate -

Awesome!
I wonder what type of round they shoot for that style of competition.

THE GAME!

2007-11-15T09:04:00.000-10:00

It's regarded as the greatest rivalry in ALL of sports.

Yes, it's that time again. Hunting season. Just kidding. It's Michigan - OhioState week!! Hopefully it'll be different than the way it's been the last few years - with Michigan winning for a change.
They start 'em young down there. I'm sure his parents are quite proud. Someone ought to wash that boy's face! His parents are probably very busy working but hey, McDonald's should certainly allow some time off for that!

Excited!

2007-11-13T11:31:00.000-10:00

I'm the geek of the week because today, my beautiful wife said I can pick up her new pistol! Just kidding. I'm also excited that tonight is her counsel meeting night & that means me and the boys get to have chips for a snack and chocolate pudding for dinner! Just kidding about that, too.

Pictures are soon to follow!

Easy on the fur!!!

2007-11-11T16:32:00.000-10:00

Yep, more PhotoShop fun.

Ya know, I gots lots of interests. Too many to have time for them all.
God and family first, of course. Here lately, I've been thinking hard & heavy about an automatic pistol - 1911 style. First, I wanted to build one as I've done on a couple of AK's (Yugo & Romanian). But it's not easy to find a parts kit. Buying the ingredients individually is WAY more costly than buying a new one outright.
By the time I found a couple of parts kits & priced frames & everything needed to complete a 1911, I thought it'd be better to buy a cheap 1911 & modify it to make it function reliably & be reasonably accurate at the range. That's somewhat standard procedure for handgunners - buy one then send it off to the gunsmith for trigger jobs & other modifications to suit.

In my research, I've come across a couple of really inexpensive 1911's ($339.00) that would certainly fit the bill for a fixer-upper. I've got some videos on trigger jobs & tweaking 1911's to make them accurate & reliable so I would certainly feel comfortable working on them myself in the shop.

I also stumbled across some reviews of a new 1911 model made by Taurus that were extremely positive. It comes standard with a ton of mods & customizations that would cost over $2,000 alone - not including the gun itself. Customizations that many 1911 competetors consider necessary for a high-quality race gun.

After spending hours & hours checking out forums, websites, & other sources of information where lots of people express their first-hand knowledge and opinions of the Taurus PT-1911, I figured it should be the one I get. Mainly for price and because nobody had anything bad to say about it. NOT ONE! Most swear the Taurus PT-1911 is competitive with $3,500.00 custom 1911's such as Kimber & S&W right out of the box! That's not just coming from biased owners - it's from experienced & knowledgable 1911 enthusiasts that have many different 1911's & know them inside & out (I'll end up being one of those guys, by the way).

It's highly recommended by serious 1911 enthusiasts & most of all - the price is right!

Taurus's first 1911 was previewed in 2005 and available in 2006 for $490.00. Prices have increased to $620.00 and beyond now primarily due to increasing popularity & demand. Which is good for them because Taurus is not necessarily known as a super top-notch manufacturer with the likes of Kimber, Smith & Wesson, Colt, Winchester, & some elite other firearm manufacturers. Now it seems that with their new PT-1911 and the changes they've made in their manufacturing, they've added more stature to the Taurus name.

But I still want to build one! Maybe after my wife gets her 9mm for concealed carry.

:)

PS. I hope you had a chance to check out some of those links - they're interesting!
(RIGHT CLICK ON THE UNDERLINED TEXT, LEFT CLICK ON OPEN LINK IN NEW WINDOW)

Photo shop

2007-11-08T11:49:00.000-10:00

Doesn't everyone like to play with Photoshop?

November 2007

2007-11-05T04:27:00.000-10:00

Patriots vs. Colts

2007-11-02T07:30:00.000-10:00

The only Colts I really like are 1911's!

Go Pats!

Michigan at Michigan State

2007-10-31T03:32:00.000-10:00

It's Michigan - Michigan State week. Should be interesting, especially after last year.

After last year's game, the Michigan State fans were throwing firecrackers at the Michigan fans.

Really.

The Michigan fans were picking them up, lighting them & throwing them back.

Kasparov - Maher 1-0

2007-10-20T09:04:00.000-10:00

Bill Maher doesn't need anyone's help to make him look like an ass, but here Kasparov nicely obliges.

Kasparov Komedy

2007-10-19T06:36:00.000-10:00

Legendary Chess World Champion, Garry Kasparov goes on the political satire comedy show, The Colbert Report.

He wins there, too.

What?

2007-10-16T03:38:00.000-10:00

My wife attends a treasurers' conference & the next thing I know she's making her stage debut!

???!

Funny. Check out the video -

Talent!

The latest

2007-10-14T18:01:00.000-10:00

I'm still 199 lbs, it's bow-season & I haven't even shot yet. Still eager to play more chess but it's officially fall & there's lots to do.

I know, it's been 15 days & I promise - I'll start posting on here more.

Health-wise I'm feeling much better.

Welcome Back

2007-09-30T09:19:00.000-10:00

Here's the first game I've played online in a while. Pretty rough. It'll be slow-going for this new start at chess again.

That sucks.

Here's another welcome back - diverticulosis, as I found out Friday night / Saturday morning.

Suspecting a recurrence of diverticulitis, I went in to emergency with moderate to severe pain in the lower left quadrant of the abdomen and after a CT scan & x-rays, it was confirmed.

After a 12" sigmoid resection surgery in December last year there was only a 10% chance of it coming back. So, what great news it is to know I'm one of the few, the not so proud, the ten percent.

That sucks, too.

But I DID have a nice weekend being with family.

Marshall Beaners

2007-09-24T12:58:00.000-10:00

Sarah, manager at the Beaners in Marshall, called today gave us the go ahead to play chess there on Sunday afternoons.

That's great! I'm looking forward to making a new blog dedicated to Marshall Beaners Chess.

Battle Creek Chess

2007-09-21T06:38:00.000-10:00

I managed to talk my family in going with me to the chess club at Barnes & Noble in Battle Creek yesterday afternoon. My mission had 3 objectives:
1. Spend time with family.
2. Recruit some players that may want to play in Marshall on Sunday afternoons.
3. Get a game of chess in.
All three objectives were successfully met. I actually played 3 games - one with Nathanael & two with Jim. Jim's a very good player & he is better than I am (who's not these days?). I managed to win the 2nd game by winning a bishop & trapping his queen. I think it was just luck. I hung a pawn & he grabbed it, allowing me to develop with tempo & eventually his queen got trapped on the kingside of the board. It was difficult enough to win when I was playing all the time so, winning one was unlikely.

I got to watch Christian play against Larry. Larry's such a good sport - tolerating my 3 year old's way of playing. They split, by the way. :) 6yo Nathan also played Larry & he lost one & drew one.

The 200 lb Barrier

2007-09-20T05:37:00.000-10:00

Finally, it seems I've broken the 200 pound barrier - weighing in at 198 this morning. That's 15 lbs of weight loss since mid-July. Again, it's all basically from not over-eating or snacking before bed.

It seemed like I was at 200 - 201 for such a long time.

Gonna try to hit the chess club in Battle Creek tonight.

A Michigan Man?

2007-09-18T05:59:00.001-10:00

Sam McGuffie, an unreal running back from Texas is said to be committed to the University of Michigan for the 2008 recruiting class. It seems he may be the closest thing to Barry Sanders since Barry Sanders except Sam seems to hit the hole a little faster and he's already better than Mike Hart!

Funk

2007-09-18T02:20:00.000-10:00

It seems I'm past the infectious funk experience of strep blood. No fevers & I'm feeling less & less fatigued everyday & more motivated to get more things done around the house.

I miss playing chess - still haven't played any. But when I do manage to start again, I think I'll start from square one & coincide it with this blog. You know, basic principles first. Those are always good things even for advanced players for some reason. A little reinforcement helps sometimes, I guess.

Starting slow might be a good idea - like longer games against Fritz or Chessmaster. Then I could progress to faster games on the internet once I've acquired a level of comfort again.

Better

2007-09-13T17:30:00.000-10:00

I'm feeling much better, now. No fever - feeling as if I'm well on the path to full recovery. I'm still taking antibiotics, tho.

After my boy's birthday get together this weekend, I hope to be able to concentrate a little more on some chess and that I feel enough like cutting some wood! It's starting to get rather chilly.

I Got A Fever!

2007-09-11T08:43:00.001-10:00

And the only prescription is ...MORE COWBELL!

Low-grade

2007-09-11T07:43:00.000-10:00

Still got a low-grade fever but the doc believes the worst of my strep-blood illness is past. I'm thinking he may be right, because tho I'm still very sore with a headache, it seems more manageable than the last three or four days.

More blood work was done today. In Feb 2006 I had functional endoscopic surgery to remove 6 cysts in my sinuses and straighten a deviated septum. It was very successful & I've been much better overall since.

The CT scan from Sunday showed a cyst that came back in my left sinus that is significantly larger than the one scanned in May of 2005, and one cyst in the right that is significantly smaller than the one that was there in 2005. The rest is A-okay. With that one exception, my sinuses look good. The doc said I'd have to get that looked in to but didn't indicate that it was a great concern at this point. I'm supposed to call his office once a week to provide a health update.

More of the same

2007-09-09T02:51:00.000-10:00

I went to bed last night immediately after the last post on here - 'bout 10 pm. It was a pretty sound sleep until 6 am. I got up feverish again & took a Tylenol and two Motrin (lower doses than what I usually take) and went back to bed.

At 8 am I awoke freezing, shivering, weak, with a sore and achy body - especially the lower back
again with 103.6 temp. Again, one Tylenol, two Motrin, & my antibiotic (Augmentin - 875 mg).

More info -

Bowels - normal
Appetite - normal
Throat - just some mild irritation
Abdominal, muscle & joint soreness

Comfortably Numb

2007-09-08T15:23:00.000-10:00

Holy shirt. Damn. I'm tired of this being sick stuff already. I went back to the doc last Tuesday & he didn't want to put me on any more antibiotics because he felt any more would lower my body's ability to resist infection. So he sends me over for blood work, calls me the next day & says I've got a serious infection & prescribes me a different antibiotic.

Okay, no problemo. Finally, I can start to feel better. That is except until last night - I got up at 3am with 103 fever. So, I medicate, get the fever down & slept from 7am until 10am. I wake up delirious & medicate again. Then I lounge around until the Michigan game starts. Right when it started my temp was 102.6. So, at 3:30 pm I medicate again & sit back & observe the ass-whoopin' the Ducks put on the Wolverines. By the second quarter, my fever had jumped to 104.7. I'm weak, achy sore, but mostly numb & it became difficult to breath without pain on my right side. My breaths were weak & shallow & my heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest. I tell you, it's like another world when your fever gets beyond a certain point. Comfortably numb is about the best I can describe it.

Jill freaked, she calls the doc & they said to take me in to emergency. I get there at 5:00 pm & my fever had started to come down (103.3). They gave me an IV with saline & a massive antibiotic, ran more blood tests & xray'd my chest. I had a nice plasma TV with a remote in my room in the ER & the doctor & I watched the last half of the 3rd quarter till the last 7 minutes of the Michigan game - discussing my medical issues between plays and during commercials. Gotta love a doc like that. He asked me if Michigan had ever scored 31 points in a quarter. I told him yes, at Minnesota three years ago. We both knew it wasn't going to happen today, tho.

Anyway, the doc said my x-ray was normal & the blood count was 9,000 compared to 17,000 earlier in the week. That's wierd, I didn't have this bad of a fever back when it was higher. He went on to recommended that I stay the night. I thought about it but decided against it because what, exactly were they going to do, anyway? I was already feeling better by then & the doc recommended that if I didn't stay, I should come back tomorrow for another massive antibiotic treatment via IV again. So, I'll be back in there at noonish tomorrow.

My temp right this second is 103.1. Crazy, huh? I felt so good by the time I left the hospital. Now I'm wondering if I should've stayed. I just took more Tylenol & Motrin to reduce the fever. It seems like I've been living on that stuff lately. The nurse at the hospital freaked when I told her how much & how often I take it to control the fever. If I don't take Tylenol or Motrin, what am I to do? Soak in a cold bath?

Ok. Nevermind.

Hovering at 200.5

2007-09-07T02:59:00.000-10:00

Still hovering at 200.5. I haven't officially dipped below the 200 mark yet. I was 216 going in and 196 coming out of the hospital last December.

213 in July and 200.5 right now. And I still haven't been determined enough to specify a period of time dedicated to physical activity. Except for softball, if that even counts. I have a feeling that when that actually does start, it'll probably drop rapidly.

Chessmen

2007-09-04T17:22:00.000-10:00

Diss a wook

Deep Thoughts

2007-09-02T15:09:00.000-10:00

Direction determines destination.

Pastor Clare Loughrige said something in church this morning that really struck me. Pastor Scott did, too. But what Clare stated can be completley related to chess and life. Since this is a chess blog that is "not just about chess", I'll go into it.

As it was explained to her by a Haitian missionary right then, she said, "Sometimes, we don't really want what God has for us. We want what works for us."

How true. If it isn't convenient, or if it doesn't serve ourselves or our interests in some fashion, we tend to basically ignore it. The jist of it was that we should, as Christians & believers, allow God to lead us.

Minimal in comparison, but this is also a principle in chess. Instead of doing what we want to do, we should do what the position requires us to do. Wiser men and wiser chess players know this. If you can read or interpret a position, it'll tell you what is required for the plan. If you don't listen or heed its instruction, you may not neccessarily lose but in some form you'll eventually pay even if your dues are just knowing you didn't play the strongest possible move. Using the mentallity of Fischer, it was not the truth.

So, how do we learn to read a chess position? I'm not an authority on chess or God. So, my answer would be - lots of interaction & study, I guess.

It's a search for truth. There are certain amounts of pain and freedom that result from the honesty and if you've tried it before, you know that doing the right thing is sometimes the hardest thing to do.

Seek and ye shall find.

:)

Colossal Upset - Wolverines Stunned!

2007-09-01T17:47:00.000-10:00

Despite having more 1st downs, passing & rushing yards and more talent, Michigan lost to a motivated division 1-AA school today.

Hey, just where in the heck is Appalachian State, anyway? They're pretty darn good. Fast, too.

They so deserved to win. Michigan special teams couldn't get their assignments right - having two field goals blocked in the 4th quarter. QB Henne didn't seem on top of his game, either - going 19 of 37 for 1 TD & 1 INT. #20 - RB Mike Hart had 188 yards despite being played sparingly.

Bad snaps, fumbles, & stumbles in the backfield.

Oh, well - hopefully Jeff is pulling off some upsets of his own at the 2007 Michigan Open Chess Championship.

Michigan State won, that's a plus. And it's sometimes nice to see the little guys win like App State did. I can't deny enjoying it when State lost to Central two years in a row or when lowly Michigan State thumped on the top-ranked Buckeyes a few years back.

It's Michigan's turn, now.

....sigh

High Speed

2007-08-31T05:32:00.000-10:00

Well, not really. Not quite the T-1 I use at work, but compared to what I was getting with dialup, it's pretty good. It's the slowest package of Wildblue's satellite internet and the download transfer averages 65 kbps - roughly 20 to 30 times that of dialup. Uploads are much slower, tho. Still faster than dialup.

There is a slight latency with send signals (22,000 mile distance).

Long weekend can't get here fast enough

2007-08-28T17:22:00.000-10:00

'nuff said.

Guilt

2007-08-27T15:55:00.000-10:00

I've so much to do around here, for some reason I feel guilty for wanting to play chess. I miss playing and learning new things. But chess season is near & it won't be too long until I can hang & shoot the bull with the players at the club in Battle Creek.