This morning I found a message waiting for me in the inbox of one of my chess clubs. It notified me that a club mini-tournament in which I've been playing has just ended. And it congratulated me on finishing in fifth place out of the eleven players. This was a Correspondence Chess tourney played with a 7d +1d <7d time control, and our games started almost a year ago on 24th April 2024.
Several years (decades) ago I ran in 10K, half-marathon, and full marathon races. Winning them was always out of my reach. Finishing those races in the middle of the main pack of runners was always my goal. Playing in chess tourneys I have the same motivation.
Among chess tournament players there will always be many who are stronger than I am. But as long as I can finish in the middle of the pack, I'm fine with that.
posted Wednesday, Apr 2, 2025 at ~12:40 PM #QNAPR2025
posted by Roscoe
Major event of this day was my doctor's appointment this morning. It was just a regular 4-month follow-up. I have no major complaints, neither does my doctor. At least, not yet. I should hear back tomorrow or the next day re: the results of my lab work. That's what I'm really curious about.
posted Tuesday, Apr 1, 2025 at ~5:33 PM #QNAPR2025
posted by Roscoe
A quietly productive Monday. Took care of my weekly laundry, which is the one chore I reserve for Mondays. Hauled the brown trash bin out to the curb in time for its pickup, my other weekly Monday chore. Kept up with my daily prayers and my correspondence chess games. That's enough for a Monday.
posted Monday, Mar 31, 2025 at ~7:47 PM #QNMAR2025
posted by Roscoe
A good Sunday, this. Productive in the morning, mowed and trimmed the front yard, then spent the rest of the day recovering. Thankful that heavy and frequent use of arthritis pain cream massaged into my hands and fingers over the last two weeks has blunted the pain enough to allow me to get that work done.
posted Sunday, Mar 30, 2025 at ~5:51 PM #QNMAR2025
posted by Roscoe
I think it's time for another chess diagram, don't you? Okay, here's one.
This is the final board of a game I won yesterday morning with a Queen-Bishop checkmate. As you can see, my G7 Queen delivers the checkmate. And she is protected by my Bishop on the B2 square.
posted Saturday, Mar 29, 2025 at ~6:52 PM #QNMAR2025
posted by Roscoe
It's going to be a college baseball kind of day here in the Roscoe-verse. Currently tuned into the Illinois vs Michigan St. game. Soon I'll bounce over to the first game of a double-header between IU and USC.
posted Friday, Mar 28, 2025 at 12:45 PM
posted by Roscoe
Happy Opening Day! Today the Major League Baseball games start counting for real. Spring Training Baseball is over, the games start counting for the 2025 Season. Yay!
posted Thursday, Mar 27, 2025 at ~5:01 PM #QNMAR2025
posted by Roscoe
It's been awhile since I've posted a chess diagram. Here's one of a game I won this morning with a Queen-Bishop-Rook combination checkmate. My White Queen to f7 was the mating move. As seen here, she is protected by my b3 Bishop, and the Black King's only flight square is covered by my f1 Rook.
posted Wednesday, Mar 26, 2025 at ~12:05 PM #QNMAR2025
posted by Roscoe
Today was productive but not in the way I'd originally planned. When I went to bed last night I was hoping to get some mowing done on the front yard. Instead, much of my morning was spent tracking down a mystery involving an account at one of my banks. Finally got that resolved though.
The arthritis/pain cream I've been rubbing into my hands for the past 10 days has been working wonders. I had enough strength and coordination in my hands that I was able to cut my hair and trim my beard this afternoon. Can't remember how long it's been. I was scary shaggy, but not any more.
posted Tuesday, Mar 25, 2025 at ~7:22 PM #QNMAR2025
posted by Roscoe
A pretty good Monday wraps up with a Texas Rangers game on the radio. This afternoon I watched a relaxing college baseball game, IU vs UCLA.
Tomorrow morning I may mow the front yard. We'll have to see how I feel then.
posted Monday, Mar 24, 2025 at ~8:30 PM #QNMAR2025
