my micro-blog
Spent an incredibly uncomfortable time early this afternoon, supposedly getting my ears cleaned out at my doctor's office. The cleaning didn't take. After the girl spent much time working on both ears, neither one was acceptably cleaned, ear wax she couldn't get out was packed in deep in both ear canals. She told me their office would give me a referral to an ear specialist who has equipment they don't. Waiting on that referral ...
posted Tuesday, Apr 8, 2025 at ~6:54 PM #QNAPR2025
Massive insomnia last night, overly concerned about matters that resolved themselves quite nicely as the day progressed. Hoping for a good night's sleep tonight to make up for what I didn't get last night.
posted Monday, Apr 7, 2025 at ~8:57 PM
A Queen-Knight Combination Checkmate with a different look. I won this CC game yesterday playing the Black pieces by checkmating the very slippery White King that I had to chase all over the board. I had to promote one of my pawns to a 2nd Queen before I could trap him.
posted Sunday, Apr 6, 2025 at ~2:47 PM #QNAPR2025
This Auburn / Florida basketball game has been exciting to watch! If the Duke / Houston game which comes up next is this exciting and well played, I may stay up past my bedtime tonight to see it through to the end.
posted Saturday, Apr 5, 2025 at ~7:39 PM #QNAPR2025
It seems I've been using my Queens a lot lately. The graphic above shows a Queen-Knight combination checkmate I used to win a correspondence chess game yesterday.
posted Friday, Apr 4, 2025 at ~3:25 PM #QNAPR2025
2 major chores today: downloading and studying the lab reports from the recent doctor's appointment, and working on my taxes. Stressful.
posted Thursday, Apr 3, 2025 at ~8:01 PM #QNAPR2025
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
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
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
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