viewIs there anything more heart-wrenching than...
...blundering away one's Queen in a late endgame? Well, maybe. But not by much! AARRGH!
Okay. This afternoon I lost two correspondence chess games, resigning in both of them. In one game I was simply outplayed. And that game I shall subject to a proper post mortem, to try and learn from mistakes I made there. I always feel rather badly about losing a game, but if a loss can teach me something about myself, can help me become a little stronger in the future, well... that is some salve to the wound.
But that other loss! Oh, Lord! That just hurts! How could I have been so blind?!
Oh well...
The adventure continues at a somewhat humbler pace right now. Darn it.
Published on 01 September 2020, ~17:45 CDT, this is my post number 64/100/365 of the https://100daystooffload.com blogging challenge.
#100DaysToOffload #blog #RoscoeEllis #chess
by Roscoe
viewA little midday Mac, anyone?
Fleetwood Mac, that is. And yes, it works just fine for me.
As I move from late morning into early afternoon, reviewing my notes from the week just ended and planning the week ahead, Stevie Nicks and the rest of the crew can provide the background music to my work.
The adventure continues at a relaxed, easy pace right now. And that is exactly what I need. I think.
Published on 30 August 2020, ~13:45 CDT, this is my post number 63/100/365 of the https://100daystooffload.com blogging challenge.
#100DaysToOffload #blog #RoscoeEllis #music #SevenTwoProject #photograph
by Roscoe
viewHoping for a slower Friday.
And one that is more chess-oriented. As a matter of fact, I hope to cut back on the time and attention swallowed up by other side projects and spend more time with my chess ongoing.
My current game load of 12 CC games feels very right, and there is no temptation to add to that in any way, whether by adding OTB, real-time server based play, or more CC games. As soon as one game is completed I'll add another. That's what I've been doing this summer.
However I DO intend to spend more quality time every day studying, following annotated master class games, and analyzing my own losses to learn from my mistakes.
Once, many years ago, I almost earned a master class rating. It would be nice if I can return to that level of play again. I wonder if that's even possible at my age?
And so the adventure continues.
Published on 28 August 2020, ~11:30 CDT, this is my post number 62/100/365 of the https://100daystooffload.com blogging challenge.
#100DaysToOffload #blog #RoscoeEllis #chess
by Roscoe
viewAnother Online Meeting Tonight
The one thing I miss most during the current pandemic/lockdown situation is time spent with my brother Knights: working on Council projects, attending Fourth Degree events, monthly face to face Council and Assembly meetings, etc.
Though some Council projects at some places are slowly coming back to life, I am still holding myself under a strict self-quarantine since, given my age and health conditions, I fall within that narrow demographic most vulnerable to dying from the pestilence.
I'm VERY glad the younger guys are getting active and participating in events and programs again while following the guidelines of their parishes. And I'm looking forward to the time I'll be able to join with them again. But that time, for me, isn't here yet.
Thankfully, both the Council and the Assembly I belong to have started holding monthly business meetings online. And Supreme now hosts frequent training Webinars for Knights, like the one I'm following now on my tablet and pictured at the top of this post.
And so the adventure continues.
Published on 27 August 2020, ~20:00 CDT, this is my post number 61/100/365 of the https://100daystooffload.com blogging challenge.
#100DaysToOffload #blog #RoscoeEllis #SevenTwoProject #KnightsOfColumbus #Webinar
by Roscoe
viewA Wednesday morning with Standard Notes
Shortly after Noon today I snapped a screenshot (seen above) of the Standard Notes app running on my phone. I also have Standard Notes running on my laptop and spend roughly the same amount of time working with it on both devices. Entries made to either the phone app or the desktop version are synched to the other immediately, so there is no loss in time or productivity switching from one to the other.
As I sit at the keyboard typing this blog post midafternoon, there have been more entries added to the PRAYER, DIET, and CHORES lists, and I've not yet started to work on this day's CHESS. But all lists will be much longer before head hits pillow tonight. And there might be a short summary paragraph added at day's end, similar to the few sentences that opened this Wednesday if I think one is needed and if I'm not too tired.
My Standard Notes work is complemented by the 3x5 note cards I use daily, and the traditional paper planner I also keep. One part of my daily note keeping that never makes it into Standard Notes is the tracking I do of my bank balances, and related budget work. I'm so comfortable with the paper ledger system I use for my finances that I'm not in the least bit tempted to change that.
And the adventure continues.
Published on 26 August 2020, ~16:00 CDT, this is my post number 61/100/365 of the https://100daystooffload.com blogging challenge.
#100DaysToOffload #blog #RoscoeEllis #StandardNotes #lists
by Roscoe
viewToday is worse than yesterday: allergy-wise.
An allergy warning popped up on my phone early this morning telling me that the pigweed and elm pollen levels were high today. Heck, my sinuses already told me that. They woke me early and wouldn't let me go back to sleep until I double-dosed with the allergy meds.
And BTW, “Chenopods” sounds much more innocent and polite than does “pigweed.” The nastiness of that particular pollen is much more suited to the common name than the technical term used to identify that family of weeds. So let's just call it what it is: “pigweed,” okay?
Tomorrow is forecast to be worse than today, allergy-wise. And the days are to be getting progressively worse right into the weekend.
Oh well, I'm glad I keep the medicine cabinet well stocked.
And so the adventure continues.
Published on 25 August 2020, ~12:45 CDT, this is my post number 60/100/365 of the https://100daystooffload.com blogging challenge.
#100DaysToOffload #blog #RoscoeEllis #pollen #pigweed #screenshot #SevenTwoProject
by Roscoe
viewHaving a Bob Dylan kind of morning.
And that is not a bad kind of morning to have. With his latest album providing the soundtrack for my work and a simple text editor open on my desktop I'm finally moving slowly but steadily through this Friday.
The day ahead promises to be a good one. If I'm able to knock off all the items on today's task list, I'll end the day satisfied. But none of those items are particularly urgent; any of them left undone can easily be picked up tomorrow.
After polishing this blog posts's first draft and posting it online I'll move a little further along the Standard Notes learning curve. My first couple of days with it have already convinced me that it will become one of my favorite software tools. The difference between its Android app and the desktop version on my Linux box is interesting. I'll be using both to get the most effective productivity, which is actually fine since I spend a lot of time every day on both my phone and my computer.
And the adventure continues.
Published on 21 August 2020, ~12:00 CDT, this is my post number 59/100/365 of the https://100daystooffload.com blogging challenge.
#100DaysToOffload #blog #RoscoeEllis #BobDylan #StandardNotes #gedit #SevenTwoProject
by Roscoe
view
... exactly how am I going to use it?
A few days ago I read Jason's post on Fosstodon about his plans to use Standard Notes as a blogging platform. I've known about Standard Notes for awhile, but have never seriously considered using it. Looking now at all the features of this powerful note taking tool I see there's much more to it than I'd previously thought.
I may not us it as a primary blog as Jason's doing – heck, I've already got three different blogs running in a rather coordinated manner: Roscoe's Story, Roscoe's Notebook, and my twitter feed. But I always have been and still am a notorious note taker. And it's sometimes frustrating to lose information that's been copied on some 3x5 card or paper notebook and subsequently misplaced or thrown away.
Anyway, I've now got the Standard Notes desktop app running on my Linux machine, and the Android app on my phone and tablet. Surely I'll be able to use this cool tool to my advantage.
And the adventure continues.
Published on 19 August 2020, ~18:00 CDT, this is my post number 58/100/365 of the https://100daystooffload.com blogging challenge.
#100DaysToOffload #blog #RoscoeEllis #StandardNotes #notetaking
by Roscoe
viewAs I move through the chores of this day...
.. I note that there are so many more bottles arrayed in front of me now than when I posted about filling my pill boxes earlier this summer. Yes, filling the morning and evening pill boxes is a chore that will probably be on my task list for the rest of my life. And it seems the older I get the more bottles I have to contend with. Most of the new additions are vitamins and supplements that have come as recommendations for strengthening the immune system to better ward off the covid pestilence that is among us.
I also note that someone is peeking at me from across the room. That would be my brother-in-law Rico, an engineer on a tanker ship, looking around the big boat anchor on my TV screen. We keep a family photo album set as the screen saver on the TV, and it cycles through the photos in the album when we're not watching any shows.
And the adventure continues.
Published on 17 August 2020, ~16:05 CDT, this is my post number 57/100/365 of the https://100daystooffload.com blogging challenge.
#100DaysToOffload #blog #RoscoeEllis #health #family #SevenTwoProject #photograph
by Roscoe
view“Well, I see you've got the Covid 7.”
My doctor said and chuckled when he walked into the room where I was waiting this morning. “Yeah, I know,” I replied, smiling behind my face mask. I knew he was referring to the seven pounds I've gained since January, when he saw me last.
When he asked how my exercise program was working, I just shook my head and told him it wasn't going nearly as well as I'd hoped it would. Rather than lecture me, he consoled me. He knows I'm a walker. He said, “I know it's terribly hot out now. Heck, it's supposed to be 104 today! And tomorrow! Just remember, whatever exercising you can do will help your overall health tremendously.”
All in all, it was a great doctor's appointment. After examining me he told me that I looked good. He wanted me to continue what I was doing and he wanted me to see him again in three or four months. As I was checking out, his staff scheduled my next appointment for early December. And I walked out with a smile.
What a nice way to start the weekend!
And the adventure continues.
Published on 14 August 2020, ~17:00 CDT, this is my post number 56/100/365 of the https://100daystooffload.com blogging challenge.
#100DaysToOffload #blog #RoscoeEllis #health #Covid
by Roscoe