I've been slowly working on cleaning up a lot of old papers in the house. Boxes of stuff that are just wasting space. Once in a while I come across something and the memories just start flooding back. Here is one of those things. It was a chess tournament played years ago at the PVCC. Back when Sean was still around and chess was the game of the day.
Looking back at some of these initials, I wish I can say that I remember who they all are. I remember a bunch but I'm sure Sean will know them all! I'm also just as sure that I'll hit my head with embarrassment as soon as Sean points out who they are.
EB: Ed Borowski
ST: Sean Tobin
MA:
JR: John Reinhart
DH: Dave Hall
JB: Judge Bean?
SF: Scott Farhatt
AL: Antonio Laudati
CW:
EM: Enrique McDonald
Sean... any chance you recall what year this might have been?
Be safe, be well, and thank you for the memories! That's what life is all about.
Ed.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Things Change
Life. It just blows me away sometimes. Here's this absolutely enormous, unimaginably complex world of unlimited possibilities. A place where anything is possible and all one has to do is dream. Then here I am. Totally clueless. What are the odds of that?
I've been feeling pretty terrible again this weekend. It's almost like a resurgence of the flu that I think I had a little while back. Mainly in my head. That constant dizzy feeling where, occasionally, I think I just might lose it. I'm getting by, but it's no fun. As some of you might know, I've been completely addicted to World of Warcraft this year. It's all I do when I have free time. Because of it I've been putting in all nighters on Friday and Saturday nights. It's crazy. Yesterday I probably only played for 4 hours. You know I've got issues!
I slept through the afternoon yesterday. When I finally got up at around 6-7pm I was still feeling a bit shaky. I figured I needed to stay away from World of Warcraft and do something different. I decided to go to the chess club! Back in December I was really at the top of my game. It was the best that I've ever been playing chess. After really not playing much for the last 6 months I can assure you that I'm rusty. Regardless of the results, you don't play much for 6 months and you're going to lose some of it.
Now that I've set you up with my list of excuses, I'm sure you're wondering how I did. I have to say that overall I was pleased. I definitely felt a little out of sorts, especially with my tactics. But I wound up playing 4 5-minute blitz games against Larry Williams. Larry and I were pretty close back in December, though I would have given a slight edge to me at that time.
Game 1: I had black and managed to get into an interesting ending. I lost on time. In the post-mortem we found that it was a draw. Ah well, I can't complain with a loss on time.
Game 2: I had white and we drew the game. It was another exciting endgame.
Game 3: I had black and Larry crushed me like a pig. No Post-Mortem necessary!
Game 4: I had white and won! In the post-mortem we found that there were some drawing chances for Black.
Still, it was 5-minute chess. But given my absense, I was very pleased with the result. Hopefully it will motivate me to increase my chess activity and get back to something else in addition to World of Warcraft. I don't think I've ever been so addicted to anything in my life! Though it might be close to the early days of chess. When Sean and I used to stay up until 4 or 5 in the morning at his parents house playing blitz games over and over again. Those were the days!
Speaking of Sean, if you still happen to read this from time to time, Paul Sarrazin says hi!
Wish you all the best!
Ed.
I've been feeling pretty terrible again this weekend. It's almost like a resurgence of the flu that I think I had a little while back. Mainly in my head. That constant dizzy feeling where, occasionally, I think I just might lose it. I'm getting by, but it's no fun. As some of you might know, I've been completely addicted to World of Warcraft this year. It's all I do when I have free time. Because of it I've been putting in all nighters on Friday and Saturday nights. It's crazy. Yesterday I probably only played for 4 hours. You know I've got issues!
I slept through the afternoon yesterday. When I finally got up at around 6-7pm I was still feeling a bit shaky. I figured I needed to stay away from World of Warcraft and do something different. I decided to go to the chess club! Back in December I was really at the top of my game. It was the best that I've ever been playing chess. After really not playing much for the last 6 months I can assure you that I'm rusty. Regardless of the results, you don't play much for 6 months and you're going to lose some of it.
Now that I've set you up with my list of excuses, I'm sure you're wondering how I did. I have to say that overall I was pleased. I definitely felt a little out of sorts, especially with my tactics. But I wound up playing 4 5-minute blitz games against Larry Williams. Larry and I were pretty close back in December, though I would have given a slight edge to me at that time.
Game 1: I had black and managed to get into an interesting ending. I lost on time. In the post-mortem we found that it was a draw. Ah well, I can't complain with a loss on time.
Game 2: I had white and we drew the game. It was another exciting endgame.
Game 3: I had black and Larry crushed me like a pig. No Post-Mortem necessary!
Game 4: I had white and won! In the post-mortem we found that there were some drawing chances for Black.
Still, it was 5-minute chess. But given my absense, I was very pleased with the result. Hopefully it will motivate me to increase my chess activity and get back to something else in addition to World of Warcraft. I don't think I've ever been so addicted to anything in my life! Though it might be close to the early days of chess. When Sean and I used to stay up until 4 or 5 in the morning at his parents house playing blitz games over and over again. Those were the days!
Speaking of Sean, if you still happen to read this from time to time, Paul Sarrazin says hi!
Wish you all the best!
Ed.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
The Solitary Way
So much to do...
I bowled tonight. I didn't beat my last score of a few weeks back, but given my year I was pleased nevertheless. 630'ish.
Then I decided to take a few minutes to refamiliarlize myself with some of the lyrics to "Run Around" by Blues Traveler.
But I want more than a touch I want you to reach me
And show me all the things no one else can see
So what you feel becomes mine as well
And soon if we're lucky we'd be unable to tell
What's yours and mine the finishings fine
And it doesn't have to rhyme so don't feed me a line
And even more amazing - I didn't play WOW tonight. That was my goal. I knew that if I started I'd get nothing done. I still got nothing done.
So it goes.
Ed.
I bowled tonight. I didn't beat my last score of a few weeks back, but given my year I was pleased nevertheless. 630'ish.
Then I decided to take a few minutes to refamiliarlize myself with some of the lyrics to "Run Around" by Blues Traveler.
But I want more than a touch I want you to reach me
And show me all the things no one else can see
So what you feel becomes mine as well
And soon if we're lucky we'd be unable to tell
What's yours and mine the finishings fine
And it doesn't have to rhyme so don't feed me a line
And even more amazing - I didn't play WOW tonight. That was my goal. I knew that if I started I'd get nothing done. I still got nothing done.
So it goes.
Ed.
Friday, February 23, 2007
The 700 Club
I've been so busy lately that all of my normal hobbies are suffering. My chess game has been horrendous. Seriously. And my bowling, not much better. My average this year, of which I'm not proud, is a 180. Last week I bowled 3 150's. Ouch. On the flip side, work is crazy but going well and World of Warcraft rocks!
So I guess it's all a matter of perspective.
Imagine my surprise this Monday when I was thinking about how much I wanted to be home playing World of Warcraft. Instead I was bowling. League night.
Game 1: 258
Game 2: 213
Game 3: 258
Total: 729
My first 700 series! Since it was in a league, I get a jacket for it. Nice!
Enjoy your Friday.
Ed.
So I guess it's all a matter of perspective.
Imagine my surprise this Monday when I was thinking about how much I wanted to be home playing World of Warcraft. Instead I was bowling. League night.
Game 1: 258
Game 2: 213
Game 3: 258
Total: 729
My first 700 series! Since it was in a league, I get a jacket for it. Nice!
Enjoy your Friday.
Ed.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
A matter of perspective
fortunecookie
Originally uploaded by firstfret.
A fortune is simply a reminder of possibilities, while busy is a matter of perspective. All pale in comparison to happiness which, in all its splendor and glory, is simply a state of mind.
Ed.
Saturday, December 16, 2006
PVCC Saturday, December 16, 2006
I made it to the chess club at around 9pm. It was a much bigger crowd than last week. When I walked in there was:
Paul Budney
Larry Williams
Antonio Laudati
Paul Spattarella
Willie
Dave Hall
Enrique McDonald
and, of course, me.
Larry and Paul were talking, Antonio was walking around the room, Paul and Willie were engrossed in a game as were Dave and Enrique. After a few minutes Enrique resigned and he and I talked for a few minutes. Then I asked Dave if he was up for a game and we ended up playing 3 (g/10 except the 2nd game where I gave Dave 5 minutes so it was dave 10, me 5).
David Hall - Ed Borowski 0-1
Ed Borowski - David Hall 1-0
David Hall - Ed Borowski 0-1
At this point Larry said he'd like to play a game against me, so he grabbed the white pieces and started resetting up the board. We ended up playing 2 blitz games (g/5).
Larry Williams - Ed Borowski 0-1
Ed Borowski - Larry Williams 1-0
Sometimes you just find the zone.
Paul beat Willie in their first game, and they were in the middle of a 2nd when I left.
Have a great weekend!
Ed.
Paul Budney
Larry Williams
Antonio Laudati
Paul Spattarella
Willie
Dave Hall
Enrique McDonald
and, of course, me.
Larry and Paul were talking, Antonio was walking around the room, Paul and Willie were engrossed in a game as were Dave and Enrique. After a few minutes Enrique resigned and he and I talked for a few minutes. Then I asked Dave if he was up for a game and we ended up playing 3 (g/10 except the 2nd game where I gave Dave 5 minutes so it was dave 10, me 5).
David Hall - Ed Borowski 0-1
Ed Borowski - David Hall 1-0
David Hall - Ed Borowski 0-1
At this point Larry said he'd like to play a game against me, so he grabbed the white pieces and started resetting up the board. We ended up playing 2 blitz games (g/5).
Larry Williams - Ed Borowski 0-1
Ed Borowski - Larry Williams 1-0
Sometimes you just find the zone.
Paul beat Willie in their first game, and they were in the middle of a 2nd when I left.
Have a great weekend!
Ed.
PVCC Saturday, December 9, 2006
DSC02648
Originally uploaded by firstfret.
It was a small group that gathered at the Buger King on Saturday for the Pioneer Valley Chess Club. I didn't get there until late, but when I did it was just Dave and Chuck sitting around the chess board bashing about. But as luck would have it, I had my camera. So here's a pic of Dave and Chuck at the chessboard. I did play a game against Chuck a little later on. I won.
Enjoy the picture...
Ed.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Just another day...
So what am I doing up at 6:05am? Well, I spent the last 15 minutes trying to get out of bed. I'd probably try to go back to sleep for a little bit longer if it didn't hurt so freaking much. What a freaking idiot!
The pain has improved a little bit - and the shakes have gone down too. I have to go to school in a few hours... but my guess is that if I keep stretching I should be able to move around reasonably well by then. Let's hope.
I had forgotten how much this sucks.
Alright then, enough feeling sorry for me. Enjoy your day!
Ed.
The pain has improved a little bit - and the shakes have gone down too. I have to go to school in a few hours... but my guess is that if I keep stretching I should be able to move around reasonably well by then. Let's hope.
I had forgotten how much this sucks.
Alright then, enough feeling sorry for me. Enjoy your day!
Ed.
Monday, November 06, 2006
Ain't nothing out here but me
I was hoping to play up in Vermont this past weekend - chess tournament. As it turns out, I forgot about it. Not completely forgot, but by the time I remembered I had made some other plans for the weekend. So I didn't play. It's probably for the best, my mind's been elsewhere lately. So my chess is certainly not at its peak. So it goes.
I have gotten in a few hours of Neverwinter Nights 2. It's a good game, though I hesitate to call it great. Then again, I can't remember the last time I actually called a game great. As I say so often, I just don't seem to get into them as much as I used to. Sometimes I miss those days.
As for this coming weekend, 3 days off! Nice. Big plans?
Clarity and inspiration
happiness is a destination
That's hard to find
it may take some time
But in my mind there's something more
and I'll open up a brand new door
and find the strength to close the ones I left behind
I'll get there leaning on some friends I know
The road and the radio
... Kenney Chesney
Not so much. Though a little clarity and inspiration would certainly be nice! Instead I'll settle for much of the same.
As some of you might know, I've started bowling again this season. It wasn't part of my original plan, but I was glad to be back at it. It was a good 3-4 years that I didn't bowl because of my back. Nothing serious in terms of requiring medical attention, but I was starting to get lower back pain. It's been feeling pretty good though.
Tonight, I was about 3 frames into the first game when... you guess it... I twisted at the lane and my back just froze. Damn! I can't remember the last time I felt that much pain. I remember lifting my ball back up to try to pick up my spare because, unfortunately, a strike didn't come with the pain... and I could barely lift the thing. Wow! I decided to stretch it out and see how it felt over the next few frames. I knew that I should stop... but I bowled 4 strikes in a row as I focused on putting as little pressure as possible on my back. I finished the first game with a 184 (or so). Not bad considering.
So I loaded up on Ibuprofen and kept bowling. I know... IDIOT! What can I say. My next game I pulled a 146. Terrible. But at the end I was finally starting to loosen up a little. I could stand without complete spasms. Pat told me that I needed to move 2 boards to the left since I kept hitting the pocket heavy. So I decided to finish out the night.
Last game... 220. Nice. So know I'm going to take a handful of advil and go to bed. I'm pretty sure that I'm going to wake up in the morning regretting every decision I've ever made in my life. But that's the way it goes. I'll need to do a lot of stretching this week to see if I can let bowling stay in my future. Let's hope so!
Until next time, Ed.
I have gotten in a few hours of Neverwinter Nights 2. It's a good game, though I hesitate to call it great. Then again, I can't remember the last time I actually called a game great. As I say so often, I just don't seem to get into them as much as I used to. Sometimes I miss those days.
As for this coming weekend, 3 days off! Nice. Big plans?
Clarity and inspiration
happiness is a destination
That's hard to find
it may take some time
But in my mind there's something more
and I'll open up a brand new door
and find the strength to close the ones I left behind
I'll get there leaning on some friends I know
The road and the radio
... Kenney Chesney
Not so much. Though a little clarity and inspiration would certainly be nice! Instead I'll settle for much of the same.
As some of you might know, I've started bowling again this season. It wasn't part of my original plan, but I was glad to be back at it. It was a good 3-4 years that I didn't bowl because of my back. Nothing serious in terms of requiring medical attention, but I was starting to get lower back pain. It's been feeling pretty good though.
Tonight, I was about 3 frames into the first game when... you guess it... I twisted at the lane and my back just froze. Damn! I can't remember the last time I felt that much pain. I remember lifting my ball back up to try to pick up my spare because, unfortunately, a strike didn't come with the pain... and I could barely lift the thing. Wow! I decided to stretch it out and see how it felt over the next few frames. I knew that I should stop... but I bowled 4 strikes in a row as I focused on putting as little pressure as possible on my back. I finished the first game with a 184 (or so). Not bad considering.
So I loaded up on Ibuprofen and kept bowling. I know... IDIOT! What can I say. My next game I pulled a 146. Terrible. But at the end I was finally starting to loosen up a little. I could stand without complete spasms. Pat told me that I needed to move 2 boards to the left since I kept hitting the pocket heavy. So I decided to finish out the night.
Last game... 220. Nice. So know I'm going to take a handful of advil and go to bed. I'm pretty sure that I'm going to wake up in the morning regretting every decision I've ever made in my life. But that's the way it goes. I'll need to do a lot of stretching this week to see if I can let bowling stay in my future. Let's hope so!
Until next time, Ed.
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