2025 Readings

 

John Henry Days

The Colossus of New York 

-Colson Whitehead 

Telegraph Avenue

-Michael Chabon

Against The Day

-Thomas Pynchon

Shadow Of The Son

Dark Of The Earth

-Ivan Obolensky

In Too Deep (Reacher)

-Andrew Child 

Defense Protocol: A Tom Clancy Novel

-Andrews & Wilson

Burner: A Gray Man Novel 

-Mark Greaney

Do What You Want: The Story of Bad Religion

-Jim Rutlan 

The Fort Bragg Cartel: Murder and Drug Trafficking In the Special Forces

-Seth Harp

Summerland

-Michael Chabon 

The Secret of Secrets

-Dan Brown

One Nation Under Blackmail, Vol. 1

-Whitney Webb

One Nation Under Blackmail, Vol. 2

-Whitney Webb

Gentlemen of the Road

-Michael Chabon

Shadow Ticket

-Thomas Pynchon

*Vineland 

=Thomas Pynchon

*second reading

Squisham

 A woman once referred to my penis as, “The foam dinosaur-get it wet and it grows 10 times in size.”

W# 11.29.25

 

Later that day-

“Ummm, oops.”

L#

10:00

[Event "Live Chess"]

[Site "Chess.com"]

[Date "2025.11.23"]

[Round "?"]

[White "Guest4782450978"]

[Black "Guest8553048404"]

[Result "1-0"]

[TimeControl "600"]

[WhiteElo "1200"]

[BlackElo "1200"]

[Termination "Guest4782450978 won by checkmate"]

[Link "https://www.chess.com/game/145884725136"]

1. Nf3 d6 

2. Nc3 c6 

3. h3 e5 

4. a3 e4 

5. Nxe4 Bxh3 

6. Rxh3 Nd7 

7. Ng1 Ngf6 

8. Nc3 Be7 

9. e3 Ng4 

10. Rg3 Nxf2 

11. Kxf2 Bh4 

12. Qf3 Bxg3+ 

13. Qxg3 O-O 

14. Ke1 Nf6 

15. b4 Re8 

16. Bb2 Ne4 

17. Nxe4 Rxe4 

18. Qxg7# 1-0 

11.22.63

 Or, the 33rd of 666?

W# 

15:00

1. d4 e5 2. Nf3 e4 3. Ne5 d5 4. e3 Nf6 5. Be2 Bd6 6. Ng4 Bxg4 7. f3 exf3 8. Bxf3 Bxf3 9. Qxf3 Nbd7 10. O-O c6 11. Nc3 O-O 12. Qh3 Ne4 13. Nxe4 dxe4 14. Bd2 Nf6 15. Bc3 c5 16. dxc5 Bxc5 17. Qg3 Qb6 18. Bxf6 Bxe3+ 19. Kh1 Bh6 20. Rae1 Rae8 21. c4 e3 22. b4 e2 23. Rf2 Re6 24. c5 Qxb4 25. Ba1 Qxe1+ 26. Rf1 Qxf1#

Losses by resignation

 November 20 & 21, 2025
[All matches are 10:00 time control]

LBR

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 a6 4. c3 b5 5. d4 bxc4 6. dxe5 Qe7 7. exd6 cxd6 8. O-O

Be6 9. e5 d5 10. Nd4 Nc6 11. Nxc6 Qc7 12. Nd4 f6 13. exf6 Nxf6 14. Nxe6 Qd6 15.

Nxf8 Rxf8 16. Re1+ Kd7 17. Bg5 Ne4 18. Qg4+ Kc6 19. Rxe4 dxe4 20. Qxe4+ Kc5 21.

Qd4+ Qxd4 22. cxd4+ Kxd4 23. Be3+ Kd3 24. Kf1 Rab8 25. Nc3 Rxb2 26. Rd1+ Kc2 27.

Bd2 Kd3 28. Bc1+ Kc2 29. Bxb2 Kxb2 30. Ne4 Kxa2 31. Nc3+ Kb2 32. Nb1 Re8 33. Nd2

Kc2 34. Re1 c3 35. Rxe8 Kxd2 36. Re2+ Kd1 37. Re1+ Kd2 38. f4 c2 39. g4 c1=Q 40.

Rxc1 Kxc1 41. Ke2 Kc2 42. h4 a5 43. g5 a4 44. h5 a3 45. h6 g6 46. f5 gxf5 47. g6

a2 48. gxh7 a1=Q 49. h8=Q Qxh8 50. Kf3 Qxh6 0-1

LBR

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Bd7 4. Bxd7+ Nxd7 5. c3 Ngf6 6. d4 cxd4 7. cxd4 Nxe4

8. O-O e6 9. Nc3 Nxc3 10. bxc3 Be7 11. Bg5 Bxg5 12. Nxg5 Qxg5 13. Qf3 O-O 14.

Qxb7 Nf6 15. Qf3 Rfb8 16. Rab1 Rxb1 17. h3 Rxf1+ 18. Kxf1 Re8 19. Kg1 Qc1+ 20.

Kh2 e5 21. dxe5 Rxe5 22. Qa8+ Re8 23. Qxa7 Qf4+ 24. g3 Qf3 25. Qd4 Re2 26. Qxd6

Rxf2+ 0-1

LBR

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 c6 3. d4 Bb4 4. dxe5 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 d6 6. exd6 Nf6 7. e3 O-O 8. Ne2 Nbd7 9. Bb2 Ne5 10. Qd4 Ned7 11. O-O-O c5 12. Qf4 Qa5 13. Rg1 Qxa2 14. Re1 Nb6 15. Ng3 Bd7 16. Ne4 Nxe4 17. Qxe4 f5 18. Qxb7 Nxc4 19. Qd5+ Kh8 20. Bxc4 Rab8 21. Bxa2 Rxb2 22. Kxb2 a5 23. Qxc5

LBR 

1. d4 c6 2. Bd2 d5 3. Nf3 Bg4 4. Nc3 Bxf3 5. exf3 e6 6. Be2 Nf6 7. O-O Bd6 8. f4

O-O 9. Be3 Qc7 10. Qd2 Nbd7 11. Bf3 c5 12. Nb5 Qb8 13. Nxd6 Qxd6 14. b3 Rac8 15.

c4 cxd4 16. Bxd4 b6 17. Be5 Qe7 18. Bxf6 Nxf6 19. Rfe1 dxc4 20. Rac1 cxb3 21.

Rxc8 Rxc8 22. axb3 Qd8 23. Qxd8+ Rxd8 24. Kf1 Nd5 25. Bxd5 exd5 26. Ke2 Re8+ 27.

Kd2 Rxe1 28. Kxe1 Kf8 29. Kd2 Ke7 30. Kd3 Kd6 31. Kd4 a5 32. g4 f5 33. gxf5 b5

34. h4 a4 35. h5 a3 36. f6 gxf6 37. Kc3 d4+ 38. Kc2 Kd5 39. Kb1 d3 40. f5 Kd4

41. b4 d2 42. Kc2 a2 43. Kxd2 a1=Q 44. f4 Qc3+ 45. Ke2 Qxb4 46. Kf3 Qc3+ 47. Kg4

b4 0-1

New Aerosmith album with YUNGBLUD has dropped!

 W#

10m

Aerosmith & YUNGBLUD: One More Time

Also: Oops

L#

1. d4 e6 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e4 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 Nf6 6. e5 Ne4 7. Qd3 d5 8. cxd5

cxd5 9. Be2 f6 10. Bf3 fxe5 11. dxe5 Nxf2 12. Kxf2 O-O 13. Ba3 Rxf3+ 14. Qxf3

Qf8 15. Qxf8# 1-0

Epic!

W# 

15:00

chesshold.com

 1. e4 e5 2. d3 Be7 3. g3 d6 4. d4 Nd7 5. Nf3 c6 6. c3 f6 7. Na3 b5 8. Bd3 a5 9. c4 a4 10. cxb5 Qa5+ 11. Bd2 Qb6 12. Qc2 Bb7 13. O-O-O O-O-O 14. Nh4 g6 15. Rhe1 h5 16. Nxg6 h4 17. Nxh8 hxg3 18. fxg3 f5 19. Rf1 Qxd4 20. Nc4 cxb5 21. Ne3+ Kb8 22. Rxf5 Rc8 23. Rf7 Rxc2+ 24. Kxc2 d5 25. Rg7 b4 26. b3 axb3+ 27. axb3 Kc7 28. Rxg8 Nc5 29. Bb5 Bc6 30. Ba6 Nxa6 31. Rf1 Qxe4+ 32. Kd1 Qb1+ 33. Ke2 Qxb3 34. Rf7 Kb6 35. Rxe7 Nc5 36. Rb8+ Bb7 37. Nf7 d4 38. Nd5+ Kb5 39. Rexb7+ Kc4 40. Rc7 d3+ 41. Ke3 Kxd5 42. Nd8 Qd1 43. Rb5 Qg1+ 44. Kf3 e4+ 45. Kf4 Qf1+ 46. Kg5 Kc4 47. Rbxc5+ Kb3 48. Rb7 Qe2 49. Nc6 Qxd2+ 50. Kf6 e3 51. Rcb5 Kc2 52. Rc5+ Kd1 53. Nd4 e2 54. Ra7 Qh6+ 55. Kf5 e1=Q 56. Ra1+ Kd2 57. Ra2+ Ke3 58. Re5+ Kxd4 59. Rxe1 Qf8+ 60. Kg4 b3 61. Ra4+ Kc3 62. Rc1+ Kb2 63. Rcc4 d2 64. Rd4 Qg8+ 65. Kh3 Qh8+ 66. Kg4 Qxh2 67. Kf3 Qh1+ 68. Kf2 d1=N+ 69. Ke2 Nc3+ 70. Kd3 Qb1+ 71. Kc4 Kc2 72. Rb4 Qf1+ 73. Kc5 b2 74. g4 b1=Q 75. Rxb1 Qxb1 76. g5 Qb5+ 77. Kd6 Qa6+ 78. Ke5 Qe2+ 79. Kf4 Qf2+ 80. Ke5 Qh2+ 81. Kf5 Ne2 82. Rg4 Kd3 83. g6 Nd4+ 84. Kf6 Qf2+ 85. Kg7 Nf5+ 86. Kf6 Nh6+ 87. Kg5 Nxg4 88. Kxg4 Ke4 89. Kg5 Qf5+ 90. Kh6 Ke5 91. g7 Qf6+ 92. Kh7 Qf7 93. Kh6 Kf6 94. Kh7 Qg6+ 95. Kh8 Qxg7#

A few from 12 November, 2025

 L, timeout. 10:00

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. e4 c6 4. Nf3 d6 5. d3 Be7 6. Ng5 O-O 7. Nf3 Nbd7 8. Be3 Ng4 9. Bd2 d5 10. cxd5 Bc5 11. Be3 Nxe3 12. fxe3 Bxe3 13. Qe2 Bf4 14. g3 Bg5 15. Bh3 Be7 16. Bxd7 Bxd7 17. Nxe5 Bc5 18. O-O-O Qg5+ 19. Kb1 Qxe5 20. Rhg1 Bd4 21. Rc1 cxd5 22. exd5 Qxe2 23. Nxe2 Rac8 24. Nxd4 Rxc1+ 25. Kxc1 b5 26. Kb1 a5 27. Re1 Re8 28. Rc1 Rc8 29. Rd1 b4 30. b3 h5 31. Nf3 f6 32. Nh4 a4 33. bxa4 Kf7 34. Nf3 Bxa4 35. Re1 Bc2+ 36. Kb2 Bxd3 37. Nd4 Re8 38. Rd1 g6 39. Rxd3 Rd8 40. Ne6 Rd6 41. Nc5 f5 42. Nb7 Rd7 43. Nc5 Rd6 44. Ne6 Kf6 45. Nf4 Ke5 46. Nxg6+ Rxg6 47. d6 Rxd6 48. Re3+ Kd5 49. Rd3+ Ke5 50. Kb3

Happy 250th Birthday

 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 { C47 Four Knights Game } 4. Be2 Bc5 5. d4 Bxd4 6. Nxd4 Nxd4 7. Bf3 O-O 8. h3 d5 9. Bg4 dxe4 10. Bxc8 Rxc8 11. Be3 c5 12. h4 Ng4 13. Bg5 Qb6 14. Qxg4 Nxc2+ 15. Kf1 Nxa1 16. Nd5 Qxb2 17. Ne7+ Kh8 18. Kg1 Rcd8 19. Kh2 Rd3 20. Qg3 Qxa2 21. Qxe5 Qe2 22. Bf6 gxf6 23. Qxf6# { White wins by checkmate. } 1-0

I rarely win on lichess.org

15:00

Casual

Two guys from outside Philly walk into a gym…

  In the spring of 2003 four personal trainers based in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. The gym at which they worked was located near Interstate 215 and South Eastern Avenue. Currently operating under the name Edge Athletic yet a Gold’s Gym in 2003, members included MLB slugger Jeremy Giambi, fighter and entertainment personality Laila Ali, professional gridiron football players Mike Wahle and Mike Flanagan, MAGA republican Priscilla Sensi, hospitality major Joyce Slusher, and hundreds more.

One of the aforementioned four trainers and the only fitness pro in that gym teaching kettlebells, I was approached one afternoon by a man in his late fifties. He halted me mid-step by placing a hand on my shoulder, just beyond the check-in area and in full view of both front desk staff.  “Now what you’re doing is really impressive, ya got everybody’s attention, and I’m sure it works. Just don’t try to get me to do it,” he said with a smile. My response was instant, and deferential.  “I wouldn’t dream of something so crazy, Sir.” After a nearly imperceptible pause, he responded with “Alright.”

I continued my walk to the front desk, where Chris (a basketball player from Texas who had done 5 years in the Philippines’ professional league and worked for Gold’s at that point) stated in a hushed tone, ”That was Reggie Jackson.”

Worst defeat ever

 

Worms

 There are skunks which arrive in our front yard now and again. 

At one point there were three skunks in our front yard, eating snails and mealworms. I sprinkle the yard with mealworms for birds to snack upon. I had no idea it would draw other creatures. Skunks are magnificent. An adult and two young ones would come by between 2340 and 0330 hours over the course of two weeks. An adult skunk was hit by a vehicle a few blocks away, and the young ones began to visit less frequently. I have not seen them together in two months time. A single juvenile skunk will appear in the front yard. Watching this nocturnal mammal eat worms and snails is pleasing. Fresh water is placed in a bowl each day.

Our neighbor’s dog got too close one night. 

I named them Skunky Brewster, Skunkadelic, and Skuncle Buck. 

Defeating a higher ranked opponent

 

3 out of 5

 

Thank you to my opponent. We played five matches. I wish you had not resigned as I was learning how to defend your pawn storms-something I struggle with. 

1. L#

2. W#

3. Loss on time

4. Win by resignation-my next move would have been checkmate.

5. Win by resignation-also ‘mate in 1’ I believe. 

Match 5

Later that same day…

 

11.02.2025 W# 15:00

 

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Qf6 3. d3 Nc6 4. c3 d6 5. Bg5 Qg6 6. Qd2 f6 7. Nh4 Qh5 8. Bxf6 gxf6 9. Nf5 d5 10. exd5 Qxf5 11. Qe2 Na5 12. Nd2 Bh6 13. O-O-O Ne7 14. Qe4 Qxf2 15. Kc2 Bf5 16. Qa4+ Nac6 17. dxc6 bxc6 18. Kb3 Rb8+ 19. Kc4 Qf4+ 20. d4 exd4 21. g3 dxc3+ 22. gxf4 Bxf4 23. bxc3 Be6+ 24. Kd4 Nf5+ 25. Ke4 Bh6 26. Qxc6+ Kf7 27. Bc4 Nd6+ 28. Kf3 Rb6 29. Bxe6+ Kxe6 30. Rhe1+ Kf5 31. Qd7+ Kg6 32. Rg1+ Kh5 33. Qg4#