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Showing posts from December, 2021

Star Wars rewatch for December malaise.

Streaming makes this possible. I know DVD collections are fun, my son is into collecting DVDs. I don't want clutter, and I like online access.  There are 9 films in the cannon and "anthology films" Rogue One and Solo to make 11.  Rogue One is a pretty good movie. I love the monk who keeps saying I'm one with the force, the force is with me. He plays the blind samurai. The force is the Tao and Jedi are Samurai. Rogue One is the essence of the Star Wars narrative, without the Skywalkers. It was set parallel to the destruction of the death star.  Solo is about class war, and if movie could stoke class awareness, we'd have had a revolution already. Fun plot with reversals and switchbacks, interesting characters with funny lines. I do think they are getting better and better at these films.  I cried on episode 9, the Rise of Skywalker, three times. When Ben's father reappears when he is done with the Sith side. When they hug at the end, they have collectively come

Chess

 I've played a lot of chess. I started 2 years ago. I finally said during the pandemic that I ought to play chess online. I play 10-20 games a day. It's really quite rich and exciting. I sometimes play with too many distractions around me, and lose, but I want to play so badly I'll choose it when I can't completely concentrate. Concentration is key, to think about all the moving pieces, and possibilities. There are well worn grooves of action that are created by playing a lot. If they do this, I do this, and bing bang boom, it takes many moves to get to the place where I actually have to think. I play 5 minute games which are called "Blitz" games, because they are exciting. I find 10 minute games boring at times, I lose interest. They are called Rapid. World Championship games are   I lose a lot. I think I have to lose 10 games from not moving up a pawn to give the king options, before that becomes a standard part of my moves. I think I'll win so I don'