What board games most interest you today?

“Win with grace. Lose with dignity.” (Susan Polgar)       

Joe Schultz, a dedicated high school teacher had gone through plenty of pupil confrontation in Hollywood, Florida over his thirty year tenure. Now retired, Joe sought some much needed peace these days by enjoying a quiet game of chess. To do so best to his liking during this cooler winter season, he’d walk along the beachfront boardwalk searching for someone interesting that he could compete with for a couple hours before lunch. Oftentimes he got excited when that person who he struck up a game with would remind him of a particular chess piece he liked.     

Today he competed with Albert Weinstein, a stern looking policeman at his favorite shady table across from the bandshell. For Albert seemed to fit well as a rook like adversary on this occasion. After warmly shaking hands, their battle then ensued with Joe soon finding it difficult to overcome defense minded Albert’s solid protection of his king. Oddly, around the one hour point of the match, a significant turn of events happened seemingly unrelated to chess. For Albert just stopped  playing and pulled out an old tarnished photo of a gaunt looking prisoner in a tarnished uniform with a Jewish star identification badge.           

Joe next took a curious look at the photo, asking Albert why he was trying to distract his opponent from the game? In response, Albert appeared to ignore the question and then began to ramble on about how the misfortunate person in this photo was his grandfather.The picture of him had been taken by a reporter after he been rescued from a Nazi concentration camp by the American army in 1945. With obvious emotion, Albert also told Joe that his grandfather’s daily diary from his desperate ordeal described in detail how captured inmates resorted to making chessboards in the dirt and chess pieces out of rock to pair off for friendly matches in total silence without attracting Nazi guard attention.

At that moment, a teenager swiftly riding his skateboard suddenly veered off the bike path and knocked their chess set to the ground. Joe then quickly grabbed the skateboard and gave it calmly gave it back to his attacker. He’d found no will to respond in an aggressive fashion because he was likely thinking back to how calmly those camp inmates had behaved under adverse circumstances in Albert’s grandfather story. It also became crystal clear to Joe at the time that managing one’s outbursts of emotion in playing a challenging game of chess in tandem with a partner should also be emphasized more as as essential component of making the right chess-piece move. That’s when Albert suggested beginning a new tournament game effort in town whereupon they could both team up in police like fashion as chess mentors during matches to enforce such player level-headed actions. Another primary role as Joe added from his teaching perspective would be to not only discipline expected acts of hormonally charged adolescent misbehavior during assigned chess matches but also introduce to them alternative tools like self meditation and yoga movement to better manage their emotional state at the time.

Thus through diligent marketing of their new idea, Joe and Albert successfully gained approval at a city council public hearing for a series of youth driven chess competitions to be held in upcoming months each Saturday morning at the town Community Center. Calling themselves “Two Rooks For Peace”, both of them had  embraced the opportunity to obtain a higher purpose in their lives by giving back as respected role models for the game they both dearly loved. 

In retrospect, win or lose, here’s how I’ve best found the game of chess to my liking.

“I think of chess as a mind cleansing game

To size up my opponent in friendly play 

For nobody gets hurt and there’s no one to blame. 

It’s a most honorable way to spend my day.” (USFMAN)

How does the spirit of giving impact you most this holiday season ?

“Not he who has much is rich, but he who gives much.”( Eric Fromm)

Jake Carter, a 42 year old bartender and business manager from suburban Ocala, Florida began his duties at his friendly gathering establishment on Thanksgiving afternoon thinking of how “down” he felt to be celebrating this holiday alone for the first time. For he seemed filled with guilt knowing his habitual neglect of family responsibilities had likely been the main cause of his recent divorce finalized over the past summer. Perhaps his passion for watching NFL football along with his steady customers would ease his inner pain as the Miami Dolphins game that he wanted to watch would be broadcast on TV that afternoon. More important to him then was the Dolphin season had not been going so well lately, so he deeply felt it was “due time” that some second and third string players should finally get in for some game action. With some regret then, Gina Tallone, his reliable bar mate and recent girlfriend now informed  him that six rookies players he liked continued to be listed as inactive for today’s game. 

Know then that by chance, Jake asked Gina to write down these rested player numbers – 35, 22, 17, 68, 5, and 58  to a bar patron playing weekly fantasy football. This gesture to share this six digit set thus ignited in her a way to help Jake ease his troubled mind. So she suggested he buy a “Mega Millions” lottery ticket now with that identical combination to honor the potential talent of these six poorly recognized players. So while Gina watched  over the bar, Jake walked  over to the convenience store one block away and eagerly complied.

Consequently as Jake dressed for work the next morning watching the local news on TV, he suddenly recognized with astonishment that he’d cashed in fully on his lottery ticket. For with all six numbers he’d selected as the winning ticket combo, he’d be paid the grand prize of roughly one thousand dollars a day in the next twenty years. Now heading gleefully to the bar at 11:30 am to announce his good fortune, he noticed a crowd of “groupie” like onlookers had gathered at the entrance to the bar. When the doors opened, many of these “walk in”patrons stormed in and began pressuring him to offer free drinks and food “on the house” as a fitting celebration for his newly acquired fame. However such demands of these fanatical strangers taking advantage of his “rock star” like fame seemed to be wrongly inappropriate to him at the time. It follows then as Jake politely declined to do what the crowd wanted at that moment, he’d silently promised to part from his habitually selfish ways.

In the coming weeks with Gina often at his side, Jake allotted plenty of time to figure out how he might best address his newly altruistic mindset. So when he finally received his first annuity installment payment, he’d come to realize more than ever the symbolic importance of those six undervalued rookie players who had entered his life at the right time in his life. In the short term, that meant honoring them indirectly by showcasing an underdog appreciation event one night each week at the bar offering free food, and donated gifts to any needy patrons to be funded by portions of his new earnings.             

When football season ended, Jake would also explore ways to diminish the expected trauma related to two of those rookie players who had suffered career ending concussion injuries that season. He’d thus set up for the future a personal endowment fund out of his lottery earnings called “Operation Underdog” to provide $100,000 financial assistance to each of them and their families as needed. Jake could also take satisfaction that he’d created considerable “buzz”  around the heavily populated “Villages” community nearby, which would in the future transform this bar into a community hub for charity event gatherings, victim recovery meetups and passionate populist rallies. 

Consider it then heartwarming to know that while Jake’s love of football and good luck set the stage for his miraculous success in this story, the real victory in his life happened when he embraced the idea that positive human connection really mattered. 

In what new ways have you discovered happiness after a personal crisis?

“Happiness is always there. You just have to choose to see it. There is no point dwelling in the dark and ignoring the light of the stars.” (Carrie Hope Fletcher)

Mark Adler’s transition into a more passive lifestyle in retirement in the last six months represented somewhat of a challenge. For his mindset continued to be heavily focused on his past high intensity efforts as a high school track coach and long distance runner. So it seemed natural for Mark to stay in decent physical condition as he ambitiously exerted himself throughout each day to stay at the “ top of his game”. Mark’s new routine thus would usually find him lifting weights at the gym and running three miles in a local park along a slow moving river. At such times, he’d sometimes be joined by Max Sterner, his longtime running partner, and former assistant coach colleague. At various times, Max also asked Mark to join him in the senior bracket at official run happenings around the town each month.

Tragically, disaster struck one foggy evening when a pickup truck wildly veered into the bike lane where Mark was running, thereupon hideously slamming into his body from behind. This nightmare would continue a few days later as Mark woke up in the hospital to the reality that he was unable to move his legs. Now facing the prospect of total paralysis in his lower body, Mark thereupon pondered with ominous despair that he now faced the likelihood that in his immobile condition, he’d be forced to hire a nurse to wheel him around helplessly in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

Fortuitously however, as part of his scheduled post trauma therapy, Max offered to take Mark a few times each week to the park before dinner time. On those occasions, Max purposefully placed Mark’s wheelchair in close view of a Buddha statue he spotted lying in heavy forest underbrush along the opposite river shoreline. During these moments, Max observed that when Mark sat quietly in silent repose next to the Buddha, he seemed noticeably more happy and relaxed. As a result, Max figured that Mark might benefit by this captivating Buddha presence in a more creative manner. So he decided to store some art supplies in a nearby abandoned shed, hoping that Mark would make good use of them when they met by sketching scenes surrounding his location as he desired. As anticipated, Mark chose on most of these days to accept that challenge by drawing various compositions depicting the Buddha and its beautiful natural environs in brilliant shades of color. 

Know then as this new art hobby became engrained in Mark’s mind, his competitive juices had definitely returned to overcome his plight. He’d now enter art festival contests over the next year and notably receive several awards for his stunning renditions of this Buddha statue setting he so admired. Amid the euphoria of these special moments, Mark also applied a unique finishing touch to each of his paintings by adding the inspiring words “one more mile”, as he once recalled to be his runner’s mantra. 

What lesser known places in your hometown city do you consider “hallowed ground”?

“Breathe it in so it becomes a part or you…go and stand on hallowed ground.” (Ryan Holiday)

The city of Cleveland, Ohio has oftentimes been dubbed “The Mistake On The Lake”. Yet I’ve spent my entire lifetime attempting to dispel that assessment as strictly a myth. Consider then that Cleveland once thrived as a major industrial/shipping hub and prominent entry point for European immigration settlement in early – mid 20th century America. In fact , it became the 4th most populated city in the United States at one time. Yet knowing little of past Cleveland fame as a child growing up in nearby Akron, I simply idolized it as the “Emerald City” of Wizard of Oz fame. When I moved to South Florida in my teenage years, those fond memories of my birth region remained intact, particularly along  its tourist friendly, Lake Erie shoreline vicinity. 

As expected then, it’s a difficult challenge for me to refute Cleveland’s reputation nowadays as a “rust belt” , blighted city beyond  the lake. Yet with a determined research effort, I’ve discovered some lesser known remnants of Greater Cleveland’s illustrious past to keep my faith in counteracting such a negative impression.  Notice below then several of these “hallowed grounds” remaining from Cleveland’s historic past as compiled in the photo set below.

More  Cleveland Facts (Click below)

https://www.clevescene.com/arts/23-random-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-cleveland-38342904/

What makes your favorite river a meaningful sight to behold?

“The river has great wisdom and whispers its secret to the hearts of men.” Mark Twain)

I’d like to explore today how the appearance of the Mississippi River on our roadtrips affects me as a person. Not only does its majestic flow represent a prominent natural barrier as I transition from east to west, but it also reveals relevant history’s lessons to take account now from our country’s storied past. Take for example this great river vividly reveals stories to me of (1) mighty fortresses once built on cliffs during territorial wars lost or gained, (2) desperate efforts of slaves who hoped to obtain riverboat escape routes northward and 3) westward bound pioneers who riskily traversed its muddy depths during the homestead migration era.   

So the “Mighty Mississippi” steadily flows on through ebbs and peaks of time while my life winds on in a similarly capricious fashion. A life lesson for myself to recognize in comparison would hopefully transform those memories past of daily struggle into new insights toward a positive direction in my life now and in the future. I remind myself to think in that direction as I prepare to embark on our castle filled Rhine River cruise in November.  Enjoy the photos. 

Blog Source:

https://www.riversarelife.com/articles/uncovering-the-rich-history-of-the-mississippi-river

What shapes and lines influence where you travel in your everyday life?

“I cut across the quadrangle toward the commons. I felt better about life than I had in a very long time.”Richelle Mead)

Whenever I visit a large city downtown on our road trips, I like to think landscape small. That means I will usually prioritize a walkable range of important sights that I can potentially see on a one day visit within a limited boundary prescribed area. Take for instance our recent Chicago visit where we embarked from our motel in suburban Schoenberg to Chicago by way of convenient Ventra bus/ CTA metro connections to and from the downtown “loop”station corridor. From this centralized drop off location, our ease of access could be provided within a four sided block of streets to several desirable destinations we wished to spend time in that day. 

So with such a manageable itinerary scheduled beforehand, our Chicago downtown tour enabled us to: (1) feast on a sumptuous German style lunch at the historic Berghoff Restaurant, (2) arouse our musical interests with classical music and instrument displays  at the Chicago Symphony Concert Center, (3) admire a sizable collection French Impressionist paintings at the Chicago Art Institute galleries and (4) stroll in relaxing around the stroll amid the vibrant open air grounds of Millennium Park. Check out the cover map of this blog that clearly delineates the locations of such places we walked to within this quadrangle border for several hours that day.

Upon further reflection about our recent road trip stopover in Chicago, certain neighborhoods outside the core of downtown did show signs of poverty and neglect. Yet I saw nothing to believe those highly politicized news reports that there’ a “war zone” happening there on a widespread basis. Enjoy the photos. 

Blog Source:

https://chicagorentals.com/chicago-loop-travel-guide/

Do you prefer to look back or look ahead in life? Why?

“I stood at a crossroads and didn’t dare to look back at the road behind me – the road littered with monotony, complacency and other people’s expectations.” (Sarah Penner).        

Leaving from South Florida on our road trips, I’m always looking for a location that provides convenient crossroad options when looking ahead past the Mississippi River corridor. While those densely crowded cities of Houston and Dallas,Texas can be considered here, it makes better sense for me to find a more centralized  U.S. location where I could best encounter unexpected circumstances and adjust my routing itinerary in any direction as needed. Take for instance yesterday’s spontaneous decision to road trip reroute to Kansas City, Missouri which provided a calm and convenient location before setting out to visit some past neighbor friends a short drive later northwest  in Lincoln, Nebraska. Happily as well, this Kansas City decision did not jeopardize our time frame allotment for continuing on our overall northern itinerary of this trip. With sufficient time to spare and light traffic on this night, we thus enjoyed a sumptuous barbecue dinner and enjoyable tour of some favorite K.C. sights. Enjoy the photos. 

What place in your travels do you find most consistent enjoyment? Why? 

If you love New Orleans, she’ll love you back.” (Drew Brees)

I have to admit that greater New Orleans “grows” on me every time I visit during my road trip travels. Yes it’s often  busy and crowded from a tourist perspective but it doesn’t feel that way to me. For I consider it an honorable challenge to find ways to adjust to that slower pace of life that pervades throughout  this community daily. So let’s forego Mardi Gras and it’s Bourbon Street hype for a moment and observe some more subtle ways I used for sustaining my energy to obtain such “Big Easy” fever. 

Take for example, our unexpected road trip stopover last week, whereby I made the simple decision of embarking on an inexpensive street car journey along the six mile long St. Charles corridor. On this Wednesday morning, I’d primarily focus my attention on the impressive array of stately mansions, many of which were built at the turn of the 20th century. Coming into view occasionally, I’d also glance at those ghostly looking oak trees  lining the streets interspersed with similarly spooky like voodoo arrangements on mansion front lawns. How interesting it appeared as well on this occasion as well to observe meaningful actions of people surrounding my seat. For instance, I noticed our streetcar driver politely yield their moving vehicle to crossing vehicle traffic. In a similar vein, I observed passengers exchanging valuable tidbits of information with each other or courteously assisting tourists when and how to disembark. 

With the streetcar un-air conditioned, I realized at some point I needed to combat getting fatigued amid the oppressive New Orleans heat. That meant first selectively choosing a “laidback” lunch locale to get off the streetcar along Carrollton Street. At the  Camellia Diner , I thus sat and ordered a sandwich at a barstool while exchanging valuable tidbits of information with tourists sitting around me. I also took some restful time later that afternoon off the streetcar to browse literature offerings at the Garden District bookstore as well as birdwatch awhile overlooking a stunning lake vantage point in Audubon Park. The above described activities no doubt helped me conserve my energy  for I deeply desired to extend this one day visit to enjoy the unique feel of New Orleans live jazz that night. 

During a previous visit to New Orleans, I’d discovered that less crowded Frenchmen Street not Bourbon Street functioned as the best clubbing area where serious jazz lovers loved to go. Happily, my personal favorite, “ The Spotted Cat”, conveniently offered an early evening show to go to with minimal cover charge Wednesday night. So during that three hour session sitting nearby the band stage on a comfortable bench, I experienced a heavy dose of authentic Dixieland jazz pulsating soulfully through my mind and body. Enjoy the photos. 

What do you view as the winning formula for success a professional athletic team?

“Do you know what my favorite part of the game is. It’s the opportunity to play.” (Mike Singletary) 

I am a lucky man today as the team I’ve so loyally supported for over five decades, the cost minded Cleveland Guardians, overcame a a massive deficit of 15.5 games in August to win the American League Central division in dramatic fashion yesterday. Keep in mind the magnitude of this comeback of such a large numerical proportion, which had never been accomplished in the centuries long history of Major League baseball before. Astonishingly as well, the Guardians starting lineup  during this winning streak included a minimum of five rookie players called up recently from their minor league, affiliate Columbus Clippers. To further clarify the magnitude of this accomplishment, I would challenge any knowledgeable baseball fan to tell me anything they know about such relatively anonymous players on this special Guardians team such as Pete Halpin, C.J. Kaufus, Jonathan Rodriguez, and George Valera. Kudos to these players then that upon being given their first taste of major league action, they worked  efficiently together during the “stretch run” of pressure packed pennant competition.

Yesterday in contrast, I watched the superstar heavy lineup of the New York Mets humbly lose 4-0 to a similarly low budget team, the Miami Marlins, which eliminated them from upcoming playoff action. Note in this regard that Mets batters struck out eleven times and left ten runners stranded on base during this lackluster effort that day. I could not fathom logically as a result why a good number of attending Mets fans close by my seat danced in the bleachers, took camera selfies and noticeably  “high- fived ” each other in spite of the substandard performance of their team that day. I also wondered at that time how many hard core” Mets fans attending that afternoon had pondered whether all the money the Mets spent on Juan Soto, Pete Alonso, Edwin Diaz…this year was  truly worth it!

Regardless of whether or not there’s a positive fairy tale ending for this “ Little Team That Could”, one might question what best produces a winning formula for finding success through our life choices. For is it all about what’s in it for oneself? Go Guardians!