New Year Resolutions

For 2007 I have limited myself to just 5 resolutions:

1. Play more OTB chess and actually know some opening/endgame theory!
2. Everytime I feel the urge to buy a magazine - resist and put the cash in my piggie bank towards my purchase of a HD ready TV
3. Lose at least 2 stone in time for my 25th wedding anniversary (August 2007)
4. Print some of the digital photos I take :-)
5. Convince my wife and kids that when applied to me DIY doesn't mean " Destroy it Yourself"
   
   
   
   

New Year's Eve

Wishing EVERYONE a happy, healthy and wealthy New Year

Exhaust - - ed

Well, the truth is, I was just too tired to drive down to my friendly exhaust repair guy after work Saturday morning - so am not able to report on the customer service experience - Never Fear though - this has been delayed until 2nd January - will update you all then

Customer Service

In the lead up to Christmas, My family, like many people made quite a few online purchases. Most of these went smoothly but there was one or two hiccups.

• Argos - my son purchase a Nintendo Wii (Great fun btw) and like a lot of people was let down on the original delivery date - However Argos were very good, they kept him informed and sent a good wedge of vouchers as compensation


• Woolworths - I made an order online and was promised an email to confirm when the item would be ready for collection. I picked up the item 2 days later (10th December) received an email 27th December telling me the item was about to be dispatched!! mmmm


• Amazon - I normally love Amazon - but they let me down with an order and left notifying me until 2 days before Christmas- All I have had from them is a poorly worded templated email - boooooooooooooo - I will think carefully about using Amazon during 2007

Exhausting

After a few days of day dreaming that I was driving a Porsche, it suddenly dawned on me - - (Actually Aaron pointed out) that the pointy end of my exhaust had fallen off the rear of my car, no wonder I was having more vroom vroom that Thiery Henry (oh la la) So I am now at work, waiting until my shift finishes 8am Saturday morning, so that I can drive to my friendly exhaust repair stop shop and get it fixed. I will report back tomorrow on the service I receive.

Xmas

Yes, it's that time of year, and I already feel a little bloated thanks to mum-in-law's superb homemade mince pies!
I worked a night shift Christmas Eve until 8am, so was a little sleepy during the day itself - well that is my story and I am sticking to it!

I must have been a good boy this year as Santa was kind - many thanks to everyone who treated me - highlights included
CD/Radio for my car - at long last I can listen to music when I travel - no more tuneless whistling for my passengers to put up with.
Fire on Board pt 2 - Great chess book by Alexei Shirov - along with Susan and Judit Polgar my favourite Chess Player
National Geographic subscription - such a brilliant monthly magazine - if only I could take photographs like those!
Three great CDs - Bonnie Raitt, Amy Winehouse and the Original War of the Worlds Soundtrack - rock on Tommy!

Judo

Rainham Judo Club, the best JUDO club in the area, is currently closed for the festive season. However training sessions will be resumed shortly after New Year.
Saturday mornings (09.30 -10.30) are reserved for 5 to 11 year olds, club coach for these lessons is Lisa Owens (My daughter, and a brilliant judo player, even if I am a little biased :-))

See the Rainham Judo Club link for further details

Christmas Chess

Many Thanks to Brian Turner - he, once again, brilliantly organised the Sittingbourne Christmas Chess Event. I was fortunate enough to win the blitz tournament, needing to win my last game, I had the black pieces against the strongest player Keith Hyde - after a complicated and very exciting game my extra pawn told and I was able to queen and deliver mate seconds before time was called.

Chess

Over the past few years I have been playing chess mainly online - due in the main to various work related problems - working 10 hour nights sure plays havoc with your ability to concentrate!
Now I am due to start a "normal" 9-5 job in the New Year I am hoping to get back to playing OTB (Over the board) again - look out for my games of the month, to be published here!

I will start with one of my recent online games

[Event "AUTO-MASTER-231"][Site "http://www.queenalice.com/game.php?id=132818"][Date "2006.11.23"][Round "1"][White "Trefor"][Black "Tal"][Result "1-0"][BlackElo "1986"][WhiteElo "2027]
1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Bc4 Nc6 6. Ne2 Nb4 7. a3 Bf58. axb4 Qxa1 9. O-O e6 10. Ng3 Bxb4 11. Nxf5 exf5 12. Qe2 Kf8 13. Qf3 Bxc314. Qxb7 Re8 15. Qxc7 Re7 16. Qd8 Re8 17. Qd6 Kg8 18. Qc7 Rf8 19. bxc3 Qa420. Re1 h6 21. Bb3 Qa6 22. h3 Ne4 23. f3 Nf6 24. Bf4 Qb6 25. Qe7 Qc6 26.Bd6 Qxc3 27. Re3 Qxd4 28. c3 Qd2 29. Re2 Qc1 30. Kh2 Kh7 31. Qe5 Rd8 32.Qxf5 Kg8 33. Re7 1-0