Some notes on guppy philosophy

The Reverend Robert John Lechmere Guppy was raised in a castle. When he was 18, he ran away from his grandfather's castle, in order to stave off the possibility of one day inheriting it. He later found himself shipwrecked on New Zealand, where he spent two years among the Maori. He became a botanist in the Carribean, as well a missionary. His place in history, though, arises a few years later, when, as a Superintendent of Schools in Trinidad, he shipped some brightly colored fish to the British Museum.Although the fish were already known to European zoology, having arrived previously in Germany and in Italy, the name "guppy" stuck.

The guppy is a livebearing fish, which, in its wild state, features brightly colored if rather small males and large, more plainly colored females. Guppies have the facility common with many of their genus of being able to live well and prosperously in spaces that other fish would find inadequate or even foul. I learn a lot from guppies, and I formulate some of my theories of life based on their ways.

( living life despite being somebody's cull )

Quiet Saturday

Today I read a book of poetry, watched a Mandatory Continuing Legal Education video, bought a tiny aquarium with a crack in the back at a rummage sale, which I'll use as a terrarium, walked in the drizzle on the Chisholm Trail, in 40something degree weather, and made plans to put up a post for my bird feeders, so the birds can chow down.

I stopped by the new Homewood suites to see if they had a meeting room for another chess tournament, which I'll hold in February or March. I must work on finding even more inexpensive venues, as I'd ideally like to have nearly no entry fee. I got a great postcard for next week's national Game in 10 minutes and Game in 15 minutes championships, to be held in Houston. They looked great--but entry fees for each was 45 dollars. That's probably fair, but I like to keep my hobbies inexpensive, and that would make a chess weekend cost over 125 dollars after costs of travel and lodging.

We're going to watch the video of Finding Nemo tonight. Tomorrow I'll go play my 11 year old nephew at chess in "tournament like" conditions. His chess teacher was featured in the local paper, after he defeated 30 schoolkids in a simultaneous exhibition.
When I was in college, I held a draw against master William Martz, a pleasant fellow who barnstormed from mall to mall playing huge simultaneous exhibitions against all comers.

My on line chess is now fairly tactically playable,but my clock management skills need improvement. I am beginning to believe I'd like to get good at chess, and positing in my mind easy ways to accomplish that goal.

I am sheepish over something I said recently. I do not enjoy that feeling. I should be more circumspect.