die stille unter die wellen

Tourneys: 14
Games: 226
Wins: 134 (including two ties)
Win %: 59.3%
Spread: +7365 (+32.6/game)
.500 or better record: 11/14 (all three were within a game of .500, but sadly 5 of the "winning" ones were too)

Rating in: 1734
Rating Out: 1849
Rating Peak: 1932 (all-time personal best)
Average Perf Rating: 1871.9

Prize money: $3025 (Sioux Falls was actually $125, if I remember correctly)

Highlights: Derek. Finally breaking 1900. 10-0 in the first Reno early bird, with a 2628 perf. Not only finishing above .500 in a Redeye, but winning the blasted thing...going 3-2 against GIJoel to do it. Traveling to some of the bigger tournaments, and coming in second in Dallas. Breaking BigJimK's six (seven?) year streak in Sioux Falls. Losing with a 511. Every before/after-hours encounter...people need to come play the Twin Cities every once in a while! Probably (not guaranteed, but a very good chance) of winning both Twin Cities club championships.

Lowlights: Erratic tournaments, erratic play. I think I improved at maintaining my composure after tough games, but there were more tests than I'd like.

Next year: Start studying again? I'd like to get back to 1900, but I'll never be able to say I deserve it unless I actually do the work. MAINTAIN COMPOSURE! I need to stop sulking, and I need to stop getting excited about one good game...I'm far too streaky as a player. Can-Am and/or BAT Premier? I think I have the peak rating to qualify for at least one, and if I do, I need to find the discipline to prepare for them. There are no guarantees in Scrabble (except for Dr. Bing), so if I get the opportunity in either tournament I want to make the most of it. I'm thinking of taking the director's test, as well.

Tourneys planned: Redeye, Des Moines (?), Dallas Open (?), Princeton (?), Twin Cities Spring, BAT (?), Arden Cup, Reno or Albany (?), Nationals (probably), Can-Am (?), Wisconsin Dells, Twin Cities Fall, and who knows what else. Forgive the number of question marks, we have two schedules to coordinate here lol.

My legs were a lot warmer during No Shave November.

I just finished watching last night's episode of Dexter.


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OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG.

Is anyone else getting these pop-up images on livejournal that black out the entire page and you can't click out of them until you just refresh the page? There was probably a livejournal announcement about them at some point I assume, but I never read those.

Went and saw Princess and the Frog today. I would say it was just "decent." I liked the characters and the animation, but I did get a little second-hand embarrassment from some of the scenes - like the whole thing with the hunters I thought was sort of dumb and pointless. I also thought the music wasn't as catchy as Disney music should be, but considering Randy Newman's involvement I was kind of expecting that. Other than that, and some issues I had with the flow in the film (some of the sequences seemed unnatural and rushed - both in character movement and dialogue) I still liked it.

Dr. Facilier was pretty great. As was Prince Naveen, and Ray was cute.

What I REALLY liked about going to the theater was the preview for Disneynature's Oceans. My reaction was pretty much this:



Me being the former marine biology major, and scuba diver that I am. I'm sure it'll mostly just be gratuitous imagery of majestic/cute things, but I'm fine with that. :) Here's the trailer:

It's snowing, and I'm not sure how to feel about it. I should probably just accept the inevitable, considering the amount of snow we're supposed to get over the next few days, but I may very well just shut all the blinds and live in blissful ignorance.

I don't mind snow itself, really, but it's usually the herald of six fucking months of snow and winter yet to come. That I mind. I mind it very much.

I might go visit Chris at work tonight though. He works from 4 to midnight (why is Macy's open until midnight?) and I have to bring some DVDs back to Quatrefoil anyways.

Not much else going on here lately. Still unemployed. Still churning out cover letters. Still going stir crazy. Still waiting for life to start, and trying very hard not to just light out in one direction and stay gone for a long time.

No, we do not need a Winter Storm Warning.

Just, no.

I interviewed for a position at another medical device company last week, having had to postpone the original second interview due to my encounter with swine flu.

Yesterday, I was offered the job. I'll be a full-time employee (with benefits!) of Pace Analytical, effectively subcontracted out to work at the Medtronic lab in Brooklyn Center.

Seriously. I will have benefits. PTO. 401k. I FEEL LIKE A REAL ADULT NOW.

I'll be starting right after the new year, so I even am able to give adequate notice to my current boss.

So happy.

Also, this song is so much more powerful than the original New Order version that at first I almost didn't realize it was a cover. Sam Beam is so amazing.