Last Post for a While...

Hey y'all...

I have decided to close down this "Zyzzyva" for a bit. Ya see, Deanna and I are separating, if y'all didn't know. It's a tough time, and I remain optimistic for the future, but I think I need to focus my private life postings on gaming stuff.

I hope that's kewl...

Maybe we'll be back someday, when my personal affairs are in better order...

:-)

Bad sh*t...

Some really bad things have been going down in my personal life, and this has sapped all my energy as of late. I have kept my gaming "dates," but that's it. I don't wish to air my dirty laundry on a public forum like this, so I'll try to get the energy to post about something happy in the next day or two...

Thanks for putting up with my PMS. ;-)

Late Days...

Even with all the volunteering for various stuff at school that I do, it's not enough, LOL! Today, there is the 5th Grade "visit/orientation" to the Middle School, and I had planned on skipping this since they had more than enough people going. Unfortunately, a couple people had to drop out at the last minute, so I volunteered to fill in during the 4:00-5:15 session, as warm bodies were needed. Ugh... I have the beginning of the Combat Commander Stalingrad Campaign planned for tonight at my place, 6:30ish. I haven't cleaned the game room up, thinking I'd be doing it now -- even worse, the "Rubble" counters are still unpunched (and clipped!). Will I be able to get to it on time?????

(Oh yeah -- if I leave now and come back, I'm told I won't find a parking space! 5th Grade parents are always worried about the jump to the Middle School, so it's a packed house...)

I still have to pick up Cheyenne from doggie camp after the 5th Grade stuff, then run a couple of errands, so I'll be cutting it close...

The weather here is turning nice, enough so that the A/C at the school was finally on today. Thankfully. My room gets really hot without it, even though a few girls always seem to be cold...

~5 weeks and counting (29 days with students, actually, then 2 more without), I think I can do it, I think I can, I think I can...

Grading, Grading, Grading...

OK, got most of it done tonight, still have some Social Studies projects to grade (Greek Gods and Goddesses). My procrastination has come around to bite me on the ass since progress reports are due next week. I also have 2 meetings tomorrow -- 1 all afternoon (special ed placement) and one as a "stand in" for a colleague (Medieval Day planning) after school. I suddenly find that I need a bit more time...

As the week progresses, gaming will get good. Playing Combat Commander -- Stalingrad Campaign with Derek on Wednesday, then Espana 1936 with Mike on Thursday. Saturday is the Rochester group's monthly meet at Millennium, so the good gaming times will be continuing... I'll try and get some kind of AAR up, as it's been a while.

Syracuse did beat Siena, dominating the game but not scoring as many goals as they should have. The final was 11-4, next up are the Maryland Twerps, coming off a beating down of previously undefeated (yet untested) Notre Dame.

Finally, in my constant listening of books on CD whenever I'm in the car, I'm about 40% of the way through Frank Herbert's Dune, and I'm really enjoying it. Over the years, I've started reading the books about a half dozen times, always ending in boredom/frustration. On CD, however, I've really gotten into the book, and I'm glad I'm finally learning the story...

Procrastination...

Sunday afternoon, and I still haven't graded all the Social Studies tests I need to have done by tomorrow, LOL! I just never learn... I will get to it, eventually.

I also have to clean up my game room as I'll be starting the Stalingrad Campaign game from Combat Commander with Derek P. on Wednesday -- and I have to get those counters punched and clipped (can do the latter in front of a game, in the evening...). I'm really looking forward to playing the campaign, as this takes one of my favorite games to a new level.

Syracuse is playing Siena tonight in the first round of the NCAA Division I lax championships. Syracuse got the #2 seed (Virginia got #1). I'll be watching tonight on ESPNU, even though Syracuse will probably (should!) crush 'em. I miss the days when I lived in the D.C. area and went to the championships over the Memorial Day weekend at College park, MD. I believe they're in that yucky Foxboro, MA this year...

I did bring a nice bottle of wine to my mother, and played lacrosse myself with Cheyenne earlier (lacrosse stick and tennis ball), so now I just need to get motivated to do what needs to be done. Onward!

Sunny Days...

Turning into a real nice day today, and the same forecast for tomorrow -- low 70s. Only blight is that it may thunderstorm (scattered) every now and then. We shall hope not...

I decided to finalize my Memoir '44 collection by buying all the expansions (with some of my Poker winnings!). I also bought a Stanley Tool Box to hold all the crap, LOL! I guess I'm a true geek about this, as I don't even play the game that often...

I suppose I'll spend some time organizing my gaming room this weekend, built around taking Cheyenne out for some fun. This seemed like a long, lonely week, as I didn't get any weeknight gaming in.

Have a nice weekend, y'all!

Drizzly Days...

Weather here has been pretty yucky the past few days. Right now, it's 51F and drizzling. Very, very gray. I guess this means spring is coming! On a better note, everything's beginning to bloom, and the Lilac Festival should be gorgeous this weekend. It's a fun time -- if you can get to it, just walking around ad taking in the sights and smells is worth it...


There's this little website called "My Brute" where you can sign up a "fighter" and automatically enter into fights with others. I got one going today, "Idiot Gal," and she went 5-1 in the arena. She's resting now and will have 3 fights tomorrow. It's not a computer game -- you don't control the fighters, you just sit back and watch. But it is mindless fun (I was introduced to it yesterday by John Foley). You can come and fight Idiot Gal (you don't lose/gain anything for this, as it isn't an "Arena" fight) by going here:

Fight Idiot Gal

Come on by, give Idiot Gal a fight, then head to the Arena to see how you fare! As far as I'm concerned, mindless is good sometimes...

No gaming with Mike this week, Espana 1936 has been pushed back to next week. I'm also going to get started on the Combat Commander Stalingrad Campaign with Derek P. soon, Really looking forward to that, as Combat Commander may just be my favorite game! I really need to organize my game room this weekend...

Last night, I got my first full night's sleep on a work night for the first time in the past 2 weeks. It's actually pretty nice to be able to come to work and not drag.

Great Weekend...

Hung out with Cheyenne Friday night, lavishing her with a lot of attention...

...since I was about to put her in the kennel for Saturday and part of Sunday. I use PetSmart PetsHotel, and they're really good there. As she's a regular, they all know and love her (how could anyone not love Cheyenne?), and take extra good care of her. Of course, as I was packing Friday night she knew something was up, so she wouldn't leave my side!

Saturday morning, I took her to her hotel around 9:30, then headed to Buffalo. I drove out to the Seneca Niagara Casino and got there a bit after 11:00. I checked in, but didn't even head to my room, as I wanted to get to UB for the Buffalo meet (Grant LaDue's BACSIM) as soon as I could. I stopped for lunch on the way back, so arrived at BACSIM around 12:15. Grant had dropped off the tables, and a few folks were there. I broke out my copy of Small World, and we began a 5-player game. This is a crazy little fantasy-themed game where there are combinations (random!) of races (such as ghoul, human, dwarf, giant, etc.) and abilities (dragon rider, spirit, berserk, commando, etc.). What this adds is true variation, as each game will be different. So, in one game there could be "Pillaging Sorcerers," while in the next you could get "Mounted Sorcerers." Anyway, players conquer regions (empty, with a "Lost Tribe," or with an opponents piece[s]) and score points for areas, often enhanced by ability and/or race. For example, dwarves get an extra point for each mining area, while a merchant ability gives an extra point for each area you control! So, players need to maximize their own points while clearing areas of opponents' pieces that are collecting big points. Eventually, the race you control will go into "decline" (your choice of when), and you'll start a new race/ability combo next turn. Declining races still score points for where they're at, but they can't conquer new areas (save for the ghouls!) or score ability points. Victory points are kept hidden (in the form of victory point chits), so you're never sure how much each person has. All in all, a very clever game. In this one, I finished 3rd out of 5 and had a lot of fun.

Next up was Le Havre. I have talked about this one before -- it's the game where you're running a "company" working out of the docks. You collect commodities, build buildings and ships, and try to earn money. In the middle of all this is the need to keep your workers fed, so one has to get food goods as well as building materials in his inventory. We played a 3-player game and I won big, as I had as many buildings as the other 2 players combined!

A second game of Small World broke out with the 3 Le Havre players. Another fun time, and I managed 2nd. Finally, we got a 4-player Le Havre game going and I finished 2nd again, as my lack of food began to drag me down as the game progressed. I had to spend too much time divesting of the loans I was saddled with...

It was a fun day, but with 10:00 approaching (actual game playing time was about 6 hours -- bullshitting time was about 3 hours!), I decided to head to the casino...

Once I got there and deposited my stuff in my room (and what a nice room it turned out to be!), I headed down to the casino floor and walked around for a while. I played about $40 worth of slots, and this lasted a while. I never hit the big jackpot, but I tried. I really need to stop playing slots, as it really is a fool's game...

Around midnight, I headed over to the poker room and bought in to a $1/$2 table for $100 in chips. The table stayed pretty full, with 9 or 10 seats for the first couple hours (6 of us there the whole time). It was a good bunch of guys, with most engaged in friendly chat and no trash-talking. One old guy (a regular, based on the dealers' talk!) was in a foul mood as he kept on losing, but this meant he mostly scowled at the dealer... Around 2:00 a.m. I was at ~$110. It was one of those "up and down" nights, mostly down, as my cards had been shit! Finally, though, I look at a hand and I have pocket aces! Yes, I'm thinking, now the trick is to keep people in initially to build up the pot! A guy in front of my raises to $12, and 6 of us follow. The flop is A-10-2. Wow! Trip aces for me, and no good chance for anyone else to draw a flush (3 different suits). I figure my set is good, so I'm thinking about how to string out the pot (which is already about $75). After a couple checks, a guys go all in with ~$125 dollars. 2 folds in front of me, then me. I'm thinking, "WTF?!?!" He could have A/10, A/2, 10/10, or 2/2. Any way, I have him beat, unless another 2 or 10 comes up (and an A doesn't). OK, now's the time to make some $$$! I call, and it takes all my chips. The last 2 guys fold. Now, unlike poker on TV, folks aren't forced to show their cards on all-in calls, but we agreed to. I laid first, he saw I had 3 aces, and he says, "Shit," as he throws down K/Q off-suit. At first, I'm happy, until it strikes me (in about 3 seconds), that he has an out if a J appears. Then one guy at the table says he folded a jack, and another says the same -- so only 2 jacks possible, I'm looking good. The turn is a 7. Drum roll, I'm about to get a pot of almost $300! And the river is...

...a fucking J.

Holy crap, I was shell-shocked. The guy (a 6-Nations Indian from Toronto) apologized to me, LOL! I sat there through the next hand just shaking my head and chip-less. After another hand, the dealer asked me if i intended to buy back in, as there were folks waiting for seats. Shrug, I came here to win, so i threw another $100 on the table and loaded up...

Well, I played until almost 5:00 a.m., and, without boring you with each hand, I played solidly and smartly, making good reads and folding when I should have. I did catch one young guy who had too many beers in him, and won successive pots from him. When it was all said and done, I cashed out with $381 dollars -- a $181 profit above my $200 chip buy ins. If I had won my earlier all-in, I would have been at ~ $600 with a $100 buy in, not bad for 5 hours work. But what the Hell, $181 over 5 hours works out to $36.20 an hour. Not bad, especially doing something I truly enjoy.

My only wish is that I had started playing "competitively" 25 years ago, though there wasn't a casino in Niagara then, nor were the Internet sites running that far back, so I've done what I can... I really do love playing Texas Hold 'Em, and just need to get to the casino more often to do this, as I'm a better player in person than online (though I'm pretty good there, if I do say so myself...).

Anyway, I headed up to bed at 5:00ish, got up at 10:00, showered, checked, out, and grabbed a quick breakfast at the Casino (delicious blueberry pancakes from the Three Sisters Cafe -- for the Iroquois, the "3 sisters" were squash, beans, and corn), then headed back to Rochester. I got Cheyenne at about 1:00, and we headed home and crashed for a while. I also felt good that she had a lot of fun playing with her buddies at the kennel (I put her in day care, as I do during the week). Gaming and my dog, the good things in life.

Gaming, all kinds!

Tomorrow I'm headed to UB for the BACSIM meet and a day of boardgames. I've decided to crash at the Seneca Niagara Casino and spend the night there, playing some poker later Saturday night and Sunday morning. Maybe even a few slots (mindless throwing away of money is fun!).

It'll be a nice little getaway, as this has been a long, long week...

May Day...

Unfortunately, May Day will never be a happy day for me anymore (and it has nothing to do with celebrations of communism...).

May 1, 1993 was my beloved dog Gypsy's birthday. She succumbed to mast cell tumor cancer on March 5, 2007. She was a paragon of health until this damn disease hit her. We fought it, together from June 2006 until her death. She had 9 excellent months, overall, and always got over her bad days. When she wasn't getting over her last bad day, I had to make the most difficult decision of my life. Just thinking about it is making me ball right now like a little baby. Fuck, but I loved that dog, and still miss her dearly. There's a verse in the song "Mr. Bojangles" by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band that goes:

He danced for those at minstrel shows and county fairs
throughout the south
He spoke through tears of 15 years how his dog and him
traveled about
The dog up and died, he up and died
And after 20 years he still grieves

I know exactly how he feels and I also know that if I'm alive in 20 years, I will still be grieving, too. Someday I want to write about her -- maybe a "Marley and Me" short story or something, but I can't yet, as I'm still too sad about it all. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Here's a blurry picture of my girl that I keep on my cell phone. This was very near the end of her life, but she was still full of happiness (she was "talking" to me in this photo). She wore a t-shirt for 2 reasons -- so she wouldn't go at her tumors and so the medicine would stay on. What a wonderful friend.

As an addenda, the continued loss of my beloved friend makes my whole insides hurt. It is like nothing I've ever experienced before, and I've had most of my family die off over the years. While I'm sad about many of them, it doesn't weigh on me daily, like Gypsy does. And the hurt has gone away after 2+ years. This hurt for Gyppers is just just embedding itself deeper in my soul. I will always love that beautiful girl. Always.

On another bad note, some asshole(s) cut down 15 flowering pear trees around the tennis courts at the high school yesterday (their campus is right next to ours). Senseless vandalism at its worst -- I don't get what the perp(s) got out of doing this. Hell, break a few windows, tag the school's walls, whatever, but killing beautiful trees? Just makes no sense to me.

Senseless Destruction of Beauty

Weekend Approaching...

It looks good for me to attend the BACSIM meet at UB this Saturday. I'll need to read the rules to my game of Small World and hope I can interest some folks! Maybe get a game of Le Havre in, as well. Who needs wargames, eh? Well, I'll bring some of them, as well...

I'm thinking I may spend the night in Niagara and head to the Seneca Niagara Casino Sunday morning. It's been a while since I've played poker there. I've been playing a lot of Poker Stars, and doing pretty well. I concentrate on tournaments, and when I hit a losing streak I find a 6-player table and win my $$$ back. Overall, since 2009 started, I'm about even, but should be up. I've made the mistake several times in the past of drinking too many beers while I'm playing -- and then I start playing dumb. I would guess I've lost $500 to stupid, buzzed plays. If I hadn't done that, I'd be sitting real pretty, but at least I've learned my lesson. Anyway, I'm finding that I'm better than about 90-95% of the players on that site, but there are a handful of players I run into that continue to teach me valuable lessons. I don't think I'll ever have the patience to get into the "elite" group, but I think I've established myself in the "good/very good" group (except after too many beers). Now, I need to get up the courage to play in higher stakes games. Of course, the players are better there, so the learning will start all over again...

Oh, Mike and I finished our earlier Onslaught game last evening. My Germans held west of the Rhine, and the Allies just never got rolling well enough to burst through. A well-timed "Bulge" offensive in Belgium allowed me to kill 3 Armored divisions (2 U.S. 1 French), blunting the Allied spearhead headed toward Antwerp. We decided to start another game, switching sides. My Allies broke out in July, then got several activations in a row and were able to cut off 3 German corps, annihilating them over the next few activations. Mike was able to pull back to Belgium and the Westwall, but another good run of activations for me allowed the Brits and Canadians to clear the Anwerp ports while 2 U.S. Armor corps broke through Luxembourg then crossed the Rhine -- General Patton would have been proud! With 30 Allied supply (the max) coming in each turn, and a breakthrough established, we decided to call the game. I do like this game, but I admit I got lucky (so maybe that's why I like it, LOL!).


Next week, onto an old favorite that I haven't played for awhile -- Espana 1936. Really looking forward to it!

Hump Day...

No comments from my buds yesterday -- either I'm being ignored or folks still think Zyzzyva's "down." That's OK, it's not like yesterday's post was overly interesting.

Tonight I'm headed to Mike's to finish up our Onslaught game and start another. Yes, this truly is a 3-4 hour game, and, even though it has hexes and generic units, it does a nice job of simulating the breakout and attack on the Westwall. I also just started a Wilderness War game (Annus Mirabilis scenario) via ACTS. I'm the French, and the first card play for the Brits was the big Highlanders (4 units!). At least Wolfe didn't show up with them... I really do love this game, glad to be getting back into it.



We had a Greek Festival in class today, after the students gave presentations on Greek gods/goddesses/titans they researched. It was a lot of fun, and I'll be skipping lunch today after all those grape leaves, hummus, and goat cheese!

I'm pretty pooped right now, didn't sleep well last night for some reason. Had the strangest dream -- that I had died and was getting "lessons" from a ghost-like person about the "rules." Essentially what I could or couldn't do. I was asking about getting together with Gypsy, when I woke up in a cold sweat and my heart racing. Admittedly, this scared me somewhat, so it was over an hour before I was able to settle down and drift off again. Since I woke up into the world of the living this morning, I'm guessing it was only a dream...

Lethargy

I was hoping that April would be a month of "rejuvenation," but it really wasn't. School was tedious (though I want to make clear to any readers that I've never given my students less than 100% -- it's just that by the end of the day I'm spent and feeling empty) and April Break was a drag. I did very little over break, save for playing a few games. I've been trying to jump-start a good diet and exercise program, but I'm just not finding the will, nor the energy. I really need to get out of my funk, or it will be the end of me (undoubtedly pleasing a few folks...).

Cheyenne continues to be my best friend, and I am giving what little I have to her. It's funny how one can become so close to an animal, but, as the saying goes, dogs truly are man's best friend. Still missing my other best friend, Gypsy, each and every day, and I'm still finding it hard to believe she died more than 2 years ago. I have decided, that, for me, the loss of a beloved dog is harder than the loss of a human, as no death has ever weighed on me so heavily. Cheyenne has helped take some of the sting out of things, though I don't know how I'll ever go through that again.

Cheyenne after chasing tennis balls...

So, there's my black mood, still festering. I'm not sure there will be anything to look forward to this summer. I'd love to get back to Ocracoke, but I imagine it would be a solo trip, and that's not going to fit the bill, I don't think. I do wonder if I'll ever get back to what has turned out to be one of my favorite places. There's a chance I can get Cheyenne involved in agility training this summer, so that might be the ticket to get outside and get some exercise. Part of me wishes I didn't dislike baseball so much, for the sports scene is pretty lame until football picks up again in the fall. Of course, there's always gaming, and that is one aspect of my life I still find some time to enjoy.

Right now, Mike Cardwell and I are on our 2nd game of Onslaught. I like the game, for it uses a variable impulse system, which helps create uncertainty and chaos. Right now, we're nearing the end of the game, and my Germans are hoping the Allies can't breach the Westwall too quickly! I also played my first game of Wilderness War in almost 2 years with Nels Thompson in Buffalo. I almost forgot how much I enjoy the game, and we decided to end in a draw after we both made some mistakes down the stretch. I'm hoping to get another game going soon. Oh, I also finished up my play-by-email Successors game. I didn't win, but had my chances. An attack of mine didn't work (poor dice and a mutiny in my ranks!), and this handed victory to Chris Milne. But had I won the battle in Greece, I would have been unstoppable. Oh well, win some, lose some.

Mike and I will be gaming this Wednesday, and I think I'll be headed to UB for BACSIM on Saturday. The question is, will I have to board Cheyenne to do so? That should keep me busy...

I'll probably try to keep the blog updated, at least minimally, with gaming content (if nothing else). I have purchased a bunch of "new stuff" lately, and there's more on the way. So, I should have some comments on games I have yet to try. If agility training does begin, I will be able to "diary" about her progress here, as well.

So, thanks for letting me take the month off (I know I'm back a few days early, but I had time...). I needed to do that -- now, if I could take a break from school, life, etc., I'd be fine!

Slacker, Slacker, Slacker...

OK, it's clear that I don't have the energy to post here as often as should, which mean that folks coming here will/are losing interest. I've been in a bit of a funk for a while, so i think the best thing for me to do is take some time off, with the intention of coming back with a bang!

Hence, I will"close down" Zyzzyva for the month of April, and begin posting again on a regular basis in May -- I hope with a lot to say, LOL!

Folks that come here are my friends, and I want things to get interesting here again, meaning you'll want to stop by.

So, I'll see you on May Day (my late dog Gypsy's birthday).

P.S. Feel free to post any comments/keep conversations going -- it's just that I won't be making Blog posts here for the next month (realizing that catching my breath and shooting for a goal is the way to go).

Revving up Gaming (and March Madness!) Again...

Got in a couple turns of Sicily last night with Mike (we started late, and called it quits earlier than usual). The invasion is making inroads, but Mike is now mucking up key points on the pathetic road network -- something I'll have to deal with the whole game. It'll be a race to see how fast I can move vs. how fast he can evacuate units to the Mainland (so I don't get points for eliminating and/or isolating them). A very interesting game.

Spartacus will get a play (at least!) at Saturday's Millennium meet. Looking forward to that, and whatever else hits the table there. It'll be nice to just kick back for a day and just play.

For NCAA hoops, this is the best time of the year! I really enjoy "March Madness," and have made my picks in several pools. I NEVER do well in these pools, so you may want to pick opposite of me, LOL! For some early round upsets, I have Mississippi State over Washington, Western Kentucky over Illinois, and Temple over Arizona State. My Final Four is Louisville, Memphis, Pitt, and North Carolina. I have Pitt beating Louisville in an all Big East final. But, no matter what happens, it will be fun! Syracuse should make a good run, we'll see if Boeheim can let the athletes play without screwing things up...

St. Paddy's Day Ramblings...

Yes, I wore a green shirt today. Of course, I have much more in common with the Orangemen of Northern Ireland than I do with Irish Catholics... It's also Deanna's birthday. I doubt we'll be doing anything tonight.

Over the weekend we celebrated Cheyenne's birthday. As a "rescue" dog that came into our lives at ~ 1 year old, we'll never know here exact birthday. But, based on vet records from her previous life, March 15th seemed to be close, so, she turned three on Sunday. We went to Corbett Glen Park in Brighton, so she had a long walk and a swim in nice cold water -- her lab side overrules her border collie side when water's involved! It was good seeing her so happy -- running all over the place, enthused like a little puppy. I truly love seeing my dog happy. She got 3 presents, opening them all herself. One ball has a very annoying squeak, so, of course, she spent a lot of time running around the house squeaking it. On her birthday, that was OK.

Corbett's Glen

Well, Syracuse came up a little short vs. Louisville in the Big East tourney, but the epic game they played last Thursday vs. Connecticut will be one I'll always remember. 6 overtimes, and a 127-117 Syracuse victory. The most amazing game I've ever witnessed. And yes, since it didn't end until 1:22 AM EDT on Friday, I was really dragging Friday at work! SU got a nice seeding for the NCAA tourney, securing a #3 seed (I was thinking they'd get a 4 or 5). I love this time of year, as college hoops is really an exciting game to watch.

Finished in the $$$ in two online poker tourneys this weekend. Unfortunately, it was in the "little" money, but that's OK. I continue to learn, and I'm doing more than breaking even overall, so it's not just fun, it's profitable! I need to get to the casino to put some tricks into practice -- a Saturday night is the time to go, as the weeknights seem filled with old guys from Buffalo that are good. The drunk youngsters on Saturday nights give up their $$$ much easier!

Mike and I will be starting the Sicily: Race for Messina campaign game on Wednesday. We played through the U.S. Invasion scenario a week and a half ago, now it's time for the whole enchilada! It should be fun, and I think I have the rules down pretty well. This coming weekend is the monthly Millennium meet. I have a Spartacus game scheduled, and am looking forward to that -- I'm much more comfortable with CDGs!

School continues to drone on. April Break can't get here soon enough. Then summer. Woo-hoo! I have no idea what I'll be doing this summer, other than WBC. Perhaps Cheyenne and I will take a vacation somewhere...

School and Yuck...

This is turning out to be a pain in the butt week at school. First of all, we lost an hour of sleep this weekend -- I know, I know, we all did, but... I've gotta be in my classroom by around 7:15 each day -- that's almost 2 hours earlier than the real world. And I'm a late night kind of guy... Secondly, mid-term progress reports are due on Wednesday. I've procrastinated for as long as I can... Finally, we have New York State Math testing Wednesday and Thursday. Always throws a monkey wrench into things. So, I'm even more tired than usual, and have a lot more work to do. This means I probably won' be able to play Sicily with Mike this week. Dang... We went through the learning scenario (U.S. landings only) last week -- I just need to reread the rules and I should be good to go.

I've also been feeling really rundown lately. I'm sure it's just a combination of lack of sleep, too much stress, and getting old, but I really want to feel better...

I'll shoot for Friday being a good day!

Wild Brighton...

Thinking about my peregrine falcon sighting yesterday, I started thinking about all the wildlife I have come across in the town I live in -- Brighton, NY. Even though we're smack in the middle of suburbia, some animals have thrived here. Evolution at its finest!


Here's a quick list off the top of my head of animals that live around us:

Birds (not including songbirds -- too numerous!):

Turkey
Peregrine Falcon
Red Tailed Hawk
Turkey Vulture
Canada Goose
Barn Owl
Mallard Duck
Common Loon
Great Blue Heron
Shrike
Great Horned Owl

Reptiles/Amphibians:

Garter Snake
Grass Snake
Newt
Spotted Salamander
Leopard Frog
Bull Frog
American Toad

Mammals (including marsupials!):

Red Fox
Raccoon
Opossum
Coyote (wish these weren't around!)
White-tailed Deer
Woodchuck
Mouse
Rat
Beaver
Muskrat
Rabbit
Chipmunk
Squirrel
Mole
Bat (Little Brown Bat, I believe)
Skunk

I'm sure I've overlooked some animals, and there are others which have been spotted in Brighton in the past couple of years (Black Bear and River Otter), but not by me. I think that, if I had it to do all over again, I'd become a wildlife biologist. As it is, I enjoy having wildlife around, and I'm very glad that some species have been able to adapt to "city living!"

Peregrine Falcon...

In my school, there's a small courtyard enclosed on all sides by three-story walls. I often cut through the courtyard, on the way to the copier or office from my classroom. In the past few weeks, I have seen no fewer than 5 pigeon wings. Nothing else, just the wing. Figured it was a hawk, eating a kill on the edge of wall, dropping the wings into the courtyard.

I was wrong.

Cutting through the courtyard today, I saw movement on the far side. Focusing on it, turns out there was a peregrine falcon eating its kill! The pigeon was about 1/2 eaten or so (a lot of food for a falcon that ain't that big!) and the raptor was staring at me. I quietly stepped back in the door I came out, not wanting to spook it.

I checked later, and the carcass had been picked pretty well clean (whether the falcon did this him/herself or mice/rats/crows/whatever helped out is unknown). The mystery of the pigeon wings is now solved. Evidently, this falcon understands it can "trap" pigeons in the courtyard, as they come down to eat seed and crumbs. A nice little hunting ground it's scoped out for itself! I am impressed, and hope to see this bird again, soon.

Pretty close to what I saw today

The Ancestors...

While my surname is quite English, and my biological father supposedly traced it back to the Mayflower and Edward Winslow's family (look at me, a Blueblood, LOL!), the "good" side of me is all Italian. My mother's maiden name was Fumia, while my grandmother's maiden name was Caggiula. I grew up in an Italian household (having had my parents divorce at a young age), and both maternal grandparents influenced my life -- with more than food, though that was part of it...

Now, getting back to the Italians, the Caggiulas emigrated from northern Italy, around the Milan area. Boring... The Fumias, on the other hand, came from Sicily, around Caltanissetta. Interestingly enough, one of Rochester's "Sister Cities" is Caltanissetta, Italy! We even hosted an exchange student from there one summer -- I was 16, she was 20ish and beautiful, I was in love all summer, but I digress... I have always had a soft spot for Sicily in my heart, and it's one of the (very few) places in Europe I'd actually like to travel to (the British Isles being the other). I know my uncle went there about 10 years ago, ran into many distant relatives, and almost bought a vineyard (how we wish he had -- he now owns a vineyard in Oklahoma, of all places!). I think I could go there, use the Fumia name, and be treated well. Sicilians really are the best -- not truly Italians, but better!

So, with my fondness of Sicily, I actually agreed to play a hex game (no cards!) with Mike Cardwell on the Allied liberation of Siciliy in WWII -- Sicily: The Race for Messina. The rules have a bit too much grit for my liking, but I'll plow through them again in the next couple of days, to get ready. I hope to play the Allies, and I'll toast Papa Fumia when I liberate Caltanissetta!



Connections like this can truly make games "come alive!"