Blog Labels!

I have been working to add labels to all of my past (and future) posts. These labels are located on the side bar for your convenience!

Small Gift

Hello Readers!

By now, you should know that I like smiley faces! So, since I am ordering custom pins for the Top 12, I also put in a separate order for my blog readers. However, instead of Top 12 pins, I ordered happy face pins (but not the same as the ones above). This order will come in a few weeks.

I will bring these pins when I visit chess tournaments. The first 25 people who mention my blog (to me in person) will receive a free pin. That will account for the countdown gift I owe. One pin per family. After the first 25, you can still obtain a pin, while supplies last, for minimum $2 contribution - all proceeds go towards the 2011 fund.

Hope to see you soon!

Hazel

Animations!

New to my blog - animations! I just got animation software, and as you can see, I've been playing around with it :)

Family Day

Who has the most say in a chess family?

Answer: The queen! She is highly-valued!

Hazel's Jokes!

Here's a twist on one of my favourite childhood jokes...

Why are flags on chess clocks usually red?

Answer: It's not easy falling in front of so many people!

(Based on the joke "Why do streetlights turn red?" Answer: You would too if you had to change in front of so many people!)

Chess Libs

Have you ever played Mad Libs (http://www.madlibs.com/)? They sure are a lot of fun, and produce hilarious results. In order to get this blog going again, I thought it would be interesting to make my own chess lib. Try it for yourself!

Instructions:

The following story is missing some words. Without revealing the sentences, have a friend fill out the form below using only the information provided (noun, verb, adjective, ...). Then put it all together and read it out loud!!! Trust me, in most cases, you'll get a good laugh.

Story (see form below):

Once upon a ___1___, there was a ___2___ chess king named Harry. He ___3___ all the squares, every one of them, ___4___ or white. He would ___5___ in his castle day in and ___6___ out, tending to his ___7___ knights and ___8___pawns. He would tell them stories of how one day, they might become ___9___, and find their own kings and castles. Yes, Harry had a ___10___ life. However, just over the squares was another king. Jealous of Harry’s ___11___, this king sent pawns, knights, bishops, rooks, and even a ___12___ to attack. As a result, Harry had to ___13___ from his happy ___14___ on g1, until at last, he thought he had escaped. He ___15___ and ___15___ until he noticed how far he had gone off track. He could no longer see his ___16___ anymore. Then, out of ___17___, someone screamed “___18___” and Harry fell to the board. Was this the end for the ___19___ king? ... Of course not, let’s ___20___ again!

Form:

Noun = person, place, or thing (boy, school, tree, ...)
Verb = action word (present tense - run, skip, dive, ...; past tense - ran, skipped, dove, ...)
Adjective = describes a noun (short, funny, fragile, ...)

1. Noun __________________
2. Adjective __________________
3. Verb (past tense) __________________
4. Colour __________________
5. Verb (past tense) __________________
6. Noun __________________
7. Adjective __________________
8. Adjective __________________
9. Noun (plural) __________________
10. Adjective __________________
11. Feeling __________________
12. Noun __________________
13. Verb __________________
14. Location __________________
15. Verb (past tense) __________________
16. Noun (plural) __________________
17. Location __________________
18. Expression __________________
19. Adjective __________________
20. Verb __________________

Top 12 Notice

I am still looking to contact the following members of the Top 12:

Patrick Angelo Tolentino

Jamil F. Kassam

Derick Aghamalian

Jeff Zhang

Yuekai Wang

Razvan having received his award:

Photo taken by Rene Preotu