Comments

Until earlier this year I had not clicked on 'stats' and upon doing so I was amazed at the number of people reading the BaconLOG and even more amazed by the number of countries from where they emanate. I greatly appreciate those who have left comments, especially the positive ones!
I started this blog while working at the Atlanta Chess & Game Center, aka, the House of Pain. NM Damir Studen, 2009 Georgia Chess Champion, for whom the House was a second home, once said, "Everybody reads the BaconLOG!" 'Everybody' being those in our small circle of chess afficionado's who came to the HoP, I suppose. I have moved on and the circle of readers has grown exponentially and now includes readers from several dozen countries. I am truly amazed.
I would like to answer the comment left to 'Flip a Coin' on 3/27/11. There is no need to "feel sorry for that poor younger fellow respectfully looking for some advice about a good book." The fact is that I spent almost an hour talking with the young man, who had a laptop with him. I talked him through my favorite chess related websites, such as the Chess Cafe and Chessbase, and even showed him the USCF website, along with the Kentucky Chess Association website. We spent much time talking about books and the best places to purchase them. You should know that I was grinning when I asked the question that ended the post, and so was he! Our time actually began when the post ended, so to speak. I did not feel it necessary to bore readers with what came next, choosing instead to end the post with what I thought to be a somewhat humorous comment on the dearth of chess books available at a bookstore these days. All my life I have tried to be cordial to anyone who has come to the table when I have had a chess set out. I have always tried my best to be a good ambassador for the Royal game.
As far as doing a 'Just Checking' on myself...There is a certain 'Drifter' back home who would most probably be indignant at the prospect of my doing something reserved for, until now, Grandmasters! I may, though, write of some of my favorite things. For example, after dropping a friend at the airport this morning, I headed to the Cracker Barrel for the new Wholesome Mornin' Sampler, which included, fresh blackberries and blueberries blended in low-fat vanilla yogurt, topped with our honey oat granola mix with almonds served with a fresh-baked blueberry-raspberry muffin, along with eggs, etc. It was extremely difficult to not order the Wild Maine Blueberry Pancakes. Discerning readers should now know my favorite fruit...
I will get to books eventually, but, no, my favorite movie is not Conspiracy Theory, but I do watch Jesse Ventura's show on tv!
I'm sure there are ways to make this a "better blog", but including pictures ain't one of 'em! I am a WORDSMITH! When I paint my masterpiece, it will be with WORDS. I enjoy reading, and hope my readers do, too. There are many wonderful blogs that include pictures. This is not one of them! After discovering GM Kevin Spraggett's fantastic blog, I check it each and every day. I have also gone back to the beginning and am enjoying catching up on what I've been missing. If you want pictures, I suggest you do the same. You can find him at: http://kevinspraggett.blogspot.com/
As those left behind at the HoP can attest, I can talk baseball until blue in the face, and, on numerous occasions, have! I thank you for your interest, but there are many other blogs devoted to baseball. The only one I check everyday is The Hardball Times (http://hardballtimes.com/). So many blogs, so little time. Especially when one reads as voraciously as do I. If you have not read the Hardball Times Baseball Annual you might want to check it out. Adjectives like 'superlative' and 'stupendous' come to mind.
That's all for now. Keep those comments coming! I do appreciate them. I just hope the BaconLOG is as good for you as it is for me! (The thing about being a 'wordsmith' is that I do not have to insert one of those smiley faces here to know you have, most probably, got a shit eating grin on your face right about now!)