Third verse, much suckier than the first two
Day 3: 1-3, including two losses by over 250 points each and a third to an out-bingo in my opening game against Doug Brockmeier, in which I led the whole game but was only able to shut down three bingo lanes late, leaving open the fourth he had just created with a very nice penultimate play of EAU at A13, winning with (U)NRIPEST and catching me with the Q to boot. He would have won with PTERINS elsewhere had I not blocked, so there wasn't a whole lot I could do about the losses other than become a lot better, but I still displayed a disturbing lack of discipline in both challenging words I was pretty sure of and playing hooks I was doubtful of at best. I think I was just spent by day three, despite all attempts to conserve energy over the weekend. Doug said that this was the toughest field he's played outside of Nationals, and I believe him. Nothing comes easy in a strong Div. 1 field, and you either have to draw outstandingly and play decently or draw reasonably and play a really strong game, or your opponent will find a way to beat you. With that in mind, 11-9 is a result I'm really happy with, especially being painfully aware of how much I still don't know and how much it's hindering me.
Anyway, the drive home was interesting, to say the least. Shortly after getting into Indiana, I heard something snap in the front of my car, and my left front tire started violently vibrating. Luckily, I was right at a weigh station and was able to pull in and find the problem: the little connector that had been holding the plastic under the engine in place had snapped, causing the plastic to hang down and hit the tire. I was close enough to a real exit to nurse the car to a truck stop and get some nuts and bolts to get it back in place, with some phone assistance from my father. Sometimes it's handy to have a former race car driver/crew chief in the family:) Not 10 minutes after I was back on the road, something else snapped, this time whatever was holding my driver's side window up, and it slid down into the door. So, I ended up driving the final 250 miles with an open window. Thankfully, the foreboding skies never opened up and I dodged the predicted downpours the whole way. I hope I'll have the car back from the shop in time for work tonight, as missing really isn't an option, alas.
I don't know where my final rating ended up, what with the split rating calculations and all, but I might end up cracking 1750. Still, I'm pretty sure I'm not going to Orlando. Too much hassle for something I'm really not ready to contend for yet. I'm sure it would be fun and a great experience, but this has been an expensive year, even with new insurance, and I'm not sure it would be worth it.
Finally, what would a tourney recap post be without a bingo list?
Wisha(35):
ARRASES
BEQUEST
EMEUTES
STRIATE
RINGLET
AREOLAS
SERIATE
SMARTENS
AIRDROP
HUSTLER
ANGELUS
IRRIGATE
SPINULE
BOTONEE
TRITEST
RELAXING
ELEVATE
TETANIC
COUNTIES
RERAISE
BEGUILE
STANDER
CRESTING
DARIOLES
SAUNTER
RELATERS
STEERING
NITRILE
BAWTIES
ENOLASE
GUIPURE
LIGATES
HERITORS
SEATRAIN
UNCAGES
Wirra(33):
SWIVELER*
TINDERS
TWASOME
AEDILES
SATISFY
TROTTERS
OVERTIME
AERATES
SATINET
OVERSALT
OUTSMILE
AREOLAE
SALVAGE
PLANITAS
DEFILER
TRIUNES
PARTIBLE
CLIQUES
BANTERING
OARLIKE
QUINNELA*
CESTODE
CREATOR
CONDEMNS
UNRIPEST
RETAILOR
CARINATE
TRENDILY
SPOTTER
CAPOEIRA
ANOINTER
COMBATER
MEANEST
Anyway, the drive home was interesting, to say the least. Shortly after getting into Indiana, I heard something snap in the front of my car, and my left front tire started violently vibrating. Luckily, I was right at a weigh station and was able to pull in and find the problem: the little connector that had been holding the plastic under the engine in place had snapped, causing the plastic to hang down and hit the tire. I was close enough to a real exit to nurse the car to a truck stop and get some nuts and bolts to get it back in place, with some phone assistance from my father. Sometimes it's handy to have a former race car driver/crew chief in the family:) Not 10 minutes after I was back on the road, something else snapped, this time whatever was holding my driver's side window up, and it slid down into the door. So, I ended up driving the final 250 miles with an open window. Thankfully, the foreboding skies never opened up and I dodged the predicted downpours the whole way. I hope I'll have the car back from the shop in time for work tonight, as missing really isn't an option, alas.
I don't know where my final rating ended up, what with the split rating calculations and all, but I might end up cracking 1750. Still, I'm pretty sure I'm not going to Orlando. Too much hassle for something I'm really not ready to contend for yet. I'm sure it would be fun and a great experience, but this has been an expensive year, even with new insurance, and I'm not sure it would be worth it.
Finally, what would a tourney recap post be without a bingo list?
Wisha(35):
ARRASES
BEQUEST
EMEUTES
STRIATE
RINGLET
AREOLAS
SERIATE
SMARTENS
AIRDROP
HUSTLER
ANGELUS
IRRIGATE
SPINULE
BOTONEE
TRITEST
RELAXING
ELEVATE
TETANIC
COUNTIES
RERAISE
BEGUILE
STANDER
CRESTING
DARIOLES
SAUNTER
RELATERS
STEERING
NITRILE
BAWTIES
ENOLASE
GUIPURE
LIGATES
HERITORS
SEATRAIN
UNCAGES
Wirra(33):
SWIVELER*
TINDERS
TWASOME
AEDILES
SATISFY
TROTTERS
OVERTIME
AERATES
SATINET
OVERSALT
OUTSMILE
AREOLAE
SALVAGE
PLANITAS
DEFILER
TRIUNES
PARTIBLE
CLIQUES
BANTERING
OARLIKE
QUINNELA*
CESTODE
CREATOR
CONDEMNS
UNRIPEST
RETAILOR
CARINATE
TRENDILY
SPOTTER
CAPOEIRA
ANOINTER
COMBATER
MEANEST