On patience.

On iTunes - "Wonderful" - Josh Rouse

I've been yearning for a game of chess. I think it's the angles, logic and the strategy that goes into it. I like picking things apart to the most basic of levels, whether it's someone's defenses on the chess board or in their ability to navigate an argument.

I think missing Vita (the at times aforementioned better half) has me missing the game more than usual. I've been teaching her since just before the holiday season. And while it is still apparent that she has some things to learn, she has the makings of a fine chess player if she'd learn to be a little more patient and to look a few moves ahead. That comes with time. It's something I learned only after years of being the mop for my grandmother's superior play.

Chess taught me patience, and how to wait for the right moment to strike. There are so many parallels between life and the game of chess that it's frightening. Every time I play, I look back on the impatience of my youth. In my younger days (as young as 12 and 13) I was preaching the benefits of Communism and Communitarianist thought to Grandma. She forced me to defend my ideas in the same way I had to defend my king with a rook and a pair of pawns.

I found myself reflecting on the same lessons this afternoon, right before I flew off the handle at someone in regards to a Web issue. I sacrificed a little time and humility in lieu of being able to fight another battle another day. As little as two months ago I would have flown off the handle. I'm happy that my old lessons have started to reappear in my 20s when I need them most.

Sorry for the soapbox. I'm just taking a moment to reflect on a tough day. Oh, I have labels (see the end of this post) and individual archive pages working for the blog. I had the template set up all out of whack. I believe this blog should be much more functional now. I'll also start posting some of my "Web World" columns from work from time to time as well. I'm not sure if I'm legally allowed to do it, but I'll check into it.

See you tomorrow.