Begot Till

I've got to go to bed soon because tomorrow's going to be a busy day, but I just had to tell you that I just watched Word Wars: Tiles and Tribulations on the SCRABBLE Circuit.

Read that again.  Tiles and tribulations, ah ha ha ha ha ha!  And now I know that An Endeavor is an anagram for Reno, Nevada.  I also learned that the people featured in this film are completely crazy, but still really impressive.  The four people featured have no jobs.  All they do is play Scrabble.  They play in tournaments for prize money and they play each other for money.  The dream they all share is to win the national championship.  Guess how much that pays?  $25,000.  And that was in 2002.  There was some discussion in the movie that maybe someday Scrabble tournament winners will get $50,000 and be on Sportscenter, and the players could make a living at what they do best.  Wouldn't that be amazing?  Well, according to the final note in the movie, ESPN put on the first SCRABBLE All-Stars tournament in 2003 with a first prize going for $50,000.  Isn't that awesome?

Forbes says the minimum salary for an NFL player in 2013 is $405,000.  I think that can't be right.  Maybe I think that shouldn't be right.  I tried to find out what ESPN is paying their SCRABBLE All-Stars these days and shockingly, I couldn't find any after 2003.

I just googled this year's winner of the National Scrabble Championship.  He looks a little less than enthused in the picture with his giant check, perhaps because he only won $10,000.  How did that reward decrease over the last ten years!?!?!

http://investor.hasbro.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=780147 

Look, he's not even touching that check!  This is his fifth win!  He is the reigning World Champion!

This is why the aliens only come here to anally probe us.


This blog was written by an anagram of Neck Ripen Jelly

Dear Bloggy

I was just talking to Dad yesterday about the possibility of trading in my car.  I want a different car because waah.  I could spell out all my reasons, but that's about the gist of it.  Dad went into research mode, and we discussed as many pros and cons as we could come up with.  The results are pretty much what you'd imagine: pay it down enough to where I'm not upside down, THEN trade it in.  Poo.

It's not right for me for many reasons, but Dad reminded me that it was exactly what I needed at the time, and it will continue to function well as long as I need it, and it will hold its value.  Not what I want, but what I need.  What a good metaphor for the moment.  I have dug myself a pretty deep hole, and I need some patience to get out of it.  But patience is avert you, as I thought Mom was saying all those years.

It's odd having the three girls and me together again- oddly familiar to be alone with only the animals and Lord of the Rings.  My stomach is uneasy these days, probably because my decision is likely made.  I feel like I will waste opportunities here, and I will waste opportunities there.  I feel like a wreck, and I don't feel like things will be fine.  But I also recognize that that's how I feel right now, and that will change.  (That, and 9:15 on a Wednesday night is probably not the best time to assess things.)  So, ok.  Clean up, read, go to sleep.  Keep plugging away, because small victories do mean a lot, and you are absolutely capable.  Hang in there.