Here I will list my hobbies and interests.
(Page last updated on: Thursday, June 20, 2013
.)
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Chess.
I am very interested in chess. I have
been avidly playing the game since I was about 4-5 years old. I am a
U.S. Chess Federation Life-Master. I have won over 100 U.S.C.F.-
rated weekend Swiss's. I have a library that is now close to, or
over --- 2,000 books. {This is not counting pamphlets and
magazines.} I have a very large database of chess games by mostly
Masters that is over 2.5 million now - on my computer. I have won
dozens and dozens of trophies over the years. I currently make my
living by teaching chess and a little computer consulting on the
side. I am also pursuing web page design.
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Martial Arts. I took classes as a very
young lad. I also had to learn the 'Defense Arts' as part of my job
in the Military. (I did like 3.5 years in the U.S. Army National
Guard, and 2 hitches as a Combat Security Policeman in the U.S.
Air Force.) I remain interested in the art of the defense, even
though I am not currently, actively practicing them. The unique
thing about Martial Arts is the control and self-reliance that you
develop because of it. I think it has helped me master control of
myself and my emotions. This has been good for my chess and was one
of the very important reasons I was ever able to even become a Chess
Master!
(Martial Arts is also a hobby, I have read many books about
people such as Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, Jackie Chan, etc. ... I also like their movies!)
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I enjoy building web-pages. I am
learning at a very fast pace. Its very challenging and you get to be
very creative. I also am beginning to enjoy creating art and
graphics on the computer. Its fascinating. I use MS Paint, MS Image
Composer, MS Gif Animator,
MicroGrafX Draw, and Corel Draw. The
things you can do on a computer are unlimited.
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I
enjoy solving puzzles. (I usually start every day solving a few
games of "FreeCell" just to get my brain working. An MS
rep once told me there were some games you could not solve, but I
have never found one that I could not solve ... IF I was willing to
try 50 times - or more. My wife, Julie, also enjoys doing this as
well.)
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Movies.
I enjoy watching movies. I
especially enjoy the "action-flick" genre.
I like "Karate" movies
too, although most of them are impossibly silly and totally
improbable. (As are just about any premise Hollywood comes up with!)
Two of my favorite series of movies were, "The Dirty Harry," movies,
and "The Lethal Weapon," series. I am also a big fan of Jackie Chan.
---> The other night, {Jan. 2002} my wife asked me to make a list
of:
"The 10 Movies I Would Take To A Desert Island."
(No fair
marking a trilogy as one movie, you HAVE to separate them.) So here is my list:
(In NO particular order!) "Back To The Future," (#1.);
"Jumpin' Jack Flash;" "The Ten Commandments;" "Ben-Hur;"
"Lethal Weapon I;" "Star Trek II, The Wrath of
Khan;" "Die-Hard I;" "Raiders Of The Lost
Ark," (#1.); "Jurassic Park," (#1.); and "Lion King," (#1.).
I would also have to sneak "Searching For Bobby Fischer," in there somewhere too.
(Even if I had to leave '10 Commandments' at home!) In fact, I am
still ticked at Hollywood. I thought "Searching ..." was one of the best movies ever
made and I am still upset that NO ONE got a single Oscar nomination.
ALL the actors of that movie did a bang up job.
( I also like
the movie, "Independence Day." I have seen it at least 100 times. Will
Smith and Jeff Goldblum do a great job here. And Judd Hirsch - from
Taxi - is VERY convincing as the Jewish Father. This movie should
have gotten at least a few Oscar nominations. It was VERY well written!! I also like the
movie, "The Rocketeer." {1991} This movie stars Bill Campbell, Jennifer Connolly, {what a
dish!}; and Timothy Dalton. )
Go to Amazon.com
and check out my list there.
January
12th, 2004:
As I sit working on my computer - for seemingly endless hours
on end -
the movie: (tape) "Lord of The Rings"
(Part I) is playing on my TV. As a youngster, I was
(and remain) endlessly fascinated by these books.
Words cannot even begin to describe my
thrill and excitement at seeing J.R.R. Tolkien's
works turned into movies. I also felt it was truly
criminal (!) that Hollywood did not see fit
to reward the actors in the first or second volume of the
picture-tale with at least one
Oscar!
January
19th, 2004:
The last few days I have been watching a few films - while I
was working - that
my room-mate had loaned me. One I just
finished watching was the movie entitled: "A Few
Good Men."
(1992 - Tom
Cruise, Jack Nicholson, & Demi Moore.) I don't think I have ever seen a better movie in
terms of
writing, character inter-action, and just pure acting. This is a movie I have seen dozens of
times,
and I am sure I will watch it many more. You can tell a really true classic, it
never wears thin.
("I want the truth!" - "The truth,
the truth? YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!!!")
October
04th, 2004:
Some other movies that I really like? "Chariots Of
Fire," (1981)
is without question
one of the finest films ever made ... it has also aged really
well. (Oddly enough, The lady in here who plays
the love interest of Abrahams, {Alice
Krige}; is also 'The Queen Of The Borg'
in, "Star Trek: First Contact.")
"Starman," (1984)
is also another movie that I really like ... that features excellent
acting and has also aged
very well. (Jeff Bridges and Karen Allen
did a really fine job in this movie - not a lot of violence,
either.)
"Star Trek: First Contact" (1996)
... also contains some really fine
acting. In particular, the scene in the
Captain's Boardroom where Patrick Stewart
and Alfre Woodard are arguing - is easily one of the finest
and best-acted scenes of the entire movie.
(People forget Stewart started as a stage actor.)
December
04, 2004: The new
movie, (new for me at least) ... "The Last Samurai,"
with Tom Cruise.
Made in 2003, this movie should have won
50 Oscars ... but I sincerely doubt that it will win anything.
Most
people only see the violence, and not the beauty of a
fantastic script and story. The acting is also as fine
as anything I have ever seen coming out of Hollywood. I give
this move 5 Stars, my highest award. *****
August 25th, 2005:
I just saw the last half of the movie, "Major League."
(Tom Berenger, Charlie Sheen,
Wesley Snipes, Rene Russo, Bob Uecker, etc. - 1989) The
critics hated this one ... but I loved it!! (You have
to be both a fan of baseball and understand the loyalty of
Cleveland fans ... two points that were lost on some
poor sap, like Leonard Maltin.) Its funny, well written, was
well executed and also had 'big names.' {4 stars}
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Science-Fiction - I
have not read much lately, but at one time I had a collection of
around 500 good sci-fi books. I also like watching sci-fi movies. I
even have written a couple of stories for various magazines. (And I
actually got paid for it!)
Some of my favorite works? Off the top of
my head, I'd have to say "The Foundation
Trilogy," and any sci-fi book by Larry Niven. Ever read,
"The Protector?" [Series.] Or "Ring-World?"
Another one of my all-time favorite sci-fi books, is "The
Hunters of the Red Moon," by M.
Bradbury. (I think she is like the daughter of Ray Bradbury.) Its
not really sci-fi, but I also greatly enjoyed "The
Lord of the Rings"
series by J.R.R. Tolkien. Also, the writings of George Orwell [ "Animal Farm" ]; should be required
reading for kids in High School. ("Power corrupts, and Absolute
Power corrupts absolutely." Truer and wiser words were never
spoken!) I also enjoyed the BOOK, "Jurassic Park." (The movie wasn't bad
either.)
(I have also written many stories in the Science-fiction
genre. Several have actually been published!)
I'd also have to classify some of Stephen King's stuff as good
sci-fi ... and I would have to say both "Fire-Starter"
and, "The Dead Zone," were good science-fiction! (To me, anyway.)
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And even though I have not done it
lately, I greatly enjoyed building model cars. I once built one that
won like 2nd prize for ages 12 & under in the State of Florida.
Maybe one day, (IF I can find the time!!); I will resume this most
enjoyable hobby.
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I am very much a
family person. I now have three kids and enjoy very much just
spending time at home. (I look forward to maybe teaching my girls chess.)
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I
also enjoy dozens of other hobbies - from gardening, to carpentry; to just about anything you think of. I also enjoy cooking for my
family and close friends. It is cool to create in the kitchen,
making a
brand-new dish.
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I am deeply interested in God. I
am a Born-Again Christian and I attend (member) of East Brent
Baptist Church in Pensacola, FL. I grew up in churches of all
denominations. (From Presbyterian, to Methodist, to Baptist, to
charismatic, to "Full-Gospel," to "Assembly of
God," & many others.
Like the man said in the movie, "Red Planet."
....
'Science
cannot ever answer the REALLY interesting questions.')
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Psychology. I
am deeply interested in this subject.
Click HERE to learn
more.
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Uh-oh ... we got an XBOX. (And I really
like to play Halo.) [read more]
The Greatest Chess Puzzle
[more]
By Aryan Argandewal (March, 2004.)
Many people who know me - or think they know me - think all I do and/or think about is chess. And nothing could be further from the truth.
As a small boy - about 3.5 years old - I was totally and completely fascinated by DINOSAURS. (My mother got me to read by promising to buy me books about dinosaurs.) I was completely consumed - for a great many years - by Paleontology. Before I was seven, could name practically any dino from its picture. Ankylosaur, Stegosaurus, Triceratops, T-Rex,
Apatosaurus, etc. I was determined to become a "dinosaur man." (But my Grandmother put her foot down. It was dirty, grubby, and sometimes dangerous work. And it paid next to nothing. "Be a Doctor," she said.) But I still love the subject. {When I was in the Air Force about 20 years ago, I was given almost 3 weeks off as a reward. I stunned everyone by spending almost all of this time at a [fossil] "dig" in Arizona, instead of heading to a lake that was laden with bikini-clad babes.)
Then I got interested in Astronomy - I had a cheap little telescope, (a few friends had better ones); and I used to look at the stars almost every night. I have read dozens, (if not hundreds); of book on this subject. I lost interest one summer. I was supposed to go to a summer camp where all we would do was to study the stars. A relative sent the money, but it was
used for something else. My intense passion for the subject practically died.
Another interest of mine - aside from my nearly all-consuming passion for chess - is the study of ancient civilizations. (Archaeology, to be specific.)
One interesting fact I read at least 10 years ago concerns the PYRAMIDS of South America. (Yes, I said pyramids.) Many of these sites lie in deep jungles, or are 'holy' sites to the local natives.
Because of their nearly inaccessible locations, or because of government
restrictions, many of these sites are relatively unexplored. One find there - at
one S.A. pyramid - especially intrigued me.
The scientists found a clay tablet and a piece of a jar of pottery. The clay tablet looks VERY much like a modern day chess board, the picture on the piece of pottery jar appears to be two men sitting down ... and playing chess. (Carbon-dating of this find suggests it is very old, perhaps older than any relics of
Egypt.)
So the origins of our favorite game might be much older than we all imagined.
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby I
Copyright (c)
A.J. Goldsby, 1993 - 2008.
Copyright
© A.J. Goldsby, 2009. All rights reserved.
  
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