I'm back...like herpes!

So, I can't even remember when I first joined this forum, but it has to have been at least a year ago, as I think that's when I purchased the first month of the GM Package, which I still have yet to read.  Holy Cow, this site says it was 2016. LOL. Time flies at light speed. I introduced myself then but will again.  I really want to know how many people are actively taking the course now in 2019.  

So, like all of you, I'm male.  I'm 51.  Wow.  I mean, WOW.  What happened to my youth, to my good looks, to my libido?  What happened, while we're at it, to my determination to improve at chess?  Boredom and difficulty happened, that's what.  Let's be honest, if we had the passion, the talent, and the free time to devote hours a day to chess, we still wouldn't do it, because it just doesn't seem like a worthwhile investment.  I'm not talking just monetary investment, but is it really how we want to spend our days?  Not me, let me tell you.  I'd rather be walking hand in hand through the park with a beautiful buxomy Asian girl.  I can hear her now: "Mister, please let me go."  Ahhh...dare to dream.  Anyway, my fellow would-be Kasparovs, Fischers, Karpovs, Capablancas, and Carlsens, I wanted to introduce myself again.

I'm your typical zhlob, unranked, somewhere around 1400-1500 likely, but have played chess almost my entire life.  That hasn't stopped me from imperceptibly improving my game over the years.  Still, the dream never quite dies, does it?  I still fantasize about that Asian girl, er, joining a chess club and winning some tournament games.  I wish I knew the different levels chess players can attain, but I wonder if 2000 is beyond my reach.  To be fair, I have read a few chess books -- even did a review or two here -- but I've studied nothing seriously.  I do love me some tactics puzzles, though.  I have more books than I'll ever read, but I can't seem to stop picking them up here and there.  My chess book collection is now at a whopping 250 books, which isn't so whopping to some, but I gotta believe that's obscene to most people.  What's truly obscene is owning but not reading them.  Oh, and that Asian girl is obscene too, but that's for another forum.

So, who is here in 2019?  Who just started?  Who has been at it for a while, and what month are you on in your studies?  How is the program working out for you?  Say hello.  I'm in California, by the way, in case any of you sexy men are thinking of a sex change and want to play chess together.  Okay, that last comment was over the line, but do say hello.

Well, there are some things you just can't get a vaccination for!

I've started the course again and actually made myself a schedule, day by day, for this month and next month. I'm using Bullet Journaling. It appears you and I are the same age. I still would like to become as good at chess as I can. I would like to be able to read all of the dozens of chess books I have and understand it. I'd also like to be able to beat one of my compatriots who is around 1600. I was usually able to draw him because he always plays  1 e4 and I always played a drawish version of Petroff's Defense but I'd like to be able to beat him most of the time.

I would like to get as good as I can and participate in state tournaments. I live in BFE rural New Mexico so the closest tournaments are 4 hours away.

Also, if you find that Asian girl, share man, share!

Sharing is caring. What is Bullet Journaling? I've been doing a bunch of puzzles lately but haven't exactly stuck to a schedule. I need to get organized. Eventually I'll get back to the material ICS provides, as I think it's quality material, but puzzles just seem like the fastest way to improve, initially at least. Are you on chess.com or lichess.org?

Bullet Journaling is a simplified way of keeping track of life. Its useful in keeping track of daily, weekly, and monthly goals in an easy way. And to start using it all you need is a journal and a writing instrument. Its simple, using simple symbols to indicate what is/has going down. They recommend using a journal with just dots in it but I think a regular lined journal would work as well. https://bulletjournal.com/

Yes, I'm "Phythalion" on chess.com. I'm going to TRY to stick to mostly just ICS material for the next year when I focus on learning to understand chess and play chess better.

Currently I'm reading "Evil-Doer: Half a Century with Viktor Korchnoi" because Korchnoi is my new chess idol. Because He played quality chess until the end, his 70s or more.