Well...

I won't say I'm officially back, since I tend to say that and then disappear again the next week, but I have played about 10 chess games in the last 4 days at FICS. I logged on the other night just to test the waters, and I immediately felt that satisfying feeling that chess gives me. Especially when I'm winning. Which I have been doing fairly often. My rating has risen from about 1590 to 1650, but that's mainly because of the high RD. I find it really refreshing to come back to chess after a long hiatus, because I can see moves more clearly and enjoy myself more. SO.... I am considering jumping back into the 7-Circles program. I think I'm going to modify it, like so many knights have before. I think I'm going to go with the Repeat-Until-Perfection modificiation. I have a book of 365 mates, which is divided into 5 sections of increasing difficulty and 3 test sections, so I plan on doing a Until-Perfection Circle with each of the 5 sections and finishing it off with the 3 tests to see how I've come along.

And the reason I've taken such a long break from chess is RUNNING and COLLEGES, two big parts of my life that are only now starting to slack off. If you want to read about my successful Cross Country season, I have a blog recapping the season at Carrillo Cross Country. College-wise, I've applied to four colleges and, at this point, really want to go to Santa Clara University. I've also applied to Cal and UC Davis and wasn't accepted by Stanford. So, that's a review of my life for the past four months or so, and I'm just finishing up my SCU app right now. Wish me luck!!!