…with Gary Moss

Archive for June, 2009

Why do so many people watch so much junk on TV? Why do the creators of so many of the ‘funny’ sit-coms use those phoney laugh tracks, and turn the laughter up in places that are not funny at all? Why do so many of the high rated programs always have to be about solving murders?

Does the subject matter on TV reflect real life? -or- Does real life take its lead from TV?

How do I know all this? I am a ‘TV JUNKIE’. I live alone. The TV has become my companion of sorts. It is usually just background noise as I work at my computer or prepare meals or do other things. When I require my full concentration, I turn that noisy thing off with the push of a button. I am in full control, usually.

Sometimes an image or a sound or a story line grabs my attention and compels me to sit down and focus. I like to listen to news stations, but they too can be a waste of time. I hate the way that they sensationalize things and repeat showing images over and over for effect and urgency. When I listen to News I want a report, not a drama.

People like things that are familiar. Most of us have favorite foods that we eat frequently; we repeatedly go to the same restaurants and order our same favorite meal. Some people have a favorite book and have read it many times; others have a favorite movie. It has been said that people are creatures of habit. Producers and writers know that; they don’t really have to reinvent the wheel every day on TV, they only have to repaint it a different color and people will continue to tune in.

The good thing about really bad television, for me, is that it chases me off to look at other channels and sometimes discover things of interest. (Usually on the Discovery Channel or The History Channel) But mostly, bad TV chases me to my computer where I can find a good scrabble game online.

I’ve never considered playing scrabble to be a waste of time. I always learn something. There are those frustrating games when every rack has too many or not enough vowels. But that is when there is something to learn. No two games are ever the same. No opponent ever plays the game with the same strategy and word knowledge. When I play against the scrabble computer game and set it to the highest level I am easy prey for the computer, but I learn so many words.

Six-percenters don’t waste too much time watching bad TV. Are you wasting your life?

Many believe that ‘Wisdom’ is mystical. Many believe that ‘Wisdom’ is reserved for a precious few. Some travel to the far corners of the world to sit at the feet of gurus and teachers, in the hope of tapping into, and soaking up, their ‘wisdom’ via osmosis.

I am certain that your strong belief can stimulate your personal wisdom, and that being in presence of gurus, has the power to support your notion and ignite your wisdom.

I am also certain that with only your strong belief, that YOU have the power to discover your own personal wisdom, from within, and that is enough to grow your wisdom.

Too many of us think that we are not enough, that the answers exist outside of ourselves. Most often, that is a false assumption. It all begins with me; it all begins with you. We each possess the power.

When you truly want it, ‘IT’ is all available for you to have.

Want to learn ‘HOW TO . . . ‘? Just truly decide, mean it, and watch it happen.

94% of the population are mostly all talk; they rarely take an action. Be a six-percenter; be as wise as you choose to be.

There are countless examples of this all around us. I see proof, all the time, at my scrabble clubs. Some people come in saying, “I can’t.” “I can’t spell.” “I can’t remember.” When people say they can’t and believe they can’t, THEY CAN’T.

Other people show up wanting to learn ‘HOW TO’. They ask questions; they are curious; they are always watching others and learning the words that are new to them. They set goals for themselves and show steady growth and improvement. When you want it enough; it becomes doable.

Yes You Can!

Do you think that people who gravitate toward playing scrabble and other individual activities (as opposed to team activities) have trust issues? That fits for me.

Remember in school when the teacher would assign students to small groups of 4 or 5 and give each group as assignment to be worked on together. Sometimes it was to create a report on the state of Kentucky, or the migration of Canadian Geese. The group had to choose a leader and delegate assignments. If everyone did their part, the end product would show it when the presentation was made to the entire class.

I was a serious worker bee. But I always seemed to be assigned to groups which included lazy grasshoppers. I usually ended up embarrassed on presentation day, through no fault of my own.

Have you every been on a committee? While on the committee did you every have a great idea that was poo-pooed by others and died in committee? I’ve experienced that way too many times.

Have you ever played Bridge with a partner who was less skilled than you at bidding? Frustrating, wasn’t it.

So, I ran track; I played racquetball; I played Blackjack; and I play scrabble.

There will always be those things in life that can only be done with and by a team. The LA Lakers are the best current example that comes to mind. Every member of the team had a designated role and the team leader, Kobi, lead by example while the coach orchestrated the ballet. It was truly poetry in motion. It was a prime lesson in ‘TEAM TRUST’.

Then there’s our government, a very huge team. How sweet life would be if all the legislators ever developed trust and synchronicity. Can you imagine a Congress that performed like the Lakers? They would erase poverty and illnesses and reestablish ‘joy in Muddville’.

Since scrabble players are loners, they must manage the growth of their word knowledge on their own; they must develop strategies by watching and reading; the buck starts and stops here.

Trust yourself to do the right things . . . . Then do it.

Happy Flag Day. It’s a great day in America.

As bad as some things are . . . we live in freedom.

As bad as some individuals are . . . there are millions of wonderful people next door, across town, and throughout this great country.

We live in a great country where an out of work engineer, like Alfred Butts, could freely invent a game like Criss-Cross. We live in the kind of a place where an entrepreneur, like James Brunot, could turn Criss-Cross into Scrabble and develop it with Selchow & Righter. We live in a time when people have enough spare time to get hooked on games, to the point of addiction. We live in the Internet Age in which little American boys and girls can play scrabble online with little South African boys and girls; in which American adults can play scrabble on their cell phones with Australian adults. Ain’t life grand!

If it weren’t for our flag, that symbolizes the freedoms we’ve achieved, we could all still be playing checkers and chess and living in some gulag.

You’re a grand old flag,
You’re a high flying flag
And forever in peace may you wave.
You’re the emblem of
The land I love.
The home of the free and the brave.
Ev’ry heart beats true
‘neath the Red, White and Blue,
Where there’s never a boast or brag.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
Keep your eye on the grand old flag.

I’ve been noticing a greater number of phonies being played at club in recent weeks. (Not by me, of course.) Actually, I’ve earned a reputation over time as being a king of ‘the phoney’. It’s not that I go around trying to play ‘illegal words’. It’s just that there are so many strange words in the scrabble dictionary that I am often willing to stretch my knowledge and get tripped up along the way. Most higher rated player catch me every time and challenge me off the board. Others often wrongly respect my years in the game and think that I know something that they don’t know. On those occasions I sneak one by.

Would you challenge?
(A) ‘stanged’
(B) ‘newtons’
(C) ‘godivas’
(D) ‘lamppole’
(E) ‘lamppost

Last Thursday at the Club #350 Club Championship, I was competing in a pivotal game. It was near the end of the game and there was only one place left where a bingo could easily fit. I would have to find a word that began with the letter ‘s’. I had plenty of time on my clock to think and try to find the word. My letters included: ‘a’ ‘e’ ‘i’ ‘r’ ‘s’ ‘u’ ‘blank’. Not the prettiest rack, with all those vowels. The seconds continued to click off my clock as I shuffled the tiles around. Anything less than a bingo and I would lose the game.

A, B, & E are the acceptable words above.

After several minutes of agonizing, there was nothing of which I was certain. I made up a word in my mind, ‘sauCiers’. Since there were no more tiles in the bag, I was out.

IT IS ALWAYS PROPER TO CHALLENGE THE OUT PLAY.

So my opponent challenged the play. The word judge thumbed through the dictionary and I readied myself to pick up my tiles from the board. The word judge said, “Acceptable.” I was more stunned than my opponent. I earned points for my bingo + the tiles on his rack + he lost 10 points because he was overtime and I won the game by 8 points.

I knew that there are many words that end with ‘iers’, so mine was an educated guess.
For a complete list of legal words that end with ‘iers’, CLICK HERE.

Watch for ‘tells’ to identify when people know that they are playing phonies. A blush often reveals their secret. (although in the scenario just reported, my tell would have been deceiving)

The first versions of the game of scrabble came with a cardboard, fold-up board and wooden tiles in a box, with a few rules of how to play the game, printed on the inside cover of the box in which it was packed. Later on as many people began to play the game more competitively, each household made up their own home rules and picked their own dictionary as a word judge. Most family and friends abided by those standards when they played at your house; some argued that the rules were different at their home and some battles occurred (the most famous battle being between Funk & Wagnalls). Still later on, when the NSA (National Scrabble Association) came on the scene, a more complete set of rules was developed to standardize play. As clubs formed across the land they all used the same rules and word source (OSPD). When a club player traveled, he/she could attend clubs in other cities and know that the rules and dictionary would be the same as at their local club.

Over the years the number of official rules has grown from just a few into a 30 page document. How could that be? Simple. Each time some issue came up in club or tournament play, rather than leaving it to different interpretations by different directors, the NSA Rules Committee wrote a new rule. Today, even the most basic questions about scrabble play are covered in the ‘Official Rules’. Some rules explain: How do you decide who goes first? What are the steps in completing your turn? How much time do you have to make your play? Are you permitted to track tiles? When is the game officially over?

People who only play occasionally may not care a hoot about the rules. Some home players allow you to reuse the blank, by capturing it by replacing it with a tile for which it was designated. Some home players, who like to play long words, play the game with 9 tiles on their racks. And the variations go on.

But if you play at an NASPA CLUB, you can be certain that the official rules and word lists will be the standard. CLICK HERE for a copy of The Official Rules For Scrabble.

Knowing the RULES, adhering to them and holding your opponent accountable to following the rules can earn you a few extra wins along the way.

Did you know that after the first play is on the board, if there are 6 consecutive turns with ‘zero points’ (passing, exchanging tiles, a word challenged off the board) then the game is over?

Did you know that when drawing tiles out of the tile bag, the bag should be held above eye level (to insure that there is no peeking while drawing tiles)?

Respect the rules.

Yesterday morning, during my usual scrabble break (playing on ISC), I reached a milestone that I have been chasing since last October. I brought my online rating up to 1600. It was no easy task. Back in January I was as close as 1598; but as usually happens, I lost the next game and dropped back to 1572. Scrabble ratings and life are like that; win a few, lose a few. Ratings go upward in very small steps, one or two points at a time. When a 1500 players wins, by beating a 900 player, the 1500 player may earn ‘zero points’. That’s because the computer recognizes that the 1500 player is that much better. But if the 1500 player loses to the 900 player the rating will plummet 25 – 30 points. Just like life. In the recent stock market plunge, even though we ‘little guys’ were hurt and stung by our losses, it was the ‘BIG BOYS’ who lost millions and billions.

If you expect scrabble to be a game without any setbacks, you’re playing the wrong game. Just when you are so proud of yourself that you’ve mastered the 2-Letter-Word-List, some opponent will play an unforgiving 3-Letter-Word ( cru or wud or cwm ).

If you expect life itself to be a smooth uphill journey, without any bumps in the road, you’re setting yourself up for a great awakening. Just when you are comfortable in your own skin, some force of nature or some egomaniac dictator or some greedy CEO will create an avalanche right in your neighborhood.

Sometimes chasing a goal, for me, creates a period of calm and knowing. I am clear on my purpose and each step that I must take to achieve my success. Even when the setbacks occur I know that I must pick myself up and proceed forward. For as long as I am chasing my goal I am focused; I am driven.

So today, for me, feels very different; I am in flux; I have achieved 1600 and I am all of a sudden on vacation.

Right now I am free to set some other goal. Do I want it to continue to be about scrabble? I could change course and knit hats for cancer patients; I could train my body and walk across America. Right now, until I choose my next goal, I have so many options; to me this stage of life is very overwhelming. Once I choose my next goal, my life will settle down again into so predictable routines.

Reaching one’s goals and experiencing significant emotional events are the primary catalysts for change. I have been here before, so have you. Here’s hoping I choose wisely and productively.

There are many talented artists. And still, some of the most talented artists simply go unnoticed until after their demise, because they were too busy with their art and living life, to spend pieces of time promoting themselves, and doing all those business things.
One gifted muralist, who you most likely haven’t heard of, yet, is Stacy Lynn Schwartz of Ypsilanti, Michigan. Ms. Schwartz has been applying her art to the walls of homes, businesses, libraries, schools, and more in a small part of southeastern Michigan, just outside of Detroit. Schwartz juggles her passion for art with being a full time mom to her three year old, Amanda, and to being a devoted wife to husband Dan.
In past blogs, I’ve frequently expressed that in order to be the best of the best at ‘your thing’, you have to eat, breathe, and sleep ‘IT’. Schwartz’s art is an extension of who she is. One can see it in the decor of her home, the design of her garden, and the expression of her thoughts. This link, LINK, will take you to her web sight where you can enjoy some of her creations. Her special love for children has drawn her to develop playful characters and scenes. And Schwartz’s versatility can be witnessed in other lifelike scenarios.

THE SCRABBLE SEGUE:
All great talents require a passion and attention to detail. If you or I choose to become one of the best scrabble players, we must develop the same kind of passion for letters and words as Stacy Lynn Schwartz has achieved for her artistry. Genius rarely, if ever occurs all by itself. Somebody must devote time and energy; someone must learn and apply; someone must goof and start anew many times. We develop techniques. Our passion grows even greater. Then, after all that, we arrive.

To be a success at anything, you must be focused. Yesterday, I was talking with a few friends about young people who work at The Apple Stores. One friend expressed amazement that the staff of young geniuses had such a command of understanding computers. Another friend pointed out that those young people are passionate about computers and work with them all the time.
People who are passionate and do any activity repeatedly develop abilities to perform robotically and make those performances seem so easy: Tiger Woods hitting a golf ball; Michael Phelps breaking a speed record; Barbara Walter conducting an interview; Joel Sherman finding a bingo on his scrabble rack.
You say that you want to become better or great at something?

Do you have what it takes? It requires not just saying that ‘you want it’. It require a demonstration through your actions. It requires a relentless pursuit, even on those days when you want to take a hiatus. It require keeping your nose to the grindstone, feeling all the growing pains, battling through the discouraging times, until you step into the winner’s circle. CAN YOU DO THAT? Do you want it bad enough?

If you want ‘IT’ that badly, you can achieve ‘IT’: earning a college degree; throwing a curveball; speaking in public; mastering your computer; losing those extra pounds; expanding the capabilities of your memory.

You hit only what you aim at.

Memories of Dad Through The Years. My dad, Jay Harmon Moss, would have been 92 today. He almost didn’t survive at all because of the flu pandemic in 1917 -1918. But he did survive and managed to live a long life filled with a lot of giving. He enriched the lives of many. Not with financial contributions, but with selfless contributions of time, love, devotion, creative expression, and caring. Dad was a teen when the Great Depression occurred and he rolled up his sleeves and went to work to help family. His personal health kept him from going to the front lines in WWII, but he did his part in the war plants. He missed out on going to college and a formal education, but he was one of the smartest men I knew. He loved words and even more he loved to write. He’d never spend a nickel on buying Hallmark Cards for an occasion, rather, he’d sit down and compose a personalized card for you and write it in his own hand, with his unforgettable calligraphy scroll. Just like you and I might collect pennies in a jar, dad collected friends and remembered them each year on birthdays, anniversaries, and other occasions. It was estimated that his calendar reflected that he often remembered several people every day. Most of all, he remembered mom. He wrote her endless numbers of love letters.
When I wonder where my love for writing came from, I don’t have to look very far. And likewise my bother Joel and sister Karen were infected by dad’s love for words.
Dad has been gone for just over 5 years now. It doesn’t seem possible that it has been so long and yet I miss his bear-hugs and his constant optimism and encouragement about the future. My writing makes me feel connected to dad and yet I’d so like to share my many ideas and writings with him. But somehow, the agnostic that I am, believes that he knows and glows.
How does this all relate to scrabble? Here’s the segue.

Q. How many ways can you spell ‘FATHER’?

A. l-o-v-e; t-h-o-u-g-h-t-f-u-l-n-e-s-s; k-i-n-d-n-e-s-s; g-e-n-e-r-o-u-s-i-t-y; o-p-t-i-m-i-s-t; f-r-i-e-n-d; m-e-n-t-o-r; r-o-l-e-m-o-d-e-l