March Madness

I just finished filling out my bracket for the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament. Admittedly I'm a few hours late, but I didn't alter my picks based on the results of today's early games. Don't believe me? Just look how far I had Notre Dame advancing (Sweet Sixteen). Just for kicks, I compared my bracket to that filled out by President Obama; we agree on twenty three of the thirty two first-round games and have three of the same Final Four picks. As for the tournament champion, I see Kentucky winning it all. Not only are they a powerhouse, they have DeMarcus Cousins. You have to root for a team like that.

Speaking of March Madness, I'm providing standby EMS coverage at HSBC Arena tomorrow for the first round of games in the Eastern Region side of the bracket. Hopefully I'll be able to watch a good chunk of the action when my other duties don't call me away. And after I get home from that, I'll be mere hours away from seeing Ellen! Add to that a weather forecast calling for highs in the 60s and you have a recipe for an amazing weekend.

I haven't been playing much chess recently. Between class, clinical and work, there just hasn't been time. I have, however, been playing correspondence chess via email. After four of six games, my score is 4/4. My two remaining games are veritable battles--and uphill struggles both--but I'm thoroughly enjoying getting to play. It's not the same as over the board chess, but it's fun all the same!

In other news, The New York Times has a nice piece on Rudyard Kipling's Vermont home. Not only did I not realize he lived in Vermont for a time, I didn't know that he introduced tennis and downhill skiing to the state too. That, and he wrote a little bit.