I am an administrative law judge, which is basically a lawyer who presides over hearings in one or more specialized areas of law with testimony taken under oath, cross-examination, etc., and who writes binding, legal decisions based on factual and legal analysis. It's far easier than playing chess.

I've played chess since I was a kid. My father taught me. He would beat me every time, but I just enjoyed playing. Eventually, he could not beat me and would no longer play. I played second board behind a soon to be Master for my high-school team. The Chess Master and I would drive to tournaments on occasion, and we had some great times. We are still close friends. He lives peacefully along a large river, and I visit him in the warmer months.

My son works on the U.S. west coast as a software engineer. He's in my profile pic. He got married in late 2023 to his longtime girlfriend, who my wife and I love. My son started playing chess on chess.com in about December of 2020, finally, to my joy, as a beginner inspired by the Queens Gambit miniseries. My wife is my best friend, the love of my life, who I met at 41 after being a widower. We love art, fine dining, travel, antique and thrift shops, and just hanging together. I enjoy being in the woods, taking in a vista, billiards (9-ball), and music.

Chuck4321