White Territory Grows

So, yesterday night, after the wedding and all had quieted down I decided that I was bored and wanted something to do. There was a Metal Show down at Rack'Em that I should have gone to-- never hurts to check in on Black Territory-- but I chose to stay closer to this side of town.

I had been meaning to check out Hustler's for some time and several people had suggested it to me. So I decided to give it a shot.

Hustler's was not the place for me.

For starters, I enjoy the live music at Rack'Em. Hustler's has no live music. Which is actually great, because the music that Hustler's did have was of the hip hop variety. I skipped out on a metal show to listen to hip hop? God love me, I shoulda just shot myself.

And I have never seen so many people working at the bar. I swear, half the women I saw running around that night were waitresses. My experience with bar waitresses has been generally positive, but these were... not nearly as friendly, outgoing, and well... fun... as most of the waitresses I have had the good pleasure of getting to know.

I think Sarah was right, it's a different kind of scene when you are enjoying not only drinks but music. You sweat and bleed with those people, there is a deeper connection. Not at all like what I experienced last night.

So, the White Team can keep Hustler's. I won't be going back anytime soon. With the Royal Key becoming contested territory at least I still have Rack'Em.

And Dunkin' Donuts. That place is solidly my domain.

Black and White part two

Both black and white believe their cause to be just. They believe that they are upholding righteousness in their struggle. White is always the aggressor however. White always takes the first move. Black then is on the defensive.

White reflects the light, black absorbs it. Either can be seen as righteous.

In the end though, there remains that duality. Not only is there White in Black Territory and vice-versa, but when a pawn successfully travels to the edges of the opposing territory they are transfigured and become more powerful.

Only by understanding your enemy do you ever understand yourself. How can you ever understand your own position if you don't understand the contra? By embracing this duality the weakest piece can become the most powerfull.

There is white and black in everything. Duality all around us. I was the White Knight, then the Black Knight, and finally the Black King. Amd now I understand that white, black-- its all the same. In one is the other.

Two righteous forces on the field, fighting a manifestation of a part of themselves. No wonder so many matches can only end in stalemate.

Black and White part one

Sixty-four squares on the chess board. It is upon that field that the classic battle of white versus black plays out. Those sixty-four squares alternate between black and white in a checkered pattern, balanced with thirty-two squares bearing each color.

Which means that, ironically, "Black Territory" has eight white squares and "White Territory" has eight black squares.

While this is a non-issue regularly overlooked and barely worth noting, it is infinately significant in a consideration of the duality of black and white on the chess board and in life.

In the Western World we have come to associate white with good and black with bad. Sadly, life is simply not that "black and white." There is a duality at play in most everything in our lives. The black team must embrace white and the white team black... with one exception.

The bishops. They adamantely sit on their one color and do not deviate. You might be compelled to think of them as the metaphorical angel and devil on the shoulder, whispering their advice and influence, BUT that would be accepting the idea that white is good and black is bad.

And that is simply not the case.

The White Queen

I worked for a short time at the airport. One of my favorite people to work with was this cute, short, bubbly little thing. She was always full of energy, lots of fun to work with, kept me laughing most nights.

She was also sneaky and liked to see what she could get away with. Not in a bad way mind you, it was always fun. I played along with mostly everything, there was no reason not to, and it kept things interesting.

She was though, strictly speaking, a competitor.

So I started to refer to her as the White Queen. Again, just fun, but it made the whole Chess is Life thing that much more interesting.

I ran into the White Queen this past Monday at a local bar that I enjoy visitig. The bar is like a high school reunion every week I go and I enjoy the company. The Royal Key Bar is an awesome place.

I was hanging out with the incredible band Day Minus Seven. There were about 8 of us or so ("all things are eight" -Pythagorian Maxim). Which leads me to believe that the White Queen had entered Black territory.

I mean, knowing as many people as I knew at the Royal Key I am cerain it was Black Territory. The White Queen was in a dangerous position. I have to wonder if she was there with anyone other than her hubby. A player on her side may have been transfigured that night. Either way, I had a marvelous time, and I am pretty sure I was changed a bit. I know a couple black pawns cerainly entered the game that night. I can always use the reinforcements, after all, "Pawns are the heart of chess."