What a Great Day!!

For the past two weeks the weather has been great and so has attendance at Club 34!! 24 and 10 showed up last Tuesday, records so far in 2023… We had some surprises when I saw Anthea and Amnon join us for the whole day but then when I saw Alan Stern show up, that definitely made my day. Alan must have taken a shortcut because he said he had to cross only 6 freeways to get to Club 34, not his usual 8…

Alan successfully runs a Scrabble club in LA in the Fairfax area that meets every Wednesday night. So coming to Club 34 is not that easy for him. I think he comes for the competition, the ambience and the free pancakes. But he did come and came away with a 7-1 record as I did. Our only defeats were to each other. So Alan came very close to the $10 award for a perfect day. That would have certainly paid for his gas coming and going…

I want to remind everyone to let me know if they have an amazing Scrabble achievement during the day so I can post it in the following Blog. There is noway I can know this if I am not told… For the last afternoon game against Paul Rickhoff, I posted a score in the 640s so I am pretty sure it will be the high game of the year. We shall see.

Amnon has completed the stats for last year and has posted January’s on our website. Go take a look. He has done an amazingly professional job with this, a very important task because financial awards will be given out at the end of the year for Scrabble achievements. He is also in the process of updating the photo gallery which will show what we look like–active and inactive members as well as those in memoriam. We will never forget those who came before us and made Club 34 what it is today.

Club 34 now has its own police officer. Maxine Marcus showed up Tuesday with her very own police gear. It seems as if she has joined a police volunteering group. What more can this lady do?? She jumps out of an airplane when she turns 75, now this. At least you know who you can turn to if you should get a parking ticket etc…

On a more somber note I think we have lost a membrr of Club 34 for the following year. Rick Duncan has taken on another full time gig in Alhambra preaching the gospel I suppose. So he wont be able to join us or SuperScrabble for the time being.

I am no longer actively looking for new players but they just seem to be falling out of the trees. Tuesday afternoon I received a text from someone new who along with her fiance wanted to join us for the evening session. And that they did… Karla Rojas is a college graduate from UCSB in molecular cellular biology. She works in medical research. Fiancee Brad Long is in tech support and what I really admired about him is that he is from Kansas City and of course a big Chiefs fan. So he has automatically risen to the top of Club 34 in my eyes. I think both are keepers and will be welcome sights for the Tuesday night session. Along with Carley Blaney who made her inaugural appearance a few weeks ago, the median age of Club 34 has dropped significantly. Carley just told me that she can only make the first two games on Tuesday afternoon because of other engagements. So I am allowing her to come for the first two games only so she gets involved with Club 34 as soon as possible.

These are happy times in my life. My beloved Kansas City Chiefs are back in the Super Bowl where they belong for the third time in the past four years. If they win September 12, drinks will be on the house the following Tuesday. So keep your fingers crossed…In my mind Pat Mahomes is the GOAT or will be in a few years now that Tom Brady has retired for good. What he did last Sunday beating the Cincinnati Bengals on ONE leg could only remind you of Kirk Gibson, Willis Reed, Michael Jordan!!

There has been a slight change to the club divisions. Palmos, Scafuto and Bennett have moved to Division B and the 3 new players are in Division C.

GO CHIEFS!!!

The Director

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Finally!!

We finally got some good weather Tuesday. Club 34 benefited the most with 20 and 9 in attendance. I am so pleased to see the level of competition rising at the Club. The days of 8-0 or 7-1 may be over but no one is happier about that than I am. With the arrivals of Ken Louie, Gary Moss, Yuki Loritz, Evelyn Davis along with regulars Bruce, James Cassidy and myself Club 34 is getting stronger and better.

In my first two games Tuesday I played algebra, seedily and toadies in succession. In the very next game against Yuki she played electing, foredate and broiled back to back to back. The first game was against Evelyn. That reminded me of the prize structure I created some time ago but really has not been enforced because club members do not bring that to my attention. Three bingos in succession is a prize category.. So here is my updated prize structure which I will keep simple.. These categories apply to all divisions. And here they are….

$2 for a 500 game

$ 5 for a 600 game and 3 bingos in a row

$25 for a 700 game and a spot on the 6:00 news

$10 for a 8-0 day. So you have to play both sessions obviously.

One interesting play I want to mention from Tuesday’s action from our very own Bruce in our afternoon game. There was a ti on the board. His rack was eeilmst…. What did he play??? timeliest. I held for a minute since 9 letter bingos are not my forte. But knowing that timelier is good, timeliest had to be and it was. A very nice play!!

How many times have I said that ‘anyone can beat anyone at this game’?? In the evening game #1 I played Joanie and got whomped. I love apple pie with a scoop of ice cream on top, banana cream pie…But humble pie??

On a more somber note Ricky Hwa who has been a Tuesday night regular this past year has to take a 3 month break from Club 34. He injured his knee doing what 90% of Club 34 members do on a regular basis–long distance running. So he is in physical therapy for the next 3 months and hopes to be back after that..

I always try to promote the other local clubs whenever I can. SuperScrabble met Thursday for their monthly meeting. A club so well run by Yuki and Evelyn you should try it. Its a lot of fun with great food. I met Susan Rice who was a regular Club 34 member pre-Covid. Susan’s passion is bicycling. She has done it allover this country and Europe. But she had a serious accident in September near her home, nearly died, but is now on the mend. She promises to return to Club 34 when she feels better.

Bruce reopened his club in Santa Monica 2 weeks ago. It meets Saturday morning from 10-2pm, Try it out. You can spend the whole day in Los Angeles–first at Bruce’s club, then lunch at the very famous Nate and Als deli in Beverly Hills and cap it off with a Hollywood tour under the directorship of Alan Stern. Now that is a day full of fun…….

Just 3 more months until Desiree’s 102nd BD. Circle April 18. Lots of laugh and birthday cake…..

See all of you Tuesday..

The Director