Tag Archives: Jared Hoadley

Ancestry Thursday Rundown

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And just like that, March will soon give way to April. But on this April Fools’ Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve, let’s reflect on some random topics…

Sloan’s Cake – You all know the drill, when our family celebrates a birthday, I always showoff the cake in the following Thursday Rundown. Sloan specifically requested a cake that was teal and pink so we made it happen. We trusted the skilled and talented bakers at Rosauers to turn Sloan’s wish into reality.

Rosauers baked and decorated Sloan’s 8th birthday cake.

Pope Francis Recovery – Thanks be to God, Pope Francis has been released from the hospital. Over the past couple days, details have emerged regarding how close he was to death. With these reports, there is no doubt in my mind that God still wants Pope Francis on this earth to preside over the Church. I admire the Pope’s medical team and the faithful who feverishly prayed for him.

It is important that we continue to pray for Pope Francis.

Flipside – Did you ever play Bop-It when you were a kid? We had one that we played over and over. For Sloan’s birthday, she received a gift from one of her friends that reminded me of Bop-It. Called Flipside, the object is to match the colored blocks to the lights. It has caught on like wildfire in my family. Sloan, Beau, and even Sid can’t get enough of it. In fact, Sloan is so smitten with the game that she has played it on the car ride to school this whole week. Overall, I am happy for the kids to have a handheld they can engage with that isn’t a smart device.

Sloan playing Flipside in bed.

National Scrabble Day – I would be remiss if I didn’t take a moment to mark National Scrabble Day. Scrabble was my family’s favorite game growing up as we played many intense, competitive rounds. When we moved back to Spokane five years ago, I was delighted to dust off the board and play a game with everyone for old times’ sake. Another fond memory I have of Scrabble is from the sixth grade. My teacher, Mr. Jared Hoadley, took our class to a neighboring rival elementary school to play its sixth grade class in a Scrabble tournament. We might have mobile apps like Words With Friends and Wordle, but the ultimate word game will always be Scrabble!

A look at our Scrabble board from my homecoming game five years ago.

23andMe Tough Times – An item in the news cycle this week is the bankruptcy of personal genomics giant 23andMe. The industry has fallen on tough times and it has specifically impacted 23andMe in a negative way. I find it a shame because these companies truly provide fascinating and accurate information. Nearly seven years ago I opted for the competition and submitted my sample to AncestryDNA. I learned a lot about my heritage. The test was actually a birthday gift from my mom who spent $99 on it. Let me tell you, it has been a gift that continues to give. To this day, I still receive emails notifying me about new matches when relatives (both near and distant) submit their own tests. My wife took a 23andMe test in 2019.

My Ancestry DNA test confirmed a lot of what I already knew about my heritage.

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Thanks for your time this evening. Enjoy your last weekend in March and we will be in touch next week. Don’t Blink.

A Dying Game

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In sixth grade, my class was taught a unit not mandated in any curriculum you will find. In fact, the unit centered on a game. In my last year of elementary school, I was taught chess.

My sixth grade teacher, Mr. Jared Hoadley, taught our whole class how to play the strategic game of chess. I can still see him sitting up front in class holding different pieces and telling us what they could do on the board. Before long we knew that the horse piece was called a “knight” and that your queen was the most powerful piece in the game. Soon, we were all playing matches against each other. Mr. Hoadley was making nerds of us all.

Well, not really. There is a perception that chess is played by antisocial brainiacs but the reality is that the game is played by all types of people across numerous countries. What is true, however, is that the overall number of people playing and learning chess is declining. But honestly, is it really a big surprise? With electronics and the culture we live in today, folks don’t necessarily want to learn a complex game and then sit down and devote an hour to playing it.

Never mind the fact that chess can be played on any iPhone or computer, the game itself (perception and complexities included) just seems to turn people off these days. Heck, the game seemed to turn most people off before I even started playing it around 17 years ago.

So why even play it? Come on Brent, just because you are getting all nostalgic about your elementary school days does not mean we should start playing an outdated game. I understand what you are saying, but…

Today I talked to someone who was on fire for the game of chess. He had just returned from a major tournament and is climbing his way up to the Chess Master level. Even though I am as amateur as they come with regards to chess, I was still able to chat with him about the game. It made me miss it.

We should play chess because it is a classic, thinking-person’s game. It is based on strategy. Every war and every sports metaphor is relatable in chess. If you like competition, if you like the idea of matching wits against someone, if you like locking yourself down for a battle of intellect then chess is your game. Patience and aggression are both key. If nothing else, at least learn how to play.

Do you play chess? If you do, I would like to know. Also, if you have ever taught someone to play it before I would like to know. Until then, check mate. Don’t Blink.