My Review of 2019

MY REVIEW OF 2019

This year has been a year of significant transformation in my life.

In May, I got a voluntary job for the first time in 7 years in a charity shop and developed a new love for Brazilian language, food, music and culture. Unfortunately, I left the job in December, however, in return, I have made some new friends and I am getting the opportunity to get meet new people all around London.

 I won the under 1700 CCF Rapid-Play championship grading prize back in May. However, while playing in a Rapid-Play event, I had this feeling in my heart that told me that it is now time for me to move on from Chess and focus on other goals in my life. I have decided that I will retire from over-the-board tournament play after 15 years as a member of South Norwood Chess Club and 20 years of playing overall. It has been an emotional journey with the game of Chess and I am sure that I will miss it dearly when it all comes to an end but I am thankful for everything that the game has offered me because it has made me the man and person that I am today.

I have also been made a trainee accountant for the same building that South Norwood Chess Club are based. This is great for me because I actually have a qualification in accounting and now I finally get the chance to make use of it.

There is actually a lot that I am looking forward to in 2020.

Here are the gifts and lessons that I have been given this year.

GIFTS

• A new voluntary job.
• A new foreign language journey with Portuguese.
• New self-designed yoga routines.
• A developing sense of fashion.
• Language exchange sessions
• New retail skills
• New inter-personal skills
• The 2019 U1700 CCF Rapid-play grading prize.

LESSONS

• I still get overwhelmed by loud sounds and music .
• The best medicines are natural ones like fruit and vegetables .
• I still suffer from anxiety and overwhelm when I am having to do too many things in a short period of time.
• I have to be honest about my autism spectrum diagnosis no matter how painful it may be to disclose it.
• People who act without conscience can have an overwhelming impact on me.