Achievements and Accomplishments Thread

[dannyb]

Sometimes a blind squirrel finds a Baccarat vase full of acorns.

[Naboka]

Sometimes a blind squirrel finds a Baccarat vase full of acorns.

The squirrel would leave the vase and waste half the acorns. Even the best salesman couldn't convince a squirrel that a Baccarat was valuable. (If he/she spoke "squirrel.")

Spent hours looking out at the backyard, sometimes watching the squirrels hide nuts for the winter. Amusing to watch how carefully and diligently they select their hiding spots. Don't think they really can remember where they put them all because I find them by the dozens during spring planting. (We have walnut trees.)

Just like playing this game, trying to find all the nuts we've stored, only to forget where we put them.

After the third game in a row scoring in the low 300's against games with high scores in the 500's...

Perhaps it's time ....

Il faut cultiver notre jardin.

Literally.

[bwt1213]

I have plants in pots on my deck. We have lots of squirrels. They often dig up plants in those pots, looking for nuts they could never have planted in them. They also dig holes in the garden for the same reason, often destroying plants there, too. So now all the plants on the deck are surrounded by chicken wire to keep the squirrels out. And the little buggers will try to pry the chicken wire cylinders apart to get inside, too. And no, it's not that they want to eat the plants for food; they don't eat the plants, just tear them to pieces and then dig holes in the soil in the pot. They're vandals. I think if I want to tend my garden, I should probably have a greenhouse. With steel doors the squirrels can't chew through.

[Naboka]

I have plants in pots on my deck. We have lots of squirrels. They often dig up plants in those pots, looking for nuts they could never have planted in them. They also dig holes in the garden for the same reason, often destroying plants there, too. So now all the plants on the deck are surrounded by chicken wire to keep the squirrels out. And the little buggers will try to pry the chicken wire cylinders apart to get inside, too. And no, it's not that they want to eat the plants for food; they don't eat the plants, just tear them to pieces and then dig holes in the soil in the pot. They're vandals. I think if I want to tend my garden, I should probably have a greenhouse. With steel doors the squirrels can't chew through.

Never had a squirrel dig in our potted plants except to try to bury their nuts. That's reaaly interesting.

Raccoons however!!!! A major pain.

Since we have ponds in the back, raccoons love to visit for the water and a chance to catch a fish, which is rare. They have also dug up every single potted plant in search of who knows what. Certainly not for the insects because there are none in the pots. I've found that using epsom salts, especially scented bath salts prevents that headache. Raccoons don't like the smell.

For a while I was trapping them and driving them 10 miles north to a forest across the river so they couldn't return. Then I saw all the roadkill and started having second thoughts. When I trapped a couple of kits and let them go, they wouldn't leave. They just stood there looking at me with such sadness and apprehension. I couldn't shoo them away. It was like they were begging me to reconsider. I almost put them back in the cages and took them home. Heartbreaking.

Haven't used the traps since. Just accepted that nature has needs just like we do. And feelings.

[bwt1213]

Raccoons carry a parasitic worm which they can pass to humans. The worm doesn't do any particular harm to the raccoons, but in humans the worm can't find the places it likes to inhabit in raccoons. It often ends up in the brain or the eyes. For that and other reasons, having pet raccoons is discouraged. Good that you didn't and that you kept your distance.

Sometimes nature's needs are not nice. It's a tough world out there in a lot of ways people don't know about. But I think my squirrels are vandals, really. Some of my neighbors feed them stale bread, and we never do. The squirrels probably have a tramp stamp on our house that says something like "cheapskates here, get 'em".

[Naboka]

Raccoons carry a parasitic worm which they can pass to humans. The worm doesn't do any particular harm to the raccoons, but in humans the worm can't find the places it likes to inhabit in raccoons. It often ends up in the brain or the eyes. For that and other reasons, having pet raccoons is discouraged. Good that you didn't and that you kept your distance.

Sometimes nature's needs are not nice. It's a tough world out there in a lot of ways people don't know about. But I think my squirrels are vandals, really. Some of my neighbors feed them stale bread, and we never do. The squirrels probably have a tramp stamp on our house that says something like "cheapskates here, get 'em".

Round worm. Baylisascaris procyonis.

My neighbor's cousin died from it--so he says, but... who knows. It's pretty rare. They crap on pretty much everybody's decks around here and no one has gotten it in the 25 years we've lived here. And everyone has had to clean up their messes.

The parasite's eggs are especially prevelant in raccoon excrement. They have latrines where they take a dump over and over. Cleaning that stuff up is extremely dangerous for the reasons you mentioned. But if you wear gloves and don't ingest the eggs, it's not that big a deal.

As an aside, I'm highly allergic to poison ivy. But, I can pull it out of the ground with bare hands and not get a rash if I immediately wash off the poison ivy oils (urushiol--been waiting to find that one on a Wordtwist board) with plain water.

[dannyb]

Naboka, I just came across a board that you outscored Megaword on. Hmm, I suspect performance enhancing vegetables! That is a slippery slope my friend. First you dabble with an arugula salad, then you move on to snowball radishes sauteed in brown butter and capers. Then it won't be long before you are wolfing down vegetarian collard greens. THE HORROR, you won't even bother to throw a smoked turkey wing into the pot. Is it time for an intervention? I suggest a bacon cheeseburger.

[Naboka]

Naboka, I just came across a board that you outscored Megaword on. Hmm, I suspect performance enhancing vegetables! That is a slippery slope my friend. First you dabble with an arugula salad, then you move on to snowball radishes sauteed in brown butter and capers. Then it won't be long before you are wolfing down vegetarian collard greens. THE HORROR, you won't even bother to throw a smoked turkey wing into the pot. Is it time for an intervention? I suggest a bacon cheeseburger.

Hilarious.

Your kitchen must be loads of fun.

Snowball radishes. Had to look them up. Gonna have to grow them. Never suspected they were so nutritious. (And can be used in grilled cheese.)

An intervention? As briar rabbit says, "Please don't feed me any bacon cheeseburgers!

Outscoring Megaword ? Just proves that even the best have brain farts. Probably some anomaly where he overlooked "kurchatoviums" or was interrupted by a Nigerian Prince wanting to buy his house in any condition, full cash offer.

Who can steer their ship through Wordtwist with Sirens calling?

[JohnAkaMrP]

Possible candidate for 4x4 board of the year/decade/century. A glorious 682 possible words, involving all the right letters in all the right quantities in just about a perfect orientation. About the only thing you could fault is the lack of an s to make -ing words into -ings words. I scored a personal best 160 words and nearly also set a new personal best for overall score. If I were to do an after-action review on my play, I would key in on failing to play a lot more of those -ing possibilities, but I think my brain was overloaded with just so many words to play.

By the way, I don't come to forum often, but I've been meaning to stop in and nominate Naboka in the category of 'Folks Who Have Transitioned from Really Good Players to Ridiculously Good Players.' I suppose we're all improving to some degree over time, but Naboka, it feels like you somehow took yourself to a whole next level in a short period of time. Any tips, or was it more like brute force from playing more and more?

John
Wordtwist new high word score (724 160).PNG

[2cute]

I've been meaning to stop in and nominate Naboka in the category of 'Folks Who Have Transitioned from Really Good Players to Ridiculously Good Players.'I suppose we're all improving to some degree over time, but Naboka, it feels like you somehow took yourself to a whole next level in a short period of time. Any tips, or was it more like brute force from playing more and more?
John

Here here Naboka ... you have my vote!

[jbud1980]

Possible candidate for 4x4 board of the year/decade/century. A glorious 682 possible words, involving all the right letters in all the right quantities in just about a perfect orientation. About the only thing you could fault is the lack of an s to make -ing words into -ings words. I scored a personal best 160 words and nearly also set a new personal best for overall score. If I were to do an after-action review on my play, I would key in on failing to play a lot more of those -ing possibilities, but I think my brain was overloaded with just so many words to play.

By the way, I don't come to forum often, but I've been meaning to stop in and nominate Naboka in the category of 'Folks Who Have Transitioned from Really Good Players to Ridiculously Good Players.' I suppose we're all improving to some degree over time, but Naboka, it feels like you somehow took yourself to a whole next level in a short period of time. Any tips, or was it more like brute force from playing more and more?

John
Wordtwist new high word score (724 160).PNG

Congrats John. You are one of the best players here, and yes, I agree that Naboka is a ridiculously good player who is now a Big Fish like yourself and many others. From what I gather he spent a lot of time studying and getting better with time. It's quite admirable, tbh.

[dannyb]

Since I am a two finger hunt and peck typist, after I click play, I take a glance at the board memorize a section of the board that "looks good" look down at the keyboard and peck through the combinations. With that first look I often get over 100 points, sometimes over 200 points and occasionally over 300 points. I just had a 456 point "one look" opening. That is a record for me (ended up with 579 points with a lot more "looks"). I just felt that I needed to blow my own horn.

[Naboka]

Since I am a two finger hunt and peck typist, after I click play, I take a glance at the board memorize a section of the board that "looks good" look down at the keyboard and peck through the combinations. With that first look I often get over 100 points, sometimes over 200 points and occasionally over 300 points. I just had a 456 point "one look" opening. That is a record for me (ended up with 579 points with a lot more "looks"). I just felt that I needed to blow my own horn.

Danny, I can thank you for part of the strategies that changed my game. Getting 456 points on a single look is mind boggling!

[Naboka]

Adding green (unique plays) to a board has always been fun. It's like adding value.

This is the first time getting over 100 greens on an already played board.

Screen Shot 2022-07-16 at 10.12.46 AM.png

[dannyb]

Adding green (unique plays) to a board has always been fun. It's like adding value.

This is the first time getting over 100 greens on an already played board.

Screen Shot 2022-07-16 at 10.12.46 AM.png

Nice, over 100 greens is very impressive. I'm going to have to see how many greens i can get on a board.