[quote]Also last week, I lost horribly in a chess match in the city, which was humiliating and reflects my failure at becoming a descent chess player after 9 years of teaching it to myself. People don't understand what it is like to lose at an intellectual game that is about memorization and out-smarting someone else.

Losses are tough... it's dealing with them afterward that means the most. No pep talk here... just pointing out that a loss is a loss...one loss.

This week a photo of mine was nominated in a contest for Canadian photographers, and, like the chess match, I lost that too.
Congratulations on having a photo nominated.

And don't start me on the awkward and ultimately unsuccessful attempts over the last few weeks to socialize with women. What is the purpose in discussing this anymore? Women don't like me, they never have, they won't in the future, and there is nothing I can do about that.
Mr V...that's negative thinking. More than that, it's wrong thinking. You haven't met all the women that you will mean. And seriously... all it takes is one woman. She is out there. I can say that with a lot of confidence.

I hate who I am.
So do I at the moment so I can't offer much encouragement... lets hope we won't hate who we are tomorrow.