(1323) AN APPRECIATED BREAKFAST CONVERSATION

THE GUY FROM BANK OF HAWAII CUT THIS CARD
         I'm wondering why a man from Bank of Hawaii called me and ask to get my new card/s (Savings joint account with my wife), when the expiration is still in 2018. He used a scissor to cut my card into half and replaced it with a new one that is exactly the same as the old one. The new expiration date is now Dec. 2019 and the double "good thru" (one big and one small), is now only one and very small.

         AN APPRECIATED BREAKFAST
                      CONVERSATION

 

                THREE days before Christmas, I happened to have a good conversation with Food and Beverage Manager of Palau Royal Resort Mervin Lee Cuyugan at breakfast time at Cafeteria of PRR.

                I started the conversation with, “I’ve got a call from Bank of Hawaii telling me to go there tomorrow to get my new bank debit savings card/s. When I check the expiration of the old one that they will replace, it’s still in Sept. 2018.”

                He asked if that’s the usual procedure. I said no but they charged $4.00 every month to savings deposit if your deposit is less than $400.00. I also added that it’s a joint account of me and my wife Flor. Mervin asked how much is the interest rate in Palau. I said, in late 1990’s, it’s very good with us getting interest every month of $38.00 or $45.00 but now, not even $2.00 in one year!

                I also mentioned to him that when I go to Norway for the 2014 World Chess Olympiad, I used my 2 debit cards to purchase items in Norway and Philippines. When I come back to Palau, my card in Bank of Guam has been blocked because I’m supposed to inform the bank that I will use that card in other countries outside Palau.

                4 days before going to 2016 World Chess Olympiad in Baku, Azerbaijan, I informed Bank of Hawaii about my trip to Philippines, Thailand and Turkey (for stopover), and the final destination – Azerbaijan. The lady employee of Bank of Hawaii is not sure about Azerbaijan. I explained to her that it’s the former republic of USSR, which now becomes 15 independent countries (Russia, Armenia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Kyrghyztan, Belarus, Tajikistan, Moldova, Turkmekistan, Latvia, Estonia, Kazakstan and Lithuania) To be sure, she looked at the list of countries and in letter A, she found Azerbaijan.

                The same thing when I asked permission to use my Bank of Guam card in Philippines, Thailand and Turkey (just in case I need to use it) and Azerbaijan. I have to explain the same thing about the former USSR.

                We talked also about GM Eugene Torre and his wife Marylin, where we are at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of 2012 and 2014 World Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, Turkey and Tromso, Norway respectively. About him being Asia’s first Grand Master.

                I mentioned to him the latest achievement of Filipino GM Wesley So, who changed federation 2 years ago (USA), winning 2 strong tournaments and achieving a 2807 FIDE rating and now No. 4 in the world. He’s No. 48 in 2013. It was shared to me by my best friend CM Joselito Marcos…

                “Wesley So won the London Chess Classic ($75,000 winner's prize). He also topped the Grand Chess Tour ($100,000).
                He is now 4th in world ranking with 2807 (achieved his goal before 2016 ends) behind Magnus Carlsen (2840), Fabiano Caruana (2827) and Vladimir Kramnik (2810).

"He showed great consistency and, bad news for opponents, he's still improving," Kasparov tweeted.

"To win two of the strongest tourneys in a year, two in a row, is a huge achievement."-Kramnik.

"I guess the word that comes to mind is effortless. He doesn't even seem to be trying too hard."-Viswanathan Anand.

"He's the hottest player right now."-Hikaru Nakamura. Wesley is now 4th in the live rating list with 2807.8 and there are only 4 of them on 2800s.”

                At the end of our conversation, Mervin said something that I rarely heard from somebody who has learned a lot from a simple conversation –“I appreciate this conversation that my knowledge has improved about this subject – chess.”

                I have the same appreciation to CM Joselito Marcos whenever we have talked about different subjects and mostly, I am the one who is saying what Mervin have said to me.

                When I am delivering message to Morning Devotion, Offertory Message and Evangelistic Night messages at Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ (4^th Watch) Palau Locale, I used to mentioned that before becoming a brethren of this church, my conversation with anybody will last for hours if the topic is chess and music. But now, I can talk for hours if the subject is chess, music and the Gospel or Bible.

Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez

                  Tia Belau Newspaper

                  December 29, 2002 -- December 31, 2016

                  Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez

                  Tia Belau Newspaper 

                  March 15, 2012 -- April 18, 2013

                  http://palau-chess.blogspot.com

                  April 25, 2013 -- December 31, 2016

                  Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)

                  The Beginning of Chess in Palau

                  By Roberto Hernandez

                  Soon to be published as a book  

                  The History of Chess in Palau

                   By Roberto Hernandez

                   June 09, 2002 -- December 31, 2016