Me vs. Myself

Fantasy Football

2006-10-23T11:35:00.000-07:00

Clever title huh. So fantasy football has nothing to do with poker I know but I've been taking some incredible "bad beats" this league. That said let me give you the scoop. I wasn't able to be there during the live draft so I had a coworker draft for me (dangerous because he's in the draft too and could potentially sabatoge me). About halfway through the draft I go to my computer and set it on autopick so my coworker doesn't have to draft for me anymore. I end up getting about 7-8 quarterbacks, which turned out to be good because I was able to trade people for receivers. Ok, week one, I dominate and win. Week two, I barely lose, this is ok, things happen. Week three, a team that has prior to and since averaged only 51 points scores 116 and beats me? Ok unusual but can happen. Week four, a team that was 0-3 and averaged 64 points a game scores 112 to my 103 and wins. This is starting to get weird. Week 5, same thing, week 6 SAME THING!!!! How is this happening? My team is averaging over 90 points a game. League average is 78 points a game. Teams with bad records and low averages get miraculous victories over me!? Ok, going into week 7, I'm heavily favored, his team averages 67 points to my 90 per game. They're starting Vick who averages 12 points a game. He gets 27. Starting TE for them, averages 3 points a game, gets 25 POINTS!!! What the f? So I'm down 99-91 going into tonight's game where I have T.O. and Witten, he has Toomer and Feely. So odds are I am going to lose yet again despite scoring over 90 points and possibly 100 points for the 2nd time. AHHHH!!! I know it's fantsay football and I really don't give a shit normally but this is such a crazy anomaly that I ust can't believe it or let it go. Oh well, I guess pocket queens and fantasy football have it out for me.... Until next time.

Me and G-Dub

2006-09-28T10:07:00.000-07:00

"There's an old saying in Tennessee - I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee - that says, fool me once, shame on - shame on you. Fool me - you can't get fooled again." ~ Bush

That about sums up how I felt last night. A work buddy is in town and we went with another co-worker to the Bike last night for a tournament. Surprisingly only 16 people showed and most of those 16 were pretty weak. I was doing well and when they condensed it down to the "final table" of 9, I was third in chips. This new guy at the table had been busting people at the other table with J4 offsuit against Aces and stuff like that so he more or less lucked into his chips. The other big stack was at my original table and he had skill. Deja Vu time, I pick up QQ in the small blind, new guy enters the pot, 2nd in chips raises, I like a dumbass move in with my Qs, new guy folds, 2nd in chips calls, KK vs QQ, I'm out. Just like that. Possibly the weakest field I'll ever see and I'm out. I stayed and watched because of my co-workers and they both did well. Neither finished in the money but one came close and gave the others a run for their money. I never explained my demise in the CSPC but it was extremely similar to this hand, small blind QQ, new guy raises, cutoff reraises, I move in, instant call, AA vs QQ, I lose half my stack and then things went south from there. So the moral of all of this. Don't overplay Queens. Or any hand for that matter. Why risk so many chips for such a relatively small pot AND why risk so much so early. I guess I was over eager to acquire chips but even a rookie knows better. Aside fplayinginng queens wrong, my game is stronger than ever. I feel some great things coming on and can't wait to get back on the felt. One last thing about playing the queens hands, both times I was in Seat #1 at Table #1. Yuck.

~80 of 419

2006-09-25T10:17:00.000-07:00

Not sure I'm up to describing all the great and magical hands that got me there or how I could have gone further. Maybe later this week or next. I will give a quick rundown of the pros I saw in the event, bold will indicate still in post my bust. (for the mentally challenged, that means not bolded names busted before me...)
PHIL LAAK
Kenna James
Jennifer Tilly
DAVID "THE DAGRON" PHAM
Amir Vahedi
Jeff Madsen
Marsha Waggoner (Kenna James' wife)
Mimi Tran
Nam Le
TUAN LE
TONY MA
Joe Sebok
There were several others that I either can't remember now or don't know their name but recognize their face from TV. (By the way they would be in lower case...)

On My Way

2006-09-20T17:37:00.000-07:00

So I was able to acquire the necessary chips to enter the $2500 California State Poker Championship Main Event. It took three trips to the Commerce to do it, although, two of the trips the satellites stopped early for that nights event. All-in-all I bet that if I would have spent a full day there I could have qualified in one, but it doesn't matter since the end result is the same. There was one satellite that was pretty much the make or break point of my hopes of getting in. I had done a last long earlier in the day for one $100 Tournament chip against two other players, I won and was up to 1600 in tournament chips. The make or break table I entered a last long with the same guy from earlier (actually I've played against him several times before and always beat him in the last long) along with one other guy. Then this third guy wants to play me one-on-one for last long, both last longs for $100T. I end up Rockin' the Casbah on this table and chop with one of the guys for $500T and then I took the last longs. I played one more satellite and went to the cashier to get my entrance, and of all seats I get Seat #1 Table #1. Guess I don't have to worry about getting moved. The tournament starts Saturday the 23rd of September at 1:00pm. If you read this before then please send a little mojo my way and little bit of good luck, it will be a tough field and I will probably need some. Thanks. Updates on Monday!!!

Yeah, Yur Probubly Right.

2006-08-31T15:29:00.000-07:00

Thanks Homestarrunner for the intro. Anywho, not to much on the old poker front. But it has been a while and thought it was time for a new post. Haven't really played much recently, had things to do and such. However, I have been gearing up mentally for the California State Poker Championship at the Commerce Casino in September. Should be a big one and I'm ready to take it down. I'm probably going to spend most of September playing SnG satellites at the Commerce unless I qualify quickly (which I plan on doing). Ideally, I would spend an entire day playing satellites and accumulate as many tournament chips as possible, even above and beyond the necessary amount for the main event. That way I could a) use those for smaller tournaments and get back into the MTT mindset and/or b) sell the extra chips and keep the cash. Last year before the LA Poker Classic (any of the events) people would play nonstop satellites and then sell the tourny chips for a "discount". For example, this time they have a $40 table, winner gets 300T and $30 cash. With the side action, there is always side action like who can last the longest (explain in a moment), you can really come out way ahead by selling the chips. So for 300T, which have no "real" value and cannot be cashed in at the Casino (for tournament use only) people sell them any where between $80-100 for each 100T. Usually you can only get $100 day of said tournament (maybe).

So back to the last long thing. Not everyone participates, which is actually good. What happens is someone says "Last long?" and of the 10 people maybe 6 will say yes. Those 6 people put in $20 and the guy that said last long keeps track of the money and the people in the contest. Then the person that lasts the longest out of those 6 people gets the side money or $120. So if you don't "win" the table you still can come out ahead. If you do win the table you really come out ahead. Well that's about it. Thanks for your support in advance, it felt good during the "Mini Series" to know people had my back. Hopefully I can grace the pages of Cardplayer again. Until next time.....

Chip Management

2006-07-31T17:18:00.000-07:00

Ok, so before I mentioned that I would try to incorporate a lesson in each post instead of griping about bad beats or talking up a big payday. Well, instead of only talking about those things... The main thought today is chip management. I've heard about this and read about it and thought I knew what it meant until the other day. Like I said I played in the Super Satellite for the $1000 main event at the Bike. There were 174 people with 17 getting into the main event. So 2000 in chips times 174 is 348K meaning the average stack at the end would be roughly 20K. So for the first time I actually thought about this and realized that if I could get to or around 20k I could ease up a little. See in a satellite like this you only need one chip when the bubble guy busts and you're in, so trying to win ALL the chips is not necessary. My goal was to acquire chips and avoid large pot situations unless I had the nuts. This worked very well for me and I always got my money in with the best hand and I made it through.

So, lets get on to the Main Event. 225 people showed up for a price pool of $225k, not to shabby. Only the top 27 get paid. I decided to take a steady approach, much like the one from the night before. By the way, we all started with $10k in chips, so the math shows the average stack of the "in the money" people would be roughly $83k. I decided $100k would be my goal and then eventually get them all. I worked hard and by the time we got down to 5 tables I had roughly $160k in chips. I decided to slow way down and avoid big confrontations. I tried to pick my spots where I could steal without too much resistance and pick up the blinds, which blinds and antes by this time totaled $20k. Once in the money I went back into get more chips mode. I was card dead and my stack went down down down. I was down to $59k when I moved all-in with A-2 offsuit. I got two callers and won the hand when an Ace came on the flop. Blinds and antes included I was up around $189ish. Needless to say, I made the final table, which became a stand still. Antes were $5k with $15k and $30k for the blinds. Everyone took turns stealing the pot when I finally went all-in with A-8 offsuit and $105k. The guy that was in the pot with me had KJo and spiked a J on the flop. I was very happy with my play, minus a couple of hands that really cost me some chips but I recovered both times. I was very patient, focused and paid attention to my chips and what the average stacks were like. I never panicked or thought I was out of it. I think I finally have an idea of how to make it in the money now and I hope that this is the beginning of a long line of cashes. Just like with anything you do in life, if you stay true to your goals and work hard everything will come together and work out. It wasn't the first time and I know this won't be the last time but it certainly was pretty sweet. Try the how many chips will the average stack be approach next time you're in a tournament and see how that works for you. For me, it sets a tangible target instead of all of them. If you have an "average" stack once you're in the money you are bound to be in the middle and can easily move up the ranks. Stay out of pots with the big stacks (unless you have aces, kings or queens) and make the smaller stacks pay to see a flop. They usually are waiting for the other short stacks to bust so they can move up knowing that they are all but out of it. These are great places to keep your stack growing and your place in the tourny moving up. Good luck.

Liquor Up Front, Poker in the Rear

2006-07-27T14:39:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I had that Big Johnson T-Shirt. If you don't know about Big Johnson T-Shirts, that is probably a good thing. Anywho, since we last talked I went on a nice little run at the tables, 4th in a $69+6 FullTilt tourny of 122 entrants and 6th in a $10+1 FullTilt tourny of 432. And I had some decent results in a few cash games. Few things I've learned while playing away are patience and focus. Two things I really am not good at in regular life oddly enough. Unfortunately, I was unable to accomplish my goal of entering a WSOP event (any would be fine with me), mainly due to time. I've been travelling a lot and not really had the time to play as much as I would like or opportunity. Such is life and there is always next year.

That said, I went ghetto style and played in the "Mini Series" at the Bicycle Casino here in LA. It is basically the WSOP but at 1/10th the cost. I didn't fair well in one of the events. I was not patient and lost focus and was gone. Tonight is their "World Championship Main Event". I find it funny when places add World or International to their title to make it sound "better". Like Will Rogers International Airport in OKC. I lived there for 26 years and never once heard of an international flight in or out of that airport. Anyway, tonight's buy-in is $1,000 as opposed to the WSOP's $10,000. My bankroll would be seriously dented if I paid for that entry fee outright and my wife would seriously dent me if I took that money out of the bank. So, I entered last nights Mega Super Satellite, $110. 174 entrants 17 get in, 18th gets $440 cash. I started out with a fury and was up between 7 and 8 thousand (we started with 2) within the first hour. After the first four 20 minute rounds, we went on break. Thats when my cards went cold, ice cold. Over the course of the next hour and a half I played exactly one hand. I folded every big and small blind due to large raises and had to let go of marginal hands due to large raises (from solid players, if they were chumps I would have called). Anyway, I fought hard and stayed focused and patient. Needless to say, I made it into the top 17 and will be playing in tonight's Main Event. So look for an update tomorrow. So tonight's theme will be focus and patience. Good luck in your endeavors and talk to you tomorrow.

http://www.cardplayer.com/tournaments/results/2074

Final Table, 8 of 75.

2006-05-30T15:23:00.000-07:00

So about two months ago I decided to buy Phil Gordon's "Little Green Book". However, UPS left it on my porch and someone decided they needed it more than me. Instead of buying it again at B&N I bought Eric Lindgren's "Making the Final Table". Why? Well, I've read books on strategy or how to play particular hands, what to do with hands from group 3 in late position etc. But knowing how to play those hands and how to win a tournament are completely different. So I saw where Eric had made several final tables recently and thought, why not. I read his take on getting to the final table. Ways to be aggressive in the beginning, continuing that aggression and playing the bubble. I was about to go out of town and the Bicycle Casino was having a $100 buy-in NLHE tournament the Friday before I left. Taking my new knowledge I went in with the attitude, play to win, not survive. If you go out 10th you get the same as you would if you get knocked out 75th, which is nothing. First hand I pick up pocket 9s from late position and make a small raise. Flop comes all diamonds with my third 9. Pro, I have a set, con, someone has or is drawing to a flush. Checks to me so I decide to test the water and bet the pot or around that. It wasn't so much to commit me, but enough to see where I was. The checker moves all-in. I think, ok, if the board could pair my full house would be his flush, odds of this happening, eh. But if he had the flush why move in, he must be drawing with the Ace. Odds of him catching his flush, good. But remember I'm here to win not merely survive. I call. Sure enough he has the Ace of diamonds but no flush yet. I catch the other 9 for quads so it didn't matter and double up on the first hand. I continued to apply pressure the rest of the tournament, occasionally showing my good hands just to keep people guessing. If I never show down my cards people will eventually call my bluffs (which I rarely do, I always have something going if I bet). Plus people remember what they see better and if my hands aren't being shown on the river then by showing them my good hands they'll remember "this guy always has the nuts". I did make the final table (first one in live tournament play) however, I lost focus and was busted by aces shortly after final table play started and finished 8th. I feel that I could have done better but I shouldn't gripe about 8th. I've since read the rest of the book and think its pretty good. Some of the end is fluff but aren't most poker books?

Finally the Monkey Left!!!

2006-04-14T16:47:00.000-07:00

Long time not post. Sorry. Today's installment is to say that not all poker books are crap. I mainly play (about 98%) No Limit Hold 'Em. My skills as a NLHE player have really come along, but after suffering some really crappy hands (I know everyone gets a bad beat, this is not a complaint) I decided to take time off to reflect. You see, in order to learn you must evaluate things and try to understand the why. Why did I play that hand this way? Why did he bet half the pot and not more? So on and so on. During this reflection time I realized I am a one show pony, I only have one poker skill, No Limit Hold 'Em. So I decided to give Omaha a chance. Having bought other poker books to learn NLHE, I thought a book on Omaha would be useful. I purchased Ken Warren's "Winner's Guide to Omaha Poker: The Smart Player's Guide to Winning at Omaha" at a book store for $18 with my book store membership card. Notice I gave the author and book name but not the store name. That is because I am not getting paid by the book store to advertise for them, however, since I recommend this book I will give you the name. Here is the reason I endorse this book, the first tournament I entered on PP I won. Not placed or did well but WON. For those keeping score that is victory number UNO. Sure I've won single tables on PP and Bodog or the quarterfinal qualifiers on Bodog where 1 in 6 "win". But this was a regular old event with 265 entrants. I recently read some reviews that this book is ok or good as an intro. Maybe so. But I followed the "advice" almost to a T. And his reasoning and/or logic all showed to be legit. Sure it may have been beginner luck or any number of other things but I really do think I would not have won without reading this book. It all came down to hand selection and it paid to be patient (something I need to take over to my hold 'em game). Anyway, thanks for stopping by and good luck on the tables.

Poker Blog?

2006-02-21T14:39:00.000-08:00

So the week after the $300 debacle, I ponied up another $500 for another LA Poker Classic adventure. The end result was much better, 67/669. About 30 from the money. I could and should have made the money if not the final table but I think playing for that length of time caught up to me. I lost 30k in one hand and went on tilt for my last 18k (which was still really good in comparison to the rest of the table/other tables). Lesson learned, don't go on tilt. I recently purchased Zen and the Art of Poker. My knowledge of the game and it's subtleties, I feel, have grown significantly and far enough that I feel as though I can compete in most arenas. However, my mental game has been poor. I take the highs and lows well for a while then I snap. Hence the Zen book. So far it is really awesome at telling me what I should have already known but too stubborn to realize. Patience and lack of emotion are essential. Also, there is no past and no future, only the present. So from now on unless I win an event or do well or discover something new, only things that can help others with their game will be posted. I am going to try and post something helpful at least once a week about the game. (Note: it will mostly be about No-Limit Hold 'Em due to my background, but I will discus other topics too.) Peace.

$330 Buy-In Commerce Casino

2006-01-19T18:05:00.000-08:00

So the LA Poker Classic just got under way today with a $330 buy-in, $300 ($30 registration fee). They continue on until mid February when they have the $10k buy-in. So here is my hand by hand play.....

Hand 1: Middle position, 7 2 offsuit. FOLD!
Hand 2: Middle position, Q 6 offauit. FOLD!
Hand 3: Third to act, Kh Kd. Small blind in for 25, Big Blind in for 25. UTG folds, next guy limps in 25. Pot = 75. I raise to 150. Next guy calls. Folds around to my right, he calls. Pot = 500. Flop 5d 9h 8d. Check to me, I bet 300, my left calls, my right moves ALL-IN! Pot = 2450. I know neither one has aces, just because I would have been re-raised. My left I suspect had queens, jacks maybe 10s or AQ or AJ. My right I'm guessing had two diamonds, one being the ace or he's making a huge move at a huge pot early in the tournament (remember this is hand #3). I call. My left folds. Pot = 3500. My right turns over pocket 8s. I become a rail bird.

The End

Poker At The Bellagio

2005-11-28T17:46:00.000-08:00

Some friends of mine have been talking about going to Vegas for Turkey Day and considering my parents live on the other coast (Yes, it always comes back to the whole East Coast/West Coast thing) I was, pardon the expression, "all-in". Wife, not so much. She has fun when she goes, but by day two she is begging to leave. I guess its all the excess behavior (can't blame her too much). Anyway, the day our friends left, I was told I could leave earlier than usual from work, so I call my wife. After our friend and my harassment she gives in and we're off to Vegas. We stayed at the Hard Rock which was pretty fun actually. I prefer the music while gambling as opposed to the sounds of those pesky slots. I sat at the Blackjack table and was later joined by a guy I play hockey with that moved to Vegas and later by my wife. After we were each up a few hundo, we decide drinking at the "Pink Taco" was the next logical step. I proceeded to get way too drunk. So drunk I woke up drunk. We couldn't get tickets to Avenue Q with our friends so my wife and I went to Blue Man Group, good stuff. I then decided that moment was probably going to be my best chance to get some poker in, though I felt like crap still and still smelled like booze. Not exactly what I had in mind going to the poker room at the Bellagio.

I got in the 2/5 NL Hold Em after about 20 minutes, maybe 15. I played well at times and others I played as if I had never seen a card before. At one point I was down to about 50~60 then battled back to about 350 (oh yeah, 200 buy-in to the table, no more, no less). This is generally where some people who don't "feel it" get up and go home, especially if they had played for 2 hours. Me, not really. Though I had my moments of stupidity, I had the table pretty much pegged. And I honestly believe they thought of me a worthy adversary. Then after about close to five hours of play, the cards turn luke warm. Five out of six hands were pocket pairs. But with some retarded raises and semi-scary flops I folded what turned out to be winners. Tilt begins to creep in when I look down and see QQ. Frustrated with the lack of preflop calls when I raised I switched from my "normal" 15/25/30 preflop raise and raised to 20. I had been careful to vary my raise amounts and with which hands I raised with so not to say if I raise 25 I have Ace low kicker, 30 Ace high kicker etc. This actually did raise some eyebrows and to my dismay I received five callers. Scary. Flop came 10 7 7. Not too bad. I was only scared of pocket 10s, higher pocket pair (not really since there was no re-raise) or someone staying in with a lower pocket pair. I did think about the K 10 or A 10 as a reasonable hand to call a preflop raise, but I still felt my Queens were good. I bet 65 into a 100 something pot. Folds except for one guy. He mulled it over for a moment which told me A 10. My though was (as was his probably) I'm probably beat right now, but if an Ace comes up my two pair beats his or if another 10 comes up it will be concealed. Turn is another ten and I push the breaks and check, he checks. River is a Jack, he bets 40 and I call knowing I'm beat but on the off chance I'm wrong, I win about a $300 pot. I was right A 10 suited. My first "good" pocket pair and I get that. TILT TILT TILT. Maybe my preflop plan sucked, who knows but by this point I was ready to call it quits, depending the outcome of the next couple of hands. (I don't give up too easy) Needless to say I lost it all on the next hand on a semi-decent call when this total wild card went all in, and based on some of the cards he played I figured my A8s was good. Plus the fact that there was a raise with five callers then two people all in, so about 400-450 in the pot before I call. So I had the one guy but nut job actually had a hand, KK. Two diamonds did come but no Ace and his third King came which was unnecessary.

All in all, I had fun and I'm positive I could make some serious grip if I don't get trashed the night before, not that I'm making excuses. My B-/C game did well at that table so I'm sure my A game would bring in the bacon. Can't wait to go again, in the meantime, back to Hawaiian Gardens and The Bicycle to hone my skills.

Horseshoes and Hand grenades

2005-11-23T08:17:00.000-08:00

So as goes my weekly ritual, I made my way to a B&M to play some poker. I had been playing in the Hawaiian Gardens $100 NL Hold 'Em with one re-buy until I discovered the Bicycle Casino. They have at 7pm a $100 NL Hold 'Em tournament with no re-buys, Sunday through Friday night. So depending on the day I can just cruise up there and take a chance. So far I have yet to place in the money.

Last week I went and I played probably the best poker to date. Getting out of hands without losing too much, making the correct bets to push people out and just basically playing real solid poker. We started with only 34, which is actually the smallest the field has been so far, and were down to about 24~21 when this hand occurred. I'm up about 300 from the 800 start with a VERY large stack to my immediate left. He is new but from the few hands he played, he was crafty and knew how to use his stack to his advantage. The button is immediately to his left, so I'm two to the right. UTG folds, super short stack raises to 150 and it folds around to me. Now from what I had seen so far, roughly 95% of the time if someone at this table raised and there was a caller, everyone else folded which dictated my play. I look down to see two nines, so I decide just to call to keep from getting into too much trouble, just in case since there were others to act. AND just in case the short stack guy was waiting to move in, even though I had him 4 to 1 on chips. Well the guy on my left moves all in, which puts anyone at the table all in. Now in my head I'm thinking if anyone calls I'm out because I would certainly be beat. But if it folds to me, I consider calling. 1. At worst, I'm a 4 to 1 underdog against a higher pair with a chance to double up. 2. This guy has a huge stack and by me not showing real strength by just calling he could be making a move. Well it folds to me and I say lets gamble. A look of disgust comes on the chip king's face as he flips over pocket 7s. Great call on my part.... Until the flop is 7 8 6. He flops a set, BUT I'm still good with a 10, 5 or another 9, so I have 10 outs. Then the turn reveals another 8 and I'm down to two 9s. River is a Q. I still think I made the right move by calling the all in, and I think even if I had moved in before the reraise the guy to my left still calls. That's poker though.

So with the field being 34 and me playing great until I lost that hand, my confidence was boosted. I strongly feel like it will be very soon that I place or even win this thing.

Last night I go again but this time the field was up to 67. Doesn't matter, I've been playing great lately and no longer have the "Gee I hope I do better this week" mentality. So I win some hands in the beginning and I get into a zone. Possibly playing better than last week. Not to mention the cards were quite warm and even when they weren't I had the table read well enough I knew when to push and when to stay out. So I make to the first break, not bad but its usually after the break when I have a "Matasow". Not last night, I decide to switch gears and tighten up. I maybe tightened up too much because I folded the nuts three times when I could have been in for cheap. Moderate hands in great position and then the nuts on the flop, but I didn't care, I had to switch it up since I was starting to look loose/aggressive. Then the chips start coming after I double up with a pair of Jacks. Then I play this hand, which I still think I may have made the right call though I'm not convinced. I'm Big Blind, with 89o, two callers and the small blind calls. Four to the flop. Flop comes J 8 9. Magic, SB checks and I think I bet 125, not sure. Guy on my left raises 300, folds around to me and I raise to 1000. He thinks and calls. Now I'm thinking he has a 10. Turn is a 7, so I check, he checks. River is a King, check he bets 500 or 600 and I lay it down. If I call and I'm right I win a HUGE pot. But if I'm wrong and he has a 10, I still have chips but am weakened quite a bit. So I fold the next 5 hands just to avoid making a tilt decision. I claw my way back up and down. I look up and there is about 5 minutes left in the round and we're down to 2 tables of 9. (Actually one with 8 and mine with 9) I had moved in with AK to steal the blinds and one caller (100/200) so 500, up to about 1600. Blinds are going to be 100/200 with 25 ante after the break so my M is getting small, not to mention my stack relative to the average is small too. Two hands after AK I get JJ. I'm in late position, one caller I move in again and everyone instantly folds except for guy that calls almost too fast. His chips were in and his cards were flipped before I even knew he called it was so fast. Of course he had pocket Kings but what could I do? Short stack, late in the game, pocket Jacks. So I finish 17 out of 67, my best yet. 1-9 got paid so I didn't make the money but it was certainly a rush to get that far. Soon, very soon it will be all mine!

By the way, I've stopped playing online as much and noticed my live game has improved significantly.

Thinking

2005-10-18T08:58:00.000-07:00

So this morning I was taking care of business (#2), and was thinking of some ideas for a post. I had a few but didn't write them down so now I just have snippits of what I think I might have said. Not really good enough for the extremely high standards I put on my self for this most excellent blog. Ok, maybe it is good enough but I digress.

So I can't remember what I would have posted, oops new thought, how about a Tribute to the Greatest Post in the World! This isn't it nor is it anything like the "Greatest Post in the World!" Nah, that idea was already taken by The D, but with song. Well, back to my other random thought as I had semi-originally tried to start. Why do we always come up with our best ideas on the can? Is it because we push hard (sometimes) forcing blood to our head, thus giving our brain more oxygen or brain food? Is it because what we're doing can be quite foul and we try to think random thoughts to keep from thinking about poo or the awful smell? Or is it because we're bored? Or, and I think this is probably it, the toilet has mystical powers and allows our brains to communicate with aliens from other planets without our knowledge and we just think we came up with great things like the flux capacitor and such. Or maybe this post should be flushed down the toilet. Hey, no one said this would be a good post. The point is I'm posting. More frequently than normal. Get off my back already for forgetting the good ones. (now sobbing)

Comments, comments, comments.

2005-10-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

So I realized yesterday that I haven't posted in a while. This is not from a lack of (what ever the verb is for looking at other peoples' blogs, is that blogging? Blooking? Looging?). I have been frequenting the oh so funny and entertaining PlatKat , the girlfriend of a friend of a friend of mine, this Phony guy , and this very offensive shock blogger Earl . Interesting how the name Earl coincides with the new TV Show My Name is Earl, which I happened to watch the other night. Although it was somewhat predictable and cheesy, it was way better than "reality TV".

Side note: As much as I don't like "reality TV", I found myself engulfed in The Biggest Loser and some other show the other night until my wife called me out on it. I put myself in timeout for five minutes and then felt pure again.

So back to the blooking/looging thing. Maybe I've been lazy in my creativity and have used other peoples' (is it s apostrophie or apostrophie s?) blogs as an idea giver. This sucks because I am creative and if I comment on someones blog and they return to mine, all they see is the same damn poker post from a month ago. So I will try to post daily or bi-daily or possibly tri-daily or maybe I'll just try daily to post. Until tomorrow, drop it like its hot. (whatever that means)

Am I Retarded?

2005-09-18T03:45:00.000-07:00

So, Am I retarded? That is the question of the hour (or as my peeps say. teh hour). Yeah, thats right mother fuqers, I said "my peeps". That includes cahcah, kat, and gus. Those are the only three people that I can think of that actually read this piece o' crap blog. Anywho, I won tonight poker tournament. That is I won the first go round then I lost the second go round. I still came out ahead, but needless to say I won. I won a tournament. Shouldn't I be able to beat better players if I can beat "maniacs"? Yeah well, I suck against "real" playaz. This is me and I'm out!

P.S. Don't mind this, I'm drunk!

Apologies

2005-09-14T17:10:00.000-07:00

I apologize for going off about bad poker hands. It is a part of the game and in a given amount of time one will receive as many as they give. The object is to play hands such that you receive less, but sometimes no matter what you do (besides fold or not play) it doesn't work in your favor. I love poker and will continue to play. I will try to refrain from griping about bad hands in the future so I won't sound like a big fat cry baby. On an up note, I won my first tourney the other night, single table, but still. It beats the 2nd, 3rd and 4th place finishes in single and mutli-table play. As Mike Sexton would say, may all your cards be live and your pots be monsters. (whatever Mike)

I Hate Poker

2005-09-14T00:30:00.000-07:00

Do I really or is this just some sort of frustrating release? KQ of diamonds, raise pre-flop, several callers. Flop Ks Jd 3d. Top pair with a flush draw and good kicker. Bet the pot two callers. ???? Next card 3c. Bet pot again. One caller. River 5d. Bet big, get re-raised? Call, the guy has 3 5 offsuit! Are you kidding me? Then again with the Kings similar and the guy has K 3 and while I have A K. King comes, large bet showdown full mother trucker house KINGS AND THREES!!!!! WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?!?! I know poker comes with bad beats but seriously, going in with the better hand, betting strong enough to move people out and nothing but a big fat turd. Did I mention I hate poker?

Work Efficiency

2005-09-12T09:52:00.000-07:00

Boys and girls gather round for another wacky and wild post. Okay, maybe not wacky and probably not that wild but it is a post and that is what I promised. I've actually been wanting to talk about this for some time but I got busy blogging about poker and poker.

So we all slack off at various times throughout the work day, admit it you do it too. It helps us from going insane from staring at a computer screen all day or putting buttons on Levi's (if you work in a sweat shop). But I have noticed something about this "slack off" time, Californians are way more efficient at not being busy with work. Example, in Oklahoma, there is a person that takes the daily crossword and makes copies of it with the company copier and distributes this crossword to a large group of people. These people spend part of their morning doing this crossword and then work on it throughout the day. I have even heard conversations about what 3-down is, "five letters second one is 'g'". So not only do these people use company time to do the crossword, they also use company resources. Now I have to admit I was part of the group when I first started and had not a lot to do. But this group, you can't get out of it. Its like a gang, without the getting jumped in thing. One day I cleaned my desk and I had about a hundred blank crossword puzzles.

The actual "break room" was co-located with the outdoor smoking lounge, thus whenever I went to get a Coke I saw the smokers outside. Many of which also subscribe to the daily crossword. So now these people are wasting company time by smoking. I'm not trying to be holier than thou, because I have slow days where I waste company time too. I'm merely stating that these people are now up to two non work related activities while at work. And its not as if they have one cancer stick a day, you can set your watch by these people, every hour on the hour. Some even every thirty minutes.

Then (here is where I fall victim to slacking off) there are the talkers. Amazingly enough, a lot of the crossword crew and the smoke section make up the busy bees. So all told you have 5-10 minutes dedicated to smoking, 5-10 on crossword and 10-15 on a conversation. At a minimum we're talking 20 minutes out of an hour of not working, or roughly 2 hours in an 8 hour work day (25%). At a max 35 minutes or 4 hours and 40 minutes a day (58%). These numbers may be too much but it all leads to this...

I get to California and here is how they do it. They have 1, ONE, paper in the smokers area and they as a group smoke and work on the crossword and talk. Yeah, that's right. All three at one time. I have no data on how much time they spend due to the setup here, but I was impressed at their efficiency in not being efficient. The irony, I wasted 15 minutes of work time writing this post, and you just wasted 10 minutes of your company's time reading this. Oh me.

What is a Blog Daddy?

2005-09-10T22:40:00.000-07:00

Ok kids, I know it's been a while so tomorrow I promise a new post. I was just checking out others and realized I haven't updated in a while. Sorry... to all three of my loyal readers.

Live Poker

2005-08-12T18:32:00.000-07:00

So I played in my first live tournament, NL Hold 'em. It had re-buys the first two rounds and an add-on before the third round. Not use to that format I folded a couple of big hands because of big bets. The best example is the following:
I was next to the Big Blind and had AKs (round 2 blings 15/30), I raise to 130. One caller then an All-in and an All-in behind him which would actually raise it. Now the first guy to go all-in had gone all-in before with Aces and I called with Kings and I caught a King on the flop to force him to re-buy. He had about 540 in chips and the other guy had about 700-800. I had both covered his all-in scared me out. Had I realized I could re-buy I would have called but instead I folded. They flip their cards over and before the flop comes I had both totally dominated. (SHIT!) So the flop comes with two spades, turn the third spade! (DOUBLE SHIT!!) I beat them both in the imaginary world of if I had only had some balls. I was big chip stack at the table before we got split up, without re-buys or add-ons by the way. I saw no point in buying 1000 more chips when I already had a big stack. Retrospect maybe I should have but it didn't feel right at the time. Anyhow, I got moved as people started dropping and was moved to a bad table. The guys next to me smelled like they just walked out of an alley and a distillery repsectively. Plus the table was a pai gow (or something other than poker table) which I couldn't understand because the casino had plenty of poker tables. I ended up on tilt because of these factors I think and lost a monster pot on a straight draw. I got moved again after that to a much nicer table. But by that point the blinds and antes were starting to eat away at me too much. SO I went all-in with 7s and was called by a guy with AK. Well he caught a K on the turn and I went home after about two hours and 20 minutes. No idea what I placed and it really doesn't matter since I lost but I learned a lot. I think as long as I can take away a new piece of knowledge about the game, I'm just investing into the future. Next time I'll know to call big bets if the re-buy option is there, chances are, I'll win and not have to re-buy. I can be more aggressive, which is how I play anyway. I think I'll go again soon, its a weekly tournament so I'll maybe become a regular in it. Until next time, keep winning, unless you're playing me.

Position, Position, Position.

2005-08-09T08:09:00.000-07:00

In real estate or any good business, the motto is "location, location, location". And I'm sure it sounds cliche but it is not only true but very important for poker players to know, "position, position, position".

In Doyle Brunson's Super System he describes how he plays particular hands and how he would potentially play them from various positions. He is very specific about AA, KK, AKs, QQ, "small" pairs (Jacks or lower) and suited connectors. He goes on to say any hand he explicitly did not mention he throws away. Of course this is very general because if he played exactly that way he would not be the legend he is. David Sklansky takes it a step further in Hold 'em: For Advanced Players. He places starting hands into groups: AA, KK, QQ, AKs are groups 1 and so on. Sklansky then describes when to play each group (I have yet to reach the part where he says how to play those hands. But the thing I got from both is position, also something that finally became clear when I sat down at a live table.

I sat down to play three times last night and I'll start with the last first. I had just played in a grueling tournament for two hours and couldn't fall asleep so I sat back down at a $50 max buy-in table (NL of course). It was a full table, or ring game as Mr. Brunson likes to say. So I used the combined knowlegde of position and card selection and as if it were a perfect world it worked. In fact, once I established a table image, I had complete control. The table was tight so I played loose and mostly stole blinds (too many people folding to even the slightest pre-flop raise). I was also getting good cards so that helped. I lost a few hands but that really helped me more than anything because it got people to call more. I was down to about $25 when I got hot and not even with great cards, mostly I just used the word of the day, "position". I turned things around and by the time the last person left the table I was up about $21 (the cost of the tourny I entered earlier). An example of using my position was I limped- in with nothing and the button after about 6 callers. I think I had 9 4 offsuit (yeah a real power hand). Anyway, the flop comes rainbow 2 Q J. Checks around to me, I bet the pot. I get one caller. Blank on the river, check to me, I bet half the pot and take it down. Aggression and position. Got to love it.

So the first time I sat down, I was thawing chicken and decided to entertain myself (ADD kicked in). Second hand I get pocket rockets. Usually I lose with the aces so I raised to $3. Oh yeah, blinds are $.50/1 NL $100 max buy-in. I get one caller (there were about 5 callers of the big blind). The flop comes 2c 10s 6h (or something like that, can't remember suits). I bet $10, the guy calls, I'm thinking Kings or maybe he played a Brunson? Turn is a deuce, so again I bet the pot, he calls. Now I'm thinking he's an idiot or has some magic cards. The river comes a magical Ace giving me the boat, I thinking this guy has a lot in this pot and he is representing a strong hand, so I go all-in with $53 (mind you this is my second hand). HE CALLS! Of course I take the pot and he mucks. On my fifth hand I bring down another monster pot and decide that the chicken has to be thawed by now. So six hands $150 up and I'm out like Seacrest. Now I know this doesn't happen all the time and that I happened to catch good cards and people willing to call, but I had to share the beauty of no-limit hold 'em.

Final story and then class will be dismissed. So all my poker talk has been about NL Texas Hold 'Em which happens to be the most popular thing out there right now. On the way back from OKC, I was reading Card Player magazine (and Brunson talked about it too in his book) about giving action to several types of games and being versatile. So last night I decided to play 7 card stud in a tournament (the $7000 Guarantee on PP). I'm not a stud player so I quickly scanned over what Super System had to say before I sat down in such a tournament. I mainly browsed the starting hand section and walked away not feeling like I had some mystical formula or anything, but for $20 what the heck. 376 was the final total of entrants raising the prize pool to $7520 with the top 40 receiving money. One thing I did read was being careful of your "position" in relation to the person bringing it. I more or less dominated my table and was chip leader (of my table) heading into hour two. Blinds were getting big so the weaker players were finally getting knocked out (it took about an hour an fifteen before the first person got knocked out on my table). Then it was a mass exodus and people with bigger stacks than me showed up. No longer the big stack I tightened game. Then the big stack (12000) knocked out two in one hand closing my table. I got shipped to a table where I was about mid stack with 3400. I won a couple of small pots, but got sucked into one that dropped me to about 1200. The guy only brought it in for 50 with a 4 showing. It folds around to me and I have a pair of 6s with an 8. I complete hoping to steal the antes. Nope he calls (not to mention I'm chip dominated). He gets a 2 and I got a 9, he bets 200, I call (should have raised). Junk for him again, he bets, I raise, he re-raises and I'm all-in. He has only a pair of 5s. Then he catches a 2 on the end for two pair and I'm sent home (wait I was already home...). Needless to say, I finished 76 out of 376, which I feel good about since stud isn't "my game". Just shy of the money but I felt like I played well and I had a good time so.

Be a Winner at Winstar

2005-08-08T16:13:00.000-07:00

So I recently had to go to Oklahoma for some top secret stuff that I cannot disclose for fear of people knowing why I was there. Regardless, I finally gathered up the jewels to enter into a casino and play poker. I felt that with Gus's glowing review of said facility and with a partner in crime (my wife), I would be able to sit and play. For some reason I have been really nervous about playing live, I mean I play with friends and stuff, but the thought of really playing was intimidating. It took about 30 minutes to get on a table, $1/2 no-limit. The minimum buy-in was $100 and having read part of Brunson's book I knew I should start with more. I didn't fully take his advice and plop down a grand or so but I did ask for $160 in chips. This way I had some breathing room if I botched a few hands from nerves and it kept me from being low stack. I sat back and gathered intel for about five or six hands. I played one hand fairly cheaply and lost about $5 on a bad bluff on the end (looking back I played the whole hand wrong but I learned). A couple hands later I finally got my feet wet, and lost a monster pot. I had QJ and the button and just limped-in for the big blind after about 6 callers. (too many people in the pot for that hand) The flop left me with top pair with Jacks and a straight draw. Although I bet after it was checked to me, I apparently didn't bet big enough. One man called with a flush draw. I think the turn was a blank, so I bet again and again bet small enough for the other guy to stay in. The river comes the K and gives me the best straight possible (with the available cards). The old man bets $35 and I thought, either he is trying to steal the pot or he has two pair. I waited and as I was calling someone said he caught his flush...... Oh shit. He did. And I lost about $60 or should I say I bought my first lesson on position and the value of raising pre-flop. After that I went back to basics and playing good hard poker. I had already evaluated the table and decided to use that to my advantage. Most everyone was very tight, so I went aggressive. Most of the pots went down to this guy two to my left and me. I used my position on him when I could, played a few odd hands just to keep him and the table guessing and raised a lot. All in all, I played for about 3 and a half hours and walked out with $369. It looks like my reading books and studying the game paid off. It makes me eager to get back to a live game as opposed to internet. I felt as though I got a much better read on my opponents and it felt more natural touching the cards and chips. Oh yeah a note for Gus, Amarillo Slim was there at the table next to mine. He was playing $5/10 no-limit. And there was A LOT of money on that table, the guy next to him left for about 45 minutes and they were about to collect his chips and sit another player and I heard them say that man had $1300 in chips. So I looked at Slim's stack and he had about ten full stacks of the green chips and several more of the red $5 chips, I think the other guy had at most two stacks of green.

3X Clean, 3X Awesome!!!

2005-08-01T15:02:00.000-07:00

3X Clean Guaranteed. This is what my Old Spice body wash says on the outside. Yes, I use body wash and I use one of those scrunchy things. It is nicer than using a community bar of soap with pubes on it. Anyway, what does it mean 3X clean? Does it mean it gets you three times cleaner than normal soap? If so, does that mean normal soap really doesn't get you that clean? Or does it mean you are extra clean, like 3X clean when you're done? Would I have to take three showers with normal soap to get this clean or is it on a sliding scale? Can I brag to my friends that I am three times cleaner than they? Does this mean I only need to shower every three days? What if I get 3X dirty? Do I need to shower three times with my 3X clean soap to achieve the 3X clean sensation? Should I write the people at Old Spice and ask them what 3X Clean guaranteed means? Do I need to do a study to see if I actually achieve the 3X clean level in say a double blind experiment? And upon those results contact Old Spice and receive my guarantee. Wait, what is the guarantee? Is it a money back guarantee? I just don't understand what it means to be 3X clean, but I will say I smell good after a shower.

Am I a Man Now?

2005-07-29T11:32:00.000-07:00

Um, I know I had a different topic lined up but it will have to wait. I went for a physical today, a) because it's been a while and b) my wife is a nurse and wanted me to get a full workup. So the guys at the office joked about the old disappearing finger routine, which I dismissed as them trying to make me nervous. That was until I heard the doctor say the phrase I never want or wanted to hear, "Now lay on your left side so I can do a rectal exam.... *POP* (the glove)". Uh, yea, not the best way to start (or end for that matter) your day. No it's not because I'm a homophobe nor do I think that makes me gay, it is the simple matter that it is designed to flow in one direction and that was clearly violated today. Not to mention he didn't have the common courtesy to remove any excess gel. Now excuse me while I go shower for the next three hours and cry.

Quick update post

2005-07-27T15:45:00.000-07:00

So I realize it's been a day or a bunch since my last post. I had some topics but always seem to have the right amount of time for them. Or maybe I'm just making excuses for my inability to not be lazy. Is that a double negative? Hmm. Anywho, I opened an account on PartyPoker and I've noticed people play better when there is money involved. Shocking huh. My wife isn't super thrilled with the whole idea so I have started with a small amount of money and have mainly entered 5 or 10 dollar 2 or 3 table tournaments. (By the way, we've made it three months!!!) So I've won a little and lost a little more so I'm just below even money so far. I'm reading Brunson's book and that has really improved my game a lot. But it's truly shocking how different real money vs play money is. It's almost like talking to a guy from Yale as opposed to Corky from Life Goes On. I think one of my biggest adjustments in playing for real money is calling people's "bluffs". Play money it's a bluff (most of the time), real money, not so much. Bad calls and the fact I never fold at the right time. But I think knowing this will make me stronger. If I didn't know and kept doing it, well I would be stupid. So that's an update more or less. I just passed three months of marriage, changed to real money poker, and finally scheduled an appointment for a physical so the doctor can say, "Yep you need to drop about 20 lbs". I think my next post will be about Californians vs Okies when it comes to laziness in the work place.

Happy B-day

2005-07-04T19:55:00.000-07:00

Hip hip hooray, it's fourth of July. So anyway, I've been playing poker for free on ESPN for two reasons. One, it's free practice. Two, they have wonderful promotions on there where you (hopefully me) can win a seat at the USPC at the Taj. Now I know this is a lofty goal, but I feel as though if I don't try, I'll never know. Last week I won a 90 person tournament to qualify for the Sunday tournament. The top fifty each week for seven weeks gets to go to the final tournament where the winner gets their $10K buy-in to the USPC paid for along with lodging and such. So I get on Sunday and I completely freeze up. I don't know why, I've also been playing mutli-tables non-stop on pokerstars and have been doing very well. So I don't know why I went into ultra ultra conservative mode. Any and every time someone raised, even if only the minimum, I would fold. Even when I knew I had the nuts. So then I go into panic mode and bam, I'm out. It was however a great learning experience. I learned that just because there might be something on the line, doesn't mean I need to wimp out. I plan on qualifying again and this time I plan on breaking the top 50. On the topic of poker stars, I have been playing lights out. 18/27/45 people tourneys where 4th/5th/7th finish in the money, out of 15 or so tourneys, I've finished in the money 12 times. And not just limping in, I mean good smart semi-aggressive poker. I feel like a few more things and my game will start to come together very nicely. Alright kids, quit reading this and go blow off some fingers.

Saddle Up Pardner....

2005-06-15T00:08:00.000-07:00

Saddle Creek Records is pound for pound the greatest record label around. I just watched The Faint and Bright Eyes perform at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in downtown Los Angeles and both were amazing. That makes five bands that I have seen from said label and all not only sounded great but performed just as well. It is abundantly apparent that the music these bands play come deep from within and that they aren't some fly by night, ride on the coat tails of the latest sound type bands. Each offer a unique and independent sound from each other and really from any of the crap played on the radio. What makes these bands even more special is their ability to intermingle with each other and create even more magic (and not that David Copperfield magic). What I mean by that is this. The Faint came out and rocked the house. Their music was pulsating, the accompanying light show mesmerizing and the energy level of Mt. Saint Helens on eruption day. Their drummer kept pounding out the pop/dance/rock rhythms that made me tired just watching him. So they finish and the roadies set up for Bright Eyes. Two drums kits? Yeah, I thought that they just moved The Faint's drums to the side but no, Bright Eyes had two drummers, one of which was The Faint's drummer. Amazing this guy's energy. Not only did he come back out and perform during the entire set but so did the keyboard and bass player. Also from the Saddle Creek family was the cellist from Cursive. She played with both The Faint and Bright Eyes. It's like one big musical family and surprisingly, one without the ego problems. They play music to play music, because it means something, if to no one else but to them. These huge record labels that have these semi to no talents asshats that are there just to make themselves and the record label as much money as possible before they force feed the next flavor of the day down our throats. (Thanks Kat for asshat, I like) As for Bright Eyes, they were awesome. Conor Oberst may be a musical genius. His ability to combine powerful angst rock with classical and melodic undertones is almost indescribable. Several times there was this beautiful cello, violin and piano (keyboard) with pounding dramatic drumming (again by two drummers playing basically the same thing which in itself was amazing but on the verge of creating something unsettling) along with guitar feedback and then Conor. I would elaborate but I find myself lacking the appropriate vocabulary to accurately describe his temperamental vocal style. All in all, I am entirely impressed with the bands of Saddle Creek and for what they and the label stand. Not only do they sound great on the studio records but their live shows leave you wanting more. Check them out, you'll be happy (or sad in Conor's case).

You Really Do Compare to B.B. King....

2005-06-11T15:44:00.000-07:00

"Me and BB King have a lot in common. I have diabetes, he has diabetes. I play the blues, he plays the blues. He doesn't like to wait for results, I don't like to wait for results." Hmmm, really? You're 12 and white. He is a 60 something black guitar legend. Oh, excuse me, I see the resemblance. You'll have to pardon me I have a tendency to naive and gullible. What is with this commercial? First off, how does BB King come off for a spokes person on anything other than music, old people related items or equal rights? Diabetes? And having him expect fast results will lure diabetics to rush and get the tester they're trying to sell? Not until they can hit all demographics by throwing in the token white kid. Now it all fits and sales go through the roof. I'm not even diabetic, but I'm white, play guitar, enjoy the blues AND I like fast results, so I already ordered a year supply. Now I can test for diabetes in between not having to do crunches any more. And in eight weeks my fat jeans won't even fit.

Stevie Wonder?

2005-06-06T21:05:00.000-07:00

So today is my first day back where I can actually tolerate light. Any light. See (no pun intended) I had laser eye surgery on Friday, it is now Monday. As the norm with my kind of luck my cornea was too thin to have the conventional "Lasik" surgury. I would include links but no one looks at this anyway AND it still hurts some to look at this bright screen. I had to have PRK which instead of cutting and lifting the top layer of your cornea and then burning your eye with a "LASER" (said like Dr. Evil) they had to burn straight through the top layer. Yes painful. What this means is, the "flap" that would normally be present during Lasik is not present with this procedure. This "flap" acts as a protectant and speeds recovery upwards around ONE day. I however don't have the "flap" and have had this hot sand in my eyes sensation since Friday morning. Yeah for me. So my suggestion is, if you plan on getting "LASER" (again Dr. Evil because Austin Power jokes never get old right?) eye surgery and the doctor says PRK, tell him or her to eat shit. Sure I may be able to see 20/20 or 20/15 when all is said and done but horrible burning eye syndrone is not so cool.
As a side note, just like the rest of the country, I have caught poker fever. I am still playing on nonpaying tables but have started entering tournaments. If you play right the people that play foolishly get weeded out rather quickly even if its fake money. Anyway, I have entered several single tables and have placed a majority of the time (1 first, 3 seconds, 5 thirds out of 12 tables). I've also entered a few multi-table with max of 90 and finished 42nd and 35th. Not too impressive but not bad considering. And I've entered 3 multi-tables with over 1250 people and finished at least in the top 50% each time with a 27% finish being the best. I've learned for the big tables I need to get a few big pots so down the road I have money to bet with, I've been short stacked late in the multi-tables. Maybe I'm too conservative or I wait for the "all-in" idiots to get out and by then I deep and short stacked. Don't kn0w. Anyway, "see" you guys later.

You'll Die a Horrible Death

2005-04-14T11:28:00.000-07:00

So is it me or do other people get tired of the forward or you'll have bad luck emails? I just got one from my aunt about how so and so got this email and deleted it and her boyfriend died later that night. Then Susie only had seven people in her email list so she died too. But Tom, he emailed everyone and while walking across the street runs into the girl he has been in love with for the past five years, who has never expressed interest back (ie. he was stalking her) and she magically tells him she loves him, they get married and have five kids. So now I'm supposed to read this poem, which is a poorly written, sad excuse for poetry or literature, and then send it too all my email contacts. So what if one of my contacts only has nine friends? Am I then cursing them to a horrible death because they didn't meet the bullshit quota of ten? I realize that occasionally the underlying point is to say hey I was thinking about you, but are people sending these because they really believe in the imaginary email fairy that dooms all to death or good fortunes or is it because they want you to read something that says tell your loved ones hi every once in a while? Either way, I wish people would quit sending them and if they want to say hi to me, send me a personal email. It will mean more and I won't be paranoid that I'll be cursed or I could potentially be killing someone on my contact list. Later Alligators....

Spandex & Parabolas

2005-04-13T16:09:00.000-07:00

Hola, long time no post. Sorry, been busy and stuff. So in hopes that I can earn your love and support again I have two topics to discuss. I know I was going for a more serious direction but that was too tough. However these topics do deal with society and human behavior.

So a few weeks ago I went to a concert or "show" of some indie bands. I made some observations about the whole event that I had noticed at the Curiosa show. The most interesting is hardly anyone moves. Now I'm not saying a mosh pit needs to be started but why does everyone stand there like a statue? Is it because the participants want to further distance themselves from mainstream that by not moving they are acting opposite to "normal" concert goers? Granted the show I went to was slower music but at Curiosa I saw the same behavior no matter the speed of the music. I sat during the recent show which is new for me, but so did a lot of other people. For music that is considered emo or whatever I would think that one would be moved not only emotionally but physically as well. And the other thing I noticed was the overwhelming feeling of sadness oozing from those in attendance. I'm not judging or making fun of the concert goers, I'm just trying to gain understanding into their behavior much like an anthropologist would study a new type of monkey or something. Anyway, rock on sad people rock on.

Topic two and I am positive that it has been discussed before but needs to be brought up again. MULLETS. With all the hype and jokes and mullet bashing why do people still have them? So moving from Oklahoma to California, I expected to see a lot fewer even though the population is greater out here. Wrong. The style just changed. Oklahoma, you get the Trans Am, Rodeo and the occasional Perm varieties. Out here, a whole new world has opened up to me. You can see the following varieties by themselves or in a multitude of combinations: Mexi, Butch, Perm, White Trash, Surfer, Trans Am or Business Man. The "business man" is the well groomed and "classy" mullet, if that is possible to have that as an adjective for mullets. You can even see whole families walking down the street all with mullets. How does this happen? In Oklahoma, I heard them called SFLB (Short Front Long Back) and the "cool" phrase "business up front party in the rear". I think I am going to rename them SFHC (Stupid F&*#ing Hair Cut). Anyway, I must leave you now. Sorry if the flow was off, it's been a while and I was distracted several times. Rock on and get a haircut. Seacrest out.....

Change in Heart

2005-01-24T18:15:00.000-08:00

With the new year and a recent birthday, I've done some soul searching and thinking about life. My fiancee bought the Molo Sessions for Christmas for me and it just arrived. The Molo Sessions are recordings of a South African choir with Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam. Stone Gossard, also of Pearl Jam, lent Eddie and the choir studio time to make these beautiful recordings. There are three PJ songs and eleven African songs. Though I don't understand the words or what they are singing about, it doesn't matter. The emotion and love shines through the acapella harmonies. But what really got me thinking was the liner notes. Children in Africa can't go to school because they can't afford it. They, the African government, allot a larger percentage of funds towards education than the US, yet, children are still deprived of any education much less a decent one. Years of racism and apartheid are to blame for these conditions. My fiancee went to Africa last year for two weeks on a mission trip and has more horror stories than one would ever wish to hear. Eight month old babies being raped so the man can rid himself of disease. Shocking, but when education is not present ancient rituals and myths become fact. See they believe sex with a virgin will get rid of ailments. Africa leads the world in AIDS, not because they are gay or screw monkeys, but because they don't know any better. The interesting thing is for every "bad" story Ash has, she has one of hope and promise. This got me thinking about my life and things I have. I make more in a day than most Africans make in a year. I have an apartment with running water and electricity. I have food whenever I want it and pretty much whatever type of food, too. I bought sandwiches this weekend and mine had "horsey" sauce on it and I thought "how dare they" and wiped it off. Really? How dare me. Zulu and Tootoo had to eat millipedes and drink from a dirty parasite infested river and I'm bitching about "horsey" sauce. Oh poor me.
Anyway, I'm fortunate. We all are actually (Those of us that don't live in a third world country, but if you do, most likely you're not reading this). I know I can't change the world and that the world isn't always fair. But I can be more grateful for the things I have. I can sponsor a child or donate time or money to efforts either here or Africa or India or DerkaDerkastan. And I can put this post up and maybe inspire someone to do the same. Like one of the songs says..... I know it's already been sung,... Can't be said enough.Love is all you need,.. all you need is love,..Love,.. love,...Love.
www.molocare.com

For those of you that frequent my site, thank you. Most of what I've posted in the past was crap and juvenile. I want more purpose in life and hopefully through this blog I can make that happen. The internet is a powerful tool and if I use it for good or awesome I might make a difference, however small it may be. Thanks again. Peace.

Gatorade Better Than God?

2005-01-19T16:57:00.000-08:00

"Gatorade is scientifically formulated to rehydrate, replenish and refuel athletes in ways water can't".

That is a direct quote from a bottle of Gatorade. So since God made water and Gatorade is better than water, does that mean the makers of Gatorade think they're better than God? If so that is pretty cocky and they will burn in hell!

Speaking of hell, as if work isn't already an unpleasant place to be, it is literally hotter than hell in my office. LITERALLY!!! It is 80 degrees in Southern California and these people have the heater on, seriously.... No exaggeration. It is unbearable. When we went to lunch it was actually cooler outside.

Ok, I know it's been a while so I felt it was time to have a new post. Oh, before I go, my fiancee bought a Fender Stratocaster for my birthday! Much fun. Later.

Grab a Snickers....

2004-12-22T16:28:00.000-08:00

Being one that tries to be humble, I feel it necessary to toot my own horn today. Last night, I had a men's league ice hockey game. Last league my team went 0-10 and I demanded to be put on a better team. So this time around my team is in second place and doing well. The last place team was our opponent, so we felt certain we could win fairly easy. I go out for warm-ups and not 10 seconds after stepping on the ice, my teammate accidentally hits me in my forearm with a slapshot (right between my elbow pad and glove, yes it hurt and it still does). Then we have enough for three sets of wingers and two rotating centers and just to keep the theme of the night going, I get paired with the worse guy on the team. (side note: this kid has the potential to be a lot better but he puts very little effort in and basically hurts the team when on the ice) So third period comes around and we are down 6-3 (it was actually 5-3 at the start but they scored after the third started). We move the lines around a bit and I get away from Slowman. First shift without him I go down and crank a shot top shelf to make it 6-4. We switch lines and the clock quickly winds down. At about 2:15 or 2:30 left in the game, one of our guys gets a penalty, so we're down 6-4 and down a man. Finally at about 1:50, I get back on the ice. Normally when short-handed the idea is to just get the puck out of your defensive zone, ideally all the way down so they have to regroup. Well, I decided it was time to show my skills of an artist and skate the puck all the way down. I get a shot on net and my wingman scores on the rebound, 6-5. With about 30 seconds left our guy gets out of the box and we pull our goalie. I get the puck and set up the game tying goal, 6-6. There are 20 seconds left now and the ref says, if we go to OT we start right away, no break. So we win the face-off into their zone and three of us crash the zone. Their guy gets it but hits our guy trying to get it out of their end. The puck bounces back towards that guy but our third guy is all over him. The puck squeezes out and I'm wide open and about five feet away, I grab it, turn, pull the goalie one way and shoot the other and score! 7-6 with 10 seconds left. We manage to play keep away for the final 10 ticks to win the game. I know it's just adult league and just regular season, but when the other team is up and trash talking and to comeback like that AND to be one of the main reasons why, it just makes you feel good. I had two other things I wanted to discuss but those can wait until tomorrow. I don't want to make this so long that you get bored and leave. I'm out, yo.

Happy Days..... Ehhhhh.

2004-12-16T18:03:00.000-08:00

So my work has what is refered to as an RDO, or Regular Day Off, if you work nines Monday thru Thursday and then one Friday eight, the other being your RDO. For the past few pay periods I have either worked all eights or taken my RDO on a different day for whatever reason. Well, it dawns on me today that I have an RDO for this pay period so I have tomorrow off! Yay, for me! I know, you could care less, but it's cool for me. You may not know this but I procrastinate a little, so when my CD player in my car decided to quit ejecting CDs, I put it off. Do you see where this is going? That's right, I'm going to take my car in tomorrow. I also need some work done on my bass guitar. In a previous habitat, it became exposed to water, thereby rusting some of the pickups and parts of the bridge. This makes for unpleasant sounds.

On that front, I have picked a handful of songs to learn and get down pat in order to do some recording. I met this dude at work that has a home studio and has me stoked on laying down some tracks. For now I'm going to use my multi-track recorder, then I'll ask that dude if I can record at his pad. When I get my new place, I'm going to get a G5 which will enable me to record at home. For now, I think I'll do covers until I get the recording process down then move into my songs. Practice starts tomorrow in between having my car and bass examined, playing pick-up hockey at 1pm, and going to a hockey game that night. Some may read that and think I live an action packed crazy life style. Then again, if you're reading this then you probably know me and will know otherwise.

Dinosaurs Eat Bacon Too

2004-12-09T10:19:00.000-08:00

Ok so yesterday's post was different and out of nowhere. But that's ok, because I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and dog gone it people like me. So on this other blog, I learned that Confucius lives in a toilet bowl. I don't know if he really does or not but it's a funny thing to think about. Anyway, he (I know its a he because I know him) talks about public service anouncements on the urinal splatter thing. It got me thinking about some of the more ridiculous things I've seen like that. You know like the target with a picture of Bin Laden or Hussein. But then I thought about where I saw those cool pee guards, Love's. It's a popular truck stop in the Midwest. They are nation wide but more dense through the "Heartland". Anyway, I use to live next to one and I use to make frequent trips to Texas and would make random stops at Love's stations. Well, you get all your basic trucker needs met there. Your Lynard Skynard or Merle Haggard tapes, yes tapes. Or your run of the mill Rebel Flag or Nascar t-shirt. Once, before it became popular to have a trucker hat (Ashton Kutcher), I bought a real nice hat that had the mesh back/foam front and it had the puff paint for the text that read, "My wife said she's gonna leave me if I don't quit fishin'... I'm gonna miss her." Ahhhh, the good ol' days. Uh, what was I talking about? Urinal guards. So I guess that's all because I went on several tangents and now this post makes no sense. But again, that's ok, because I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and dog gone it people like me.

I feel gay blowing this fag....

2004-12-08T17:32:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been a while. Sorry, I'm lazy. No (well actually I am) I think it's more the fact I've wanted to bump up the quality of my blog and put fewer "What the....?" posts. No that doesn't mean I won't have the occasional pull my finger post, just not as many.

So on to the title of this post. In the 60's that would mean "Ahhhh, smoking this cigarette makes me feel happy". These days, well I think you can figure that out. Let me start by saying I am not a homophobe or queer basher or whatever the cool and fashionable title is these days. I don't believe it's right and not just because of my spiritual beliefs, but I am not going to judge someone based only on with whom they prefer to sleep. However, recently I have heard things on the radio or tv or in public that have make me think about the whole "gay" thing.

Gay Rights. What does this mean? Until someone knows you're gay, you have every right listed in the Constitution that everyone else has, and even then you still have those rights. Okay, so what about gay marriages? Well, gay people can get married, just not to each other. But let's think about this for a second. What is marriage and where did it come from? I'm pretty sure no matter what religious source you query, you will find it is a bond between man and women. Some tribes use this as a means of expanding their land, wealth, or prestige. Some people get married to have kids and start a family. But no matter where you look it is man and woman. Not that I really give a rip, but gays shouldn't be allowed to be "married", at least not using that term. They can have a court recognized life partnership, but the use of the term marriage takes away from the sanctity of it.

The reason I harp on marriage is because that is basically the only "right" that gays don't have that "normal" people do. I was driving to work and I happened to flip on this talk radio channel which I later learn is the "gay" channel. Anyway, they were babbling on about how unjust it was that a woman preacher was demoted after coming out to her congregation. Now as a person of the robe she should know, from a Biblical standpoint she is going against God and therefore shouldn't be in front of the church giving a sermon. Sure she probably is a great preacher but it shouldn't be a shock that she gets demoted. Of course her licking carpet isn't near as bad as a Priest poking some 8 year old boy in the confession booth.

Anyway, I'm not here trying to pass judgment or ridicule gay people. It's not for me but neither is watching the Bachelor, which is also a gay activity. Yeah this is a random topic and I'm not real sure what made me think of it and subsequently write this much about it. If you're gay and you happen to read this, I meant no offense and constructive input is welcome. If you're not gay and you happen to read this, I hope you are offended and no input is welcome.

Sometheme's Going On....

2004-11-26T14:41:00.000-08:00

So it seems as if I may go through "phases" of topics or common themes. Because today is about music again. After my last blog, and having been commended on having real content I felt as though I should maybe throw more content into my postings. And as I may have mentioned before music is one of my true passions in life. So on to the post.

Last time I talked about feeling the music and how different people get different emotions out a song or feel the emotion differently. Today I wish to talk about playing the music and feeling it that way. For instance, you're on a stage or in a small setting and your band is just really connecting with each other and the songs almost literally ooze from your hands and instruments. (side note: I intentionally made fun of the over use of literally one post and now I have used it here. I have used it here with the intention of using it metaphorically and hope that its over use has not affected its effectiveness.) Or maybe you're just in your bedroom playing along to your favorite record or just jamming alone with nothing but you and your guitar (or other instrument.... to be fair). And you just close your eyes, tilt your head back and let the music take over your body and mind. Anyway, I don't think I could ever get it right or adequately explain how it feels in those moments when you, the instrument and music all become one entity. But for those out there that have felt that moment, you know what I'm talking about. Some compare it to sex, (old rock n' roll cliche) but I'm not sure that fits. Though both are powerful and such, they are too different to compare. Well, I am off to visit family so I won't be posting until Thursday of next week. I hope all you have a great time until then. And so as Dobie Gray would say... Give the beat, boys and free my soul, I want to get lost in your Rock n' Roll and drift away.

Seriously

2004-11-22T17:25:00.000-08:00

For those of you that frequent my blog you've come to see that I am sarcastic and sophmoric at times and generally write about useless things. But I feel as though this entry is different. I love music. I find it essential to everyday life and the key to our emotional locks. Our mood can be completely changed by a song and/or futher enhanced. It can deepen your passion for life, love, or any number of other things. I've noticed recently - the past few times at church - people diving into the music and letting go of inhabitions. You can almost see the music flow in and out of them. Which got me thinking about the subject of being physically and emotionally moved by the power of song. I hear the music at church (by the way I go to a contemporary church and it's not your typical "church" music) and it can get my foot tapping and I think the words are meaniful and all, but it doesn't move me to tears or give me goosebumps nor do I feel it with the passion I see with some of these people. It's not that I don't get it, I just think it may impact me differently.

That said there is music that can make me feel.... well, for lack of a powerful enough word, awesome. It captivates me in a way that I drift off to what seems like another dimension. I don't know if it's the lyrical content, the music or both. If I were to guess I would say both. I have seen Pearl Jam live twice and both times I was so moved I got goosebumps. The first time I saw them they played Black, my all time favorite song EVER, and I started crying and the hair on my neck stood up. Yes, I was that moved. The same emotions were brought about when they began to play Indifference with the sun setting behind the stage at South Park Meadows in Austin. I can listen to the CD and get the same feeling. Almost every song they have written I can connect to or relate to somehow.

So I know not everyone likes Pearl Jam or Christian music or Hip-Hop, but we all have our own taste, whether it be music, art, TV shows, whatever. I admit I'm often quick to laugh at someones taste but I need to think about my passion for my music and respect that they may feel the same way about whatever it is they like. Although, it is acceptable to laugh at people who like no talent trash like Britney or Yanni or John Tess or .......

They Spinnin', They Spinnin'

2004-11-19T13:04:00.000-08:00

I meant to put this post up the other day but I got side-tracked. Also, I figured after three very deep and introspective poems, a post with some content might be in order. Notice I didn't specify the type or quality of content so don't get too excited.

Ok, so about two or so weeks ago I hear an advertisement on the radio that made me smile with the comfort that I could die a peaceful man for I had officially heard it all. Before I divulge the contents of said advertisement I must give some background. Where I was born and raised and lived a great majority of my life, trucks are as they say in Cali, the shizzle. If you ain't got a truck you ain't got nothing. (three negatives in one sentence..... wow) And they can't be a Toyota or Nissan, they have to be Chevy or Ford and maybe Dodge. Gunrack optional, but the Calvin peeing on the opposite company logo and the number of your favorite Nascar driver stickers are required. Anyway, a well known ad is Toby Keith with an American Flag guitar singing "I'm a Ford truck man." For those not from the intellectual mecca of Oklahoma, Toby Keith is part of the Oklahoman Holy Trinity, Jesus, Bob Stoops, and Toby Keith.

So I move to Cali and I'm rollin' in my G-Ride, when I hear an ad for a car dealership on one of the Hip-Hop stations. Who is doing the ad you might ask? None other than the Doggfather himself, Snoop Dizzle Rizzle fo shizzle my nizzle. I found it entertaining to go from the annoying TK to Snoop Dogg. But that's not where the fun stops. I know you can't stand the suspense.

So the ad I'm about to tell you about is 100% legit, not made up and completely true. I'm creative but I don't think I could make this, and the follow up story, up. Warren G, the original 213 Regulator, was the voice for LeRoy Brown's Wheels and Tires. (name changed to protect the innocent, actually I forgot the real name but this is close) Now a store to get wheels and tires you say, nothing unusual about that. AH HA! Got you! This wheel and tire store is rental only baby. That's right, come down to LeRoy Brown's to rent your 23" rims, spinners, low profile tires and more. Yes you heard me correctly, RENT YOUR SPINNERS!!! Who the heck came up with that? Then about a week later I see a stretch Expedition Limo, not uncommon out here in the LA area, but this one had spinners. THEN, this Wednesday, I'm driving to work and I see a white Chevy truck with 888-505-TIRE and www.rentawheel.com decals all over it. Oh yeah, it had spinners too. They spinnin', they spinnin'.

Donut Flavored Biscuits

2004-11-19T11:55:00.000-08:00

Smell a bird, smell a cat
Put them inside a hat
Eat dinner after lunch
Drink a bowl of Hawaiin Punch
If two plus three equals four
Never eat an apple core
And if your eye just falls out
A spider went down your water spout
It's easy to see the stars at night
If you read from left to right
A poem a day is fun for me
Here's a smile it is free
So shake a hand or maybe two
Funky Monkey Booga-loo

El Pollo Loco

2004-11-17T10:29:00.000-08:00

Freely Flowing all brown and steamy
Frothy Foam all nice and creamy
Oh my stomach it is a churning
While my butt feels as if it is burning
Beans and cheese aren't good for your heart
All they do is make me fart
With EAS* have I been stricken
By the one they call the crazy chicken

* Exploding Ass Syndrone

Yes. Yes indeed.

2004-11-16T16:24:00.000-08:00

Drifting away from where I once was,
I find myself discovering new lands.
Life against death, minutes versus hours
It makes no difference time drifts with me.
We travel along the same path yet travel alone
Only to end up in the same place tired and worn.
Seconds tick away as the feet turn to miles
Destination unknown while knowing it exists
Confused and focused I continue with that little piece
That little part inside me that knows where I am
Where I'm going and where I have been
I am happy, happy with where I am
And happy not knowing where I'll be.

Good old days

2004-11-12T16:12:00.000-08:00

So this morning, as I was walking in the parking lot at work, I heard the wonderful and forgotten sound of morning announcements. Oh yeah, you know from high school. My office is next to a high school and they were doing their morning announcements and it took me away to that special place. The cool part was they had more than one person! A boy and a girl alternating, then when they mentioned the Chinese Club meeting they had a Chinese girl make the announcement. Kids these days are too spoiled. Multi-person announcements.... When I was a kid, we had to pick up our empty can of corn with the yarn tied to it and had only one person make the announcements. And that was only if we could afford the can of korn. Otherwise we had to wait until the walk up the hill in two feet of snow with no shoes on walk home to hear what the lunch special was. Usually salsbury steak, green peas, mash potatoes and apple cobbler with a pint of milk. And I'm out...

Doth thou not knoweth?

2004-11-08T16:22:00.000-08:00

I've been looking around at other peoples' blogs and they seem more focused. Some of them are pretty zany but for the most part everyone has some sort of agenda. Not an agenda in that they are trying to save the whales or anything, an agenda in that they don't stray too far or wander away from a central theme. Me, I tend to hop around a lot, which I guess would then become my "central theme". I'm not ashamed nor do I feel inferior. I'm merely noticing or observing life around me. Maybe we think too much as a society. Like it's not okay to remain idle if only for a few moments. Sure I probably fall into the trap of "laziness", but why does every minute of my day need to be accounted for? If I save five minutes by microwaving my food as opposed to cooking it in the oven, what benefit other than getting to eat sooner do I really get? If I were to save five minutes a day what would I do with all the saved time? And a what point do I get to cash it in? Do I almost die and at the last second St. Peter say oops you have 2 hours and 45 minutes saved have fun? Could I have fun knowing I had 2 hours left? Maybe we don't think enough. I've run into some pretty dumbass people. But had they pulled their head out and thought for ten seconds, they may have actually not been a dumbass. I'm not excluding myself from either group, in fact I probably belong to both. I don't really know what the point is or if there really is a point at all. Sometimes while idle, I think too much and end up sounding like a dumbass. Until next time.

Yep, that is what I said....

2004-11-04T16:43:00.000-08:00

Ok, it's been two days since I last wrote something and more than that since I wrote something worth reading. Well, maybe not worth reading but, well whatever. So much has happened since I last wrote. I think we elected a President or something like that. My hockey team won its second game of the season (2-0). Which is a great change from last season, we went 0-10! Yeah, we were called the "Star Fleet Command". Who names their team that? I was placed on the team because I registered late. First off, I hate Star Trek. Secondly, the guys on the team were brutal. Not that I'm the greatest ever, but I was in the top 3 in scoring for the league and I missed the first game and was held scoreless in three others. This league is much better. I have guys I feel confident in, say if I were going to pass to them or they to me. Plus we get along and hang out after games and such. I'm off to a decent start and hope to be in the top 3 in scoring again. (3g 2a) I've also been skating on Fridays, which I think has helped me two-fold, one, it helps me get in shape, two, the more ice time I get the more natural things are in a game so my skillz can be better demonstrated.

Enough about me. So technology has gone a bit too far. I was recently reminded of this last week on a trip to Atlanta. For the ladies, guys have urinals in our public restrooms and more frequently there are the motion sensors that auto-flush for you. Cool idea and pretty funny on Beavis and Butthead Do America. Well, a while back I was in Vegas and I discovered the flaw in having the motion sensors on a normal toilet. If you put the paper seat cover on and lean forward, it flushes and tries to take the paper seat cover with it. Not to mention you may or may not be done with your business. Then when you are and do your paperwork it flushes again and maybe again. Then interestingly enough, when you stand up it doesn't flush. Well, I had forgotten about my annoyance with the whole thing until I went to Atlanta. I generally don't like taking the kids swimming in public but when duty (I said duty... uh huh) calls. Well, I was quickly reminded of this phenomenon. And what happened to having a normal sink? Everything has sensors now and so you stick your hands under the facet and have to move them up and down or back and forth before the water comes on. Sometimes it won't and you'll move to the next sink and then the first sink comes on. I know it's just a way for the bathroom owners to cut down on over usage of water but seriously. That and I guess it is more sanitary, but why not have auto butt wipers too?

Literally

2004-11-02T16:14:00.000-08:00

I literally remember this time where I literally died laughing. It was literally the funniest time in literally the history of the world. It was so ironic, too, because this guy was drinking a Chardonnay with a black fly in it. I literally crapped my pants. Ironically enough, I had Depends on so it wasn't as bad as it sounds.

Wicked Sceptre

2004-10-29T10:50:00.000-07:00

If you ever feel down about life or yourself, go to Atlanta, Georgia. I had to go on a trip to Atlanta this week and the place where we had to give our presentation was next to Atlanta Motor Speedway. Mind you my line of work has absolutely nothing to do with Nascar or any of its affiliates. So this weekend thems folks is gunna has some racin'. It's Thursday morning and there are already thousands of RV's parked and ready to tailgate. The races start SATURDAY! Ok, so these people are passionate about really loud cars driving in a circle for four hours. Now to the good stuff. 'Merican flag, Earnhart flag, Junior flag and of course the rebel flag. (substitute your favorite race car driver for the Junior flag, Earnhart stays cuz he's a national hero) Every single RV had this flag arrangement, along with lawn chairs, coolers and a banner of their favorite drive on the side of their RV. Now I don't claim to be a fan of being PC nor am I PC that often. But, the rebel flag, are you serious? The war was over how long ago? Slavery was abolished how long ago? Racism should have ended how long ago? YEEEE HAAAA, South is gonna rise again! I have an idea, instead of watching other rednecks drive in circles, read a book. Maybe a history book or a grammar book or a "Hooked On Phonics" book. Anything to stop the dumbing down of 'Merica. And when were cut off jeans shorts poplular? For guys? Couple that with sleeveless Nascar shirt, trucker hat, fumanchu, mullet and white socks with penny loafers. I can't make this shit up folks, I saw this with my own eyes! I'm not saying I'm a fashion guru or saying every Nascar fan is an inbred, sister lovin', truck drivin', uneducated hill billy that believes in owning multiple guns (because its their Constitutional right) and the war on terror. Which by the way, are we winning that one? I liken it to this, when a tornado blows through a town, who gets interviewed? Not the upper-class, educated Lexus driver. No, it's the redneck whose trailer home just got blownt away and he ain't got no place for him and his sister and their eight kids to sleep, because Momma's trailer got blownt away too since it was next door. So then people that watch the news think only rednecks live in that town when that might not be the case. Now I realize I sound like an elitist a-hole, but if I can't voice my opinion... "The terrorists win."

Political Propaganda

2004-10-26T10:18:00.000-07:00

So I generally stay away from the topic of politics. I don't watch or read enough news to be informed enough to make valid and educational points, which is quite opposite for a majority of America. Most people argue from an emotional standpoint or from what someone else told them. Either way it results in me having an aneurysm from the complete lack of ability in creating an original, logical and meaningful point. I admit my ignorance when it comes to politics and therefore I tend to not discuss politics that often. I also have had a distaste for Michael Moore, not because he bashes Bush, but because he seems to be an egotistical jackass that just wants attention. However, I decided this weekend to rent Bowling for Columbine and Fahrenheit 9/11. I thought for sure I would hate both and end up hating Michael Moore moore. Although both were very slanted towards a moore liberal way of thinking (which I am not opposed since I think very liberally) and mildly propagandic, I enjoyed both films. Some parts were slow and I wondered if the point was ever going to come out, but with some patience they eventually did.

BFC... I liked that he challenges and calls out Moses, Lockheed Martin, and KMart. And only KMart took action and accepted some sort of blame. Mr. Heston, when challenged stumbled along and made no sense and then walked away from Moore. I may not agree with all the points made in the movie and it never really defines a clear cut answer to violence problem, but it does provoke thought. It makes you evaluate your beliefs and views on the issue and maybe gets you to be a little moore open to new ideas, either your own or other peoples.

F911... Conspiracy Theory II without Mel Gibson? Or the ultra talented Julia Roberts? He did get Britney Spears though, so that made up for it. Again Moore asks the tough questions and gets no answers. Actually, he does get answers by the reactions of the challenged. I don't believe that the war in Iraq was about terror or liberation of the Iraqi people. I, like Moore, believe it was about oil, but he may take the whole conspiracy thing a bit further than I would. Or maybe he just confirms my theory moore, I haven't decided yet. As politically skewed towards Bush hating as this movie is, I think he does a great job of getting you to think.

Alright, I am off my political kick. Go vote, only if you're educated. I'm not voting this year because I don't know enough. And voting for Kerry just to get Bush out of office is not a good enough reason. Actually it is, but I would rather make a moore educated vote.

Weekend Fun.... YEA!!!!

2004-10-25T13:54:00.000-07:00

Some times, like this weekend, I really wish I had a computer. And an internet connection. I do have a cable modem, but those are pretty useless without the first two. Oh well, such is life. Having forgot why I initially started this entry, I began to look around to jar my memory. No such luck, however, I did think of something mildly entertaining. At least to me. So the other day I'm talking on the phone about caricatures and it reminded me of this really super cool one a co-worker made of me earlier this year. For some odd reason, he thought I would look good in a blue leotard with a yellow sash. Oh yeah, while surfing. Anyway, the guy I share an office with had overheard me say blue leotard and I felt obligated to clear things up. So I drew a picture of the outfit on our dry-erase board. So there is the background of the story. When my memory could not be jarred, I saw a faint outline of the blue suit that wasn't fully erased. Which made me think about the dude that drew it. And my mind began drifting further into the dark land of weird. Ok, in Japan they have a tendency to put san or son at the end of your name, like Danielson. Then on South Park, that had the Marklars. If the Marklars were to go to Japan, you would have the name of the dude that drew the caricature. Weird, I know, but a typical trip through my head.

One down many to go...

2004-10-22T15:20:00.000-07:00

So this is my first one. My cherry is popped and it feels so good. Anyway, my good friend Jim had me go to his blog and I thought it would be an interesting venture for me. He is the one who showed me what it is to program with the "strenf of a pimf". I don't have quite the skillz of him but I've learned to live with my handicap.

I'm not entirely sure where this blog idea is going to take me. Some days I may go ultra random and others just pseudo random. The idea of being able to just write stuff and see what people think about it is real interesting to me. Plus it will give me a chance to become a better typer. So today, like many firsts will be short but sweet. Who knows I might come back in ten minutes and be able to write longer.... Until next time.