It was a good poker night. I'm hard pressed to say which achievement I'm most pleased with:
This one:
Or this one...
This one:
Or this one...
Let me state for the record that I love Toronto. I love the diversity, the greenspaces, the transit, the lake, downtown and uptown. I love hot dogs from the vendors outside of city hall and the fighteningly expensive yet sublime French martini at the understated Rooftop Lounge at the Park Hyatt.
I love my town.
But on days like this....well...ick.
The joys of being beside a Great Lake is that there is never any lack of moisture in the air. And when the temperature gets up there in the summer months, that translates into humidity. Right now, at 5:25 pm it's 32 degrees, 39 with the humidex -THIRTY-NINE!!!! That's 94 and 108 respectively for those south of the border.
It's pretty horrible when we're into our first of many hot and humid spells, and I have already reached the saturation point of people with weather comments. It's not even JUNE yet and I already feel like clubbing the next person who says "It's not the heat, it's the humidity".
It's going to be a loooong summer.
I love my town.
But on days like this....well...ick.
The joys of being beside a Great Lake is that there is never any lack of moisture in the air. And when the temperature gets up there in the summer months, that translates into humidity. Right now, at 5:25 pm it's 32 degrees, 39 with the humidex -THIRTY-NINE!!!! That's 94 and 108 respectively for those south of the border.
It's pretty horrible when we're into our first of many hot and humid spells, and I have already reached the saturation point of people with weather comments. It's not even JUNE yet and I already feel like clubbing the next person who says "It's not the heat, it's the humidity".
It's going to be a loooong summer.
saturday was brought to you by the number two
6 Comments Published by katitude on Sunday, May 28, 2006 at 9:21 a.m..
I'd kinda sorta planned on going up to Casino Rama yesterday witha bus trip from the rec centre in my apartment building (coach transportation there and back with the $20 buffet lunch included, for the low, low price of FIVE BUCKS!), but I waited too long and it filled. Argh!
So I decided that I'd go at 8:30 before the bus left and see if thre were any no-shows. However, I neglected to tell Hunny Bunny my plan, and he let me sleep in until 8:24. Ah well.
So we're sitting in bed, looking out the window over the city and the lake, and I mentioned about missing the bus, but it's just as well, as I have a lot of work to do, and with him gigging it's a good time to get caught up sans distractions. His reply? Not the "cathing up on work is a better use of your time" reply I was expecting, but instead I heard " You should catch the other bus and go anyway - you need more live practice before you to go to Vegas" (see Sidenote1).
So I managed to get myself organized in time to catch the subsidized bus across the street (runs 3x daily for the low, low price of FIVE BUCKS, but no free lunch). I spent the 2+ hour ride chillin', listenin' to some poker podcasts and catchin' up on some reading (see Sidenote 2).
I hate getting to Rama after 12 on a Saturday - I miss getting in on the tables they open at noon. So I end up parking myself for a half hour at the poker slots (eeewwww) until they call my name for a 2/4 Limit table (Rama has no NLHE, alas)
My table consists of the usual assortment of retirees supplementing their income, cottagers escaping from the family for a few hours and 20-somethings who are thinkin' they're the next big thing complete wth mirrored shades and baseball hats... one even had the hologram shades (dude, here's a newsflash...there is only one Raymer, and you ain't him). My "hello guys" is completely ignored .... so it's like that then, is it? I make a production out of setting my chips up, splashing them about with trembling hands while thinking about the perils of men ignoring and underestimating women.
My first hand I'm at the BB, catch rags, and let the callmeisters take some chips. Then it's SB and I look down at ducks. Sigh. Everyone at the table calls around, I call, BB checks. Flop is a rainbow of A 5 2. Hmm. One guys bets, another raises, Mr Yappy across from me (who is also chip leader) re-raises, I cap - some call, so there's 5 players left to see the turn. I'm thinking there's straight draws, aces paired and maybe another set out there. Bet, raise, re-raise, I call. Turn comes...a blessed TWO!!!! Dems Quads Beeeetchs!!!
Now I bet, there's a few callers, Mr Yappy raises. As I reach for my chips and say "re-raise", he takes this opportunity to tell me he has a full house and maybe I should fold because a full house outranks a straight a two pair. I give my best dick withering look as I toss my chips in. Yeah, if his hand is great, how come he only calls me instead of raising? Everyone else bails so it's head's up when the river is a 9, no biggie, and we cap the betting this time.
Card flip time and Mr. Yappy gloats as he flips over his pocket 5's - "I told you I had a full house". "That's really great and all" I say as I turn over my duckies, "but last I checked quads beat a boat."
Yippeeee skippeeee! I silenced Mr. Yappy for a few minutes while taking a HUGE pot (well huge for a 2/5 limit table). Holy Blind Special, Batman!
The rest of the day was spent in the usual up-some-down-some way.... won another big pot when I chased a straight and caught the two I needed on the river, busting Seat 4 (a.k.a. Mr. Whiney) and his pocket Kings. (Dude, there's an ACE on the flop, you're CHECKING, I'm BETTING, and you're just CALLING - wtf??)
I ended up better than I have yet at the live limit tables, basically doubling my cash (last time I went I was pretty damn pleased that I was ahead by 16 bucks *grin). God I love poker!
---------------------------
Sidenote 1:
This is a public acknowledgement of how awesome my husband is. There is never any bullshit about me making new friends on the chat; he doesn't make any snide comments about poker or begrudge me the amount of time I spend playing; he listens when I talk about my losses and by asking me a few questions makes me talk through why I lost and how I can learn from it. He asks me about my poker budget, not to complain about how how much I've spent, but to find out if it's actually enough to be able to learn properly (which alas, involves losing) without feeling stressed. And he's been very, very clear about the fact that under no circumstances am I to cash out the poker bankroll until it is healthy, and never, ever use it to pay bills.
Now, he isn't perfect by any means...but to paraphrase Grace Jones, he's not perfect, but he's perfect for me. Keith my love, you are a prince among men.
Sidenote 2:
Why is that Toronto, the BIGGEST city in Canada (3+ million people), in a province that already has casinos in MUCH smaller places (Niagara Falls? Windsor? Brantford? Sioux Ste. Marie, for chrissakes??) has NO casino? Why? Why???
There's a lot of poker players in the T dot. Oh, here's a thought, let's put in a casino in the undeveloped harbour lands and get some more tourism happening???? Sheesh, I can't be only one who thinks this.
So I decided that I'd go at 8:30 before the bus left and see if thre were any no-shows. However, I neglected to tell Hunny Bunny my plan, and he let me sleep in until 8:24. Ah well.
So we're sitting in bed, looking out the window over the city and the lake, and I mentioned about missing the bus, but it's just as well, as I have a lot of work to do, and with him gigging it's a good time to get caught up sans distractions. His reply? Not the "cathing up on work is a better use of your time" reply I was expecting, but instead I heard " You should catch the other bus and go anyway - you need more live practice before you to go to Vegas" (see Sidenote1).
So I managed to get myself organized in time to catch the subsidized bus across the street (runs 3x daily for the low, low price of FIVE BUCKS, but no free lunch). I spent the 2+ hour ride chillin', listenin' to some poker podcasts and catchin' up on some reading (see Sidenote 2).
I hate getting to Rama after 12 on a Saturday - I miss getting in on the tables they open at noon. So I end up parking myself for a half hour at the poker slots (eeewwww) until they call my name for a 2/4 Limit table (Rama has no NLHE, alas)
My table consists of the usual assortment of retirees supplementing their income, cottagers escaping from the family for a few hours and 20-somethings who are thinkin' they're the next big thing complete wth mirrored shades and baseball hats... one even had the hologram shades (dude, here's a newsflash...there is only one Raymer, and you ain't him). My "hello guys" is completely ignored .... so it's like that then, is it? I make a production out of setting my chips up, splashing them about with trembling hands while thinking about the perils of men ignoring and underestimating women.
My first hand I'm at the BB, catch rags, and let the callmeisters take some chips. Then it's SB and I look down at ducks. Sigh. Everyone at the table calls around, I call, BB checks. Flop is a rainbow of A 5 2. Hmm. One guys bets, another raises, Mr Yappy across from me (who is also chip leader) re-raises, I cap - some call, so there's 5 players left to see the turn. I'm thinking there's straight draws, aces paired and maybe another set out there. Bet, raise, re-raise, I call. Turn comes...a blessed TWO!!!! Dems Quads Beeeetchs!!!
Now I bet, there's a few callers, Mr Yappy raises. As I reach for my chips and say "re-raise", he takes this opportunity to tell me he has a full house and maybe I should fold because a full house outranks a straight a two pair. I give my best dick withering look as I toss my chips in. Yeah, if his hand is great, how come he only calls me instead of raising? Everyone else bails so it's head's up when the river is a 9, no biggie, and we cap the betting this time.
Card flip time and Mr. Yappy gloats as he flips over his pocket 5's - "I told you I had a full house". "That's really great and all" I say as I turn over my duckies, "but last I checked quads beat a boat."
Yippeeee skippeeee! I silenced Mr. Yappy for a few minutes while taking a HUGE pot (well huge for a 2/5 limit table). Holy Blind Special, Batman!
The rest of the day was spent in the usual up-some-down-some way.... won another big pot when I chased a straight and caught the two I needed on the river, busting Seat 4 (a.k.a. Mr. Whiney) and his pocket Kings. (Dude, there's an ACE on the flop, you're CHECKING, I'm BETTING, and you're just CALLING - wtf??)
I ended up better than I have yet at the live limit tables, basically doubling my cash (last time I went I was pretty damn pleased that I was ahead by 16 bucks *grin). God I love poker!
---------------------------
Sidenote 1:
This is a public acknowledgement of how awesome my husband is. There is never any bullshit about me making new friends on the chat; he doesn't make any snide comments about poker or begrudge me the amount of time I spend playing; he listens when I talk about my losses and by asking me a few questions makes me talk through why I lost and how I can learn from it. He asks me about my poker budget, not to complain about how how much I've spent, but to find out if it's actually enough to be able to learn properly (which alas, involves losing) without feeling stressed. And he's been very, very clear about the fact that under no circumstances am I to cash out the poker bankroll until it is healthy, and never, ever use it to pay bills.
Now, he isn't perfect by any means...but to paraphrase Grace Jones, he's not perfect, but he's perfect for me. Keith my love, you are a prince among men.
Sidenote 2:
Why is that Toronto, the BIGGEST city in Canada (3+ million people), in a province that already has casinos in MUCH smaller places (Niagara Falls? Windsor? Brantford? Sioux Ste. Marie, for chrissakes??) has NO casino? Why? Why???
There's a lot of poker players in the T dot. Oh, here's a thought, let's put in a casino in the undeveloped harbour lands and get some more tourism happening???? Sheesh, I can't be only one who thinks this.
There's a radio programme on the CBC that I love called Definitely Not The Opera. While most people think of the CBC as a repository for stuffed shirt music (classical and opera, eek) and news (want a relatively non-slanted look at current affairs? Listen in.), it has it's gems like DNTO, Quirks and Quarks, and Radio Three.
I've been downloading the podcasts for Quirks and Radio Three for a while now, I've just learned that DNTO now has a podcast as well. Now this makes me very happy, because while I don't have much of a life, I do have enough of one that I have other things to do on a Saturday afternoon.
So I spent the half hour commute in this morning listening to last week's episode on geek. Geek is the new cool, doncha know? This is some funny shit. Add in a bit on Bettie Page (my role model *grin) and it's a good start to the day.
As a related sidenote, smirking and giggling to yourself on the bus (rain = no bike) is guaranteed to make sure that you have space around you even in a packed rush hour bus.
To all the neighbours to the south....have a great long weekend! Enjoy!
I've been downloading the podcasts for Quirks and Radio Three for a while now, I've just learned that DNTO now has a podcast as well. Now this makes me very happy, because while I don't have much of a life, I do have enough of one that I have other things to do on a Saturday afternoon.
So I spent the half hour commute in this morning listening to last week's episode on geek. Geek is the new cool, doncha know? This is some funny shit. Add in a bit on Bettie Page (my role model *grin) and it's a good start to the day.
As a related sidenote, smirking and giggling to yourself on the bus (rain = no bike) is guaranteed to make sure that you have space around you even in a packed rush hour bus.
To all the neighbours to the south....have a great long weekend! Enjoy!
coz a hoopy frood knows where the towels are
3 Comments Published by katitude on Thursday, May 25, 2006 at 4:49 p.m..
A good way to spend an afternoon, and then suicide by hammer
6 Comments Published by katitude on at 9:27 a.m..
Came in fifth in this low buy-in tourney....not a bad return on a $2.20 investment *grin. Thanks and gratitude to Weak and Loud for sweating me in the last portion where the blinds are freaking scary!
Then spent time hanging with Hunny Bunny and looking at all the work I *should* have been doing during the afternoon. I wish I could wake up in the morning, and all my marking would have been done by the magic teacher fairies. My beloved is an early-to-bed kind of guy, so I didn't feel guilty about abandoning him to play the Mookie at 10. Check his site for a very good live blogging - and thank you Mookie for live blogging your tournies! I'm usually a bit beat by then and a tad distracted by the goings-on in the "girlie chat thingie" *grin. I barely remember looking at my hammer, looking at MiamiDon's raise in front of me and thinking "at least it's a good blogger way to die", lol!
Carmen; it was good to talk to you! We need to talk about a WPBT spa trip. Maybe the Sunday to help us recuperate from the WPBT? This sounds good - the Morning After Arabica (a body scrub with ground coffee, peppermint and rosemary oils) at the MGM *grin.
I just finished a little WSOP Ladies Night satellite game, and there's something about that game that really bothers me.
There's only 21 players entered, I'm playing pretty good, tight, and after a half hour get moved to another table along with one of my table-mates. At this new table is someone who clearly knows her; the names are nauseatingly linked and the chat becomes all "honey" and "love" and "sweetheat". (*gag*)
Now I'm a suspicious, jaded fuck, so I pay extra special attention to the lovebirds. He's a good by-the-book player and is the tourney leader (he's also a bit of an ass, taunting other players on their hands). On this table, she only plays her blinds, and *only* if he's folded around to her - on the previous table, she was more aggressive and chased a lot. She got slapped down a few times when she played bad hands and got caught. On the other table she made decisions quickly... on this table if she's in a hand, every decision takes a while...a looong while it seems.
(And I have to wonder, why is a guy playing in the Ladies Night Satellite? So he can chip dump to her late in the tournament so she gets in to the main tournament? My suspicous mind is working overtime.)
So my question to you is: collusion? or am I just overly suspicious? It's only a $10 entry...no one would be that dumb to collude so obviously for a low buy-in, would they?
----------------------------------------
Later:
It's just after the first break and I'm busted when my Bitches get their comeuppance when another player makes a set of J's on the turn. I decide to watch a bit more, because, well, there is nothing on tv and sleeplessness has hit again. A bit later Mr. Honey is busted when his K high flush meets someone's A high flush. His chickie is busted out very soon after as she goes all in with her short stack with A3 offsooted and meets with Pocket Kings. It's all a moot point as neither of them place.
But it still makes me wonder.
There's only 21 players entered, I'm playing pretty good, tight, and after a half hour get moved to another table along with one of my table-mates. At this new table is someone who clearly knows her; the names are nauseatingly linked and the chat becomes all "honey" and "love" and "sweetheat". (*gag*)
Now I'm a suspicious, jaded fuck, so I pay extra special attention to the lovebirds. He's a good by-the-book player and is the tourney leader (he's also a bit of an ass, taunting other players on their hands). On this table, she only plays her blinds, and *only* if he's folded around to her - on the previous table, she was more aggressive and chased a lot. She got slapped down a few times when she played bad hands and got caught. On the other table she made decisions quickly... on this table if she's in a hand, every decision takes a while...a looong while it seems.
(And I have to wonder, why is a guy playing in the Ladies Night Satellite? So he can chip dump to her late in the tournament so she gets in to the main tournament? My suspicous mind is working overtime.)
So my question to you is: collusion? or am I just overly suspicious? It's only a $10 entry...no one would be that dumb to collude so obviously for a low buy-in, would they?
----------------------------------------
Later:
It's just after the first break and I'm busted when my Bitches get their comeuppance when another player makes a set of J's on the turn. I decide to watch a bit more, because, well, there is nothing on tv and sleeplessness has hit again. A bit later Mr. Honey is busted when his K high flush meets someone's A high flush. His chickie is busted out very soon after as she goes all in with her short stack with A3 offsooted and meets with Pocket Kings. It's all a moot point as neither of them place.
But it still makes me wonder.
Yesterday was Victoria Day up here in Canada (gotta love it, a paid day off to celebrate the birthday of a dead Queen...ah, the jokes are endless), so I had time to think about things that are even worse than losing at poker:
- looking at a new motorcycle that you cannot possibly begin to afford
- getting a letter from Revenue Canada
- missing the UPS guy, so you have to miles out of my way to pick up a client's business cards that were promised last week
- remembering the 4 things that absolutely HAD to be done over the long weekend, but only remembering them when you wake up on Tuesday morning (extra points for waking up LATE)
- running out of gas in the bike because you forgot to turn the switch off Reserve the last time you filled the bike
- spending a stat holiday driving in a car through the most boring stretch of scenery in the province, visiting the in-laws, the driving back through said boring stretch of highway with the added joy of getting stuck in the returning-home-from-the-cottage-after-the-first-long-weekend-of-the-summer traffic
It all makes being a HOY victim pale in comparison.
- looking at a new motorcycle that you cannot possibly begin to afford
- getting a letter from Revenue Canada
- missing the UPS guy, so you have to miles out of my way to pick up a client's business cards that were promised last week
- remembering the 4 things that absolutely HAD to be done over the long weekend, but only remembering them when you wake up on Tuesday morning (extra points for waking up LATE)
- running out of gas in the bike because you forgot to turn the switch off Reserve the last time you filled the bike
- spending a stat holiday driving in a car through the most boring stretch of scenery in the province, visiting the in-laws, the driving back through said boring stretch of highway with the added joy of getting stuck in the returning-home-from-the-cottage-after-the-first-long-weekend-of-the-summer traffic
It all makes being a HOY victim pale in comparison.
You know, I KNEW I should have folded the pocket sevens when in BB. Especially when Hoyazo goes all in before me.
But dammit...I was short stacked and he's done that a lot before....he can't have had good hands ALL the damn time.
Well, the awfukkits hit me at the wrong moment, and now I'm so furious at myself I can hardly type. Out 9th of 43 when his QQ held. I know I should be pleased that I made final table in one of the Gemini games, and played very respectably. But I'm too busy tilting.
I did play well though. Mostly. Well, it was a well played tourney if you don't count the suckouts. And overbets. And underbets.
Sigh. I think I'm down to only 2 lives left.
But dammit...I was short stacked and he's done that a lot before....he can't have had good hands ALL the damn time.
Well, the awfukkits hit me at the wrong moment, and now I'm so furious at myself I can hardly type. Out 9th of 43 when his QQ held. I know I should be pleased that I made final table in one of the Gemini games, and played very respectably. But I'm too busy tilting.
I did play well though. Mostly. Well, it was a well played tourney if you don't count the suckouts. And overbets. And underbets.
Sigh. I think I'm down to only 2 lives left.
And it cost me absolutely nothing.
I played two plus hours, and ended up in fourth. I was busted by Jordan, who was likely responsible for taking out more than half the participants. He was on FIYAH! He was actually trying to get out of the game but chipped up really early, proving something I've found to happen quite often in both live and online games: When you play to lose, the Luckbox Gods wave their magic wands and presto - you win! Poker is all about the contrary.
Highlights;
- Listening to Jordan on chat, who sounds eerily like Kevin Bacon
- Talking with Pokerwolf, Biggestron and Drizztdj about how minimum raises are only for Girl Scouts who don't make their quota selling thin mints (OK, I have to ask...what the heck is a thin mint?? Up here Girl Scouts just sell two kinds of cookie: choc. and vanilla). Also how min. raises make the baby jesus cry. except when he's eating thin mints. Coz jesus is all about the thin mints.
So I've won 300 bucks, which I'll be withdrawing some from Absolute Poker to help pay for myaddiction, habit, obsession retirement fund training on other sites as well.
And I have no earthly use for the $200 Nevada Jacks gift certificate as I already own chips and a table. So it's up for sale if anyone's interested.
Many, many thnaks to Absolute Poker, Poker Source Online, and Nevada Jacks for putting this on.
I played two plus hours, and ended up in fourth. I was busted by Jordan, who was likely responsible for taking out more than half the participants. He was on FIYAH! He was actually trying to get out of the game but chipped up really early, proving something I've found to happen quite often in both live and online games: When you play to lose, the Luckbox Gods wave their magic wands and presto - you win! Poker is all about the contrary.
Highlights;
- Listening to Jordan on chat, who sounds eerily like Kevin Bacon
- Talking with Pokerwolf, Biggestron and Drizztdj about how minimum raises are only for Girl Scouts who don't make their quota selling thin mints (OK, I have to ask...what the heck is a thin mint?? Up here Girl Scouts just sell two kinds of cookie: choc. and vanilla). Also how min. raises make the baby jesus cry. except when he's eating thin mints. Coz jesus is all about the thin mints.
So I've won 300 bucks, which I'll be withdrawing some from Absolute Poker to help pay for my
And I have no earthly use for the $200 Nevada Jacks gift certificate as I already own chips and a table. So it's up for sale if anyone's interested.
Many, many thnaks to Absolute Poker, Poker Source Online, and Nevada Jacks for putting this on.
Why? because all the cool kids are doing it
2 Comments Published by katitude on Friday, May 19, 2006 at 3:30 p.m..
1. What is the biggest mistake people make at a NL table?
Oh that's easy, coz I do it msyelf...fall in love with your hole cards to the point of excluding all other new information from the community cards and betting.
2. What is the biggest mistake people make at a Limit table?
Thinking that you can bluff a guy off a hand easily.
3. Why do you play poker?
Because I need obsessions like some people need to breath. Motorcycling is not a year-round thing up here, and knitting is turning out to be far less social than poker.
4. If you weren't playing poker, what would you be doing?
Finding another group of people to annoy.
5. What is your favorite poker book and why?
Phil's Little Green Book - I have a short attention span
6. Who is your favorite poker player and why?
Phil Gordon: He seems like a genuinely nice guy, a good player, has a great voice, and is easy on the eyes.
7. Which poker player do you dislike the most and why?
He's not a poker player per se...but I'd love to see the back end of Vince Van Patton for the last time.
8. Do your coworkers know about your blog?
They know about it but have zero interest in it (Luddites, all of 'em).
9. What is the most you have won in a cash game or MTT (both live and online)?
I won two hundred-ish-plus online. Once.
10. What is the most you have lost in a cash game or in one day total (both live and online)?
One Hundred.
11. Who was your first poker blog read?
Dr. Pauly.
12. What satisfies you more, your aces holding up for a big pot or a bluff working for a big pot?
The bluff. Because aces never hold up.
13. Why do you blog?
It amuses me.
14. Do you read blogs from an RSS reader like bloglines or do you visit each blog?
I visit each one. I need the comment fix.
15. Would you rather play poker for a living than do what you currently do for a living?
Nope.
16. Do you wear a tin foil hat on occasion?
I used to, but had to stop as the voices hated it. Plus, helmet hair is bad enough...tin foil hair was fugly.
17. If you had to pin it down to one specific trait, what does a great poker player have (or do) that separates them from an average player?
Patience combined with boldness.
18. Is Drizz the coolest person on the planet for naming his baby Vegas?
Alas, only the second coolest - my friends from high school named their son with Vegas as the first name a few years ago.
19. What is your primary poker goal and are you close to accomplishing it?
My goal is not to suck at it. And no, I am not even remotely close.
20. What is your primary online site and why?
PokerStars. The interface isn't too awful, the games fill quickly and it runs quickly. Plus the custom images are a nice touch.
21. What site do you dislike and why?
Ultimate Bet. Come on people, how hard is it to test an upgrade properly??
Oh that's easy, coz I do it msyelf...fall in love with your hole cards to the point of excluding all other new information from the community cards and betting.
2. What is the biggest mistake people make at a Limit table?
Thinking that you can bluff a guy off a hand easily.
3. Why do you play poker?
Because I need obsessions like some people need to breath. Motorcycling is not a year-round thing up here, and knitting is turning out to be far less social than poker.
4. If you weren't playing poker, what would you be doing?
Finding another group of people to annoy.
5. What is your favorite poker book and why?
Phil's Little Green Book - I have a short attention span
6. Who is your favorite poker player and why?
Phil Gordon: He seems like a genuinely nice guy, a good player, has a great voice, and is easy on the eyes.
7. Which poker player do you dislike the most and why?
He's not a poker player per se...but I'd love to see the back end of Vince Van Patton for the last time.
8. Do your coworkers know about your blog?
They know about it but have zero interest in it (Luddites, all of 'em).
9. What is the most you have won in a cash game or MTT (both live and online)?
I won two hundred-ish-plus online. Once.
10. What is the most you have lost in a cash game or in one day total (both live and online)?
One Hundred.
11. Who was your first poker blog read?
Dr. Pauly.
12. What satisfies you more, your aces holding up for a big pot or a bluff working for a big pot?
The bluff. Because aces never hold up.
13. Why do you blog?
It amuses me.
14. Do you read blogs from an RSS reader like bloglines or do you visit each blog?
I visit each one. I need the comment fix.
15. Would you rather play poker for a living than do what you currently do for a living?
Nope.
16. Do you wear a tin foil hat on occasion?
I used to, but had to stop as the voices hated it. Plus, helmet hair is bad enough...tin foil hair was fugly.
17. If you had to pin it down to one specific trait, what does a great poker player have (or do) that separates them from an average player?
Patience combined with boldness.
18. Is Drizz the coolest person on the planet for naming his baby Vegas?
Alas, only the second coolest - my friends from high school named their son with Vegas as the first name a few years ago.
19. What is your primary poker goal and are you close to accomplishing it?
My goal is not to suck at it. And no, I am not even remotely close.
20. What is your primary online site and why?
PokerStars. The interface isn't too awful, the games fill quickly and it runs quickly. Plus the custom images are a nice touch.
21. What site do you dislike and why?
Ultimate Bet. Come on people, how hard is it to test an upgrade properly??
Yeah. Like there's a plan.
It's not been a good few days. There are things going on in life that I don't wish to discuss, but are seriously affecting my play. It's hard to concentrate on a poker game when there are large ominous things hanging over your head.
I sat at a game yesterday, a little $6+60 tournament entry token thing on Full Tilt last night with Weak and Garth, and it struck me about halfway through...I didn't care about poker. At all. The next thought was "So why am I here then?", and I had no real answer, other than some escapism that clearly wasn't working.
It took me four hands to bail out. The denouement occurred when I was chasing a boat when I KNEW that the other guy in the hand had a flush. Of course I know the odds on me making a boat on the river, but was overcome by an attack of the whatevers (the sullen younger sisters of the awfukkits). I lost and I still didn't care. I said in the chat that I blame the hormone rollercoaster, but the real key is apathy.
So, until I really feel like it I think I'm going to stop for a bit. Could be a week; could be days or even hours. Who knows.
Yeah, who am I kidding....I'll see y'all tonight.
To my fellow Canucks - Happy Victoria Day long weekend all!
It's not been a good few days. There are things going on in life that I don't wish to discuss, but are seriously affecting my play. It's hard to concentrate on a poker game when there are large ominous things hanging over your head.
I sat at a game yesterday, a little $6+60 tournament entry token thing on Full Tilt last night with Weak and Garth, and it struck me about halfway through...I didn't care about poker. At all. The next thought was "So why am I here then?", and I had no real answer, other than some escapism that clearly wasn't working.
It took me four hands to bail out. The denouement occurred when I was chasing a boat when I KNEW that the other guy in the hand had a flush. Of course I know the odds on me making a boat on the river, but was overcome by an attack of the whatevers (the sullen younger sisters of the awfukkits). I lost and I still didn't care. I said in the chat that I blame the hormone rollercoaster, but the real key is apathy.
ap·a·thy,n.
Lack of interest or concern, especially regarding matters of general importance or appeal; indifference. Lack of emotion or feeling; impassiveness.
So, until I really feel like it I think I'm going to stop for a bit. Could be a week; could be days or even hours. Who knows.
Yeah, who am I kidding....I'll see y'all tonight.
To my fellow Canucks - Happy Victoria Day long weekend all!
Quit
While
You're
Ahead.
Sigh.
While
You're
Ahead.
Sigh.
OK, I've written this about 4 times and everytime I get about halfway through I start foaming at the mouth and have to get up and walk around.
I'm pissed off. Again. (Still? I dunno anymore.)
I've just spent 3 days talking to my students about the freedom to say one's opinions without censorship or reprimand (I draw the line at idiocy and hate mongering), about how the www and blogging could be the last great bastion of free speech at a grassroots level.
And then in one day I have read three separate accounts of corporate management getting their knickers in a knot over someone's personal blog. It's resulted in one guy getting fired (FIRED! for speaking his mind about shit that had NOTHING to do with his employer!), and another taking his blog "off the air". I liked that blog too, dammit!
I'm stunned. Where did this line get crossed? When did it become acceptable for this kind of control to be wielded over one's personal expression? Was I away that day?
God dammit to hell.
More Stella Marrs postcard images can be found here. "But what if it's all bullshit?" is my fav.
I'm pissed off. Again. (Still? I dunno anymore.)
I've just spent 3 days talking to my students about the freedom to say one's opinions without censorship or reprimand (I draw the line at idiocy and hate mongering), about how the www and blogging could be the last great bastion of free speech at a grassroots level.
And then in one day I have read three separate accounts of corporate management getting their knickers in a knot over someone's personal blog. It's resulted in one guy getting fired (FIRED! for speaking his mind about shit that had NOTHING to do with his employer!), and another taking his blog "off the air". I liked that blog too, dammit!
I'm stunned. Where did this line get crossed? When did it become acceptable for this kind of control to be wielded over one's personal expression? Was I away that day?
God dammit to hell.
More Stella Marrs postcard images can be found here. "But what if it's all bullshit?" is my fav.
Poker will not save you from a bad day. If anything, it will make the bad day even worse.
Just played a lovely little SnG with Jules on Stars, and wouldn't you know it we get *that* guy.
You know the one...thinly veiled insults, backhanded pseudo compliments, country bashing (listen bozo...other people love their country just as passionately so BACK OFF). I can't even repeat the one thing he said that I found most vile...makes my stomach churn.
There's two roads I can take here: the high road where I mute and ignore, and the low road where I taunt and allow him to dig himself in deeper (or tilt me, whichever comes first).
And now, thanks to Jules, I have a middle road. Shakespearian insults - how wonderful! Seriously, what can a jackhole say to something like "[Thou hath] not so much brain as ear wax"? Or this one: "Sell your face for five pence and 'tis dear".
And the nod to Monty Python's Grail. Classic. Now go away, or I shall taunt you a second time. *grin
Oh, and dude, here's one specially for you....
You know the one...thinly veiled insults, backhanded pseudo compliments, country bashing (listen bozo...other people love their country just as passionately so BACK OFF). I can't even repeat the one thing he said that I found most vile...makes my stomach churn.
There's two roads I can take here: the high road where I mute and ignore, and the low road where I taunt and allow him to dig himself in deeper (or tilt me, whichever comes first).
And now, thanks to Jules, I have a middle road. Shakespearian insults - how wonderful! Seriously, what can a jackhole say to something like "[Thou hath] not so much brain as ear wax"? Or this one: "Sell your face for five pence and 'tis dear".
And the nod to Monty Python's Grail. Classic. Now go away, or I shall taunt you a second time. *grin
Oh, and dude, here's one specially for you....
In his book, Killer Poker Online, John Vorhaus talks a bit about preparation when playing poker:
BINGO!
I've been putting as much thought into preparing for my online game as I have for what tomake order in for dinner (make dinner...lol...who am I kidding).
I'd come home and play a game or two. I'd log on later in the evening and play for the social aspect with the bloggers. I'd wake up on the weekend and put in an hour or so. And a few weeks ago when I had a nice bankroll due to some wins, I never really thought about it.
Join Weak in a $30 Sng? Sure!
Play a $10 Rebuy Madness? Count me in!
Realize how quickly said bankroll was melting? Huh?
So I found myself on Friday night with the following numbers:
PokerStars: 9.90
Full Tilt: 2.80 + one $26 entry chip
Ultimate Bet: 14.36
And thanks to dropping over $1400 on a root canal this week, no room on the credit cards to reload anywhere.
I goofed off on Friday and played a bit...up to two digits on Stars, down to zero cash on Tilt and down to less than 6 bucks on UB. I goofed off a bit more on Saturday morning and lost a bit more.
Luckily I realized that I was just goofing off and procrastinating, so I stopped, did some of the stuff I was supposed to do, and played no poker until later.
But I thought about poker. Decided what I was going to do (one small SnG on Stars, then use my token on FT to play the 18K Guaranteed at 10pm) and mentally prepared.
I made sure that the most pressing work was done, email was caught up, phone calls were made, oddly quirky movies completely watched: Office Space, Secretary and Escape from New York ("Snake Plissken? I heard you were dead"...cracks me up every time!). I was ready.
And the result of the preparation, of making the mental transition between not playing and playing?
- won third in a 18 person SnG on Stars
- won the last longer bet between Sox, Weak and Gracie
- placed 39th of 925 players in the Tilt 18K Guaranteed at 10pm
I know, I know ... well duh. I can be a tad thick sometimes.
Whether you realize it or not, you take steps to prepare yourself to play poker at a cardroom. Even if you’re only traveling across a casino from your hotel room to the poker room, you’re involved in a change of space, and this physical transition naturally brings about a mental transition, as well.
Online, it’s different. You can go from cleaning the cat box to posting a blind in the time it takes to click “deal me in.” If you make the jump into online play without proper mental preparation, you run the risk of playing badly to start and getting stuck right away.
BINGO!
I've been putting as much thought into preparing for my online game as I have for what to
I'd come home and play a game or two. I'd log on later in the evening and play for the social aspect with the bloggers. I'd wake up on the weekend and put in an hour or so. And a few weeks ago when I had a nice bankroll due to some wins, I never really thought about it.
Join Weak in a $30 Sng? Sure!
Play a $10 Rebuy Madness? Count me in!
Realize how quickly said bankroll was melting? Huh?
So I found myself on Friday night with the following numbers:
PokerStars: 9.90
Full Tilt: 2.80 + one $26 entry chip
Ultimate Bet: 14.36
And thanks to dropping over $1400 on a root canal this week, no room on the credit cards to reload anywhere.
I goofed off on Friday and played a bit...up to two digits on Stars, down to zero cash on Tilt and down to less than 6 bucks on UB. I goofed off a bit more on Saturday morning and lost a bit more.
Luckily I realized that I was just goofing off and procrastinating, so I stopped, did some of the stuff I was supposed to do, and played no poker until later.
But I thought about poker. Decided what I was going to do (one small SnG on Stars, then use my token on FT to play the 18K Guaranteed at 10pm) and mentally prepared.
I made sure that the most pressing work was done, email was caught up, phone calls were made, oddly quirky movies completely watched: Office Space, Secretary and Escape from New York ("Snake Plissken? I heard you were dead"...cracks me up every time!). I was ready.
And the result of the preparation, of making the mental transition between not playing and playing?
- won third in a 18 person SnG on Stars
- won the last longer bet between Sox, Weak and Gracie
- placed 39th of 925 players in the Tilt 18K Guaranteed at 10pm
I know, I know ... well duh. I can be a tad thick sometimes.
an open letter (non poker content ahead)
4 Comments Published by katitude on Thursday, May 11, 2006 at 6:31 p.m..
Dear Blondie;
Long time fan (29 years actually), first time writer.
I've always enjoyed your music; yours was the one band I can truly say I've "grown up" with. From the ever-so-bitchy "Rip Her To Shreds" that coincided with my ever-so-bitchy youth to the latest efforts that dabbled in diverse genres like jazz, classical, reggae and hiphop that echoed periods of my life where I dabbled in different genres.
And as someone who has also lived the last 29 years with many ups and downs, I truly understand that as one ages, the word "compromise" no longer has such a violent knee-jerk reaction as it once did. Things change, tastes and attitudes change. The need to eat and pay bills becomes much more important than principles. So I do get why y'all have "sold out", and licensed songs to the Evil Advertising and Marketing Guild.
But.
Why that song?!?!?! The song that pretty much defined a summer for me, the one that even after 2+ decades can still bring back those memories as fresh as if I had just done those stupid, silly things yesterday? The summer where I woke up and found me under all the layers of "good girl"-isms and acceptable group behaviours?
God, and for a CLEANING PRODUCT of all things.... talk about a double slap in the face.
So now I have to mute the commercial as fast as I can; I will not allow you to bastardize these memories for me, to overlay the meaning this song has for me with images of a happy, stunned woman deriving idiotic joy from cleaning. CLEANING! OMFG, as if punks ever really cared about tidiness!
And to the fine people of Swiffer...nice try but this is me backlashing. I have just tossed out all your products. And I will never buy your product again. Ever.
And please, feel free to pass this on to Iggy Pop ("Lust for Life" is pimping a cruise ship line), the holders of the Clash catalogue ("London Calling" pimping Jaguars) and the Evil Advertising and Marketing Guild.
Long time fan (29 years actually), first time writer.
I've always enjoyed your music; yours was the one band I can truly say I've "grown up" with. From the ever-so-bitchy "Rip Her To Shreds" that coincided with my ever-so-bitchy youth to the latest efforts that dabbled in diverse genres like jazz, classical, reggae and hiphop that echoed periods of my life where I dabbled in different genres.
And as someone who has also lived the last 29 years with many ups and downs, I truly understand that as one ages, the word "compromise" no longer has such a violent knee-jerk reaction as it once did. Things change, tastes and attitudes change. The need to eat and pay bills becomes much more important than principles. So I do get why y'all have "sold out", and licensed songs to the Evil Advertising and Marketing Guild.
But.
Why that song?!?!?! The song that pretty much defined a summer for me, the one that even after 2+ decades can still bring back those memories as fresh as if I had just done those stupid, silly things yesterday? The summer where I woke up and found me under all the layers of "good girl"-isms and acceptable group behaviours?
God, and for a CLEANING PRODUCT of all things.... talk about a double slap in the face.
So now I have to mute the commercial as fast as I can; I will not allow you to bastardize these memories for me, to overlay the meaning this song has for me with images of a happy, stunned woman deriving idiotic joy from cleaning. CLEANING! OMFG, as if punks ever really cared about tidiness!
And to the fine people of Swiffer...nice try but this is me backlashing. I have just tossed out all your products. And I will never buy your product again. Ever.
And please, feel free to pass this on to Iggy Pop ("Lust for Life" is pimping a cruise ship line), the holders of the Clash catalogue ("London Calling" pimping Jaguars) and the Evil Advertising and Marketing Guild.
Bite me, you fuckers.
First of all, congratulations to Surflexus for winning the Mookie back-to-back last night!
I'm not really sure why I even bothered to play it. Had a root canal done yesterday afternoon and after a quick SnG with Weak on FT, I slept fitfully until 9:45 just before the Mookie start time of 10.
Let's just say I was not feeling my best (damn, lying dentist.."oh, you don't need a prescription for anything, Tylenol's should be fine", I should have insisted). I could barely focus and I'm sure I was incoherent in the voice chat with Sox and Weak. Yet somehow through strategic folding I managed to last past the first break, finishing 22nd.
I know that everyone goes through this (well I'm pretty sure anyway), but I'm having some moments of serious self-doubt. Since winning the Mookie twice in a row a month or so ago, and placing ITM in some pretty big tournaments, I was letting myself believe that yes, perhaps I do know what I'm doing and can win pretty consistently.
What ego.
Yes I do know what I'm doing, sorta kinda mostly, but the winning consistently part of that paragraph continues to elude me. The stars aren't aligned, the pantheon of poker deities have turned their attention elsewhere, the dealer hates me, I have a clueless moment: out of all of them the last is the most usual.
Not that I think I'm playing stupidly... yes there are hands when I act stupidly, but those are getting fewer and fewer all the time.
My enemy is time. I have a short attention span. I want what I want and I want it now. If I got paid by the amount of times someone, somewhere has said "Patience" to me during my life, well, let's just say I wouldn't have to worry about my retirement fund *grin.
I'm not really sure why I even bothered to play it. Had a root canal done yesterday afternoon and after a quick SnG with Weak on FT, I slept fitfully until 9:45 just before the Mookie start time of 10.
Let's just say I was not feeling my best (damn, lying dentist.."oh, you don't need a prescription for anything, Tylenol's should be fine", I should have insisted). I could barely focus and I'm sure I was incoherent in the voice chat with Sox and Weak. Yet somehow through strategic folding I managed to last past the first break, finishing 22nd.
I know that everyone goes through this (well I'm pretty sure anyway), but I'm having some moments of serious self-doubt. Since winning the Mookie twice in a row a month or so ago, and placing ITM in some pretty big tournaments, I was letting myself believe that yes, perhaps I do know what I'm doing and can win pretty consistently.
What ego.
Yes I do know what I'm doing, sorta kinda mostly, but the winning consistently part of that paragraph continues to elude me. The stars aren't aligned, the pantheon of poker deities have turned their attention elsewhere, the dealer hates me, I have a clueless moment: out of all of them the last is the most usual.
Not that I think I'm playing stupidly... yes there are hands when I act stupidly, but those are getting fewer and fewer all the time.
My enemy is time. I have a short attention span. I want what I want and I want it now. If I got paid by the amount of times someone, somewhere has said "Patience" to me during my life, well, let's just say I wouldn't have to worry about my retirement fund *grin.
Thank you for leading me into temptation...again.
5 Comments Published by katitude on Tuesday, May 09, 2006 at 12:11 p.m..
"Oops!...She did it again
Showed me a new sytle, now I'm lost in the game
Oh dammit, dammit!
Oops!...You'd think that I'd learn
That I'm not Jen Harman - I'm not that experienced."
~ paraphrasing Britney, which i swear I'll never do again.
OK, so it's not enough that the woman hooks me on Texas Hold 'Em (which truth be told, I was interested in since I saw an episode of WPT, but that's another story).
Oh noooooo....
"Oh look", she thinks to herself. "Kat has a slight degree of comfort with NHLE, let's add something else to the mix."
I can see her now...rubbing her hands together with a wickedly gleeful expression on her face as she leans forward to type in the Yahoo chat window "I'm going to play Omaha...want to join me?"
Sigh.
Thanks J.
Edit: since I've placed ITM in my third ever Omaha SnG, I've amended the above comment. Slightly.
This weekend was spent playing a lot of poker, and with one exception, the results were unsatisfactory.
I lost. A lot. Out of the 12 tourneys and SnG's played over a two day period, I placed ITM in only one. And it was the last one of the weekend.
In every game I played tight, uber tight in a few cases. I read the players, I lasted deep into each game, aggressively taking pots and stealing blinds. I kicked some serious ass in a few places. I was able to avoid bad beats like they were stupid cagers on the poker road.
But Kat, you say, then why the hell did you lose???
I got stupid. I dropped my attention for a minute. I got impatient. Or a combination of all three. Out of all of my bust-outs, none of them were due to a bad beat. Each and every one was a direct result of me not consistently playing an "A" game.
And that is the nature of my personal tilt.
I can't get upset about a bad beat, because shit happens, and I have no control over what donkeys do. As a matter of fact, not that long ago I was one of those donkeys, congratulating myself over winning with my 64 offsuit and making my one-outer. (sidenote: a huge thank you to my poker pals, who are studiously educating me indirectly on what a noob I was/am.)
And I have no control over how the cards fall. I refuse to be an ass and blame the software when the cards don't go the way I'd like.
But I do have control over how I act. Well, some control at least (Jules, ssshhhhh!). And I've learned enough to feel 10 shades of stupid when I continue to bet deeply with my QQ, even though there's a K on the board, I'm in shitty position, and the only other player left in the hand smooth calls all my bets no matter how high. I mean, honestly....doesn't take a freakin' rocket scientist to see the writing on the wall for that hand. And yet I missed it; and was rewarded by my sloppy play by getting bounced.
And that puts me on tilt. I doubt myself, I question my knowledge and my level of intelligence. Life and my adventures in poker would be so much simpler if I could blame my losses on other people, but alas, that's not how I was brought up.
But luckily I was also brought up to learn from my mistakes. "Only idiots screw up the same way multiple times...and I didn't raise an idiot, did I?"...god I'd never thought I'd see the day when I'd thank my father for all the times he'd say that to me with a sardonic twist.
So after the second last game (where my method of busting out of the trouney was so stupendously stupid, all I could say in the chat was "don't anyone say anything"). I cursed a lot, stomped around a bit, then turned off the tv, closed the www windows, set iTunes to play Groove Salad, and sat down again with two words repeated like a mantra: Wait. Think.
And I placed 4th in the last game of the weekend. It was a $5, 45-person SnG, and I made $20 bucks to offset the $110 spent. Financially the weekend was a wash, but was priceless in lessons.
I hope like hell I remember them.
I lost. A lot. Out of the 12 tourneys and SnG's played over a two day period, I placed ITM in only one. And it was the last one of the weekend.
In every game I played tight, uber tight in a few cases. I read the players, I lasted deep into each game, aggressively taking pots and stealing blinds. I kicked some serious ass in a few places. I was able to avoid bad beats like they were stupid cagers on the poker road.
But Kat, you say, then why the hell did you lose???
I got stupid. I dropped my attention for a minute. I got impatient. Or a combination of all three. Out of all of my bust-outs, none of them were due to a bad beat. Each and every one was a direct result of me not consistently playing an "A" game.
And that is the nature of my personal tilt.
I can't get upset about a bad beat, because shit happens, and I have no control over what donkeys do. As a matter of fact, not that long ago I was one of those donkeys, congratulating myself over winning with my 64 offsuit and making my one-outer. (sidenote: a huge thank you to my poker pals, who are studiously educating me indirectly on what a noob I was/am.)
And I have no control over how the cards fall. I refuse to be an ass and blame the software when the cards don't go the way I'd like.
But I do have control over how I act. Well, some control at least (Jules, ssshhhhh!). And I've learned enough to feel 10 shades of stupid when I continue to bet deeply with my QQ, even though there's a K on the board, I'm in shitty position, and the only other player left in the hand smooth calls all my bets no matter how high. I mean, honestly....doesn't take a freakin' rocket scientist to see the writing on the wall for that hand. And yet I missed it; and was rewarded by my sloppy play by getting bounced.
And that puts me on tilt. I doubt myself, I question my knowledge and my level of intelligence. Life and my adventures in poker would be so much simpler if I could blame my losses on other people, but alas, that's not how I was brought up.
But luckily I was also brought up to learn from my mistakes. "Only idiots screw up the same way multiple times...and I didn't raise an idiot, did I?"...god I'd never thought I'd see the day when I'd thank my father for all the times he'd say that to me with a sardonic twist.
So after the second last game (where my method of busting out of the trouney was so stupendously stupid, all I could say in the chat was "don't anyone say anything"). I cursed a lot, stomped around a bit, then turned off the tv, closed the www windows, set iTunes to play Groove Salad, and sat down again with two words repeated like a mantra: Wait. Think.
And I placed 4th in the last game of the weekend. It was a $5, 45-person SnG, and I made $20 bucks to offset the $110 spent. Financially the weekend was a wash, but was priceless in lessons.
I hope like hell I remember them.
... if I really want one of these, or if I should just put it in the Now-I've-Seen-Everything file.
There's something innately satisfying about punishing rude little push monkeys. With the HAMMER no less. I ended up placing fourth in this $30 18-person SnG. TY Weak for the screen shot!
the Wit
your humor style:
CLEAN | COMPLEX | DARK
You like things edgy, subtle, and smart. I guess that means you're probably an intellectual, but don't take that to mean pretentious. You realize 'dumb' can be witty--after all isn't that the Simpsons' philosophy?--but rudeness for its own sake, 'gross-out' humor and most other things found in a fraternity leave you totally flat.
I guess you just have a more cerebral approach than most. You have the perfect mindset for a smart-ass poker player
Your sense of humour takes the most thought to appreciate, which means you'll often be the only one laughing.
PEOPLE LIKE YOU: Loud
(71% dark, 38% spontaneous, 26% vulgar)
your humor style:
CLEAN | COMPLEX | DARK
You like things edgy, subtle, and smart. I guess that means you're probably an intellectual, but don't take that to mean pretentious. You realize 'dumb' can be witty--after all isn't that the Simpsons' philosophy?--but rudeness for its own sake, 'gross-out' humor and most other things found in a fraternity leave you totally flat.
I guess you just have a more cerebral approach than most. You have the perfect mindset for a smart-ass poker player
Your sense of humour takes the most thought to appreciate, which means you'll often be the only one laughing.
PEOPLE LIKE YOU: Loud
The test tracked 3 variables. How you compared to other people
your age and gender:
- You scored higher than 95% on darkness
- You scored higher than 21% on spontaneity
- You scored higher than 28% on vulgarity
a nice day & a driving game
3 Comments Published by katitude on Wednesday, May 03, 2006 at 4:00 p.m..
Today I went to a workshop as part of a "educators in computing" conference. Now I don't mind going to these things; in fact I love to learn new ways to get girls into technology. But while today's topic was pretty interesting, I bailed just after my free lunch. Sidenote: Dear conference organizers - howz about when you do the write-ups for these things next year, you make mention of level of instruction one might expect. You know, little things like advanced, intermediate, and has-not-even-broken-the-seal-on-the-box-the-software-came-in. I know what I know...I don't need to learn it again, slower.
The workshop was taking place at the opposite end of the GTA, in of those neighbourhoods where the sidewalk ends. Literally. Beyond the 5th house to the right was country. It's a sunny, gorgeous day, not a cloud in the sky, and a high expected of 25 degrees (that's 80 for those who like their measurements old skule). Go back to the city? Hell no!
So I filled up the tank (had the car today), plugged the mp3 player into Hunny Bunny's car stereo (I love my audio geek!), set it to shuffle, and made up a game.
I'd head west away from "civilization". When the song changed, I changed direction:
I gave myself 2 hours of exploring the countryside like this, or a half a tank, whichever came last.
Even with something this random, patterns abound....passing a billboard for sunblock as I sang really, really loud to the Violent Femme's "Blister in the Sun"; parked beside a driveway leading to a small craft cheese maker while giggling to the Monty Python's Cheese Shop sketch; or passing an OPP car moments after the Headstone's homage to those fine officers of Ontario came on (the song is called "FUCK YOU!", in case you were wondering why a punk band was singing about the police). And after 3 hours, I found myself within 10 kms of home.
Pretty wild, eh?
The workshop was taking place at the opposite end of the GTA, in of those neighbourhoods where the sidewalk ends. Literally. Beyond the 5th house to the right was country. It's a sunny, gorgeous day, not a cloud in the sky, and a high expected of 25 degrees (that's 80 for those who like their measurements old skule). Go back to the city? Hell no!
So I filled up the tank (had the car today), plugged the mp3 player into Hunny Bunny's car stereo (I love my audio geek!), set it to shuffle, and made up a game.
I'd head west away from "civilization". When the song changed, I changed direction:
- for punk, I'd make the next left turn
- for chillin/lounge beats, I'd make the next right turn.
- for spoken word (I have lots of Monty Python and audiobooks) I'd pull over and listen until the track was done.
- for retro, I'd turn around and go back the way I came (seems appropriate).
I gave myself 2 hours of exploring the countryside like this, or a half a tank, whichever came last.
Even with something this random, patterns abound....passing a billboard for sunblock as I sang really, really loud to the Violent Femme's "Blister in the Sun"; parked beside a driveway leading to a small craft cheese maker while giggling to the Monty Python's Cheese Shop sketch; or passing an OPP car moments after the Headstone's homage to those fine officers of Ontario came on (the song is called "FUCK YOU!", in case you were wondering why a punk band was singing about the police). And after 3 hours, I found myself within 10 kms of home.
Pretty wild, eh?
I played my first Stud game ever last night.
Don't ask me why I thought playing a WPBT tournament would be a good time to learn how to play this poker variant; like so many other questionable decisions in my life my only reason is "it seemed like a good idea at the time".
So there I was, feeling even furthur out of my depth than usual. I had fun, but I'd like to apologize for any and all suckouts - I had no clue what I was doing. None at all.
But I think I'll learn a bit more about it.
I like the visibility of the cards; I loved making people think the visible was paired, and loved covering the fact I had pocket kings hidden. I can't believe I landed 19th of 42...go figure *grin.
Don't ask me why I thought playing a WPBT tournament would be a good time to learn how to play this poker variant; like so many other questionable decisions in my life my only reason is "it seemed like a good idea at the time".
So there I was, feeling even furthur out of my depth than usual. I had fun, but I'd like to apologize for any and all suckouts - I had no clue what I was doing. None at all.
But I think I'll learn a bit more about it.
I like the visibility of the cards; I loved making people think the visible was paired, and loved covering the fact I had pocket kings hidden. I can't believe I landed 19th of 42...go figure *grin.
