So That's What Relaxed Feels Like

The beauty of a vacation where there aren't any set plans and where you're familiar with the locale already is that you can take it easy on day 1. We checked in, walked to the grocery store, stocked up, and walked back. Still no bag. We hung out, planned our method of getting to old town (we're in new town), and left to catch the bus. Missed it by about a minute, as it drove by us on our way to the stop. Next bus? Over an hour later. Whoops. We walked the 4 miles to old town, seeing parts of the city we'd never gone near before.

We made it, bit leg sore, to Square One for dinner. Excellent food, fantastic drinks, incredible service. My one complaint was that my steak was a bit dry on the outside. Hard to explain, but I think it was pan-seared instead of done over a grill. Which is fine, since the place isn't a steakhouse.

After that, we wandered down Duval to show the only member of our group who hadn't been here before what Key West was about. At Sloppy Joe's, we turned left to go to Captain Tony's, the original Sloppy Joe's. You know what? I like the place. We all did. The guy playing the hits of the 90's all night on his guitar helped, but so did the fact the place wasn't a scene. It was an old dive with a small crowd having a good time. The other Sloppy Joe's was a packed mess of noise, and nowhere near as appealing. You could see Hemingway sitting where we were... not so much the other.

When the musician started playing Crazy Game of Poker, I realized he was just the live version of BDR, and I was in good place.

Being effectively up for 36 hours, I didn't complain much on calling it a night relatively early, and not exactly sober. We grabbed a cab and had a great talk with the driver. We bashed Michigan, and then found out he was from there, but good-natured about the whole thing. He came to the Keys 12 years ago for a couple weeks, had car trouble, was told it would take a while to fix, and decided to stay. I told him he had a terrible mechanic if it's taken this long. He's a carpenter by trade, but has now taken to driving full time and hammering part time with no regrets. I see a similar story in Al's future - "I came for a few months... 15 years ago."

Speaking of Al, I got a couple names texted to me check out. We'll be sure to find Irene in the upcoming nights, especially since we were next door to her last night.

I still love this place. Oh, and my suitcase is waiting in the lobby for me.

Sweet

Warm, sunny... and me without my luggage. Here's hoping Delta's quick with delivery.

Of course, the other two people I'm with got THEIR luggage... same flight.

End of the day? I'm still in Key West.

Oops... and cupcakes!

If it happens twice, it's tradition.

The new tradition seems to be that during the summer, work pays for a big ol' gathering of a bunch of people at the very nice rooftop patio at Ultra here in the T-dot. That was last night. Free drinks, free hors d'oeuvres, and lots of mingling and conversation. Definitely a welcome respite.

After the outing, I walked the 5 minutes home (another reason I like this tradition), and soon after got a call from one of my best friends, who happens to live in a mining town about 3km from buttfuck nowhere. It was good to chat with her for an hour or so before we both went off on our respective vacations (she's going camping for a week, I'm going to Iceland... we're both jealous of each other).

And then I decided to fire up an $11 turbo to play. I didn't realize until we were heads-up that it was a peep. Oops. See, I didn't actually want a token, I wanted cash. I had knocked out 6 of the 7 shmoes who sat down with me (flopping quad sevens on my second hand helped get that ball rolling), and had about a 2k chip lead on my opponent, who had quietly sat back and let me do the heavy lifting. Blinds were at 40/80, so there was no rush. I found 66 in front of me, and raised. He pushed, I thought... and called. He flips over A9o and rivers the 9.

Between the drinks and late hour, I didn't realize I was playing for a level TWO token, so I decided I wanted 2nd place money, but wasn't going to completely donk to it. If I'd noticed 1st was a $75 token instead of a $26, I'd have probably played a bit differently. So between registering for the wrong SnG, and then not realizing what I was playing for, I shortchanged myself. Oops. Reasons why I should only play while sober and awake.

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Sweet ghost of Charles Elmer Hires these look gooooooood. A friend is house/catsitting for me while I'm gone, and will be making some. I'm jealous like you wouldn't believe.

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Chances are I'm done with poker until I return from my trip. Good luck to everyone at the felt. I expect to read about thousands upon thousands of dollars of cashes when I return. Perhaps even an FTOPS champ?

I Didn't Cash in the 32k!

Congrats to LJ for pulling in a big score in the 32k yesterday! I can only hope that when I get back and have a week to sit around on my ass at home that I can do something similar. :)

I, however, did not cash in the 32k, or the 28k, or 24k, or 50-50. Of course, this is partially due to me not playing in any of them. Instead I met up with my buddy from high school days who now lives in Montreal. It was good times with him and his girlfriend. We always have some laughs when we meet up.

Then I came home, far too sober, and fired up an $11 Turbo SnG before I called it a night. And went out on my 2nd or 3rd hand when I found cowboys on the button. MP raises to 60, there's a caller, and then I re-raise to 150, figuring that will keep at least one person in and but not let anyone else come along. BB thinks and calls, initial raiser re-re-raises to 360, caller folds, and I re-re-re-raise all-in because I want this done. If he has aces, so be it. BB folds, and MP calls... and flips over ATh. Dammit, that's got disaster written all over it. T on the flop, A on the turn, and no K on the river. IGH after about 2 minutes.

So I fire up another. QTo that I get in for cheap with in LP . Yah, it's a crappy hand, but I'm a weeeee bit tilty. Q on the flop and there's a bet, call, I call. Turn could fill in some douche if they had A4 for a straight, but that's it. Weak beat, call, I PUSH... into a set and that A4. Whoops.

So I didn't play anymore and did 3 days worth of photos from my trip to Israel in February instead. Those might actually get up some time! Especially since I now have a photo-stitching program that works quite well. Saves me a load of time.

I highly doubt I'll get to the Riverchasers tonight. Free drinks after work, and a bunch of pre-trip stuff I really should get started on. After that though? I'll probably push with kings again.
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So, what do you think of the changes?

H2O

We are a naturally water-loving species. We require it to survive at every level. We spend the first 9 months of our existence floating in fluid. Babies take to water like fish. The majority of the world's population lives near a source of water. Our noses are shaped the way they are to help prevent water from entering them when we're swimming. At the end of a long day people soak naked in water. When we wake up, we turn a spigot and cover our uncovered selves with it. We swim in pools, lakes, rivers, and oceans... some of which are filthy. Was there any summer activity more fun as a child than running through the sprinkler, sliding down a slip 'n slide, or tossing water baloons at your friends who were shooting you with water guns?

So why is it that when it starts to fall from the sky people COWER IN FEAR?? Why does the smallest shower of rain cause hundreds of umbrellas to open? Mothers to bundle up their children? People huddle under small rooftops and awnings to avoid this apparently deadly poison from the heavens.

I don't like getting soaked in the rain either, but there's a difference between a downpour and a sprinkle. Today on my 1 minute walk from condo to subway, I had to dodge a parade of umbrellas and slide around crowds of people bundling up and raising newspapers over their heads to avoid the PATHETIC LITTLE SHOWER of rain that was coming down. It was quite sad. One father running up the steps with a newspaper over his head while his wife made sure their children had their hoods up, hats on, and umbrellas ready. Seriously, it was a barely noticeable amount of precipitation.

One of my favourite stories is about the time I was in Rome. My family and I were walking around, looking at the regular tourist sites. Rome is very crowded. We got to the Spanish Steps, and they were covered in people. Getting a picture was next to impossible due to the fact that crowds were regularly walking in front of you, tour groups would stop in your field of view, and people are generally asshats. Then it started to rain. On cue, everyone ran under the nearest awnings they could find. Umbrella salesmen appeared from nowhere (I'm serious) offering their wares. Crammed under a stretched out of piece of cloth, I realized that this was nothing more than a slightly heavy summer shower. I stepped out into the rain, to the disbelief of the crowds. I threw out my arms and laughed, strolled casually in front of the now empty steps and the barren square in front of them, and took my pictures. The Spanish Steps, devoid of humanity, and me with all the time in the world to enjoy it. Why? Because little droplets of water were falling from the firmament.

People are pathetic.