Being dad, winter storm, and WSOP 2009

As I was preparing to leave the comfort of home this morning for work my son blinked himself awake when I was passing his bedroom door. He grinned a sleepy grin and in hushed speech asked if I was going to work, and then if there was school today. I let him know that he could sleep in again today, and that school had been canceled. I brushed his hair back from his face and kissed his cheek and told him he could go back to sleep. He closed his eyes and grinned once again. As I walked away I heard him mutter "have a good day dad," as he was already drifting off to sleep. In spite of my shortcomings and my flaws, this little guy loves me and really is concerned that I have a good day at work. This is a moment in time I treasure. Ohh-dark-thirty doesn't seem so dismal anymore.

The Winter Storm Warning might have been premature as of midnight last night, but it appears that at least this morning it is all a reality. Sometime overnight, a couple of inches of snow fell, and this morning it was still coming down. The real treat is that it's supposed to continue and sometime this afternoon turn to ice. Gentlemen start your engines and brace for impact!

The 40th Annual World Series of Poker (WSOP) schedule has at long last been announced. I've got my calendar marked. Noooo, I won't be there to play/donate my money... the bonds of the wage slave are much too tight. I entertain my fantasies quietly of someday playing in an event or so, but for now I'll have to leave that to those with "more. Some with more skill and bankroll, some with more skill, and finally some with just more bankroll. Three very distinct groups there. Like many of you I'll be counting down the days to the big event, and for the duration May 26-July 15, I'll be wearing out the refresh button on my browser to get the latest Live Update Blogging from over at PokerNews.com. Of course then the pause until the November Nine reconvene for the Final Table of the Main Event on November 7th through the 10th. The powers that be have opted to stick with the delayed format. I'm still torn on the issue of the delay. I understand both the pros and cons of the thing but for now the jury in my head is still out on the thing. If you forced us to vote now... we'd be hung! The purist in me thinks it should be true to the game and continue on without the pause in the action. But the realist, opportunist, enterprising profiteer $ee$ value. I think more hype, pomp and circumstance, etc... could have been included last year and put the production over the top, but I'm not the one running the show. Regardless of how they do it... I'll be watching.

I'm still a bit envious of bloggers and reporters chosen by the various poker media to cover the World Series of Poker. Honestly, I think I'd actually have more interest in participating in the WSOP in that capacity than playing in it. Yeah, I'm probably a bit delusional in thinking that I've got the crazy, mad journalistic chops to pull it off, but I do know that I'd put my very heart and soul into it if the opportunity were to present itself. Ahhh, dare to dream cheer_dad...

Be safe out there gang, lock in the four-wheel-drive, and remember the ABS brakes need not be pumped!

Regards,

cheer_dad