Thanks for the Stanwick's hospitality

Thank you Chris and Jill for welcoming us into your home once again for a night of poker!  Jill you should have played, but you were whipping up lotsa great stuff in the kitchen, so who were we to argue!  I played game one and chopped with Jim for 1st and 2nd.  Big Red had earlier been rivered, and was knocked out late in the tourney.  Knowing I had to work the next day I prepared to leave after pocketing the cash, but I handed a buy in to Red for game 2 and told her to play.  I made my departure.  Next morning she tells me that she chopped the 2nd tourney with Jerry!  Good night all around for the Murrays!

The server upgrades at work went fine today, despite some network and proxy issues, and even phone switch upgrades too.  Email continues to flow and no one had to die to make it happen.  One of these days we'll actually finish this upgrade... and then what'll we do with all that "free-time?"  Yeah right, like that will ever happen.

Enjoyed a rare nap today on the family room floor, when I got home.  The kids enjoyed the peaceful sawing of logs, interrupted their tv watching.  : P  Who's yer daddy!

Regards,

cheer_dad

into the vortex

Another day (specifically a MONDAY) sucked once more into the vortex of time.  To call it mind-numbing would be an understatement.  Nearly everyone in this area was in the process of moving to a new spot in the cubicle farm.  Those who weren't moving today, are moving tomorrow or the next day (like me) and so have been fully engaged in packing up all the crap they've accumulated over the "x" number of years our backsides have called these desks, home.  With all that shuffling about, there's been little in the way of required actions.  I instead took the opportunity to catch up on some mandated training that is coming due very soon.  But talk about your real yawner of a day.  All the more reason to despise me some Monday! 

The beginning of the weekend was spent in a pokery bliss.  Friday at the Eagles.  Chris and I played host to the 54 players who showed up for the Texas Hold'em Tournament.  Becky took down that top spot, with a fantastic run of cards, the likes of which I'd love to just have happen to me once in my pathetic little poker experience.  just once...  Then, the following night we played at the Yanok's house.  I made 4th in game one, and got my money back, minus the $5 year end qualifier fee.  Of course, I donated it back into the 2nd game.  But I can't fault bad play.  I went out on a KJ, called by Jerry's 3-4.  Trip 4's will tend to win that!  : )  Hey it happens and he had the stack to make the play. 

Sunday morning came a little early for the "slightly" inebriated!  I had to head into work for our standard server/application maintenance window.  We FINALLY got to begin the upgrade process!  The delays imposed upon us, were pointless.  It went off without a hitch!  A big thanks goes to the team!  This process will continue over the rest of this month, and bleed on into April as well.  Baby stepping our way to brand-spankin' new email! 

Sunday afternoon involved laundry and lounging, and more of the latter than the former.  (snore)

I've been trying to be a little more frequent about posting to the blog and I find that I've really missed these little rambling sessions.  But lotsa extra hours at the workplace have left me a bit drained.  But some of the dark clouds are beginning to lift, both figuratively and literally.  Can you believe it, there's actually been sunshine!  The snow is gone.  C'mon springtime!

Regards,

cheer_dad

Paint it on

It may be the only thing you can grab to hold on to your sanity, but you've gotta dig deep and smile.  All this under the gun bullshit is getting old and I mean quick!  But, you know, take heart in the fact that they keep coming to you with it, because you get the job done and they damn well know it.  Seems no one bothered to tell them that you keep going to your stars you will eventually burn them out.  I gotta tell you I'm in need a good stoking. 

But tomorrow is a new day.  They can't take away your birthday, and you can laugh at them all as their folly takes them down.  Even the laws of variance apply to donkeys in the workplace!  So, bray it up... I'll still be here.  You may have beaten me down for a time, but I'm foolish enough to believe that I can outlast you and get back up in the end of this fight.

Today was Tuesday, more like my Monday, thank goodness tomorrow's Hump Day.  Then, Thursday and Friday... leading into a great poker weekend for me and the rest of the NDPT crew.  Friday night is Poker Night at the Eagles, registration at 6:00, and gametime is 7:00.  Be there, and plan on around 50 players.  Then, as if last weekend wasn't enough, and this Friday too, but the fine folks at the Yanoks bring us yet another night of poker debauchery on Saturday!.  Bless you two!  The cheer_dad is in need! 

For now, I've got the smile painted on...

Regards,

cheer_dad

Top Dog

When you're large and in charge, the command decisions you make have far reaching effects.  That happened here today in the mere form of an email.  There were a lot of forward thinking plans talked about, and new directions are for certain in store for our little Bureau.  My team in particular will most definitely be going down some paths that we'd not even considered.  But it's the nature of IT, to change... but this one is abrupt, and included some VERY agressive timelines.  But it's good to be the Top Dog, and that's why they pay 'em the big bucks.  Right? 

It's certainly going to make things interesting around here for quite a while.  Am I concerned with my continued employment, not in the least.  Will life in the workplace change... oh you betcha!  Is everyone happy about it what's in store, well that'd be a no!  The gnashing of teeth will continue for quite some time.  Hang on for the ride people, there's no telling where this roller coaster ride may actually take us! 

It all makes some of the odd stonewalling on decisions lately around here, make a helluva lot more sense.  Secrets for the sake of having secrets, people c'mon what are you like FIVE!?!

I gotta head to the house...

Regards,

cheer_dad

Pause for station identification

Let's go off the air, or at least pause for station identification or better yet detach from the daily insanity of the workplace.  Those of you have visited my blog on any sort of regular basis have noted that lately my postings have been far and few between.  They've been erratic.  If you could see me as I've banged them out on the keyboard you would note the tightening of the jaw, the quickening of my breath, the ever-present scowl.  There is developing in me (and it's in the latter stages) an overwhelming feeling of hopelessness.  Or helplessness at being hopeless...  Well, you know what, that sounds like a victim talking. And in the words of an old movie character friend, Worm, "...fuck all that!"  Yeah, he said it, go back and watch Rounders if you don't believe me.  Also uttered in the scene were (by Mike) "I can't lose what I don't put in the middle."  And later on (by Worm) "grinding it out on his leather ass."  These are NOT the sentiments I want to feel the need to express about my work.  FFS, life on this mud-ball we call Earth is much to short.  Why spend it being miserable?  Well, all have responsibilities, and we love our respective families and want the best for them, and so sometimes we just suck it up and take it.  But I'm really reaching that point at which I'm giving every ounce of my being into doing a good job, providing well-researched, wise decisions for my little nitch of the organization... only to have them die on the vine. I wouldn't mind so much being informed of a different office politics agenda, but having ideas dashed just "because" on a whim by parasites, well it just doesn't sit well.  I've uttered (or muttered) it before, there are those that do work, and then there are those that profit from the work of others.  In this case, it's even worse...  Some people just need to get out of the way, and let progress... PRO-GRESS! 

I tried to get this posted earlier, but as luck would have it, more nitwittery prevailed, and time was lost again.  Just more minutes that I'll never get back.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Round 1

work 1 cheer_dad 0!

I'm just really tired... and it's only Monday, are you kidding me.  4 more days of class to go.  In addition still having to juggle the workload and the lobs of idiocy that keep getting winged the way of our little team.

Stayed tuned for Round 2... like Rocky, I'm more of a late round fighter.  Ah hell who am I kidding... I just wear them down by letting them beat the hell outa me.  So far, the first half of the plan is working.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Here I sits...

Not only do I continue to "watch" I've gone catatonic in the process as well.  There are a number of processes in the job which require simply observation and witnessing of an event.  You know, my human viewing of an automated process not only confirms that it works but keeps the blasted computers at bay, lest they eventually become like the Terminator robot overlords!  SOOO, here again I "sits" on the conference call awaiting the inevitable. 

I think my eye is beginning to twitch...

Regards,

cheer_dad

I have ARRIVED!

You know your blog has REALLY ARRIVED when your employer's internet proxy coughs up one of these babies!!!  This may be one of the proudest moments of my "Adult/Mature" life!  : )

But thanks to friends in low places (thanks Uncle June & Del) I was not only alerted to the issue, but was also able to rectify the problem.  So now my blogladytes... feel free to return to your basking in the glow of cheer_dad's wanton disregard for moral turpitude and shit SHOOT!   Actually, I'm a little confused I haven't ranted profanic at all recently, not so much as a "dubya-tee-efff"...!?!  Haven't used the word boobies, in like forever!  (Oh damn it... I mean dadgummit.)  BUT, you know this high moral fiber that's holding this great country together is important to me, so I'll do my part to get back on the ole straight-and-narrow.  (Maybe it was the spammer who was posting the links to the Asian porn sites on my old blog posts until I went all moderator-ish on his ass, I mean heiney...  Okay, okay, I'll stop now.  Interestingly though, the filters didn't get hung up on "Gambling!"  I can't tell you the number of the poker blogs that I read regularly who've been banned as Gambling sites and get a similarly phrased denial message... Not that you can place a single wager on a one of them, but just key words of "poker" or "vegas" and it's like "THE MAN" puts up a "Road Closed" sign on the information super-D-duper highway.  Or as Shamus might say, these here intertubes!  There oughta be a law agin it!

Looking forward to the long-weekend, although we have no plans to do anything or go anywhere.  It'll just be nice to get away from the job for a while and cuddle for warmth with the wife.  Hmmm, maybe even a little online poker debauchery is in order too.  : P

Time to run kiddies... just a little under 2 hours and you can call me outa here!

Regards,

cheer_dad

Gettin' the green light

In an hour I'm getting the "go ahead" for an early weekend! I moved my AWS day to Friday this week so I'm out of here come 4:00pm. Okay, I'm staying in the building after that to go get in a treadmill workout, but it's all MY TIME at that point. On the heels of a run, and heading home to help out on the homework front for the kidlets, tonight is most assuredly a DRAWING night at the Eagles folks. I've threatened to drink my body weight in adult beverage. Yes, likely a pipe dream, but what a way to go huh!!! : P

I'm struggling in the last hour here. Although this has been a short week indeed, I've crammed a lot into it. I've done more than enough meetings to last a lifetime, and even had to give a presentation of sorts today, just before lunch. I think I did fine and it went off at least as somewhat informative. But I think I'll really pep up, once my work day is over.

There will be no football for Cole this weekend, as he spent a couple days missing school from strep throat, and I'm not going to put him outside in the cold/rain/sleet/possible friggin' SNOW on Sunday. Uh uh... no way, not gonna happen. Last game of the regular season, and he was taking too much of their bullshit anyway! Plus, not being there will keep them safe as well, as I would normally work chain gang, and in my current attitude toward them would likely shove the down marker up someone's ass anyway. So, it's really all about the Win-Win situation after all.

I actually finished wading through the HUNDREDS of Google Reader posts I've been behind on from all the many bloggers out there. I've missed your antics. I should have realized all along that I could have used the laughter which you create on an every day basis and stuck with it even during some rather dark times. Hell, you all even encouraged me to get my ass back on line and playing some poker! And enjoy it, win or lose. I'll try not to forget it in the future.

I hope all is well with each of you. If you're here local, stay bundled up and try to stay warm. To those of you in warmer climates, not only am I deeply jealous right now, but hate you immensly. Okay maybe it's not so bad as all that.

OH, and don't forget TOMORROW NIGHT October 16th at 7:00pm at the Eagles, it is Poker Night, Texas Hold'em! Registration starts at 6:00pm. In Uncle June's absence I'll be carrying the hosting torch. 25 dolla make u holla! Be there... I'm looking forward to it!

I leave you with a final quote, similar in nature to the many I've entertained with on Facebook:
"...it takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile, be yourself no matter what they say..."

Regards,

cheer_dad

Let's Go Bullets!

Once more down to the fields again today, as the Tri-C Bullets play host to Ravenswood today. Cole is primed and ready and itching to plow over a quarterback. It's been a long weekend all around and it's nice to be winding it down. But got to keep up the intensity for just a little while. Teresa already headed down to work the gate, I'm going down with Cole at 1:30 and I have to work the chain gang during his game. So, it's a family affair sorta day, not just Cole.

Early morning texts from Uncle June imply that he's been involved in a little offensive/defensive action himself. Love is a battlefield, baby! So, I say when the officials aren't looking, CHEAT! jk

Tomorrow I have to interview for a job that I won't get, at a time that normally finds me already heading for the house, 4:00pm. BUT, that's how it goes. I'm confident I know who's getting it, and honestly he's a good guy and frankly one who I believe has rightly paid his dues. Either I believe all that or I'm a tremendous suckup, since after all he will become my boss. Yes, I applied for the recently vacated position of my own boss. I guess it's time to let 'em know that I'm even interested in moving above the lead spot. Although, I have like another 19 years to go til retirement or something like that. Shudder... all of a sudden I'm depressed.

But that's all for now, I'll see some of you today at the fields, while others tomorrow in the AM at work. Have a nice Sunday gang.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Hiya Gang! : )

Your friendly neighborhood cheer_dad has been a busy guy lately. Work has presented its share of unique challenges and speedbumps lately, but I'm still standing, and perhaps in a sick sort of abuse kinda way to motivation I'm working better and harder. All the while doing my best to crush mine ENEMIES! : ) Okay, a bit extreme. Comic book virtues like "truth, justice, and the American way" actually seem like worthwhile pinnacles to reach to. Along the journey to these admirable heights, there are a number of idiots in the way. Go figure. I'm resisting urges here people, work with me huh!!!

Anywho, first let's cover the really important things in life, and you know the original reason for creating a "POKER" blog in the first place. FRIDAY, September 18th, 7:00pm SHARP, there will be yet another of our highly successful and popular Texas Hold'em Tournaments at the Eagles Aerie 2307. Registration begins at 6:00pm. Get there early to insure your spot, and give yourself to drink your weight in beer. You'll be easier for me to dispatch in that condition! : P But seriously, I hope to see each of you there. We are still holding things to a maximum of 50 players. (for now, more chips are on the way...) But hey, if tournaments aren't your cup of tea, show up anyway, as the subsequent "games" which inevitably fire up as folks bust out, have become VERY JUICY! Thanks all for making Poker night such a success for the Eagles most recently and the even all of you members of the greater NDPT collective.

And really I thank each of you who still drop by this blog, even though I've been less chatty lately. Things are coming back around. Normalcy is returning to life, and the blog posts will increase and be better than ever.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Thought dump...

Great day yesterday! We took in the WVU game with friends here at the house, with some excellent food, and cold beer. Hung out all day and on into the night. Good times! I won't say much more about the Mountaineers except that, "well at least they won..." Oh, and Marshall also won in their season opener. Congrats.

Today, we go to Cole's football game, Our Tri-C Bullets head over to do battle with the Godbey Warhawks. Still not like I have to travel any distance as the field is like 5 minutes from the house. (Okay maybe 10 if I obey the speed limit on Gihon Road.) I'll likely see lots of friends there today on both sides of the field. Well that is up until the opening kickoff!

To all of you who still read the old blog, thanks a bunch. I know it has taken a recent hiatus from all things pokery. But there's just been so little time. I play all the tournaments still, NDPT, Eagles, Yanok's, Stanwick's but there has been very little in the online arena for me. Life's got to have its priorities. Family wins hands down... I don't even need to see a flop!

You've also likely noted some recapping of "turmoil..." Yes, there's been some. Yes, I've been involved (from both sides of the fence.) Yes, I'm still standing. Yes, my gainful employment will continue. Yes, the rumors swirling around about others are GREATLY exaggerated. Yes, some of the folks you think have been affected, in fact have NOT been. Yes, the tactics are shady. Yes, I think the ninth circle of hell is reserved for some of those conducting this witch hunt. Yes, I think the bad karma will eventually come back around and bite 'em in the ass. You find that inappropriate? Offensive? I assure you, not nearly as inappropriate or as offensive as I find the amount of time, effort, and dollars that are being wasted on this frivolous undertaking. Yes, the impact that this "investigation" is having on a lot of GOOD people is very troubling to me. In fact, the plight of others concerns me more than my own. It's wrong folks, and I think you know it. And I think you should start reading the writing on the wall and bring it to an end, quickly... before it's too late.

Regards,

cheer_dad

PokerStars credit returned

Awhile back I made a deposit to PokerStars. ACH transfer direct from my account, no fuss no muss... and I started playing. About a month went by, and actually while I was on vacation I got an email stating that the transaction had never gone through and the "payment processor" had dropped the ball and never taken the money out of my account, so PokerStars was deducting from my account. Lucky for me, I still had a positive balance! : ) But... the real problem was that the transaction HAD taken place and the money was no longer in my bank account or now my PokerStars account. I say all that to say this... after extensive effort and time, I was finally able to provide the "proof" to PokerStars and their payment processor and they put the money back into my account. Whew! Well they coulda at least gave me a lil sumpin' sumpin' for my pain and suffering! Hey, I'm not cheap, but I can be bought. Okay, maybe I'm cheap too! I've got about 20-ish days left on my trial of PokerTracker 3 to work with and hope in that amount of time I can "win" enough cash to pay for the software. I'm sold on it either way. The value of the statistics is undeniable. There's money to be made at the tables just playing position let alone having a firm grasp of the game. I can't argue it. I've even had some rough, suck-out city sessions since I started playing and I've still been on a slow, steady bankroll rise. So, the trial version definitely got me hooked. Of course my problem now is that there aren't enough hours in the day for work, sleep, Cole's football, Whitney's gymnastics and cheerleading clinics, and my nervous breakdowns to allow for sufficient pokery goodness. Hmmmm, maybe that sleep thing is optional?!?

Also, some of you may be wondering about the cryptic messages of late out here on the ole blog. I hope you've deciphered them and are putting into practice my advice. I think it's wrong, and despicable. But, I refuse to be the blunt object with which they will beat my friends over the head.

Regards,

cheer_dad

For my geeky co-workers...

01010011 01110100 01101111 01110000 00100000 01110101 01110011 01101001 01101110 01100111 00100000 01010011 01100001 01101101 01100101 01010100 01101001 01101101 01100101 00100001 00100001 00100001

Regards,

cheer_dad

Dark operations

I'd hoped for some relief from the duties which came my way last week; but the cavalry has as of yet never arrived. Mine, nor my team's responsibilities would have been enviable during this time. It has been stressful, and it is taking its toll on me and on us all. During the few quiet times I've found over the past couple weeks, I have simply slumped down in the chair and stared off into space.

If anyone is listening, enough with the covert activities! I'd like to be able to look my co-workers and my friends in the eye sometime real soon. I'd rather NOT be working on my poker face here in the office. That unflinching stare is getting hard to keep up for such a long time.

Apologies to all for the emotional walls I've constructed and here's hoping they're torn down very soon. Apologies also for the lack of blogging. Today's post is a promise of future posts to come of a more enjoyable nature. Today's is for me and blog-therapy for a fragile state of mind.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Spy vs Spy... plus some poker

The secrecy and subversive nature of this week, has been a troubling return to work following my vacation. Hey, it's not been Jason Bourne kinda stuff exactly but I'm quickly honing my skills to the point that a rolled up magazine will serve equally well as a weapon in any knife fight that I might per chance encounter. Secret squirrel, covert ops, spook shit, whatever it is... I've played a role. I would say TGIF... but some of the wildest announcements and proclaimations were today, some which no one saw coming. Following a late night, last night with very little sleep the events of the day have certainly kept me more alert than I have a right to be. BUT, lest I should incite the wrath of my handlers... that's all I'm going to say. Know that a number of things have however weighed heavily upon my mind.

In other news... tonight July 24th, 7:00pm at the local Eagles Aerie 2407... we're having another of our famed No Limit Hold'em Tournaments. This is open to the public, capped at 50 players (for now.) $25 gets you in the game. Registration begins at 6:00pm. Hope to see you all there.

Beyond that, tomorrow night is poker tournament night at the Yanok's house. It's gonna be a great "lost poker weekend!" And trust me I'm gonna need it.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Meeting up with an old friend

The work week is nearing an end. Less than an hour remains of the day, and then only Friday remains... and it'll be casual of course. There will be shorts on the cheer_dad tomorrow... ladies you may now begin to swoon. Oh yeah, I'll flex the calves! Okay, I'll stop now, I think even I threw up a lil in mouth there. Right after work, I have to rush home, change and get Cole motivated to do the same and away we'll head to Vienna to play some more baseball. Rumor is that the team we're to play isn't very good, BUT tonight... I'm bringing in my younger players from the far reaches of the outfield and their butterfly chasing ways to "play in the show" as it were. So, who knows how it'll all go down. This game, which is outside our usual league, and therefore doesn't count toward the tally of win/loss. Not that I care so much one way or the other, but it's an all-important issue for the other teams in the league. We haven't won all of our games... but I can say this, that when the boys are "on" they can play with the best of them. The beginning of the season there was definitely some struggle. But since then, we've faced off against the best of teams and hung with them. Beat the undefeated team 5-3 one evening AND lost by only 1-run to the other leading team at this point. So, the boys have learned some baseball. I've discovered a diamond in the rough, in a pitcher that no one had ever given a chance before. He's got some attention stuff going on, BUT all that seems to go away for him when he's on the mound. The boy's found something to be proud of within himself. That's important. I'd rather my boys learn those things than win every game... and poor sportsmanship. Last game we lost, was further irritated by the opposing coach trying to pull a fast one, by deliberately trying to pitch a boy for more innings than the league allows. He knew it and so did everyone other idiot in the crowd. They were all willing to look the other way. I felt bad for the kid when I called time and informed them that the pitcher on the mound was done, and asked who they were putting in next. For all the prickish things though that I've let slide by me, from some of these other guys though... it didn't bother me that much. I don't like angle shooting in poker... and I'll not accept it in baseball either. (Whew, had to reach to get in a poker mention on the ole poker blog.) Sorry, just too much other stuff is going on. Although, I will mention that my cashout appears to have been totally successful from Bodog! 3rd party company, with a Canadian Bank's check, backed by a New York bank... all in U.S. currency. So, unless it goes boing-boing later it was a quick and painless process. Now where to move the money to.

I mention in the title of this post that I'll be meeting up with an old friend. And that's true, tonight after baseball and a quick cleanup. I'll be off to meet my ole pal Jack Daniels!!! It's been a long hard week, and I just can't wait the extra day til the weekend to throw back a few libations! Hope to see (blurrily) you there!

Regards,

cheer_dad

Aw c'mon...

I mentioned it on Facebook this morning, but it bears repeating. What's with the friggin' frosted windshields that I've had to scrape for the last 2 days!!! I mean, c'mon it's May!!! What gives?

Work has already made the blood boil this morning. I've been trying to get a replacement server properly provisioned now for over a week. And the last and final hurdle to get things working was a network port request. Let alone the fact that I had asked for this server to be setup in the same groups, with the same ports, and to be damn near a mirror image of it's counterpart... I have had to request from the network monkeys a ruleset review, which I had to sign for and then fully review the 3 page printout (no electronic copy.) Then, finding that the things I needed were covered by 2 distinct groups, at the high level, which included a subset of ports and additional server, I asked the question... How do I transfer that simple request onto their complex form which is required. The answer was... you don't. I need to submit every single port that I want and specifically enumerate each and every single one of them. All three pages worth. Then, they'll review it and decide what groups if any it needs to go in. There is no other way. So let's just say, f-bombs were lobbed and now would NOT be a good time for me to have my blood pressure checked. It was loads of fun wasting time, typing up the three pages worth of ACLs instead of identifying the 2 groups to add the single server to. Thanks guys... luv ya, mean it!

Many other matters beginning to get under my skin. I've only been trying to get this post out since like 7am...

Regards,

cheer_dad

Uncle June can get bent!

It has been asserted by some vile and despicable sub human (in short one of my friends) that I don't keep the ole NDPT Blog updated. That I don't post like I used to, that I just don't "give til it hurts" anymore. And thusly, I've come up with the above title for this little diatribe of a blog post! I had a slew of other obscenities I could have tossed in there too, but then the obscenity filters of the Bureau would kick in, and block access to this little corner of the intertubes and then what. I could get all subversive out here, but no one would ever read it. I mean "hello, who's reading this shhtuff from their home internet connection!" DUH! I'm nothing if not a work-diversion. And to THAT end, a marathon post was threatened... a marathon post it is.

Head over to http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/marathon (or don't since I'm going to elaborate here anyway) and you'll find "marathon" overly defined. The first definition while accurate is not always best. "1. foot race over a course measuring 26 mi. 385 yd. (42 km 195 m)." Having run one of these "foot races" myself in Columbus, OH a few years back, suffice it to say, it is 26.2 miles... which is to say, that shit is LONG! It stands as the single greatest/grueling/exhilarating thing I've ever done. However definition #3, "any contest, event, or the like, of great, or greater than normal, length or duration or requiring exceptional endurance: a dance marathon; a sales marathon." is actually more akin to a marathon blog post. Not only will the writing of it require exceptional endurance... but the reading of the beast will suck the life from your very soul! Mwahaha! Oh, incidentally I'm glad to see the referenced origin of "marathon" listed: "Origin: 1895–1900; allusion to Pheidippides' 26-mi. (42-km) run from Marathon to Athens to carry news of the Greek victory over the Persians in 490 b.c." Nice little bit o' trivia, that.

But a post should have substance, am I right? And on a purported poker blog, it oughta have at least some of that too. So, tonight, May 1, 2009 at 7:00pm there will be another Poker Tournament at the local Eagles Aerie. However, I don't know that I'll be there. Big Red is going, but I may stay home and hang with the kids. You know that whole family first thing! Life needs a little balance. But you never know, things could change. But there's no lack of pokery opportunities in the near future. The Yanok's game is scheduled for Next Friday, the 8th, although I will likely have to pass on at least Game #1, as I have to umpire another baseball game starting at 6:00pm. Speaking of umpiring... the last umpiring gig, has left my back in shambles! That odd squat down, has knocked something seriously out of whack. So much so, that after my long 41 years on this planet, I actually broke down and went to see a chiropractor for the first time. So far, I'm not entirely sold on the experience. I honestly expected a bit more relief from the visit. It really is hell to get old! Another game is scheduled for the Wolfe's way out on May 16th, so like I said there's no shortage. I won't have any trouble getting into a game.

I'm actually getting more satisfaction (and aggravation) from my online play, as of late. I'm climbing back up a bit... although I noticed my Win % at showdown had declined a bit, and so during my last session and took steps to make that statistic get back on the rise. I got it over the +50% range, BUT then still found myself quitting for the evening down a little less than a single buy-in. However, I was just blinding away. Some nights you can't get something going. I've grown to accept that.

Tomorrow Whitney is heading off to prom with boyfriend Jordan. I'm glad for her, but will be happy when the insanity of her preparations is OVER! Sheesh! Little blond girl, you are killin' me! Is all of this REALLY necessary. Daddy, thinks not!


The job has really kept me busy! No really! I've actually felt a sense of renewed purpose as a result of it. It's not bad to feel gainfully employed AND needed! The team has its quirks, but then again so do I so we're getting along fine. Hopefully the new boss agrees. Then again, when have I ever really worried about that.

Hope all is well with each of you in your respective necks of the woods. Certainly, this isn't my most uber length/marathony type posts, but I'm sure a number of you gave up long before arriving way down here. So, I'll close it out for the one, who I know out of sheer stubbornness and spite will have read it out to the bitter end by saying: Uncle June... get BENT!

Regards,

cheer_dad

NDPT #4 is tomorrow night

I'm leaving work early today, and not due to some level of over-indulgence last night at the club. Indulge yes, over no... Actually, I've got a number of errands to run, including I must get my cable modem replaced as it went kaboom, and at home at least I've been internet-less. I might as well not exist, don't you agree!?! I also have to go pick up part of the uniform order for my baseball team. Check in on the kids who are still on Spring Break. And then grab Cole and head to the baseball fields this evening for practice. After that, Cole is heading over to his papaw's house to spend the night, and then in the morning get up to go turkey hunting. Great white hunter indeed!

He'll be back tomorrow early evening, cause then we have baseball practice again! I'll spend the day cleaning up the basement, and other honey-do like projects, and I'll have to get the chips and tables set up for tomorrow night's NDPT Tournament #4! Turnout is going to be light, if the response I've received is any indication of things, but you just never know. It'll be good to come home after baseball and hang out with friends, drink a beer or twelve and play some cards. I'm looking forward to it.

Work's kept me busy, and I'm very thankful for the weekend.

Regards,

cheer_dad