Quarantine

Day... what is it like 3 now? I've been at home with the boy, who has been sick. Flu of some variety. pig like, bird like, monkey for all we know. Doctor just told us to stay at home, control the fever, rest, relax, and get better. You know try not to DIE!!! But I'm happy to report that he is getting better. Fever has subsided, so the contagious phase is prolly over. Still some headaches, and a nasty cough, but Cole is thankfully on the road to recovery. I was concerned this morning that I might be getting the bug myself. The jury is still out but I'm leaning more toward a sinus/allergy thing in my case. The sore throat has passed.

I'd like to say that I'll be happy to get back to work, maybe tomorrow, but I'd be lying and you ALL know it, don't you!

Waiting around to see if Whit needs picked up from school... when the heck is that VW part going to get here so I can get her back on the road, and I can stop carting her around! Okay that last part was an exaggeration!

I did play a little poker I think back on Monday, and made a few dimes and nickles... very few. But I did experiment with 6-tabling on PokerStars and didn't find it too disturbing or taxing. When time permits again, I'll give it a shot.

Hope all is well with each of you, and if any of you find yourselves under "quarantine" at this point due to some iteration of the flu... take care and get well soon.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Ugh

This day is a wash! 2-hour delay for the kiddies headed to school, so I waited with them to take them to school, since my wife was sick. I got another hour or so of sleep, which was nice. BUT, when my daughter got up, she was sick too. There's been a nasty stomach bug going around. So, I was waiting around for the boy only. Still, I got him ready and to school at the appointed hour. Then headed to work. At 1:30 the wife called to tell me that my daughter was sicker, not just the stomach bug but also she may have strep throat. Fever, swollen tonsils, sore throat, ahh the wonders of parenthood. So, now I'll be leaving work again to get her to the doctor. Late to work, early to leave... that does have a certain ring to it, but not under these circumstances.

Now, let's see which illness I end up with in the coming days!!! Maybe I should pick up a hazmat suit on the way home.

Regards,

cheer_dad

Sick day rambling

I took the day off from work today, and NO it wasn't because I had a hangover or anything! I'm actually sick. I slept in, lounged around, thought about taking a drill to my head, prayed for death, etc... It's a sinus infection, just like I get every year, several times a year, and makes me hate life. So, I'm drugged up. I did manage to drag myself out long enough to go get the kids from school, and as much as I don't really want to I will likely go to the South football game tonight. Gotta be the supportive parent and all.

I logged on last night after the Eagles and played some cards, as I'd already decided I wasn't going to work feeling like total shit and figuring no one else wanted to have their system polluted with my germs. I should have stayed off of Bodog though. : ( I ended up dropping like $27 last night, due in part to a rash of crappy cards... and one big hand pocket Kings that got spanked by a "set miner" with pocket 6's who called my over-the-top reraise preflop. That one stung a little, and was probably the reason I played on "trying to get it back." I never did... I even sat stupidly and played short-handed and just continued to give another couple bucks away, until I finally just got tired and called it a night.

Today however, I had an hour to kill before picking up the kids, so I dove back in there, like an idiot. But things went a little better. : ) I fired up 3 tables of $25 NLHE. Folded and folded some more for a while, and played only position and some weak holdings. Things turned around big time for me, when I called with K-10s from late position. The flop came out K-8-8. The first guy to bet, bet the pot. I debated but called, thinking it might just be a move, and I should see what happens. The turn was another King. Yes, I'm aware that there was still the possibility of him having pocket 8's, other than the fact that he bet 'em. This time he bet weak... so I popped it, he repopped and the all-in was there for all to watch. When the river brought a 10, I barely saw it, and couldn't figure why we weren't splitting the pot, until I looked again. Nice catch on my part. It sucked for him, because I had sucked out on him in a way. He had been holding Big Slick and had me dominated at the flop, tied on the turn and then I sucked out. Tough break... sorry dude, it'd been happening to me last night. It was just your turn. Another few loose callers on the other tables, put some change in the pot and brought it my way too. When I cashed out at 2:30pm 1 hour and around 160 hands after I'd started, I had an extra $31.50. So I bounced back from last night's loss... and also put the Bodog account back over the $250 mark. Yes, I know my small time poker antics are boring you, but it's a big internet, go elsewhere if you don't like it.

The rest of the weekend is relatively planned out. Bowling for Cole at 10am and at the same time Whitney has cheer practice. I believe Big Red is heading along with her mom and a bunch of blue haired ladies on a bus to the Amish Country... (i think my wallet just shuddered.) Tomorrow night is the Yanok's game at 7:30. I'll likely be anxious to play, but also likely to be fairly well drugged up, and complementing with whiskey for the full effect. Okay, maybe not... I'm due for a decent finish at that game, this year... so don't put any chips in the middle that you don't want to end up in my stack. Is that clear?

Sunday, I'm on tap to take care of patches on our QA region at work. I may be able to take care of it all from here at the house, through VPN. At least I better be. I'd hate to hafta get out of my fuzzy slippers for this.

I also came across this article http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_10856197?nclick_check=1 which talks about Henry Orenstein who invented the hole-card cam for poker on television. He will be "enshrined" in the poker hall-of-fame on November 9th, during the recommencement of the Main Event Final Table. Congratulations to him. That sir... was a stroke of genius!!!

Regards,

cheer_dad

Still sick, Bodog, and Gus for good measure

Will this cold EVER go away? I've been hacking and snotting now for a couple of weeks. Meds just aren't cutting through it completely. I'm much better...it's moved (for the most part) out of my lungs and chest, but this upper respiratory thing is a real problem. I feel like I'm always snorting something just to draw fresh breath.

We're zeroing in on Turkey Day! Let the overeating and bloated slumber begin! I know we're heading to mom and dad's, and eventually we'll end up at Kathy's as well. You can't just eat one turkey after all! : )

Just got a Sametime from JR, saying that he's going to Wheeling again tonight with Mr. Yanok! He's running the kids up north to see family, and wanted to throw in a night of poker to boot! JR, of course being the degenerate gambler is headed off for another whirlwind poker-palooza. No, I'm not jealous... (friggin' no good son of...) Okay, just a little! Hope they both enjoy the trip, and tear up the tables! Remember boys, some people will chase a flush off a friggin' cliff!!! So, make sure there's something in the water below them...like a BOAT! Don't know when I'll get a chance to go up again. Don't know when I'l get a chance to go and actually come back with more money than I left with. Wouldn't THAT be nice.

In other news, playing briefly last night on Bodog got me back up to $181.06! Accidentally called a small stacks all-in, with the touchpad on my laptop. He got another caller as well. It was a good thing for me the original raiser was short stacked, because before it was all said and done I got it all-in with the other guy and came out on top. The original raiser got to take his smaller win though, since he made QUAD JACKS! I flopped a set of 8's, but he had already flopped a set of Jacks. The other guy in the hand, was on the flush draw, which he hit, BUT I as well, made a boat with the very same card! I love it when a plan comes together! Kind glad I called by accident now...especially since it brought me out of a hole on that table. The other table was doing fine as well. It felt good to breach the 180 mark again. Now, I'm setting sites on the magical $200. That's always been a problematic peak to climb. Don't know why, just is...just need to play good, solid poker, and never look back. Then let you next goals be only in increments of $100 marks! Just a little bit at a time. Enjoy the ride.

I read over at http://www.pokerlistings.com/gus-hansens-crazy-streak-up-17-million-20468 that Gus Hansen is back to his winning ways, to the tune of 1.75 Million. According to the write up a lot of it was at the expense of Patrik Antonius. Sorry Big Red, he's gonna need a shoulder to cry on. I'm sure you'll be there for him. But this article got me to thinking that maybe I should start watching a little more of the online play that goes on amongst the pros, and the fish on which they prey. It all might give me some new insight, of course it might also make me a little sick to watch those kinds of dollars being shoved from stack to stack. OH look there goes my house...oh and the truck, and my future pension. This is a reason I'll never make it to the upper echelons of poker. My feet are much to planted on this Earth! Anyway, congratulations, GO GUS!!! I've always liked his WILD style of play, since seeing him for the first time on the WPT. Don't think I could emulate it, by any means. Like to...can't!

Regards,

cheer_dad

Under the Weather

I'm only just now, beginning to come out from under the weather, or the sickness (funk) that I've been dealing with. Wow, what a cold, or flu, or fargin' something I've had. Ever since Sunday, I've been sick. The group of us still went to Wheeling, but it was a chore. As bad as I looked that day, as Frank pointed out, on his blog, I would have taken that day, over a couple of the others I had since then. I haven't been this sick in a while. I've been suckin' down Mucinex, anti-biotics, Hall's, Zyrtec-D, Tylenol, etc... You name it, I've ingested it. While in Wheeling I hit the Jack Daniel's pretty hard to sooth the throat, as well as try to numb myself up pretty good. I guess the good news is, that I seem only to go through one of these uber-colds once per season, so maybe I'm done now, for this Winter. KNOCK-ON-WOOD!

I would have blogged more, except for the fact that during a drug-induced attempt to logon to my laptop, I locked my PointSec password. Farkin' security! This also cut into my poker play to a degree, until I downloaded Bodog onto Cole's laptop. : ) All in all poker was kept to a minimum, which was a good thing, and let me rest up and begin to get well. I'm not over this cold, but I don't think it's localized to my lungs anymore, and confined to the upper respiratory system now. I swear I think part of my brain came out, in a Kleenex yesterday.

I did get to read a lot of my latest CardPlayer Magazine, with Annette_15 on the cover, following her WSOPE victory, and EPT final table appearance (2nd place.) What a girl! The article they had on her, really caused me to raise an eyebrow though! She was quoted as saying she wasn't overly impressed by the play of any of the pros, against whom she played. She also very pointedly mentioned NOT being at all impressed by Ted Forrest! She was very critical of his play in fact. She detailed bluffing a lot of folks, and particularly Ted on a hand in which she had a 6-2d. This was in "near bubble time" of the tournament. She bet with no pair, no draw, he raised her to 140,000, with like 300,000 let behind it. And she shoved All-In with her nothing, and he dropped it. The little girl's got BALLS! Her approach is very Balls to the Wall throughout her stay in any given tournament. I would like to see a complete rundown of her entire tournament play. The boring hands, the bluffs, the blind steals, the donk moves, the whole enchilada. I'd like to put myself in to the mindset. I'm really beginning to believe that this is how a lot of people really do play, and that my good cards, slow, methodical approach is from a dying breed of player. The books all lie, and the pros who right them don't even come close to playing by the methodology that they outline within their own books. Hypocrisy! The Emperor has no clothes!

Also, worthy of mention is the fact that this issue of CardPlayer magazine, mentioned West "by God" Virgina! In a "very" short article, they mention the opening of 2 new poker rooms, here in the Mountain State, taking us for the time being to a total of 57 tables, rising from 0 the day before Wheeling and Chester, opened their doors! Yes, I know, we still need to get up to Chester. I need my collector chips...and wanna watch horsies run! If there's one named for anything related to poker in a race, I know I'll bet it, just as I will if there's one out there named, "Sniffin' Glue!"

I did make it back to work today, oh joy...and brought the laptop in, and PC Support guru and poker bud Eric S, got my PointSec dillemna taken care of, after much wailing and gnashing of teeth. Too bad about the sacrificial chicken it took to seal the deal! But you know how technology goes!

No home game's scheduled that I know of this weekend. But don't forget that at the IBEW on Saturday at 6:00pm, there is a Benefit/Fundraiser Hold 'em game for the PHS Girls B-Ball team. Shout-Out to Ms. Miller!!! I know some of the NDPT crew will be joining you, and in fact Big Red mentioned that perhaps the two of us will throw our $50 each into the mix as well, for some card playing, and general entertainment purposes, oh yeah and to support the youth. (Remember it's for the CHILDREN!)

That's enough of a catch-up uber-post to tide over even the most hard-core blog readers among you.

Regards,

cheer_dad

No more 'nanners...

I got to chug down 2 and half jugs of this stuff yesterday, and then go through the pleasures of a CT scan yesterday. I don't think I'll be eating any more bananas for a while ...yuck... I've been experiencing some lower abdominal pain. It feels A LOT like the pain you might feel after say having done crunches for an overly extended time...a few hours, and the way you feel the day after. That inability to "sit up" without pain. Unable to "bend" at the waist without serious discomfort. Heck, even trying to scoot up to my desk while seated is a chore. Anyway, so I go to the doctor yesterday at 1:00, and he sends me for bloodwork, a piss test, and a couple hours later the CT scan. When they say that you're gonna feel like you're going to "pee your pants" when the the IV cocktail hits your innards; they're NOT KIDDING! She said trust me you won't...okay lady for you anything...but wow I had to pee so bad I could taste it. Now it's the waiting game. Wait for results, wait to find out what's wrong...and ultimately what to do about it, so I can get back to the business of being me. I'm going to be angry, when they don't find anything wrong, though it won't surprise me. I'll just feel foolish, and think that I've just been whining over nothing. Meanwhile...I'm still in a bit of pain. It's actually a little better today, of course after the "bowel-blow" experience gettin' rid of the barium, hell there was nothing inside left to hurt. I'm starting wonder if the pain is actually musculature and not digestive tract in nature. But I have no explanation for it either way. Anyway, we'll just play the waiting game now. Stay tuned on this one.

I played for a while last night on UB at the .50/$1 NLHE tables. One table this time, for a little over 100 hands. I cashed out up. For the day I'm back up about $30-ish. Still down you know from the blackjack and the lousy run of SNG's that I opted for. Now, I'm single tabling and making notes of EVERY SINGLE guy I'm playing. Last night in fact it allowed me to make a read on a guy who was bluffing me. I'm playing tight...WAY TIGHT! So tight that I feel a bit like a target, and I can tend to feel and see that at the table. There begin to be guys who circle and start trying to put preflop moves on me. Buying me out of my blinds, over and over again. For a while it made me mad. Then...I decided just to continue waiting. Waited for the hand to push back, not just a blind push back, but something with teeth. As "luck" would have it though, he dropped it. The observations that were most useful were keeping track of the other guys at the table playing on their bellies as well. When they shoved, or even just when they got involved, it was time to stay out, except with some monster holdings. The really good thing was that I only made it to the showdown maybe twice. So no one knows anything about my play other than I was tight-aggressive. I bluffed VERY SELDOM, if at all. I didn't make a lot...but I was able to hold on to what was already mine. I only had to make one questionable call once, when I guy reraised me $10. But because I'd been watching, and his bet seemed actually kind of weak, I was able to call without a lot of fear. Fear nonetheless though. New rules, no more SNG's. Keep taking notes, and no risks, at least for a long while. I won't really be happy until I'm back up about $400 or so. Really... it's going to take that much for me to get my head back together.

As for the coming long weekend...Friday night is card night at the Yanok's. Saturday afternoon and evening is our Labor Day weekend picnic...which will probably lead into a card game too. Sunday is Cole's football game @ Mineral Wells. Monday is the holiday...and Tuesday is my AWS day. Long weekend needed. I really need to think about eating better...a lot better. The scales at the docs office don't lie. No wonder I feel lousy, I'm carrying around so much excess weight. Let's see what a few less pounds can do for me. It couldn't hurt now anyway, right?

That'll have to do for a post...

Regards,

cheer_dad