Moaner, wedding, beard.

For some reason I've become a whiny little bitch in the last few months. I was telling my friend Beckett today after moaning about something, and it's got to stop! I moan about stuff in real life all the time. I always have to be honest, but I'd like to think I used to do it in a light-hearted, fun way. Well now I just seem to moan a lot. And I'm terribly whiny about poker at the moment (as Noel/John/Ian/Brian in particular can testify to). I'm going to work hard on being more positive - please remind me of this and put me in my place when I'm whining to you. I'm allowing myself to still moan a little in real life though as I enjoy it so much.

Poker hasn't been very good this month for me. I'm having a pretty shitty time confidence-wise at the moment, although I think I've made a lot of improvement in the last week or so. I'm pretty happy that I'll work through it very soon though and hopefully start winning well again asap.

My friend Beckett came round this morning to hang out. I crushed his soul on PES for a while and allowed him the privilege of sampling some of my birthday coffees, then we headed out to the shops and I bought a new coffee machine. I've been meaning to get a good one for ages, and I decided to get one with my birthday money from my Nan and Grandad. I know they read this so thank you very much and see you Tuesday!

Tomorrow I'm going to a wedding between two of my friends, James and Jo. I'm pretty excited about it as there's going to be a bunch of my friends there and it should be an awesome day. I think they get married at 2.30pm, dinner is at 4.30 (important to know), and then they have this German oompa band on before the disco/DJ/whatever. This band played at Beckett's dad's 50th a few years back and it was awesome so I'm really looking forward to them. I've also made sure that even if one of them pulls out we still get the party afterwards, so I'm completely relaxed knowing that nothing will spoil MY day.

And finally, here's my beard update! For some reason it looks better in photos than in real life, which is good for here I guess. I felt like I should get rid of it for tomorrow, but as it looks fine in pictures I'm not going to. I didn't want to anyway as I wanna see how good it's going to grow. I might be able to go all ZZ Top or Seasick Steve or something. That would please me. I need to get growing some hair now too to get the wilderbeast look going on in a few months or so.

Seriously?

Poker is easy.

And another...

http://weaktight.com/1120958

:)

Weeeeeeeeee.

Done with Stars

I am done with Stars! I've been thinking about it for a while now, and then a conversation with John made me realise I should just pack it in. I decided to get the bonus available for UK players this month as it seemed silly not to, but I just completed it and withdrew my money. I am now officially done with Stars until further notice.

Just to give some perspective on why I'm leaving Stars; since Vegas last summer (mid July ish) at 3/6 - 10/20 I've played 160k hands on Full Tilt at 3.8bb/100 and on Stars I've played 98k hands at 1.0bb/100. At 5/10 specifically I'm at 3.0bb/100 and 0.3bb/100 respectively. There's some variance in there, but I genuinely think I play worse on Stars and haven't adjusted my style to the site well enough.

My plan is to play on FT and one or two other sites. I'm going to try out ipoker, and if anyone has any other suggestions on a site where I can get decent 5/10 action please let me know.

I'm really disappointed with my year so far. I wasted a shit load of time playing 2/4 at the beginning of the year. I played shit and did poorly and don't even think I really learned much from it. I could've spent those hands making money at 3/6 or 5/10. I've also played pretty poorly at times which is disappointing. I think I'm turning a corner currently though, and I'm really optimistic about the rest of the year.

I've also reached the stage where I don't really care about proving myself anymore. I used to want to prove I could win in the tough games on FT and Stars. Well fuck that. From now I'm interested in making money, and I'm going to do my best to find the most + EV spots and games for myself.

QUADZILLLLAAAAA!!!!

Holy shit - I made quads! Brian was sweating me so he can confirm it's true. QUADS!

Also, here's a picture of me in a PUB (go England) with a pint of Guinness (go Ireland). There are some nice perks about being back!



I'll post a better update one day. And one about poker.

Lastly, I want to offer my condolences to Vanessa. She had to put one of her dogs, Ava, down the other day and I know she's pretty devastated by it. She's blogged about it now so go check it out on Cardrunners. Ava was an awesome dog - I've spent probably two months with her total over the last year and a bit. Hope you feel better soon Vanessa.

Playoff beard

Decided to try and grow a beard. Don't think it's gonna work. Here it is so far...

Home

I'm back in the UK now. I just want to say thanks again to everyone who accommodated me over the last three and a half weeks - particularly Vanessa, Noel, and Brian, and even more particularly Veronica and Jasmine. It can't be easy having a weird British man that you're partner met on the internet coming into your lives for a week (especially with a son/very nearly son). Thanks again for all the hospitality - any time anyone wants to take advantage of Swanwick (best kept urban village in Derbyshire '98) they're most welcome.

"Look at this photograph..."

When I was in Lake Havasu last year Dian's phone would go off very often in the day and her ring tone was that Nickelback song that starts with that lyric. I said when I left Lake Havasu that every time I heard that song I'd think of being there. Well (fortunately) I hadn't heard it for a year, but I heard it the other day at Panda Express in Huntersville for the first time since. I did think of that damn phone ring though when I heard it!

I've had a great time in NC with btimm. Unfortunately I feel like I've been super tired for pretty much my whole time here, which I feel a little guilty about as I don't think I've been my usual hilarious self. I think it's a mixture of it being three and a half weeks into being out here, and also having a proper bed for the first time since I've been away - it's so comfy that I don't want to get up ever!

I went to my first baseball game the other day. It was a minor league game between the Charlotte Knights and the Durham Bulls. There was a pitcher for the Bulls called David Price who's apparently going to be prittay big. I enjoyed it a lot and I think I can handle baseball now. I always thought it'd be kind of slow and a bit boring, but it definitely wasn't. It's actually really cool as you have more time to relax at the game than at something like football. I was supposed to eat a ball park (hotdog) at the ball park, but I wasn't hungry there so I missed out. Next time Brian, next time. Here's us at the game:



We also went up to a mall/activity place called NASCAR something-or-other. It had a ton of stuff to do like putt putt (mini golf), go-karting, arcade stuff, etc. We did some putt putt (I believe I won but it could be disputed) which was cool. I even quite liked the mall as it seemed bigger/wider than most and was only on one floor which made it feel more spacious and less claustrophobic. I meant to take soem pictures there but I forgot because I'm the worst picture takerer ever.

I've also been helping Brian out with a few things on guitar. He just got one right before I came out and I'm impressed with how quickly he's picking things up. I was definitely A LOT worse at this stage! I showed him the all important power chords, how to add notes to chords to make them sound slightly different/more fun, and a few other things. He's also been making up some licks/riffs of his own, as well as learning part of a Death Cab For Cutie song that he likes. I was prittay amazed that he'd learned that one so well as it's not easy and he really has only been playing a few days. By the next time I'm out here I think we'll be ready to form a band. We've also discussed poker a decent amount (naturally). Hopefully we're both going to go on a crushing streak once I leave.

I also love Brian's dog, Bailey. He's easily the best trained dog out of all the one's I've met. He's really smart looking as well. He's so calm as well - he just sits there while you're talking to him/stroking to him/whatever and then leaves quietly when you're done! We've taken him out for a few walks too - here's a picture of him hanging out in the back seat on the drive:



Yesterday we went out to a party of one of Brian's work buddies. He had the classic American beer pong set up in his garage (which Brian and I miserably lost at in our sole game, mainly due to my throwing incompetency). They also had this game in the back yard where you throw a short length of rope with a golf ball on either end over on to a frame with three rungs. You play in pairs and get different points for each rung. I rocked at that game, and had almost won it for us when this guy Dave on the opposition pulled out a monster last throw and beat us by a point. It was prittay devastating.

Lastly (probably should have been firstly), Jasmine is almost ready to give birth to their first son, Jacob Daniel. In mind she's totally ready, but the body has other ideas for now. It's due on June 4th, and I'm thinking of starting up a sweepstake for when it's going to arrive. I'll contact people about it if I decide to start it up. One thing I was amazed at was what it's actually like when the baby is kicking. Jasmine's stomach moves SO much! I've never seen a baby kicking before I don't think, and I assumed the stomach moves a tiny bit. It doesn't - it's like in a cartoon fight when the fists and legs are coming out of a cloud of smoke! I think the fact that she's really thin probably makes it stand out more as well. It's very very cool! They also have the baby room set up really well. they have a bunch of sports stuff in there - including some footballs/soccer balls. And some of the clothes they have are awesome. They have one shirt that reads, "I love hippos, Hippos love me, I love hippos, Hippos love mud.". Classic.

Brian is cooking his signature dish out on the grill tonight. I'll grab a picture of us for that and get it up later. Then I fly back home tomorrow and arrive in Manchester at 8.45am on May 12. After that this blog will be back to poker mainly as I'm planning to nail the rest of May and start actually being good again. That should please you guys that I've been consistently moaning to for ages! Mainly Brian, Ian, Noel, and Vanessa.

Speak to you all once I'm back in the UK!

EDIT: Here's Brian and I before the meal he prepared - this one's for Jason!

NC tomorrow

I'm almost done with Vegas. I fly to Charlotte, North Carolina at 7.00am tomorrow morning, then I get in at 6.30pm their time and Brian will pick me up and take me back to his in Huntersville.

I just went to some place called Bahama Breeze for food which was probably my second favourite place I've eaten since I've been out here (in Vegas that is, not Petaluma - Gorrrddoooooo!). I had this Cuban Sandwich which had three types of meat, cheese, tomato and some green things that I wasn't sure what they were. I think it was the best sandwich I've ever had - so many flavours in it. They also did amazing cocktails. The best place I've been out here was this place called Yard House - you'll find it if you google it. It brews it's own beer and has an unreal amount that it offers. And the food was great too.

So Brian's tomorrow. I can't wait to get out and catch up. I don't really catch him online as much nowadays so it's going to be great just to chat and catch up. Next update comes from the East!

P-town

Finally, I'm getting round to writing about the rest of Petaluma.

Butter and Eggs day was another success. We spent the first part of the day watching the parade as Marcello (and Veronica) were walking part of it. Once they'd done we all found a spot to watch the rest of the parade. There was so much odd stuff in there! There was one guy who was riding around in olde style clothes on a penny farthing. classic. There were all sorts of other things in there from bands playing on floats, to dancing people, to mayors and stuff riding by in fancy cars, to marching bands. It was really fun to watch it all. Here's Andrew and I with our first beer in the beer garden. I got mine served by a man who must've been at least 95 years old. And there's Noel and Marcello watching the parade too.



For the rest of B&E day we firstly went for lunch/bbq at someone's house that Noel and Veronica know from Marcello's school. Noone really knew anyone before we arrived, but they were incredibly welcoming (as were their friends that were there) and the food was delicious. By the time we left there was already talk about planning next year's post-B&E bbq in the same style!

We ended up going to a Mexican place called Dos Hombres for margheritas later on (same as last year, just fewer of them!), then to some Italian restaurant for food which was fantastic, then we headed to some bar/club to end the night. I was super tired and struggling to not fall asleep (some may claim I did), so Andrew and I went home a little before the rest. And onto my yearly, funny B&E-day-in-Petaluma story...

So we set off back to our place and I realise I left the keys at Noel's earlier in the day. I'm prittay drunk at this point, so the only option is for Andrew to go to the bar and get Noel's keys, go to their house (a good 10-15 mins away), and then come back and get us in. He sets off to do this with the plan of meeting me at 7-11. If you remember from last year, I got lost on this very day and ended up randomly in a 7-11 for one of Noel's friends to randomly (and super luckily) find me. Well this was a different 7-11, but still nice to be keeping the same theme!

I got myself a coffee and cookie and went to eat it on these benches in a park opposite the shop. Andrew had to walk back that way to get to our place so I figured it was a good spot. Well, he took ages. And I finished said coffee and cookie and got bored. I was really tired and this point, so I decided to go back home (which was only a couple of minutes up the road). When I got there I planned on sleeping on the patio chairs in the back yard until he got back to let me in. But then I realised that he might get worried that I wasn't where I said I'd be. So I compromised with bringing the patio chair out onto the street so that he'd be able to look down the street towards our place and see me. A prittay good idea if I do say so myself. Anyway, he got back and says he found me there, sleeping and dribbling on the sidewalk. Stay classy Petaluma!

Let's break up the blog with a picture from the beach earlier in the week. I feel like I should've posted the one with Noel on (being that Marcello is his son), but I like this one better!



We had a couple of slightly lazier days after B&E. I'd plowed my body with mexican food and cervezas and it definitely needed a bit of a rest (although I didn't let it off the hook completely).

On the Monday we went into the city and then did a night tour of Alcatraz. It was really interesting and I'm going to watch both movies about escapes from there when I get back. Noel's friend Rob came with us too (we met him at the bbq), and he's pretty hilarious. The boat ride there was super choppy and we were stood near the front doors out to the front of the boat where water was coming through quite regularly! We got an audio tour once we were on the island, and it had ex-guards and ex-prisoners doing the talking. I found it really interesting and I'm glad we got our arses in gear and took it. Here's a picture of the bridge and us on the way to the city, and one of the cells in Alcatraz. Alcatraz isn't on the picture, but it's just off to the left of the first pic.


Now I've been back in Vegas a few days trying to relax. I've put my body through more than it's used to over the last couple of weeks, and I've gotten ill twice already since I've been back in Vegas. Yesterday we headed to Walter and Melissa's house to have a bbq and watch the Hatton fight. I don't follow boxing at all so as Hatton is English and I'd never heard of the other guy I assumed Hatton was going to win. Ooops. The other guy was super impressive though. The food was great and I had a really nice day so thanks to them for having me.

I head to Brian's in North Carolina early Tuesday morning and have no mad plans in Vegas beforehand. I actually just want to get enough rest and try and eat/drink decently so that I don't get ill again before I get out there. The next blog update will probably be Tuesday or Wednesday from Huntersville.