[Vague and Troubled] Remembrances of Things Past

I want to begin by thanking Falstaff for caring enough about the group to keep the fire burning. I sincerely mean that. Although I thought the Orleans was a hole, and the MTT structure the worst I can recall ever playing (live or online), a fact is a fact: our grinning cherub is a hell of a guy. And here is an undeniable fact: I had a shitload more fun this year than last. In fact, I had a blast. It was all-round even better than anticipated. It was a little less formal, a little smaller and more knowable [although WTF do I know, I've only been to two of these things]. I spent more time with guys I specifically went to meet and hang with, and the previously unknown to me proved just as interesting as I'd hoped. Vegas disappointed only in monetary returns with me down about 600 (including my 550 Venetian buyin). Considering I played primarily 2/5 for the first time in my life, I am not heart-broken over this. I also discovered a creative accounting method in which my online has been restocked to let me play without BR pressure again. Win/Win. [Ahem...cough, cough...gentlemen, if you haven't yet transferred, you should be aware that almost all others have...cough, cough].

Taking a step back I want to point out that my first observation is no slag on the truly miraculous organizational job April did the year before because that remains a tour de force for all of us to marvel at. I would know; I can't organize shit. Hell it amazes me I'm able to dress myself and get to work on time on any given day. [In point of fact I have more stained black CK boxer briefs and wrinkled Brooks Bros. dress shirts sitting around this would-be bachellor pad than I know what to do with [what do you mean use the laundramat twenty feet from my door?]. Also, in a spirit of frankness, I'll allow I am ALWAYS late for work - the only consolation being that I am now The Man and the clock don't start till I hit the deck. So anyway, I don't think I even thought to say it last year, but April if you read this, just know that I appreciate your efforts for the first bloggah gettogethah I ever went to.

Now the return engagement was a mirror up to myself both as a person and a player that I could not get anywhere else.

I played a better, deeper game than a year ago and tried out new styles at the cash tables [with variable degrees of success of course]. I lost a huge pot to Penner; a guy I don't know well, but who seems very cool. I lost this hand by deciding to make a big move and put him to decisions every stage of the way. These were big bets relative to our 1/2 table with the final pot ending up around 700 bucks. I agree totally with Hoy and Don that I didn't have to play that hand and had two opps to chuck cheaply. I had just decided that I wanted to try a move with a big but vulnerable hand [top two on an all club A 2 3 flop]. I was trying to fold out the better hands. Unfortunately he was sitting on 45d in position and made a great call (actually an overpush on my big reraise, but small enough that I called 150 to win 700ish - may have number slightly wrong, but the concept is right). I think the only two hands I don't fold out with my reraise are the flopped flush and flopped straight and maybe top set, and in each of those cases I still have small outs to take it down. That hand was actually a great experience, despite being a fight I didn't have to fight. I've taken a bunch of perspectives away from it and turned over a bunch of times. What I really like is that I am the kind of guy who is capable of making a move like that, whether or not it worked out. And I also like that I didnt spew like a tiltowheel afterwards. Next hand Chad's 9To outdraws my TT once I failed to fire him out on the turn. Burned but still no tilt. I walked, smoked, chatted and laughed with Fuel, who told a hilarious story of donk on donk violence at his 5/10 table and by the time I came back I was ready to grind. I finished with 500+ [for a net 1 and change]. And that is definite progress in both play and the metagame for a tight/weaky from a year ago. Cliche, but I am definitely from the "defeat is a better instructor" school, and so it was.

On the personal front, I've realized that I flat out enjoy hanging with our crew. Whether it's observing each others annoying habits [ie. Fuel nearly killing me and an entire 5/10 table with a mustard gas anal expulsion that was rivaled only by my nuking of our Bellagio room when I forgot to close the door on exit], hanging for hours in between the games to eat, shoot the shit or shop for purses [yeah, yeah for our girls of course. they didn't have my colors] it's become a totally dependable expectation that you go to Vegoose and you will have fun. Especially if you get to stack those bastardos (I'm thinking of you smokkee and blinders: that was quite the war of attrition you two had going).

I've also realized I'm getting too fucking fat. You guys were sweet about it, but it's your friends who don't see for you a while who really tell it like it is. When Waffles thinks you're a fat bastard, you are. If only there were some way to reverse this!

Yeah I mean a way which didnt involve not eating breakfast twice a day or relocating the gym.

Whadddevah.

So much more to say, but it's 1 am and I have a long, long day tomorrow. Raveen, brotha, shoulda been there pussy. I went to a Caribbean med school. It's all about the honeys!

Laytah [In which episode I will reveal the details of how to bitchslap a poker room TD, explain why Fuel hates my mancare products with such a passion, and reveal at long last the secret to Chad's success at the cash table - hint: unsuited disconnectors]