Boy will this be a terrible post.
With the death of Vaclav Havel, I've been reading about him and his philosophies. Talk about your well-rounded guy! Certainly someone to be listened to, if not always agreed with. One thing sticks with me - his faith that all people are generally good. Truth be told, I believe him. So, where does evil come from? Well, if you believe Havel, it comes from systems. For some background, start here:
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/12/vaclav-havels-critique-of-the-west/250277/
If you believe this argument, systems are potentially the biggest evil-generator on the planet. I do believe it. The inherent flaw in most systems is that they never plan for the law of unintended consequences, nor can they. It's why a system of checks and balances is probably the best, even though ultimately doomed to fail. Why? Because of the human condition. We are programmed to want to achieve. It's why we're the dominant species. Without that drive, we'd be chimps using sticks to knock fruit off branches out of reach, not designing computers or planning for war.
How many of you have thought of ways to game the system? Any system. It's in our DNA. Did you get pulled over? How about showing some cleavage and flirting a bit. Or maybe trot out your war record and try to bond. See? It works sometimes - you win! You beat the system.
Some folks saw a flaw in the system and figured out a way to make tons of money without doing anything more than writing a computer program designed to move cash on tiny fluctuations in the market. Many have tried something similar - you could argue that they were supposed to. A few actually got it right. Was is fair? Fairness doesn't even enter the equation, actually. It's a system. It's not even a systemic flaw. The system was created by us. Others figured out how to manipulate it better and more creatively than we did. Tough. You could pout a bit if it helps. You could whine that it's not fair, but here's the thing - you created it! Yes you, with your laws and your elected officials and your lobbyists and your banking deregulations. Greed isn't good or bad. Greed is.
If you accept even some of this as true, what are your options? You could become a great thinker and try to lead your inherently good people and give them opportunities to be good. You could try to create a new system that equals things out (see socialism, communism), or you could study systems. That's probably the best bet. Why? Well, to understand them, of course. But also so you are better positioned to see when others are taking advantage or using it to hurt people for their own gain. Or perhaps even use it to your own benefit. Since you created it, isn't that your job?
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Sunday, December 11, 2011
WPBT Trip Report 2011
I'm am nearly 100% certain no one reads this drivel anymore. But, since I never wrote for you anyway, I might as well get some thoughts down before they fade to eternity.
This WPBT had all the makings of being outright terrible. By now, you all know about my divorce with the amazing and increasingly poorly named "The Wife." It was supposed to be really awkward that we were there together, especially since only a handful of people knew. There were other negatives, too. Apparently I committed to two dinners on Friday night (or was it Saturday?). Since I would have had to pay anyway if I didn't show at the Raku dinner, I chose that one. Getting my ass chewed by CK the next day was not my favorite thing. I missed some great company at Jaleo. A down-in-the-dumps Kat was also a big negative. I want everyone to have fun at WPBT. No one should feel blue, not if I can help it. I never hooked up with any incredibly sexy polyglot lawyers, dammit. And then there was Brad. What horrible news to receive right before the trip, and with his goal of running the Rock & Roll 1/2 marathon so close.
But if you know me, you know my philosophy - it all works out. Must have got that from Bammer.
Let's take it from the top. Interacting together and separately with The Wife was terrific. There was no expectation other than an friendly kiss on the cheek and we were able to enjoy being in each others company as well as being separate. I didn't even mind fixing her back right there on the casino floor. Although, that hot chick who said, "NEXT!" should have stuck around longer.
The dinner at Raku will live in memory forevery. Seriously, 15 courses?! It was an orgy of food, complimented by excellent company. And CK actually seemed to forgive me (eventually).
It took some doing, but I think I helped Kat find her smile again. And when she smiles, wow.
And Brad. What can I say? You found your smile, too. And amidst such tragedy. The fact that I played some small part in that did wonders for my soul. I am so fortunate to call this group friends.
There were other highlights, too. They each deserve their own blog post, but since I only blog once or twice a year, this is what you get:
"Hey, that looks like Jose Canseco."
"That's because it IS Jose Canseco."
"Sorry sir, this table is only for those in the 40/40 club."
"Well, then you're all gonna have to leave."
I ran the 1/2 marathon with a bunch of guys that have become such good friends - Blood, G-Rob, Brad and Dan. The fact that I came in last of our group (7 damn seconds, AYFKM?), didn't really bother me. Thanks so much to those who stuck it out to the end to see my sorry ass trot down the finish. Walking back to Aria in the rain was no fun, but it may be the only reason I'm still walking.
I sucked in the tournament, as usual. It was cool to see The-No-Longer-Wife cash. She's got skills. I also played in a cash game with the boys that is already legendary. There were the usual suspects as well as Drizz, Iggy and Dr. Pauly as well as Marty and the poker room manager with the straining blouse.
And now, it's time to go for another jog. I usually let down (or outright stop training) after an event like this, but my boys are keeping me motivated. Let's hope it sticks.
This WPBT had all the makings of being outright terrible. By now, you all know about my divorce with the amazing and increasingly poorly named "The Wife." It was supposed to be really awkward that we were there together, especially since only a handful of people knew. There were other negatives, too. Apparently I committed to two dinners on Friday night (or was it Saturday?). Since I would have had to pay anyway if I didn't show at the Raku dinner, I chose that one. Getting my ass chewed by CK the next day was not my favorite thing. I missed some great company at Jaleo. A down-in-the-dumps Kat was also a big negative. I want everyone to have fun at WPBT. No one should feel blue, not if I can help it. I never hooked up with any incredibly sexy polyglot lawyers, dammit. And then there was Brad. What horrible news to receive right before the trip, and with his goal of running the Rock & Roll 1/2 marathon so close.
But if you know me, you know my philosophy - it all works out. Must have got that from Bammer.
Let's take it from the top. Interacting together and separately with The Wife was terrific. There was no expectation other than an friendly kiss on the cheek and we were able to enjoy being in each others company as well as being separate. I didn't even mind fixing her back right there on the casino floor. Although, that hot chick who said, "NEXT!" should have stuck around longer.
The dinner at Raku will live in memory forevery. Seriously, 15 courses?! It was an orgy of food, complimented by excellent company. And CK actually seemed to forgive me (eventually).
It took some doing, but I think I helped Kat find her smile again. And when she smiles, wow.
And Brad. What can I say? You found your smile, too. And amidst such tragedy. The fact that I played some small part in that did wonders for my soul. I am so fortunate to call this group friends.
There were other highlights, too. They each deserve their own blog post, but since I only blog once or twice a year, this is what you get:
"Hey, that looks like Jose Canseco."
"That's because it IS Jose Canseco."
"Sorry sir, this table is only for those in the 40/40 club."
"Well, then you're all gonna have to leave."
I ran the 1/2 marathon with a bunch of guys that have become such good friends - Blood, G-Rob, Brad and Dan. The fact that I came in last of our group (7 damn seconds, AYFKM?), didn't really bother me. Thanks so much to those who stuck it out to the end to see my sorry ass trot down the finish. Walking back to Aria in the rain was no fun, but it may be the only reason I'm still walking.
I sucked in the tournament, as usual. It was cool to see The-No-Longer-Wife cash. She's got skills. I also played in a cash game with the boys that is already legendary. There were the usual suspects as well as Drizz, Iggy and Dr. Pauly as well as Marty and the poker room manager with the straining blouse.
And now, it's time to go for another jog. I usually let down (or outright stop training) after an event like this, but my boys are keeping me motivated. Let's hope it sticks.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Umm.. hi
I'm finally over the guilt for spamming all of you when I went private with this blog. Some of you were "invited" 9 or more times. If that doesn't scream "n00b," I don't know what does. In my defense, I was really pissed at the reasons I had to take this blog private. I had great visions of dumping all of the juicy gossip on my loyal followers, but in the end, two things got me - I didn't feel like talking about it, and I was still a little nervous. I still don't feel like talking about it, although I will tell the story eventually. It's actually not all that exciting, unless you add the fact that it was pretty high-stakes.
Things around here are more interesting than I'd like. The only constant is change, and all that. I'm really only bummed that I stopped using this outlet I enjoyed so much. I glanced at my archives, and since I started blogging in 2005, I didn't miss a single month. There were some months I only posted 3 times, but it seemed like I was always creating a post in my head.
Lately, my creative outlet has turned toward music. I feel this incredible need to create. Thanks to a tip from Falstaff long ago, I have the Evernote app on my phone. Whenever a song idea hits, I write it down or record it as a voice file if I'm driving.
If you want to catch up on the mundane, Facebook has most of it. For mundanity (it's a word, dammit), we did pretty good - Yosemite, caving, zip-lining, good wine, bonding with the kids, new car. Lot's of good to go around.
I'm hoping all is just as "mundane" with you.
Things around here are more interesting than I'd like. The only constant is change, and all that. I'm really only bummed that I stopped using this outlet I enjoyed so much. I glanced at my archives, and since I started blogging in 2005, I didn't miss a single month. There were some months I only posted 3 times, but it seemed like I was always creating a post in my head.
Lately, my creative outlet has turned toward music. I feel this incredible need to create. Thanks to a tip from Falstaff long ago, I have the Evernote app on my phone. Whenever a song idea hits, I write it down or record it as a voice file if I'm driving.
If you want to catch up on the mundane, Facebook has most of it. For mundanity (it's a word, dammit), we did pretty good - Yosemite, caving, zip-lining, good wine, bonding with the kids, new car. Lot's of good to go around.
I'm hoping all is just as "mundane" with you.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Private Blog Test
So, you all know I took this blog private. Before I did so, I subscribed to my own blog so I could read it through my Google Reader. It let me do one final edit in case I needed to make small changes before it was read by the masses. Now it doesn't show up there anymore. I'm fairly certain it's because of the privacy thing.So, two questions:
1. Can you see my blog in your reader (if you use one) now that it's private?
2. Is there something I can do to make my blog more accessible to those who like to read my drivel (without changing the privacy status)?
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Throwing Stones
Well, I've calmed down a bit and learned a little something, too. First of all, I found the offending picture. I posted it to Facebook back in mid 2010 and you know what? I can actually understand why my boss was upset. Don't bother looking for it - I deleted it.*
Bottom line - I made a mistake. I should not have posted the picture and I am appropriately chastised. I'm still kicking myself for being that stupid, in fact. Let this be a lesson to you.
But here's the other thing. There was only one person in my office that I "friended" on Facebook. I unfriended him sometime last year. Here's what must have happened. He saw the picture last year and must have saved it to his computer "just in case." He and I had a run-in a few weeks ago, and in a case of revenge disguised as "just trying to help," he went straight to my boss to show him the pic.
It gets even funnier (or sadder, depending on your perspective). My boss, who is in his 60s, is not quite tech-savvy. He said that he won't tell me who showed him the picture. He also wanted me to know that he checks on all of my "social network activity" all the time, just to be on the safe side.
I'm glad he doesn't understand technology, and I have no intention of disavowing him of his ruse. I promised to be careful, and you know what? I will be careful.
I'll be careful of what I post from now on, and I'll be doubly careful of that fucking rat bastard in my office.
*Actually, if we're friends on Facebook, go ahead and try to find it. I've always wondered if deleting pictures actually makes them go away - especially if there were multiple commentors. You may remember it - it was a picture of someone's arm with an offensive tattoo. There was some unintentional (and potentially identifiable) stuff in the background.
Bottom line - I made a mistake. I should not have posted the picture and I am appropriately chastised. I'm still kicking myself for being that stupid, in fact. Let this be a lesson to you.
But here's the other thing. There was only one person in my office that I "friended" on Facebook. I unfriended him sometime last year. Here's what must have happened. He saw the picture last year and must have saved it to his computer "just in case." He and I had a run-in a few weeks ago, and in a case of revenge disguised as "just trying to help," he went straight to my boss to show him the pic.
It gets even funnier (or sadder, depending on your perspective). My boss, who is in his 60s, is not quite tech-savvy. He said that he won't tell me who showed him the picture. He also wanted me to know that he checks on all of my "social network activity" all the time, just to be on the safe side.
I'm glad he doesn't understand technology, and I have no intention of disavowing him of his ruse. I promised to be careful, and you know what? I will be careful.
I'll be careful of what I post from now on, and I'll be doubly careful of that fucking rat bastard in my office.
*Actually, if we're friends on Facebook, go ahead and try to find it. I've always wondered if deleting pictures actually makes them go away - especially if there were multiple commentors. You may remember it - it was a picture of someone's arm with an offensive tattoo. There was some unintentional (and potentially identifiable) stuff in the background.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Goodbye
Editors Note: My humble apologies if you were spammed by an invitation to this blog. I'm a noob when it comes to this stuff and in my panic to take things down, I may have clicked, "Invite"' a few times too many. Please forgive.
You ever been so mad your hands were shaking? The kind of mad where it's even hard to type? Yeah, that's me now.
I'm a fairly smart guy. I've been very good about keeping my personal life separate from my work life. That includes social media. Well, today I got an angry message from my boss saying he "found" a picture of him that I posted on some social media site. He was very upset and wanted it taken down immediately. For the life of me, I could not find it, despite searching for the last 2 hours. It seems my only recourse is to delete the lot - blog, facebook and twitter.
I'm reminded of a young doctor I mentored when I was teaching. He got into some serious trouble for blogging. Granted, he said something he shouldn't have and it got to the wrong person, but it was blown way out of proportion. As a blogger, they called me to evaluate the situation and I was able to keep the young man out of jail (seriously), but his punishment was quite severe.
I thought I was smarter than that. Apparently not. I'd say more, but I'm fairly certain there's a rat out there. Instead, allow me to offer the following blanket statement:
This blog and all of it's contents are for entertainment purposes only. No person, named or not, is real. I made them all up. If anyone was offended, I offer my sincere apologies. Please direct me to any offending posts and I will do what I can to delete them.
If there are any lawyer types out there who can offer advice about how to make the above statement more official-like, please let me know.
Peace out.
You ever been so mad your hands were shaking? The kind of mad where it's even hard to type? Yeah, that's me now.
I'm a fairly smart guy. I've been very good about keeping my personal life separate from my work life. That includes social media. Well, today I got an angry message from my boss saying he "found" a picture of him that I posted on some social media site. He was very upset and wanted it taken down immediately. For the life of me, I could not find it, despite searching for the last 2 hours. It seems my only recourse is to delete the lot - blog, facebook and twitter.
I'm reminded of a young doctor I mentored when I was teaching. He got into some serious trouble for blogging. Granted, he said something he shouldn't have and it got to the wrong person, but it was blown way out of proportion. As a blogger, they called me to evaluate the situation and I was able to keep the young man out of jail (seriously), but his punishment was quite severe.
I thought I was smarter than that. Apparently not. I'd say more, but I'm fairly certain there's a rat out there. Instead, allow me to offer the following blanket statement:
This blog and all of it's contents are for entertainment purposes only. No person, named or not, is real. I made them all up. If anyone was offended, I offer my sincere apologies. Please direct me to any offending posts and I will do what I can to delete them.
If there are any lawyer types out there who can offer advice about how to make the above statement more official-like, please let me know.
Peace out.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Poker Content!
Been a while since I posted a tournament hand, but this one is mildly interesting.
First hand of a tournament. Blinds are 100/200 (10,000 starting chips). You're dealt Ks-Kc. Two limpers in front (why does this always seem to happen on the first hand?) and you raise to 700. Both limpers call. There is 2400 in the pot with the blinds.
Flop: Jd-10d-4s
It checks to you, and you bet 2000. The initial limper calls 2000 and the other gets out of the way.
Turn: Qh
Now limper leads out for 3000.
What do you do? What hands do you put him on?
First hand of a tournament. Blinds are 100/200 (10,000 starting chips). You're dealt Ks-Kc. Two limpers in front (why does this always seem to happen on the first hand?) and you raise to 700. Both limpers call. There is 2400 in the pot with the blinds.
Flop: Jd-10d-4s
It checks to you, and you bet 2000. The initial limper calls 2000 and the other gets out of the way.
Turn: Qh
Now limper leads out for 3000.
What do you do? What hands do you put him on?
Friday, April 15, 2011
Atlas Shrugged
I understand there's a movie coming out. I probably won't see it, but thinking about it gave me a chance to revisit Ayn Rand. What follows is a link to the "Francisco d'Anconia Money Speech." It has been called the greatest 5 pages written in the English language.
Francisco d'Anconia's Money Speech
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Dollars and Sense
It's tax time. I rarely get upset or outraged at this time of year, mostly because my CPA takes care of all the paperwork and I just sign. Because of a small glitch on the part of Wells Fargo, we got a letter from the IRS saying we owe an extra ten grand on top of the taxes we already paid. It's an easy fix, but it gave me a reason to look at our taxes. Holy shit, we pay a lot. In fact, we pay more in taxes than our entire families made last year. Combined. I know, boo hoo. I'm not looking for sympathy here, just an honest discussion. I'm at work, so I don't have the time to get into this in detail, but you probably don't want to read a long diatribe anyway, so here are my issues: I'm pretty tired of hearing politicians argue over giving "tax cuts to the wealthy." It's bullshit. The "Bush-era tax cuts" are simply freezing the rate at a certain level. The argument is whether I should continue to pay 35% or if it should be bumped to 39% (I may have the numbers wrong, but I'm close enough). People spin this extra 4% many different ways. I could give a shit. You know why? Because I don't mind paying more taxes. I know that sounds crazy, but it's the truth. I know I'm going to have to pay more taxes. I have no control or choice, so I might as well accept it. But it's also true that paying more taxes will not affect how I live my life. Since I don't mind paying more taxes, and I pay more than most, it does give me the ability to rant, and rant I shall. If I'm going to pay more, I don't mind telling you that I'm sick and tired of people who pay no taxes telling me I'm not paying enough. Well, let me add one caveat. I believe America has an obligation to care for the most needy, which has been arbitrarily called the bottom 10%. I'm okay with that. But how can I have faith in a system where almost 50% of Americans pay no taxes, yet tell me I'm not doing enough? 47% of Americans Pay No Income Taxes Sure, we can argue that this doesn't apply to Federal taxes, but since income tax is our largest tax, and the one that stands to go up further, it's where I'm concentrating. So let's stop with the nomenclature, and get to the substance (where is George Carlin when you need him?). I'll pay more taxes. I just want the majority of Americans to have skin the game before they accuse me of not doing my share.
Saturday, April 02, 2011
Epic-ness
I'm not even sure epicness is a word, but I don't give a rats ass. It aptly describes my trip tonight, and I thought I'd share it with you. We, being the awesome friends we are, decided to store a car for our good friend while she is deployed overseas. We had the extra garage space in Stockton, so it was a fairly simple proposition. After she left, we drop the car off over there and shuttle back together. I use the car once a week so the battery doesn't die, then I bring it back when she returns. Simple, right?
Well, it IS simple, provided I follow instructions. If you've ever given me a shopping list with more than three items, you know I'm not always the best at following instructions. Many have wondered how I got through medical school with this obvious flaw, and all I can say is... well, nothing. I'm not sure how I did it either, but I have this diploma, so I must have had the ability at one time.
Anyway, I was supposed to bring the car back this weekend, but I didn't. So today, I decided to do the swap myself. Why inconvenience anyone else for my error? I just pulled the cover off the Ferrari and found a really juicy route to get to Stockton. It's usually a 90 mile/80 minute proposition, but this time it was a 132 mile/3 hour deal. The roads were twisty as hell.
For those that care, this is the route.
Along the way, there was some incredible scenery.
I can't begin to imagine what some of these homes are worth,
but the view alone is a million bucks.
And finally, I arrived at my home away from home.
Look at that - it's like the parking space was specially
reserved for a Ferrari.
Well, it IS simple, provided I follow instructions. If you've ever given me a shopping list with more than three items, you know I'm not always the best at following instructions. Many have wondered how I got through medical school with this obvious flaw, and all I can say is... well, nothing. I'm not sure how I did it either, but I have this diploma, so I must have had the ability at one time.
Anyway, I was supposed to bring the car back this weekend, but I didn't. So today, I decided to do the swap myself. Why inconvenience anyone else for my error? I just pulled the cover off the Ferrari and found a really juicy route to get to Stockton. It's usually a 90 mile/80 minute proposition, but this time it was a 132 mile/3 hour deal. The roads were twisty as hell.
For those that care, this is the route.
Along the way, there was some incredible scenery.
I can't begin to imagine what some of these homes are worth,but the view alone is a million bucks.
And finally, I arrived at my home away from home.Look at that - it's like the parking space was specially
reserved for a Ferrari.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Forced Blogging
As I start this post, I have no idea where it's going. I usually have a plan well in advance, but since I got called out by my brudder Bam Bam for not blogging, I figured I'd better put something out quick. You rush a miracle man, you get bad miracles, or so someone once said. Here goes...
Poker: I've been playing quite a bit. There's a little card room where I work that has tournaments as well as 4/8 LHE and the occasional NL. I've only played the tourny once, but it's pretty soft. Buy-in was $20 with a $10 re-buy. First place is around $800, but they always chop at some point on the final table. The 4/8 game is terrible. 6 or 7 see every flop - basically gambling. I play the game while hoping for the NL to start and it's a bad move so far. Despite playing tight, I get suckered into playing big hands with no draw. There's no way to control the pot size, and I get sucked out on a lot by some dude playing TRC. The NL game; however, can be used to build your bankroll. There is at least one other road warrior in that game who I also see playing at Bay 101. It's possible he's like me and works in the Central Valley and lives in the Peninsula, but I doubt it. I think he comes out there because the game is just that good.
Work: Many of you know that I'm the process of buying my medical practice. Well, things are on hold for now. It's a complex story that I may bore you about over a drink or two, but for now let's just say the deal is on ice. I am remaining there at my base salary, but they are throwing in an unspecified bonus to keep me around until such time as we can make a deal. It's a good job with great people, so stick around I shall. I still wish it was closer to home. Know what I'm talking about Bammer? Speaking of home...
Home: Things here are... good. The Wife is preparing our taxes and it's clearly stressing her out. We fought terribly last year at this time and I'm afraid another brouhaha is in the works. In fact, I think we would have had it out already, but she's been sick. Like, crazy sick. She's about 92.07% better now. I'd like to think it's at least in part because I've been caring for her by treating her with manipulation and medicines (I AM a doctor of osteopathic medicine after all), but it mostly just had to run it's course. (As an aside, my whole family has been sick - all but me. I got the flu shot this year as I always do. Coincidence?) I love her fiercely, so don't worry about us. I figured our lives were too good, so I decided to add a little stress. Besides, making up can be fun.
We have great friends both near and far, although some of our near friends are going far and some of our far friends don't come around often enough. Last night we had a great dinner with our Seattle friends Jim and Jane and their two kids. A family dinner at PF Changs was highlighted by great conversation and saké. The evening went by too fast. Our friend April is doing her best Florence Nightingale impression and is headed back to Maine to care for her injured Grandma. IMHO, there is no greater gift you can give than caring for a sick or injured relative. It's not all sunshine and roses, but it does wonders for the soul nonetheless. And speaking of friends, if you follow me on Twitter (as most of you do), you've been hearing about #mudrun. I'm so jazzed about this it will get it's own post.
So there you go, brudder. I hope that gives you a small distraction while you're in the hinterlands. Of course, it'd be easier to tell you this in person over a scotch or two. We're a lot closer now, ya know...
One last quote, apropos of nothing:
Poker: I've been playing quite a bit. There's a little card room where I work that has tournaments as well as 4/8 LHE and the occasional NL. I've only played the tourny once, but it's pretty soft. Buy-in was $20 with a $10 re-buy. First place is around $800, but they always chop at some point on the final table. The 4/8 game is terrible. 6 or 7 see every flop - basically gambling. I play the game while hoping for the NL to start and it's a bad move so far. Despite playing tight, I get suckered into playing big hands with no draw. There's no way to control the pot size, and I get sucked out on a lot by some dude playing TRC. The NL game; however, can be used to build your bankroll. There is at least one other road warrior in that game who I also see playing at Bay 101. It's possible he's like me and works in the Central Valley and lives in the Peninsula, but I doubt it. I think he comes out there because the game is just that good.
Work: Many of you know that I'm the process of buying my medical practice. Well, things are on hold for now. It's a complex story that I may bore you about over a drink or two, but for now let's just say the deal is on ice. I am remaining there at my base salary, but they are throwing in an unspecified bonus to keep me around until such time as we can make a deal. It's a good job with great people, so stick around I shall. I still wish it was closer to home. Know what I'm talking about Bammer? Speaking of home...
Home: Things here are... good. The Wife is preparing our taxes and it's clearly stressing her out. We fought terribly last year at this time and I'm afraid another brouhaha is in the works. In fact, I think we would have had it out already, but she's been sick. Like, crazy sick. She's about 92.07% better now. I'd like to think it's at least in part because I've been caring for her by treating her with manipulation and medicines (I AM a doctor of osteopathic medicine after all), but it mostly just had to run it's course. (As an aside, my whole family has been sick - all but me. I got the flu shot this year as I always do. Coincidence?) I love her fiercely, so don't worry about us. I figured our lives were too good, so I decided to add a little stress. Besides, making up can be fun.
We have great friends both near and far, although some of our near friends are going far and some of our far friends don't come around often enough. Last night we had a great dinner with our Seattle friends Jim and Jane and their two kids. A family dinner at PF Changs was highlighted by great conversation and saké. The evening went by too fast. Our friend April is doing her best Florence Nightingale impression and is headed back to Maine to care for her injured Grandma. IMHO, there is no greater gift you can give than caring for a sick or injured relative. It's not all sunshine and roses, but it does wonders for the soul nonetheless. And speaking of friends, if you follow me on Twitter (as most of you do), you've been hearing about #mudrun. I'm so jazzed about this it will get it's own post.
So there you go, brudder. I hope that gives you a small distraction while you're in the hinterlands. Of course, it'd be easier to tell you this in person over a scotch or two. We're a lot closer now, ya know...
One last quote, apropos of nothing:
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
Updates!
I'm going to conclude this post with some actual poker content, but first I must bore you with fitness stuff.
My New Year's resolution is still on track. As of February 28th, I completed just over 61 miles of running. That's just ahead of my 1-mile-a-day vow. I'm fairly sure I'm ahead of Grange, but since he's suffering through an Iowa winter, I'm also certain these are my "leap ahead" months. When it starts warming up out there, he'll probably catch up. I'm still confident I can win the bet, though. By the next #wpbt, I will have run at least 300 miles. I doubt he'll have completed 600, so victory is almost assured.
Almost.
***
Okay - the promised poker content. I'm still on my winning streak, and loving it. I'm making good reads and for once variance is mostly adhering to statistics. Mostly.
It's 2/5 NL. I buy in for $200. I run it up to $1400 and I'm about to leave. A young hoodie-wearing player is the only guy at the table who has given me trouble. He seems to understand bet sizes and strategy, and we've mostly avoided each other. The standard raise at this table has been to $20 or $25. He opens in early position for $40. It's highly unusual and I put him squarely on Jacks or 10s. I look down at two black Kings and decide to smooth call. He has about $350 behind.
The flop is Qh-8h-6h. He bets $40 into the $87 pot. I raise to $125. He goes all-in for $310 more.
What do you do?
My New Year's resolution is still on track. As of February 28th, I completed just over 61 miles of running. That's just ahead of my 1-mile-a-day vow. I'm fairly sure I'm ahead of Grange, but since he's suffering through an Iowa winter, I'm also certain these are my "leap ahead" months. When it starts warming up out there, he'll probably catch up. I'm still confident I can win the bet, though. By the next #wpbt, I will have run at least 300 miles. I doubt he'll have completed 600, so victory is almost assured.
Almost.
***
Okay - the promised poker content. I'm still on my winning streak, and loving it. I'm making good reads and for once variance is mostly adhering to statistics. Mostly.
It's 2/5 NL. I buy in for $200. I run it up to $1400 and I'm about to leave. A young hoodie-wearing player is the only guy at the table who has given me trouble. He seems to understand bet sizes and strategy, and we've mostly avoided each other. The standard raise at this table has been to $20 or $25. He opens in early position for $40. It's highly unusual and I put him squarely on Jacks or 10s. I look down at two black Kings and decide to smooth call. He has about $350 behind.
The flop is Qh-8h-6h. He bets $40 into the $87 pot. I raise to $125. He goes all-in for $310 more.
What do you do?
Friday, February 25, 2011
Of Poker, and Other Pursuits
I have recently been on a good run, having pulled out 9 and 12 racks from the 8/16 game at Bay 101. Well today, I beat them all. I increased my stake 21 times!
But first, a bad beat story. It's short. Your dollar is in the mail.*
Got aces. Flopped top set. Lost to runner-runner-flush to a guy with 10-7 off-suit who called three bets preflop AND called the flop with no draw.
See, that wasn't so bad. That bad beat story is short enough to tweet (which should be the criteria for all bad beat stories IMHO).
The end result was that my initial buy-in got down to 5 chips. Rather than reach for a re-buy, I dumped them into the big blind in much the same way people buy lottery tickets. Long story short, 5 limpers and I look down at AQ. I toss the extra chip into the pot. It checks around on the flop and turn. One bettor on the river gets called with pocket 6s, but I flopped an Ace and it was good for the main pot! WTF?!
From 5 chips to 30 chips. Sweet. Let it ride! I am in the small blind and call 1/2 a bet with rags, but I flop trips. I manage to get all my chips into the pot with a few callers along the way, and voilà , 21x. Of course, this basically gets me back my buy-in. I promptly racked up and called it a win. It almost felt better than dragging out 12 racks. Almost.
____
In other news, most of you know my passion for Ferrari. Before I owned the car, I did not own a single piece of Ferrari-related paraphernalia. Since that time, I bought a hat, a fleece jacket from my car club,** and a Ferrari key-chain.*** That's it. But, I've only really coveted one non-drivable Ferrari item, and never actually thought it would be mine. Until today.
* No, it isn't.
**We call ourselves FOG, for Ferrari Owners Group. It's apropos because we drive around San Francisco. Cute, eh?
***Since bequeathed to Drizz as my bust-out prize during the last WPBT. Still waiting on your visit so we can go busting through the Palo Alto hills, buddy.
But first, a bad beat story. It's short. Your dollar is in the mail.*
Got aces. Flopped top set. Lost to runner-runner-flush to a guy with 10-7 off-suit who called three bets preflop AND called the flop with no draw.
See, that wasn't so bad. That bad beat story is short enough to tweet (which should be the criteria for all bad beat stories IMHO).
The end result was that my initial buy-in got down to 5 chips. Rather than reach for a re-buy, I dumped them into the big blind in much the same way people buy lottery tickets. Long story short, 5 limpers and I look down at AQ. I toss the extra chip into the pot. It checks around on the flop and turn. One bettor on the river gets called with pocket 6s, but I flopped an Ace and it was good for the main pot! WTF?!
From 5 chips to 30 chips. Sweet. Let it ride! I am in the small blind and call 1/2 a bet with rags, but I flop trips. I manage to get all my chips into the pot with a few callers along the way, and voilà , 21x. Of course, this basically gets me back my buy-in. I promptly racked up and called it a win. It almost felt better than dragging out 12 racks. Almost.
____
In other news, most of you know my passion for Ferrari. Before I owned the car, I did not own a single piece of Ferrari-related paraphernalia. Since that time, I bought a hat, a fleece jacket from my car club,** and a Ferrari key-chain.*** That's it. But, I've only really coveted one non-drivable Ferrari item, and never actually thought it would be mine. Until today.
* No, it isn't.
**We call ourselves FOG, for Ferrari Owners Group. It's apropos because we drive around San Francisco. Cute, eh?
***Since bequeathed to Drizz as my bust-out prize during the last WPBT. Still waiting on your visit so we can go busting through the Palo Alto hills, buddy.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Dream Rangers
Sometimes I wonder about the #wpbt. Will we still be together in 30 years? 40?
Give this video a minute. Epic.
Give this video a minute. Epic.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
MY Million Dollar Prop Bet
Editors Note: I may or may not believe any of this.
I'm fairly certain that 99% of my readers are already aware of the recent prop bet among a couple young poker phenoms, but for those that aren't, catch up here:
Part I
Part II
Today, I went for a nice 6 mile run (okay, it was 5.7 miles, but I'm allowed to round up). I often do creative thinking while running. I've made life decisions, wrote songs, and even invented a perpetual motion machine,* all while running. Today I wrote a blog post.
I love running. I hate when I've been away for a while and try to start up again, because I know that the first month or two will be painful. When you've run a couple marathons, struggling with 2 miles is embarrassing. But, after you get over the initial difficulties, it's fun seeing and tracking your progress. (As an aside, let me apologize once again for inundating you with all of the CardioTracker posts. I'm addicted to the stats, and I'm posting those on FB and Twitter mostly for myself).
As a poker player and amateur gambler, I love a good prop bet. Well, let me correct that. I love reading about a good prop bet. I was excited following Ted Forrest as he tried to lose a ridiculous amount of weight in order to win $2 million from Mike Matusow. He's had other legendary bets including running a marathon in the desert heat. Phil Laak stayed awake for a week playing poker. EDog walked 4 rounds of golf in Vegas. They all did it to win money and we loved watching it. You know what? Each of them could have died for their efforts. Some more than others, but there was an implied health risk in each situation in order to win money.
So, why was this running bet different?
It doesn't take a physician to realize that running 70 miles in 24 hours would put a terrible strain on your body. Believe me, I know what it can do. I will give you that this bet was probably more risky than the others. If you don't believe me, Google "rhabdomyolysis." But so what? Yes, he could have died. Yes, there was some terrific soul-searching on both bettors. Yes, if it was my son, I'd be terrified. Hell, if it was my son and he died, I would be devastated for the rest of my life. But you know what? I'd also be proud as hell. He died trying to prove himself. Isn't that what we all try to do in this life? How will we know what we're capable of if we don't push ourselves to the limit? I don't mean to overplay this, but isn't that the kind of stuff that we Americans envy? Isn't that what makes our country great? Could you imagine a young Iranian kid gambling for $1 million by running 70 miles? Only in America. Or maybe Canada (nah, they're probably too smart).
So, for those of you who argue that this was terrible, I want to know why. There is a very well reasoned blog post by my buddy Grange** who takes the side that this may have been a manifestation of mental illness, and worse, it was taking advantage of someone who is impaired. I'm not arguing that point. I used to play poker with Barry, a wonderful man about my age with cerebral palsy who seemed to have an endless supply of money and kept giving it away at the Muckleshoot Casino. I sat at his table many times, as did the whole poker community. It doesn't detract from the fact that I really liked the guy and would often chat with him away from the table. It's poker, and if you have it, I want it.
So, the argument is that this kid must have been mentally ill to attempt such a feat. What you're saying is that attempting something that has, not just a theoretical chance, but a very REAL chance of getting you killed, means you are mentally ill. Especially if it's for money. Well, you know what? I did the same thing. For $1 million. And guess what?
I won.
Like I said in the beginning of this post, most of my readers know me. For those that don't, or may have forgotten, let me refresh. It was 1988. Two years prior, I had dropped out of college and joined the Army. I chose the Army because it was the only branch of service that let me sign up for two years. I sure as hell wasn't staying in longer than that. But then, in 1988, I was given a choice. If you sign here on the dotted line, you'll commit yourself until 2008 (for those mathematically challenged, that's 20 years). And, BTW, if we go to war, you go too. You might get killed, but it's a risk we're willing to let you take. On the positive side, we'll give you $1 million dollars. It will be spread out over 20 years, but it's yours. Sign?
Of course, I signed. And, I did go to war. And I didn't get killed. And I got the dough. So, my question is, who is crazier, a kid who tries to prove himself by pushing the absolute limits of human endurance one time in a 24 hour stretch, or a kid who signs up 20 years of his life and agrees to fight in wars that he may or may not believe in?
I know I'm a little crazy, too. I guarantee you this: he and I both acknowledged the risk, but it really didn't factor into the decision (Me: I can do this! My Brain: Really, how do you know? Me: Only one way to find out.)
I also know that if I'm going to war (or doing anything that takes risk and determination), I want that kid on my side. Every time.
* I am almost embarrassed to tell you how much time I have devoted to inventing a perpetual motion machine. Think hundreds of hours. Thousands, probably.
** who, BTW, is going to lose a bunch of dough to me on a distance-running prop bet. There's irony!
I'm fairly certain that 99% of my readers are already aware of the recent prop bet among a couple young poker phenoms, but for those that aren't, catch up here:
Part I
Part II
Today, I went for a nice 6 mile run (okay, it was 5.7 miles, but I'm allowed to round up). I often do creative thinking while running. I've made life decisions, wrote songs, and even invented a perpetual motion machine,* all while running. Today I wrote a blog post.
I love running. I hate when I've been away for a while and try to start up again, because I know that the first month or two will be painful. When you've run a couple marathons, struggling with 2 miles is embarrassing. But, after you get over the initial difficulties, it's fun seeing and tracking your progress. (As an aside, let me apologize once again for inundating you with all of the CardioTracker posts. I'm addicted to the stats, and I'm posting those on FB and Twitter mostly for myself).
As a poker player and amateur gambler, I love a good prop bet. Well, let me correct that. I love reading about a good prop bet. I was excited following Ted Forrest as he tried to lose a ridiculous amount of weight in order to win $2 million from Mike Matusow. He's had other legendary bets including running a marathon in the desert heat. Phil Laak stayed awake for a week playing poker. EDog walked 4 rounds of golf in Vegas. They all did it to win money and we loved watching it. You know what? Each of them could have died for their efforts. Some more than others, but there was an implied health risk in each situation in order to win money.
So, why was this running bet different?
It doesn't take a physician to realize that running 70 miles in 24 hours would put a terrible strain on your body. Believe me, I know what it can do. I will give you that this bet was probably more risky than the others. If you don't believe me, Google "rhabdomyolysis." But so what? Yes, he could have died. Yes, there was some terrific soul-searching on both bettors. Yes, if it was my son, I'd be terrified. Hell, if it was my son and he died, I would be devastated for the rest of my life. But you know what? I'd also be proud as hell. He died trying to prove himself. Isn't that what we all try to do in this life? How will we know what we're capable of if we don't push ourselves to the limit? I don't mean to overplay this, but isn't that the kind of stuff that we Americans envy? Isn't that what makes our country great? Could you imagine a young Iranian kid gambling for $1 million by running 70 miles? Only in America. Or maybe Canada (nah, they're probably too smart).
So, for those of you who argue that this was terrible, I want to know why. There is a very well reasoned blog post by my buddy Grange** who takes the side that this may have been a manifestation of mental illness, and worse, it was taking advantage of someone who is impaired. I'm not arguing that point. I used to play poker with Barry, a wonderful man about my age with cerebral palsy who seemed to have an endless supply of money and kept giving it away at the Muckleshoot Casino. I sat at his table many times, as did the whole poker community. It doesn't detract from the fact that I really liked the guy and would often chat with him away from the table. It's poker, and if you have it, I want it.
So, the argument is that this kid must have been mentally ill to attempt such a feat. What you're saying is that attempting something that has, not just a theoretical chance, but a very REAL chance of getting you killed, means you are mentally ill. Especially if it's for money. Well, you know what? I did the same thing. For $1 million. And guess what?
I won.
Like I said in the beginning of this post, most of my readers know me. For those that don't, or may have forgotten, let me refresh. It was 1988. Two years prior, I had dropped out of college and joined the Army. I chose the Army because it was the only branch of service that let me sign up for two years. I sure as hell wasn't staying in longer than that. But then, in 1988, I was given a choice. If you sign here on the dotted line, you'll commit yourself until 2008 (for those mathematically challenged, that's 20 years). And, BTW, if we go to war, you go too. You might get killed, but it's a risk we're willing to let you take. On the positive side, we'll give you $1 million dollars. It will be spread out over 20 years, but it's yours. Sign?
Of course, I signed. And, I did go to war. And I didn't get killed. And I got the dough. So, my question is, who is crazier, a kid who tries to prove himself by pushing the absolute limits of human endurance one time in a 24 hour stretch, or a kid who signs up 20 years of his life and agrees to fight in wars that he may or may not believe in?
I know I'm a little crazy, too. I guarantee you this: he and I both acknowledged the risk, but it really didn't factor into the decision (Me: I can do this! My Brain: Really, how do you know? Me: Only one way to find out.)
I also know that if I'm going to war (or doing anything that takes risk and determination), I want that kid on my side. Every time.
* I am almost embarrassed to tell you how much time I have devoted to inventing a perpetual motion machine. Think hundreds of hours. Thousands, probably.
** who, BTW, is going to lose a bunch of dough to me on a distance-running prop bet. There's irony!
Saturday, February 05, 2011
Ferrari Run!
I've been hesitant to post anything Ferrari-related after the last dust-up, but you know what? It's what I love. It's my passion, and it's my blog, dammit. Don't like it? Don't read it.
Today was an amazing run. The weather here is spectacular* and the old crowd, as well as a bunch of newbies, came out of the woodwork. We had 30 cars in all. 27 were Ferraris, but there were two Jags and a Lambo rounding out the bunch. There is no pretentiousness in this group. We call ourselves FOG (Ferrari Owners Group), but we love it when other interesting or classic cars show up. Today we had a few special treats, including one car** worth more than all the others. Combined. Several times over, in fact. These folks just love cars. No way they're going to let these beauties sit in a garage, ala Cameron's dad.
We drove over Mt. Tam in Marin county and waved at our friend Dacia, who it apparently hiking up there today (Hi, Dacia!) and then stopped for brunch at Murray Circle, in Sausalito. What an amazing place! Great food with great people. I'm still smiling.
Enjoy the pics.
*I figured if people are pissed I'm writing about my Ferrari, they might as well be REALLY pissed so I'll brag about the weather amidst one of the worst snow storms in memory.
** Yes, I know my big fat finger is in the way, but I'm too lazy to crop the pic and it doesn't detract from the beauty of the machine.
One more pic I stole from a friend:
Edit: If you want to see more from today (and far better pics from a real photographer), check out this site.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
A Poker Post!
I last wrote about the 8/16 game at Bay 101 after a killer session where I cashed out 12 racks. This session wasn't quite as good (only 9 racks), but this time it was on my original buy-in. I was a bit of a card rack. I'm guessing I flopped a set about 50% of the time I held a pocket pair, and I netted a huge pot with pocket 6s on a board of QQ44 when I got called all the way with Ace high. On the flip side, I got my KJ-high snapped when my tilty victim called with KQ-high. It was a ballsy call and I congratulated him for it. He was on his 5th $200 buy-in and soon dumped all those chips back to me. I almost took a picture of him standing at the table looking at his last ATM receipt to see if he had enough for another hit, but I wasn't fast enough.
The other day I posted a picture on Twitter of a large gentleman with "Sticks & Stones" tattooed on his arm. I left the pithy comment: "I'm told THIS can break your bones." I'm certain it was true. The dude was huge. Unfortunately, when I went to snap the picture, I forgot to turn off the flash on my phone, and he was all, "WTF, dude?!" I quickly recovered and showed him the neat flashlight feature of my phone and apologized for the accident, but it was sketchy for a bit. I thought I was going to be testing the whole bone-breaking feature of his forearm, and that was not what I had planned for my Monday night.
Back to the Bay 101 - I really tried hard to put folks on hands and was able to loosen my starting hands quite a bit. Still, it's a bit of a crap shoot when there are 5 or 6 to see every flop. I got a huge kick out of the fact that a couple dealers stopped by after their down to check on my progress. It's nice to book a win.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
WHO Got Arrested?
I have strange dreams. I woke up this morning certain that a blogger was arrested. It bugged me so much I was certain it was true. So a quick search of Twitter, Facebook and my G-Reader revealed no such arrests. Then I got to thinking - who would be the most plausible arrestee?
Which of these headlines is most believable?
Otis Arrested
Drizz Arrested
Change100 Arrested
Bammer Arrested
There are many other logical choices, but I think these four represent the four corners of our blogging universe. If any of them were actually arrested, it would likely be for widely different reasons. It's kinda fun to think what they might be.
Which of these headlines is most believable?
Otis Arrested
Drizz Arrested
Change100 Arrested
Bammer Arrested
There are many other logical choices, but I think these four represent the four corners of our blogging universe. If any of them were actually arrested, it would likely be for widely different reasons. It's kinda fun to think what they might be.
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