Never Play Cards With a Man Called Doc

Two Unrelated Things - Poker and Peeing Marines

2012-01-13T21:27:00.000-08:00

This should probably be two posts, but I rarely blog anymore and both are on my mind. I'll start with the philosophy stuff, because you probably won't read it if I wrote about the awesome poker game first.

So, what should be done with our wayward Marines who peed on dead Taliban?

I will first point you to my Vaclav Havel post talking about systems. This is a system issue. Notice, I didn't say system failure. Why? Because soldiers have been desecrating the bodies of their enemies since the beginning of time. It wasn't too long ago that rape and pillage were considered the spoils of war. Commanders would select the best wenches for themselves and leave the rest to the foot soldiers. The capable enemy became slaves. The injured, infirmed and elderly were shot. Bodies were decapitated and heads were placed on signposts as a warning. But we don't do that anymore. Why? Mostly because of two things. First, we are no longer allowed to defeat our enemies. We eliminate a few in power and then pay billions to the future warlords. This leaves enough of them to become offended when the desecration is broadcast on CNN, leading to point two, which is that this treatment actually emboldens the enemy and becomes an effective recruiting tool.

So what, you might ask, should happen to those poor Marines who were victims of the system that forced them to dehumanize the enemy in order to turn them into cold-blooded killers so they might do what our nation asked of them? Simple. Each peeing Marine should be sentenced to 10 years hard labor and their immediate leader should be put to death. Publicly. Immediately.

You might think I'm kidding, but I'm not. Just because they were doing what soldiers have done for eons, doesn't mean you shouldn't make an example of them. The damage has been done. This kind of example would set the right tone and prevent future nonsense, at least for a while.

***

The Ultimate Poker Game

My regular game is better than yours. Why? For hands like this:

The game is 2/5 NL with a forced $10 live straddle. It's still early and most players have between $300 and $1000 behind. I open UTG for $25 with AK and get called in 4 places. The flop:

Q-Q-2

I check. UTG +1 bets $25 and gets called in every position before it gets to me. I fold. Surely someone has the queen, right? The turn:

Q

UTG +1 bets $55. One fold and then it gets to doc. Doc is another physician with a wider range than me, if you can believe that. He got stuck a grand early because he got stacked twice in the first two hands (never having higher than a 9), but worked his way back to about $800. He smooth calls. The button, who started the hand with about $700, now wakes up and raises to $200. UTG +1 shows me his pocket kings and mucks (duh). Doc doesn't even tank and goes ALL IN! Button now tanks and says, "Doc, show me the 2." Without missing a beat, Doc flashes a 2 and the button snap-calls with pocket 5s.

Doc then shows his Q-2 for the flopped full house and turned quads.

Why, you might ask, would the button call there? He played the hand perfectly. The raise was excellent. A re-raise could only mean one thing. No one here, especially Doc, is capable of making the kind of play to represent a queen here without having the goods. Yet he called. Of course he called!

Because it's the greatest poker game ever.

Systems

2011-12-27T02:41:00.000-08:00

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?

WPBT Trip Report 2011

2011-12-11T10:32:00.000-08:00

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.

Umm.. hi

2011-08-20T12:37:00.000-07:00

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.

Private Blog Test

2011-05-28T13:28:00.000-07:00

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)?

Throwing Stones

2011-05-25T22:36:00.000-07:00

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.

Goodbye

2011-05-23T17:31:00.000-07:00

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.

Fake Pool

2011-04-24T11:01:00.001-07:00

I'm totally putting this in my dream house.

Poker Content!

2011-04-20T14:23:00.000-07:00

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?

Atlas Shrugged

2011-04-15T22:39:00.000-07:00

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

Dollars and Sense

2011-04-14T07:31:00.000-07:00

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.

Epic-ness

2011-04-02T23:31:00.000-07:00

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.

Forced Blogging

2011-03-26T09:06:00.000-07:00

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:

Today I bent the truth to be kind, and I have no regret, for I am far surer of what is kind than I am of what is true. ~ Robert Brault

Updates!

2011-03-02T20:44:00.000-08:00

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?

Of Poker, and Other Pursuits

2011-02-25T22:15:00.000-08:00

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.

Dream Rangers

2011-02-21T21:44:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I wonder about the #wpbt. Will we still be together in 30 years? 40?

Give this video a minute. Epic.

MY Million Dollar Prop Bet

2011-02-12T11:12:00.001-08:00

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!

Ferrari Run!

2011-02-05T13:44:00.000-08:00

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.

A Poker Post!

2011-01-26T22:16:00.000-08:00

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.

WHO Got Arrested?

2011-01-19T21:59:00.001-08:00

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.

PokerSlut

2011-01-09T18:13:00.001-08:00

Bammer convinced me to play a stud tourney tonight. Here is my first hand. 8s was good here, right?

Stupid New Year's Resolution Time!

2010-12-26T00:54:00.000-08:00

Well, it was hit and miss with my resolutions last year. The hit was pretty big. Not only did I swear off Diet Coke for the month of January, I went without for the entire year (other than that one accidental slip-up at Mastodon when SOMEONE (*ahem* HEATHER) gave me a sip of her drink and only afterward told me it had Diet Coke in it. I'm not counting this.

I didn't do so good in the gym, however. I never quite got 30 workouts in 31 days. Didn't even come close, in fact. The best I could muster was losing 13 pounds in September for a weight loss challenge at work. In my defense (there's always an excuse, right?), I changed jobs, moved to California, and took a new job that requires a 90 mile commute. There isn't a lot of time to work out.

But a new year is coming. I've settled into a routine of sorts, and I'm ready to try again. This time I think I can achieve the workout goal. Here's my plan - I'm going to run 365 miles in 2011. It should be attainable, right? Who can't go an average of 1 mile a day? My friend Laurie just cleared 1000 running miles in 2010 (awesome, BTW). Mine should be a piece of cake (mmm, cake). I have some additional motivators, not the least of which is the Mud Run at the end of April with the G-Vegas crew (seriously, are you building Mastodon around this?). I'd also like to run a couple other races, too. I did the Angel Island 12K last January and it was a blast. I'd like to do it again. I also wouldn't mind running at least a 5K every other month - I think I can get my time below 25 minutes. I'm also seriously planning on bringing my running shoes to the next #WPBT.

You'll be able to follow along on Facebook since I'm still using my CardioTracker. I'm motivated, psyched and ready to kick some ass. Who's with me?

An Open Letter to the Green Bay Packers

2010-12-19T15:08:00.000-08:00

Dear Packers,

I owe you an apology. But first, a little background.

I grew up in upstate New York and was born into a Giants family. I have fond memories of sitting between my dad and uncle while they screamed at the Giants on TV. LT (the real one, not that fake dude pretending to go by the same name) was my hero. I first became aware of the team around 1976 when they went 3 and 11. I didn't care. I even had a Larry Csonka helmet, despite him playing only three seasons with the team.

Then I was off to the Army. I floundered around, briefly trying to be a Bucs and Broncos fan. Despite living in Texas, I NEVER became a Cowboys fan (although I'm not ashamed to admit fantasizing about the cheerleaders a time or seven). I had a flash back to the Giants once again when, in 1991, they practiced at my alma mater in Tampa prior to dominating the Superbowl. Watching LT practice was a special privilege.

But when the Superbowl was over, I didn't have the same passion I once had. 1991 was the same year I graduated college and started med school. It's also the same year I met the future Mrs. Chako. She was a farm girl from your great state and, unlike me, kept her passion for the hapless Packers despite their pathetic record (they were 4 and 12, but I'm sure you knew that). Her passion became my passion and we spent many Sundays curled up on the couch watching a young Brett Favre fling that ball like a robot. I was hooked.

But then it happened. Brett left. Mrs. Chako was steadfast in her commitment to the Pack. I was not so sure. Do I follow the green or, like so many others, do I follow my hero? I am almost ashamed to admit that I followed Brett - first to the Jets and then to They Who Will Not Be Named. Conflict arose in the Chako household. Cuddling was no longer an option.

But now the iron man is done. Do I stay with the purple? Do I go back to the Giants? Or, if you'll have me, do I come back, hat in hand, to Green Bay?

So, my dear old Packers, will you have me back? I'm terribly sorry, and I really miss cuddling.

-Dr. Chako

WPBT 2010 - Trip Report - Part Deux

2010-12-18T09:22:00.000-08:00

The memories are fading fast, so you get some random thoughts before they're all gone:

I neglected to mention the actual best hand I played, but it was kindly pointed out to me by my victim, the lovely CKBWoP. Set vs. crub frush draw and I GOT THERE! Against CK. With crubs. Well, she did let me borrow the whistle several months ago and I don't recall giving it back.

One oversight - my foursome discussed reconvening in Colorado because we were stuck together all day and still managed to have fun. All like-minded fun seekers would be welcome on any future golf outing (which I suppose includes just about every member of the wpbt), but especially the intrepid souls who joined us on the golf excursion (yes, that includes you Katkin).

Here is what you've been waiting for - the hot girl-on-girl action. There was a lot of it. I often wonder, as people look forward to the wpbt, if they anticipate the possibility of seeing hot chicks making out as much as I do. It's like, "I love going to Vegas for wpbt. There's drinking and poker and good friends and we might get to see hot chicks making out!"* The fact that a lot of the making out usually happens in close proximity to me makes it even better. At one point, with two lovelies in my arms going at it right in front of me, I turned over my shoulder to the crowd and said, "This is for me!" I don't care if it wasn't true. In fact, I most certainly wasn't. The two couldn't care less that I was standing right there. I'm totally OK with that. For the details, you are just going to have to imagine it, or by me a few drinks and I'll do my best to describe it.**

I always enjoy meeting new faces and this time didn't disappoint. I wish I had more time to talk with Shelly, who is new to me but not new to wpbt. Next time we both bring our running shoes and actually use them! Wolfie and son were generous and kind. Lightening was hysterical with his advice seeking ("I have an issue with accounting and Ferrari's. Can you two (meaning The Wife and I) help me?").***

Grange is a special case (in more ways than one). I hope to see more of the big guy, and I know The Wife has a total crush. I'm trying not to be disappointed that of the two Chakos, The Wife is the one he finds more attractive. I take solace in the fact that since he has no fashion sense, he's probably not really gay. Doesn't anyone find me attractive, dammit?****

A few quick mentions and then I'll wrap this us. The amazing Peacecorn has been saying she had a gift for our boys for quite some time. I don't know how long she's been carrying this around but we finally got it - actual moon rocks! I cannot tell you how jazzed I am about this. You'll be pleased to know that when I showed my boys, they were more excited than you would believe. Totally cool.

Before the tournament started, Dr. Pauly gave me my trophy for winning the Turkey Cup 4.0. It was a bottle of The Glenlivit 15, Red Oak Reserve. I still haven't cracked it open, so if anyone finds themselves in the Bay Area, let me know. This is better enjoyed with company.

My tournament play was poor. Grubette had my number and picked on me constantly for the 1st 5 levels. She eventually crushered me when her AJ flopped trips and I turned a King with my AK. I hung on for a little while longer, but totally killed our last longer when Drizz took me out with his KQ vs my Presto. He got my bustout prize which was my Ferrari keychain. I'm serious dude. Bring it to California, and I'll toss you the keys. You'll have to give them back of course, but not before we enjoy some of the great twisty roads over here.

Lagasse Stadium was off the hook. The food was grand even if the service was a bit slow. The company was better. Cuddling on the couch with The Wife and CK, shooting the shit with Brad, Curtis, Falstaff, Katkin, etc. was the perfect denouement to the wpbt experience. And then it was time to go.

I have one final post about one of the best nights I ever spent in Vegas. Brad, Jeff, half of Gordon, Drizz, Al and I skipped Steel Panther for a trip to the Hard Rock and an amazing concert by the Black Crows. I'm not sure how to write it, but it deserves it's own page. Maybe one of the better scribes will do it first.

*Or, if you're like me, it's like, "I love going to Vegas for wpbt. There's hot chicks making out, and... some other stuff."

**I tried to write it, but as you've already figured out, I'm no scribe. After typing, "Their tongues intertwined like two snakes fighting for a bird egg," I simply gave up.

***I'm calling a penalty on myself for inappropriate and excessive use of parentheses and quotations in one sentence. See Asterisk #2.

****I know Kat finds me hot. I have no idea why, and believe me I'm not complaining. Still, when a gay guy finds you attractive, it's like a badge of honor. I'll just have to try harder.

WPBT 2010 - Trip Report

2010-12-15T21:43:00.001-08:00

I just got back from my 2 hour commute from work and finished a lovely dinner cooked by The Wife, complete with a glass (or 4) of wine. I'm not up for an uber-post, but I wanted to get some Vegas highlights off my chest while they're still fresh.

Day 1:

Got a good laugh watching The Wife get felt up by the TSA agent. Her reaction when I asked if I could take pictures was priceless.
Dacia allowed me to get close to her ankles at MacCarran airport. She has no idea how dangerous that is (but I'll pull down your pants anytime you ask. Especially if you are wearing those killer heels).
Bungalow Suites at MGM are quite nice, even if your view is the airport.
Off to the IP. Saw a few bloggers, but only had eyes for Kat, who bypassed me to lock lips with The Wife. I got a great show before I got my turn. I must admit I was really looking forward to her classic greeting (all Canadians say hello like this, right?), and she didn't disappoint.
Then I got a tongue stuck in my ear. Unfortunately it belonged to Falstaff, but I gave the big lug a hug anyway. And I bought his books!
Poker was played. I finally got to the blogger table and really enjoyed beating up on civilians. I just missed the CaityCaity explosion. Don't know why she blew up, but it was epic.
My poker highlight happened right before I moved to the blogger table. I turn 2 pair and the river counterfits me, but I sense weakness so I move all in. The civilian snap calls and announces, "Straight!" But, he flips over queen-high and I drag the pot.
I tap Caity (who is right behind me) so I can have a witness to this nonsense, and the dealer quips, "Figures you know Caity."
I drank. A lot.

Day 2:

Slept late but got up in time for a wonderful breakfast with The Wife, Drizz and Kat. MGM buffet is adequate, but the company was perfect.
Golf was played. Golf was won. It helped that my partner Dr. Jeff is an 8 handicap and far more competitive than I, which is saying something. Seriously, who let the doctors play together without demanding strokes?
A secret weapon was deployed on the course, in the form of the cute beer cart wench delivering tequila and a six pack to Drizz in the foursome behind us. I noticed there were no more 300 yard bombs into us after that.
Our foursome was completed by Iggy and the newly wed Speaker. What great company. We made plans for a golf outing in Colorado with just the four of us. I hope it materializes, because it would be a helluva lotta fun.
Got to and from the MGM thanks to the overly generous F-Train who shuttled us both ways. Thanks, man. Sorry we didn't get to hang more, but the #Reidbill interpretation waits for no man.
Poker was played. The Wife and I were winners.
I drank. A lot.

More to come...

The Ghost of WPBTs Past

2010-12-04T12:22:00.000-08:00

I was reliving some fond memories of my first WPBT in 2005. My write up included this hand:

I pick up A23Q on the button and call $3 into a five way pot. The flop is K53 giving me the nut low draw. I call a $15 bet and three of us see the turn. It’s a 10 and it checks to me. I check and the river brings an 8. I have the nut low. The Mark bets $50. Drizz folds, and without knowing what I’m doing, I say, “pot.” The dealer (very sharp, BTW) says, “that’s $262.” Did anyone see my balls jump up into my throat? Geez, I hope not.

The Mark goes into the tank. I’m praying he has the high when he says, “I’ve got the nut low, I think I need to call.” Shit. All I have at this point is A-high. Even a pair of 2’s and I get ¼ of the pot. I just keep smiling. Finally, he calls and turns over…

***

I also found this great pic - still one of my favorites:

I can't wait for the stories and memories that will be created in a few days.

Oh, can go check out The Wife. I think she's also excited.

The Hammer

2010-12-01T15:34:00.001-08:00

Herbie Hammer

In honor of our upcoming World Poker Blogger Tour event (my 5th!), and also because I just changed my Blogspot template and wanted to see what it looks like, I decided to chronicle a hand where I threw The Hammer. I can't stop thinking about it.

In the beginning of these WPBT events, the hammer was a bigger deal than it is now (although I suspect that will change with the new "hammer-throw bonus") but there was always one rule - play them like they're aces. I forgot that rule at the worst time.

It's Bay 101 and I'm playing 8/16 with a half-kill. I'm half way through my 3rd $200 buy-in when the rush kicked in. I'm pretty sure I've never had a rush like this before or since. I had to ask the lovely Asian chip runner to help me stack chips. I was in the zone. Before the carnage ended, I broke three players at the table and eventually cashed out over 12 racks.

Ah, but the one that got away haunts me.

It's a 12/24 kill pot. In late position with 3 limpers in front, I raise with 7-2 off suit. Since everyone was gunning for me, I was sure to get a bunch of callers, but instead I was re-raised by a fairly bad player to my left (we'll call him Moron #1). I hadn't seen this before from him, but he was on mega-tilt. The big blind caps and 5 or 6 of us see a flop of 9-8-2 rainbow. It checks to me and I bet. Moron #1 raises (and secretly I was applauding this because isolation is rarely done in this game), but of course it's capped before it gets to me and I come along. The turn is a 4 and it checks to me again. I have no idea what I'm up against, so I check again. Moron #1 checks (!) - the bastard. Button now bets and gets one fold, but I smell a rat, so I raise. Moron #1 tanks, but eventually calls. So does the button. The river is a queen. Button bets.

Here is where I failed. I flat called. (FLAT? Are you f-ing serious?!) Moron #1 tanks but calls as well.

I have a pair of 2s
Button has pocket 6s (and a massive pot)
Moron #1 has Ace-high

I am certain that if I raised the river, Moron #1 would have called and the button, a fairly good player, could not have over-called with his pocket 6s. After firing 8 small bets and 3 big bets at this pot, I couldn't bring myself to fire again when it mattered most. And I lost an almost $800 pot because of it.

Beware of hammer-throwing doctors in Vegas.

7 days.

PVC Pipe WIN

2010-12-01T11:23:00.001-08:00

Many of you also waste your time with Fail Blog. Occasionally they have WINS. This is just such an example. Maybe this means more to me because I fancy myself a musician (perhaps entertainer would be a better moniker - I have only a modicum of talent). This combines real musical talent with invention.

And when I saw it, it only had 302 views. Get in early. You'll be able to say you saw it early after it's been seen millions of times.

Enjoy.

Turkey Cup 4.0

2010-11-26T08:53:00.001-08:00

Been a while since I had some poker content to contribute, but this was a good one. Like most of you, I had gotten the invite from Dr. Pauly to attend his Turkey Cup tournament on stars. I've never played it before (I don't think), and I really didn't intend to play it this time. I was vegging in front of the TV with the family when I realized it was 8:53 pm and I remembered the tournament started at 11:55 EST. This meant I had two minutes. I hadn't played on stars in quite a while, so I got the damned "You have new software to install" message. I figured I would miss the start time and I didn't know if I'd be allowed in late. When the software was finally up, I had to remember the login (duh), but I got my seat as the 2nd hand was being dealt. I was quite happy to see the good doctor seated at my table as well as the lovely Katitude. Kat was sitting out, but I assumed she was making a clever play to allow the regular donks to do what donks do and donk themselves out in order to allow the real poker players to start playing. What I didn't realize is that 1. her "play" was actually a nap that got out of control, and 2. It turns out that the "donk" I was referring to was me.

I don't remember exactly how the hand played out, but Pauly got me all-in on the turn with his QQ vs. my AJ and I spiked an ace on the river. I think the board was KKx, and I think I picked up straight and or flush draws on the turn, but I know I got my money in behind. I felt bad for knocking Pauly out of his own tournament, but I vowed to put his chips to good use.

I spent most of the tournament in the top 10, but there was a player I didn't recognize Shackedin05 (who I now follow on Twitter - @bloomey ) who was sitting on a pile of virtual chips. He was running over the table with massive pre-flop and turn bets. I vowed to stay out of his way, but eventually had to put up a stand and bluffed him off a pot with king-high. I showed it, but there is certainly a chance it was the best hand.

Only the final table got paid. Bubble boy was the unfortunate Joe Speaker, who chose to spend his bachelor party playing this tournament. His tweet about it was classic:

My first bachelor party, I puked in a San Diego alley. My second, I spent/lost $2.5K in Vegas. This seemed prudent.

I tightened up as the final table got underway. It got down to four of us, including last year's winner Derek. It was great seeing fellow scotch enthusiast Shane Nickerson go deep, and if I ever drift back to the Islays, I'll definitely look for an Ardbeg Corryvreckan as my next purchase.

Then is was time to shift gears and when we got heads up we were pretty close in chips - a fact pointed out by Dr. Pauly who stayed to rail the whole thing. I made a small adjustment to my preflop raises because Shackedin05 was showing a tendency to push all in with my 3x raise. He was a little too aggressive, so I felt if I was patient, I could capitalize. On the button I'm dealt QQ and I make a min-raise. He shoves with 33 and I insta-call. Amazingly it held up.

Thanks again to Dr. Pauly for hosting a great post-Thankgiving tournament with some great people. Now I have even more to be thankful for.

Blogging Again

2010-11-20T22:52:00.001-08:00

I have a lot of things on my mind, which is impressive given that I'm not prone to all that much introspection.

Life is pretty good here at Casa Chako. We had a wonderful birthday celebration for The Wife. The kids are happy. In fact, I just got back to the computer from reading a bedtime story for my youngest. He requested Narnia again and giggled at the Chapter 4 title, "Turkish Delight." We were just talking about what food we wanted for Thanksgiving and he was struck by the coincidence. Today I took the family (minus The Wife, who preferred a nap to the wonders of Harry Potter) to the movies and we had a great time, even though I ate too much popcorn. My run times are getting better. I did a short run out in Stockton before work the other day and averaged 7.2 miles per hour, which is pretty close to what I was running for my PT tests when I was back on active duty.

All that is to say that things are pretty good. I don't like a lot of strife in my life. Most strife around here is self inflicted anyway. The Ferrari discussions were well chronicled. Lots of strife there. The Ferrari troubles have been well documented - it's still in the shop BTW (I'll have a whole post on that soon). My back and right leg have been bothering me when I get back from my commute. 90 miles never used to bother me at all. I've taken a few bad beats at poker. Nothing to brag about, but a string of 2 and 3 outers gets old. I also have been feeling very creative lately, but have no outlet. I've picked up the guitar a few times in the last several days but put it right back down after strumming a few chords. Other than playing requests for my eldest at night, I don't play much anymore. Also, back to the Ferrari for a minute, there was that brief controversy about people who I thought were friends getting offended when they felt The Wife and I were either bragging or ungrateful for the success we've had in life. That bothered me a lot more than it should. I had these brief fantasies about totally shutting down, but I like too many of you to let a few naysayers get to me. I once heard that successful people could only have successful friends because everyone else just ends up being a drag (actually, it was that rich people could only have rich friends, but if I imply we're rich I'll get more detractors and The Wife will scream, "No we're not!").

I have never apologized for being who I am. I don't intend to start now. I'm a regular guy with regular daily triumphs and tribulations who happened to make a few good decisions about 25 years ago. I'm also the guy who's gonna hang with like-minded folks in Vegas in a few short weeks who don't judge and don't expect anything other than good conversation and good friendship.

You know what? Fuck it. Putting these thoughts here, as rambling as they are, gets things in perspective. Life's pretty damn good. So I raise this glass of Highland Park scotch in your general direction and toast to the good life. Cheers!

Mastodon Prep

2010-11-20T17:53:00.000-08:00

I realize I should be talking about the upcoming WPBT, but we don't play darts there. We DO play darts at Mastodon. I've been hearing the Mastodon buzz ever since Otis discovered those fossilized Mastodons in Colorado. Who knew he was an archeologist as well as an awesome writer?

In any event, I've been watching this video in order to train for some epic darts matches. Enjoy.

Stupid PLO Starting Hands

2010-11-10T21:45:00.001-08:00

So this is better than this?

Vegas Trip Report - October 2010

2010-10-31T21:40:00.000-07:00

I've thought on more than one occasion that I'd like to live in Las Vegas. There's plenty of upside, but there's a downside, too. Vegas is a destination city. The good news is that friends who might not visit you in Poughkeepsie will stop by regularly for the sin city experience. The bad news is that some of those friends don't get out of their constricted lives as parents, teachers, doctors, etc., and they may tend to overindulge when they get there. As the host, there is an expectation that you will obviously meet up and entertain on some level, but at what point can you back off? What if your friend goes over the top in making a fool of themselves? Are you expected to then take care of them? Can you simply shake your head and walk away? How about if they drink 5 shots of tequila before dinner, sample 7 different beers during dinner, and then throw it all up in a planter outside the Aria?

Not that any of that happened. This is just a hypothetical.

***

This trip was so I could attend a course put on by Dr. Stoller. He is a radiologist who wrote several of the textbooks I use every day in the practice of medicine. The course was fairly basic, but so well done that I came away with far more pearls of wisdom than I expected. Money well spent. I only nodded off once or twice during the two and a half days of lectures, but it's Vegas. It could have been much worse. It was held at the Wynn, which was extra good since they house a Ferrari dealership. It normally costs you $10 to go in and see the cars, but if you own a Ferrari, they let you right in. There's some amazing metal in there, including a $2 million (approx) Ferrari FXX, based on the Enzo. Strangely, other than the Ferrari, I own no Ferrari paraphernalia, but I rectified that situation.

The highlights of the trip were:

Seeing my buddy Josh, who let me crash in his comped Aria suite. I always enjoy hanging with Josh, even though we've never had a great craps run when we play together. We stepped it up a level and threw the dice exactly 6 times. 6, 7, 8, 7, 6, 7. Brutal. Just brutal.

Seeing the lovely CK and CaityCaity, who, along with Steve (a true foodie) were my ever-present companions and eventual saviors. Seriously, I can't thank you enough. Before I went seriously south* our conversation was brilliant and lively. It's great to hang with like-minded individuals with different life experiences. Thanks, too for the lessons playing mixed games. If I subtract my losses up there, I was actually pretty close to even for the trip (thanks to some great PLO and a very loose 1/3 NL game).

Hanging out with Katkin. Sorry to be the half of the Chako household that won't make out with you. Sitting around chatting with you and Caity in the Mirage was terrific. The look on your face (and the subsequent tweet) about losing me and then finding me grinding at 3/6 LHE was priceless. What, I'm going to sit around and do nothing while you run to the bathroom? There was an open seat, dammit!

Every experience in life is a learning experience. This one doubly so. If nothing else, it should prepare me to pace myself for the WPBT.

*I have a HUGE bruise on my neck. I do not remember getting it, but I'm fairly sure I lost a battle in the Sage** bathroom. My assailant may or may not have been a toilet seat.

** (Yes, I put a footnote asterisk inside a footnote. Deal with it). Sage restaurant in the Aria hotel is insanely good. Seriously, if you appreciate food, go there. It's so good, you should plan your vacation around it. Get the pâté . If you really want to add to the experience go with a foodie. I know where you can find a couple. Just please don't overindulge.

Rush Poker LOLZ

2010-10-23T19:22:00.000-07:00

Odds of sitting next to the same person twice in a row in Rush poker are pretty low. Having that same person catch a gut-shot on you twice in a row must be astronomical.

Hand 1:

Hand 2:

I'm gonna need some blood pressure pills if I join BadBlood and start playing this stuff on my Droid.

Best PLO Hand?

2010-10-09T00:19:00.001-07:00

I'm told it's the best hand. Never had it before, I don't think. It actually held up, too.

The Greatest Wife

2010-10-05T11:59:00.000-07:00

Here is yet another reason why I have the greatest wife in the world. This is the full text of the email she just sent me:

Hey hon. Sitting in Heathrow prepping to fly to Paris. I seem to have lost the water I just purchased but other than this small disappointment, the day is on track . . . Will be in Paris in a couple of hours.

Give some thought to whether you want me to get any duty free . . . Heathrow's selection of scotch is crazy. Although the McCallans aren't numbered . . . They sell a "reserve" an "estate" a "whiskey makers select" and something called "oculus" or something like that which costs 400 pounds. I also could get other stuff . . . Research and give me some price points and I'll bring home treats if you want.

I'll keep you posted on how it goes. Anxious to get home though.

Love you!

Single Malt

2010-10-04T21:56:00.000-07:00

In honor of the Bourbonators post, I made a short deviation to BevMo! and picked up a gem.

It's Highland Park. Not the $450 25 year old, but the simple 12 year old for $39.95 plus tax. It's a 2008 gold medal winner and a 95 point scotch, if you can believe that. For comparison, my favorite scotch, the Macallan 18, is only a 94 point, and it's $150/bottle.

This is a truly excellent single malt with a candied flavor with hints of butterscotch and chocolate. It's got a slow afterburn, similar to the Macallan, but with perhaps a hint of the peaty flavor in an Islay. Only the vaguest of hints, I promise you. I'm quite certain I've never had a single malt this good at this price.

I've got a ton left if you happen to find yourself in Stockton. Just give me a 5 minute heads up and I'll put my pants back on before you get here.

Random September Thoughts

2010-09-26T20:46:00.001-07:00

In an effort to retain my membership in the poker blogging community (Vegas is looming after all), I thought I'd put up a couple random thoughts. So, in no particular order:

For the first time since I started playing poker seriously (and was I really ever serious? Discuss amongst yourselves), I'm positive for the year and it's September! Of course, there's always a chance I'll dump my profits before Vegas. My Vegas trips for the WPBT have always been profitable despite never having cashed in the tournament, so look out.
I'm also profitable online on both FT and PS, although my PS BR took a big hit. I may have been drinking at the time.
I played one session of live poker where I ran so hot people were bidding on my seat when I vacated it.
I've gotten many interesting hands before, but this one was especially interesting. I was two tabling LHE Rush poker on FT. Both held up.

I've lost over 10 pounds in the month of September. No, I didn't cut off a body part. I've basically eliminated carbs and I've been in the gym at least 4 times a week. I'm even thinking about doing a duathalon in a couple weeks.
The Wife just got back from a week in Texas. During that time, I actually cooked several meals for the family, and they were all well received.
My marinated salmon steak was especially good.
Now that she's back, I will go back to eating and washing dishes. Cooking while she's here is way too stressful.
I'll be in Vegas at the end of October for continuing medical education from the 27th to the 30th. Who will be entertaining me when I get out of my conference?
I took this picture on my last FOG drive (FOG = Ferrari Owner's Group). I'm no photographer, but I'm especially proud of how this one came out. The cloud reflections are very cool. If possible, look at it full size.

You may now resume your lives.

Rush Royal

2010-09-12T01:14:00.000-07:00

After pissing away much of my BR multi-tabling Rush LHE, it was nice to luck into this. I was behind on the flop.

Edit: Needed a place for this pic. Has nothing to do with the post. If you happen to see it, leave me a comment. I doubt anyone will...

So, That Happened...

2010-09-04T22:21:00.001-07:00

My plan is nearly complete (scroll down to The Italians). Now I just need to drive to New York and find those nice folks who gave me this nickname.

Well Hello There Mr. Snake!

2010-08-28T15:46:00.000-07:00

Mommy was out getting herself prettified and son #1 was off with his friends, so son #2 and I headed off for the trails.

Captain Hook!

Our first stop was the tree cave. I should have taken a picture, but I'm not sure I could do it justice. It's a bunch of bent over trees that form a natural cave. The kids love climbing all over it. I do too.

After that we headed off over the mountain. I was impressed with the little guy's stamina. I was leading for most of the way, but he wanted a shot at point. About 2 miles into the trail, he stopped short and said, "whoa!"

"Whoa" indeed

It's about a 2 to 3 foot rattlesnake. We backed off and found a huge stick. I told the little guy to listen closely because we might hear the rattle. It turns out we didn't need to listen that close because it was much more audible than I thought it would be. He coiled right up and struck at the stick. Man, he was lightning fast! I'm glad it wasn't my ankle. Or his.

Mr. Rattler slithered off down the hillside and we were free to continue our hike. I think our little guy was impressed with my bravery. What I didn't tell him is that his good eyes, and the fact that he's lower to the ground (and better able to spot our trail companion) probably saved him some serious trouble.

From Wikipedia:

Most species of rattlesnakes have hemotoxic venom, destroying tissue, degenerating organs and causing coagulopathy (disrupted blood clotting). Some degree of permanent scarring is very likely in the event of a venomous bite, even with prompt, effective treatment, and a severe envenomation, combined with delayed or ineffective treatment, can lead to the loss of a limb or death.

At least is wasn't this guy in Florida.

The Creative Process

2010-08-24T09:44:00.000-07:00

Did you ever get an idea in your head that sounded so good you were compelled to pursue it? Even if you hadn't fleshed out the details? I think that's what lead to yesterday's post regarding the vlog. By your overwhelming consensus, it shall remain on the drawing board. For now. I reserve the right to change my mind at some point in the future. It's my blog, dammit.

I have often felt overly creative. Let me be clear, though. Just because someone feels artistic doesn't mean they should make art. Or if they do make art, it doesn't mean anyone would like it. Or care. Most good artists I know act like they could care less if anyone "gets it," but my guess is that art is conceived, planned and executed for the sole purpose of having someone look at it and have a reaction. It could be joy or revulsion, but it's a reaction. If you discover art after someone dies, it's only because they were too embarrassed to put it out there for the public or that "it wasn't ready yet."

My episodes of creativity come in powerful waves. It's almost always associated with stress. I used to write a lot of music. I did my best stuff in school when I was avoiding something else, like studying for my biochemistry final. When it hits me, it's a compulsion. I must take action. Thanks to a suggestion from newly minted novelist John Hartness, I got turned on to Evernote so I can quickly expunge what's in my brain to ruminate on later. I have an entire album ready to be written on that site. I think there's a short story or two as well.

Let me give you one insight to my level of compulsion. When I was running a lot in Germany, I became obsessed with the idea that I had the perfect television commercial to sell running shoes. I would lay awake at night because it was too good to not share. It wasn't that I wanted to be compensated - I just had to let someone know. It's almost embarrassing now, but I started calling around to Nike, Adidas, New Balance and anyone else I could think of. No one would take my call. I eventually contacted a nice woman at Nike who politely told me they had several ad agencies who handle their advertising and perhaps I should share my idea with them. I spelled it out to her in an email anyway. After it was out there and in the hands of the company, I calmed down a little, and eventually I was able to think about other things. But it wasn't a quick or easy process.

I'd love to tell you something cool like they stole my idea and now are making billions, but it isn't really true. The idea revolved around a voice in the head of a runner telling them they weren't good enough and they should just give up, but the runner kept driving on, running even harder with each admonition. I had the whole thing filmed out. I even had the perfect location to film it in Germany. It seems silly now, but there it is.

I may never make a video blog, but I love the ideas that are springing into my head when I think about it. Of course, this rush of creativity is due to increasing stress levels (complete with a cold sore on my lip!), but that's for a different blog post all together.

To Vlog?

2010-08-22T18:37:00.000-07:00

I loved Shane Nickerson's vlogs and have often thought about doing one of my own. Unfortunately, I'm no where near as funny or entertaining as he is. But, I do have a cool car. Would anyone care to watch me try to entertain and drive at the same time? It could lead to some hilarious wrecks, if nothing else.

Floppy Quads - RUSH style

2010-08-21T21:06:00.001-07:00

In a rebuy tournament. Deck is clobbering me.

Floppy Quads

2010-08-20T23:52:00.000-07:00

Love this.

But it begs the question, why am I playing .02/.04 LO8? Because I'm drinking and winning, that's why.

The Chosen, by John G. Hartness - Buy It!

2010-08-15T18:11:00.000-07:00

There are so many of us out here in bloggerdom who have dreamed of writing the Great American Novel. Well, my buddy John stopped dreaming about it and actually did it. And he's a damn fine writer, too.

Buy his book. You will love it, I promise.

A Poker Post!

2010-08-10T23:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, not really. But I haven't posted in so long, that this almost counts as a real post.

I'm never folding J6 again!

Living on a Prayer -Acoustic

2010-08-05T23:32:00.000-07:00

How have I never heard of this kid!

I give you Sungha Jung

Dr. Chako's Mini-Triathlon

2010-07-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

I've never been one to do things half-assed. That also means I tend to go over the top when I attempt something new. Well racing isn't exactly new since I have done many over the years. Most of the races were on the road, including two full marathons, a 15K, many 10Ks and I did one leg of a marathon relay. I also did a duathlon (run, bike, run) in medical school and I did the bike portion of a triathlon in 1986. I've never done a triathlon on my own since I'm such a terrible swimmer. The ironic thing is that my only letter in high school was on the swim team, but that's because I was a diver.

My buddy Josh told me yesterday that he's training to do Half-Ironman. That's over a 1 mile swim, 50+ miles on the bike and then a half marathon (he's nuts, but he's comfortable in his madness). I would never attempt such a silly thing (I think), but I could at least try to do my own version. So that's just what I did. After putting on my silly clothes (seriously, biker clothes are juts plain silly*), I got my Camelback filled with water and put my bathing suit and swim goggles in the back pocket.

*Pic stolen from the internet, but you get the idea

Then I was off for the 2.5 mile bike ride to the gym. It was quite easy actually. Thank goodness for Google Maps with the "show me the bike route" feature.

I quickly switched into my trunks, then I hit the pool. Did I mention I'm a horrible swimmer? I managed 4 laps (down and back = 1) and then it was back into the silly clothes. I stopped briefly to watch Oosterhuistenfingensen win the British Open with a Tiger-esque 16 under (the next closest was 9 under) and had a great flashback to the three times I was fortunate enough to play St. Andrews. Then it was back on the bike for the 2.5 miles back to the house.

Back home, I stretched out really well and took a big swig of water. Then I was off and running. Literally. There is a one mile and a two mile route around my neighborhood. I opted for the one mile. I had enough in me to sprint at the end and it felt great. Only one problem.

I'm still fat.

Investing Advice

2010-07-17T14:34:00.001-07:00

Today I met with Dan. He's an independant financial adviser with Northwestern Mutual Life and he talks a good game. He also meets my sole criteria for a financial adviser - he drives a Ferrari. Actually, two Ferraris. Well, technically he only drives one at a time, but you get the point. Where was I?

Oh yes - financial advice. Dan said we should really consider an insurance policy with NMW that builds value over time. The money you take is tax free and with good planning, you can retire in style. His plan sounded really impressive and he showed me actuarial tables with some impressive numbers based on real money portfolios over the last 20 years.

I'm sold, but The Wife isn't convinced. Her point (and I begrudgingly see the logic) is that his Ferrari money comes from saps like me who get sold on the pitch, and not from his own holdings. Her point (as I understand it) is that if you invest in an insurance vehicle, not all of the money is working for you and you could do better yourself in something low risk where ALL the money is working for you.

I realize these are tough economic times and many of my readers are unemployed or don't make enough money to invest. I'm not trying to be insensitive. I'm just curious if anyone out there has taken the plunge and if they are happy with the choice (I'm looking at you, Amy).

iPhone 4

2010-07-17T14:08:00.001-07:00

I nearly peed. You've been warned.

Happy 100K Erin!

2010-07-11T21:18:00.000-07:00

My first true love (at least in the auto world) is Erin, my 2003 BMW. Long time readers know that I named her for Erin Gray (circa Buck Rogers) because she's gray and beautiful. I used to have a terrible case of car ADD. I never owned a car more than two years. Erin and I have been together now since the beginning.

I remember the day I took delivery. A gorgeous sales rep named Ilse drove her up to me at the dealership in Wuerzburg, Germany and all I could think was, "That's MY car. Get out."

After Ilse gracefully exited MY car and handed me the keys, I vowed to be her only pilot. Other than a short couple of drives from The Wife (who hates driving stick), I've been true to that vow. Together we've seen a lot:

Putting on the cruise control with the top down at 134 MPH on the autobahn.
Scratches all over the back seat from constantly putting in and taking out the kids car seats.
The long wait while she sailed from Germany to Washington State after we moved stateside.
Sliding down the driveway after a horrendous ice storm.
Sliding out of the garage into a tow truck, for which our insurance premiums were increased because it was an "auto accident" (even though the car was off because the battery died while I was in Iraq and even though the tow truck driver was the one who told The Wife to push it out).
Hopping her on to the UHaul trailer so she could make the drive to California.
Calming her down after parking her new older but hotter sister right next to her.

My oldest son has asked me to give Erin to him when he goes off to college. That's 6 years away. I'll probably still have her. I just don't know if we'll be willing to part.

Golfers in Vegas - WSOP Main Event for $10

2010-06-30T08:55:00.000-07:00

My buddy and old college roommate Colin has an excellent long drive company called Thunderball. In order to promote the business, he's set up a simulator from Full Swing Golf right in the Rio hotel. For $10 you get 5 swings. If you get an ace, your $10,000 entry fee to the main event of the WSOP is paid! Sweet deal. I get no kick back for this (unless you really want to, buddy). Press release is below.

-DrC

Full Swing Golf offers $10,000 for an ace!
Poker players can win entry fee with a hole-in-one

LAS VEGAS, Nevada (June 28, 2010)—With only a week until the world’s largest poker tournament begins, Full Swing Golf is getting into the spirit by offering players the chance to get their $10,000 entry fee paid for with an ace (hole-in-one) on Full Swing’s world-class indoor golf simulator at the Rio Hotel, the host venue.

“Given the fun-loving nature of the audience, this is a great way to get players to try our simulator and who knows, someone just may walk away with their ticket to the World Series of Poker Main Event paid for!” says Brian Arnold, Full Swing’s Senior Vice-President. “Several top poker players have our simulator in their homes so it was a natural place for us to exhibit.”

For $10, each player will get five chances to score an ace. Players will be trying their luck and skill on the par-three, 159-yard 17th hole at Pebble Beach Golf Links from the amateur tees.

“We expect that many people who are outside the Main Event will try to get in by making an ace on our Full Swing Golf simulator,” says Arnold. “It will be very exciting if someone actually does it!”

As the worldwide leader in golf simulation, Full Swing Golf features a start-of-the-art infrared tracking system to supply golfers with the most accurate and sophisticated instant feedback in the game. Full Swing technology provides golfers with an extraordinary experience and precise shot information including yardage, launch angle, ball speed and carrying distance.

The Full Swing Golf Simulator is located inside the ‘Bad Beat Bar’ adjacent to the Main Event competition floor and is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily in the Rio Hotel.

ABOUT FULL SWING GOLF
Full Swing Golf, Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets premium golf simulators to businesses and consumers worldwide. The company offers several different configurations of its system that can be custom fit into a large number of applications including golf centers, retail businesses, resorts, teaching facilities, and luxury homes.

Founded in 1986, Full Swing Golf is headquartered in San Diego, California. With simulator installations in 68 countries, the company's distributor network spans the entire globe.

For more information, please visit http://www.facebook.com/l/d93d77ifCqZhcwIWHKawubbR_jw;www.fullswinggolf.com http://www.facebook.com/l/d93d7OpS-LUyzCw4HuOARHAiVCw;

Contact:

Brian Arnold
Senior Vice-President, Full Swing Golf
barnold@fullswinggolf.com
858-675-1100 X 135

Tim O'Connor
O'Connor Golf Communications
tim@oconnorgolf.ca
http://www.facebook.com/l/d93d7xUlafLHheFi6HY27Vlg-1g;519.341.4778

Lost Vegas: The Book

2010-06-29T19:13:00.000-07:00

I just bought mine.
Click on the pic to get yours.

Now from one doctor to another, how do I get it signed?

New Ferrari Video

2010-06-26T23:26:00.000-07:00

For those that like this kind of thing, here's another video from our Ferrari run today. What I didn't mention in the video was that at the end of the run, 4 of us stopped on the side of the road to wait for a straggler. A cop spun around and pulled in behind us. With his mirrored shades and tough-guy stance, he told us that they'd received several 911 calls about Ferraris driving recklessly through the countryside.

"Whatever are you talking about, officer?"

In truth, we were very sedate today. It's tough to drive aggressively (not to mention outright dangerous) with all those bicycles on the road. I can just see the headline:

Doctor in Ferrari Kills Marin Bicyclers

Not something I want on my résumé.

The Duck Club

2010-06-09T10:20:00.000-07:00

Last night I tweeted, "I am in a room with 25 multimillionaires." In truth, I am not sure if that's a true number. There were certainly more than an handful, and the ones that weren't definitely had power. These were the movers and shakers in the small town where I work. Once a month they get together for a dinner club. Men only. They drink heavily and trade stories that get louder after each bottle of red. They all meet at the Duck Club, which is an active hunting and outdoorsmans club. You have to drive over miles of levies in order to get there. I have no idea how they managed to get back alive in the dark after drinking so much, but they do. The roads are all single lane and they fall off sharply on both sides. No guardrail and certainly no pavement.

I was one of the younger men in the crowd. There were several Vietnam vets and we shared some pretty incredible stories over veal chops that were cooked by a professional chef they brought in special just for the occasion. These are men who know what they like and they know how to live. Despite the money and power, there was no pretentiousness. It was just good ol' boys enjoying each others company.

Kinda reminds me of the blogger group, actually. Without the poker. Or the women.

Driving the Ferrari - YouTube

2010-06-01T16:35:00.000-07:00

Just experimenting with video editing software and my camera. Man, this is fun!

(FYI - Tubi is the upgraded exhaust that the previous owner had installed. Adds more growl)

Verification Word

2010-05-31T09:37:00.000-07:00

The Wife has and amazing eye for photography. She put up a post about our 15th anniversary over on her blog. Her post was much better than mine, of course.

When I went to comment, here was my verification word:

Day of Awesome - Epilogue

2010-05-30T13:53:00.001-07:00

At the risk of this becoming one of those travelog photo albums that you torture relatives with, I'll keep this brief. Here are some of the pics that I didn't have a chance to post from yesterday. If you need to catch up, start here.

How did we get an overnights worth of luggage in the Ferrari, you ask? Well, back in 1988, they still thought you might need room for golf clubs, so they made this little cubby behind the engine. It worked perfectly (after we found a duffel bag that would fit sideways). The alternative is buying luggage specifically made for the Ferrari 328. It exists! I saw a set on eBay for $2000.

The beautiful Ritz Carlton at Half Moon Bay.

Our lovely travel photographer hard at work.

Glamorous!

At the restaurant, they really went out of their way to make up happy. If you are a chocolate person (like me), the candies inside this box were all hand made and all incredible. And all gone.

As we ate dinner in the amazing Navio restaurant (I erroneously called it Novia on my last post), the sun was setting. Well, every night at this hotel, a bag piper plays the sun down. It was quite romantic (even for bagpipes) and it was a really nice touch. EDIT: If you click on the pic and magnify it, you can see the piper.

I wasn't kidding. They really covered our bed in rose petals. I'm sure The Wife will have better pics up soon, because she has a real camera with a flash. I just have my phone.

At check out, I noticed this hot chick so I had to take a pic. I hope The Wife doesn't mind. :-)

Thanks for coming along on my Day of Awesome. Now I have to figure out how to top it for our 20th. I should start planning now. Nah. I'll just call Betty (she's the one who made the suggestion).

Live Blogging a Day of Awesome

2010-05-29T06:45:00.000-07:00

I've never live blogged before. I'm not even sure RSS readers can follow along. Oh well. I've always blogged for myself anyway. If you want to come along for the journey, feel free!

5:50 am - ALARM

5:50:01 am - SNOOZE

6:09 - Wake, shower and shave

6:40 - Warm up the Ferrari. Now it's getting good.

6:45 am - Off to meet another Ferrari driver for the drive up to Marin County

6:50 am - Oops. Forgot my GPS.

6:55 am - back out to I-280. I'm certainly going to miss the other guy

7:00 am - As I merge onto I-280, there is Andrew in his beautiful black Ferrari F355 B. Two black Ferraris are headed north.

7:01 am - What's on the radio? Paint it Black, by the Stones. Includes the line, "I see a line of cars and they're all painted black." I could not make this stuff up.

8:00 am - Meet 9 other Ferrari drivers in Marin county. Cars range from an older 308, to another 328, two 348s, two 355s, a 456 and a 360. I'm sure there was one other. EDIT: There was also a Testarossa and a 550 Maranello.

9:00 am - Meet at a cafe in Larkspur. Great conversation and great food.

10:30 - 11:30 am - Spirited drive along the coast. My God, California is beautiful!

11:20 am (approx) - we drive by this lake and there is smoke on the water. What's playing on the radio? Smoke on the Water. I'm dead serious. I have this very real and selfish thought: I can't believe this is my life.

Real smoke on real water.

12:00 pm - Back at home now. Picking up The Wife in the Ferrari and headed out to Phase II.

2:30 pm - What should have been a 45 minute trip to Half Moon Bay turned into an hour and a half over Highway 92. Turns out we weren't the only ones who thought about heading out this way on such a lovely weekend. We averaged 12 miles an hour for the 10 miles over the hills, which was painful in the Ferrari. I was a little worried about overheating, but we coasted most of the way down once we crested the peak. Our drive ended at the incredible Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay (thanks Betty!). We got here just in time for The Wife to change and get down to her 80 minute massage appointment. I spent the time in the spa, alternating between the sauna and the steam room, followed by a shower and then some leisurely time sitting in the comfy chair while snacking on mixed nuts and dried fruits. Unfortunately, I hadn't charged my iPod, but I had Sojourn (thanks Drizz!) to keep me company.

Ritz Carlton - Half Moon Bay

7:25 pm - After a leisurely afternoon spent strolling the grounds, taking pictures and snacking like royalty in the Club Lounge, we are off to dinner at Novia. Apparently this restaurant is a Big Deal. I'll let you know.

10:47 pm - Novia was off the hook incredible. We had the tasting menu with the suggested wine pairings. Now we're slightly tipsy and we come back to the room to find our bed covered in rose petals. Which begs the question - what the hell am I doing blogging? Pics to follow tomorrow. EDIT - not THOSE pics. Get your mind out of the gutter.

We Interrupt Ferrari News...

2010-05-26T17:53:00.000-07:00

...for a little poker!

If you can believe it, I actually stopped driving the Ferrari long enough to play a little poker. I had Wednesday off (don't all doctors have Wednesdays off?) so I decided to head down to Bay 101 for their Thursday morning special. It's a spread limit tournament (although I never saw anyone capped by the limit. It was basically no-limit). It's an $80 buy-in plus $40 add-on. What I didn't know was that it's a $40 re-buy tournament. I hadn't planned on rebuying, so I had to play cautiously. I managed to make it through the rebuy period with exactly my starting stack of 1000 chips. Add on gave me an extra 2000 and away we went. One note about the blind structure. I was impressed. It was a 5 hour tournament. Blinds started at 25/50, but there was a 100/150 level and a 200/300 level. It went:

25/50
50/100
75/150
100/150 (!)
100/200
200/300 (!)
200/400
300/600
400/800
500/1000

I thought that was more than fair.

I channeled The Wife and played uber-tight. Made some big laydowns and pushed a few hands toward the bubble when things got tight. That plan got me to the final table as the chip leader.

Everyone cheered when the 9 seat was finally busted. He was a first class asshole who was literally screaming for his draws to hit (and he never hesitated to get his chips in with a draw - even after the rebuy period). Of course he kept hitting his draws. At least is wasn't against me.

As is usual with these things, we made a deal at the final table so that everyone at least got their money back. The real cash started at 5th place, and that's exactly where I finished. Ran into aces if anyone cares. I played well, and I'm happy with my cash in the first live poker I've played since MHG and I stormed the casino in the mountains of Washington.

We will now return you to your regularly scheduled Ferrari updates, just as soon as it stops raining and I can take the cover off.

Running with the Big Dogs

2010-05-22T12:38:00.001-07:00

There is a regular gathering of Ferraris up in Marin county. It's one of the things I was most looking forward to when I bought the Ferrari. Today was my first ride with the group. We all met in a bank parking lot. Well, we actually met coincidentally at a gas station just down from the bank. We must have created quite the scene.

After a quick but unhurried breakfast, it was time for the run. It was spirited, but not dangerous. There were tons of bicycle riders so we had to take it easy. Most of the riders were pointing and waving, although I saw at least one finger. I think that rider was just startled by the unbelievable bark of the 430s in front of me.

This corner was slow enough to take a quick shot of the lead dogs. At a rest stop, a bicycler saw these two in front of me and asked , "Can you keep up?" "Everywhere but the straights," I replied.

The front car is a 430 Scuderia. Basically a race car for the street. Behind is a 430 Spider (possibly the 16M version).

Our pack outside of the restaurant where we had breakfast. It was a great mix of old and new. The closest car is a 308, then my 328 followed by the 430 spider and the Scud.

I got home, fired up the computer and saw that someone else had taken this photo of my car and posted it already. Man this was fun! I can't wait to do it again.

Ferrari - The Chase

2010-05-17T22:23:00.001-07:00

In a perfect world, I'd be a billionaire playboy and rotate through Ferraris the way I rotate through socks. Alas, I'm just a regular guy on a budget, so I had to be very picky. I also had to get ultimate approval from the toughest judge of all - The Wife.

If I tell you it lead to difficult discussions, I'd be the king of understatement. No, I'd be the emperor. Hell, I'd be the emperor's mother. You seriously cannot believe the arguments that occurred in at Casa Chako over my silly little Ferrari fetish. They say that money and infidelity are the biggest causes of breakups. If we broke up, it would have been over a car.

If you have followed my blog for any length of time, you know about my failed attempts (and premature elation) over at least two other Ferraris.

The 308

In April 2009, I titled a post The Ferrari that Wasn't. It's still the car I have as my background on Twitter (which I should probably change now). At that time, I found a local car in the Seattle area on Craigslist. It was a 308, which was the same car Magnum PI drove - same color and everything.

It felt awesome when I got behind the wheel. There wasn't much power, which I attributed to it being an older car. It wasn't until I brought it to Carlo at Alfa of Tacoma that I found out what a dog it was. After a very thorough $500 pre-purchase inspection (PPI), Carlo basically said, "Don't buy this piece of shit. There's a better car out there for you." You know, he could have made a mint off of me with the repair costs had I bought that car. He had a well-earned reputation as an honest mechanic and a true Ferrari specialist. I tip my hat to Carlo - a true gentleman.

The 360

In February 2009 I finished the 5th of a 5-part series with the final revelation that I bought a 2002 Ferrari 360 F1 Modena Spider. It was beautiful. If I'm being honest, it's still my dream car. I think it's one of the most beautiful machines in existence. I found it on eBay, which had a bad reputation in Ferrari circles as a place where people went to sell dogs (i.e. abused Ferraris). Of course, I had to get a pre-purchase inspection. In this case, the only one available in Alabama (which was where the car was located) was a place called Hesco. As it turns out, they were not an authorized Ferrari shop, nor did they have much experience inspecting Ferraris. When I contacted my eventual mechanic here in California about it, he basically laughed at me and told me I was wasting my money. This Hesco shop didn't have any of the equipment necessary to do a proper inspection, nor did they even know how to check clutch life on an F1 car. What they did have was honesty. For my $200 PPI, they told me a lot. They said the car looked abused and there were several really expensive and really broken things I'd need to fix before it was road worthy, including the catalytic converters exhaust and the underside of the car. It would have been at least another $10,000 on top of the purchase price. I backed out. Unfortunately, I had placed the winning bid on eBay, so I had some kind of contractual obligation. Lawyers were going to get involved, but then they realized that I had a detailed email conversation with the seller saying that if the car didn't pass inspection the deal was off. They backed down and I was only out $200 (plus a broken spirit).

MY 328

Well, as I noted in my 101 Things About Dr. Chako post, I look at Ferraris almost every day online. When I saw the 1988 328 GTS on a local Craigslist, I tried not to get my hopes up too much. After all, I'd been broken too many times. Still, I had to know more. I met Bobby (the owner) in the East Bay and we took it for a spin. In a word, it was awesome. Plenty of power, great looks and not the typical red. Oh, I like the red, but I was annoyed at the expression "First Ferrari Red" (meaning, your first Ferrari is always red - after that you can branch out). I don't like to do things the typical way, and black/tan was perfect in my opinion.

Out comes another chunk of change. This time it was $700 for the pre-purchase inspection. But this time, it was done by Brian Crall. Who is Brian Crall? He's only the most famous Ferrari mechanic in America. Seriously. People send him Ferraris from all over. When I picked up my car from his shop, there was a $700,000 F40 right next to mine, as well as several vintage cars that I can't even speculate to their value.

I was extra encouraged because as it turns out, Brian owns the identical car. Same color and everything. He sent me a report that was even more detailed than Carlo's, including pictures and recommendations. It needed some work, but there was nothing that was a deal breaker. I called the seller and expected a tough negotiation since there was $4000 worth of work that was mandatory before it was road worthy. To his credit, Bobby saw that I intended to care for the car with the same attention to detail he'd shown for his 15 years of ownership, so he immediately subtracted the $4000 from his asking price and we had a deal. A handshake and a signed check later, and I'm the proud owner of this thing of beauty.

It's a dream come true.

Next, I'll probably have to tell you about taking it to work today (90 miles away) and the smiles it created along the way.

What, Another Ferrari-Themed Post? OK!

2010-05-16T19:24:00.000-07:00

First, some actual poker content. I let The Wife play my free roll today in the BBT5. I watched for a while and she held her own. Unfortunately, she ran into some big hands early (which would have surely knocked me out) and in the later stages her pocket Queens did her in. I was proud of how she played and honestly don't think I could have done better.

***

So, I decided to take another run in the Ferrari up through the hills. My youngest had been itching for a longer ride, so we buckled him in the passenger seat and off we went. As he is wont to do, he fell asleep within 2 blocks. That's okay. I wasn't punching it. Once we got off the beaten path and into the twisties, it became my goal to wake him up.

No such luck.

I'm sure I was babying it a little since he's far more precious to me than the car (honest!) but darn it, that engine was singing. Wake up!

Once I got to the top of Old La Honda road, I really opened her up and his eyes popped right open. We were both laughing in the tight turns and outright yelling when I really punched it on the straights. He gets it now, I think.

Later on, I pulled into a local gas station to fill up. Unbelievably, another Ferrari pulled in just across from me. We both got out, looked at each other and said, "Nice car!"

His was a beautiful 430 (16M version for those that care) and was worth easily 6x what mine is. We had a great chat while filling up and when he left, he punched it hard just for me. The sound was intoxicating.

More Ferrari Thoughts

2010-05-13T22:10:00.000-07:00

Warning: No poker content (not that I've had a lot of poker content lately anyway).

You may have heard that I bought a Ferrari. If not, well, I BOUGHT A FERRARI! There. Now you've heard.

If you click through to the actual blog, you'll see my "About Me," which includes this: "Just a humble poker-playing doctor with a Ferrari fetish and too much time on his hands."

I'm not kidding about that Ferrari fetish. Let me tell you how it all began.

In the Beginning

Like many of these stories, it started with my dad. He had his own business for many years and worked really hard to provide for us. He also was a big fan of all things ritzy. We'd be driving and he'd spot an exotic car and point it out to me. His knowledge of specifics on the individual cars was impressive, made more so in retrospect because these were the days before the internet. I remember there was a time when he left his business to work for his friend Bob at a garage. He brought me down one time and was all excited to show me a Rolls Royce that they were working on. We must have opened a closed the doors a half dozen times just to get an idea of how well it was made and how perfectly the door closed and fit. It wasn't long before I started pointing out the exotics even before he saw them.

The Fateful Breakfast

I'm 16 years old and Dad has just hired me to work as his assistant. On my first day, we head off to start with a good breakfast at IHOP. There in the parking lot were two Maseratis. This was before Chrysler took over and ruined the brand. I believe they were Meraks, but I could be wrong. All I know for sure is that they were low and sleek and I wanted one badly.

The Poster

You remember the poster, don't you? I had one and it had the desired effect. Seriously.

The Plan

When most kids wanted to grow up to be firemen or policemen or astronauts, I just wanted to be a doctor. I've always had an innate desire to help people. But deep inside, I also knew that is was the surest and most reliable way to make enough money to get the things I wanted. And first on that list was the Ferrari. It's always been first. It was never about a big house, or jewelry or anything else, really.

The Italians

Many of you have already heard this story, but I'll tell it here again for posterity. In high school, I got a job a DaNino's Italian restaurant in Wappingers Falls, NY. They were all recent immigrants and spoke very little English. Instead of calling me Chuck, they called me Chako (you see where this is going, right?). One day, they asked if I intended to wash their dishes for the rest of my life. No, I said. I'm going to be a doctor one day. Well, they thought this was the funniest thing they ever heard. As a joke they started calling me Dr. Chako. As in, "Hey Dr. Chako. Go clean up the vomit be the cash register." I took it all in stride, but I also told them, "Just you wait. One day I'll come back here in a Ferrari with a personalized plate that says DRCHAKO." They just smiled at me and went about their business. It was a challenge.

Ferrari

And now it's here. A dream I had 30 years ago and a plan I put together over 25 years ago has finally come to fruition. I've heard that sometimes, when you build up something so big over so long, that there's a danger it might not live up to your expectations. That's a load of crap. This this is even better than I dreamed!

If you aren't already bored with my Ferrari ramblings, in future posts I want to tell you about my first real ride up through the hill country in Palo Alto, and I also want to revisit the other Ferraris I tried to buy that didn't quite make the cut. It was quite the learning experience.

Ferrari!

2010-05-12T13:59:00.001-07:00

Today I realized a lifelong dream and bought and honest to goodness Ferrari. It's a 1988 328 GTS and it's simply amazing.

I will have many more thoughts in the future, but for now, the road is calling.

BBT5 Thoughts

2010-05-03T16:04:00.000-07:00

I intended to make a big post here with lots of links to all the great players I virtually sat with, but I'm too lazy. I'm really just posting to say a couple things:

1. Big thanks to Al Can't Hang. Free money = infinite return on investment, and I had a blast to boot.
2. Sorry if I sucked out on you. You know who you are.

The most memorable was against Dawn Summers when I went runner runner two pair. I bet on all streets. Not sure why she didn't raise the turn, because she obviously had a hand. I felt a little durty, but I'll take it.

At one point I had over 60K in chips. Red shirt pro and awesome author Jim McManus was in 2nd with 28K. I felt like a poker god, and even got Al to christen me Dr. "Runner Runner" Chako. My favorite part was semi-bluffing the turn on the lovely CK with nothing but an ace and a gut shot straight draw. I played very aggressive early then slowed way down. When I tried to pick it back up, I lost a huge pot to Daddy when his K10 bested my K9. Not sure why I wanted to get my money in there, other than the fact that my bully behavior was working well up to that point.

I got to the final table and nothing more. I was bested (by one!) by Josie who was trying to juggle playing with interviews. It's tough being famous - get used to it. I had a great time and hope to do it again soon. Big props to the winners of the TOC (April and NYRambler, I think), and thanks for all the rails - especially to the super sexy Kat. Your purring didn't have the effect of calming me down, but it did have an effect.

Arlo Guthrie/Alice's Restaurant

2010-05-02T15:31:00.000-07:00

I love living here in California. I'm constantly discovering new things. This one is right in my backyard:

Right up the road, less than 25 minutes from my house, is the famous Alice's Restaurant. The same one immortalized by Arlo Guthrie in the song of the same name.

I drove up with the kids through some of the most awesome twisties this side of, well, anywhere. They were all out of their famous pulled pork sandwichs, but their brisket was terrific. We sat on the back patio on a picnic bench we shared with a biker who turned out to be a PhD in physics and worked in radiology. Talk about small world.

There were literally hundreds of bikes and bikers out front, but my son only had eyes for the Lamborghini Diablo in the parking lot. All in all, it was a great day. We'll be back.

Crazians?

2010-04-28T18:29:00.001-07:00

Cross-posted to Twitter:

I know there are a lot of "Crazians" who play poker at the Bay 101, I just didn't realize how proud they were of the label.

Yes, I'm Jewish. What's it to Ya?

2010-04-24T17:07:00.000-07:00

I was born a Jew and raised to be proud of my heritage. I was picked on occasionally by all the neighborhood Catholic kids because we were the only Jewish family they knew. In retrospect, it wasn't antisemitism, it was just a way for kids to pick on each other. I made it easy for them because I was a geek. They picked on my geeky ways and my high GPA. They also made fun of the fact that I was always wearing hand-me-down clothes from my rich cousin: "I thought all Jews were rich!" and "Aren't you supposed to have a big nose?" The worst was, "Hey, there's a penny. Go get it, Jew!"

But, what did Judaism mean to me? I know we celebrated Chanukkah. I remember going to my cousins Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. I think we went to Temple once, or maybe twice. I had seen (and heard) a shofar. I'd worn a yarmulke. I'd eaten matzoh (and matzoh-brie for breakfast - yum!).

But the big unspoken thing was my Bar Mitzvah. As in, I didn't have one. I remember asking my dad about it. My cousin, who was 6 months younger, was either getting ready for or just completed his Bar Mitzvah. He got tons of presents and was a Big Deal. What about me? Dad gave a non-committal reply. I think he asked if it was something I really wanted. Did I want to go to all that extra school to learn Hebrew? You know, that means cutting into your play time? Are you sure you want it? I eventually stopped asking and time went on. No coming of age ceremony for me.

I now have a 12 year old boy. He's asking the same questions. We took him to the Temple and met the rabbi. He was genuinely interested... for about a week. When I asked him again if he was serious, he said no, probably not. We have a family Bar Mitzvah coming up next month. I think I'm going alone.

Today on the golf course, I was paired up with a threesome which included Ares, an Israeli Jew. The first question he asked me was if my oldest (who was with me) was a Bar Mitzvah. I told him no and mentioned that I wasn't either. He gave me one of those looks, like, "Oh. I see." Then we let it drop.

I'm Jewish. My wife is Jewish. My family is Jewish. But what does that mean? I honestly have no idea. I have asked both of my kids if they've ever been picked on for being Jewish. They both said no. Lucky kids. For me, I got to experience all the downside of being Jewish with the only tangible upside being that I got presents for 8 days when my friends only got them on one.

BBT5?

2010-04-18T11:20:00.000-07:00

I may actually try to play.

Last Day

2010-04-13T23:27:00.000-07:00

No melancholy here. I've been mentally preparing for this day for quite some time. It was amazing to me how many people stopped by to shake my hand and thank me for our time together. Some surprised me. One of my techs wouldn't let go of my hand until he told me that I've been an inspiration to him and he wants to be like me. Seriously? I had to think really hard about our interactions and honestly I can't come up with anything specific (or even general) that would make him so passionate. Regardless, I was honored by the sentiment.

I did get to tell a great story on my last day. I have been teaching residents now for 6 years. It takes 5 years to become a radiologist after medical school. One year is internship and the other 4 are with me. I take extreme pride that in my 6 years, we've had a 100% pass rate on the oral boards. I had a part in that.

Anyway, E was a brand new 1st year resident in my second year on the job. I was still new at the teaching thing and thought humiliation was a viable teaching tool. E was taking a case in front of a large group of doctors and he was butchering it. It was obvious he didn't know normal anatomy. I interjected and forced him to stop taking the case. Instead, I just pointed to stuff and had him name the parts. I got in a lot of trouble for my actions from the command, but to his credit, E came up to me afterwards and told me that I was the first attending radiologist to actually give a damn in case conference.

Fast forward to last month. E is now a graduated radiologist. He was lucky enough to stay on at our hospital as another attending doctor. He is no longer my student - he is now my colleague. He and I are sitting in a cardiology conference, and his pager goes off. He looks over at me and asks, "Can you get this for me?"

WTF?

He told me later that when he thought about what he asked, he got a little queasy. Seriously, I would NEVER have considered asking one of my attendings to respond to one of my pages. Even now! We both had a good laugh about it. He even admitted that he lost a little sleep over it and even went home and talked it over with his wife, trying to decide the appropriate action. Should be apologize? Maybe I didn't notice.

I noticed.

In the end, it was a great 6 years. Every student should have the opportunity to give something back. I've paid my dues many times over. Now it's time to move on.

Detritus and Ruminations

2010-04-06T22:48:00.001-07:00

Many bloggers post their random thoughts. It's my turn. Unfortunately for you, I'm no Otis. He manages to put his random musings together in such a way as to make it seem insightful and profound. In contrast, this will seem unfocused and will likely leave you feeling unsettled. It may cause a metallic taste in your mouth. You might even think you wet yourself. No, wait. That's what I tell patients who are about to receive IV contrast. In any event, you've been warned.

Tomorrow morning I will sign a contract to start my new job in California. It's very good money, even though it's a huge pay cut. There is almost no price I'd be willing to pay to be with my family, so I'm okay with the lower dollar figure. I'm certain it will be used against me in the argument about why I shouldn't buy a Ferrari, and that bothers me far more than it should.

It's not the perfect job, but it's damn good. I will only work 4 days a week and still get 6 weeks of vacation. No weekends and no call. Good, no great, people to work with who are really excited that I'm joining the team. Challenging work.

The downside is that I'm leaving a dream job, and a job I feel very comfortable with, for the unknown. I don't fear change. The military fixed that. I just try to live my life without regret, and I never want to regret leaving this job in Washington. I'm surrounded by good people who value my opinion. Just today I was talking with another radiologist. He makes the schedule and he was forced to make me double cover every day this week. I told him I didn't mind because I like being the "go-to" guy when things get tough. I take pride in that and I do it willingly.

The other negative is that, even though I'm closer to my family and will spend many more nights at home, I'll still have to get a place near the imaging center because it's 90 miles away from Palo Alto. It still kind of feels like I'm not all the way there. At least I don't have to go to the airport twice a week and deal with shitty flight attendants and the worst on-time record of any airline in forever. Damned Alaska Airlines.

I don't need sympathy. I don't need a pep talk. I know it's better because it's closer. I get all that. I just want it to be perfect. Is that too much to ask?

Bad Ass

2010-03-29T20:24:00.000-07:00

You think you're a bad ass? You will never be THIS bad ass. (H/T to The Bloggess)

My First Cigar

2010-03-27T09:32:00.000-07:00

I'm such a damned goody goody. I've never tried cigarettes or drugs. I never did anything seriously bad other than wreck my dad's car (a couple times). So why would I feel compelled to smoke a cigar for the first time at age 42?

Well, that's what you do when you celebrate (or so I'm told).

I'll have a "new job" post for you as soon as I sign the contract. As many of you know, the last time I posted here about my new job, things went busto. Instead, I want to tell you about this cigar thing.

As I tweeted, my simple review was, "I didn't throw up." That's the best thing I can say about the experience. The cigar was supplied by my new partner (I hope), and he's not one to buy a cheap cigar (or a cheap anything from what I can tell). It was from the Dominican Republic and I know I should have paid attention to the name for you aficionados out there, but I didn't. It may have started with the letter "T."

I had to ask for some basic instructions on how to light the thing. He told me to bite off the end and wet it. When I compared mine to his,* I may have bitten off more than I was supposed to, but not by much. He had this invisible jet lighter that sounded like a rocket engine, but I still had the darnedest time getting it lit. Then when it was lit, I couldn't keep it lit. I suppose it gave me more time to practice my lighting technique.

Even though I find second hand smoke somewhat nauseating, I can usually tolerate cigar smoke. The smell of this cigar was better than most. The taste was a bit surprising. I don't know what I expected, but this wasn't it. Thinking about it now, there were many different tastes - kind of like a good wine. There was an initial impression, a body section (which was very short since I didn't inhale) and some subtle changes with each exhale. I can see why some people get addicted. There is a lot to experience there.

Fortunately or unfortunately, I could get past several things. First, there was a sense that I was doing something very bad. My mom died of lung cancer and as a radiologist every day I see the horrible things that smoking does to your lungs. Also, there was very real nausea. There was also a vaguely unpleasant lightheadedness that made it difficult to hit my golf ball. Seriously, I had been playing well up until I lit the cigar. I accept that it could have been a general nervousness about the smoking act, but I've heard enough about first time smokers to know that it was probably from the cigar. After all was said and done, I only smoked about 1/4 of the thing.

Finally, here I am the next morning - almost 24 hours after my experience - and I still can't get the taste out of my mouth.

So, for all you cigar smokers out there, I get it. I really do. I just won't be counting myself amongst you.

*Wow - that almost sounds phallic. OMG...

Two Things

2010-03-23T23:54:00.000-07:00

I'm on a mandatory poker hiatus, so you'll have to bear with non-pokery awesomeness.

Number 1: If you've ever been to Rome, you likely stopped in the Sistine Chapel. Even for a Jew like me, it was chilling and awesome. Even if you haven't been there, you should check this out. Of course, you'll first want to zoom straight up, but spend some time and check out the far wall.

http://www.vatican.va/various/cappelle/sistina_vr/index.html

Number 2: I am off my rocker. This is no surprise to most of you, but let me make sure you are convinced. I've seen a UFO and a ghost. These events do not define who I am which is why you've probably never heard me talk about them. I also believe I can turn off streetlights just by driving by. Don't believe me? Check out this video I shot last night (yes, it's the same one I posted on Facebook):

No Wonder My Ego is So Big

2010-03-16T22:25:00.001-07:00

As many of you know, I am in the process of finding a new job in California. If this were anywhere other than the bay area, I would have a job already. In fact, facilities in Texas, South Carolina (Greenville!) and even Minnesota are literally throwing money at me to get me to come. The bay area is different, so I'm forced to take a more formal approach. The first step was to humbly ask for a letter of recommendation from my colleagues. Many physicians are hesitant to give letters of rec because of a recent law suit where a well endorsed doc turned out to be a dud and they held the endorser accountable.

With hat in hand, I went to several of my workmates. Without hesitation, they all agreed to write me a letter. What follows is the letter from my boss, who I also consider a friend. As an aside, if you ever need to write someone a letter of recommendation, feel free to use this as a guide.

-DrC

To Whom It May Concern,

Dr. Chako is interested in a position as a diagnostic radiologist at your facility and has asked me to write this letter on his behalf. As Chief of the Department of Radiology at _____ Medical Center, I have known and worked closely with Dr. Chako for 6 years. We collaborate regularly in the care of our patients, training of residents, and administration of the department. I believe I know him well enough to ably judge his suitability for employment and am very pleased to offer my fullest and most unqualified endorsement.

We were excited to receive Dr. Chako as a member of our clinical faculty in 2004 following his tour of duty at a small U.S. Army community hospital in Germany, where he served as Chief of Radiology and, for a time, Deputy Commander of Clinical Services. Since then he has earned a well-deserved reputation within our hospital as a well-rounded, reliable, and highly effective general radiologist. He served in numerous academic and administrative capacities, including Chief of Mammography, Chief of Thoracic Imaging, Chief of Cardiac Imaging and ultimately Chief of Diagnostic Services. As Diagnostic Services Chief, he oversaw efficient and effective clinical operations for a patient volume exceeding 13,000 examinations per month. I value his experience as a leader, and his ability to fill a variety of roles has been instrumental to our department’s success.

But most importantly, Dr. Chako possesses outstanding personal character and integrity. He is trustworthy, reliable, and able to efficiently and effectively manage a busy service. His rapport with patients, clinicians, staff, and peers is exemplary, balancing a mild-mannered, relaxed demeanor with a fierce commitment to his patients and his profession. He is patient and nurturing, yet also possesses the moral courage and fortitude to stand up for what is right. He is direct and to-the-point, but tempers candor with the tact required to facilitate cooperation among individuals and clinical services. These qualities were most evident during late 2007 and 2008 when he deployed to Iraq: he excelled as a combat radiologist and returned as a recipient of the Bronze Star.

Dr. Chako is the complete package, and I know he will excel at your facility. His innate clinical expertise, passion and experience, and superior interpersonal skills make him exceptionally qualified. I recently learned of the unique employment opportunity afforded his wife in California; I very much regret his decision to leave us, but I understand the importance of family and support his efforts to seek employment near them. Select him without hesitation. Please feel free to contact me at (xxx) xxx-xxxx if I may be of further assistance.

Sincerely,

Dr. Chako's Boss

Silly Doctor

2010-03-14T14:57:00.000-07:00

Mastodon Weekend grows in legend by the day. It was more fun, more ridiculous and more insane than those of you who weren't there can possibly understand.

It's also the weekend I almost died.

So far, no one else knows about this (hi, honey!), so I thought I'd break it on the blog. On Saturday morning, I woke up very early. I was still on west coast time, so 10 am seemed like 7 am and the sun (as well as those damn runners) caused my eyes to pop open. Right after noticing the sun and the noise, I reached for my phone to check the time. Hold the phone... the most intense and searing pain I've felt in many years gripped the outside of my left arm. It was so bad that I may have yelped a little. Not a girly yelp, but a manly aiiippp! like a wounded doberman. Or something like that.

I laid back down in the bed and tried to figure out what I did. I wasn't shooting wrong handed darts. I didn't arm wrestle lefty (or righty for that matter) and I didn't enter a shoulder punching contest. It must have been the heavenly bed - it was trying to kill me. That's the only explanation. Of course, the doctor in me was trying hard (and losing) to suppress the idea that this might be something bad. You've all seen enough movies to know that left arm pain can be the first sign of a heart attack. I did a quick inventory. Chest pain? Nope. Fast or thready pulse? Nope. Sweaty? Nope. The good news was that if I didn't move, the pain wasn't so bad. The bad news was that it didn't go away for most of the day.

I couldn't stop thinking about my dad. He had his first of several heart attacks at age 56. Most risk stratification tables say your chances of a heart attack increase if you have a primary relative who had a heart attack at age 55 or below. Whew - I'm safe!

I'll be damned if I'm going to die before I own a Ferrari. I know there are several things I could do to help. Baby aspirin. Statins (that's for you Bracelet). Diet. But first, I had to confirm what I already suspected. A quick EKG would show ST and T wave changes indicative of damaged heart muscle. I surreptitiously consulted a good friend who hooked up an EKG for John Doe (can't have anyone in the hospital know) and waited for the results.

What do you know? It was totally normal. I guess it really was the heavenly bed. Bring on the filet mignon. And the lobster. And the Ferrari!

Last of the Mastodon Pics

2010-03-09T18:58:00.001-08:00

I just found a few more...

My other favorite pic from the weekend. The things some people will do to win a prop bet. All Drizz needs is a 70's porn 'stache and and some bow chicka wow wow music...

The Mark surveys his creation. And it was good.

BG (who's last blog post was July 2009) tweeted about a short walk to Mary Beth's for a limited, but really good breakfast menu. He was right. Goat cheese scrambled eggs FTW.

Dr. Chako's Mastodon Weekend

2010-03-09T18:26:00.000-08:00

Here there were many, many words. Fawning praise. Drunken revelry. General lunacy. Then Otis had to go do his thing and render it all meaningless. Or meaningful. One of those.

Go read what he wrote. It's all you really need to know.

For my part, it was all worth it. Any chance I get to associate with this strange, eclectic group of friends is time well spent. Now enjoy some pics.

One of my favorite pics from the weekend. This terrible twosome was to my immediate right at the final table. Collusion!

A look at the scorecard from our fantastic round of golf. Notice that the girls had an incredible rush, winning 4 holes in a row. Thanks to my partner, we squeaked out a half with his killer putt on 18.

I may or may not have been staring at CK's butt during this shot. And every shot, actually. Dammit, the only reason I played golf over frolf was because she promised to wear a skirt and tights. Who could resist?!

Bad Blood strikes a pose after winning a T-shirt from the great folks at Bustout Poker. Thanks again for the swag and overlay. If you ever need a team physician, give me a call.

Mastodonia

2010-03-07T22:53:00.000-08:00

I am back from the land of Mastodonia. I drank too much, partied too hard and only embarrassed myself a little.

All totaled, it was the perfect trip.*

I hope to have a more detailed trip report in the next couple of days. For now, I need sleep.

*Having The Wife there would have made it perfect, even though she would have spent all her time flirting with my fellow Neanderthals.

New Motto

2010-03-02T09:22:00.000-08:00

I read Scott Adams blog via Google reader. His post from today was funny because it's similar to discussions The Wife and I have. Even though we were both in the same place, we often have very different views on the event. He also talks about being a little nuts and hopefully fitting in, which lead to the final quote from his article. It's now my new motto (See above. For RSS readers, you may have to click through).

Speaking of The Wife, she's in Brazil (Or Chile. Or Argentina - it's hard to keep up some times. It's some place that's shaking a little). She's there on business and yes, she's traveling in style once again. I'm just hoping she gets back safe. I don't want to go to Mastodon Weekend with any guilt.*

*but I'd still go

I Don't Have a Job!

2010-02-18T13:04:00.000-08:00

Meh. I knew it was too good to be true. The doctor who initially loved me doesn't have the heart to fire his current team. Oh well, back to the search.

My only beef is that he informed me of his change of heart via text message. Let me repeat that:

I GOT DUMPED VIA TEXT.

I rarely if ever use this, but FML.

(Edit: I still have my awesome job in Washington. I just didn't get the California job)

I Have a Job!

2010-02-12T14:56:00.000-08:00

Well, let me qualify that and say that I think I have a job. Until I actually start working and get my first check, I won't breathe that first sigh of relief.

Searching for a job was never something I thought I'd have to do. It's a humbling experience. For years I've felt like a rock star. I get job offers weekly - sometimes daily - that would make your head spin. Unfortunately, they are usually in out of the way places. If I was the sole bread winner, we'd already be in Texas where they've been begging me to come for the last 4 years. Well, life had different plans and we are Palo Altoans. If you've ever been here, you know how beautiful this place is. You can also understand that, since it's such a desirable place to live, no one ever leaves. Plus, with uncertainty about Obama-care, hospitals just aren't hiring.

I enlisted the help of a recruiter. As recently as two to three years ago, this was the job to have. Recruiters get between $20,000 and $50,000 to place a radiologist and the good ones could place at least one a month. Well, these days some of them are looking to get into real estate, to give you an idea how bad it is. The first recruiter was a bust, so I got a second. And a third. At last count, I had 12 recruiters "working" for me. Just today, I had another recruiter call. He agreed to work for me as long as I paid him a $1000 retainer. I was almost desperate enough to do it.

A couple weeks ago I decided to take matters into my own hands. I googled for imaging centers around Palo Alto and just started cold calling. A couple places were so unprepared that I actually had to print out my CV and fax (!) it to them. Believe it or not, it was one of those faxed resumes that did the trick. We met today, had lunch and we really hit it off. I'll let you know in the 30 to 60 days it will take him to cut loose his current teleradiologists and get a contract together. I'll be a 1099 contractor, which is fine by me (thanks for our benefits HP!), and it will be a big pay cut, but I'll finally get to be with my family full time. There's almost no price in the world that beats that.

Here Comes the Sun

2010-02-10T23:23:00.001-08:00

If you've ever written a song, you know that a lot goes into it. Working up a song in a group is even more challenging. Here's how two masters do it. I was especially struck when Yo Yo Ma (do his friends just call him Yo?) asked James Taylor, "Do you mind doing it a bunch of times?"

The Stuff I Use

2010-02-10T22:56:00.001-08:00

Falstaff had a throwaway comment about using a note taking thingy (Evernote?) that interfaces with multiple programs. It sounds great and I'll probably see if I can get it for my MyTouch phone. That got me to thinking. What things do you use every day? You might assume everyone knows about the obvious stuff, but you'd be wrong.

In an effort to find some cool stuff, I'm willing to open up my geekiness so you can all see what a troglodyte I am. Keep in mind that common things I hear about like Digg, Torrent and someone named Doctorow (EL?) are foreign to me. Sure I can Google them, but I already have a lot of stuff. Do I need them in my life?

Here is what I use every day:
Google Reader - especially weather and movie listings
Google Maps
iTunes and my iPod
Gmail
MyTouch phone - especially Phit Droid (mindless game), Instant Messenger and a cool ap called Guitar Tuner
Motorola H721 Bluetooth earpiece
Twitter
Facebook
FerrariChat (duh)
Sony Vaio laptop (POS, but functional)
HP desktop (yay, HP!!!)

What am I missing? What one thing would enrich my life?

Crazy Doctors - The Reveal

2010-02-04T19:30:00.000-08:00

Once again, if you need to catch up, start here.

Then read this (the cool post with the CT scan).

And now (drumroll please), your answer.

In this case, I noticed that her upper lungs had fibrosis. Fibrosis in the lungs is a rare and bad disease, but it usually only occurs in the lower lungs. It's generally called interstitial lung disease (ILD). Very few things cause upper lobe fibrosis AND exclude the lung bases. One of them is chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (CHP), which is the diagnosis in this case. Congratulations if you got it right.

CHP has a variety of causes. One well known cause is exposure to exotic birds, but it can happen with any birds, actually. It's probably exacerbated by an unclean environment. In this case, her morbid obesity is preventing her from adequately cleaning up after her animals. Unfortunately, even if she sells all the chickens and ducks and moves into a totally clean environment, the damage is done. Hopefully it wouldn't progress any further, but you never know.

Thanks for playing along. FWIW, I have a ton of similar cases. If you're interested, I could probably post one a week.

Crazy Doctors - Part II

2010-02-04T07:14:00.001-08:00

Thanks for stopping by. If you need to catch up, start here.

I had no idea people were this interested! Truly, every day in radiology is like an episode of House (without the attitude*).

Rather than simply tell you what it is, let me show you what I saw. These images are from her CT scan (obviously, all patient info has been removed. We are a teaching institution and there is an expectation that people will learn from you whenever possible).

Any ideas?

*Hopefully

Crazy Doctors!

2010-02-03T16:22:00.000-08:00

Crazy day today. I was looking at a CAT scan while the patient was still on the table. In this case, I went and talked to her as she was getting off the table. I asked her, "Do you have exotic birds?" She said no and my techs were all looking at me like I was crazy. Then she replied, "But I have chickens and ducks."

Well, they're killing you.

One Month Down

2010-01-31T08:42:00.001-08:00

Well, I really buckled down during January in my attempt to Detox (as discussed here). My goals were two-fold: Stop drinking Diet Coke and attempt 30 workouts in 31 days.

I'm proud to report that the Diet Coke experiment was a success. I haven't had a single Diet Coke the entire month. I wonder if I had any effect on this:

SmarTrend identified a Downtrend for Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) on January 07, 2010 at $56.06. In approximately 3 weeks, Coca-Cola has returned 3.4% as of today's recent price of $54.13.

Sorry Coke.

As for the 30 workouts, well, I didn't quite get there. Still, 20 workouts in 31 days was pretty good. I slowed down at the end of the month for some reason, but my early momentum gave me the confidence to try something new. I signed up for and ran a 10K in Orinda, CA called The Dam Run. I even posted a pic of the starting point on Twitter.

My time was terrible, but I finished and I wasn't last. The course was cross county, which was new for me. All my previous races have been on pavement. This one took us though single track trails, across soggy meadows and up huge hills. Seriously, I'm talking about hands on the knees, walking and grunting hills. The good news is that the 3.1 mile turn around point was much higher than the starting point, so most of the run back was downhill.

There was another factor contributing to my slow time. Since I gave up Diet Coke, I substituted a lot of sugar drinks. Even though I worked out quite a bit, my weight has actually gone up. I'm not too worried about it. My plan for February is to continue with the same plan. The absence of Diet Coke wasn't as hard as I thought. Now I just need to imbibe more carefully.

Wish me luck.

Late Night - with Johnny Carson

2010-01-16T03:58:00.000-08:00

Honestly, I'm not following the nonsense with Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien too closely. I was just reading the Wikipedia page on Johnny and it lead me to this video. Pure TV magic.

I'm Registered - Why Aren't You?

2010-01-07T17:19:00.000-08:00

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker! This PokerStars tournament is a No Limit Texas Hold’em event exclusive to Bloggers, you too can take part by registering on WBCOOP

Registration code: 210061

Stack - Part II (the one with math)

2010-01-04T16:04:00.001-08:00

MHG challenges his readers occasionally with math problems. This one should be easy. In this picture from my Stack and a Story post, how much do I have? The blue chips are $2 and the white chips are $1. You should be able to give an exact amount, even with this limited information.

Winner gets the stack.*

*Well, maybe just an autographed picture of the stack. It's all I have left anyway.

Stack and a Story

2009-12-28T23:43:00.000-08:00

Bad Blood had this idea about telling a story about a picture of your stack. I'd kicked the idea around for a while, but since I rarely had a stack, it was difficult to be inspired. No one wants to hear a story regarding the last 3 chips of my 4th buy-in.

Last night ended a long weekend of being on-call. We had some horrific traumas including one young kid with a complete fracture through his skull. Seriously, you could follow the fracture line from his left temple through his right ear. He'll do fine, but it was rather time consuming and frankly tiring, especially after 48 hours of being on-call.

To blow off steam, I went to my local card room (Chips in Lakewood, WA). I get no kick backs from this, but let me tell you that this is the best card room in the country. All card players, whether you are playing 3/6 or 8/16 get dinner comped (and not just hot dogs either. I had salmon fillet yesterday and a shrimp and rice dish before that), the dealers are all very professional and the floor occasionally buys drinks for the entire table. They have a robust Monte Carlo (yes, I know this comes from the rake) and a high hand every two hours. If there is no money on the board for your quads, the house chips in $50. Free roll once a month pays top 20 at least $100.

It's good.

Anyway, I proceeded to donk away $700 by playing, well... like a donk. Had AA cracked a few times, started drinking, and... you know the story.

Tonight I brought my A-game. Or so I thought. I had a read on Yang, a regular, that he was calling weak. I fired three bullets on a board with an Ace. He called all the way and beat me with KQ vs K10. Neither of us with a pair.

This turned out to be my best advertising and I ran up the stack you see. The best part was when I cashed out. I was carrying 6 empty racks back to the table. A guy from the 4/8 game asked if he could have a couple of the empty racks.

No, I replied. I need them all.

Detox

2009-12-28T11:09:00.000-08:00

I might as well come out and admit it - I'm guilty of substance abuse.

I know you all were thinking that my life was too good to be true - rich, hot wife, cool cars, big house, perfect kids. There had to be a dark side, right?

Well, there is. I've been abusing my body for years now, and it's got to change. Starting January 1st I'm going cold turkey. God help my system. It won't know how to deal with clean living.

That's right folks. I'm going on a Diet Coke hiatus for the month of January. I'm prepared for headaches and misery. Withdrawal, even. People won't recognize me without a bottle in my hand. It will be weird.

I'm also contemplating hitting the gym again. Part of me wants to be super ambitious and go for 30 workouts in 31 days. I've done it before. Heck, I may even swear off fast food for the month, too. Why not?

Who's with me?

Hanukkah Clues

2009-12-24T19:43:00.000-08:00

It's a tradition in my family to leave clues for each other when searching for holiday presents. We delayed the last day of Hanukkah until today so I could celebrate with my family. Indulge me this one post because it will only make sense to The Wife. One of the numbers below will reveal where her present is hidden. There were other clues that lead up to this point. If anyone's interested, I may share them in a future post.

The real trick will be if she can figure out how to read the clues.

1. In the van

2. In the dryer

3. In the mailbox

4. In your nightstand

I Knew She Was Good...

2009-12-22T11:32:00.000-08:00

Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) hired my wife in June 2009. Since then HP has continued to improve. Coincidence? You decide.*

*This praise has nothing to do with her mentioning something about me getting a Ferrari in the near future.

WPBT 09 - Trip Report - FINALE

2009-12-18T16:45:00.000-08:00

Alas, WPBT memories are fading fast. I'm sure some of that is from the alcohol, but it's also due to the time. I'm mostly left with the pleasant afterglow you get from a really good romp. Still, there are some additional thoughts I'd like to get out here for posterity.

I failed to mention a couple people in my first post. Let me correct that here. I had a fantastic conversation or two with Katkin, both before and after he was snogging with The Wife. If she's got a thing for Spielberg lookalikes , who am I to get in her way? I also chatted a bunch with my fellow doctor in crime, Dr. Pauly, who really tries to make time to not just talk with everyone, but have real substantive conversations. There just isn't enough time, but bless him for trying. Iggy is the same way and I always enjoy talking to the little guy (even after finding out that The Wife really wants to pet his hair).

As many of you know, The Wife is a bit of a hedonist. It's not a sexual thing (mostly), she just loves touching and petting (yes, kissing too). I'm not the jealous type (mostly), but from all her interactions, one of my favorite was watching her cuddle on the couch with an equally hedonistic CK. They didn't mind the attention. Frankly, I don't think they cared who watched. Let me say this - I know I wasn't the only one taking a mental snapshot of the two of them for later "use."

There were so many other things:

-I deperately wanted a seat at the famous Table 16, but I was only able to snap a picture of the devil (AKA The Mark).

-Walking into Lagasse's and seeing Yestbay chowing on a massive pizza. I was going to ask for a piece, but after repeatedly pounding on him in the tournament it didn't seem right.*

-Watching Galaga competition from the sidelines. That's my game!

-Being summarily dismissed from an intimate conversation between The Wife and Kat.

-Massively overtipping the Geisha bartenders, for zero extra service.

-Forgetting my pants.

-Running back through the Bellagio because The Wife forgot everything in the safe (on our way to the airport no less!)

-Rehashing college memories with my buddy Colin (best line of the day was from Colin. "You got more pussy with that guitar than an ugly guy like you has any right to.") Agreed, buddy.

-Hitting a drive on #10 so far that no one else even bothered to hit.

-Chatting with the lovely Caity about life, her PhD and poker.

-Watching The Wife and Drizz as she took her lumps in the lost prop bet.

-Getting a hug from surprise guest therealdawnsummers.

-My horrible tournament, where I played like a pussy and folded AJ and AQ to pressure, even though I'd committed a significant portion of my chips.

-Seeing the reaction from F-Train when I handed him my bustout prize (an Army cap I wore in Iraq). Priceless.

AAAAAAH! There's so much more, but you know that. You were there.**

I love you guys. Bring on #wpbt2010

*I didn't pick on him nearly as much as F-Train, but I was probably more noticeable sitting immediately to his right.

**Unless you weren't, in which case, why not?

WPBT Trip Report - Winter 2009

2009-12-14T08:32:00.001-08:00

Once again, another World Poker Blogger Tour gathering has come to a close. This trip was notable for many things. The Wife and I realized as we headed for the airport that she didn't spa, we didn't see any shows and we didn't do any fine dining. That's a first for us. The upshot is that it allowed us to spend more time with good friends. That's what this weekend is all about.

Some highlights:

Having a real conversation with Drizz at the Geisha Bar. This din was at riotous levels, yet he was able to hear me just fine, even when he wasn't watching my lips move. That meant we could have a conversation on a much deeper level and it was awesome. DQB!

Hugs, hugs and hugs. I'm pretty sure it got to groping levels with Maigrey, Kat, Pebbles and CK. They didn't seems to mind. In turn, I think I got groped by Falstaff and BamBam, but at least there was no man-kissing this time. Well, at least not on the mouth.

Golfing in the bloody cold with my college roommate Colin and the assembled (mostly Canadian) bloggers. Blogger mobneys are the best mobneys!

Shooting pool with Special K and Da Rooster at Lagasse Stadium while we watched the bacchanalia. I would have run the table but for scratching on the 8-ball in my first game with Rooster. I still got mad skillz.

Huge thanks to Pokerstars for their insanely generous addition to the prize pool. Why are you playing anywhere else?!

Another shout out to Lagasse Stadium. If there is a better man cave out there, I've never seen it.

Steel Panther. What can I say? If you were there, you know. If you missed it, don't let it happen again.

Watching The Wife, resplendent in her purple regalia, take her lumps with pride and dignity. Well, maybe not dignity (she did show her purple panties to anyone who asked).

Taking a group pic in the bathroom at Lagasse Stadium. Mirrored ceilings in the crapper FTW!

Getting apologies from Otis and Rooster. Multiple times. None of which were necessary.

Twitter. When I first started coming to these gatherings, Twitter wasn't even invented (you know, back in the day). Now I can't imagine going without it. It's amazing how witty people can be in 140 characters. Plus, it's a great way to see where everyone's at. If you doubt it, search #wpbt and just read along.

Really getting some quality time with new and old friends including my buddy Josh and his friend Dan, as well as Law Chica, F-Train and Oh Captain. You too, Peaker.*

Saying goodbye to Kat. 'Nuf said.

Leaving with more money than I started with.

But most of all, I enjoyed spending some real quality time with The Wife. Yes, I know much of that time was spent watching her snogging with just about everyone who came within range, but who am I to get in the way of her fun (especially when the snogees were of the bendy or luscious variety)? The Willis sandwich was hysterical and will be talked about for ages (see: Steel Panther). And despite all the nonsense, she still comes home with me. Beat that!

WPBT 2010. Are we there yet?

* I'm still watching you...

WPBT 2009

2009-12-09T23:40:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again. It's time for the World Poker Blogger Tour. This will be my 4th winter gathering. It would have been 5 but for that little Iraq thing. I've sure come a long way from the shy poker blogger who didn't realize until too late that you really could walk up, sit down and just hang with all these superstars. Don't be that guy.

Stay tuned here for trip reports and other nonsense if I manage to survive to the other side. My liver enzymes are primed and ready. Anticipation meter is pegged. Boarding pass is printed.

Bring it on!