A Wild 30 Minutes
I've been playing a lot of live poker lately, and have seen my fair share of odd happenings at the table. I've even been involved in a couple of interesting hands that I probably should have written about. Still, I've never seen - or experienced - anything like the swing I went through last night. And it all happened in just 30 minutes.
I was playing in my usual 1-2-5 NL game with many of the usual suspects, and a few newbies who were helping keep the game interesting. That said, I really couldn't capitalize on very much because I was as card dead as I've been for the first four hours of the night. I played maybe three pots and felted the table's big fish once. Somehow though, I had turned my starting stack of 650 (my 500 buy-in plus 150 I won on blackjack earlier in the evening) into about 1,150 when the hand happened.
I picked up A-J suited, which was probably the third or fourth best hand I'd seen all night, and called the standard 15 euro raise. The flop came A-10-8 rainbow and I found myself in a three-way pot with fish-boy and the gambler to my right. Fish bet the flop and the gambler and I both called.
The turn brought a 7 and gambler led out for 200. I really thought he was stealing here and raised him another 300. He thought for a while and then reluctantly called. I wasn't happy. When the river brought a 6 and he checked, I immediately shoved for about 550 more hoping my tight image would drive him off the hand.
It almost worked.
I spent a very nervous 5 minutes watching the Giants find new ways to lose to the dreaded Patriots while he pondered his decision. I never looked his direction, even when he said to himself "You fool, why'd you call the raise if you weren't going to call the river." I kept my eyes glued to the TV while I silently wished him to drop his hand and let me take down the pot.
He didn't and I may have almost weeped when he shoved his chips into the middle. I turned back to the felt and tabled my A-J. He looked at the cards for a second before sheepishly turning up A-Q for the notch and the win. "I figured, what the hell, let's have a gamble," he said as he raked in my chips. "Good call," I said, somehow resisting the urge to strangle him.
My once lovely tower of chips was reduced to a measly 64 euros worth. I somehow consoled myself with the fact that most of what I lost in the hand was profit and figured I'd play out my stack before deciding to reload or not. As it turns out, it was a decision I never had to make, as I then began one of the most remarkable comebacks I've ever seen. And it all started with the mighty Hammer.
Yes, 7-2 off-suit sparked my resurrection. A couple of hands after my big loss, I picked up the Hammer and decided I may as well go out of the game in a true blaze of glory. So, when three players in front of me entered the pot for 15 euro each, I shoved all-in for my last 65. Fish boy called and everybody else dropped out.
The flop couldn't have been prettier. 9-8-6 rainbow. When the turn brought a 4 I almost laughed, and happily flipped my cards up after the brick on the river. I got ready to scoop the pot when fish boy revealed his hand - 7-3 off-suit - for the chop. "What the..." Oh well, I still made a little money on the deal. My stack was now up to about 110.
On the next hand, I picked up A-Q of spades, and again shoved all-in when the action came my way. Four callers later I smiled to myself on the Q-high flop. I smiled even more when the third Queen landed on the river, and I tabled my trips.
I won another small pot a couple of hands later and, in less than 20 minutes, I'd gone from being nearly felted to being almost 100 euro in the black. It was a pretty amazing turn-around, if I do say so myself, but the best was yet to come.
A couple of more uneventful hands passed by before I picked up pocket Jacks, which let's be honest, aren't really my favorite hand. When the UTG player raised to 25 and got called by the player to his left, I decided to channel my inner donkey, raising the action to 125. The rest of table folded, an both UTG and UTG + 1 called. Uh-oh.
I put UTG on a pair - possibly better than my Jacks - and UTG + 1 on A-K. When both players checked the 8-high flop, I figured I'd try and take the pot down right there, so I shoved. 445 euro into a pot of about 450. Bring it on.
And they did. Both of them.
UTG took about a minute before he threw his chips into the middle, and UTG + 1 took even less time. Now I was really worried. Someone had to be ahead of me. The turn brought a brick and the river made me smile when Jack number 3 hit the felt.
I turned up my hand and both of my opponents just shook their heads. UTG turned up pocket 10s and UTG + 1 threw his A-Q into the muck as 1,785 euro made their way from the center of the table into my hands.
I was back and better than ever - all in about 30 minutes of truly donkeyish play. Hee haw!
Happy New Year everyone, and may you too channel the power of the donkey in 2008.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Monday, November 26, 2007
Stateside
It's about 11:30 AM here in Newburyport, MA and I'm enjoying my last few hours of "home" for awhile. It's been good to be back. It's been refreshing.
And I don't want to leave.
Soon enough, I'll be heading down to Boston and the fun of an international flight out of lovely Logan. Back to Europe. Back to the rain, the cold, and the boredom of Ireland.
No, I really don't want to leave.
In some ways, it's kind of strange, really. I never knew how much I enjoyed living in the states until I didn't live here anymore. I guess that's always the case, but still, it's always interesting to have that hammered home.
I spent a good portion of the week with family and friends I haven't seen in months. It was great to catch up and to feel like I was part of their lives again. To see how their kids have grown. The changes they've made to their homes. Their physiques. Everything.
Of course, each conversation turned back to me at some point. More specifically, the conversations turned back to my future. "How long are you staying in Dublin?" "What are you going to do?" "What do you want to do?" "Where do you want to live?" Good questions all. Now, if I just had the answers.
In truth, about the only question I can answer with any sort of certainty is the first one. At this point, I'm figuring my expat days are winding down. Not soon, but probably within the year. My current contract still has some life left in it and we'll see what kind of offer I get - if I get any at all - to extend. My guess is that I'll be offered an opportunity to stay on, but honestly, I don't know that I'd accept. It's not that I don't like my job or the people I work with. I do. It's just that I really don't like Dublin.
When all is said and done, my guess is that my desire to return home will trump my desire to keep doing what I'm doing. It's sad, in some respects, but that's the hard truth of the matter.
I'm not necessarily one to do a lot of soul searching or planning about my future. I know what I like to do. I generally know what I want to do, and I sort of let things lead me where they will. After grad school, I ended up with an amazing gig at CBS News in New York at the ripe old age of 24. Nearly six years later, the call of the West led me to walk away from the news room for the last time with nothing more than some savings and a plan to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.
That didn't work out, but somewhere along the way, I made my way to Silicon Valley and fell into the high-tech world. After some time in the consulting world and at a few failed start-ups, I landed in the comforting arms of Intuit where I put my varied background to work on Quicken.com until the Internet bubble burst and my job vanished into the ether. So it goes.
After making my way back to LA and losing a year to illness, I found myself selling Mini Coopers to make ends meet. Sure, it's not the gig I planned on or hoped for, but I love cars and it was paying the bills until something better came along. Which it did. Out of the blue.
A phone call and a few interviews later, I found myself writing again. About poker, which is something I love. With a group of really bright and dedicated people who want nothing more than to create the best online poker site anywhere.
Now, I'm planning on returning to Ireland, which is somewhere I never expected to live. Sure, I'm not thrilled about the trip, but the fact that I'm heading back to the Emerald Isle is sort of amusing to me since I never had any thoughts of living there in the first place. Like I said, I don't really plan. I just let life take me where it will.
Where will it take me next? Aside from back to the United States, I have no idea. Check this space over the next few months and maybe we'll figure that out together.
It's about 11:30 AM here in Newburyport, MA and I'm enjoying my last few hours of "home" for awhile. It's been good to be back. It's been refreshing.
And I don't want to leave.
Soon enough, I'll be heading down to Boston and the fun of an international flight out of lovely Logan. Back to Europe. Back to the rain, the cold, and the boredom of Ireland.
No, I really don't want to leave.
In some ways, it's kind of strange, really. I never knew how much I enjoyed living in the states until I didn't live here anymore. I guess that's always the case, but still, it's always interesting to have that hammered home.
I spent a good portion of the week with family and friends I haven't seen in months. It was great to catch up and to feel like I was part of their lives again. To see how their kids have grown. The changes they've made to their homes. Their physiques. Everything.
Of course, each conversation turned back to me at some point. More specifically, the conversations turned back to my future. "How long are you staying in Dublin?" "What are you going to do?" "What do you want to do?" "Where do you want to live?" Good questions all. Now, if I just had the answers.
In truth, about the only question I can answer with any sort of certainty is the first one. At this point, I'm figuring my expat days are winding down. Not soon, but probably within the year. My current contract still has some life left in it and we'll see what kind of offer I get - if I get any at all - to extend. My guess is that I'll be offered an opportunity to stay on, but honestly, I don't know that I'd accept. It's not that I don't like my job or the people I work with. I do. It's just that I really don't like Dublin.
When all is said and done, my guess is that my desire to return home will trump my desire to keep doing what I'm doing. It's sad, in some respects, but that's the hard truth of the matter.
I'm not necessarily one to do a lot of soul searching or planning about my future. I know what I like to do. I generally know what I want to do, and I sort of let things lead me where they will. After grad school, I ended up with an amazing gig at CBS News in New York at the ripe old age of 24. Nearly six years later, the call of the West led me to walk away from the news room for the last time with nothing more than some savings and a plan to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.
That didn't work out, but somewhere along the way, I made my way to Silicon Valley and fell into the high-tech world. After some time in the consulting world and at a few failed start-ups, I landed in the comforting arms of Intuit where I put my varied background to work on Quicken.com until the Internet bubble burst and my job vanished into the ether. So it goes.
After making my way back to LA and losing a year to illness, I found myself selling Mini Coopers to make ends meet. Sure, it's not the gig I planned on or hoped for, but I love cars and it was paying the bills until something better came along. Which it did. Out of the blue.
A phone call and a few interviews later, I found myself writing again. About poker, which is something I love. With a group of really bright and dedicated people who want nothing more than to create the best online poker site anywhere.
Now, I'm planning on returning to Ireland, which is somewhere I never expected to live. Sure, I'm not thrilled about the trip, but the fact that I'm heading back to the Emerald Isle is sort of amusing to me since I never had any thoughts of living there in the first place. Like I said, I don't really plan. I just let life take me where it will.
Where will it take me next? Aside from back to the United States, I have no idea. Check this space over the next few months and maybe we'll figure that out together.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Ms. Duke Goes to Washington
In case you weren't geeky enough to tune into CSPAN yesterday, here's a cool NPR story on Annie Duke's Capitol Hill appearance in support of online poker.
In case you weren't geeky enough to tune into CSPAN yesterday, here's a cool NPR story on Annie Duke's Capitol Hill appearance in support of online poker.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
It's Always Nice to Catch Up with Old Friends
Turns out, my friend Steve has been doing some blogging. Check out Reality Bites Back if you're looking for some interesting media-related content.
Turns out, my friend Steve has been doing some blogging. Check out Reality Bites Back if you're looking for some interesting media-related content.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Writer's Write
See that banner on the right? Somebody wrote that. And they got paid to do it. Sure, chances are they didn't earn as much as the writers who are currently walking picket lines in LA and in New York, but that's not the point. Or at least, that's not the whole point.
As I'm sitting here typing this - and as I sit in my office here in Dublin writing and editing all of the various material that passes across my desk - I think of my friends who are currently walking around in circles on the sidewalks and chanting to random passersby. As a WGA member (on hiatus because I'm not working in a guild-related job), I even feel a little guilty because I'm not there with them. (I am, however, in Dublin which I believe gives me the short end of the stick.)
Sure, their marching may not amount to much and most people will probably do their best to ignore them, but the fact is, people will notice what's going on as soon new episodes of their favorite TV shows fail to appear on the flickering screen in their living rooms. And as soon as those big December blockbuster movies fail to hit a theater near you. Or, in the case of most of my friends, when the evening news is brought to you by a 17-year old intern reading off the front page of the New York Times because all the writers, producers, and on-air personalities have joined the picket lines in search of better pay.
So, this is all about money, you may ask. Well... no, it's not. I'm not saying that money isn't a factor in this strike, and that the writer's don't want more of it. It is and they do. And, in my opinion, they deserve it.
My friends working in news rooms at places like CBS have all been doing so without a contract for the past three years. Sure, they've been getting paid, but they haven't seen a cost of living increase in more than 36 months, and until they hit the sidewalks, didn't expect to see one for the foreseeable future.
While the money is nice and will surely be put to good use, it's only a symptom of what these people are really striking for, which is respect. You hear it all the time at award shows and in production meetings on both coasts - actors, producers, directors, and executives talking about how everything they do begins with the written word. The script. And yet, when their TV shows, movies, and other productions begin to make money through reruns, DVDs, and online forms of distribution, they don't want to share the wealth with the people whom they consider indispensible in helping them create these hits and blockbusters.
Am I ranting? A little. But as I said at the top of this piece, writer's write. So, support the WGA in this strike so they can get back to work and do what they do best.
See that banner on the right? Somebody wrote that. And they got paid to do it. Sure, chances are they didn't earn as much as the writers who are currently walking picket lines in LA and in New York, but that's not the point. Or at least, that's not the whole point.
As I'm sitting here typing this - and as I sit in my office here in Dublin writing and editing all of the various material that passes across my desk - I think of my friends who are currently walking around in circles on the sidewalks and chanting to random passersby. As a WGA member (on hiatus because I'm not working in a guild-related job), I even feel a little guilty because I'm not there with them. (I am, however, in Dublin which I believe gives me the short end of the stick.)
Sure, their marching may not amount to much and most people will probably do their best to ignore them, but the fact is, people will notice what's going on as soon new episodes of their favorite TV shows fail to appear on the flickering screen in their living rooms. And as soon as those big December blockbuster movies fail to hit a theater near you. Or, in the case of most of my friends, when the evening news is brought to you by a 17-year old intern reading off the front page of the New York Times because all the writers, producers, and on-air personalities have joined the picket lines in search of better pay.
So, this is all about money, you may ask. Well... no, it's not. I'm not saying that money isn't a factor in this strike, and that the writer's don't want more of it. It is and they do. And, in my opinion, they deserve it.
My friends working in news rooms at places like CBS have all been doing so without a contract for the past three years. Sure, they've been getting paid, but they haven't seen a cost of living increase in more than 36 months, and until they hit the sidewalks, didn't expect to see one for the foreseeable future.
While the money is nice and will surely be put to good use, it's only a symptom of what these people are really striking for, which is respect. You hear it all the time at award shows and in production meetings on both coasts - actors, producers, directors, and executives talking about how everything they do begins with the written word. The script. And yet, when their TV shows, movies, and other productions begin to make money through reruns, DVDs, and online forms of distribution, they don't want to share the wealth with the people whom they consider indispensible in helping them create these hits and blockbusters.
Am I ranting? A little. But as I said at the top of this piece, writer's write. So, support the WGA in this strike so they can get back to work and do what they do best.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Frankfurtly Speaking
Just got home from a weekend away from Dublin. I can't tell you how good it feels to type that.
I blew out of town on Friday with some friends from work. Destination: Frankfurt, Germany.
Now, I spent a weekend in Germany not too long ago, but really didn't get to see much beyond the insides of a couple of very nice hotels and conference centers, along with a cool double-decker bus and some fun bars. It was a working weekend, but from the little I got to see of the country, I wanted to go back. Hence, Frankfurt.
I can't say this city was our first-choice destination, but the flights were cheap - as was the hotel - and getting in and out of the Rhineland couldn't really have been easier. We spent a good portion of Saturday afternoon walking around in the cold and taking in the sights. Honestly, it's not the most attractive city I've been in, but it's got an interesting mix of old and new architecture, and certainly more vibrancy than Dublin has. I'll put up a couple of pictures soon.
At night, we sampled the requisite nightlife and I believe I can safely say, a good time was had by all. That's all that really needs to be said about that - at least in a public forum.
On Sunday, we all slept in after a late night/early morning out and woke up to some pretty serious rain. After getting our shit together, we headed out for lunch and the continuation of our weekend-long Chinese poker game. We had started playing at the airport on Friday, and picked the game up again at lunch on Saturday before diving into a day-long festival of cards on Sunday.
We played at lunch. We played at the bar after lunch. We played at the airport. We played on the plane on the way home. We played at E's apartment after we got back into town. We played for the better part of 11 hours in total on Sunday. Again, a good time was had by all, even if I did end up losing a total of 80 Euro when all was said and done.
Speaking of winning and losing, I decided to play some real poker last Thursday night since I knew I wasn't heading into the office on Friday. I headed to my local casino for what I thought was the weekly 50 Euro game, only to find out it was the monthly 100 Euro tournament. Oh well, I came to play and didn't have to worry about waking up too early, so I bought in. Nearly 8 hours later, I left the table with an additional 850 in my pocket after busting out third. I probably could have won the event, but made a bad call for most of my chips and ended up on the short stack when my K-J ran into A-J. After that, I was forced to play push and pray poker, and got knocked off the table when my 10-J ran into Q-J. Oh well.
Combined with my cash game winnings from the previous weekend, I was up the better part of two grand for the week, so I'm not complaining.
Of course, it's nearly 2AM here as I type this, and I need to be up around 8 so, if I don't pack it in now, complaining is about the only thing I'll be doing tomorrow (or, more accurately, later today).
Just eight days left before I head back to the States, by the way, but who's counting?
Just got home from a weekend away from Dublin. I can't tell you how good it feels to type that.
I blew out of town on Friday with some friends from work. Destination: Frankfurt, Germany.
Now, I spent a weekend in Germany not too long ago, but really didn't get to see much beyond the insides of a couple of very nice hotels and conference centers, along with a cool double-decker bus and some fun bars. It was a working weekend, but from the little I got to see of the country, I wanted to go back. Hence, Frankfurt.
I can't say this city was our first-choice destination, but the flights were cheap - as was the hotel - and getting in and out of the Rhineland couldn't really have been easier. We spent a good portion of Saturday afternoon walking around in the cold and taking in the sights. Honestly, it's not the most attractive city I've been in, but it's got an interesting mix of old and new architecture, and certainly more vibrancy than Dublin has. I'll put up a couple of pictures soon.
At night, we sampled the requisite nightlife and I believe I can safely say, a good time was had by all. That's all that really needs to be said about that - at least in a public forum.
On Sunday, we all slept in after a late night/early morning out and woke up to some pretty serious rain. After getting our shit together, we headed out for lunch and the continuation of our weekend-long Chinese poker game. We had started playing at the airport on Friday, and picked the game up again at lunch on Saturday before diving into a day-long festival of cards on Sunday.
We played at lunch. We played at the bar after lunch. We played at the airport. We played on the plane on the way home. We played at E's apartment after we got back into town. We played for the better part of 11 hours in total on Sunday. Again, a good time was had by all, even if I did end up losing a total of 80 Euro when all was said and done.
Speaking of winning and losing, I decided to play some real poker last Thursday night since I knew I wasn't heading into the office on Friday. I headed to my local casino for what I thought was the weekly 50 Euro game, only to find out it was the monthly 100 Euro tournament. Oh well, I came to play and didn't have to worry about waking up too early, so I bought in. Nearly 8 hours later, I left the table with an additional 850 in my pocket after busting out third. I probably could have won the event, but made a bad call for most of my chips and ended up on the short stack when my K-J ran into A-J. After that, I was forced to play push and pray poker, and got knocked off the table when my 10-J ran into Q-J. Oh well.
Combined with my cash game winnings from the previous weekend, I was up the better part of two grand for the week, so I'm not complaining.
Of course, it's nearly 2AM here as I type this, and I need to be up around 8 so, if I don't pack it in now, complaining is about the only thing I'll be doing tomorrow (or, more accurately, later today).
Just eight days left before I head back to the States, by the way, but who's counting?
Sunday, October 28, 2007
A Little Love for Y'All
If you all haven't seen this, be sure to check it out. There's lot's of cool stuff up for grabs, including one of our amazing Aussie Millions prize packages.
Aah...
It's a lazy Sunday here in Dublin town in the middle of a three-day weekend. It's a much needed and much appreciated break. It's also the weekend where the clocks go back, which means it got dark at about 5Pm. Not so fun. But still, I have another day off from work, and that's not all bad at the moment.
Making today even better is that I actually got to watch good 'ol American football at a reasonable hour. And it was my team, Big Blue - the New York Giants - who did their best to give the lowly Dolphins a chance to win their first game of the season by giving up a touchdown in the last two minutes. Alas, the Dolphins suck even more than my G-Men, and couldn't figure out a way to come over the top and take their victory. Go Giants!
As for other things... there's not much to say. I was actually social this weekend and went to a friend's house party for a few hours. Of course, a house party here is just an excuse to hang out with all of the people I spend my time with at work during the week, but at least there's free-flowing booze and opportunity for mayhem. In all, it was a worthwhile excursion to the 'burbs.
On the poker front, I'm continuing my up and down ways. I had a good live night on Friday, and have have a some nice sessions at the $5-$10 tables on FTP over the past couple of days. My luck on Paddy has gone south, however, and I'm currently in the hole over there. I'm not too worried though, as the games are soft and I should be able to recoup.
With that in mind, I'm just counting down the weeks until Thanksgiving and a return trip to the States. It's hard to believe it's been more than six months since my last trip back. I'm missing the "normalcy" of home, and can certainly use a dose of the U.S. to keep me going. I'm also looking at some other trips, including possible excursions back to Germany and London in the coming weeks. Anything to get away from here for awhile.
So, that's the ramble for the day. Maybe I'll do it again soon.
It's a lazy Sunday here in Dublin town in the middle of a three-day weekend. It's a much needed and much appreciated break. It's also the weekend where the clocks go back, which means it got dark at about 5Pm. Not so fun. But still, I have another day off from work, and that's not all bad at the moment.
Making today even better is that I actually got to watch good 'ol American football at a reasonable hour. And it was my team, Big Blue - the New York Giants - who did their best to give the lowly Dolphins a chance to win their first game of the season by giving up a touchdown in the last two minutes. Alas, the Dolphins suck even more than my G-Men, and couldn't figure out a way to come over the top and take their victory. Go Giants!
As for other things... there's not much to say. I was actually social this weekend and went to a friend's house party for a few hours. Of course, a house party here is just an excuse to hang out with all of the people I spend my time with at work during the week, but at least there's free-flowing booze and opportunity for mayhem. In all, it was a worthwhile excursion to the 'burbs.
On the poker front, I'm continuing my up and down ways. I had a good live night on Friday, and have have a some nice sessions at the $5-$10 tables on FTP over the past couple of days. My luck on Paddy has gone south, however, and I'm currently in the hole over there. I'm not too worried though, as the games are soft and I should be able to recoup.
With that in mind, I'm just counting down the weeks until Thanksgiving and a return trip to the States. It's hard to believe it's been more than six months since my last trip back. I'm missing the "normalcy" of home, and can certainly use a dose of the U.S. to keep me going. I'm also looking at some other trips, including possible excursions back to Germany and London in the coming weeks. Anything to get away from here for awhile.
So, that's the ramble for the day. Maybe I'll do it again soon.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Chop, Chop
After one of the most frustrating week's of poker I've had in a long, long time, I managed to turn things around last night in a live 50 + 5 buy-in (that's in Euro) tournament at my local card room.
After showing up a little buzzed at the start of the 9PM event, I managed to limp my way through the first three levels to hit the break with about 20 BB. Not great shape, but not horrible either. I pretty much maintained this level through the next two hours and then, finally, got things going when I cracked Aces after flopping a set of 3s. Sweet.
That double up gave me enough cushion to cruise to the final table where, suddenly, I started getting hit by the deck. Aces, twice (and cracked once). Kings, twice. A-K vs. A-Q, and it holds, etc. By 3AM, we were three handed and I was solidly in second place. We talked about ending the tourney there, but couldn't reach a deal, so we played on until the short stack busted after trying to steal the blinds with Q-6 off-suit.
Once we reached heads-up play, we didn't even bother dealing. We worked a deal and called it a night. All in all, I can't complain. I played tight (for me) and managed to survive through a long stretch of dead cards without losing too many chips. More importantly, I somehow managed to get paid on most of my big hands throughout the night.
I won't say the night redeemed my awful week, but it certainly helped to lessen the pain of all those bad beats I've been taking.
After one of the most frustrating week's of poker I've had in a long, long time, I managed to turn things around last night in a live 50 + 5 buy-in (that's in Euro) tournament at my local card room.
After showing up a little buzzed at the start of the 9PM event, I managed to limp my way through the first three levels to hit the break with about 20 BB. Not great shape, but not horrible either. I pretty much maintained this level through the next two hours and then, finally, got things going when I cracked Aces after flopping a set of 3s. Sweet.
That double up gave me enough cushion to cruise to the final table where, suddenly, I started getting hit by the deck. Aces, twice (and cracked once). Kings, twice. A-K vs. A-Q, and it holds, etc. By 3AM, we were three handed and I was solidly in second place. We talked about ending the tourney there, but couldn't reach a deal, so we played on until the short stack busted after trying to steal the blinds with Q-6 off-suit.
Once we reached heads-up play, we didn't even bother dealing. We worked a deal and called it a night. All in all, I can't complain. I played tight (for me) and managed to survive through a long stretch of dead cards without losing too many chips. More importantly, I somehow managed to get paid on most of my big hands throughout the night.
I won't say the night redeemed my awful week, but it certainly helped to lessen the pain of all those bad beats I've been taking.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Give a Beat, Get Two in Return
Last week, I told you about this sick hand. Now, I've got two more for you and neither of them are as pretty.
Hand #1 takes place in a $1-$2 game with a live $5. UTG raises to $20 and gets four callers. I pick up Aces on the button and pop it $100 more. Early position calls. So far, so good.
On a flop of A-K-J rainbow, EP - who has me covered - pushes all in. I insta-call and show top set. He tables A-Q and says "I've got outs."
Son of a bitch if the damn bastard didn't, hitting his 10 on the turn for Broadway. When the board failed to pair, I called it a night and went home where even more fun ensued.
Later in the evening I'm playing $20-$40 Limit online when I pick up Q-10c on the button. I raise and get one caller. The flop brings a Q and the turn brings another one, giving me trips. The betting caps on the turn, and the river brings an A. My opponent bets, I raise, he flat calls and tables pocket rockets for the house.
Call it unlucky or call it Karma, but right now I'm just calling it painful. And expensive.
Last week, I told you about this sick hand. Now, I've got two more for you and neither of them are as pretty.
Hand #1 takes place in a $1-$2 game with a live $5. UTG raises to $20 and gets four callers. I pick up Aces on the button and pop it $100 more. Early position calls. So far, so good.
On a flop of A-K-J rainbow, EP - who has me covered - pushes all in. I insta-call and show top set. He tables A-Q and says "I've got outs."
Son of a bitch if the damn bastard didn't, hitting his 10 on the turn for Broadway. When the board failed to pair, I called it a night and went home where even more fun ensued.
Later in the evening I'm playing $20-$40 Limit online when I pick up Q-10c on the button. I raise and get one caller. The flop brings a Q and the turn brings another one, giving me trips. The betting caps on the turn, and the river brings an A. My opponent bets, I raise, he flat calls and tables pocket rockets for the house.
Call it unlucky or call it Karma, but right now I'm just calling it painful. And expensive.
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Now I Understand
If you liked my previous post, you'll love this...
The Licensed Vintner's Association
If you liked my previous post, you'll love this...
The Licensed Vintner's Association
Sunday, October 07, 2007
A Little Poker
OK - I'm in a productive mood, so I'm making this a double-header posting session. Who knew I had it in me?
Anyway, for everyone who complains that online poker is rigged and that you never see the kinds of hands in live games that you do online, I want to share a hand from a live session I played last night.
The scene: $1-$2 NLH w/a live $5 straddle.
Your hero: The straddler, holding K-10 off-suit.
Two players call the straddle from middle position, and short-stacked rock in SB raises to $30. Solid BB calls, as do I. Everyone else folds.
The flop: A-Q-J rainbow, giving me Broadway.
SB pushes all-in for $140 and BB raises to $400. I shove all-in for a total of $600 and BB goes into the tank before calling (he had me covered by about $80).
Hands are turned up revealing that SB is holding Pocket Jacks and had flopped a set, while BB is holding A-Q off-suit, and had flopped two pair.
The turn brings a 10 and a solid sweat as any other Broadway card now costs me the pot or chops it with the BB.
The river is a blank, giving me the win and a nice $1,300 pot.
Online, this hand would sparked a ton of chatter between both the players and the railbirds who would again point out how unlikely that three players in the blinds would get into a hand like this. Honestly, how can the game not be rigged?
But this was a live hand I'm talking about, dealt in a real card room by a professional dealer after a thorough shuffling of the deck. It was as random a hand you could hope for and yet, one of the most unlikely combination of cards was dealt to three players sitting in succession at the table.
Does this mean live poker is rigged? Not at all. In fact, it took hours of play before this hand happened, but the fact remains that this hand - or one like it - would have happened sometime soon. It's just a matter of time, and that's what many online players forget.
One of the key differences to remember about live and online play is that that online, you're dealt many more hands per hour, which means your going to see many more "action flops" along the way. It's a simple correlation.
So, the next time you take a bad beat or think how the hell could those players have been holding those cards, remember this hand because, in the end, it doesn't matter where you play. Big hands are going to happen and you're going to win some of them and lose others. Enjoy them when they end up in your favor and try not to bitch about them too much when they don't.
Now, if I can just win a hand online...
JK
OK - I'm in a productive mood, so I'm making this a double-header posting session. Who knew I had it in me?
Anyway, for everyone who complains that online poker is rigged and that you never see the kinds of hands in live games that you do online, I want to share a hand from a live session I played last night.
The scene: $1-$2 NLH w/a live $5 straddle.
Your hero: The straddler, holding K-10 off-suit.
Two players call the straddle from middle position, and short-stacked rock in SB raises to $30. Solid BB calls, as do I. Everyone else folds.
The flop: A-Q-J rainbow, giving me Broadway.
SB pushes all-in for $140 and BB raises to $400. I shove all-in for a total of $600 and BB goes into the tank before calling (he had me covered by about $80).
Hands are turned up revealing that SB is holding Pocket Jacks and had flopped a set, while BB is holding A-Q off-suit, and had flopped two pair.
The turn brings a 10 and a solid sweat as any other Broadway card now costs me the pot or chops it with the BB.
The river is a blank, giving me the win and a nice $1,300 pot.
Online, this hand would sparked a ton of chatter between both the players and the railbirds who would again point out how unlikely that three players in the blinds would get into a hand like this. Honestly, how can the game not be rigged?
But this was a live hand I'm talking about, dealt in a real card room by a professional dealer after a thorough shuffling of the deck. It was as random a hand you could hope for and yet, one of the most unlikely combination of cards was dealt to three players sitting in succession at the table.
Does this mean live poker is rigged? Not at all. In fact, it took hours of play before this hand happened, but the fact remains that this hand - or one like it - would have happened sometime soon. It's just a matter of time, and that's what many online players forget.
One of the key differences to remember about live and online play is that that online, you're dealt many more hands per hour, which means your going to see many more "action flops" along the way. It's a simple correlation.
So, the next time you take a bad beat or think how the hell could those players have been holding those cards, remember this hand because, in the end, it doesn't matter where you play. Big hands are going to happen and you're going to win some of them and lose others. Enjoy them when they end up in your favor and try not to bitch about them too much when they don't.
Now, if I can just win a hand online...
JK
The Road to Hell
If it's really paved in good intentions, then I'm cruising down four lanes of freshly paved blacktop in a '67 Coupe de Ville convertible with the top down, a pint of Jack Daniels, and Elvis cranking on the stereo.
But hey, at least I'm enjoying the ride.
If you're a frequent visitor to this page (and really, why would you be), you'll know that I haven't posted much of anything recently. My bad. It's just that, well... oh... it doesn't really matter.
Anyway, here's the quick rundown of what's going on:
So, yes this is a new post in a newly formatted blog. Whether it's the first of many remains to be seen. I don't make resolutions, so I'm not going to promise anything about the frequency of my posts. I'll try to do more, but there's a wide open highway in front of me and I've got a lot of driving left to do.
JK
If it's really paved in good intentions, then I'm cruising down four lanes of freshly paved blacktop in a '67 Coupe de Ville convertible with the top down, a pint of Jack Daniels, and Elvis cranking on the stereo.
But hey, at least I'm enjoying the ride.
If you're a frequent visitor to this page (and really, why would you be), you'll know that I haven't posted much of anything recently. My bad. It's just that, well... oh... it doesn't really matter.
Anyway, here's the quick rundown of what's going on:
- I'm still in Dublin
- Dublin is still, for the most part, cold, rainy, and dull
- Work is still taking up a huge part of my time
- I've done a good amount of travelling over the past few months, including visits to London (work), Rome (vacation), and Berlin/Hamburg (work)
- I've got a bunch of photos from various trips and things that I'll get around to posting one day soon
- I'm planning a trip back to the States for Thanksgiving
- I actually did something fun last night and went to see the Police at Croke Park here in Dublin (they rocked, by the way)
- Oh... and I'm 40
So, yes this is a new post in a newly formatted blog. Whether it's the first of many remains to be seen. I don't make resolutions, so I'm not going to promise anything about the frequency of my posts. I'll try to do more, but there's a wide open highway in front of me and I've got a lot of driving left to do.
JK
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
SEO What
This is a shameless plug, but I will be playing in the SEO Poker Tournament on Saturday March 24th at 9:00 PM GMT.
That is all.
This is a shameless plug, but I will be playing in the SEO Poker Tournament on Saturday March 24th at 9:00 PM GMT.
That is all.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Oz & the Lucky Horseshoe
Last night, there was a reunion of sorts in DunDrum.
At about 8PM, we gathered at Henry & Sofia's for the return of Murderer's Row. Now, this is actually a bigger deal than it may seem, as this once weekly game has truly disintegrated since the move across the pond. So, it was with no small amount of anticipation that we gathered for the usual evening of drinking and donking around the stolen FTP poker tables.
To be perfectly honest, the game wasn't quite the same as the old Murderer's Row games of old. Many of the regulars were there; me, Henry, Sofia, Wampler, and Ephro. Many, however, were not, including Shyam, Franklin, and Facty (all in Venice for the weekend), Hanel, Lance, Ryan, and Speaker (all back in the states), and Rini (off playing with the monkeys in Gib).
To make up for the missing murderers, we supplemented the field with a number of guest players, including Ernest, Jeremy, Jose, and Oz, who probably wished he hadn't shown up at all. That's because he fell victim to the horseshoe that is, according to Mr. Bill, firmly planted up my ass.
Per my usual form, I played reasonably well throughout the tourney section of the evening, but fell out of contention before reaching the money. Nothing terribly new there. And, per my usual form, I ran over the post-tourney cash game. More specifically, I ran over Oz in the cash game. Or, to be even more precise, I hammered him over the head with the horseshoe.
The first bit of bad luck Oz ran into occurred fairly early on when I pulled what may have been the most brutal suckout of the evening. I limped into the pot holding 4-5 of spades, and hit middle pair on a flop of K-5-3. I bet and Oz called. The turn brought a 6, giving me the up and down draw, and giving Oz top two pair. I bet, he raised, and I donkishly called. The river brought another 5, giving me trips and the pot. Horseshoe 1, Oz 0.
A few hands later, we clashed again. This time, I got into the hand with 4-8 in the big blind. I flopped a gutshot with a board of 5-7-A. Ernest and I both checked the flop, and Oz bet out. Ernest called, giving me reasonable enough odds to call for my 6, which I promptly hit on the turn. Again, the action went check, check, bet. Ernest folded, and I flat called.
The river was a blank. I checked, Oz jammed, and I called, taking down the hand. At this point, the tilt was setting in. Oz remained civil, as he is want to do, but you could tell that his "Nice hand sir" actually meant "You fucking donkey." Horseshoe 2, Oz 0.
A re-buy later and Oz was back in the game. Things were pretty quiet for the next few orbits until Oz and I hooked up one last time for the night. This time, all the money went in pre-flop as Oz raised and re-raised from the button with Aces. Thinking I was making a move, Oz came back over the top and I called his all-in. As the money is being pushed toward the center, Oz says "I just have a pair", and turns up pocket Kings. "I've got a pair too" I say, turning up the bullets.
Horseshoe 3, Oz 0.
I tried to explain to Oz that there was nothing he could have done differently throughout the night. I just run well at Henry's game. Still, I don't think he wants to know of past history - he just wants to get even against me. I'm sure he'll have his chances. He just better hope I forget the horseshoe.
Last night, there was a reunion of sorts in DunDrum.
At about 8PM, we gathered at Henry & Sofia's for the return of Murderer's Row. Now, this is actually a bigger deal than it may seem, as this once weekly game has truly disintegrated since the move across the pond. So, it was with no small amount of anticipation that we gathered for the usual evening of drinking and donking around the stolen FTP poker tables.
To be perfectly honest, the game wasn't quite the same as the old Murderer's Row games of old. Many of the regulars were there; me, Henry, Sofia, Wampler, and Ephro. Many, however, were not, including Shyam, Franklin, and Facty (all in Venice for the weekend), Hanel, Lance, Ryan, and Speaker (all back in the states), and Rini (off playing with the monkeys in Gib).
To make up for the missing murderers, we supplemented the field with a number of guest players, including Ernest, Jeremy, Jose, and Oz, who probably wished he hadn't shown up at all. That's because he fell victim to the horseshoe that is, according to Mr. Bill, firmly planted up my ass.
Per my usual form, I played reasonably well throughout the tourney section of the evening, but fell out of contention before reaching the money. Nothing terribly new there. And, per my usual form, I ran over the post-tourney cash game. More specifically, I ran over Oz in the cash game. Or, to be even more precise, I hammered him over the head with the horseshoe.
The first bit of bad luck Oz ran into occurred fairly early on when I pulled what may have been the most brutal suckout of the evening. I limped into the pot holding 4-5 of spades, and hit middle pair on a flop of K-5-3. I bet and Oz called. The turn brought a 6, giving me the up and down draw, and giving Oz top two pair. I bet, he raised, and I donkishly called. The river brought another 5, giving me trips and the pot. Horseshoe 1, Oz 0.
A few hands later, we clashed again. This time, I got into the hand with 4-8 in the big blind. I flopped a gutshot with a board of 5-7-A. Ernest and I both checked the flop, and Oz bet out. Ernest called, giving me reasonable enough odds to call for my 6, which I promptly hit on the turn. Again, the action went check, check, bet. Ernest folded, and I flat called.
The river was a blank. I checked, Oz jammed, and I called, taking down the hand. At this point, the tilt was setting in. Oz remained civil, as he is want to do, but you could tell that his "Nice hand sir" actually meant "You fucking donkey." Horseshoe 2, Oz 0.
A re-buy later and Oz was back in the game. Things were pretty quiet for the next few orbits until Oz and I hooked up one last time for the night. This time, all the money went in pre-flop as Oz raised and re-raised from the button with Aces. Thinking I was making a move, Oz came back over the top and I called his all-in. As the money is being pushed toward the center, Oz says "I just have a pair", and turns up pocket Kings. "I've got a pair too" I say, turning up the bullets.
Horseshoe 3, Oz 0.
I tried to explain to Oz that there was nothing he could have done differently throughout the night. I just run well at Henry's game. Still, I don't think he wants to know of past history - he just wants to get even against me. I'm sure he'll have his chances. He just better hope I forget the horseshoe.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Trending
I had a few minutes of downtime earlier and had the chance to look over my recent posts. Granted, it didn't take too long, since there's not much here, but that's another story.
Anyway, after a cursory glance I quickly noticed a seemingly disturbing trend, which is that I seem to be constantly dissing Dublin. Yes, it's true this is not the most thrilling place I've ever lived, but to be honest, it's not the worst either (ahem, Medina).
Also, and equally disturbing, is that fact that my recent posts all seem to circulate around the fact that I'm working a lot, drinking (on occasion), and playing cards. It seems, at least on the surface, that I'm falling into a rut.
So, with that in mind, I'm giving you, my faithful reader, this opportunity. Tell me what you'd like to know about Dublin*. Is there something about this fair city you've always been intrigued by? Is there a person whom you'd like to know more about? Throw your suggestions my way,and I'll make it a mission to go out and find out what I can on your behalf.
Who knows what fun we can have?
*Sorry Bill, but I'm going to have exclude you from participating... this is still a family friendly (sort of) blog.
I had a few minutes of downtime earlier and had the chance to look over my recent posts. Granted, it didn't take too long, since there's not much here, but that's another story.
Anyway, after a cursory glance I quickly noticed a seemingly disturbing trend, which is that I seem to be constantly dissing Dublin. Yes, it's true this is not the most thrilling place I've ever lived, but to be honest, it's not the worst either (ahem, Medina).
Also, and equally disturbing, is that fact that my recent posts all seem to circulate around the fact that I'm working a lot, drinking (on occasion), and playing cards. It seems, at least on the surface, that I'm falling into a rut.
So, with that in mind, I'm giving you, my faithful reader, this opportunity. Tell me what you'd like to know about Dublin*. Is there something about this fair city you've always been intrigued by? Is there a person whom you'd like to know more about? Throw your suggestions my way,and I'll make it a mission to go out and find out what I can on your behalf.
Who knows what fun we can have?
*Sorry Bill, but I'm going to have exclude you from participating... this is still a family friendly (sort of) blog.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Coming Up for Air
I know, I know - I post as often as pandas mate. Many would say as successfully, as well, but that's another conversation for another day.
Still, I'm here now, so I'm going to ramble for just a few. First, the Dublin update. It still rains. A lot. It's also very windy. There's lots of drinking, book-ended by very long hours at work. Sometimes I play poker.
Basically, things are normal.
I did recently manage to break up the normal routine and get to London for a weekend for a family event. The occasion? The naming of my newest cousin, Alexandra.
Not only was it nice to see some family, but it was nice to go to a real city. I didn't really take part in any particularly Londonish activities while I was there, but the difference in energy levels between London and Dublin is palpable, even when you're just walking down the street. Londoners have purpose. They move as if they have an actual destination to reach - and as if they actually want to reach it. Dubliners don't do this. Don't get me wrong... the sidewalks here are flooded, especially on a rare sunny afternoon. It's just that Dubliners like to stand around, look at windows, and enjoy a good pint. Or 12.
Speaking of purpose (and yes, this is a horrible transition), I should mention that much of my time at work lately has been dedicated to some of our latest promotions for the World Series of Poker and, more importantly (at least in my opinion), driving sign-ups for the Poker Players Alliance. If you play the game and aren't a member, you should join. And not just because you can get a bonus if you do.
Now that that's out of my system, I'll leave you with this - a link to Full Tilt Poker's new commercials. They're pretty cool, and I hope you enjoy them.
That's it... I'm done for now.
I know, I know - I post as often as pandas mate. Many would say as successfully, as well, but that's another conversation for another day.
Still, I'm here now, so I'm going to ramble for just a few. First, the Dublin update. It still rains. A lot. It's also very windy. There's lots of drinking, book-ended by very long hours at work. Sometimes I play poker.
Basically, things are normal.
I did recently manage to break up the normal routine and get to London for a weekend for a family event. The occasion? The naming of my newest cousin, Alexandra.
Not only was it nice to see some family, but it was nice to go to a real city. I didn't really take part in any particularly Londonish activities while I was there, but the difference in energy levels between London and Dublin is palpable, even when you're just walking down the street. Londoners have purpose. They move as if they have an actual destination to reach - and as if they actually want to reach it. Dubliners don't do this. Don't get me wrong... the sidewalks here are flooded, especially on a rare sunny afternoon. It's just that Dubliners like to stand around, look at windows, and enjoy a good pint. Or 12.
Speaking of purpose (and yes, this is a horrible transition), I should mention that much of my time at work lately has been dedicated to some of our latest promotions for the World Series of Poker and, more importantly (at least in my opinion), driving sign-ups for the Poker Players Alliance. If you play the game and aren't a member, you should join. And not just because you can get a bonus if you do.
Now that that's out of my system, I'll leave you with this - a link to Full Tilt Poker's new commercials. They're pretty cool, and I hope you enjoy them.
That's it... I'm done for now.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Super Size Me (or Not)
Wanna try something cool? Check out the new resizable tables beta software at FTP.
www.fulltiltpoker.com/beta
Wanna try something cool? Check out the new resizable tables beta software at FTP.
www.fulltiltpoker.com/beta
Sunday, February 04, 2007
2007 - It's Just Like 2006 - But Different
Yeah, I know. My posting is as frequent as George W. having an original thought. It's sad and pathetic, but then again, so is he.
Still, I'm back with another oh-so-infrequent update on life in the land of leprechauns and Guinness. Actually, if I came across a leprechaun drinking a Guinness, there would be something interesting to write about. But, seeing as how that's unlikely to happen, I'll just go with what I know about.
So... thanks for reading and.... OK, OK, I've actually got more to say than that. Really.
Since my last post, life has been the usual mix of work, work, work, work, sleep, work, work, work, drink, work, work, work, etc. And don't get me wrong - I still love my job and the company I work for. Dublin, maybe not so much, but the company is still fun. Unless of course you've been working in online poker for the past month.
If you don't know, the US Congress passed the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act at the end of last session with the goal of starving the lifeblood of online gaming, including poker. In short, the bill makes it illegal for banks to process transactions to or from online gaming sites, like Full Tilt Poker. Of course, being a bill passed in Washington, it does have some exemptions built in for really skillful games like bingo and state lotteries. But, I digress.
If passing this law wasn't enough, the government launched a secondary attack on online gaming earlier this month when they arrested the two original founders of NETeller on money laundering charges. Now, even though these men no longer work for the company, NETeller did exactly what the government wanted them to: they got scared and pulled out of the US market.
Now, NETeller was the big dog in online payment processing. Sort of like Party Poker before they left the US. And, when the Big Dog leaves, a lot of smaller dogs follow it out the door. For sites like FTP, that means players in the US can no longer easily get money on and off the site, which is, in a word, bad.
For me, and the people I work with, that also means a lot of sleepless nights as our job all of a sudden becomes all about keeping the site up and running, and our players happy. In short, it's been a challenge. And to be honest, not a particularly fun one at that. Still, I think we've done an admirable job and, thanks to some incredibly dedicated individuals, we may have recently turned a corner.
So, that's been a big part of my life here in Dublin for the past month. And the fact is, in some ways, I'm kind of thankful for all of the work because in the off hours, there's just not a lot to this city. Sure, it's got some very pretty areas and very friendly people. It's got more bars and clubs than you can possibly imagine. It's got Guinness and Jameson. But, with all that, it still doesn't have a whole lot going on.
Don't get me wrong. It's a fabulous city to visit but, as a place to live, there's just not enough here here for my tastes. Thankfully, traveling is always an option and, as soon as things quiet down a little, I plan to do some more sightseeing around Europe. I'm also hoping to head back to the states for about 10 days in April... keep an eye on this space for details.
Speaking of traveling, I should be heading to London for a weekend sometime soon to visit my cousin Liz and meet the newest addition to the family, her daughter Alexandra. I'm looking forward to hitting a big city for a few days and catching up with some family. It will be a nice break.
Speaking of family, check out what my cousin Adam is up to. He's doing the aspiring actor/comedian thing back in NYC, and has a collection of pretty funny commercials up on his site. (Sorry they won't make the Superbowl, Adam.)
Ah... the Superbowl. American football. It's something I've truly missed here in Europe, but I'm going get a little fill of it tonight at our CEO's house down in Dalkey. I'm looking forward to the game, not because I'm a fan of either team, but because it's kicking off here at 10PM.
Work tomorrow will be oh so fun.
Yeah, I know. My posting is as frequent as George W. having an original thought. It's sad and pathetic, but then again, so is he.
Still, I'm back with another oh-so-infrequent update on life in the land of leprechauns and Guinness. Actually, if I came across a leprechaun drinking a Guinness, there would be something interesting to write about. But, seeing as how that's unlikely to happen, I'll just go with what I know about.
So... thanks for reading and.... OK, OK, I've actually got more to say than that. Really.
Since my last post, life has been the usual mix of work, work, work, work, sleep, work, work, work, drink, work, work, work, etc. And don't get me wrong - I still love my job and the company I work for. Dublin, maybe not so much, but the company is still fun. Unless of course you've been working in online poker for the past month.
If you don't know, the US Congress passed the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act at the end of last session with the goal of starving the lifeblood of online gaming, including poker. In short, the bill makes it illegal for banks to process transactions to or from online gaming sites, like Full Tilt Poker. Of course, being a bill passed in Washington, it does have some exemptions built in for really skillful games like bingo and state lotteries. But, I digress.
If passing this law wasn't enough, the government launched a secondary attack on online gaming earlier this month when they arrested the two original founders of NETeller on money laundering charges. Now, even though these men no longer work for the company, NETeller did exactly what the government wanted them to: they got scared and pulled out of the US market.
Now, NETeller was the big dog in online payment processing. Sort of like Party Poker before they left the US. And, when the Big Dog leaves, a lot of smaller dogs follow it out the door. For sites like FTP, that means players in the US can no longer easily get money on and off the site, which is, in a word, bad.
For me, and the people I work with, that also means a lot of sleepless nights as our job all of a sudden becomes all about keeping the site up and running, and our players happy. In short, it's been a challenge. And to be honest, not a particularly fun one at that. Still, I think we've done an admirable job and, thanks to some incredibly dedicated individuals, we may have recently turned a corner.
So, that's been a big part of my life here in Dublin for the past month. And the fact is, in some ways, I'm kind of thankful for all of the work because in the off hours, there's just not a lot to this city. Sure, it's got some very pretty areas and very friendly people. It's got more bars and clubs than you can possibly imagine. It's got Guinness and Jameson. But, with all that, it still doesn't have a whole lot going on.
Don't get me wrong. It's a fabulous city to visit but, as a place to live, there's just not enough here here for my tastes. Thankfully, traveling is always an option and, as soon as things quiet down a little, I plan to do some more sightseeing around Europe. I'm also hoping to head back to the states for about 10 days in April... keep an eye on this space for details.
Speaking of traveling, I should be heading to London for a weekend sometime soon to visit my cousin Liz and meet the newest addition to the family, her daughter Alexandra. I'm looking forward to hitting a big city for a few days and catching up with some family. It will be a nice break.
Speaking of family, check out what my cousin Adam is up to. He's doing the aspiring actor/comedian thing back in NYC, and has a collection of pretty funny commercials up on his site. (Sorry they won't make the Superbowl, Adam.)
Ah... the Superbowl. American football. It's something I've truly missed here in Europe, but I'm going get a little fill of it tonight at our CEO's house down in Dalkey. I'm looking forward to the game, not because I'm a fan of either team, but because it's kicking off here at 10PM.
Work tomorrow will be oh so fun.
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