Poker Update 6.30.06

Not too much to report. I went out second. I was getting the worst cards, and I was on the short stack for most of the game. Ugh...sometimes poker is brutal. I hope I do better in a tournament I'm playing in tomorrow.

Sisters and Mothers

I think we can go through life with different sisters and mothers. I went to a lovely bridal shower this weekend, and what sticks out in my head is when the bride-to be said how much she really appreciated this shower because she didn't have any sisters and her mother just passed away. I looked around the room, and it was truly a group of women who could be her sisters and her mothers. The dragon boating team she belongs to, the Los Angeles Racing Dragons and also the team that is made up of breast cancer survivors, the Pinks, threw her this shower. LARD is definitely a group of women close to her age or younger, and the Pinks are all around the age of our mothers and grandmothers. But no matter what age, these were all dynamic, strong, caring, supportive, sisterly, motherly, and just wonderful women...and I felt blessed to even be invited.

Men v. Women

Are we really that different? A co-worker told me he thinks we are, and he sort of jokingly told me that he believes he knows more about women than I do. What?! Enlighten me, oh arrogant one, so I can get a good laugh.

"Nice" Guys

I haven't written a lot about relationships because who am I to talk about them? I'm a 32 year old commitment-phobic woman. But this subject has bothered me for awhile. So let's talk about the "Nice Guy." I want to dispel the rumor that women don't like "nice" guys. It simply is not true. Yes, there are some women who like the bad boys, and there are moments of insanity in every sane woman's life where she gets too deeply involved with someone who's not good for her. And there are also some guys who love the bad girls. But most women, in their right minds (and the kind you really want to date if you truly are a "nice" guy), would not turn down a gentleman. But I want to clarify that most guys who think that women don't like "nice" guys aren't really talking about "nice" guys. Let's clarify, what a nice guy is NOT. First, nice guys don't put women on pedestals. No woman, unless she's your wife, should be put on a pedestal. We're all human and should be treated equally. If she's your wife, giving her extra attention and worshipping her will help win you points towards "Husband of the Year," but if you're just dating, you're supposed to get to know each other and see if she or he is right for you and your future. There should be no pedestals at this stage. Next..."nice" guys are not doormats. They still have their own opinions and are not afraid of expressing them. They don't just roll over and only date women who whip them. If you're "whipped," you're not a "nice" guy...you're just a wimp. Also, "nice" guys are obviously not always on the "lookout" which means they don't look at other women while engaged in conversation with one or on a date with one, and they don't participate in "locker talk." Finally, "nice" guys are not afraid of asking out "nice" girls. And this takes me to what real nice guys are. Nice guys are gentlemen. They open doors, they pull out wallets and offer to pay (and if you insist on paying yourself, they allow it and not get all caveman about it), they walk on the outside to protect you from cars flinging anything your way, they always speak with respect towards you and your family...even if they're angry, and "nice" guys are sexy because they're confident and not afraid to not be so nice when it's necessary (like protecting their woman's honor and in bed).

Poker Update 6.16.06

Not my best game. I was first one out today, and it was on the second hand! There were 8 players today: David, Patrick, Carrie, Sef, Bob, Cam, Paul, and me. On the second hand, I raised with A-9 unsuited under the gun. Paul and Cam call. The flop was K-Q-Q. Everyone checks. The turn was a six or something. Cam checks, I raise the pot size, and Paul moves all in. Cam folds, and I don't believe Paul so I call him. And Paul turns over K-Q. He had the nuts, and I fell into it...big time. I didn't even want to turn over my cards. But Paul eventually went on to win it, so he used my chips wisely, and Cam came in second.

More Poker Blah Blah

OK you might be bored with all the poker, and yes, I have been playing a lot lately. But if you don't judge me, I won't judge you. Besides Friday afternoon, I played Friday night and Saturday. Friday night's game was pretty laid back. There were about 20 of us, and I went out in sixth. I should've just folded everything until I got into the money...the top three...but decided to make a push with pocket 6's. Aiya. Middle pairs. That's how I always end up losing. Saturday was a charity poker game I had a link to on this blog. It was extremely disorganized. Not only did we have to pay $40 to play, but then we had to pay $10 for parking and at least $5 for drinks...and when I say $5 for drinks...I mean water. Anything with any flavor in it would cost you at least $6. The invitation said the game was going to start at 4:30 pm, but it didn't start until at least an hour later. It also said registration started at 4, but when my friends and I got there at 4:05, they wouldn't even let us inside! We had to hang out outside until about 4:30. Once inside, some people got their table assignments, some didn't. When I finally got mine, I was happy to know that my friends were at different tables. This meant possibly all of us meeting up at the final table. But when they called players to their tables, they tried to put me at a different table. At first I was fine with it because my friends weren't at the table they tried to put me in. But then another person showed up, and they kicked me off that table and tried to put me at a table with my friend, Carrie. When I complained, they tried to put me at Patrick's table. When I said no, I ended up waiting another half an hour, and then ended up playing at the last table. The time for the blinds weren't kept very well, and at one point, they wanted to jump blinds sporadically amongst different tables...meaning some tables didn't have to jump blinds and some did! How is that a fair contest? I complained, and they decided to keep the blinds the same, but just to cut the time, so instead of every 15 minutes, the blinds went up every 8 minutes. This was shootout style...so I had to knock out every single player at my table to get to the final table. I played tight at first, watching everyone play. Here's how I characterized everyone:

#1 seat: Wayne. short, pudgy Asian guy. Told me before we started playing that he plays three or four times a week, both online and in-person. He plays super tightly...got blinded down. I was concerned about him before I started playing, but then he turned out to not be a threat.

#2 seat: Pretty Asian girl with big round eyes. She and I chatted briefly before the game about how disorganized the tourney was. Smoker. She riffles her chips pretty well. I had an eye out for her, especially after she cripples me with a full house, and then makes another full house the very next hand. An experienced player with luck on her side! Danger!

#3 seat: Short Caucasian guy. His move: all-in. He moved all-in quite frequently, and he even marveled at how much respect he was getting for his all-ins.

#4 seat: Tall, muscular Asian guy who's girlfriend is sitting at the next table next to Patrick. He's playing a lot of pots. Likes to see action. Likes to take chances unless you make it expensive for him, then he usually backs down if he doesn't have the goods.

I'm in the 5th seat.

#6 seat: Tiny, mousy, Asian girl. Very quiet. Takes a long time to think and act. Usually limps in pre-flop, but aggressive post-flop. First time she shows her hand, she had nothing against someone who had a pair of Jacks. So, the next time I get a hand, I cripple her easily.

#7 seat: Bony Asian guy. Plays very tight, but aggressively. Whenever he hits, he bets out. When he doesn't hit, he usually checks it down or folds.

#6 is the first to leave. Ever since I cripple her, she couldn't make a move, and eventually got blinded down until she went all-in with hardly any chips. I believe I knocked her out.

Can't remember if #1 or #4 left next, but they left one after the other.

When it's just four of us: #7, #2, #3, and me...#7, #2, & #3 calls. I look down at 5h-4h. I check. Flop comes down Ah-?h-4?. #2 goes all-in. #3 folds. I call because it's not that much more, and #7 calls. Turn is maybe a King? Not a heart. I check...wanting to check it down...but #7 goes all-in. At this point, I'm the chip leader. I have a pair, and a flush draw so I call. We flip, and #7 is holding J-4. So he's got a pair of 4's. I'm angry that he went all-in on a dry side pot with 4's, and a jack kicker. But he's saying he's got the better hand. I don't know the odds, but on the river, I make my flush and knock both of them out.

Last hand at this table is between #3 Caucasian male and me. I see K?-4?, and I put him all-in since I have everyone's chips at the table. He calls, and he turns over J-2. I make two pair, and I win my table.

At the final table, there are six of us. Among my friends, only Patrick and I make it. I go out in fourth, making a straight, while another player made a flush. When it's just down to Patrick and another player, I convince the 2nd place winner to take the WPT package since Patrick works there. The other player agrees. Patrick wins 1st anyway, but he also wins free Direct TV for a year! I win a Go Productions Party package. Good times. Very good times.

Poker Game 6.9.06

The tally isn't working anymore. So I'll just update and not really keep a tally. Today's game was between: Paul, John, Bob, Patrick, Carrie, and me. I'm out first. Carrie's out. Then, Bob. It's heads up between Patrick and John for awhile, but John was aggressive and wins this one.

Sex Change

Alright, that title got your attention, didn't it? It certainly would! Why wouldn't it? It has certainly gotten my attention, so much so that I can't think about anything else right now. I thought people having sex changes only really happen on talk shows or in the latest TV movie of the week. But I actually know someone who had a sex change! I'm sure it's not a secret because he's posted his before and after pictures on a high school classmates reunion type of website, but I'm not going to announce his name here since this blog is more about me and my feelings about the world-at-large. Hee. Hee. Well, my feelings are mixed. I don't think I would've ever guessed, in a million years, that this would've happened. If I had to make a prediction, when I was in high school, how this guy would end up in the next 10 or 15 years, this would not have been it. He was a really nice and normal guy. He didn't seem, in any way, effeminate. He didn't seem overly masculine either, like he was trying to prove something. The only thing that probably wasn't the most normal was the fact he was a bit of a Bible-thumper. But this was Texas, ya'll! If I had to guess what he'd be doing in 10-15 years, I would've said he would be married to a nice woman, had two or three kids, and lived in the suburb. Something completely predictable and boring. So much for what I know! The one thing I do remember about our conversations in high school...I loved saying things that shocked him! And believe me, it didn't take a lot to do that back then. But now...he has officially one-upped me. I don't think I can top this...as long as I live.

Beggars Can't Be Choosers

One late night, about a year ago, I was driving home from work when I realized I needed gas. It was around 3 in the morning, and I got to a gas station around La Brea and Washington Blvd...not a pretty area. As soon as I got out of the car, a tall, black man approached me and asked me if he could pump the gas. I told him it wasn't necessary, but while I was getting out my credit card, he grabbed the gas pump before I could. I told him that I didn't have any cash to give him, but he decided to keep going anyway. While he was pumping gas, he was also telling me why he was out on the street, some story about how he couldn't stand his woman nagging him and something else about his children. When he was almost done, I told him he needed to go home and make up with that nagging wife and take care of his children. He told me he would, and then he asked me to get him something to eat at Lucy's...which was about two or three blocks back North. (I was headed South towards the freeway.) Being the nice person I am, I agreed and drove out of my way to Lucy's to get him some food, while he ran all the way there. Once I got there, I realized it was a cash only place, and I didn't have any cash! I dug around in my car, and pulled out about a dollar in change though and looked at the menu to see what I could afford. One measly hamburger was about it. I ordered the hamburger, and while waiting in line to pay, the gas pump man ran up, all out of breath. He thanks me, and then he asks me what I got him. I paid and told him that I had gotten a burger. He looked at me, wildly, and said...oh no! I don't eat meat. No good deed goes unpunished.

Poker Update 6.2.06

Maybe my plan when I started the poker tally was to give myself some luck. I won the weekly poker game again. This week the players were: Patrick, Paul, David, George, Carrie, and me. I'm actually lucky in this game, picking up pocket queens, at one point, and knocking out David. George is next to go, then Paul loses to a short-stacked Carrie, giving her a monster chip stack. I call Patrick when he's on the short stack, and he's eliminated. Finally, it's just Carrie and me. We go back and forth for awhile, until I call her all-in, and I win.