Fuck you full tilt.

Fuck you full tilt.

2010 Recap

A couple months ago I had a chat with my elderly grandfather about what it is I actually do, with my time in general, and in poker. It was a long meandering conversation that neither of us came out of with a great understanding of what had just been talked about. 2 things that I did come away from it with were, my grandfather accepts what I do for a living(weeee), and that it is imperative for me to document my life.

He was in awe as I mentioned some of my random misadventures, and stared at me with a slight sense of regret as he grabbed my hand and urged me too write all these things down.

"When you get old, you just won't remember them"

So, figured I might as well write them here for all of the internet to see.

I started 2010 with a vengeance in the poker world. I had set out to make 150k in the calender year and I would not be denied. Swiftly making 16k in the first month and a bit, well on my way to my goal. Then Valentines hit, plans with a random girl fell through and I managed to hit my yearly goal slightly early.

This victory was followed a couple months of inactivity, all while planning a massive trip through Europe and dealing with the great bitch known as taxes ughhh.

Went to Europe, spent a lot of time in spain. Met up with great people while traveling with a friend, managed to get stranded in Madrid because a volcano decided to erupt, what an asshole. Learned the finer points of finding vegan options at restaurants, in a language I did not understand. Had the unique experience of banding together with strangers in the closest thing to a disaster I've ever been involved with. And spent some time in Grenada.

Met up with two great poker players from Germany in a small town outside of Barcelona called Peralada to donk a tournament. Whole experience was pretty neat as the tourney was in a castle, and Dr Gre and 0vashork were great guys to hang out with. Awful wing men as was shown in Barcelona, which we visited after, but solid dudes who are going to be very successful in poker.

After those adventures, met up with a good friend of mine in Oxford to party with the best and brightest on May day, sloppy. Took off from there to Ireland for a couple weeks to discuss business, poker, and different types of rain with LAPPIN. It was before the end of Lost, and as fans we concocted some of the most ingenious possible endings for the show. We came up with these multi-layered interwoven possibilities that had betrayal and deep philosophy's at their high points. Thank god lost's writers had a better vision.....

Flying home from my vacation I was surprisingly drained. But after that the concerts and party's kept on going. A ton of them held or created by my brother, one of the co-founders of www.feelsgood.ca. There was a house boat party, feelsgood folly fest, Joel Plaskett, Sunseekers Ball, Cake, Delhi to Dublin, Girl Talk, Our Lady Peace, 3sheet a million times. All the while having the pleasure of dating a really cool girl or 2 to make it just that much sweeter.

During the days in this time I was making a run at being a pro video game player. Probably the best use of my time. In all seriousness, might have wasted a couple months of prime earning years of my life, which is just a shame. So I up and quit, planned a trip around the east coast of the USA and central Canada and started to drive.

On this roadtrip I got to Boston, Hartford, New York, Hamilton, Toronto, Ottawa, and Fredericton. It was an insane amount of driving, easily over 48 hours in my car when you include small side trips, but I got to spend a lot of time with some of my favorite people. Lucky enough to catch 4 nba games, nfl game of the year, the blue man group, be in a casino for the weirdest mashup of american thanksgiving and asia possible, go to quite a few kick ass restaurants, and get drunk in so many different areas.

Also, probably best of all I got to spend some time in the best store ever. Max & Lily's Closet, the most happening fine childrens consignment clothing store in all of Connecticut. I had been to West Hartford a year previously, when the store was just a dream. It had come so far in that time and was looking incredibly impressive.

All in all this trip made me realize I had been setting my goals way to low. Spent a lot of the drives reexamining exactly what I was doing, and what I wasn't doing, and had quite a few soul searching convo's with friends kind enough to put me up for a day or two. This brings me up to my stellar end of the year as I take up poker again, rededicate myself to making money and creating opportunity's for myself. Frankly the most exciting part of writing this post, is imagining how much better 2011 will be.

So thats my year, skipping a lot of small details. Happy to have it hear, hopefully it will help me remember this in my senility. Also I know the empty void of the internet appreciates having it.

Decent Session=Bodily Pain

So in my aggressive stance on improving the condition of my back, I've been to have a couple therapeutic massages. Last massage, the masseuse found the main knot in my back. Worked it for 30 minutes and sent me away with a couple new stretches. Felt fine until I decided to sit in place today for a couple hours. God damn pain.

Sessions started out rough with some bad beats, but I'm a massive trooper and soldiered through to end up on the session a couple hundred. Really looking forwards to being in Buenos Aires so I can start doing more legit mtt sessions. It's the main way I'm going to be able to increase my earnings, but being in my hometown I have wayyyy too many meetings, drinks, partying and family events to invest that kind of time.

I'm playing well. I have full confidence in my skills now for the first time in a while. I've added 75's full on in my screen. I'm not fully comfortable in my BR for them, but I'm ready mentally, which is by far the most important aspect for me. Going to be an interesting 2011, many trips planned, a ton of money already mentally spent. Time to start earning enough money to pay for it all.

6 Days till Buenos Aires

Sick pumped for this upcoming trip. Another missed day for poker, but with family commitments and lack of sleep it didn't make any sense to try and rush a session. Poker will be kicked into high gear in the next little while as I'm basically partied out. I'll be suffering through this track pad bologna for the next few days till I get back to my homestead away from home. Been an unreal good vacation though, feeling so refreshed about life. Sharpening the saw was the term for it if I recall. I'm ready to grind now full tilt. Fingers crossed for life run good to continue. Happy New Years empty void of the internet, looking forwards to making a ton of posts about how ridiculous jabberwocky and tji are after I finally meet them.

Back On It

So every single day was derailed by Xmas. I've managed to squeak in 2 mini sessions over the past two days playing distinctly averagely and losing in general. I've realized that I've become lax in my learning habits and am going to start looking for any possible quality literature out there. People keep on passing me by.

Have firmed out my goals as well, as my trip to Buenos Aires for two months grows near. I have decided to make enough money to start this year so that by tax time I am able to pay off my taxes with money I have earned in that time. I'm guesstimating it will be between 40-50k. This is an easily attainable goal and I will be working diligently to achieve it. This prop bet there is only one possible winner and loser, not going to be me this time.

Looking forwards to the trip down south, take a break from all this cold weather partying. Still have a retarded cold which I am blaming for my lack of effort over the past few, but its no excuse anymore. Going to power in one session tomorrow and a quick NYE update before going and having an absolute blast at various partys and events. 2 days left before a new year begins.

Merry Xmas: Trackpads are the worst

Finishing up another session, 4 games left on screen with one cash under my belt so far today. It was actually fairly impressive. I had over half the chips in play in a 26/45 with 5 people left. Was just smoking people, peddle to the metal, cruising my way to a supposedly easy win. 5 hands later I was out in 5th.

I've kinda used this little cold I've picked up as an excuse to slack a bit in this, and with so much going on during the holidays its been tough playing much poker. Also, screw this business of 12 tabling with a track pad. What kind of ridiculousness is that. Figured it would be fine to leave my mouse/keyboard combo in hali, how young and naive I was.

Tilty business this session as well, it is incredibly baffling to see the retarded plays people make against me. Which should mean I will be feasting off them long term, but it is frustrating trying to assign ranges to people when so many people make the most foolish plays. Bahhhh, figure I'm going to go over some of my recent hand histories. I still feel like I'm playing relatively well, but its so hard to say when not thinking through each individual hand.

Party in a hotel tonight, got my room locked up with good friends/booze on tap. Not going to be playing till the 27th or so, as baby jesus was born around now.

Phhh Sessions

Another day without a session, and a cold creeping in. 2 nights in a row of hard drinking coming up. Can't wait for buenos aires. Heat stroke>Cold.