Weekend in AC

This past weekend was my big weekend in Atlantic City. Amy and I both met out weight loss goals so we both earned our trips. I booked a decent room in the Tropicana. My friend Toby and headed up for the weekend.

After 3 trips around the block to find the entrance to the parking garage, we grabbed our bags (mine loaded up with a gallon of beer and Captain Morgan because Toby said their were no free drinks in tournaments), and we headed into the hotel. After hiking across the casino and asking directions 3 times (it was that far) we finally got tho the check-in desk. A nice clerk saw we were in a room clear back where we started so he nicely changed or room to this side. We hiked up to the room (my bag was really heavy by this point) only to find the room had not been cleaned; cups all over, sheets off the bed, etc. We hiked back down to the desk, were given a room clear back where we started, and hiked once again. By this point I was exhausted and needed a change of clothes. I took a couple shots of the Captain to get my game on and we headed out.

We then decided to walk (against my better judgment) the 5 blocks to Caesars in the freezing cold crime ridden streets of AC. We signed up for the 9:00 tournament and walked the shops until game time.

The blind structure was tough, 5000 chips, blinds up every 20 min and antes at the third level. Since the table was loose and I didn't catch any decent hands, it was hard to build a stack. I did catch quite a few free Captain and Cokes (yes they were free!). I held out for 2 hours but went out 11th out of 40 some of us. They paid the top 6. Toby went out 9th.

We ended just a bit too late to make the midnight madness as the Taj so we caught the bus back to the Trop and called it a night.

The next day we played the 11:00 at the Showboat and both busted early. I was flopped a straight, got it all in, and busted to a guy with 2 pair who sucked out with a boat on the river. Oh well, I got my money in when I had the best of it, what can you do?

I was out early enough to play the 2:00 tournament. I figured what the hell, we came here to play. I played very conservative and enjoyed my free liquor. Between the earlier game and this one, I was in good shape :P I caught some lucky hands, built my stack slowly, and was somehow still in it after 2 hours. After the 2nd break, I was moved to a new table. They were very tight so I was able to bluff my ass off and pick up quite a few chips. The hand I did show down won so I was sitting pretty.

Another move and I decided to get conservative again. We were down to two tables (about 20 of the original 50+ players were left). I couldn't believe I got this far. I got crap for a while and then picked up Ace & 7 of spades. The flop came down with two spades. I raised trying to win the hand but an old dude across the table called with a cocky grin. To my amazement another spade came on the turn. He checked, I now had the hand. The board wasn't paired so I had the nuts (highest hand possible). I tried to look nervous and raised about half the chips I had left (3/4 of the pot) and he called. The river was a blank and I looked at my chips. Not much left compared to how big the pot was. I asked nervously how many chips he had left. He said more than you have. So I thought for another minute, said "what the hell, I'mm all in" He called instantly and turned white when I showed the flush. He had 2 pair and thought I just had a pair.

The next hour was pretty good. Our table broke and we were down to one table. This annoying librarian looking lady started asking about taking a collection for the bubble boy (the person who loses just before the paid positions). The tourny was paying 7, there were 9 of us. We agreed, 10 bucks each would pay the entry for the guy who bubbled. Then she busted out, two away from the bubble. I felt kind of bad for her but everyone was glad she was gone. She had been bitching about jacks for the past three hours.

I was so excited, at this point I was getting money no matter what! I picked up some OK hands, played well and actually outlasted half the table. The dude across from me had about 1/2 the chips and we were down to 4 players. He was winning with ace rag over and over so I had to make a stand. I looked down and Ace 10 clubs and went all in. He called turning over Ace Jack and it was all over. Still, I just made $318 on my $65 entry. I was so psyched!

I took myself out to the Hard Rock for a pig sandwich to celebrate!

After that the weekend wasn't very eventful. I tried a cash game with Toby that night. There were 5 really drunk guys at our limit table. Thy were all going full speed ahead on every hand. You can beat one drunk idiot but 5 of them made it impossible. I had pocket queens busted 3 times and aces busted once buy idiot hands like 9 4 hitting 2 pair. I should have walked earlier but I was kept thinking they couldn't get lucky forever. I learned my lesson.

The last day I was still a little ahead but I came to play so I entered on last tourny. I got crap cards and busted early. Oh well.

I left AC with $100 less then had come with. However, I had played in 4 tournaments, $100 in a cash game, and I had at least 20 free drinks. I also had a blast. If you do the math, I think I definitely came out ahead.

So what did we learn?
1. Drinks are free in tournaments (don't haul in 10 lbs of liquor).
2. Atlantic City is a shit hole. (don't go there unless you just came to play poker, their ain't nothin to do there but gamble) If I'd have the time it would only have been another $100 or so a piece to fly to Vegas.
3. Jitneys are your friend ($2 short buses that go up and down the strip preventing frostbite, sore feet, and muggings)
4. Never play limit poker with a table of drunk idiots at a bachelor party.
5. The Showboat is the best play to stay and play poker in AC.
6 Old people walk like battering rams when they are gambling away their children's inheritance.

I jumped out of a perfectly good airplane!

Good weekend. Spent Thanksgiving weekend with the inlaws, brother and sister in laws, and their many minions. We had a great house, aside from no heat on our floor, and great weather. The first day was 75, following days were in the high 40s/ low 50s. The kids played with their cousins a lot so I actually participated in some adult conversation (felt kinda weird) and played some online poker (free wifi rocks!).

The best part though, was getting to sky dive. We had planned and attempted the trip 2 and a half years ago for Dan's 30th birthday. After we were geared up, the clouds rolled in and they canceled the jump. Since we were driving past the "airport" on the way home and Dan was as well, we met up to jump.






Yes, that's the runway!



We pulled into the row of RVs and dirt field that claims to be Laurel Airport Sunday afternoon to a brisk 50 degrees and light cloud cover. We got geared up, signed about 17 pages of waivers (I kid you not), and met the instructors.





30 min later we had had our 5 min. training and were boarding a two prop plane that looked straight off the cover of one of Jimmy Buffet's albums. I kissed Amy and the kids goodbye, and boarded.








We literally had to sit on each others laps as they crammed about 16 of us into the back of this plane, pulled down the mini garage door on the side, and took off (all in a matter of 3 minutes).

Uncomfortably squished between two dudes, I figured we were just about as high as we needed to be after 15 minutes. The instructor then informed us we were only halfway. He pulled my straps tight one more time and began attaching himself to me in ways that should be reserved for a dungeon. 10 minutes later a green light came on and we were at 13,000 ft, ready to plummet back to earth.

The dudes in the front, solo jumpers, pulled up the door, counted to three, and jumped out. Woosh, they were gone in a millisecond, swept away like cartoon characters. 2 tandem groups went after and then we waddled up to the door. Surprisingly I was not at all nervous about jumping. The only thing I was worried about was not beding my legs high enough in the air. I put my feet on the edge of the door, crossed my arms, and the instructor leaned us forward.

Before I knew it we were out the door and falling very very fast. I felt my ears bubbling and popping (I was a bit congested) and icicles forming on my face. The wind was rushing by so fast but it didn't really feel like falling, not like a roller coaster anyway. More like just going really fast straight down. We fell like that for over a minute and then he pulled the shoot.





We abruptly stopped and then floated from there down like a feather. The view was incredible. You could see the curvature of the earth in 360 degrees. It was so calm and peaceful after such a rapid decent. The instructor let me control for a bit and showed me how to put us into a 2 g spin (not very comfortable, I like my brain in my head). A few more minutes and we were ready to land. there was a big gravel pit that we flew into. It was about like sliding into first in baseball. I was on the ground and Marc didn't have to follow through on his offer to scrap me up if things didn't work out.

Cristy tagged me

Rules

A). Link to the person who tagged you and post the rules on your blog.



B). Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself.
1. My dream job would be to work on the Geek Squad.
2. I do the majority of my reading on the toilet.
3. I hate being around dogs.
4. I hated reading and avoided it like the plague until college.
5. I love all three CSIs for different reasons. CSI for quality TV, NY for quirkiness, and Miami for the hilarity of David Caruso's acting and how good it makes my HDTV look.
6. I'm needle phobic but getting tattoos doesn't bother me. The wiping and cleaning afterward does.
7. I get my back waxed at least 3 times a year.

C). Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.

Every Wrong Move (Amy)

Jer Illuminated (Jeremy)

Dementation (Jen)

(Wry)

Open Vein (Belaja)

Ripzip-a-dee-doo-dah (Ripzip)

Todd's Hammer (Todd)

>
D). Let each person know that they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

New Tattoo

I finally got my new tattoo. I took Amy a few weeks ago to the same place we got our original tattoos 11 years go. I had wanted to get a Tiki God in the spring but the healing calls for staying out of pools, the sun, and the ocean for a few weeks so it just didn't fit into the schedule.

The artist who did Amy's did such a great job that I really wanted him to do mine as well. I was a little nervous as we had an image for Amy's that we brought with us but he drew mine from scratch. I described what I wanted and left it up to him. The first time I saw his drawing was 10 minutes prior to getting it. Needless to say he drew exactly what I wanted.

I did surprising well as I'm a total needle phobe. The Valium did help but it wore off about 45 minutes in so the last 2 1/2 hours was all me. I did get a little nervous about half way but got it back together and was fine. Since he did so much shading, he ended up going over the same spots 4 and 5 times which got a lot bit tender toward the end.

The only time I really got queezy was when he asked me to stand up so he could take pics and had to wipe the blood away first with a paper towel. The thought/feeling of rough paper over my fresh bleeding tattoo was a little much and I had to sit down for a few minutes to get color back. Otherwise I deserve a lollipop. We'll have to see how removing the bandage and cleaning goes tonight.

It's really much better than I had even considered it would be so I'm very excited. I was going to get my hammers redone today too but it took a lot longer than he expected so I have to come back another time for that.

I have a real niece now

My brother Andy and his wife had their daughter last night. Jen did great and the baby is so cute. Amy came in this morning and said how's it feel to have a real niece. I thought that was a funny. I married into most of my other nieces and nephews. Congrats Andy and Jen.