Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Stepping up

Some moron left a huge comment about something or the other... I had to delete the post and redo it.. I just couldn't find anyway to delete comments... which, if there is not a way, is darn right silly.. anyway,, I copied my text, made another entry, and then deleted the original...

But, now, today.. I have something to say.. or rather, something to type about.. its probaly only important to me, but, thats ok.

I have made a huge decision and started the process of buying a home. originally, I had planned on a rent to own deal with a manufactured home community.. but, decided, if I am going to pay that much money each month, it should be a home... a real home, and not only that, a new home.. I applied online to a couple well known realtors in the area, for pre qualification. One called me and said that I prequalified... Now, I am not sure what it actually takes to prequalify, but, it certainly can not be too much, considering my credit rating...

I was able, with the prequalification, to pick a lot, a floorplan, siding, colors, and such.. and sign a crap load of paperwork.... but, I still need to clear the actual loan application process.. which, to be honest, I don't think any bank in the world will be willing to give that kind of moola...

I am still gonna go thru the process tho.. if worst comes to worst, meaning, if I can't get a house, I will still move, only it will be to a bigger apartment ( with a washer/dryer ).

Needless to say, I am rather excited.. altho, I really should try not to be... if all goes well... I should be able to move in my new home, this coming August... if not, well, then I'll be be moving end of March....

So, Hiro found out his father is not who thought he was... and Claire, who has known for sometime her father is not who he appears to be, has found her mother... incase you missed it last night.. George Takei, you know, Sulu, showed up at the end of Heroes last night... and he didn't look too happy... ( that reminds me, the name of the street my home is going to be built on, is Enterprise... the neighborhood has a NASA theme for the street names ).

Prison Break was phenomenal as usual... they don't make them much better than this, least not on network television....

Well, I had to turn on comment moderation, due to the last one to comment.. so, I am sorry for all you regular commentors... but, I know have to screen my fan mail...

;)

peace

Monday, January 29, 2007

New Ice, not so nice

Well... last week it was cold and wet here in Austin, and surrounding areas... cold and wet enuff to make ice.. lots of ice.... and a bit of snow in some places.. Now mind you, alot of people here in Austin would have called it 'alot of snow', but, I've been to places with actual snowfall, and believe me, it was not really even snow.. but, who am I to pop anyone's bubble..

April took a few photos.

For me.. it meant not having to work Tuesday or Wednesday of last week.. Monday was already a holiday.. but, since we got behind, I ended up working Friday(another holiday), and Saturday, to help catch up... They talked about working 12-16 hour shifts this week...but, that was not gonna happen for me, certainly not on Monday (yesterday).

I've been catching a bit of American Idol... and it is only because I can not find anything else halfway interesting enuff to pass the time.. ( on tv anyway ). Same ol crap from all the other shows.. I think the next show has them in Memphis.. make way for Elvis, he is sure to make an appearance or two, or three.

Pretty much zero poker online.. I pretty much quit with the announcement of the illegal online gambling thing. I still like to play live, and need to make more of an effort to actually go out and play live... City of Heroes/Villains is not helping much.. If they ever add some sort of hold em to this game, as an 'in-game'. I will be in trouble..

I am currently in the market for a new home.. I would like to stop the apartment living and move into an actual home. Even a 'manufactured' home would be good enough for me. I've looked at a few, and they are nothing like what they had when I lived in one as a child. Anyway, this endeavor prevents me from spending to much money on things that are, hmm, lets say, not exactly necessary.. booze, hookers, and poker.. Hopefully, by the end of March, I will be in a new home... maybe I can host my own poker tourneys, and people will come to me..... ok, well, its a thought.

I haven't seen any standout movies lately.. I did catch a few lil known films on an off channel the other night..
Hell in the Pacific - directed by John Boorman, starring Lee Marvin and Toshiro Mifune
Deliverance (prolly well known) - directed by John Boorman(imagine that), starring Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty, Jon Voight, Ronnie Cox
To Late the Hero - directed by Robert Aldritch, starring Cliff Robertson and Michael CaineI forget which channel, prolly TCM (Turner Classic Movies).

Welp, back to work for me...

peace

( i had to redo this post due to an anon comment... couldn't figure out how to delete the comment.. have turned on second level of comment security... sigh )

Saturday, January 20, 2007

Monday, January 08, 2007

To,Too,Two,2,Tu-Tu

So, we are 8 days into the New Year and I am happy to report, no tradegies to report, from me... jeesh, last year, especially the last half, seemed like each month something dreadful and foreboding happened to me or someone in my family... here's looking forward to a much bettre year..

So, better late than never I guess, let me finish my Vegas write up.. before we get into the time frame where it won't matter, if we haven't already...

I'll just add my thoughts from the list I made on the original post:

1) another hold em tourney, at the Imperial, which at first seemed that it might be my saving grace

Hmmm.. after the blogger tourney, I went back over to the IP and signed up for one of their $55 dollar tourneys.. I started out in seat 3, just like the blogger tourney, so I figure I was doomed already.. and the button was at seat 10, which I had never seen before, but, made sense.. first three hands I get the same crap I was getting at the event, and my frustration level, which was already high, and barely starting to subside, starting rising again.. then, on the button, when it is my turn to act, I look down and see a pair of Black Queens.. I creamed my jeans as they say... the BB was 50, and there were 4 callers before me, so, I popped it to 200, everyone folded except for the guy to my immediate right, who cold called.. flop shows.. KhQh8s, and this guy checks.. I figure he has a King perchance, or maybe an Ace with a weak kicker, and I bet out with my set, a pot size bet of about 600.. he cold calls.. hmmmm.. flush draw is what I think now... turn is 2h... he bets 300.. I figure he got his flush right here, and to find out, I raise him 600 to 900.. he goes all in before I even finish my turn... so, I say nice flush and flip my cards, he flips J6hearts.. and we never see the river... bout 2/3 my chips are gone..

next hand I get ATs, 3 callers before me, I push, get one call, and his T7s beats my hand with a 7 on the river... IGSlotsN

2) some texas hold em bonus

I tried out the fairly new Texas Hold'em Bonus table game, of which the IP had two. I bought in for 60 bucks, lasted about 2 hours, had about 8 drinks, and tipped the dealer one red chip.. I like the game simply because the only idiot available to beat you, is you.

3) slots

I don't play slots to gamble, I play to get drunk... I usually play the penny machines and I try to find one that has a min payout of 5cents per credit.. they do exist.. what I mean is, I hate betting a nickle a spin, and 'winning' 2cents, cuz, your really not winning anything... anyhoot.. I also try to pick a machine where a waitress happens to be near.. otherwise, I might be waiting forever for a drink, and that defeats my purpose.. so, with those two things done, I ask for my drink, give her 5 bucks at that time, and smile.. this trip.. I prolly put in 20 bucks into the slots at the IP, took out 40, and tipped various waitresses 40-50 bucks.. on the way out of Vegas at the airport.. and yes I know, never play the airport slots.. but, I was bored.. first machine I tried was a quarter machine, and on the 3rd spin, 1 credit, I won a 30 dollar jackpot... next machine was a nickle machine and on the 5th spin, I won a 17 dollar jackpot... some quick Slayre type math, and I find myself ahead on slots, for this Vegas trip...\

4) flirting with the most beautiful cocktail waitress in the world ( who got more and more beautiful with each drink she brought me

Hmm.. I forgot her name.. she was cute, and sexy, and she paid much attention to me... most likely due to her getting the majority of the tips I mentioned up there in #3. She promised to look for me in June or July, which is when I expect to return.. and I promised to look for her as well.. I imagine only one of us will keep that promise.. ;) you figure out which one.

5) somewhat rotound young lady sporting two of the extra large hugh yard glasses they use for the daquiris.. like the bandeleros you would find on a mexican bandito...

I am not gonna say too much about this one.. it was a strange sight.. in addition, she looked like she was on the prowl, for I'm not sure.. but I knew if I had eye contact, there was a good chance I would be her prey... and so... I took an immediate left turn, pretending I needed something from the baggage hold area...

6) guy describing, in detail, his idea of a very undesirable female body part, due to bad hygiene and what not, to his friend, who is leaning over the sink... dry heaving

apparently, a group of young men were out and about drinking and carousing.. and one of them got sick, but, couldn't vomit.. and I imagine, cuz, its not like I have been there before.. but it is my guess, that 'he knew if he could just throw up, he would be alright'.. so, his friend was describing the grossest stuff he could think of... trying to get him to vomit... I thought it was pretty funny....

7) guy walking out of harrahs, right in front of me, to the street and just heaves ho..

different guy than #6. we are walking down the strip.. and this guy just walks out to the rail between the road and the sidewalk, and just projectiles a couple of loads, wipes his mouth on his sleeve, and then goes back in to the casino.... I figured I would see that again before the trip was over, but, no......

8) actually winning slots at the airport, yeah.. 45 bucks to the good ( teflon ) for the hour I was there...

Already talked about this.. but, wanted to mention (teflon).. my buddy, who traveled with me, and put up with all my poker talk and what not.. wasn't quite sure what I meant, when I used the term, 'stuck'.. as in, "I am only stuck 60 bucks at the blackjack table".. so, he asked, and I explained, best I could.. so then he asks "What term do you people use when your ahead?".. and I tell him.. we use the term "Ahead". He thought we should use a better term, and suggested teflon, cuz, stuff don't 'stick' to teflon... so, 'I am 45 bucks teflon at the slots'.. you decide.

9) chatting with derek and pauly

oh what can I say about these two clowns that has not already been said... they are two of the nicest people I have ever met... pauly, mentions things to me, something or the other he saw on my blog or whatnot.. and it means alot to me... and derek just makes me laugh... nothing but good thoughts for these two. ( I don't think either one of them 'really' know how to play poker )

10) star trek encounter

weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee... did both the klingon experience, and the borg encounter.. the latter of which was a complete waste of time... the first one tho.. well worth it, and I would tell you about it, but, Capt. Picard instructed me not to.. so... ( maybe this guy can tell you about it )
Edit: and he does, sorta

11) monorails

oh lord.. don't get me started.... the monorail stations are at the back of the casino/hotels.. which, depending on which station you are getting on at, or off.. is a good/bad thing.. I am only goning to mention one bad example, and then one good one... MGM Grand station.. OMG!.. we got on there, to get back to the IP.. ( btw, we bought a day pass ), and to get to the actual station, you have to walk thru the casino.. well, I am not positive, but, I would bet a shiny nickle that it is a shorter distance from the MGM strip entrance to the IP strip entrance, than it is from the front of the MGM to the back, where the station is... funny thing is.. we did that 3 times.... ( strip walk would have most likely provided better people watching entertainment as well )

Now, we also went the other way.. getting from the elevators at the IP to the station, is a quick 5 minute walk.. and we used it to go to the Hilton, for the Star Trek thingy... once you get there, and go down the stairs.. the Star Trek part of the Hilton is right there.. so, that was nice...

12) casino impressions

This is a stupid topic and I never should have listed it... the IP, by comparing to the rest, or most of the rest of the center strip Casinos, sucks... but, the price is generally right...

13) atlantis show

I think this was at Ceasars.. its one of the free shows that various Casinos offer.. it was pretty cool... nice lil story and some pretty decent effects.... I would never pay for it, and I prolly will never bother to see it again... free or not.. but, it started up right as we were walking by, so..

14) mirage volcano ( that was it!?!?! your freaking kidding me )

yawn... keep walking, move along, nothing to see here.

15) auto show

oh my God.. they got rid of over half thier cars.. and all the good ones to boot... last year I was in there for over an hour.. this trip, 10 minutes, tops.... I was so disappointed.

16) eats

um.. i don't recall my thoughts from the time I listed this.. IP buffer sucked.. don't remember it sucking so bad my first trip.. but, then, I had never had a Vegas buffet before... we didn't starve..

17) how much bourbon did I drink ( see #4 )

more than most of the bloggers, much less than the SoCo Al most likely drank.

18) lost comb

I don't have much hair, but the little I do have, requires a comb, at least once a day.. well, it promptly disappeared, 5 minutes after getting into our room.. only to reappear 5 minutes before we left.....bizarre.. I had thought about growing my hair back out.. but, have since shaved it all off again..

19) stolen money

Every day, I put whatever change I had in my pocket on the table, no, not the table, the top of the bookcase thing they were using for an entertainment center, in the room... on the 3rd day, monday(we left tuesday morning), after coming back from breakfast, or lunch, it was gone.. about 4 bucks worth of change... I suppose the house staff figured it for a tip.. so, the next day, I left my change again, in the same place.. all 4 pennies.

20) things I saw that made me wish I had brought my camera ( see #5 )

I didn't bring a camera and I wish I had... and if you have ever been to Vegas without a camera, you prolly know what I mean.

That's it.. I actually completed my list... there is lots of other mundane stuff that happened, nothing much worth blogging about..

Much thanks to April for putting it all together... hugs

Oh, I got a kick out of the Japanese couple on the elevator that spoke absolute zero English, but, were very impress with my knowledge of their language.. which is simply counting from 1 to 10. Which was enuff to let them in on which floor I needed, and alot more fun than me just pushing 16 myself...
don't touch my moustache

Peace