AimlesslyChasingAmy

Days after my return from Vegas (and just a few days away from my departure for the northeast) something snapped.  I was exiting Big Box Store Hell, having found none of the only cat food Java will eat and having to negotiate my way through last minute Xmas shopping parking lot mania.  As I made my way toward the highway, I noticed a car coming towards me, merrily straddling the center line.  The driver, a cell phone yakking soccer mom, was apparently as clueless as she appeared behind her gas guzzling SUV windshield.  While I could have veered over to the right to avoid her, I didn’t.  Instead, I steered toward the center line.  On her current trajectory, there was no way she could miss me.  And then I did something that assured me that I was on tilt: I stepped on the gas.  My only wish (as she dropped her cell phone and swerved to avoid me) was that she also peed her pants just a little.

It’s been a long time since I’ve risked death or employment termination on a gesture of unbridled aggression.  It felt good, like a pair of comfortable slippers; familiar and well worn.  It was at that moment I realized how much I needed the break I was about to take.  It was also the moment that I decided my laptop should not join me on the trek.

I was tilting on a number of fronts.  I was disappointed, but not entirely surprised, that the EU sold out its online gambling businesses for a shot at competing in our courier and warehousing markets.  With possible damages to their online gambling companies totaling $100 billion, they sold out cheap.  Of course the “damaged” online businesses didn’t get a cent.  And US companies like Fedex and UPS will be forced to take one for the team; I’m sure they’re thrilled.  It’s just one more case where the elected US political process was derailed by the administration’s will, without regard for the cost to our economy or trade relationships.  Another recent example was Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft’s cave in to the US Department of Justice.  I mean how many companies are going to willingly bend over and let Catherine Hanaway do them with a strap-on.  Fight back fellas.  You’ll feel better about yourselves in the morning. 

Also, I hardly had any time to bask in my Vegas memories.  If you’ve never come over the top of Jordan, then you haven’t played a blogger tournament.  I was lucky that I actually caught something in my stop-and-go play against him as he called my all-in with his bottom pair of 2s to my middle pair of 4s.  You gotta love it.  And I so enjoyed the sports book bonding at the IP - that is if you are allowed to use the words “enjoy” and “IP” in the same sentence.  It was cool to play catch up with Otis.  It seemed like years since we strolled the Amazon Room floor together.  Joaquin asked for and received a winner’s hug from me.  When I suggested that the length of said hug might be approaching a grope, he feigned indignation, claiming I had ruined “our moment.”  This of course got him another reassuring hug from me.  In other words, he played me like a banjo; befitting a WPBT Winter Classic Champion.  Congrats again Joaquin. 

I spent Monday night in Vegas with Brian and Leigh over a delicious home cooked meal.  The meal was accompanied by two bottles of wine and a rousing game of HORSE.  Leigh triumphed, becoming the latest HORSE Champion of the Universe.  Granted the field size was only 4.  Her victory must have made some impression though as Brian finally asked and Leigh finally said “yes.” Congrats guys.  My brother came into town and we got plenty of bonding time in between his marathon stud sessions with the octogenarian Vegas locals at the Mirage.  Most of the pictures in today’s blog were from our trip to Red Rock Canyon, which we topped off with BBQ from the Salt Lick. 

I got to catch up with some of my favorite pros at the Bellagio; basically the whole gang was there.  The first person I ran into was Vinnie Procopio, who is now out on bail and who filled me in on his life after the bust.  He claimed even the cards were turning on him - although I saw him take down a monster bluff in the 10/20 NLHE game he was playing at the time.  The second person I ran into was Daniel Negreanu.  I congratulated him on his great blog spoof of Phil Hellmuth.  Do yourself a favor and read Phil’s blog first and then Daniel’s spoof.  I got to give Shaniac shit (again) for his extended break from blogging, although this was mostly meant in jest.  I think we’ve all had times when we needed a little distance from the blog.  But I’m still holding out hope for their reunion tour.  I got my traditional (and always appreciated hug) from Barry Greenstein.  I stalked Brad Berman outside the Bellagio mens room to get confirmation of his WPTE stock purchase - later verified by this SEC filing.  And of course I got a little time with BJ in as he covered for the WPT.

My last day in Vegas was spent watching football with Mike Matusow, which is an experience that is difficult to put into words.  The fact that he went 9-for-9 on the games we watched meant Mike was at his most jubilant, ie very loud.  The last night was spent with a visit from Jen and Schecky at the Carnegie Deli where we ate desert and Schecky trounced us at Chinese.  Beware of friends who carry their own deck.

I had a great visit to the northeast; visiting family and friends that I haven’t seen for years and shoveling snow.  But I’ll write more about that (and my seven mimosa morning) soon…