AimlesslyChasingAmy

It used to be that I played poker for the rush.  I find that now I play to relieve stress; to break away and spend time with the people and games I enjoy.  I was dealing with some stress last week.  A week ago Wednesday, I was wound like a clock.  I was physically exhausted from completing the tile job (pictured above), but still faced with clearing out the second bedroom and bathroom for the new roommate.  My office still had a long way to go before it was “workable” (pictured below).  And my own bedroom?  Even the cats were getting lost in the clutter.  On top of all that, Blackie (aka Blacula) wasn’t doing well.  He was the stray that had gone missing for three years and then suddenly showed up again on my back deck at the end of the summer.  He had a skin condition that was getting progressively worse.  He was limping.  And it was starting to be mating season again.  As an unfixed male, the season was bound to take a toll on his already faltering well being.  I knew an intervention was in order.  I was daunted but determined to try to trap him on Thursday morning.  So Wednesday afternoon, I was just physically and emotionally strained.  Thankfully, last Wednesday night was poker night. 

I headed out to “the game,” wondering if I would enjoy it as much - feeling as stressed as I was.  I enjoyed it even more.  What a great group of guys (and gal).  We were full with 32 players; five to get paid.  I looked around at each of the four tables and one was as much fun as the next.  I wasn’t too disappointed that I was the short stack with 16 players to go because the no limit Omaha hi/lo side game was already in full swing.  The cash game players were bidding me to come join them.  I showed them my remaining two chips and asked them to keep my seat warm.  I doubled up on the very next hand.  I picked my spots and went all-in a total of seven times (once with 2-3 suited) and eventually made the money.  They were calling me ”the cockroach” because I just wouldn’t die.  The pokerboyz know that I may suck at hold’em, but I wield a short-stack like no other.  (I guess that’s the double-edge of getting so much practice playing a short stack)  By the time I drove home, I was revived.

Last Thursday morning, I found myself standing on my back deck in my underwear, snatching up Blackie and stuffing him in the cat carrier.  I hadn’t had my morning coffee and was totally jonesing.  Once on the road, I realized that I had left my cigarettes at home. The early morning was thick with fog.  It was 20+ miles to White Angel Animal Hospital, but it was a new facility that I thought had the best chance of dealing with all Blackie’s woes.  As I drove, I thought a lot about “rescue.”  Rescue is tricky.  You have to understand from the get-go that you might be helping someone (or some cat) with their journey but in the end, the journey is theirs.  When you rescue, you are doing it for your own piece of mind; you are the rescued as much as the rescuer.  What the “recipient” does with it and how they perceive your intervention is immaterial.  You have to believe in the act, regardless of the result.  (I suspect this is a revelation that could aid future Brandi rescuers). Blackie might be grateful or he may shun me for the rest of his life - or ala Brandi, might steal all my appliances.  Once I freed him from the vets on Friday, I let him hole up in my (finally) straightened out office.  He slept comfortably, ate, drank, peed in the appropriate place, and seemed no worse for wear.  I selfishly wondered if he was ready for the transformation from stray to pet.  As the day wore on he became more affectionate.  But I suspected this was more a case of Stockholm Syndrome than his readiness to settle down.  I kept him overnight and let him outside on Saturday morning.  He seemed relieved.  I was still worried about the boy, but luckily I had “Saturday with Pauly” to work out my anxiety.

It was great to play a little PLO with the bloggers.  I realized, for the second time that week, that poker can make for some fine company and I was among the finest.  I never had a big stack, but managed to squeak into the final table.  Pauly on the other hand was the big stacked beast for almost the entire game.  Not since I played a (very) drunken PLO home game with Robert Williamson III have I seen anyone play marginal cards as aggressively (and successfully) as Pauly did.  I’m not saying he was juiced or anything, but Pauly was hitting like Barry Bonds.  As we neared the bubble, I called it.  After all, I had the most “bubble” experience in the group and I thought I deserved it.  But it was not to be.  On the bubble, Drizz caught a nice flop draw, but Pauly eventually rivered quads with the monster starting hand of 7-7-3-3.  I eventually took my short stack to fourth place.  I’m so bad at remembering what day of the week it is.  I hope I figure it out again so I can play this week.

Blacula (pictured above - lounging on the deck waiting for his milk fix) has been coming by once or twice a day.  He seems to be in no rush to change the status quo and that’s fine by me.  He looks great and hopefully, without having the need to chase down some pussy in the upcoming mating season, he’ll stay that way.

As I’ve already mentioned, I got my beautiful tile (yes - more pics) at The Tile Guy in Austin - where I got “the poker rate.”  Kevin, the owner, is heading out to Vegas at the end of March to celebrate his 40th birthday.  Kevin is a phenomenal player - but hasn’t played in Vegas for over a decade.  He’s looking for the best tournaments to play - $100 and up buy-ins with a field of 100 players or so.  What can folks recommend?  I know Binion’s has been getting over a hundred players for their tournaments.  Caesars had a really nice structure, but I haven’t played there in awhile so I’m not sure what kind of prize pools they’re generating.  And I’ve never played the Bellagio tournaments - so any experience on that front will be welcome.  Any others people can think of?  Let’s hook him up with some advice - he’s good peeps.