No Title Because I Can't Think Of One

I care way too much about what others think about me. I always have and probably always will. And, not just people I know, but I care about what complete strangers think about me as well. Though I have discovered there is one exception to this, when I am at a poker table I don't give a flying fuck what anyone thinks. As long as they are strangers that is. Do I want to be liked? Sure, who doesn't but at the poker table I don't feel as if it is as necessary. I mean, I'm never going to play the way every person at the table wants me too. I've got my style and they have theirs. If I am off my game, I shouldn't be at the table and if I care what the table is thinking about me, I'm definitely not going to be on my game. So, when I sit down at the table, I am basically saying "Fuck it" and it tends to work.

I haven't always been this way at the poker table. The first time I sat down at that table at Excalibur, I was scared to death I was going to do something stupid and someone was going to criticize me for it. I got to the point where I was off my game every time I sat down and, last June, it all came to a head.

Last June, while I was in Las Vegas with the bloggers, I couldn't win money to save my life. I was so off my game that I actually fell into a slight depression and spent part of my last night alone in the room watching cable while my friends were burning up the Craps table. I was having fun at the poker table but I just couldn't win because I was concentrating too much on making friends with complete strangers (non-bloggers, I always want to make friends with bloggers). I needed to find a balance, friendly but still playing my game. I knew I could do it but I wasn't sure how.

In December at the blogger event, it all clicked. I played less poker and it worked out much better. I think there was only one session where I left the table down and I wasn't down enough to worry about. I was friendly but not distracted. I paid more attention to how the other people were playing and less attention what they might think if I played a certain hand. I didn't play much poker before the Blogger tournament but the lesson I had learned carried over.

Usually when I play a blogger game I am even more off than with strangers. See, I am friends with many of these people and I get so afraid of what they might say about my game that I can't play the way I want to. Every move takes more thought than usual because I'm not only thinking about how to play the hand but I'm thinking about what everyone at the table will think if I play it incorrectly. In December, when I sat down at the blogger tournament, I discovered that most of the others at my table were bloggers I had never met. They didn't know me, I didn't know them, we were strangers. I played my game and didn't care if anyone at the table liked me or not. This prepared me for the later stages of the tournament when I was sitting with more familiar faces. I kept my game going and managed a nerve racking 7th place finish.

I'm sure the next time I sit down with bloggers I'll slip a bit, especially if they are bloggers whose games I really respect but I can sit down with a table of strangers with no problem as I did just 2 weeks ago when I was in Reno for my birthday. I played my game, my way and left Reno up for the weekend. I felt good the entire time I was at the table, though the drinks could have had something to do with that as they were strong for free casino drinks, and I was very proud of myself for reaching this place in my game. Now if I could just carry it over into the rest of my life......

Vegas on my mind

I bought a plane ticket to Vegas for the next blogger gathering. I got an awesome deal from Southwest and had to take it. Unfortunately it looks like I'll be sleeping in the streets since no one seems to want to room with me and I can't afford the cost of a room by myself. Maybe I can get a cheap car rental and sleep in it. The offer is still open. Anyone who wants to split the cost of a room, let me know. I'll even consider those of you I think are creepy (if you have to ask, it's probably you). Seriously, I can provide references if needed, just ask Max.



Max says, "April is the bestest person I know!"

Roommate Needed

In case you haven't heard there is a little trip to Vegas coming up soon. Falstaff has a block of rooms at the Orleans set aside and I need a roommate to split the cost with. Here is the important information straight from PokerStage:

The room block is ready for booking at The Orleans. For those who have forgotten, the rates are as follows -
Wednesday Night - $60
Thursday Night - $60
Friday Night - $110
Saturday Night - $110
Sunday Night - $65
There are 50 rooms held at those rates, plus the million dollars in taxes and other fees that come with. The room block will vanish in three weeks, so don't dick around!Call 1-800-675-3267 for reservations. Make sure you tell them this is for the World Poker Blogger Tour, June 6-10.

Also, if you're coming, please email me, so I can start compiling a contact list of everybody that will be there. Let me know your Real name (if you want), blogger name, dates of arrival and departure, where you're staying, and contact info (if you want people to have it). This list will be distributed to everyone who's coming, so if you don't want your cell phone number bandied about, tell me.

So, if you are interested in sharing the cost for any of those nights please send me an e-mail at April9807 AT aol DOT com. As long as I've met you and didn't think you were creepy, I'm willing to room with you.

Also, everyone's favorite drunken hippie has arranged for a couple of bracelet races to send some people to that big tournament that will be going on in June. One tournament is for bloggers only while the other if for anyone. If you are interested, here are the details:

Tournament name:
Blogger Bracelet Race
When: Sunday, April 29th, 7pm ET
Game: NLHE DeepstackBuyin: $24+2 or token
Password: email blogger_wsop@yahoo.com with blog URL for password

Tournament name: Chasers/Blogger Bracelet Race
When: Sunday, May 13th, 7pm ET
Game: NLHE Deepstack
Buyin: $24+2 or token
Password: riverchasers

Mom News

On the morning of Friday the 13th, while on her way to work, my mom had a little accident.

She is fine (She'll be very sore and bruised) but the car is totalled. It took 3 guys to get her out of the car as it came to rest on the passenger side after rolling over. It shouldn't even be snowing in Maine anymore, it's April for crying out loud! Since she made it out alive the part that pisses her off most is that she had just made her last car payment 3 weeks ago. She was also pissed that a member of our extended family drove by, recognized her and immediately called my Aunt Roberta, who called my Aunt Cindy, who I'm sure called my grandmother. I told mom that if she didn't want the family to find out, she should have had the accident a little further from home....she didn't seem to find that idea as amusing as I did!

Warren Strelow Passes

Most people don't know who Warren Strelow was but to a number of NHL goalies, he was a mentor like no other. He not only coached the San Jose Sharks net-minders in recent years, he coached the goalies on the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" Olympic team. He was also the goalie coach in the 2002 Olympics where the US won the silver and he was inducted into the hockey Hall of Fame in 2004. Warren Strelow died early this morning at the age of 73 following a series of illnesses. He will be missed by many and my thoughts are with his family.

For more on the story: San Jose Sharks Organization Mourns the Passing of Goaltending Coach Warren Strelow

Update: And more on Strelow. With quotes from within the Sharks Organization.

It's Not Right!!!

I knew Phil Gordon was getting married and I had resigned myself to that fact but why, oh why, did they have to pick my birthday as the day they exchange vows? That is just not right! Should anyone want to join me in a pity party on that day, I'll be in Reno getting shitfaced. Feel free to join me and offer up your sympathies.

That is all, nothing more to see here.