A New Weekly Habit

One of the things that first got me into a writing mood this year was doing a "recap" of sorts, of the things that I learned, was thankful for, and would rather forget about 2009. (If you're interested, you can find it on my facebook page, which you can access through my profile on here). When I wrote that list, I was thinking that I had a ton of things that I had forgotten throughout the year. I still did a pretty good job of it, but there were just so many things that transpired in my life in 2009, and I knew that I wasn't doing it justice.

This week, I also realized that I have a lot of things on a daily or weekly basis that I just want to get down on "e-paper" but that aren't really worthy of an entire blog. Short takes, as it were. So, I thought, I will do a weekly column of all the things that meant something to me in the previous week. Sort of a weekly version of the end of the year list that I compiled.

So, I will try to do this on Sundays for the rest of the year, and then I will compile a sort of "best of" those weekly columns to use as my 2010 year in review.

Without further ado...

Looks like I will be coaching baseball again, finally. Arbo has decided that he is done with his coaching sabbatical, and called to see if I wanted to be his pitching coach again. The thing that will be really, really hard to get used to is that we're going to be coaching for North, rather than Churchill. After all those years as rivals, it will be hard switching sides. But I look forward to working with the kids again, it is something that I have truly missed in the past couple of years.

Had my biggest win ever in an online tournament this week. So, so close to being much better, but I'll take it. $385 for taking 3rd out of 211 people in a $15 buy-in. I'm sure many of you are saying "Really, $385 is your biggest win?" The thing is, I rarely play in multi-table tournaments online. I play a lot of sit-n-goes and a lot of cash games, but rarely the big multi-tables, just because I'm too antsy online. I have no problem sitting down at AIPCO, or out in Pendleton, or our WSOP satellite, and playing for 5-, 8-, 14-hours. But on the computer, it just feels like work to sit for that long and concentrate. There's no laughing, camaraderie, etc. when I'm at the computer, unlike I get elsewhere. So while I've won $3K in some of the bigger live tournaments that I have played, I've never won more than about $100 or so online until the other night. But I might have to give more of them a go. The play was atrocious, and if that's the level of competition that I'm going to be facing in those tournaments, I really should be playing in them more.

Came across a recent picture of Becca last night. Holy crap she's gotten big. She sent an email to Kim that said she had gained about 70 pounds (which would put her in the neighborhood of 200 or so). I figured she was exaggerating, but now I'm not sure. It was only a face shot, but the first thing I thought of was Martin Short in "Pure Luck" when he was bitten by the bee.

Almost made me feel bad enough to finally respond to her email, but I still managed to refrain.

Why are there so many guys who are assholes to nice women? There are a couple of my women friends who just seem to get shit on regularly by the men who "love" them. Some of them have moved on, but were so devastated by the betrayal that they still can't move on. Others just stick around waiting for more crap to be piled on top, because they still want to salvage things. While I don't really have as much empathy for them if they can't stand up for themselves, I am disgusted by the guys who can't realize what special women they have in their lives. Just makes me that much more determined to be the type of guy who is an example of what can be, rather than what is.

I'm thinking that the Colts are going to slaughter the Saints tonight, but am hoping for at least a competitive game. We've had some great ones in the last decade, after the continuous blowouts of the 80's and 90's. Let's hope that trend continues.

I've still been working out regularly, but find it much harder this time around to curtail my eating. I'm just fucking hungry all the time, and never for anything healthy. So I seem to be alternating between Lean Cuisine, and healthy things to go with it, and then I'll break down and order a pizza and wings. I have lost 4 pounds in three weeks, but know that it would be better if I hadn't had about a half dozen godawful unhealthy meals thrown in there.

Finished the new Steven Brust book the night before last, as well as finishing an old Elmore Leonard book the same night. (Yes, I read more than one book at a time) I really like Elmore Leonard, but Steven Brust is about as good an author as I can find. For me, not necessarily for you. But if you're basically just a sarcastic drifter (which I am), there is not a better author on the planet than Steven Brust. I resolved to go back and reread the early books in the Vlad Taltos series, because it's been so long now.

Have really reconnected with Melody over the past couple of weeks. It finally feels like it did when we first met. Three years now, which is a little mind-boggling. But this is the first time that I've really felt as though that initial connection that we had is finally back. I have resisted pursuing things in the past, simply because it seemed as though that spark wasn't there. She's probably coming for a visit in the next month or so, and I suppose I'll know for sure then. But right now I'm certainly enjoying the feeling.

I think the key to winning the weekly poker tournament at "The Rob" is to simply have me diss your play. I was talking to Mel on the phone the other night, about poker, and mentioned how a certain person (since this will eventually become public, I won't reveal names when I'm slamming someone [unless it's someone who deserves it, i.e. Becca]) was just a terrible poker player, who had only cashed here a couple of times. So, of course, two nights later he wins, and knocks me out in 3rd in the process. D'oh!

Will be doing the computer testing for the TSA job in two weeks. And should have another run at the 911 testing this month too. Not sure that I really want to work, but until I win the lottery, I suppose I should try to find something.

At least the don't get sick health plan is still holding up. Knocking on wood as I type.

You know, I'm not a big fan of Walmart, but damn, it's tough to avoid those prices when you're unemployed and pinching pennies. $1.49 for a pound of Tillamook butter. That's less than half the price at Albertsons.

$3,000 back on my taxes. Finally, the last of the Becca debt will be paid off of the credit cards, and I can go back to living a debt free (well, other than the mortgage, etc.) lifestyle.

Archer is one fucking funny show. If you're not watching it, you should be.

Okay, I'm done for the week. Regular blogs will resume shortly.