I played poker again last night. Good times. This was the game that I set up for my brother and Tony. They work at Ford and Chrysler, so the only day they can play is Sunday.

The players:
Clay
Chris
Tony
Billy
Me

$20.00 in, winner take all. Tony showed up late so we didin’t get started till around 8:30pm. Oddly enough, the game ended earlier then any other game I’ve had at the house.

The Lowdown
Billy went out first. I didn’t take him out, but I was the one that made him go all in on his last hand, when Clay took him out. Here’s how: We both called the big blind, and the flop came King, 10, 10. I bet $100.00, and he called. Next card was another King. K, 10, 10, K are on the board. I bet $500.00. Billy raised $500.00, and I re-raised another $1000.00. Billy called and the river card was a 2. I checked, Billy bet $500.00 and I re-raised over the top, going all in. Billy called. He had a 10 in the whole, which gave him a full house. 10’s full of Kings. I had King, 10 in the whole, which gave me a full house, Kings full of 10’s.

Billy was left with only about $250.00 in chips after that, and went all in again next hand with pocket 5’s. Clay called him on Q, J, and caught a pair on the flop. Billy was done. Next out was Chris. He’d been playing all night, but just getting shitty cards. The blinds nickel and dimed him down, and he went all in against Tony. Tony took him down. I had a pretty good chip lead, which let me play in hands that I normally would have mucked. I ended up taking Tony out. The funny thing with Tone is when he’s chasing, he tells you. It’s not like a tell, he actually tells you! So I knew he was chasing his last hand, and I had twp pair. I bet him all in, and took him down.

Head’s Up, Clay and Me
I love heads up poker. I feel it’s the strongest part of my game. I’ve never played Clay heads up before, so I was excited to see how it was going to go. He went all in on a hand, that I called, and we both had the same full house, so we split. We didn’t play heads up for long, before he went all in again just after the flop. The flop was 6, 9, 10. He went all in, and I called. He flipped over J, Q. He’s got an open ended straight draw. I don’t know if he was chasing, or trying to buy the pot, but I called with 6,9. I had 2 pair right off the flop. The turn card was a J, which gave Clay high pair, but he was still down to my two pair. A J, Q, 8 or K on the river, and Clay would win the hand. The river was an Ace, and I took it down.

The game ended at 10:45pm. By far the quickest game I’ve ever been in. But I won, which is nice, and I now have 3 wins in our little tourney. I’m the only one with more than one win, so I’m just piling on the bragging rights.

Got thrown out of work early yesterday, because I couldn’t breath and I was sneezing like crazy. It sucked, I needed to stay there, I have shit to do. Oh well, I went home and layed around for a while. Then up to the Haunted House. Fasade’s done, but were having seme grief hanging it. Just a few logistical issues. So I hopped in to the construction department and we put up a bunch of walls. It’s getting there.

I have my first guitar lesson today (saturday) at 11:30. Kel and I were joking about it. I asked her if she thought that I was going to come home today, and just be able to play anything. That maybe there is just a secret that he will tell me, and I’ll just know how to play then. It was pretty funny. I’m excited to go. I’ve never had any kind of music lesson before, and I’m interested to see how it works. You know, how is it I’m going to be able to play the guitar after I have some lessons. I can see teaching songs, stuff like that. But actually teaching me to learn to play songs is what intrigues me. I know all the major cords now, I learned them online. Maybe this will help, maybe not. Who knows.

Early
Well, I felt like crap today. I woke up around 3:30am last night, sneezing and sniffling. We slept with the windows open and my allergies went apeshit. So I feel terrible, and I’m probably going to leave early today. Although I have to work on the haunted house tonight, plus Poker at Bonnie’s, so I’m screwed either way. We ate at Red Robin today, and MAN that lunch did me wrong. My stomach was so fucked up, that I left work early. And I never do that shit. Fuck Red Robin, that place blows.

What a suprise, I played poker last night. How many times a week do you have to play poker before it qualifies as an actual addiction? I’m thinking that 4 times might be close. If I get the game going on Sunday for my brother, then I’ll be officially an addict. I got beat by a good hand last night. It hurts to be the first one off the table, but I’d call it again if given the same situation. I called Nate’s all in, and I had three 4’s. He had a straight. Nuts. Ken won the game. Good for him, he’s new to the game plus he was worried that he wouldn’t be able to play in the championship game, since only prior winners will be able to play. I, on the other hand, have two seats reserved.
Later
Haunted house is coming along great. The maze is going up, and I’m looking forward to going in and decorating it. Should be a good time. While working at the haunted house today, I told the fellas I was leaving. I walked around the corner, hid in one of the newly made cubby holes and waited for the next sucker to come around the corner. It happened to be Billy. I heard him coming, and jumped out as he came around the corner. I scared him so bad, it was hysterical! I think a little pee came out. We did notice one thing though, this place is going to be HUGE!!

Even later
Poker night was fun. I did pretty good, second in chips tonight I think. Kel had a bad night. She was the big loser. When I got there she seemed really crabby (she calls it “tired”, lol) but she ended up “waking” up a bit, and we had a good time.

And finally, now
There is a god damn skunk outside again. I think the dog freaks it out, and the little shit just sprays everywhere. I ran through the house closing the windows, trying to keep that nasty smell out. I hope that furry little fucker gets hit by a truck. Does that make me evil?

Oh yeah, I watched this thing on PPV tonight, that you all have to see. It’s called Extreme Skate or something like that. It’s an hour long special of skateboarding and rollerblading wipeouts. Some really nasty shit on there, and most if it is funny as hell. Just check it out if you ever get the chance. Gotta crash, it’s 12:30 and it’s my Starbucks day tomorrow. Only good part is that I get to dress “somewhat” casual tomorrow. Too casual and I get shit for it, but at the same time, I’m not missing out on casual day.

Time.
There isn’t enough time in the day. I left work yesterday, went home, waited for Kelly to get home, then left and went to the haunted house. I was there till a little after 10:00 last night. The fasade I’m doing for the entrance is coming along great. It’s almost done, and I should finish it tonight. I’ll be going home, changing, and leaving to go back up to work on it some more.

The walls are about 2/3 built, and the guys are starting to put them up. We’re actually right on schedule! Bizarre.

I also have a poker game tonight. Ken’s hosting this one. I’m going to come out like gang busters this time. I don’t mind getting beat by a good hand, but I hate getting beat by a lucky one. (Billy catching his straight on the river was LUCKY last game) Plus Ken has a few of his buddies that are playing. He says they are card players, I can only hope that they are weekend poker players. If that’s the case, we’ll eat them alive. You have to bet different when playing no limit hold em’. You chase all night, and the blinds will tear you apart before you rake a pot. It’s a different mindset playing hold em’. The weekend player that takes his buddies for 20 bucks at his “dealers call” basement game, won’t last long unless he changes the way he plays.

Getting closer!!
24 days to the wedding. I took off the few days I need today. Jim(my boss) asked me about our honeymoon, and why I didn’t want the entire week after off. I explained that with work schedules and what not, that we weren’t taking a honeymoon untill next year. We talked about our plans about roadtripping downsouth, and he told me about this really great drive around Georgia. Down the coast. I told him that I would have to sit with him when we plan the trip out.

Yet another poker game last night. I told the guys that someone else has to host a few, because I was getting sick of it. So Nate stepped up, and had it at his house.

I should’ve stayed home.
First , Nate went out. He had a flush, but lost to two full houses. It was brutal. I was out next. I was bullied out by the chip leader Billy. He was at the point that he was so far ahead, that he stayed in every pot. This allows him to get lucky hands, to beat good ones. He pulled a straight on the river, and I went all in on top pair with an ace kicker. He called immediatly and I knew I was dead.

I ended up dealing for pretty much the rest of the night. I have a knack for it. I kept the game moving, and the bets going. If I hadn’t stepped in to deal, they’d probably still be playing now. They were betting a little slow. The chips went back and forth for a while. It was hard to tell the chip leader. Initially Billy was way ahead, but called two all-ins and lost on both. All of a sudden he was extremely short stacked. He battled back and took it all. We left at about 11:45. It was a fun night, although I was out all too early. Nate wants to play again tomorrow, but again, I don’t think I want to host. If someone else steps up, I’ll play, but I’m not having it at my house. Plus, Chris wants to play on Sunday, So we’ll probably play then also. The nice thing is, I can play 4 times a week, and if I lose everytime, I still only lose 80 bucks. Plus, I get to play for a while.

Been working on the haunted house also. It’s going along. We’re hoping to be ready to paint by Friday. It’s the construction phase now. My Dad and Billy have been building walls for the past few days, and I’ve been working on the clown face entrance. It’s going to look like you’re walking into a funhouse. Should be pretty cool. I have to go back tonight to finish painting it. I ended up having to freehand it, because it’s so large, that we couldn’t stand it upright for the opaque projector. But it turned out awesome.

Lot’s going on. 25 days till the wedding, building a haunted house, my poker addiction, and my new found passion for guitar playing and the want to be a rock star, and I don’t have much free time left! By the way, I start my guitar lessons this coming Saturday!