Hello everyone.

Just lounging and thought I'd do a little update. Christmas was unreal, the kid got so much stuff we still haven't opened 'em all up yet...it's honestly a little ridiculous, but she had a ton of fun and loved opening all the presents, so tyvm to all that had anything to do with that (yoo too Santa).

Poker has been non-existent. I've only played 2 days in the last 2 weeks. I really just haven't been into it and I want to be completely refreshed for January. I haven't started my goals for 2010 yet, I'm planning on doing them on Jan. 1st. Even though it's technically the new year then, I count Jan. 2nd as the first real day of the new year, so the next post will have a goal theme.

I'm honestly not really looking to doing that post just for the simple fact that I don't think I accomplished one of my goals this year. I don't remember exactly what they were (1st problem), and I just really wasn't into playing cards this year. Some of it was due to the game changing, not focusing enough and putting in enough effort which in turn made me not play well, which is a vicious cycle and it all leads to me needing to getting real about poker and what I want out of it.

Well have a safe night everyone. I hope all your dreams come true in 2010.

What's up everyone.

So my back is completely messed atm...I went to the ER around 1:30 am on Wednesday. They did a UA and it came back nothing. It basically feels just like it did when I had a slipped disc about 2 years ago. It hurts to do anything and I'm just hanging out on the couch doing nothing...which is only cool if you were to have the option of doing something if you wanted to...

I missed work on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, and according to my doctor she wants me to be out until next Wednesday. I have a MRI then and should have a somewhat better idea of what is going on and if surgery or anything else is needed...

I can sit for about 1/2 hour at a time so my poker sessions are cut to around 40 minutes before it hurts so bad I can't stand it. I usually time when I just have taken the pain pills they gave me and it makes sitting a little more manageable... but I can't put in a session that's 1 hour + so that's definitely frustrating. I'm just playing 3-4 small sessions to at least get a little volume in...

Poker has been going well though...I think these little sessions have been causing me to focus even more and I've started this month out pretty good. Last month ended on a pretty shitty note so it's always nice to see it going the other way...

I've had a lot more time on my hands to do some reading and thinking about the game so that's nice. I've noticed an area that is a huge leak for me and if I can plug it up I think I will see immediate improvement, which is nice since I've been playing well with my new style and my win rate has been very decent lately.

I've still had to make some w/d from FTP so my BR isn't growing as much as I'd like...not that big of a deal, but I'd really like to start playing 100nl in December when the games get good (usually at least), and in order for me to do that I need to be comfortable with my BR (for me minimum of 30BI...) but I figure if I can just hold off on a few w/d in October and November then all should be well and I'll get there (barring some unseen incidents of course)...

I also am thinking about starting to play 7-game a little more seriously. I usually play it on the weekends when I'm up late and not doing much. I definitely need to start learning other games, and that seems like the perfect fit since your getting just about every other game that's played with some regularity. I'm thinking I'm going to set about $200 aside and have that for a "7-game" BR. I was also toying with the idea of putting $200 on stars and playing mix games over there, but there variation isn't exactly like FTP so I'm guessing I'll just stay there and have a couple hundred extra at all times...I just figure it's time to start thinking more about other games so I can start to play them as well, not to mention the more you learn the better all around poker player I'll become (ldo), which in turn should make my strongest game even stronger.

So it looks as if the whole house keeper stealing our shit was even worse than I anticipated. Turns out she also stole my wife's watch that I bought her (only about $300 but still it was a nice watch), she stole a bottle of perfume (we're finding other things missing all the time, so who knows what else..) and to top things off she stole diapers from my daughter...this is the thing that set me off, if the crazy bitch wants to steal from us whatever, but when she steals from my daughter of something that she needs, that really pisses me off...we ended up filing a police report but nothing will ever come of it since we don't have "evidence". I really hope I never see her because I don't know if I'll be able to control myself if I do...(not hit her or anything of course, just probably make a scene with a lot of name calling and yelling...)

Have a good weekend everyone, and GO BEARS!

So it looks like I'm having surgery....had an appointment with the surgeon today and he told me the only options left was for surgery...o well I guess. It would have been nice to not have to spend a week sitting doing nothing but it looks like that is what's going to happen...

The Dr. said I'm not supposed to really do anything or use my hand for anything. So basically it's going to be the lamest time off ever...o well I guess not much can be done about it.

Poker has been basically sos, nothing really new to report. I think I'm getting a little to obsessed w/ my red line though. It's really the only stat I am checking after my sessions and then go over hands that fall into that category. I guess it's just giving me something else to concentrate on...

Well that's it for now nothing else really going on...hope all is well.

Hey Everyone,

So poker wise this was an extremely weird weekend. I played very well for about 1/2 the sessions I played this weekend and then did really stupid stuff the other 1/2. It's been really weird lately cuz I've really been playing good the last week or so and have actually started to detach myself from the whole money aspect that I've always been so hung up on...(the wife has a job now so poker $$$ isn't really a major part of needed income anymore...)

I've been doing things that I've always know were right but just couldn't get myself to do them because it could sometimes be (to me) spewy, even though it was a +EV move I most of the time just couldn't get myself to pull the trigger, err press the button...

So idk if it's a focus thing or what, whenever it is my time to play I'm always into it and ready (if I'm not then I don't play) so it's just a little strange...A few of the stupid spots I got into were just villain had top of his range, but still it was a roller coaster this weekend, over all I'm up for the weekend but it was definitely not what it should have been.

I was messing around last night late and played some 7-game and I have to say I'm really a fan of it...I played HU (which I've never done before) and it was definitely a fun time and good mix of games. I'm thinking I'm going to start and branch out a little bit and become a "more rounded" player and start to dabble in other games. I've played a decent amount of PLO, but other than that, nothing else of significance. So I'm going to try and play a little bit of that on the weekend when I have more time to play and study, I'm also going to pull out SS2 and read all the other sections that I just briefly skimmed over since I've always just been a NLHE player...It's always good to learn new things!

I have a DR. appointment on Thursday, it's been a month since I've been diagnosed w/ carpal tunnel and this is my appointment to see what the next step is. I can honestly say it really doesn't feel any better and still aches quite regularly (yes I've been wearing my brace and doing the exercises)...I don't really know how I'm going to feel if I need surgery, but I guess I'll cross that bridge when/if I come to it...

Well tomorrow is Monday (LAME!!!) and I need to get to bed. Have a good week everyone.

Hey everyone.

So I just got back from my work training. Training is always good imo, so it was nice to get out of my comfort zone and do some new things and get new ideas from other people doing the same thing as me...

I will say that I was extremely upset because the hotel I stayed at was supposed to have high-speed Internet, and supposedly the server crashed on Saturday and they hadn't had it fixed (and i was there Monday-Wednesday) so I had to take a break when I have been playing extremely well as of late and it definitely threw my rhythm off...

Then last night my wife and I went out kid less (always a nice switch) and I actually got to play some live poker (for the first time in over a year). Needless to say I was shocked as I had forgot how bad the live players truly were...I was extremely bored and did a few stupid things, but it was so easy to read players it was unreal. I was up $73 for an hour and a half of play (1/2 NL) so dec I guess...

Well when I came back to the Internet today it was like a different world. I was still in that mentality of "ur horrible and have nothing" and it definitely cost me a BI or 2, I was able to keep up with all the action and tables, but it was definitely a different world. So I think I can say, for me, that Internet poker is definitely the right fit for me...if I had 5-6 hours to play live every night then maybe I wouldn't mind, but I really feel that Internet poker is better suited for me...

So now I just need to really start hyper-focusing again and things will fall into place. I was playing very well before my unscheduled break and I don't think it will take long for me to get back to that point.

I realized while I was gone and thinking about everything that I will have enough points to get the TV I want for our front room w/ my FTP points in November, so needless to say I'm definitely looking forward to that...

One good thing that happened while I was in training was I found paradise... If you smoke cigars, and have never been to a cigar bar before (which I never have) then you can not pass up the chance to go to Smokey Joe's in Fife, it was unreal. Seriously the COOLEST place I've ever been in my life. Add on the fact that they have free wi-fi, and needless to say I can see myself going there to grind on weekends (even though it's 2 hours away from where I live). Everyone was so knowledgeable (even the waitresses) about cigars, it was just a really really cool place, and I can't wait to go back ASAP.

Hope all is well everyone. Have a good weekend.