Time for a Party

Posted inBeer, Columns, Cornhole, Family, Food, Wii

In the aftermath of my 40th birthday recently, I noticed something about the gifts I received. Almost every one had something to do with food or beer.

Part of me wondered what this said about me. Do I drink too much or do I just enjoy quality beer? Am I a glutton or do I just enjoy eating out? Am I so hard to buy for that people just fall back on the simplest gift?

After talking to my wife, I realized that I had no room to complain. I liked getting beer and oft cards for restaurants. Outside of someone dropping big bucks to give me a Wii, I really didn’t want anything special for my birthday. I really appreciated that people knew my tastes so well.

Olympic Dreams

Posted inAmerica, Columns, Olympics

Over the past few weeks, some of my siblings have done a great deal of genealogy research. We have found out many details about relatives on both my mother and father’s sides of the family.

While I really enjoy learning where I come from, none of the research has turned up the most important thing right now.

I still have no idea how to easily qualify for citizenship in some obscure country so I can represent them in the Olympics.

No More Dealers?

Posted inGambling, Vegas
On my three trips to Las Vegas, I have spent a fair amount of time in poker rooms.I have discovered I enjoy playing poker much more tan blackjack and roulette,…

Joining the Cell Phone Crowd

Posted inColumns, Family

Last weekend, as we drove home after a little shopping, the skies opened up. Rain poured down in buckets. You could almost call the precipitation Biblical.

That didn’t surprise me at all. I saw the storm as God’s way of commenting on the tremendous shift in the universe which had just taken place.

Maria bought a cell phone.

I don’t think that the rain signaled any sort of displeasure with the purchase. I just think the whole thing took everyone by surprise. I honestly thought I would help my daughter buy a cell phone long before I helped my wife make the same decision.

Wall-E Not Very Subtle

Posted inMovies
I took my daughter to see Wall-E the other day. I really didn't go in with a lot of expectations since I had barely read many reviews. I kind of…

Vegas Trip: The Rest of the Story

Posted inTravel, Vegas

Things that really didn’t fit anywhere else:

  • On my last night, I noticed a distinct change in the clientèle at Imperial Palace. After some research, I discovered that a roller derby convention started on Wednesday. Let’s just say that the hookers who troll the casinos wouldn’t have any competition from these “ladies.” Mullets and tattoos everywhere.
  • Besides the drunken idiot I described in my poker post, I saw two other incidents in poker rooms. One night at the IP, a guy went all in and his trip queens lost to someone else’s trip kings. The loser pounded on the table not once, but twice before storming off. Good thing he lost all his stack because I don’t think he would have been welcome there any more. The funny thing is, he was never ahead in the hand so I don’t see why he got so upset. Sometimes, good cards beat you. The second incident came at Harrah’s during my first tournament there. At a cash game next to us, a guy and a chick were arguing non-stop. She said he was being sexist and demeaning. He said he was just having fun. I did hear a few things he said that weren’t so kosher, but she just wouldn’t let it go and eventually started accusing him of saying stuff when he never said anything. The floor people and dealer did a great job keeping things from escalating.

Vegas Trip: Mmmmm, food

Posted inAmerica, Food, Travel, Vegas

On my previous two Vegas trips, I have made mistakes. I have had a little too much to drink early in the trip, which has set me back a little. One of the consequences of that action was that I didn’t really get to enjoy a lot of good Vegas food on those trips.

I made up for that this time. I didn’t overdo it on the drinking at all and had some really good meals along the way.