Sometimes you just have to dance

Lisa sent over some more photos from Mike and Mircalla's wedding.  I found this one of me rocking out (with tattoo fully visable - a rare occurance). 

AC Recap

Picked Anne up just after 7:30 on Friday and we headed off to AC for her birthday.  Steve was up there already playing at the Borgata, so when we got to town we dropped off our bags in our room at the Trop and took a cab to the Borgata to meet up with him and to play some poque.

Anne played 10-20 2way and I headed to a deepstack 1/2 NL table.  About an hour in I had won a few pots and then everything started to go downhill.  And such would be the rest of the trip.  It all started with a strange hand where there was a lot of preflop action and I flopped top set on a straightened flop 578).  I found it somewhat unlikely that someone would have played 46 or 69 for the $40 preflop raise...until I remembered that seven of us saw the flop(!).  So here I am with my flopped set...and the button.  First to act bets out, gets raised by the guy next to him, and then they both get reraised AI by the table big stack who has everyone at the table more than covered with his ~$1500 in chips.  This guy, he had been pushing and raising and getting lucky all night.  At this point I had about $150 behind and I'm getting almost 4:1 on my money to call. 

First of all, I have boat outs and as such will actually have more outs on the turn.  Second of all, eventhough I put the big stack on the nuts, it is possible that he doesn't have the nuts; he has made some pushes with the bullshit.  I call pretty fast while mentally pulling my rebuy out of my pocket.

Everyone folds and I am heads up with big stack.  I have been playing tight and right at this table and the two guys sitting next to me immediately inform everyone that I must have the nuts.  Sadly, the big stack then turns over the real nuts and I turn my top set over saying: "No, I'm just trying to get there."

Get there I do not, and I rebuy.  I'm rocking the rebuy almost to even when Steve and Anne come over and say it's time to go (Steve's playing in a big tourney the next day).  I reluctantly get up.  Apparently Cindy Violette was at the Borgata playing stud that night, but I didn't see her.

Steve gives me and Anne a ride back to the Trop and we all crash.  Before we hit the sack, Steve warns me and Anne that he talks in his sleep.  It's a good thing he did because both of us are awakened around 5 am by Steve saying loudly: "WHAT THE HECK IS SHE DOING?!?!?  HER BUTT IS WAY UP IN THE AIR AND HER FOOT IS SMALL."  I hear Anne giggling next to me and I start to giggle too.  Back to sleep...

Around noon Anne leaves for her birthday spa appointment and I head down to the poker room.  There's no point in relating bad beat after bad beat, but I did have the same guy go runners on me THREE TIMES.  One time he had been calling pot sized bets the whole way (I had flopped 2 pair) with ace high, only to go running A8 (his hand).  On the river when he caught I checked and he for some reason checked behind.  As he was scooping the pot he said: "Geez I should have moved all in at the end and stacked you."  I informed him that since there the flush got there on the river I was folding to any bet, hence why I checked.  What else could I put him on but some kind of drawing hand (little did I know his drawing hand was the drawing hand of running two pair)?  He did not buy my story and kept talking about how he missed an opportunity to get my stack.  Finally my temper couldn't hold any more and I told him to keep playing the way he was and I would get his stack.  Then he claimed he had "pot odds" to call me down to the river.  Ummm, no you really didn't but that's OK.  The dude was a stupid angle-shooter anyways - one of the worst purposeful angle-shooters I've seen (ratholing about $300 even after he'd been warned about 5 times by the dealer and the floor, asking to see people's mucked hole cards when he wasn't even in the hand literally every hand, etc.)

Anyways, I blew through two buy ins at that stupid table between noon and 6.  The suckouts just kept on coming, but I didn't want to leave since I felt that I was playing well and the table was very profitable.  Finally my AI push (for about $75 pf) with JJ got called by AKo and KTo.  My next door neighbor told me that he folded K rag, so I was feeling good - I just had to avoid the Aces.  I was good til the river when the case freaking K hits. 

At that point I knew I needed a break ( I could feel the tilt rising inside, LOL) so I got up and went back to the room.  Anne suggested I play in a 3/6 O8 game they had just started and I did.  What a juicy game!!!  Everything was going fine until I bricked on a open ended straight flush draw and immediately after woke up to KK24 double suited.  It was a limped pot and I felt no need to raise.  Flop comes AxKs8s.  All of a sudden I can tell something strange is going on.  I am getting a lot of action from my raises, but the table has been very loose, so I proceed.  Turn is another 8.  Woo-hoo.  But sadly, I start to really think that one of the two people I'm in this pot with has AA in the hole.  I start playing all the action through my head.  Most newbs (and these guys were) wouldn't just limp with AA regardless of whatever else was with it.  At this point the pot is huge and I just can't let go of my hand...not for $6 more anyways.  The flush comes on the river and all of a sudden I know exactly what's going down.  The super new guy made his flush on the river and is in last place.  The other guy has AA.  I just know it.  He shows his AA23 double suited which he only LIMPED WITH and scoops.  I show my stupid cowboys, scoop up the remainder of my chips, and storm out of the room, now definitely tilted.

Fortunately I was supposed to meet Anne for dinner at Red Square in about an hour, so I go upstairs, change and put on some makeup, and go to meet Anne.  We start off with drinks at the bar (which were VERY YUMMY!), Jeff joins us, and we have a meal of appetizers.  Anne and I also split a vodka flight which was pretty good.  At this point Keenan and Nelly show up for a drink.  Apparently E and Billy went straight to the poker room.  Jeff and I pay for Anne and head over to the poker room ourselves.

Now the whole plan was to play some stupid drunken 2/4 limit or something, but when I get there everyone is already in 1/2 games.  I reluctantly sit down at a 1/2 table and stay pretty close to even until suckout number 12 or so of the evening happens.  I go over to Keenan who is sitting at a table near me and ask him how he likes his table.  He says he loves it.  I tell him to lock me up a seat as soon as one opens.

I move over and he is right - his table is awesome.  However, the suckouts/bad luck continues.  I have about $100 behind when I run my AdQd on a Q high flop into Billy's KK.  Fortunately Billy does me a favor and leaves me $50 behind by raising my bet out on the flop.  He raises, I fold, face up, and everyone at the table asks me why I am such a fish for folding the best hand.  Billy shows his KK and then everyone starts telling me that I am a genius and a great player.  *roll eyes*  I only wish making great folds felt as good as winning a monster pot.  THE VERY NEXT HAND I get dealt the same freaking hand - suits and everything: AdQd.  Since I have ~$50 behind I move all in on the flop.  Sadly, Keenan had TT and calls.  I do not improve.

I take a break and tell the dealer to keep my seat locked for me.  I give myself a mental pep talk: "I haven't been playing bad, just getting unlucky.  The table is favorable.  Go in there and rock the rebuy!"  Which I did and ended up with $450 in front of me when the table whale left and a full table literally broke around him at close to 5am.  I played a few hands at another table and decide it is time for bed since I am leaving in the morning.  At least I made back some of what I was stuck...

As an aside, it's been a long time since I was in a poker room dressed up for a night out.  I was wearing a skirt and a low cut silk top, and the reaction you get in the poker room is very noticeably different.  Anne and I both noticed the same thing and were talking about it on the ride home.  Guys actually said: "I would call, but I don't want to beat up on a girl."  Hmmmm... perhaps we ought to dress up every time we play.  ;)

online poker

I haven't played online other than donkey private tournament set up by my friends in quite awhile.  A few months ago I doubled my money at a site online by winning one of those donkey tourneys.  I've been selling some of it off to people, but I decided tonight I might as well take a stab at playing some online rings games again.

What do you know - I forgot how juicy these games are (especially non-holdem games - I've primarily been playing 1/2 and 2/4 O8).  I sense more online poker in my future.  :D

Just got back from AC yesterday - will post a recap soon enough.  I had a good time, but it did not go well poker-wise.  :(

Fine, Fine Music

"Then one fine morning she puts on a New York station,
You know she don't believe what she heard at all.
She started shakin' to that fine, fine music,
You know her life was saved by rock and roll."
    -Rock and Roll, The Velvet Underground

I love rediscovering old musical favorites.  Back in college I went through a big Velvet Underground phase.  For some strange reason I just haven't listened to them in quite awhile.  I was reading Tao of Poker tonight and Pauly reminded me about their music by making a "Femme Fatale" reference.  Now I'm sitting here working on school stuff and jamming out to the VU.  This stuff is so good; how did I not let it grace my ears for so long?  Go pull out your VU, or go out and buy it and give it a listen.

The Annette Effect

Annette Obrestad, an 18 year old girl from Norway, just won the main event of the WSOP-Europe.

I yoinked this cartoon from Pokerati, who yoinked it from plusev.  Pretty damn funny, if you ask me.

Wha? A Hillary rant.

As one might imagine, political conversation was flowing freely when we were out in SF.  Almost all my friends that were there for the wedding are campaign/political professionals.

One thing we all agreed on: Hillary has got to go.  I am unsure how she can be the front runner when literally every single Democrat I have talked to about this does not like her...especially those of us from NY. 

And now, even more reason to dislike her:

Not just universal health care, but mandated health care.  if my liberal friends are shaking their heads and saying: "there goes Katie on another libertarian rant again!", my apologies.  However, despite what you think about universal health care coverage, I cannot believe there are many out there who think it is appropriate to make lack of health insurance a crime.  I would like to hear from someone who thinks this is a good idea.

A Few Pics from M+M's wedding

(courtesy of Leilani)

the happy couple

me and Jordan (looking remarkably like Lex Luthor ha ha) with Lisa, Kathy, and some girl I don't know.

Sadly no pics of the P+Vers as a group, and that was as close to a reunion as we will ever get, I imagine (7 out of 17 of us were there).  The professional photographer got a group shot of us on the dance floor, I think.

Mike and Mircalla's wedding wrap up

Got into the Oakland airport just before midnight Thursday night.  Jeff was already out here for a conference so he picked me up and we went to the hotel.

Next morning I get a call from Jordan, asking if we want to meet up with him and Aaron to get some food and romp around the city.  We get ready and decide to meet them in the Haight for burritos at Zona Rosa and a trip to Amoeba Records.  After Aaron and I went through Amoeba pulling stuff out of bins that the other person had never heard of before and boring Jordan and Jeff, we headed to a few used clothing stores and had fun making fun of some of the stuff we found.  Jeff wasn't feeling well so he took a cab back to the hotel.  Jordan, Aaron, and I drove to the beach and then went to the Golden Gate Park to check out the Japanese Tea Gardens.

After running back to the hotel to change for the wedding, we headed to the Presidio, where the wedding was.  It was a nice ceremony and I got to catch up with old friends who were rumoured to be there (Vinnie, Doug, and Sara - all former P+Vers - aka people who lived on the same floor as Mircalla, Aaron, Jordan, and me freshman year).  Sara had her 8 month old with her (1 of 2!) and she was super mommy - glass of wine in one hand, baby in the other.  Gretchen and Lisa, two of mine and Mircalla's sorority sisters, were at our table as well.  It seemed like people hadn't really changed that much except for Sara and Doug who are now very much parents.  Vinnie was wearing a fabulous green suit, with white and blue polka dotted shirt and a white tie.  He had apparently moved out to SF that day - still had all his stuff in his car. (!)

The reception was at a really nice yacht club overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz.  And even though we were all at the stereotypically rowdy college table, we got a great location with a fabulous view at our table.  Food was also great - burritos and Anchor Steam at the bar (East coasters might be thinking - "burritos?  at a wedding?"  but if you are thinking this, you have likely never had a California burrito and you also probably do not know Mircalla).  Jordan was worried there would be no dancing, but I knew Mircalla's wedding would have to have dancing...and sure enough there was.  The college table and the Vegas girls all got rowdy on the dance floor.

Right before the last dance, Jeff came back from taking Aaron and Sara back to their hotels, and we headed out ourselves.  Some 8 year old kid followed me out of the reception, and when we got to our car he said: "Mommy what are you doing?"  Uhhhhhhh?  I guess it's a good party when someone else's child follows you out thinking you are their mother.  :)

I sadly left my camera in our hotel room, so you all will have to wait for pictures.  Leilani promised to send some.

I love the freaking Brits

Finally

After a few weeks of running BAD I cashed out a profit...a nice one too.  $510 cash out at the Corral.  Jeff was not there.  Coincidence?  I think not!

We did a $30 coinflip at the end of the night - Omaha high.  My first two cards I flip up and I have a straight!  Woo-hoo!  Sadly Billy had the 6-3 boat.  Booooooo!

I heart Peapod

I do a lot of chores and I don't mind most of them.  I don't mind doing laundry.  I don't mind doing the dishes.  I don't mind vacuuming.  I actually like to cook.  But I hate grocery shopping.  I hate it even more than cleaning the bathroom.  And since I am the cook, I'm also the one in charge of groceries.

I hate having to fight your way through crowds, and the fact that the produce in this area never seems up to snuff unless you go to whole foods.  Most of all I hate the whole process of the checkout line.  And I hate having to move the groceries from my car to my kitchen, especially when I don't get a parking space near our house.

A while ago, Nelly told me about the beauty of Peapod - you order your groceries online and they bring them to your door.  So I tried them, and I am a big fan.  Best of all, all the produce I've ordered has been good.

I hate pocket nines - aka poker continues to be stoopid

A few weeks ago in AC I flopped a set of 9's against Billy's 5-9 straight.  On Saturday I did the same thing at the SHOP; Pops flopped a 5-9 straight and I fell in love with my set of nines.  Tonight at the Donkey Corral I found myself heads up with my dear husband arch poker nemesis who pushed all in for about $100.  I insta-called with my pocket jacks, knowing I was good.  He flips over 9c9s and starts chanting for his two outer to hit.  The flop and turn bring no worries, but E deals out the freaking nine on the river.  I get a $35 dollar rebate, ship it, come home, and do my homework.  Poker continues to be stupid.

Connecting with Old Friends Through the Interweb

Now that I'm a student again, I've been spending a lot of time on facebook.  And actually, there's quite a lot of non-college folk on it as well.  On facebook, I'm always amazed by the people that manage to find me. 

But that's not nearly as exciting as finding out one of your old friends reads your blog, has a blog of his own, and has posted about something you wrote on your blog on his blog.  Yay interwebs.

Skip flatters me though.  This quote should probably read more like this:

"With the notable exception of Katherine, who was probably [could have been] the most intelligent person I met at GW [if she had not been fucking up all the time]..."  :p

Nice to find you on the interweb, Skip.  I put your blog in my feed reader.  :D

Thought of the Day

It's nice to have friends who have your back even when they themselves are very inebriated. 

Having a friend in Congress would be cool

Got an email from a friend of mine the other day.  He is running for Congress, and I think he has a chance at winning too.  The primary is in February and it's one of those seats that is basically determined by the primary. 

I know John David as one of the former SA Presidents.  That group is sure to feature several successful politicians.  We already have a state legislator in New Mexico, and the chairman of the Progressive Labour Party in Bermuda. 

The group is mostly men (there's one other woman besides me, out of about 20 of us), mostly lawyers, and mostly Republican (I think there are about 7-8 of us who are Democrats).  There is only one other person who is a professor.  I think we might be the only two who have no political ambitions.  :p

Poker is stupid

Last week was a bad week for me, poker-wise.  Wednesday and Saturday were full of stupid hands that went something like this:
1) Oh yay, I flopped the nuts. 
2) I bet my own hand.
3) Some idiot gets there on some ridiculous board.
4) Repeat.

I had some really stupid coolers happen too.  Like flopping a set against a flopped straight...twice...and not boating.  PAIR THE BOARD DEALER!!! 

I don't know if I'm gonna be playing this week.  I have a bunch of school stuff to catch up on on Wednesday.  Maybe I'll try to make it out to Pink.