more poker shenanigans

After finishing in the money at last week's office game, I guess I've developed a little bit of a poker rep. One of my co-workers really put that rep to the test.

He had won a single table online tournament and hadn't realized that it was a qualifying tournament, which means he didn't win any money. Instead, he won a seat in a bigger tourney. He was complaining about this on Friday because he didn't want to spend his entire Saturday playing poker on his computer. He made me an offer -- I could log on as him and take his place in the tournament and we'd split whatever money I won.

Since I didn't have anything better to do, I said yes. After reading up about Sklansky's Gap Concept (which is brilliant!) and freaking out about playing with the big dogs, I sat down on Saturday with 1431 other entrants. Four hours later, I busted out, having just squeaked into the money. My coworker and I will be splitting $800.

Needless to say, I am psyched and staving off a full-fledged addiction.

this just in, UPN only mildly retarded

So, I guess UPN is showing the REST of the Veronica Mars episodes in order. I don't know why they didn't just show them all.

I know there aren't 22 weeks of Summer, but if FOX can double-pump The OC, UPN certainly could do the same with Veronica Mars. I mean, it's not like UPN is overflowing with quality programming and couldn't find a timeslot.

ass-drag day

I am just good for nothing today. I cannot get motivated to do any of the work piling up on my desk. I've just been staring at the (cube) wall. I should be feeling peppy since I finished in the money at last night's office poker tourney (I came in 4th out of 20), but said tourney had me up late and I still got up and worked out this morning. Which I'm kind of proud of, I have to admit. Two weeks and counting, I've gotten up three mornings and done my 3 miles.

Now I just have to get myself to sleep at a decent hour. If I don't start getting more than 6 hours a night, I might fall down dead. At least I'll die skinny.

must be run by monkeys

Why would UPN run a big "new-to-you" promotion for Veronica Mars and then not show the episodes in order. Oh, they showed the pilot first, but then they jumped to episode 6 and tonight is episode 10! Is this some evil twisted plan to make me buy the DVD to catch the episodes UPN won't show? So irritating.

good-bye snooze button... I'll miss you.

So, I started my new morning workout schedule today. Man, I hate waking up early. Unfortunately, it's the only way I can consistantly get my workouts in.

I am still so flabbergasted that I have turned into someone who frets if she can't doesn't do her cardio enough times in a given week.

It all started two New Year's ago. Or really, when I saw pictures of myself at that New Years Eve Party and realized I was HUGE. Well, okay, I still fit through doorways. But, I'm 5 feet tall on a good day and a 20 pounds on my little body is like 50 on a normal-sized person.

So, I joined a gym and started working out. I had my after-work schedule all set and I did see results. But then I started at my current job and working out after work became less and less attractive since I wasn't getting out of work until 7:30 pm or later. I stuck with it as long as I could, but my gym visits got fewer and further between. And then I got sick and didn't work out for a month.

So, now I'm basically starting from scratch and I'm going to do it right. Sadly, doing it right means early morning cardio fun.

poker? I hardly know her...badump bump

The last few years, I got really into watching poker on TV. REALLY into it. I've never been a big sports fan, but I started to follow poker the way my dad pays attention to baseball. I could argue the merits of Gus Hansen's "trashman" style vs. Howard Lederer's thinking game. I watched all seven hours of the 2003 WSOP coverage in a row. I was (and am) a poker junkie.

Then, I got a job working for a Big Poker Show. And, when you work for a poker show, it's great if you love to watch the game, but you better be prepared to pony up some money and play.

Truthfully, I'm not a great player. I am not great at doing the math. I get nervous when I bet big. I don't read other players well enough because I'm still too involved in my own hand. I have trouble letting go of a good hand that is probably beat. I call when I should raise.

But, every time I play, I learn something. Every time I play, I get a little more comfortable and a little smarter and faster with my decisions.

Last night I got invited to play in a six-handed no-limit hold 'em game. It was me and 5 guys, only one of whom I knew. I've never played a live game where I didn't know everyone before. We were playing speed rounds - blinds went up every 10 minutes. I probably played too tight, but I knew that that was my only defense against their super-aggressive play. I folded everything that wasn't a premium hand (pocket pair, 2 high cards) and the poker gods were with me. I caught some great cards when I needed them. I won the first game ($80 prize) and came in second (winning my $20 buy-in back) in the second game.

Winning at poker is the best. It's even more addictive than watching it.

pants!

I saw Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants with my lady posse this past weekend. It is a great little movie that left me with a few truths:

1. Greece looks amazing. I should go there.

2. If body swapping ever became possible, I want dibs on Blake Lively. This picture doesn't even do her justice: http://movieweb.com/movies/galleries2.php?film=2486&id=1972&mode=1&name=co9.jpg&nr=11

3. That America Ferrera is a fantastic actress. The scene where she calls her dad made me CRY.

4. You must respect the pants!

haircut haiku

compliments pour in
did it look crappy before?
I've cut my hair short

don't let the door hit you...

So, there's a guy in our office that my boss is going to fire today. She was supposed to fire him yesterday, but they couldn't get his check cut in time. He has no idea. It's probably all for the best, since, as we all learned from Office Space, it's better to fire people on Friday.

Don't get me wrong. He totally deserves to be fired. He's lied (to my boss and others), he's behaved unprofessionally in the field and he hasn't completed the work he was hired to do. My boss has had to talk to him about his behavior more than once. He's just one of those guys who never thinks he's going to get caught and then, when he does get caught, he thinks he'll get another chance. Well, he's run out of chances, here.

I just went into his office and told him that my boss wanted to see him at 5:30. When he asked me what it was about, I told him I didn't know. I feel a little weird about that, but what can you do. He probably knows something is up because I suck at lying.

Oh well, in 20 minutes, it won't matter.

make it stop

At the beginning of May, I got home from a business trip and promptly fell ill. Obviously, I contracted some tourist-carried virus. I was sick for about a week -- the usual fun times: fever, chills, aches, sore throat, coughing, etc. My doctor prescribed antibiotics over the phone, even though we both were pretty sure I had a virus and they wouldn't do anything. I don't know if it was the drugs or the placebo effect or the bug had just run its course, but I started to feel better almost immediately. My energy came back, my fever went away and I was back to my usual self. EXCEPT.

I cannot stop coughing. I feel fine, but everyone constantly asks if I'm okay as I hack away at my desk, in the grocery store, everywhere. I appreciate the concern, but I think most of my coworkers are getting sick of listening to me and the cough that will not die.

life after sweeps

What does it say about me that I'm at loose ends now that the broadcast TV season is over? My days are usually defined by what is waiting for me on the TiVo when I get home. And now I turn it on and....nothing new. It's all Simpsons and Buffy reruns. Sigh.

And if that's my biggest complaint, I need to get over myself and get a life.

Or at least read a book.