Where does he get those Wonderful Toys?

I know, it's been a bit since I posted last. Last post was my birthday. Shortly after that, I got presents. Overlord for the PC - a fantastic game ("Are you evil, or truly evil?") and Bard's Tale for the XBox - an update on the original. Then, we had to replace our TV (the old one would no longer accept outside inputs...like the satellite or DVD player), and since I refuse to lug a tower and gargantu-CRT to Korea and Saundra's died, we got replacement laptops. (More debt, but will be dealt with shortly. Yay SRB!) So, I've had toys to play with and retain my wandering attention. I also have to update this new computer to do all the stuff my old one did...e-mail, games, mozilla add-ons, and what-not.

Off I go, to install and download.

814 is the loneliest number...

That was kind of a big barrel of suck. I just busted out of this year's blogger tourney in 814 (out of 1337). I did better than Wil, but still not even halfway through the field. There were several hands I should have played better. I spent almost the entire time below my starting stack and usually around 100 places off the bottom.

But, it cost me nothing, and I had some fun playing (and sweating Wil's table), so I guess I came out ahead in the end, no?

Cease Fire! Cease Fire!

Last night was fun. In the military, there is a ceremony called a "Dining In." It is distinguished from a "Dining Out" in that no one from outside the unit (spouses, friends, whatnot) may attend. It is a fairly regimented, formal sort of event. A "Combat" Dining In retains the exclusionary quality and a hint of formal regimentation (regimentation??), while introducing some of the finer parts of Animal House.

Everyone is armed with waterguns, water balloons, and pre-placed mashed potatoes. Most of the "eating" time is off-limits for attacking, but that is loosely enforced, if at all. And, throughout the evening, the "President of the Mess" can sound the "Code Red" which signifies that all bets are off and you better get to shootin'. To cap off this riotous fun...or maybe to just add to it and ensure it continues, is the Grog.

The Grog is a punishment of sorts. If you violate one of the rules of the Mess (clapping your hands instead of pounding the table with your right hand while waving your left, for instance), you may be sent to the Grog. This involves negotiating some sort of obstacle(s) and then...well...drinking. But you can't just drink. There are rules on how to address the issue. They are made to become exceptionally difficult to recall and execute after you've had a few. To be fair, there is also a non-alcoholic version of the Grog, but most opt for the "leaded" variety.

Saundra and I came home drenched. And we got off light. One of the guys I work with looked like he had walked 10 miles through a hurricane. All-in-all, an enjoyable evening.

Poker in the Office

It appears to be that time again. PokerStars is having another blogger freeroll tourney. Yay! For free, because I have a blog, I have a chance (ok, not much of one, but still) at some pretty big prizes. And hey, if you've had a blog for 2 months and keep it "regularly updated," you can enter, too.

And how's this for cool: it's being held on my birthday! Doesn't that automatically put me in the money or something? (No? Awww...)

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker!

This Online Poker Tournament is a No Limit Texas Holdem event exclusive to Bloggers.

Registration code: 6733312