Dead ducks

I shot my first double this past Friday! 2 mallards, a suzie and a drake. I folded the drake with my first shot, but wounded the suzie with my 2nd (and 3rd). Fortunately, Ed saw the suzie go down and was nice enough to chase her down through the swamp. He stumbled and fell in about a foot of water on his way to the suzie, but was able to get up without any drama. I'm really glad of that as I didn't want to go splashing in after him. My stamina is all fucked up since I had pneumonia a couple of weeks ago and my lungs aren't fully recovered, so it would have been challenging to get to him quickly in all the muck. Anyhow, he yelled "don't forget to tip your guide!" as he was chasing the cripple down. He said it again when he got back to the boat, and I replied that judging from his performance in the swamp a few minutes ago, he seemed capable of tipping just fine on his own. ;-)
Anyhow, that spot RAWKS!!! We just need to get a boat blind constructed. The ducks were coming in on our spread quite often, wings locked up on final approach, then they'd bust us and flare. Too exposed. We'll get it built and knock 'em dead the next time around.

Diving at Titlow and Les Davis

I went down to T-Town this past weekend to go diving with Beth and Rob. I collected all my rental gear and got my ass down there around 8 on Friday. They were at a baseball game, so I went to the neighborhood bar for dinner and a drink. B&R met me there around 10, and Rob was trashed. When we walked back to their place he was weaving back and forth on the sidewalk. Beth and I hung back a little and enjoyed the drunk Rob show.

The morning rolled around, and I went downstairs to be greeted by Beth's cheery face. She told me that Rob wouldn't be joining us as he was severyly hung over. I was disappointed, but also glad that we wouldn't have to look after him. He was probably still a bit drunk anyhow, so that wouldn't have been too safe. Fuzzy brain + vomiting underwater can easily equal dead dive buddy.

The first dive was cool. We went to Titlow with Alex. Viz was about 20 ft. I got to see some cool stuff including a bunch of anemones on posts, a crab, some rockfish, and a smallish ling cod. My buoyancy was all over the place and I found myself popped up at the surface once, but fortunately for me we were only at 20 ft so I didn't need to worry too much about the bends.

The second dive was at Les Davis, and it SUCKED! I was having trouble with the regulator and my mask kept leaking. I was trying to get my kit all sorted out and Beth waited with me, but we failed to get Alex's attention and he was gone. Viz was kinda crappy at about 10ft and we couldn't find him after a minute, so it was time to go back to the surface. The current was a bitch and the swim back was difficult. I kept flooding my snorkel and was worried about the regulator, so had to swim back on my back. It was not a fun experience.

Overall, I am very happy about diving again. This was my first day diving in cold water and my last dive was around TGiving last year, so I was glad to be back at it. I need to figure out why the hell my mask is flooding so bad and also dive when it's a lot colder so I can get a true feel for the type of exposure protection I'm going to need around here. Despite the crappy dive, I'm seriously hooked and can't wait to go again!

I must work on my buoyancy control.

Season championship, poker tonight

The championship was a lot of fun. I played well until the final table, but then started stepping on my dick after busting Alexa. I got her with my AA killing her AK. I put in a standard raise from the CO, then she pushed all in from the BB. I thought about it, though, because I had plenty of chips and didn't want to get eliminated at the final table, so I spent a little time thinking about it. I don't know if I would have called if a suckout would have eliminated me, but I got there after a minute of thinking. I know it's a bit whack to not insta-call with AA before the flop, but I was THINKING about my play which was good. Anyhow, my aces held and Alexa was out. I then proceeded to go on tilt from the win ("I am invincible!") and bust out in within the next 10 hands. Lesson learned.
After the championship I played in the cash game ($1, $2 blinds, $100 max buy in). I played for 5 hours and didn't do too bad. Didn't do too good, either, but it's all good. I cashed out $74, but I figure without toking the dealer or waitress I was about even on the night.
All in all, a mediocre performance, but it was fun.

Tonight I'm going down to T town to play in a freeroll at the Varsity where there are CASH PRIZES for the top 3. I get to hang out with Beth, who I haven't seen in ages, and I am looking forward to it. Yay!

Baseball can be kinda boring

This clip shows how to keep it entertaining.
I want this guy in my corner

Went for a drive yesterday

J and I went down to Kelso yesterday. We stopped in to see J2 (Ed's significant other) and had dinner with her. It was nice to get to know her better. It seems like they've been together forever but I barely know her. My opinion WRT to J2 has been "she seems pretty cool and seems well matched with Ed" but it was only based on meeting her a couple of times and Ed's apparent happiness with her. I can now proudly say that I have an independent opionion re: J2, and that opinion is that she's interesting and funny and cool. Not that anyone else cares, but I am happy to know her better.
J and I also got to borrow the FiL's Nissan 350z. I drove most of the way, but I didn't get to really "drive" it. I-5 doesn't have any fun twisty bits. It was still fun to drive.

Gawd

My mother is an idiot. That's all.

Poker stuff

I've got lots of poker stuff going on right now.
Tonight, I am trying to qualify in another division for extra chips at the season championship. I locked up my entry with a win during the Heads Up special event, but I want to make the top 9 in multiple divisions for extra chips. The special event doesn't count as a qualification for extra starting chips, so I needed to make it in at least 2 divisions for extra chips. I have that right now, and need to do very well (1st or 2nd) tonight to qualify in the 3rd. I need to remember my new rules if I want to pull this off - ask myself "why am I calling?", and "DON'T STEAL". Actually, I do have to steal some blinds in order to do well, but keep a lid on it!
I'm also trying to win the Sat. morning buy-in at Tulalip. 3rd or 4th will do it if the competition doesn't get much in the way of points. It's going to be a tough night.
Saturday night I have a series of 3 tourneys at the Fish's house. 3 cheap tourneys, (10, 20, 20) which I will be able to do well in if their play hasn't improved. The last time I was there was over a year ago. It was almost like everyone else was playing with their cards face up. I just have to remember not to tap the glass too hard. :-)
I'm thinking about playing the bounty tourney at Tulalip on Sun morn before the championship, and after the championship there is a SWEET cash game that I will be playing in. This is the same game that I've taken 6 and 10 times my original buy in out of the last two times. I need to remember that there is little reason to take a risk in a cash game, and that "tight is right".
Anyhow, much poker will be played. Should be fun.