Going to Mexico in a few hours! Ciao.

I’m a pro golfer now. No just kidding, I suck. I got bit by the golf bug bad this summer. I have now played 24 times inside of a 3 month span. Not bad for my 1st season.

A friend that used to work at my shop picked up a new set of clubs and had no use for his old set. I was looking for a set, so he gave me his old clubs for free! The set has a driver, 3 wood, 5 wood, 3-9 irons, a nice bag, and a bunch of old balls. I went to Golf  Town and picked up a $70 60 degree wedge (for $25), and a $25 putter. I later grabbed a $25 52 degree wedge, a $20 used (but new) Wilson Killer Whale driver, and a $35 ball retriever.

I’m just now getting to the point where I should be breaking 100 every round, but I still blow up on a hole or two and end up at the low 100’s. I’ve shot a 96 and a 99 at JR’s, which is a pretty easy course.

I really am having a blast with it, it’s been a lot of fun seeing all the different courses around town and meeting people on the course.

I’m setting a goal to reach less than 200 pounds by October 4th. This gives me 2 months to lose 25 pounds. I’m going to make a couple small changes in my diet, but not much as it’s already pretty decent. The biggest change is that I will be running every single day unless I am either too sore or too sick.

Wish me luck.

-Davin

After owning my PSP for over two years, and pretty much never using it outside of the first few month I had it, I have finally hacked it and put custom firmware on it. I looked into this when I first got the PSP but was quickly discouraged at how convoluted and difficult the process seemed. Things have gotten a lot better over the last couple of years (especially for the older ones like mine), and I’m happy to say that the hack was fairly painless, and I am thoroughly enjoying the fruits of my labour.

I first had to take apart the battery on my PSP. I cut one of the leads on a small chip which puts the battery into service mode. This will make the PSP boot from the memory card. You can then install some custom software on the memory card and boot the PSP. Once this is done, you can install any software you like.

I’ve been playing Rock Band: Unplugged, and Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core. Crisis Core is a 3D rpg set in the same world as the original FFVII. It has real time combat, not turn based like a lot of games in the Final Fantasy series. The combat is very good, and so far I’m really enjoying it, although I’m still less than an hour into the game.

Rock Band can be described nothing short of incredible. It’s much much more fun than I would have imagined on the PSP. Instead of picking a certain instrument it puts you in charge of all four at the same time. There are 4 tracks displayed on the screen, and you switch from one to the next constantly, playing each one for only a single chord. Once you play a chord on an instrument, that instrument will play itself for a certain amount of time, and you can switch to the next and repeat. Much like keeping 4 plates spinning on sticks, you need to keep them all going. This seems quite awkward at first, but once you get used it it can be quite fun.

If you’re like me however and prefer to stick to one instrument, unfortunately it doesn’t have an option to make that happen on the tour, but I prefer to just select and play songs I like playing anyway. You can go into the extras section and go into practice mode where you won’t need to switch to different instruments. That way you can play away and choose any song you like. I have been doing this, and it’s very interesting to see how the same songs are different on the PSP from the normal rock band games. Some of the really hard songs on drums like ‘Foo Fighters - Everlong’ are not bad on the PSP, and there are some songs that are the opposite. It’s ridiculously fun though. You owe it to yourself to try it if you like rhythm games.

We’re having a LAN at my place this weekend, and Fydo bought himself a PSP this week. It will be fun to get his hacked up and play some multiplayer/co-op. I can’t wait!

Last Friday was an odd game, and I bought in for more than I ever have before. I was out three times, for $20 each time. My last buyin was just before the cutoff at 10, and buying in for $20 would be useless because most of the stacks at the table were $70 and up. I bought in for $50, and managed to take the pot of $420 that night. A net profit of $310. Travis and I played heads-up again and I came out on top.

Ok.. if you laughed at that you have a sick sense of humor. Just like me! Click the image to check out “Married To The Sea”. I’ve been having a blast reading through the archives.

Have a look at this searchable database of wallpapers taken from 4chan’s /w/ and /wg/ boards. Pretty amazing stuff.

http://suigintou.desudesudesu.org/4scrape/

I played in a $55 +5 +5 tourney today at the Yellowhead Casino in Edmonton. The extra $5 is for the house, and the other extra $5 is an optional 1000 extra chips (which everyone took). I placed 4th and took $285. Not bad for my first tourney there. On the last hand I was the low stack at the table and pushed pre-flop with pocket 6’s. The small blind called me with AKos, and hit a king on the flop. That’s all I can ask for I guess, I got my money in with the best hand.

I’ll definitely have to enter this tournament again, it was a lot of fun.

I am playing a small cash game on full tilt right now, and just had a near perfect scenario happen.

I’ve also been playing around with a site I found recently which is really cool..  pokerhand.org allows you to post hand histories from all sorts of different poker sites. It parses the information and displays the hand in an easy to look at fashion. Check out this hand!

In this twitter-esque post, I’m writing to tell you that I’ve updated my backloggery page to reflect the reborn state of my pc now that it’s been cured of it’s swine-flu (also known as Bioshock). I also added a few new games that I’m “now playing” even though I have done nothing but play poker in the recent weeks.

I entered into a 36 man shootout tourney tonight that was a satellite for the $500 buyin, $2,500,000 FTOPS Main Event. Top place wins a seat, second place gets $41, and third and down get nothing. I won, and I now have a seat to the FTOPS Main Event on the 14th. I’m stoked!

There’s going to be quite a few Full Tilt poker pros playing in it, including Jennifer Harman, and 7 others (so far). Should be a good time.

(click for fullsize)

Today…. Today was a good day. I entered into a $20,000 freeroll tournament last week, and the tournament was today. The tourney was for Canadians only, and only those who had bought in on full tilt for the first time in april. When I read this the first time I thought “man… that can’t be a very big player field”. Turns out I was right, and was surprised to see only 318 entrants at the beginning of the tourney. I came late, we all started with 1500 chips and I was down to 1260.

I slowly but surely built my way up, and made the money, which was top 90 players, and paid $80. At this point I had about chip average and was feeling pretty good. I kept on building my stack until I was chip leader with over 40k in chips. At this point there were only three tables left or so and I was poised to make the final table easily.

Poker has it’s ups and downs though and I ended up swinging up and down a bit, and eventually getting down to the final table with only about 20k in chips. The chip leader had roughly 120k at that time. I ended up losing all my chip with two pair to a better two pair. I pocketed $300 which is pretty awesome, but disappointing in itself because the money on the final table is very good, with 1st place taking $3600.

Right afterwards I sat myself down at a $.50/$1 table and promptly lost my full $100 stack with a set over set. Well that sucked…

So I entered into another tourney. I bought in at a 27 player $20 +$2 sit-n-go.  I was short stacked right from the beginning after losing a 3rd of my chip stack in the 1st hand I played. I was not able to make things work and ended up just barely hanging on to reach the final table. To give you an idea of just how short stacked I was.. I started the tourney with 1500 in chips, and made the final table with 620. I was very pleased to not be the bubble boy (the last person out before the money) until I realized that only the top 5 pay, not the full final table.  I doubled up a coupld times and felt comfortable enough to start playing my game. I worked at it and played very well, building my stack up to the chip lead with over 10k in chips. When there were only 7 of us left I took two players out in one hand to give myself a 2-1 chip lead over anyone else at the table. I said “you’re welcome fellers” to the remaining players as a joke because they had all just made the money because of the last hand. :)

When heads up started I had a huge chip lead. Something like 32k to 9k. We swung back and forth for a bit, and he eventually went all in for his last 9k. I called with a J 4 offsuit, and he hit two pair on the flop (queens and nines). I went runner runner 4’s on the turn and river to win. Even if I had doubled him up I would have still had a chip lead and I’m confident I would have won. Admittedly I got really lucky on a few hands, but that’s bound to happen in any tourney.

I played a Sit-N-Go on Wednesday. The buy-in was $3 +$0.50, and there were 45 players. I took 1st place and won $59. Yay me!

I also played a couple really good poker hands online this week.. here they are.

Hand 1 (Friday afternoon):

I held 3 3, he held 8 5.

I was first to act and tripled the big blind before the flop and he called.

Flop came down 2 5 5, and I bet out three times the big blind. He called.

Turn was a 3. This is an interesting card because it improved my hand to a full house, and looks like a brick to him. We both probably thought we had the best hand, and he didn’t seem to be scared of the straight because I raised pre-flop. I bet out again, 5 times the big blind, and he called. I’m not sure why he didn’t raise me here. With the possibility of a straight, full house, and two different flush draws, you’re better off to raise to see where you sit. If I call the raise or re-raise he would know that his trips are probably beat.

The river came down a 3. Jackpot! The only hand that could beat mine would be pocket fives, and I definitely didn’t put him on that because he was just calling the whole way. This is a great card for me because it also improves his hand to a full house, primed and ready to lose his chips. I bet out ten times the big blind, and he raised all in. I called and felted him.

Quad threes screenshot here

Hand 2 (Today):

I held A K. He raised 7 times the big blind pre-flop and I called.

The flop came down A 2 K. He bet out 7 times the big blind and I called.

Turn card was a K. He checked and I did the same behind him.

River was a 5. He bet out ten times the big blind, and I min raised him. He re-raised all in. I thought about it for a second, thinking it would be sickening if he had held aces the whole way. but I can’t see him checking the turn if he has aces. I called and felted him. He held a measly A Q. I guess it’s a good thing I didn’t raise on the flop, I might have won the pot too early.. although I was really surprised to see his hand.. why would he think he was good? Maybe he was trying to bluff, but he can’t expect to bluff me when I cam calling 7 times the big blind.. *shrug*..

I love donkeys. Especially when they help me win a pot worth nearly $100.

Kings full of aces screenshot here

I came across this page and had a good laugh. Not sure what kind of nutcase would know all these movies/shows, but it’s worth a look.

Most Embarrassing Alien Mating Scenes of All Time (link NSFW)

I picked up the Friday Night Poker title again this week. Jordan and I had a really awesome game of heads up after the others were knocked out. The game was small with only 5 players, but thanks to rebuys we built the pot up to $180, I was in for only $20 this week. When we got down to heads up Jordan had about $20 more than me. Jordan was down to $13 at one point, I think my lowest was about $25 or so. We did 5 or 6 major swings back and forth over an hour and a half span, both of us refusing to give up while short stacked. I eventually took most of the chips with a a Qh Jh, while he held a J 7. The flop came down J brick brick, he went all in and I called. I doubled up and left him with about $20 remaining and it was over a few hands later.

Great game Jordan. Most fun I’ve had heads up in our cash games yet. I can’t believe we lasted for an hour and half heads up.. usually takes about 15-20 minutes for a winner to emerge.

I’ve been running really well lately, with a total of 7 wins out of the last 9 weeks we’ve played, and I’m up a little over $1000. That is after my buyins are deduced, net pay if you will.

If only I had an ipod… and this skin for it existed.

update: Ok.. I googled it, and it exists. But not in the sexy skin color I would choose.. nevertheless when I get an ipod, I am getting one of these.

I know I’m destroying the ending to the story here with the subject line, but I wouldn’t write a post for an epic failure on my part anyway.

Thursday night this week we played our usual Friday night poker game. We played on Thursday because a couple of us had a concert go to to (Lamb of God, Children of Bodom, As I Lay Dying, God Forbid). There was 8 players, and the pot grew to a substantial $320 by the end of the night.

Jordan was very very drunk, bought in for $60 and lost it all (big surprise, playing drunk). In the end Pierre, Mikko and I were the last three remaining. Pierre and I each had about $50, and Mikko had the remaining $220. I took Pierre out with an Ace vs his King, and pretty much doubled up.

A couple hands into heads up I decided I was going to bluff a pot, when the flop came down brick/brick/brick. I bluffed on all streets, putting in more each time, little did I know Mikko hit two pair on the flop. He called on the river and took nearly all my chips. I was down to $18.50, and the blinds were up to $5/$10.

I looked at Kyle (who was dealing out the rest of the game for us), and said “Chip and a chair buddy!”. I put my $10 blind in, Mikko called, and I raised all in for my last $8.50 with a king high. Mikko had over $300 sitting in front of him. I hit the flop and doubled up, and did it again soon after. With almost $100 in front of me from two double ups and a couple rounds of stealing blinds, I limped in with a 5 7 off-suit. I hit 7 7 3 on the flop and checked. Mikko checked. Turn was another brick, 6 I think. I was a little afraid of the straight here but I figured Mikko didn’t bet the flop so he probably isn’t drawing for it. I checked again and he bet minimum ($10). I call, and wee the river. The river is a face card, and I bet $10. Mikko raises to $20 and I go all in. He thinks I’m bluffing because I didn’t bet the whole way and I doubled up for just over $90. Wahohoooo!!

I think he said “You fucker” about 7 or 8 times before the next hand. I had taken the chip lead and was prepped to play ultra agressive. I think I won every pot from there on, and took home the entire $320. The last hand of the night I was holding 3c 4c, and hit a straight flush draw on the flop. Mikko went all in with two pair and I called, beating him with a straight on the river.

I have never come back in a cash game like that. Although I thoroughly enjoy our home games every week, it was definitely the funnest time I’ve had playing poker in a long time. Tough loss Mikko, one of these times you will sting me I’m sure.

I went out and bought some good running shoes yesterday, so it’s back to running for me. Trav, Kristen and I went down to the Gaetz Lakes Sanctuary (in Red Deer, we’re down visiting Mom for Easter) and did a 3.5k run around the lakes. I walked for about 1k of it I think, because I’m still too out of shape to do a full 4k run, but it will come slowly.

It was very tough, but it felt good to get out and get some exercise again.

17:52:08 @Mambo: weather sure changed fast
17:52:11 @Mambo: walked to saveonfoods
17:52:14 @Mambo: nice and sunny
17:52:15 @Mambo: walk back
17:52:18 @Mambo: thunder and rainy
17:52:44 @raskull: use a car you fucking hobo

No, I’m not talking about poker, drugs, or achohol.

A few months back I had my first peanut butter and jam sandwich (pbnj) in many years. Since then I’ve been addicted.

Tonight I was sitting at the computer after I had eaten dinner. I brought a bag of those baby carrots downstairs to munch on while I played games and watched shows.. a usual afternoon in a work week for me. I was eating lots of carrots, basically keeping myself feeling full for a couple hours after my supper. Yet I still felt the need to go make a huge pbnj sandwich. I’m talking 2cm thick of peanut butter and 1cm or so of jam.. so huge it was hard to eat, but tasted sooo good.

Is there a 12 step program for pbnj addictions? I need to get a picture of this laster on to post here… it’s sickening, but awesome.