Your Wine

Let me be your wine
Drink from my lips
Taste all of me and be mine
My amorous lover
Show me your desire
Give me your passion
Explore me with your touch
Please me with your kisses
My body will welcome you
Come and make me whole
Make my world complete
Make my dreams come true

It's Garthmeister's Birthday!

Here's wishing you a fantastic Birthday my friend!

Now you guys go and send your Birthday wishes to this fabulous fellow.

New Kid in Town

My lucky charm during the blogger tournament in Vegas, Irish Jim, has now joined the blogger community.

Check out his blog, Poker on the Boundary, Vegas recap and give him a nice warm welcome.

Tears of Joy

Once I finally got my girls on Christmas, they were all smiles in a really good mood. They were happy.

They were pleased with the Ditigal cameras, clothes, and a few games that Mom got them. It was a good Christmas in spite of it all.

Then I opened the present from them. They wrapped it. The present was a paper Christmas wreath, a paper Tree, and a bunch of little coupons for Hugs, Kisses, baked brownies, and such. I loved it. And then I opened the card they bought for me. Here is what it said:

Front -

I made a list of all the things I need and then I made a list of all the things I want..

Inside -

Hi Mommy Merry xmas - Need You (heart) Want You (heart) Merry Christmas - with lots of love from Rebecca and Julia

The tears were rolling down my cheek again..but this time they were good tears..happy tears.

I love these precious girls...my life can never be empty...cause I have them!

God Bless..

I Didn't Expect It

This morning I expected to smiling and happy. Christmas day is mommy's day. I get my girls today. Even though I've been adjusting to my new solo status, and to the fact that my family has been broken, the holidays are more difficult.

I've been keeping busy. Making sure to spend time with friends and family the last few nights. The poker game on Saturday was a blast! That story will need to wait. Last night I went to my sister's house and had a wonderful time. But today, today it hit me. I wasn't prepared. I should have been.

I called this morning to wish my girls Merry Christmas and see how soon I could get them. My mother-in-law answered the phone. Her and my father-in-law live with EM. They had lived with us since before my children were born. I wished her Merry Christmas then asked to speak with my girls. Silence. "They aren't here", she finally replied. "Where are they?", I asked. Soon I found out they had stayed the night with EM, his girlfriend, and her four kids. I held my composure with my mother-in-law, but inside I was screaming. WTF!!!!!!!!!!!

A new picture formed in my mind. One I didn't like. This picture made me soooooo upset!!!!! My girls are having to share their dad on Christmas. They already resent the time and attention he gives his girlfriend and her kids. But on Christmas too? They are part of a new family now. One I don't belong too. That hurts.

To make matters worse, I then tried to call my girls on each of their cell phones. No answer. Then his phone. No answer. I felt so separated from them.

The day will get better I know. EM called while he was out on a food run. He will bring my girls in one hour. That knowledge finally calmed me and I was able to stop the flood of tears that have been spilling for almost an hour.

I'm glad I had online friends to talk to this morning. Thanks Waffles and Carmen!

Merry Christmas Everyone....

A Fun Filled Week

Here is a short recap of my week:

Sunday -
The Badugi game at HPD went well. That is definitely my kinda game. You know I love action. And Badugi is full of it. So how did this lady fair in her first Badugi game? How's 2nd?...Woo hoo

Monday -
Played a little online. Joined a 4 way HU with HPD. He made it to the next round. I went about 55 hands and finally lost. Speaking of HU, Gordogg beat me last week in one hand. Gordo, help me out what were the hands? All I ever remember are the results. I LOST in one HAND!!!

Then I used my token that was won the week before in a MTT. I have won so many tokens, but never, not once have a made money with them. Then played a $4 MTT on Stars with Gordogg. He went all the way to final. Must have finished in the top 3 after I went to bed cause I saw that I got a transfer with my cut the next day.

While in the girlie chat with a few bloggers, they started talking about a home game in Laguna on Saturday night. Hmmmm.....that sounds good. So I got the information along with an invite to stay the night with two of my new blogger friends on one condition, I must witness this blogger put panties on his head while he dances. Heck, I would pay to see that...lol

Tuesday -
Live at the casino. I went to the Hawaiian Gardens Casino (yes, mistake number uno), but it is right on my way home. I bought into a table. Play was very loose. So I decided to raise in mid position with KJ sooted (yeah, second mistake). The flop came with a K 6 2 rainbow. The EP player made a min bet. I raised it up to a pot bet. He came over the top. I knew I had him. I moved all-in since he had me covered. He had K 8 and hit his 8 on the river. That was enough. It was just a little pit stop.

Wednesday -
I had an enjoyable evening with my girls. We went to one of their favorite restaurants, Chilli's. The In-laws were invited too. They have been part of my immediate family for over ten years, so it was nice to have their company. They have been very good to me during all of this. Then I took the girls to shop for a present for their father. My little one asked, "Why are you gonna buy a gift for Daddy? He is your ex husband." I told her that he would always be her daddy. The truth is I just wanna be nice.

Thursday -
First, I spent some time with my girls again. This night they wanted to go to one place, See's Candy. My oldest is a true chocoholic just like her mommy. So we went to the candy shop. Becca, my oldest, picked out a package with chocolate balls, a chocolate cigar, and a box of lollipops. Julia just wanted so milk chocolate coconut.

After dropping of the kids, I called HPD to see how things were going at his cash game. Pop's was there...lol People joke about how easy it is to take money off of this player. So I asked if anyone wanted anything. Pop's wanted a no carb Rock Star beverage.

Upon arrival, I ran into Pop's in the parking lot. He already busted out for the night. Drats! Someone beat me to him. I gave him his Rock Star and headed inside.

It was a lucky night for me. I rivered on a few people to take down some really sweet pots. Once with AK of spades. K and two spades on the flop. They other player was raising and re-raising. We finally were all-in by the turn. He had two pair. I caught my last spade on the river. I made over $15 on that pot alone.

By the night's end, I made $26. And had a great time as always.

Friday -
What a blast. So many bloggers in the girlie chat including: Drizz, HPD, Gary, Surflexus, Kat, Waffles, Jordan, Gracie, Smokkee, Elf, Sox, FP, Princess, and Slb. Me and my girl Elf were having some Pino.

First we played in the 25k guaranteed on FT. Kat, Gary, Smokkee, Sox, and myself had a last longer bet going. Gary won the last longer and was the only one of the group to make the money. Well done!

HPD pointed out the $5 HORSE event and a few of us joined. HPD finished short of the bubble in 18th place. Fastpitch made the final table with me. And I hit a nice payout of $93 for my 3rd place finish.

Saturday -
I'm soooo looking forward to the game tonight.

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I broke one of my rules. A while ago, I decided that going forwarded only bloggers that played me HU would get a link on my site. Today, I decided, WPBT pals get exemption from that rule. They belong on my links. So, I finally added many of you to my list. If I missed anyone, let me know, and send me your link. That doesn't mean I don't want a chance at your head! So if you did make the list, please hit me up for a HU match, a HU series, or whatever. Let's just have some fun!
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One last item of importance. Slb for whatever reason is comparing our profile view...lol I don't want to lose in any kinda competition to him, so do me a favor. Make sure and click on my profile. Tell all your friends to click my profile. Keep in mind, a click on my profile will bring you LOTS OF GOOD LUCK!!!!!!

************************************************************************************

Hope all of you are enjoying your holidays!!!!!!!!!

Hugs and kisses to you all.................

Badugi Anyone?

I'm getting ready to join High Plains Sunday night game. Tonight will be my first time playing Badugi.

Here is a description:
Badugi is a triple draw, four-card, low-hand wins game. The best low hand is comprised of four cards, with none of the same suit, and none of the same rank: i.e. ace, two, three, four all of different suits are the best possible hand.

There's a dealer button, a small blind, and a big blind. Cards are dealt in the same manner at holdem, but everyone is dealt their own four cards, facedown.

Betting occurs, then there is a discard/redraw phase.

There are three rounds of betting/drawing cards, then a showdown.

The best hand is 432A, all different suits. Pairs are bad, and the same suit is bad.

If you end up with 5422, you actually have a three card hand (542). If you end up with 542A with the 5 and A of the same suit, you actually have a three card hand (and you'd use 42A). The 42A would beat the 542. Lower cards are better.

Any four card hand beats any three card hand, and any three card hand beats any two card hand. The worst hand you can show down is quad kings. You're playing a solo K.

Check this link for some more information:

http://www.pokernews.com/news/2006/12/other-games-poker-chris-fargis-badugi.htm

If you read this before 8 p.m. PST on Sunday night and have some tips for me, please send them my way. I can check comments on my phone.

Have a great night all!

Vegas Memories

I have been stuck on how to write about my Vegas experience. How can properly convey how amazing it was to meet and party with my blogger pals? I have been enjoying the write-ups of a few of my friends starting with Al, Iggy, Waffles, Pauly, Garth, Kat, and Derek. Their stories put a smile on my face as I remembered what is sure to be one of my most memorable life experiences.

Pauly said it best and even though you have already re-read his comments on PokerWorks, it is worth repeating:

You have to believe me when I tell you the trip was extraordinary…not because of the poker…
not because of the partying…
not because of the poker pros…
not because of Vegas…

the trip was amazing because of the people involved.

There is no way that I can say it better. I know I'm not one of the best writers of the group. So I'm just gonna list a few highlights:

First, Mr. Bracelet was kind enough to mention me in his post:

If Veneno isn't the luckiest blogger there is, then I don't know what to think anymore. Maybe it's because she's the most positive blogger you'll find, but whatever it is, she just can't lose. She hits trifectas, plays just shy of basic strategy and crushes blackjack, 2nd in the blogger tourney, and the list probably goes on. She even, well...I'll let her tell that story if she wants to. She should open up one of those 900 lines selling picks.

It was absolutely a lucky trip for me! By the end of the trip, I paid for my room, bought lots of drinks for myself and others, paid for meals, shopped and still left Vegas with 1k more than I had when I arrived.

It was a blast playing Blackjack with Bobby, BG, and Speaker. My apologizes to BG for failing to do a good job on third base and costing him money twice. Bobby tried to help me with the whole hog nutt thing, but I just couldn't get it right. So I guess I just had to get lucky. And that is what I did. Once I hit a $350 profit on that session I bailed on the guys to head for Three Card Poker.

The list does go on. In addition to the things Bobby mentioned, I had the following:

Craps -

I knew hitting the Crap tables with Newbie Garth was bound to be good. Craps is my absolute favorite casino game. Yes, I love it even more than poker. No other game do you get the same energy and excitement. Garth was INCREDIBLE with the dice. (I still love ya today Garth!) A couple of the sucker bets I like to make are HORN bets on the COME out roll and hard ways. He hit my HORN at least 3 times. He made his point repeatedly. He rolled Hard ways. On the last two hard 8 hits, I had already increased my bet to over $10 (so one hit alone paid $90). By the time he finished, I looked down at my chips. He had helped me recover some losses from this session. And I was more than $300 ahead. Next move..I slid my chips to the dealer and said...cashout!

I was also highly impressed with the Princess who discovered a way to touch Garth's perfect chest during the Crap session. Anytime he did good (which was often) she would rub his chest and say "It feels like VICTORYYYYY". Garth was enjoying every minute and looking quite groovey with his Elton glasses and black Aussie T-shirt. I also enjoyed watching him sing and move to the music throughout the trip.

When it comes to craps, I do have one weakness. Being the uncoordinated person that I am, it is a challenge for me to throw the dice and hit the other side of the table. On one session, with Ftrain watching, I decide to throw the dice. Before releasing, I warn the dealer, "Please watchout". First roll. I hit the dealer with both dice. I swear it was not on purpose! He was very gracious about the whole thing. And Ftrain got to laugh at me. So I guess it was all worth it.

Slots

* Slots are not my favorite, but I decided to invest a few bucks to see if I could hit it big.
* With $20 investment in the Big Spin, I hit the spin and won $100. I cashed out with $107.
* Then I put $60 into the Blazing 7s, hit for $300, played that down to $300 and cashed out.

Roshambo

Tommy was kind enough to make a $10 donation to the Veneno bankroll when he lost in a rematch of Roshambo. It was close this time, but I remained victorious. Our life time matches 2 and 0. See you next year!

I did lose in a match to Vinny. This new blogger is pretty sharp!

Heads Up on the computer

Pablo wanted to play me heads up. So of course I could not say no. First I had to beat Sox. Not a problem. I made $20 from each of them. Then Joaquin played me for "fun" and beat me. Finally, Falstaff took $20 when he beat me.

The Blogger Tournament

I cannot tell you how honored I was to make the final table at this event. This felt sooooo goood! And although I'm sure there are many who assume that I got to the final by sheer luck, I think others saw that sometimes Veneno can play a solid game of poker.

As for the luck factor in the game, I was fortunate to sit next to the Irish reader Jim. Something about an Irish man in green just feels lucky. So I decided that I would rub his arm for luck on every break. Incidently, we both made it to the final table.

My starting table included MiamiDon, Otis, Chilly, CC, Irish Jim (or is it Tim), TexasApril, Waffles, and Leigh from The Poker Atlas. Unlike some other tables with incredible players, I felt I could hold my own with this group.

I thought some of my best moves were the hands I laid down. After chip building up to a decent stack, I lost a big chunk of chips vs MiamiDon. I ended up folding my AQ which gave me top pair. I'm certain he had me beat. Another versus the Irish guy when I had TT and the flop was QQx. When he pushed in I turned to him and said, "I think I have you beat". I watched for any sign of weakness. He was solid. My read. He had me. I folded.

Waffles managed to escape my plans at trapping him. Once with a full boat. Unfortunately, he respected my betting and folded. Another time, he folded to my late position all-in with KK when he was in the big blind. Thank goodness I raised or he might have beat me with his A rag. I took a few limping bets along with the blinds on that hand.

Chilly made the mistake of facing me and gave me my first bounty. I got four packets of hot sauce as my price. Not sure what to do with it yet. Perhaps I should ask Daddy. He seems to know what to do with hot stuff.

TexasApril finally decided to make a move with pocket 8s. I called her raise pre-flop and ended up hitting 2 pair with my 67. I checked to her and when she bet I moved all in. My hand held up and she was left with almost nothing.

Falstaff joined the table later and ended up doubling me up when I sucked out with 44 vs his 55. I was short at the time and felt it was time to move with my pair.

From that point, I was pretty much just patient. Took down a few hands uncontested. And waited as the blinds continued to rise.

By the time it was down to 2 tables, I was just hanging on. Me and Biggestron were ridding the bubble for a long time. The big stacks were using their chip power well. My blinds were constantly under attack. But I waited. Finally, I had a break when Michael Friedman called my all-in raise with A8 suited vs my AQ.

Once on the final, I laid down 77 when Sox pushed preflop with AK I think. The next time he made the same move, I called him with TT. My pair held. And Sox was out. Instead of a bounty, he gave me some kinda fisted gesture. Thanks alot Soxy!

When it got down to 5 players, we decided to make a deal. Everyone would be guaranteed $750. At that point Daddy and I were the chip leaders. Jim was not far behind. Micheal and -EV had less than half of the chips compared to us.

During the break I went to talk to Iggy. Told him I was still in it with 5 players remaining. He told me, "Just don't bust Mattie". Shortly after getting my instructions from the blogfather, I did just what he told me not to do. I hit my set of 5s. Let Daddy bet into me. By the river we were all-in. That's how I busted Daddy. Despite this win, I was a little disappointed. If there was anyone at that table that I wanted to face Heads Up it was Daddy. It was fantastic to play with him and watch him in action. I'm totally a fan of this big teddy bear!

Once it was down to the Heads Up game the blinds were so big that with any raise you had 25% of your stack in. -EV played a great game. He was aggressive to the end. And I could not out play him. Congratulations Kevin. Job Well Done!!!

As a consolation, -EV gave me his bounty..A smoking Donkey...lol..classic...thanks!

Other highlights

* Biggestron gave me a nice welcoming hug without hesitation. Big deal for the non-huggy guy.
* To make-up for my overdue debt with Weakplayer, I bought him a big Chocolate chip cookie.
* Gcox was a sweetheart. I was sooo happy to finally meet him. But still NO CD!!!!!
* Dinner with Joaquin. He kept hinting all weekend to work me into a sweat. But it turns out he is all talk..haha
* The blogger conversation at the Bar on Sunday was sooo enlightening and entertaining. I will never forget the tips.
* I rarely eat meat, but after that conversation I joined Maudie for a hamburger. It tasted really goooooooooood.
* Getting a thumbs up from Joanna.
* One blogger made me feel extra special with compliments and a few wonderful kisses...too bad he waited until I was leaving Vegas!
* Brunch with Waffles, Don, and another blogger.

I still have pictures to post....

Who is the Luckbox Now?

I must interrupt my Vegas recaps for an important update.

My HU challenge with the infamous Luckbox was concluded this evening. And the true luckbox was the victor. Before the game began, I told CJ that "my luck has been excellent lately". He on the other hand replied, "BadBlood suggests my luckboxing is over. lucky in love... unlucky in cards."

We had an excellent battle. I took the lead early and never gave it back. Finally, we both hit a Top Pair...I was behind with a 6 kicker to his Q kicker. He pushed on the turn. I called. And hit my 6 on the river. Boooyah!!!! Yes, I sucked out. That's what I do. Hehe...

CJ will be picking a nice housewarming plant for my new appartment. Any blogger making their way to California is welcome to meet my new Luckbox plant in person.

So speaking of Heads Up..I have other delightful news to share.

Just before my Vegas trip, I received the following email:

Fellow blogger here (http://kgblovesoreos.blogspot.com/), normally people just call me KGB (but you can call me Neil, don't care either way), and I was wondering if you wanted to start a series of HU matches. I'm interested in playing, overall, 15 $5 + .50 HU matches with you because after reading your blog the past few months, it seems like you welcome any HU challenge that comes your way. I appreciate challenges as well, and on top of that, I think we'd have a great time playing together.

Now, the 15 games I want to play are as follows:

2 NLHE
2 FLHE
2 Seven Card Stud
2 Omaha
2 Omaha 8/OB
2 Razz
3 HORSE

If you want to make any adjustments to the format, I'd appreciate it if you contacted me and let me know. The best way to reach me is via AIM, and my SN is KGBlovesOreos.

I look forward to playing these matches with you. GL, and I hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely,
KGB

Now this is the kinda offer that gets me worked up with excitement!!!!!!! Oh yeah, I will accept this challenge. Of course, a challenge of this degree requires an appropriate bounty. We have agreed to a Poker T-shirt signed by the loser and blog title rights for a week.

Looks like I will need to add some new charts for the new games. I don't usually play limit and especially not this mix of games. But that can't stop this Luckbox!!

Carpe Diem

Yes, my Vegas trip was quite an experience! There is no way that I will be able to fully capture this weekend for you, but I will try to provide you with a glimpse of my WPBT adventure....

Bloggers in Love

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I left work shortly after 4 p.m. on friday afternoon to the John Wayne airport. Since my intended room mate cancelled on me, I decided to fly to Las Vegas instead of driving. This proved to be a very wise decision. Now I would be able to make it to the MGM in time for the cocktail hour with the bloggers. Wooo hooo!!!

As it turned out, I ran into my first two bloggers, Smokkee and LoveElf, outside of the gate for my flight. We chatted for a bit and soon were heading to the entrance to board the plane. They went ahead of me and then the attendant asked me if I was traveling with anyone. I thought that was a strange question. "No", I replied. To which she informed me, oh then you need to wait for your zone to be called. Doh! When I did get to enter, Smokkee and his girl were nice and comfortable in the first row section of 1st class. That sure looked sweet. I then found my spot in a middle seat. Soon I was sandwiched between two people and no room to move. Thank goodness this flight was just an hour!

Towards the end of the flight, I hear the annoucement. "We would like to congratulate, Smokkee and Elf (they used their real names of course) who just got engaged on our flight." I give out a little shout, which I'm sure they couldn't hear. Wow that is great! I know them.

As soon as I came off the plane, they were waiting with big smiles. I embraced the too of them in a big hug. Then I checkout the beautiful ring. It was a sweet moment to share with this cute couple.

Then I asked if it was cool to start spreading the good news. They had no objections. So the text messaging began. First to April. Then a few others. I was pretty excited to see two bloggers unite. And finally, a text message to the happy couple to offer another congrats.

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Next to come....The Cocktail Hour

The Best High

"The Best High is conversation" - Iggy WPBT 2006

I couldn't agree with him more. And my experience this weekend in Vegas was the "Best High" I've had in a long time. From beginning to end, it was packed with enjoyable moments and good conversation with some of the most wonderful people I know.

Stay tuned for a recap of this awesome event....

I love you guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dreaming of WPBT

It's always interesting when I wake up in the middle of the night dreaming of something poker related. Tonight I was dreaming of the upcoming WPBT in Vegas.

Perhaps it was because the Roshambo Lord finally told me tonight that he had booked his reservation.

Or maybe it was because I can't wait to drink SoCo with this hippie, who made me smile tonight with plans for the upcoming event.

Or could it be because the infamous karaoke blogger has promised to bring me a long overdue CD.

Then again, maybe I just can't wait to get my hands on the best blogger ass around.

Of course, it could be that I'm just looking forward to rubbing the tiltmeister's head.

Perhaps it is the fact that I will finally get to deliver cookies to this friend and his lovely wife.

Or maybe I just can't wait to have fun with best blogger girlfriend.

It certainly could be thinking of the opportunity to win some money off of the Cranberry man.

How could I miss a chance to be in the presence of Mr. Dreamy?

Perhaps I'm just craving another Dave sandwich.

Maybe this trip I will get to join the Vegas tour guide.

Will I get to win another wager with this awesome bowler?

Will the this lovely lady bring her kitty?

I am looking forward to getting a big hug from this finger flipper and his better half?

Perhaps I'm overdue for a visit with the doctor.

All I know is that this wiz better not hit another royal flush to knock me out 2nd to last in the tournament.

I owe a big thanks to this wonderful person for making my dreams come true.

But whatever the reason...I'm dreaming good dreams...and excited about being here:

What: WPBT Holiday Classic III
When: Saturday Dec. 9th at 1:30pm
Where: Caesars Palace
Format: NL with one rebuy
Buy-in: $80 + $50 rebuy

Hmmmmm....back to dreaming now....good night!

Luckbox helps a Friend

After a night from hell...(2 hours spent with EM)...I needed something to lift my spirits....A HU game with the luckbox was just the ticket!

It was a fabulous game. One of the better matches that I have played. I was in the lead first. Then the luckbox was able to pull a suckout on me and counter my 2 pair when a pair came on the board. Now CJ got the lead. I was able to recover and then get the lead again when he missed his draw. Proof that luckbox isn't always lucky. Finally, I was able to trap him when I hit the nut straight.

Thanks CJ for helping a friend who needed a little HU to lift my spirits.

Trash Talk Gone to Waste

This morning I was awaked to the sweet sound from my cell phone indicating an IM message was received. Who would be messaging me at 6:00 a.m.? It was Mr. AlCantHang.

So I open his message hoping to find a nice warm morning greeting, but instead get a reminder of my not so fabulous effort in the HUC4. Al's message said, "You choked against NewinNov?". My response, "Yes".

I could sense the disappointment in his next comment, "Tsk tsk and all that trash talking gone to waste"...so true my friend.

I'm sure many of you would like to know how this could have happened....(okay maybe only a few care). The first thing I remember New saying to me was that he hadn't played HU other than final stages of tourneys. Hmmmm...that sounded good...lol

As New wrote in his post, things were off to a good start. I was playing my usual aggressive style that can often catch a first time opponent off guard. When facing a new player, I will typically raise pre-flop by 2-3x the blind to see if they will drop their cards enough to give me a reason to keep doing it. New was definitely giving me a reason.

At some point players finally realize that I can't possible have that many good cards. By the time this happens, I usually already have a huge chip advantage. Such was the case with the first match.

In the second match, New was adjusting his play a bit and I changed up to more of a post-flop game. I still kept my aggressive style going but could backdown when necessary. I did chuckle a few times when he raised 1/3 of his stack a couple of times pre-flop. I'm not a big fan risking too many chips pre-flop unless I have a premium pair to fight back with. The turning point in this match was my hitting top pair with a OESD, I moved all in on the flop only to find that New had flopped the nut straight.

The second and third matches are a bit of a blur. I know the last match went over 50 hands. I was losing my focus and patience. Finally, I choked big time when I failed to fold my KK with an A on the board. New was kind to say, "What could you do?" I had KK afterall right....FOLD FOLD FOLD...that is what I could do. Really simple. I bet the flop to test his strength...and then failed to listen to the reply (a re-raise).

So yes, I choked.

Despite my loss, it was nice to meet another blogger. As I commented on New's post, if nothing else, I hope his HU game is improved as a result of facing the Poison.

Aside from this event, I had a pretty sweet weekend. Saturday night I had my first Party at the new place. The evening included food, drinks, and a single table NL tournament.

My guests included:

Old time friends - Debbie, Valerie, Kenny, Craig, and Tina

New friends - HighPlains and his girl Michelle

Brother - Richard

Dad

My friend Deb won the event, my Dad took 2nd, and my brother came in third. My family loves to play poker, so I wasn't too surprised with the result. That is where my passion for the game started. I grew up playing cards. The one thing you can count on at my Dad's house during the holidays is a family game of poker.

Since I am not much of a cook, I made pre-cooked Teriaki Chicken that you buy from Costco and simply warm up in the oven. White rice which I made in my new rice cooker. I had read the instructions for about 15 minutes (don't laugh!) and finally got help from my brother who is a fantastic cook. Eggrolls. Meatballs. And sauteed zuccini. Everyone enjoyed the meal.

For drinks, there was a choice of Magaritas, Eggnog (I know it's early..but it tasted yummy), Wine, and beer.

HighPlains was kind enough to run the event. He is great at setting up the structure and managing the blind changes and such. Plus this allowed me to keep up with my hostess duties.

I was able to break in my new poker table and copag cards that I bought just for this event.

It was a great evening. Somehow, I even managed to stay sober..despite my slow sipping of the Eggnog and Margaritas. Hmmm...has my alcohol tolerance improved? Perhaps I am getting better prepared for the next blogger event that I will be attending in December.

Last night, I went to HighPlains tourney as I love to do. This time the Eggnog worked much better...We played HORSE and I went out early. Then I played one of the guys that I enjoy teasing a game of HU for $40 and lost.

Finally, still not quite ready to drive...I used High's computer to play a $20 single table SNG on Full Tilt. I came in first which paid $90.

It is Monday morning...uggghhhh...and I am up and all I want to do is get back in bed..and sleep for a few hours...I really don't like mornings..and especially don't like Mondays!

Hasta luego all...

Querida - "Wanted"

I have finally succeeded in causing some trouble. After hanging out with Waffles for a couple of years now...Is it any wonder?...lol

This is the annonymous comment I received on my "Fuel for the Fire" posting:

"Querida, I am Fuel's wife and I am very interested in knowing more about the invitation he has made to you to party together in Vegas... Can you elaborate?"

Okay..here is my elaboration -

First I can understand your concern when one definition of "Party" via Websters.com is: "To enjoy oneself thoroughly and without restraint; indulge in pleasure".

My intention was to chat and drink with fellow bloggers and see the inside of a Penthouse suite for the first time. While I am a big flirt and tease, I have no interest in "indulging" with your hubby. Besides I don't even know what he looks like. I don't know him that well at all. We played 2 HU matches. That's it!

Besides, I'm into dorks, retards, pyschotics, introverts, and hippies. So if he doesn't fit into one of those categories, he won't even be appealing to me.

For futher clarification, your husband mentioned that he and Iakaris were going to have a Penthouse in Vegas. I then asked if I could "Party" with them in the Penthouse. He said yes. So technically, I invited myself.

Most of what you read on blogs is an exaggeration. Try not to take it too serious. None of us blogger do.

My apologies for any misunderstandings that this may have created. It was all done with the intention of good respectable fun.

Hasta luego...

Read It on Card Player

I found this on Smokee's blog. This is really cool!

Thanks everyone for the congrats and feedback. For me this was big and it was really sweet to get the comments.

There are a couple of people that I would like to especially thank. A victory like this is only really enjoyable when you can celebrate it with someone else. HighPlains, Slb159, and Shawn were really super about getting updates during the breaks and supporting my progress during the tournament. Thanks so much guys!

The brackets have been set for HeadsUpchallenge #4 (HUC4). Looks like NewinNov will be the my lucky "first victim". Looking forward to it. We are in the process of coordinating a date and time for our first match. So stay tuned for an event you will not want to miss.

Speaking of staying tuned....What is Iggy up to? Anyone have any ideas on what kinda announcement we are waiting for?....I am not a patient gal...

Hasta luego all..

Veneno Does Commerce $330 Live Tourney

What a total and complete RUSH! Last night I played the No Limit Hold'em Turbo 6 Players event at the Commerce Casino in California. Before I get to the ending...let's rewind a bit.

All week long I've been wanting to get together with friends. I was gonna have a party saturday night, but it seemed that everyone I called was busy. So the party was postponed for next weekend. It was saturday, and I still had no social plans. A weekend without the kids, no commitments, no plans, I was free.

I knew about the Holiday Bonus Tournament running at the Commerce and had even called Speaker to see if he was planning to attend. My original plan was to play the NL Hold'em event with 15k added on Friday night (buy-in of $330 no rebuys) and also play the Ladies NL Hold'em event on Saturday (buy-in of $225 no rebuys). Speaker, Smokee, and Ryan ended up playing in the Friday night event.

So instead of playing the Friday event at Commerce, I agreed to take pre-paid $50 tickets from x for a charity poker event. Shawn, one of the guys from HighPlains regular games agreed to join me. We both busted out before the money. I finished at 38th of 200 in this event. After which, Shawn and I decided to head to Commerce and checkout how the guys were doing.

We got there about 11:00 pm which gave us just enough time to play one satelite game. Speaker joined me. But we had no luck. I busted out 4th when I pushed with AK against a player with live cards who hit. You start these single table games with $500 in chips. Speaker finished 3rd when all 3 remaining players pushed in.

I stayed around long enough to shake hands with Smokee when he busted 50th...but left with Ryan still in the event. Later, I found out that Ryan was out shortly after I left. It is pretty hard to get deep in these tournaments, so both of these guys played well to get that far.

Okay...now to the good stuff...lol.

Veneno plays $330 NL Hold'em tournament

This is only the 2nd time that I have bought into a tournament at this price range. The first time, a couple of years ago, I got AA on the first hand. Pushed. Busted. That really sucked! So I may have been a little put off to investing that much money again into one of these events.

Lately, I have been thinking it was time to try again. So this was my opportunity.

The event began with 266 entrants. The first person I noticed at my table was the georgeous blonde with chic shades, fitted black jacket, and a sweet smile. His name was Shawn. We started chatting it up right away. He mentioned that he had hit it big this summer at the WSOP when he place in the money for 10k in the $1500 NL event.

I was playing a tight aggressive game. My best call of the night came early in the tournament. One of the players, over bet the pot on the river with an A on the board. I had been smooth calling his bets. Then I had to decide whether to put my life on the line and call with A J off. I had a read on this guy and went with my gut. I called for time. Thought it over. And finally called. Fortunately, this guy was holding A 5 and my hand held up. That was the turning point for me. Now I was one of the bigger stacks at the table.

I took out a few of the short stack players. Built my chips up to about 10k by the first break. Most players were respecting my post-flop raises and I was able to take a few pots down uncontested. A couple of new players who messed with me, soon paid the price.

One new player, who appeared to be playing loose, I decided to call down with only a pair of 3s..cause the price was small, and I put him on Ax hand. I was right and after that hand he had it in for me. Later, I played this guy again. I was calling down his less than pot size bets and hit my nut flush. As predicted, he over bet the river and I immediately called out All-in. When he didn't react after a few seconds, I repeated, "All-in". He nastily remarked, "I heard you the first time". He wasn't happy. The board was paired with xx and a K. The flush came runner runner. He grudgingly folded. A few hands later I took him out.

The player that took his seat, noticed me take down a few uncontested pre-flop hands that I raised and post-flop hands in which I lead out the betting. He said, "I sure wish I could see some of your hands". A few hands later he was able to see one of my hands when I got caught bluffing. It wasn't a significant loss. And I said, "Now you have seen one." This set the stage for later when I took him out with a better hand.

The cute blonde was still at my table just before the 2nd break. He was looking at my chip saying he needed to get some from me. I told him, "You better not mess with me!" He smiled and agreed that it would be best to leave me alone.

By the 2nd break, I had about 14k in chips. I just needed to play smart. We came back from the break and moved tables. It was now down to 4 tables. Only 6 to the money. Getting to the money was no easy task. The blinds were getting costly starting at 400 - 800 and moving up to 1200 with antes before the last 19th player went out. My plan was simple. Push or fold. Don't do anything stupid!

When I changed tables, one of the bigger stacks was on my right. He was a sharply dressed Hawain gentleman in his mid 50's I would guess. I immediately told him, "You are the sharpest looking guy in this place." He smiled and thanked me for the compliment. I was friendly with a few of the guys at the table. I do believe that this was the last little edge that helped me get to the money.

I went all-in 4 times when it was down to less than 4 to the money. Once with ATs, 66s, TT (in the sb), and A 7 sooted (in the sb). Not once was I called. The last time when I had the A 7 sooted, I was followed by a big stack in the bb. He laid down his hand and said he should call me.

Once we made the money I was super short with only about 3x the big blind. I just kept folding while ppl were dropping out. Finally, with less than 2x the bb, I was in the big blind with 98 off and moved all-in when a big stack raised on the button. I had live cards but didn't hit. I finished the tournament in 13th place with a prize of $1084 for a $600 profit.

That was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fuel for the Fire

It is always a good night when I receive an invitation like the one that Fuel55 sent me tonight via email, "wanna play some headsup?"....ummm...doh..."Absolutely" was my response! Did it matter that I was already playing in a 20 table SNG for $11 on Stars?...Of course not!

So Fuel finally got to play a little one on one with the Poison. We opened up Full Tilt which is a good place to play HU. The trick to getting on a table is that you must both watch until the current table fills then plan to jump on the next table immediately. If you do it as I just described, you will almost always get on with the intended opponent.

Our first match went 24 hands. In the busting hand, I caught a set on the flop with my pocket 3s. Unfortunately, Fuel hit his straight on the flop. I knew it was there. But there was too much invested and I would be left with very few chips. So I pushed on the turn and that was it.

For our next round, it was a nicely paced battle with Fuel on top until the end. Finally I meantioned that I preferred to be on top...and that was the turning point. I took him out on our 53rd hand.

In addition to enjoying our first match, I got invited to party with Fuel in Vegas. Apparently, he gets to enjoy Vegas styling in a Penthouse...hmmm...sounds sweet!

On another fine note, I made it to the final table in my SNG. Finishing 9th out of 180. Only made about $20 bucks, but had a good time.

Signed up for Full Tilt using Promotion code: VENENO99

A special thanks to FATBOYACAB for signing up under my account.

Hasta luego all...

The Frisky Gal gets Paid!

I got home tonight about 7:30 pm....got my salad for dinner (yeah..trying to lose some unwanted poundage)..fired up the computer and said hi to a few friends in the chat including Jordan, Slb159, Waffles, JJOK, CJ and HighPlains. I wanted to play poker. But I told my pals there would be no playing for me until the mile high pile of laundry was done. So after a few minutes of chat, I did my duty and washed 9 loads of laundry...uuuughhh! You must understand that I have a total distain for doing laundry...so this is torture! Especially now that I must drag all the clothes into the next building on the second floor.

Once the monster task was completed, I checked to see if Waffles was available for the HU match he promised. Unfortunately, he was actually doing well in a Midnight Madness tournment and just hitting the bubble stage in the MTT. So I would have to wait for our game...

Slb159 was busy too. He was doing well in a freeroll and ended up placing 8th out of 150.

So what was a frisky girl to do?...I was in the mood for some action. It was 11:30 p.m. so I couldn't stay up too late..hmmmm....How about 2/4 NL 6 max ring game?...Oh yeah..that sounds sweet...

So I took my entire roll of $99 and sat down at a table where the other players had stacks ranging from $400 to $700. I was deterimed to play tight and double or triple my stack and then leave. After about 15 minutes and playing only 3 hands, I got my wish...cashed out with $294...thanked the players at the table....and did a little yippie yelp! That was fun!!!!!!

Here is how it happened:

PokerStars Game #6926426087: Hold'em No Limit ($2/$4) - 2006/11/07 - 02:46:41 (ET)
Table 'Unukalhai II' 6-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: Lukieplaya ($396.30 in chips)
Seat 2: Scrotelo ($398 in chips)
Seat 3: aejones ($635.50 in chips)
Seat 4: blinnd ($400 in chips)
Seat 5: skytteskog ($1084.45 in chips)
Seat 6: yosoyveneno ($74.95 in chips)
skytteskog: posts small blind $2
yosoyveneno: posts big blind $4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to yosoyveneno [Ac Kh]
Lukieplaya: raises $12 to $16
Scrotelo: folds
aejones: calls $16
blinnd: folds
skytteskog: folds
yosoyveneno: calls $12
*** FLOP *** [Qh 6h 4h]
yosoyveneno: bets $58.95 and is all-in
Lukieplaya: folds
aejones: calls $58.95
*** TURN *** [Qh 6h 4h] [Ad]
*** RIVER *** [Qh 6h 4h Ad] [4s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
yosoyveneno: shows [Ac Kh] (two pair, Aces and Fours)
aejones: mucks hand
yosoyveneno collected $164.90 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $167.90 | Rake $3
Board [Qh 6h 4h Ad 4s]
Seat 1: Lukieplaya folded on the Flop
Seat 2: Scrotelo folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: aejones mucked [5c 5h]
Seat 4: blinnd (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: skytteskog (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 6: yosoyveneno (big blind) showed [Ac Kh] and won ($164.90) with two pair, Aces and Fours

PokerStars Game #6926431057: Hold'em No Limit ($2/$4) - 2006/11/07 - 02:47:35 (ET)
Table 'Unukalhai II' 6-max Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: Lukieplaya ($380.30 in chips)
Seat 2: Scrotelo ($398 in chips)
Seat 3: aejones ($560.55 in chips)
Seat 4: blinnd ($400 in chips)
Seat 5: skytteskog ($1082.45 in chips)
Seat 6: yosoyveneno ($164.90 in chips)
aejones said, "god damn"
yosoyveneno: posts small blind $2
Lukieplaya: posts big blind $4
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to yosoyveneno [Ad Qd]
Scrotelo: folds
aejones: folds
blinnd: folds
skytteskog: raises $12 to $16
yosoyveneno: calls $14
Lukieplaya: calls $12
*** FLOP *** [Js Ts 7h]
yosoyveneno: bets $25
Lukieplaya: folds
skytteskog: calls $25
*** TURN *** [Js Ts 7h] [Ks]
yosoyveneno: bets $25
skytteskog: calls $25
*** RIVER *** [Js Ts 7h Ks] [2h]
yosoyveneno: bets $50
skytteskog said, "believe i should fold AK"
skytteskog: calls $50
*** SHOW DOWN ***
yosoyveneno: shows [Ad Qd] (a straight, Ten to Ace)
skytteskog: mucks hand
yosoyveneno collected $245 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $248 | Rake $3
Board [Js Ts 7h Ks 2h]
Seat 1: Lukieplaya (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 2: Scrotelo folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: aejones folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: blinnd folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: skytteskog (button) mucked [Ah Kd]
Seat 6: yosoyveneno (small blind) showed [Ad Qd] and won ($245) with a straight, Ten to Ace




Hope some of you are having fun too...

I'm Craving a little HU

If you haven't heard already, Jordan just annouced that it is time for HUC4. Just thinking about it gives me a tingling feeling..yeah..I love to play HU what can I say?

So if you haven't tried this, maybe it's time to see if you can handle a little one on one action. I'm an action junkie, so HU is sure to always be my favorite. Plus there is nothing better then sucking out on one of you bloggers. And if I can't do that, I can always smack talk it up with the mighty High on Poker. Or try to tilt the infamous Waffles.

We must add more bounties. I love bounties...which reminds me...I think I still have to do something in the kitchen for Weakplayer...lol

If you need a little practice...or just need to remember what it is like to have fun playing poker (Doubleas or Slb)...then hit me up for a match.

I'm even willing to take a spanking or two from the likes of Trauma or Mr.Dreamy.

Perhaps....the long lost Fluxer would be willing to give it another try...I sure liked whipping that boy...yum yum....that was fun!

Oh...I think I'm dizzy...weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...a HU life for me!

Shuffleboard Anyone?

I used to love playing shuffleboard as a kid whenever I went to a vacation place in Crestline Califonia with my best friend Jenny. We would spend hours playing. Those were the days..young..innocent..no worries...good friends..good times..summer vacations.

So when I saw the shuffleboard game at the resort in San Clemente, I just had to play. So I got my girls and niece to join me for some shuffleboard fun.



Our little weekend escape ended this morning. I decided to wait until we got home to shower and clean. So we headed for home with mom looking pretty crappy. Then the family including my mom decided we should stop for breakfast at the IHOP near my place.

Now when you look really a mess, there are certain people that you hope never see you in this state. One of those would include EM's new girlfriend. So we are sitting outside the restaurant waiting to be seated. My girls notice her come out with her 4 kids and say "Hi, look who is here." Daddy is inside paying for the meal. He comes over and chats with the girls and says hi. Fortunately, I was able to hold in my emotion until he left. I really didn't like my mom and girls seeing me teary-eyed...but I guess that will happen from time to time....

My passion for poker is dwindling. When I do play. I'm not really into it. If I win or lose it doesn't matter much to me.

What I still enjoy is the chat. Steve was kind enough to invite me into a conference where I met a few new bloggers. I even tried to fight with Waffles, but he didn't seem to have enough spark to handle me tonight.

The highlight of my night was playing HU with Jordan. He is still a challenge and fun to battle in the HU arena. But even he mentioned that I was not giving my usual effort with comments and smack talk. At least I won..haha

Laters all...

Bloggers Do It Live

I haven't been playing much online these days as many of you may of noticed or not noticed. But what I have been doing is having fun playing live. This last week I've been enjoying playing hostess for two of my online pals. Perhaps you will get a recap from Gordogg on just how fabulous it is to hangout with the amazing V (don't hold your breath).

On Saturday night at Commerce Casino, I arrived just in time to witness Smokkee walking up the the cashier to collect his nice size winnings from the tournament he just won. Then, I was able to meet up with WeakPlayer and his lovely wife at Commerce. He even took a break from his game to have dinner..lol...

Hands like quad Aces, a nut flush on the river, were some of the hands of opponents that killed me at the $100 NL tables at Commerce.

I did make $55 at Hawaian Gardens the night before.

But the best night was on Tuesday. I played in a rebuy tournament at the Bike with 30 entrants and finished in 3rd place which paid $440. My buy-in was 40+10, then I did the double add-on for $40, and one final add-on for $20. So my profit was $330 less the $25 tip. Weeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

Okay...laters...

The Party is Over

I won't miss most of the online sites that have cut the cord on us americans. And I definintely will not miss Firepay, but PARTY POKER! I have a fondness for firsts. And Party was always my true love online. My favorite avatar in the yellow dress. My buddy list is forever lost! People that I would just hang out with once in a while when I saw they were playing. How will I find them again? Will they be playing? If so, where? And my favorite FISH! Yes, I actually had a few of those on my list that were really tasty. Ahhh...I will miss Party.

But where one love ends, another is there to take its place. And sometimes the new love is better than you expected. My new online love of choice is Full Tilt. I'm not new to Full Tilt, but this site has done so much to build our relationship. They have shown loyalty. They have provided quality customer service. They have introduced me to new thrills like RAZZ.

I appreciate the communications they have sent via email regarding their plans to stay and provide us Americans with a safe and entertaining place to play this game we love...ONLINE POKER!

Recently, I haven't been playing much online, but if you want a little read on my activity go check out this site.

Aside from that, I still have been enjoying HighPlains home game. It is one of the highlights of my week. Last Sunday was the championship game. I started out with a bang. Got a gift from one of the players and chipped up early. Then played the style of game I love...AGGRESSION BABY! One of the players started calling me "the NUTs". A few commented that I was a "Bully"...yes...I was loving it! Made the final table with the largest stack. I was sitting pretty. And looking pretty good too. Whenever someone said I was doomed to make the money, I would say, "I still have stupidity potential". Why did I have to go there? I started calling off a few hands that I should have been able to release. Lost a few races. And ended up having to work to hang on. In the end, I was UTG+2 with AQo. The player UTG raises, next player calls, so what do I do? Push of course...haha. So I busted out 2 away from the money which paid $175 for 4th and almost $500 for first.

The Thursday before, I played his HORSE cash game and lost about $15. But I so did not care. I was feeeling good when one of the guys opened up a bottle of 1800 and gave me a couple of shots. Good times!

Yes, the Party is over, and I will miss it. But as with other loves, we move on and discover new loves. Ones that will appreciate us, treat us well, and love us back!

The 100 Heads Up Challenge Results

I finally finished my 100 Heads Up Match Challenge. Although the wins exceeded the losses (52 wins versus 48 losses), I ended up with a loss of $5.00. I will just chuck it up to practice for my first HU match against a pro. In case you didn't hear, I beat Gavin Smith in a HU match for a $100 donation to charity. That was sweet!

Now I'm not sure if my mind is cloudy because of too much alcohol, but as I recall, one other interesting thing happened at the Bash.

Al and Gavin were lifting up their shirts and flashing their chests in front of me. Now, if a guy is gonna expose his nipples within arms distance of me, you can be sure of one thing, they are gonna get pinched. So I pinched both of their nipples. What I didn't expect was what happened next. THEY PINCHED BACK! Each of them pinched one of my boobs. That is probably the closest I will come to a threesome in my life..hmmm..or is it..lol

Now as for Saturday night, yes, I did play a HU match against my buddy Drizz.

While were chatting it up with Mr. Speaker, I took him up on his offer to play HU with the condition that he pick the game. His game of choice was a PLO8 match. What a mistake for me. I think it took only 2 hands for Drizz to whip me. The hand that did me in was a KJ with a flop giving me two pair and the 2nd high straight. We got into a little raise/reraise battle and once we were all in, I was disappointed to see that I was facing the nut straight..doh! My suckout powers failed again. Congrats Drizz!

Lastly, I finally beat TraumaPoker. Yeah! I can't tell you how good it felt to have a victory here. Thanks Trauma for giving me the opportunity to win one. You will never be undefeated against me again..hehe.

Hasta luego...

Dream Big!

I'm staying in Pismo Beach this weekend and loving it. California beaches are awesome! Just walking on the shoreline, smelling the sea air, hearing the waves roll onto the beach, is like a slice of heaven to me. So relaxing and peaceful.

It is especially nice after having a difficult week. A combination of being sick with the flu all week and handling the stream of drama and emotion from my oldest daughter, who is releasing the anger and frustration she feels while dealing with the many changes in our family life.

This trip is a retreat for MK consultants. When I first started my business, it was while I was still living with EM. Trying to sell our home. Moving. Craziness. So my focus was on different things. I took that time to go the the meetings for training. I held one class and had some individual appointments and sells, but I was not putting a lot of effort into it.

Last weekend, I held my "debut" party at my appartment. Even though I still had a few boxes not unpacked, the place has come together enough that I will allow others to come visit. The class went well. And I actually had 3 people sign-up as consultants and one more seriously thinking about it. So WOO HOO...I have the beginnings of my own team. In addition, I had about $400 in sales.

All the recent changes in my life have forced me to alter the dreams that I had of my future. Ending my marriage, losing my home, changes in friendships, and other changes have created a need to find a way to build a better life.

So what are my Big Dreams?

-To have a home again, a Beach House!

-To have a job where I am able to have the flexibility for my kids and the events in their lifes.

-To love what I do.

-And yes, I even want the pink Catillac!


I am ready now to commit to this business and make it into something that enables me to acheive my dreams...just watch me!

I have poker updates too...but those are gonna wait. They only thing I want to mention is that I finally fixed the HU chart with Meek on it and Peak. Sorry guys for taking so long to make corrections.

Take care all...and take time to dream.....

Climb a Peak

I actually took some time to chat and play poker tonight. Steve introduced me to two new bloggers PokerPeaker and donnie. It was fun to chat it up with you guys. I've been a bit out of control with my comments lately, so I hope you guys will respect me in the morning. Drizz joined us too and offered some rather interesting suggestions to assist me with current lack of certain attentions.

If you would like to see a picture of a good-looking guy climbing a peak, go check out Peak's blog. He is a new blogger, so hit him up with some traffic.

Tonight he got to face the Poison in a HU match. After a while of going at it, he raised me preflop and I pushed with AT. You know me...I just love to push it all in..anyway, he had the nerve to call me with AJ...lol...Nice job Peak. Congrats on your win!

Tomorrow I get my girls after a week without them...I can't wait.

It's great to be back hanging in the chat and playing some poker!

I still owe you guys some more fantastic pictures from the BASH and details of my experience..but let me just say this...

His arms felt perfect when they were wrapped around my waist. And when I looked into his amazing eyes, I knew he was pleased to be close to me. This would be the night. I knew it would be wonderful. It would be worth sacrificing the $20 bucks I paid for the beer pong. We found a private spot outside under a tree..there was a bench..the night air was fitting for the moment..and in the moonlight..this first kiss was just as sweet as I thought it would be...

More Boys, Boys, Boys, Yeah!!!

- Our awesome Host and organizer of the BASH! Thanks Al, you are the best!

- No blogger event would be complete without the charming Mr. Speaker. I missed the flashing of his chest (really bummed on that one!)...Gracie, How could you not call me?

- And if you haven't looked into this blogger's eyes, you are missing a thing of beauty...fire and ice...wow!

Boys, Boys, Boys...Yeah!

If there had been a BASH prize for giving hugs, that title would go to yours truly. What can I say? I like hugging. And more importantly, I love hugging all the good-looking blogger guys!

Just look at these cuties....get ready to be jealous girls...

- I finally found a way to get Falgstaff without a finger in the air, get him from behind..lol

- I had a great time playing with F-train for our friday night event. Guess who took this Blogger Champ down? Beware of the Poison Dave!

- Wow..I don't know about his Junk, but I like the rest. Bobby is hot!!

- Rock hard! A sweetie and a HUNK combined...just deadly!

- The Wolf doesn't bite. He is a cupcake. I even got rewarded with a cool shirt from Drew (yes I finally remembered) when I he tried to drop the hammer on me!

- Mr. Luckbox lives up to his name and wins the Charity Event. Maybe one day we can get him to drink some SoCo shots and get really lucky...haha

Boys, Boys, Boys...Yeah!

The Bash was a Blast

I'm still recovering from the long flight, lack of sleep, and effects of mucho mucho alchol consumption at the one and only BASH at the boathouse.

For links to blogs of BASH attendees go to www.boathousebash.blogspot.com

I really think the pictures say it all, so here are a few for your enjoyment. In addition, I have uploaded quite a few already to flickr.com with the tag Bash2006.

Drizz (Dave) is awesome! He let me use his Ipod during the friday night event. After I busted him in the friday night event, he was still willing to join up with the other Dave (F-train) to make a Dave and V sandwich..lol



"I'm sooo cool! I need sunglasses to play poker with bloggers. But it is only to conceal my goregous eyelashes."

"Oops..Did I really just land a bunch of chips in my drink?"

My fabulous room mate for the weekend!

Blogger chat pals finally meet.

"Check this out.."

Okay...I have lots more to add...but it takes forever with my connection...I will add a few a day...got lots more..

Bash Pictures

I'm having a great time!!!!!

Let me show you...

Upon arrive in Philly, I called Al to find out the plan for my shuttle to the Boathouse. BadBlood was arriving on a flight shortly after my arrival and would be my ride. So I went to the baggage area to await his arrival. My instruction was to look for a bald guy. Iggy gave a little better description telling me to look for a bald muscular guy who was a hunk. Once I found him, along with Drizz, I would have to agree with Iggy, he is a HUNK!



After the longest wait ever for a rental car (over an hour), we were on our way to the Boathouse. Ready for drinks and food!

One of the bloggers that I most wanted to meet was Tripjax. He was ready and waiting to greet us at the Boathouse upon our arrival. We definitely had some catching up to do. Trip was waaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy ahead of us in the drinking category.






I broke the blogger tradition and ordered a half dozen tequila shots. F-train and Al refused, so I changed their shots to the traditional SoCo.



And so the night continued...

Then to poker...



More to come later...gotta get Kat some coffee!

BASH...Here I come...

I am sitting at the airport waiting for my flight to Philly! Finally, I will have some leisure time. No unpacking, no laundry, no dishes, no homework, no WORK, only fun, fun, and more fun! Well, that is my agenda at least.

It is gonna be great to meet so many of the bloggers that I have been chatting with over the last year.

Unfortunately, I did not prepare properly for this event. Al told me to drink everyday....oops! I am fully expecting to get sick. But before sickness....hmmmmmmmm...what will happen?

I've already lined up two bloggers for body shots. The first with Slb159, he has offerred himself up with no restrictions..haha...Al on the other hand, told me he would not let me suck anything off his body, so it will only be one way. Yeah...you guys are getting jealous now right? ....say yes..even if it isn't true.

I'm feeling good. Ready for adventure....

And don't worry. For those who are not able to make it, I brought my new digital camera. If you email me your phone number, I would be willing to do dial-a-shots. Might as well maximize the sacrifice my body is gonna make.

MUAHA...that is a big kiss to all!!!!

No Time for Poker

Things that are preventing me spending leisure time at the online poker tables…

1) On the weekdays when I have the kids, my daily commute has increased by about 1 hour making the total time that I spend on the road almost 4 hours on those days.
2) Then there are those EXTRA trips that needed to be made because something has been forgotten at my place.
3) Preparing to get the kids to school. Shopping for clothes, supplies, etc.
4) STILL unpacking…it is endless… At the end of the move, I had to just throw things in bags to deal with later. So I continue to sort, organize, and put away.
5) New things to do…laundry, housekeeping, meals…Yes, there were some perks to having the in-laws live with us. If my apartment were in better shape I could hire someone for cleaning. That is on my list once things are in order. I’ve also given much consideration to paying for my laundry to be cleaned. There is no washer/dryer in my apartment, so I used the community facility to do laundry for the first time this weekend. Nine loads!!!!!!! I was procrastinating. And for good reason. It was a horrid experience…uuuuggggggggghhhhhhhhhh. I think I am gonna hate this most. The thought of washing my clothes in a shared facility is already a turn-off, but having people in/out seeing my undergarments…not appealing….
6) Shopping for household supplies…it seems I needed lots of things that I didn’t get in the split of stuff. Daily silverware, iron, ironing board, laundry basket, lamps, light bulbs, hamper, brooms, mops, trash can…etc.
7) Family functions like Mom’s birthday party last Saturday night. She had about 70 people. I did have a nice time singing and relaxing.
8) Going to church. Although I missed this last weekend. I’ve been going more regularly again. I’m sure I need it!
9) Trying to help my kids adjust with the changes. They finally did start pressing for more answers as to why we are getting a divorce. And want me to go back with their Dad. Not easy...but I’m listening and doing my best…

The good news is that I have been making time to join High Plain’s weekly Sunday night tournament. Last week was RAZZ. I didn’t money. But I did really enjoyed the company as always. Again, how can I go wrong being the only woman with a bunch of young, smart, good-looking, and fun guys? And it makes for a nice ending to my full weekly schedule. This week HP got pretty blitzed. He is always friendly and fun to hang out with. But I must say that he is much more entertaining when under the influence!!! I even got a friendly back massage…woo hoo!! It was no big deal, but these days just a touch from a guy is a little exciting.

My phone has become my lifeline. If it were not for my friends who keep me company via phone during my many travels, I’m sure I would be going crazy. But I’m sooo screwed over the next few days, cause I’m at my limit for peak time minutes…oh noooooooooooooo!

I have treated myself to a few things….

1) A new digital camera…yes, WeakPlayer, I’m thinking of you…and baking cookies…I actually could not dream of attending the upcoming BASH without a digital camera. I made the mistake of going to Del Mar without one and I so regretted that.
2) Keith Urban CD’s…one thing I’m really enjoying is being about to listen to music at home. Previously, my home life only allowed for the constant noise of the TV. I love music. Singing, listening, and dancing. All of it. And yes, my favorite is Country Music. Keith is awesome…hmmmmmmm…If a guy sang his songs to me, he would own my heart.
3) A body pillow...I LIKE!!

I made some updates to my top ten list. There is one blogger who should have been on this list all along. I know...I'm a little slow sometimes..but I must say that his postings are terrific. He does a fabulous job of providing us with a real feel for poker events. But what really turned me on was the photos at the WSOP. ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS!!! I love pictures. Thanks Pauly for getting GREAT poker action shots. For explaining the moment. For taking pictures of GUY players. Not just more useless pictures of hotties with barely any clothing. I'm a fan!!!

I also included the new blogging maniac Slb159. And to think we to push him to start the damn thing!

One day I will have time again to do these things….

1) Entice Duggle to sweat me into going deep on a final table again
2) Team up with Steve to easily slide into a token on Full Tilt
3) Skype with the clever chatty Iggy
4) Lick my lips as I unleash my poison to finish off the Luckbox in our HU match
5) Engage in uninhibited smack talk with the mighty HighonPoker
6) Hunt down the Hoy till he cries "I surrender" in one of the MATH events
7) Torment and Tilt Waffles at a cash game in 15 minutes or less
8) Play SNG’s with Gordo as he sings his "Somebody rivered me again" tune
9) Pound down a few dial-a-shot’s with Al
10) Smooth talk Surflexus into serenading me with his deep and wonderful voice
11) Join Kat in flirting with Garth till he passes out
12) Tease Tripjax about how he tortures me with all his sexy girly photos
13) Watch Wes Whip some royal butt in a Deep Stack MTT
14) Get Soxlover all worked up by sucking out with a hand he can't fathom
15) Drool over Mr. Dreamy after he invites me to a ring game and takes all my $
15) Kick some new blogger’s fine ass in HU so I retain my Poisonous image

Until then, know that I’m okay and thinking of you all……….

By the way, this month marks my one year anniversary of blogging...Thanks for stopping by my site.....

Happy Birthday Steve!

Steve, otherwise known as Slb159, deserves a special birthday wish! As a newer blogger, he has embraced the community with open arms. In child like fashion, he is enthusiasic and excited when bloggers engage and chat with him. So on this special day of his, I hope you will join me in giving him the attention that he welcomes.

Have a fantastic Birthday Steve!

That felt good...

I got a chance to play NuttNuttz in a HU match tonight. He is one of the players from High Plains Home game. Poison wins...but more importantly, I am almost to the end of my 100 HU challenge and while I have not made much money..I am in the black...

Also, I played one of my favorite peeps on FT for a token..weeeeeeee...I got me a token...

Good to be posting again too...

Nitey Nite...time to get cozy in my bed....

Itching to Play

After weeks of doing nothing but moving, moving, and more moving...I can't wait till I'm able to relax and enjoy some poker. Let me just say for the record, I HATE MOVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It has been overwhelming and stressful. More than I ever imagined. EM did nothing!!! He simply said, whatever is left will go to the dump. And he just left all kinds of stuff. When I saw the things left, I had to deal with it. Computer Hutch, his ammunition, his new shoes, his high school year book, his bible that I bought him...and more.. I was going nuts! So there I am packing his crap..while he is having a party in his new place with friends...yeah..I'm a doormat...soooo lame....I ended up having to do soo much more than planned. And I brought waaaay too much stuff to my apartment..now to weed through it alllll...and get my place together...So currently, my apartment is full of boxes and bags. But, I'm starting to make a dent and see some light at the end of the tunnel.


I have played a few SNG's here and again. Finally beat Slb159 in a HU match when I showed him that big slick is no good when the Poison drops a hammer.

I was able to actually joined the WWDN yesterday...but had to cut my game short before it finished..so I had a pal finish for me..it was nice to see a few familiar bloggers.

The Bash is just around the corner and I can't wait!

Has anyone been wanting the next HUC?...I been thinking it is time to get another one going...Let me know if you are interested...

Laters...

On My Own...

It's still hard to believe...but I'm finally in my own place...

My girls loved their room. It was sooo worth it. They have already made a dozen signs with comments such as "Rebecca and Julia's room Stay Out","Knock or
Die", "The force is strong RIP"..(not sure what that is about)..

I HATE MOVING!!!!!!!!!! It feels like I will never finish. I would have gladly hired help if it was as simple as saying, "Pack it all". But it is not so simple. Everything has to be separated, tossed, and then finally packed. The nice thing is that EM just told me to take whatever I wanted. The bad thing is that I can't fit everything I want into this apartment.

Today I tried to setup my cable connection. After waiting for about 10 minutes on hold, my cell phone battery died. Later I tried again and finally got someone after about 15 minutes, sooooo freaking ridiculous. It turns out I was doing the right things, but the cable is not working right. They will send someone in a week. Thank goodness for my Verizon connection.

I owe Al a big thanks for a dial-a-shot tonight. It did help me to relax and unwind a bit after a few days of hard work. My legs, butt, and arms have been sore. The good news is that I'm pretty sure I have lost a few pounds from all this.

In spite of moving, I did take some time out to enjoy a trip to Del Mar that Speaker arranged. As he described, the drive that day was a horrid. I already knew I wasn't gonna make it on time. But I was determined to enjoy a little reprive from the nightmare move. Fortunately, I had a blogger pal to keep me company via phone on the drive, so it kept me from going bonkers.

I made it to the track with just enough time to bet on the 8th race. With only 3 races to bet on, I decided to up my usually bets. I picked the horse for a win. And bet $10 accross. Then bet couple the horse in 2 quinella's for $2 each. My horse ended up coming in 2nd place and paid $6.60 for 2nd. So I started with a small profit.

I called Speaker and finally made it to the seats. Mr. Huge Junk was there and I must admit he was pretty yummy looking (and no I did not confirm his Junk status)...but perhaps I should have made a bid on that auction offering...

Rini and Blinders were really friendly and I had a very nice time chatting with them.

For the 9th race, I notice that the only 3 California horses (identified by a picture of a horse riding accross the state of California) were grouped together in the 4th, 5th, and 6th spots. None were long shots. And one was a favorite. It felt right. I liked the 5th Horse for the win. Then I double checked to see if Mr. Huge Junk was betting on any of these. I made a joke out of not wanting to bet on the same horses as he bet. The coast was clear, he didn't bet on any of my horses. So I bet $10 accross again on my winner pick, 2 quinellas (but this time for $5 a pop), and then I decided to add a $2 trifecta box for a total of $12. It was total sweetness when the horses finished 5, 4, 6. My first trifecta win ever for a payout of 491!!! Mr. Huge Junk suggested that I cash out before I lose my ticket, so I followed his advise and when all the tickets were cashed, I ended up with about $660 in profit for 2 races.

By now a couple of the guys thought I might be on to something. So I looked over the horses for the 10th race. I noticed that a horse going off at 8 to 1 was being ridden by the 4th best jockey on the stat chart. I like a good value bet. Not a big fan of betting on favorites. Binders went with my suggestion. I placed a bet of $5 accross on this horse along with a 5 exacta box. Then I told Mr. Junk that I would place a bet for him too since he gave me the tip (i.e. which horses not to bet in the 9th). I bet $2 accross for him and a $2 Quinella. The horses I picked ended up in 2nd and 3rd. We still made money on the accross bet since the horse paid $11 for 2nd. I made about $20 profit that race. And Mr. Junk cashed his ticket for $18.

It was a short but enjoyable experience. Thanks Speaker!!!!

One of the things I am really bad at is finding my way to places. I'm terrible. I got lost on the way to Pechanga and by the time I finally got there, Speaker and Mr. Junk were already gone. So with money to burn and no one to socialize with..I managed to lose alllllllllllllllllllllll of the money I won at the track.

I have more to share...but it's 1:30 a.m. and I need sleep...

P.S....I'm lying here in my new bed in my black silky night gown feeling sexy and wonderful..I think I'm gonna have sweet dreams tonight..

Ready to Sing Again....

I used to wake up in the morning with a song. Singing in the shower, singing while dressing, and pretty much during my whole morning ritual. But I can't remember the last time that I was singing in the morning.

Lately, I have been focussed on one thing. Moving out! So tomorrow that day arrives.

On Monday, I went to Lender's Furniture to shop. As soon as I saw the bedroom set I knew this was the one. Hardwood and painted in white. Definitely a feminine quality in the design. And the matresses had to be top quality too. The small desk with a hutch and chair was perfect. I had to get two sets of them. Lastly was the matching mirrored dresser. The salesman rang it all up...$4218...yikes! But it was gonna be worth it. My girls better love their new bedroom set!

I didn't tell them what I bought, so I can't wait to surprise them.

Gotta run...catch ya all laters...

Eight Days

I have been crossing off the days until I move. My mind has been in a haze..

It has been days since I posted and alot has happened, but I can't seem to organize my thoughts...

Here is a brain dump..of random things occupying my mind.

Will the China Cabinet fit? This is one thing that I keep thinking about...I went back to the model of the apartment and realized it is sooo much smaller than my 2150 sq foot 3 bedroom home. Downsizing sucks! I started collecting Princess House Crystal before I even got married. Part of my treasure chest if you will. See...I am a girl..lol...So the thought of not having room for my cabinet is bothersome. I have decided if it won't fit, I will store it.

I did splurge on one item besides my computer. I bought a bed. Cost me almost 3k for the queen bed and headboard. But I don't think I will regret it. It felt wonderful..nice foam..sleep...relax...feel good..in my own new bed...hmmm...It will be delivered to my new pad on the 24th.

In my last post thanking Iggy for being such a good friend, I didn't mean to single him out as the only person who has been there for me. You guys have been soo great. You have been willing to listen and just let me let out my frustration and suffering. I honestly don't think I would have weathered my recent trials without the support of so many friends and family. Some of you have even gone beyond the Yahoo chat and trusted me enough to let me pester you on the phone during moments of weakness. I can't tell you enough how much of a difference you have made...Thanks! I would like to give a special thanks to my buddies below:

WeakPlayer
DuggleBogey
JoeSpeaker
Gordogg
Slb159
TrumpJosh
HighPlains

Hugs to you all...

I have especially been enjoying the live home games that HighPlains holds on a weekly basis. I try to make it every other weekend when I don't have the kids. It is not that I am making any money. But I do have a great time with a bunch of young guys. They call me the "poker Mom"..yeah...I do feel old in this crowd. Once in a while someone my age shows. But they are really sweet to me and I love the attention.

I been doing the bonus whoring thing on Bodogg. It took me 4 buys-ins to earn my PSO bonus worth $90. Fortunately, I made a few hundred on the last buy-in and built it up to almost $300 with the bonuses and with Slb's referral bonus. So I went to cash out and they told me I would lose $65 if I took my money out. Well chasing that $65 is really costing me. I need about 20 more points, but I got about $125 instead of $300...doh!!!!!!!

I have this knack for doing really good and building up and losing a crapload with some stupid move. Such was the case in one of my ring games on Bodogg. First I bought in short for $50 at a 1/2 nl table. I was kicking butt. And before you know it, I had built it up to $125. Then I get AA. I raise it 4x the bb pre-flop and get one caller. The board comes 89Q rainbow. I pot bet and they guy pushes. Without hesitation, I call for $87. Doh!!!!!!!! He flopped the nut straight.

Tonight I played in the Party Poker $33 Mtt. I was doing really fabulous. 2nd in chips with 99 ppl out of almost 600 entrants to start. Then I do my usual bonehead move with TP and K kicker. Thinking the guy who reraised was bluffing...dumb..dumb..lost about 20k in chips and ended up finishing just in the money at 57th.

Haven't played much Hu lately. I played a few games against random players the other night and went 4 and 1. I keep saying I gotta play more random players to get my stats up. And I joined a 4 person event with Duggle and Slb. Go see Duggle's blog to see the results of that one!

I'm having trouble focussing at work...

Did I mention I can't wait to be out?

Looking forward to the Bash.....

Hasta luego....

Get Me Outta Here!

It seems like the closer I get to moving out on my own, the more I can't stand coming home. A place where I am on constantly on edge.

I don't want to be cold or mean to EM, but nothing else seems to work. If I give any kind of friendly response, it seems to be taken as a sign that I want more. It is difficult to say the least.

I'm hanging on, just waiting for the day I move out from my first and only house. I can't wait to go and yet there is some sadness in leaving the home where we started our family. The home where so many dreams and wonderful memories have taken place...

So it is understandable that I focus on upcoming events with my blogger friends.

First, there is also a day at Del Mar that Speaker is planning. What a fabulous idea!

Then, I booked my flight to Philly for the Bash! I'm ready to do more SoCo shots with Al, and I will try to behave...maybe...lol...Garth - Are you sure you can't make it? Oh wait, Derek will be there...

I will need help getting the Luckbox to drink.

There are more and more people on the list that I can't wait to meet. Jordan and Tripjax are going..YEAH!!!!!

I had such a great time in Vegas for the last blogger event, I could not think of missing this event. Not to mention the fact that I am dying to escape.

Waffles says he will try to spend more time with me on this trip (I'm not gonna hold my breath)!

I have promised Steve a big hug. And despite any rumors that Waffle may try to spread, Steve and I will not be "getting it on"!

I may get into some trouble however with the lovely Kat who has agreed to be my roommate. And by trouble, I do not mean any lesbian experiences Waffles!

And then there is this wonderful person, that has become one of my favorite pals, who I can't wait to see again. Which reminds me, I never did share with you the story of the night I met this clever individual. But first, let me back up and share a little about this incredible person. Now most of you online know that I love to chat. I know that I can become annoying and that many people just want to talk about poker, not life, not problems, etc. So when I find a blogger who enjoys hanging out chatting and stays up till all hours of the night, I am thrilled. I met him when I was at one of the lowest points in my life. Many days, I just wanted to onload and would find myself whining and venting. He was willing to put up with me. He has been one of those people who has made a difference. Helped me get through those rough days. A great listener and a caring friend. I never expected this from the blogfather. It was an amazing surprise to build a friendship with one the most respected bloggers in our community. Hence, he was on my "gotta meet" this blogger list for Vegas.

I would get this opportunity on my very first night in Vegas. I went to the MGM to play and mingle with the bloggers. It was not long before someone told me Iggy was at the bar. I made sure to rush over, cause from what I knew, he has a tendancy to get completely wasted at these events. And I did not want to miss the chance to see him in person.

He was not hard to find. And as soon as I approached him and said "Hi Iggy", he knew me immediately. I was greeted with a nice warm hug and a "Hi Yoyo" as he calls me. He was as warm and approachable in person as he has been online. In no time, he was sharing stories about playing Roshambo with some of the bloggers. Roshambo? What is that?..And so he introduced me that night to the competitive version of Rock, Paper, Sissors. And yes, it was Iggy who took my Roshambo cherry. And it cost ME $20 for him to take it. In hindsight, had I not been broken in by the master, I might not have won the Charity Event against a slew of bloggers the next day! So thanks Iggy for training me. My only disappointment was that he didn't even remember. How do you take a cherry of any kind and forget? How sad is that!..lol..

So if you haven't planned to join one of these blogger events, what are you waiting for? It is sure to be a great experience...

Hasta luego..

Tooo Hot....

I got my wireless data card for my computer today. And it makes me feel great. Empowered! I can get online anywhere....hmmmmm....nice!!!!!! Okay..I'm sure that I'm just way too easy to please, but this is really awesome! I decided to treat myself...cause I am worth it.

Maybe a good mood was just what I needed to make for an awesome poker night...

It started with a 6.60 Sng on FT for a token..sweet!..one token taken.

Next, HighPlains hit me up for a HU match...finally..V..wins HU again vs a blogger.

Last, I played a 45 person sng with HighPlains, and came in 2nd.

Hasta Luego...