I live...

...I'm just sayin. Becoming intrigued by Facebook and all it has to offer. That's all.

New project, new reason to blog.

There's a new project in town, and while I'm only on the word spreading/new features side of it, I'm on the forefront of a few other projects we're putting together. This website allows you to select a pixel on a 1000x1000 grid, give it a name, select a color and give a comment. You are then part of the 1000000 pixel project!

We want to see what happens when a million people make a picture with no rhyme or reason. Will it be a pattern, an image, or completely random (my favorite idea)? If people like it they can (eventually) donate for the project and it's predecessors, (or right now) buy a shirt or sticker to show the love, or just claim a part of pixel history. To the vast number (like 4) of you who see this post, spread the word! We need to reach a million people.

We're working to improve the interface right now, but a quick hint...if you want a particular x/y (and it's not taken of course), select ANY pixel and change the numbers in the address bar to the one you want. It's the easiest way right now. You only get one though (cheat - per email address)
. We'll also be coming up with cool new features in the near future. The ideas are a' flyin right now. We also value any input, especially from those who are not that computer savvy. We want to make this easy for all.

So please, spread the word and prepare for the next project's release. It'll be a good one.

http://onesimplepixel.com

Vegas mark IV - Part 1

So it comes and goes. The vacation I had waited weeks for and worked my ass off to be able to go to has passed. It was an absolute blast. My initial worries that Brandie would get bored were totally unwarranted. She played more than I did (damn you need for sleep). I made the move to playing predominantly No Limit this time around. Finally. And I agree with what Mark and Daniel have said for a while now. That's where I belong.

Though I don't read many poker blogs (as that requires time, and you can probably figure out that I don't have much based on my post frequency) it was nice to meet all the bloggers. Some even asked my blog's name. Great. Can anyone say readership going up 75%!!!! Sure, that's only from 4 to 7, but dammit that's progress.

So anyway, on to the events of the trip. The first day was a bit slack, we got in and ate immediately. After that we played at the Flamingo (where I'm still at a net loss) and Brandie got her first Vegas poker action at a 2/4 table. I sat at a no limit table, and there was truely nothing to speak of save a single steal (successful) where I won a 30$ pot on the flop with A4s. And that was that.

Later we headed to the Excal, which is one of my favorite places. We got to play with Joe Stevenson's (UFC fame) father-in-law. An enormous and mean looking guy, who was pretty damn funny and fun to have at the table. He and Brandie got into some staredowns that were pretty comical. Good times. After a trek to the MGM for a while and some wind-down action at the Sahara (with these two guys that "didn't know what they were doing" but were quite obviously proud of their poker abilities...and were dicks), I had a profit at the end of the first night. First time that's happened on one of these trips. Score.

Mark was in town when we woke, and he and Daniel were on their way to the Wynn. Brandie and I had an interesting time getting there as the shuttle to the Wynn (from the monorail) had changed locations that day due to construction, and no new signage had been posted. Anyway, we got there and I had my first glimse of their poker room. Nice looking. Can't say that for the rest of the Wynn. Too warm earthy in the color scheme for me.

As I do not have my notes in front of me right now, I don't remember where all we played that day (though I remember the Mirage being involved...and Daniel almost not doubling up on this one guy due to a dealer's mistake and not hearing call...when he had A's). Oh well. I do remember the low limit HORSE at MGM though. Damn, that was fun (once we got into the damn game...took nearly 3 hours and then we got bumped from the list on the way back to MGM from Excal and had to wait again).

Oh yeah, a memorable hand came at the Excal just before that. Playing 1/3 spread I had pocket queens. In late middle I raised to 4. I get two callers, one in the blinds and one in the cutoff. Flop comes QAx and the blind caller checks. I go to 3 and to my suprise, the cutoff raises. This guy's been playing some, crazy stuff for many raises, so no credit for A's can be given in my opinion (plus it's 1/3 spread...can't loose that much in that game right). Blind caller folds, I reraise, he calls. The turn brought another A and I figure my boat's seeing this one through. Sure, quad A's were a possibility, but not a probability. AQ? Well if he had it so be it. We went to the cap on both the turn and river (which I thought didn't exist heads up the last time I was at the Excal). He turns over an Ace proudly expecting the pot. He still expected it after I turned up the boat. His friends explained it to him. He still didn't understand. Whatever, the dealer shoved me the pot and I went a stackin'.

HORSE was tremondous. Mark existed the game stating "that one's to be filed under 'games I have no business playing'". I don't know about that. Fortunatley due to playing these games at home, I felt perfectly comfortable. Two nut lows in a row on Stud Eights made me feel great ('specially on the one that quartered the high). We tried to get the dealer to add Badugi in there, but he said that only like 3 of the dealers knew how to deal it (because they played). Then we asked about Chinese, and he said something to the effect of he knew all 10 people who played Chinese in the US. Rounded the night off with some drinks and prepared for the tourney the next morning.

Next episode: The Tourney, The Cup, and The Beat that Should not Be

Braindead

But in Vegas tomorrow! Whoo! Now who to bet on if France and Italy are the Cup final...

Now all I can say is...

...bite me Ghana. You too ref. :p

All I can say is...

go Ghana, go. Amazing.

Short and sweet, the poker game last night was good for the fact that both Brandie and I came out way up. I still wish we could get a good contingent for a H.O.R.S.E. game, but alas. I finally had a good run of cards at a home game. That was as much as I could hope for after the past few weeks of crap.

I onnly went all in twice. Kinda unheard of. People (read Bibb) respected my raises. Crazy.

The time is now for the US. I'm hopefully off to watch them stomp Italy. I was apprehensive about the game to begin with, I am inspired anew. Thanks Ghana.

Long time no blog...

Been a while since I logged in due to fun times at work and spending time with Brandie. I should probably write something. What though. Wouldn't be cool if I was writing something, and didn't even know it. Wait, I'm thinking out loud (or out typed...what's the correct conjugation there). Anyway, time for some random thoughts...

(1) Duct tape - nature's (kinda, I guess) band-aid for everything. My wallet's made out of the stuff. It fixes nearly everything and fits into conversation well. For instance, I refered to my poker game in Tunica as previously being held together by string, but it's now moved to duct tape, and now I'm looking at drywall and aluminium siding...see, poetic brilliance (I'm a coder, it's poetic brilliance for me). Leaky pipes? Fixed. Hanging a note for a friend taking care of your house? It tears too easily to be true (and doesn't always take off the paint)! Need to quiet a neighbor's...nevermind, you get the picture. Love it.

(2) {Insert semi/omnicient diety here} bless Andy Rooney. The man is comic genius. I only hope when I get old and crotchity, I can be as crotchity as him. From junk mail to Girl Scout cookies, he has a clear world view. I'm usually busy during the first parts of 60 minutes (unless a sport has shifted the time, then I wath till it conflicts with Criminal Intent), but I always try to catch
Andy. Props Rooney...props.

Looking forward to the game at Sham's this weekend. Meet the poker kitten and wings at Manual's. Beer anyone?