Day 2 Valley of Fire

If I was impressed by Red Rock, I was in complete awe of the Valley of Fire.




This little guy was my favorite catch of the entire trip! He was so confident that I could not see him. Heh.




more to come from Valley of Fire...

More from Red Rock Canyon

Vegas: I'm goin' out west where they'll appreciate me.

After white knuckling a direct flight to Vegas I immediately went to Red Rock Canyon. I was just as excited to explore the desert for the first time as I was to play my in first WSOP event. I immediately fell in love. I was so impressed with the textures, colors and complete quietness of the place.

After Red Rock Canyon I eventually made my way to the Rio and bought in for the Stud 8 tournament. I drifted around the place and saw some familiar faces, but the games I was after were too high. I wanted to get into the $50/$100 Stud 8 cash game, but could not justify those stakes right now. My goal for next year is to haunt that game.
So, the Venetian is where it's at these days and yes, finally, my first live HORSE (Limit hold em, Omaha 8 or better, Razz, Stud, Stud 8 or better)game. I have been dying, just dying to play a live mixed game. One problem: the waiting list. I had to play no limit for about 1 1/2 hours before I ever got into the HORSE game. 3 buy ins later...Not going well, but I started coming back when my name was called for HORSE.
My strengths are in live games, however, I have turned to online because of the variety of games I play now, and just being bored with no limit. I have not played live in about 6 months which is a long time as I was going 1 to 2 times a week prior to this drought. Point being, I better get my act together before I spew everything away.
I ran incredibly well in HORSE and made a few plays to wind up well in the black for the evening. I thought I would be going to The Venetian to play HORSE every day from that point forward, but that would not be the case at all...(Still editing and formatting this goddamn thing)

Uncle Les and the Avett Brothers

Little did I know that I would be swooning in adoration at the feet of Les Claypool at Lewiston, Artpark, but lo! there I was like a little girl leaning against the stage, earplugs in, right in front of the speakers, wishing like hell my camera was in hand.

A wonderful soul came up to us after the Avett Bros. played and gave us what said to be orchestra 2nd row tickets! Sweet. I have not kept track of anything Les has done since Primus but I was excited to what he was up to and I couldn't have been more impressed. Top notch vibraphone and cello player in his band and they fuckin' rocked. Ol' Les was highsteppin' around like a praying mantis from outer space and at times adorned a monkey mask and a pig mask. He played some sort of stick bass that looked like a sickle, pumped it like a water well to change the notes, and and hit it with a drum stick. Primus touring later this summer and am going to try like hell to get there.

Dear Avett Bros.,

It's ok. I understand that bands progress, tastes change/evolve and people age. I did NOT think it was cute when I showed up to your show prior to the release of I Love and You and saw a drum set on stage, a piano, and an Asian cello player singing all of your lyrics. I actually hated it and wanted to go back in time to the 3 of you shucking with the audience, tuning instruments every half of a song, screaming every one of songs, etc.

But now the ballads flow, the pop hooks are tighter and the fans are showing up. Which is good. You deserve the recognition, the loot and the bigger venues. I begrudgingly concede. It looks like you may have figured out the new live show. A Little of this and a little of that. I was really impressed at the evolution of your new sound compared to the very early tour of your 'Rick Rubin' era.

Just don't add a flute player please.

B.

Publish Post

WSOP 2010

Someone dropped the immoral card in regard to gambling today. He openly told me how shocked he was to hear that in the past I may have aspired to be a professional gambler. This he said with a smile on his face, but still, he never would have thought. Said person is very high on the food chain, if you know what I mean? Another higher up said he used the word immoral and I hate that attachment to poker. Self worth and identity are called into question here and it's something I have grappled with ever since I got back into the game. Even before I quit-when I was going to move to Vegas someone said I was flushing my life down the toilet. It made me feel small.

I have had conversations ad nauseam with people near to me whom I've had to 'convince' that I am going to play again and I am going to be responsible, not let it affect my everyday life, etc. I waved my 'life progress' in their faces: "See how strong I am? See how far I have come? See my discipline?" I felt so strongly about the decision I was willing to walk away from arguably the most important person in my life at the time. And essentially I did.

Fast forward over 2 years, the present. I am going to the WSOP. Holy shit. But hold on! The immoral thing. Again, I feel a little defensive about the issue and have been hesitant about unleashing this at work, but I'm going to Vegas for vacation. I have cultivated work relationships that promote honesty and this is my life, so fuck it. After all the name of this blog is The Gambling Librarian. I have been sweating potential future employers doing their research and finding this little blog, and have struggled with it. I want a job-that's the point. I don't want to jeopardize future employment because they may think it's immoral or sketchy. I play poker for money. I don't bet on sports or play casino floor games such as black jack, roulette, craps, etc. I play poker to quench my competitive thirst.

I plan on continuing this thread b/c there is much more to be said, but I need sleep because I am responsible and love my job ;)

Desert bound,

B.

The Clearing

The woods quiver in anticipation of the SCOOP Poker Tournament. The water is still, cold and deep. A shrike impales her prey on the barbed wire fence and the owl blinks cautiously. The fox has been studying; the fox has been drunk with the taste of victory. Our tornado has passed, the black is clearing, and if ever there was a time for a win, it would be now.

Onward,

clyde115

Tornado Appproaching

(fiction/poetry)

Dearest Mother,

I can't believe you still adhere to that silly adage. Did you hear Mayor Sturgess sputtering in between gasps of dying breath, "...which is why playing poker is clearly a game of skill". Gasp. Cough. What a fool!! It's clearly whoever has the longest fangs or loudest snarl! Skill, heh.

Speaking of skill, did you hear I outmaneuvered the spider in the pines? She had me drawn and quartered for 6 months. Fattening me up, singing siren songs, plucking my hairs one by one. I nearly went mad, really. I find myself running with the the fox again. I know what you're thinking, I know. But he's been on the good foot as of late, and I tell you I nearly went mad from the pines. Anyways, I could use a companion as I approach the Black Hills. I will be in touch soon.

With a blackening tornado in sight,

B.