The Wailers were great, I had an excellent night and woke up in the morning bright eyed and bushy tailed to head to the Rio and do a pokerroad show.  It was decent, I went to lunch with two hot chicks who were supposed to take me to Bed Bath and Beyond but one of them needed to get her car from work and we just didn't have enough time.  Don't blame me women if I resort to hiring an escort to take me to that alien planet full of duvet covers and throw pillows.  

I returned to the Rio at 5pm for the $3k HORSE.  Started off strong, felt great, and then I got moved to a table with Daniel Negreanu on my right and Shannon Elizabeth opposite me.  Things started off great there when I three bet Daniel pre in hold-em for value with KThh, flop QTx and he check calls all streets that I'm gladly betting, unfortunately I was never beating his two jacks.  That burning wreckage of a stack plummeted for about ninety minutes until I spewed off my last three big bets with (99)2 vs a Q completion and J call and Daniel's 6 overcall, I really just didn't think that the Q guy or Daniel had anything and I'd take my chances against a possible pair of jacks with the money in the pot already being greater than my stack size.  Daniel had wired aces somehow and told me that it was spewey but I'm still not sure, I ended up making queens up to lose to his aces up.  

Sunday I caught up on some much needed sleep and played online all day.  I made deep runs in the Stars and UB 500's, but made the mistake of turning on a live recording that I had to turn off fifteen minutes later, dissatisfied with two small cashes.  I went to the neighborhood bar for some food and drink and relax and got it.  

Father's day is an emotional day for me as it marks the anniversary of the last time I talked to my dad who committed suicide August 10th, 1998.  Things didn't end well and I've always regretted that I never had a chance to make things right with him.  I didn't do anything wrong, and he screwed up royally, but it doesn't make the sadness or regret any less real.  I decided that I needed to do some drinkin and challenge my healing knee in its greatest test yet, the walk home from the bar.  

I was joined by June, her friend Becky from work, and Brian.  We had a good evening that ended up in my apartment, drinking old bottles of wine and going through old pictures of mine from the high school through camp days.  It felt really good to tell the stories of who I was ten years ago, remember the good times and how happy I was broke living in a teepee.  I've come a long way since then and done a lot of things and experienced many things.  I'm okay now.  I was okay then.  I don't have a dad anymore, but I did and I'm grateful for those memories.  I can't do anything now but cherish a framed mirror with a motorcycle on it and a jar full of opals, and still do my best to make my dad proud because that's what he would have wanted.  Yeah, it's a bummer that I haven't been able to have him around for the past dozen years, but it's a fact and I am who I am and I'm okay.  

I almost bailed on playing the shootout since we were up til late, but I decided to play anyways because I'm really hungry for some success right now.  I've prepped so hard for this series and come in with more momentum than ever and have just gotten nowhere.  I've had plenty of sleep, rest, and healthy food.  Nothin.  I stay up til 5am one morning, drag myself into the shootout, and completely dominate my table wire to wire.  The win felt so good, I got it done before dinner, and I enjoyed a nice plate of pasta and a bottle of wine on the back patio of this Italian joint I discovered overlooking the Las Vegas valley.  It was gorgeous watching the sun set behind Mt. Charleston and I savored the taste of victory.  

It didn't last long though, I came back today to play round two, had only SEEN one guy at the table in my entire life, Justin Scott two to my right.  It was the toughest damn table I've played at all year.  They were mostly European and they just shat all over me.  I got straight tortured in the first two levels.  I switched gears on break since effective stacks were getting shorter and I needed to be opening less and 4 betting more against opponents that were 3 betting often.  I opened a hand, got three bet, had AJo and shoved, he fist pump snap folded.  I called an early position 18bb shove with AKs and held over A4s, up to 50k.  Got shat on a bit more, and with 45k at 6-12/200 and 7 handed I opened with KQo, and I mean it's king queen and this is the situation where it really shines, so I got 3 bet, I jammed, and he called with jacks winning the race.  Oh well I felt fine with it I would just like to put together one string of run goods during the WSOP again.  I mean it's been over three years in this damn tournament.  

Lots of poker in the next couple of weeks, then party week around the 4th of July, and then I start my main event on either the 7th or 8th.

Peace and good luck,

Devo