It's funny, even though I don't have a regular 9-5 job, I still hate Mondays.  I think it's a combination of my usual weekend over indulgences catching up with me and a new week of reality setting in.  Yesterday was no different, but I turned my case of the Mondays in to a funday!  My friend Lisa biked with me to Venice for a little retail therapy, a late afternoon cheese plate and a bottle of white wine.  The beautiful weather combined with a nice beachside cruise put me a better mood almost instantly.  For those in LA, make sure you try Gjelina on Abbot Kinney for great food in a super chill Venice atmosphere. 

On the slightly tipsy ride back, we stopped at the Ritz Carlton in Marina Del Rey for drinks with some friends.  We arrived just as a young entrepreneurs conference was finishing with Sir Richard Branson.  This is a perfect example of what I love about LA - a leisurely afternoon cruise can turn into a fun and sometimes fortunate networking opportunity.  We had a blast chatting with some interesting go-getters and biked home for a nightcap at my Mom's.  (I really should have skipped the nightcap and had a water at that point!)  Somehow, I managed to get up at 7:00 for some beach volleyball in Santa Monica, but now I'm exhausted!  (Cue the afternoon java fix please!)  Now I'm supposed to make a pot of coffee and play online for few hours to be extraordinarily productive, but I have been somewhat sucked into "Are you Smarter Than a Fifth Grader" as I've written this post.  (I am, by the way...)
 

I must apologize for a few things: 1. Not updating the site very regularly and my lack of responses to your comments.  2.  The fact that I probably won't answer address any of them today, but there's always tomorrow!  3.  This post may come off a bit like a traveler review, but I think I should share my opinions on hotels, restaurants, etc., since I travel so much.  So, Aruba - The Poor Man's Bahamas...

Seriously, that's what my little brother and partner in crime on this trip dubbed Aruba within the first 24 hours.  If you've ever been to the Caribbean you probably know that all the islands are somewhat similar looking with crystal blue water, white sand beaches, etc.  However, there was something lacking in Aruba and I never really pinpointed it.  Perhaps it was the dated architecture that somewhat ruined the vistas or the absence of a Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons or any other luxury resort.  It just didn't feel very luxurious.  Now, that being said, it did feel like a party - ALL THE TIME!  I think that's the allure of Aruba: the neverending Aruba Arribbas (the island's signature drink containing 7 different alcohols) and the party vibe that is evident from the minute you step off the plane!  People who vacation in Aruba come to party like rock stars and maybe play a little poker... So that's what I did!

Here are a few pics from the trip

I've been ruminating on a couple of things for the past week and it's been keeping me up at night!  (Hence, writing this at 7 am!)  Things I'm pondering...

1.  To fly or not to fly cross-country to the Borgata this weekend.  I think it would be pretty crazy to travel so far for a $3500 tournament, but apparently they are guaranteeing two million in the prize pool!  (Pretty good for a small tournament.)  Additional justification for the trip is that I can swing through NYC for a day, see a few friends, do some shopping, and then just take the train to A.C.  On the flip side, I can stop in Ohio and see my Grandma for her 90th birthday and my brother and his family.  Seems like all signs point to go, but all that travel is pretty pricey when you factor in last minute flights and hotels.  The truth is, I'm a complete homebody and since I'm going to Aruba in a few short weeks, I would really like to chillax at the beach with my sweet dingoes before I jet to the Caribbean for nine days.  Hmmmmm.... 

2. Do I get another another tattoo?  WHAT?!?!  I'm not a "tat" person per se and I have just one little tattoo on my foot (resulting from my slightly wild college days), BUT...I have this strange urge to get another!  I've always been glad I didn't go crazy with tattoos, however, for the first time in 13 years I'm thinking of getting another.  The thing is, I have a scar on my right ankle that I suddenly want to cover.  I actually went to a tattoo shop on Melrose yesterday with Hollywood Dave and I really liked this vine-like cherry blossom design or perhaps a tiger/liger (LOL) or maybe some sort of Aries Ram tattoo.  (I've been somewhat into astrology lately!)  Decisions, decisions!  Well, if I go to Borgata I will be blogging and playing online on the flight, because I reserved a seat on Virgin America, which has wireless!  (Too cool!)  I'm open to suggestions on the "tat" front, so feedback would be appreciated!
 

One of my favorite moments in every day is first thing in the morning when I drink my coffee and watch/read the news.  Thanks to Time Warner Cable, my morning routine has been seriously disrupted as my @#$%#^#$ cable is out again!  I have had FOUR different cable guys at my house, all of which made feeble attempts to fix the problem, but they were obviously all incompetent, since I sit here in silence!  So, in descending order of hatred, these are three companies that I believe are so terrible, they should burn in a fiery blaze that will billow the dark smoke of unscrupulous morals and outright thievery.  (Perhaps that's a bit dramatic, but if this shit isn't fixed by Weeds tonight, heads are gonna roll...)

RANGE ROVER  I had a flossy navy blue Range with the big rims, headrest DVDs, etc., but I never got to drive it because it was ALWAYS broken down.  (And they don't even give you a loaner Rover so I was usually pushing a Corolla from Enterprise about once a month...)
TIME WARNER CABLE obv.  I hate to hate them so much because my Mom actually works there, but even she can't deny how lousy their service is!

T mother F'n MOBILE.  I have four phone lines with this god awful cell company and after a brutal two hour call about the undeniable RAPING of their customers, I tried to cancel... and failed!  Because they want $200 per line to cancel the contract that they automatically renew every time you get a new phone!  Basically, I have sold my soul to T-Mobile until May of 2010 when I will walk into one lucky location and burn all of my crappy phones and then let my dog take a big crap in the middle of their store.  (Someone please bail me out, because I simply must seek some sort of retribution!)

Anyway, guess I have a case of the Mondays.  I think the fact that most of LA is on fire has everyone a bit on edge.  Usually, when I feel like this I do some retail therapy, but I've been trying a little replacement therapy; every time I want to go shopping I force myself to win the money online first.  It had been going pretty well until my last two sessions, which were fairly brutal, but I'm still up overall.  For this experiment, I mostly play two tables of 3-6 NL with an ante.  I like the shorthanded, deepstack ante games, because I feel like it suites my cash game style (which I'm still developing) and it seems to play a little bigger with the ante.  (Duh.)  I've been solely a tournament player thus far in my poker career, but now I'm really focused on becoming a better cash game player, as I've realized that's truly how to make a consistent living.  I LOVE tournaments and the strategy involved, but with the high buy-ins and variance involved, it's just too difficult to count on regular tournament winnings.  I think my interest has been piqued somewhat by the guys from 2 Months 2 Million.  I played a little bit with Ansky (Dani Stern) for the show and I was really interested in his cash game style.  I think these episodes are coming up soon, so hopefully I don't look like a total spazz!  In addition to playing more cash, I'm also committed to blogging more, so check back soon.  By the end of the week I hope to have posted my first ever Vlog!