Tid Bits

You ever feel like you need to write something but then nothing comes out. Well that is me right now. I have no idea what to write about at all.

I should start off with a thank you to my buddy AV and his wonderful new girl RNC. I stopped in Phoenix this weekend to visit them and play a few rounds of golf in warmer weather. Yep, it is snowing here right now. Anyway, AV and I have known each other for about ten years now. We started as golf buddies and have just become good friends over the years. I was very pleased to see him this weekend with his new gal. She is fantastic and he deserves to find a great woman. Thanks to them both for their hospitality and for putting up with me for the weekend.

I also got a chance to go play some cards this weekend as AV lives just one exit from a casino. I wanted to get on a hold ‘em table, but they were full, so I was stuck playing blackjack, which I hate to play. It is just boring. The bad part is that I am good at it. I played for a few hours Friday night, well really until about 4 AM, and won almost $1000.00. I used a slightly different strategy this time. I was playing two hands at a time for most of the night, as were the other guys at the table. I was last to act and on 12 hands, I did not take a hit even though I only had 5, 6 or 7 dealt to me. Sure it is a little unconventional, but I did have logic on my side.

You see the dealer had a low card showing, usually a 4, 5 or 6. I was pretty sure that the next card to be dealt would be bigger than an 8, so I thought: why take a card and get to 14, because I wouldn’t take another card anyway. My only chance to win would be to bust the dealer and I had just as good a chance to do that with 5 as I did with 15. I would also use this trick when I though the shoe wasn’t going in the table’s favor. It seemed to help to do something unconventional and make the flow of cards change, even if only by one card. My intuition for the game was pretty good that night as I won 11 of the 12 times I used this strategy. I went back on Sunday night and won another $500.00 although using more conventional playing techniques. If I didn’t find the game so slow, I might play it more.

One tip for you all…always tip your dealers. You definitely seem to get better hands, even though I can’t explain why.

I am home for the next few weeks, I hope. I have spent little if no time at my apartment in the last few months. I am headed to Florida at the end of the month for a week, but so far that is all that is on my travel itinerary.

I got a letter from my property management company. It seems that my lease is up in June and they want to know my intentions. QUIT PRESSURING ME! I don’t really know my intentions. I want to move to DC or damn close to it. I also have two job opportunities that could require a move to Europe. Both are dragging their feet a bit so I am unclear as to when or if that will happen. I was hoping by summer to be living in either London or Spain (Barcelona, Madrid or Seville).

I sent my tax stuff off to my sister. I know she reads this so let me just say: I WANT SOME DAMN MONEY BACK! I am tired of paying all these taxes and getting nothing back. Make something up if you have to (just kidding Mr. IRS Man).

I guess that is all for now except to say, that I need the New Brunch Crew to get together. I miss you guys. Let’s do it soon.