Monday, February 27, 2006

Shopping Shopping Shopping...

I am a mystery shopper. I did a McDonalds mystery shop the other day for $70. I sometimes do Staples, Office Depot and Arby's secret shops too.

While I am writing about shopping, I read some tips in parenting magazine about kids clothes shopping...
  • Gap and Old Navy final markdowns end in .97. So if the clearnace tag ends in .99, the price will go lower
  • Some Targets mark down kids clothes on Mondays. They start with 30% and in 2 weeks, it goes 50%
  • The Childrens Palace online has clearance prices as low as $3.99

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Women's card club marks golden anniversary

I just read this article in the Salt Lake Tribune, and I have to say these ladies know how to start a ladies card club! I wonder if they played any poker, or if it was just canasta or bridge. Reminds me that I need to learn how to play Bunco.

Whether it's a friendship, a business partnership or a marriage, few relationships last 50 years. Which is why Rachel Zaelit's card club is so extraordinary. For five decades, this group of eight women has gathered once a month to play cards, enjoy good food and savor lasting friendships.

The group recently celebrated its golden anniversary at Zaelit's Salt Lake City home, the same place the club played its first hand of canasta in November 1955. Since then, the women have added games and welcomed new members and lost others, including one of the original players to death. (The group reached a high of 24.)

Too many years have passed for the women to remember whose idea it was to start the club or why they picked the second Wednesday of the month as their official meeting day. But all agreed that as stay-at-home wives and mothers, they needed a regularly scheduled "girl's night out" to maintain their sanity. From the beginning, their husbands and children understood that few things could keep them from attending. No one is officially in charge, but all admit that Zaelit keeps the group organized.

The death of a close friend in November prevented the club from celebrating its 50th anniversary on the exact date. And they couldn't get together in December, because that is the one month they allow husbands to attend. So the women - who range in age from 62 to 73 - waited until January to mark the milestone. It may have been belated, but was no less sweet.

It seems that Zaelit and company are ahead of their time when it comes to card playing. Today, a growing number of women are shuffling and dealing for fun and competition, according to the trade magazine Woman Poker Player. Women, for example, make up 35 percent of the nearly 75 million people who play poker in the U.S., according to the publication. And over the next two years, experts predict an increase, with the number of women equalling or possibly surpassing men.

Those numbers do not account for all the women who get together regularly to play bridge, canasta or Bunko - an especially popular game among Utah women. Even the beauties on the popular television soap "Desperate Housewives" have a regular card date to catch up on the gossip of Wisteria Lane.

Initially, they made elaborate dinners for each other and lingered into the wee hours of the morning. One time, after playing cards, they decided to go bowling and stayed up until daybreak. They have taken trips to a mountain cabin together and rented a limousine for a Wendover weekend. But these days, they go out to a favorite restaurant to eat and then take turns at one another's homes for snacks and chitchat and however many hands of cards they can squeeze in before 10 p.m. Because after all these years, these women know card club isn't really about the cards.

Powerball Jackpot

Eight workers at a Nebraska meat processing plant have claimed the record $365 million Powerball jackpot. The seven men and one woman will each receive $15.5 million after taxes under the cash option. When one of the winners, Eric Zornes, 40, was asked whether he was still working at the plant, he replied: "No. I've been retired for about four days now."

I must say working at a meat processing plant is definitely one job I would NOT go back to... I have several relatives that work at them back in Southern Minnesota, and I don't know how they do it. I can't even stand to be a few miles downwind of the plant :(

Reminds me of the "Roby 43" a group of farmers from Roby, Texas that won a $46 million Thanksgiving Lottery. They each receive $39,000 each November for 19 years.

Quote for today...

Please excuse my parents, they don't get out much.

There are 3 kinds of people - ones that can count, and ones that can't.

Monday, February 20, 2006

Sit n Go's on Party Poker

The last 2 mornings after feeding the baby around 7 AM and getting her back to sleep, I have played a sit n go at Party Poker. I won 1st place and 2nd place. Would have both been 1st place if I hadn't gotten rivered! I had KQ and went all in. I made 2 pair on the flop. And the other player had AK and an ace came on the river.

Oh well, I still made $19 and $9 for 45 minutes of playing while eating breakfast and still in my jammies. I can't think of a better way to start my day either. I wish I could play more sit n go's, but unless I'm sure the baby is going to be sleeping for an hour, I just don't want to get started playing a tournament. So I will stick to playing a SNG each morning, and playing ring games the rest of the day.

Now if party would only offer a reload bonus, I would play some ring games there instead of UB.

Saturday, February 18, 2006

Ultimate Bet 100% SIGN-UP DEPOSIT BONUS!

In spite of the last couple losses with pocket aces, I really do like UB. About a week ago, I sat down on the .01/.02 NL table with .28 and turned it into $29.38 (I moved up to the .05/.10 once I had turned the .28 into more than $2.50). Not bad for about 90 minutes.

If you aren't playing on Ultimate Bet yet, they are offering a 100% (up to $500) SIGN-UP DEPOSIT BONUS thru March 31st, 2006.

Party Poker changed their layout a couple days ago and while I like new stuff, I have heard lots of people complaining. Some people are just resistant to change...

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Full Tilt Poker Reload Bonus

Its time to reload at Full Tilt Poker... For the next two weeks, Full Tilt Poker is offering 50% Reload Bonus. If your bonus account is empty, just make your first redeposit between February 15th and February 28th, 2006 to qualify for your 50% bonus, up to $300. Once you reload, all you have to do is play in any of their ring games or tournaments to earn Full Tilt Points. As your point total grows, they put free money in your account.

Don't have a Full Tilt Poker account? Sign up here and get a 100% sign up bonus up to $600.

Monday, February 13, 2006

Pocket Aces Lose Again

My ongoing bad luck with pocket aces on Ultimate Bet.

.05/.10 (No Limit Hold'em) Full 10 person table.

I am under the gun with As Ad. Deciding to slowplay, and let someone else raise, I call .10.
Next person also calls
Next person raises to .55
everyone else folds to the small blind and big blind who both call .55
I re-raise to $1.60
The original raiser goes all in for $2.45.
The small blind and I both call.

Flop comes Jh Ks Qd
small blind checks, I go all in for $2.27, and the small blind folds.

Turn is Kh
River is 3s

I have two pair, aces and kings, and am beat by pocket jacks...with a full house, jacks full of kings for an $8 pot ($7.60 after a .40 rake)

Saturday, February 11, 2006

Poker Players Revealed

Poker 2006: The State of Play’ – a comprehensive survey published today by paddypowerpoker.com delves deep into the hearts and minds of British and Irish poker players and finds that:

  • 55% of all poker players have played the game naked or in their underwear (Do my jammies count?)
  • 63% would rather play poker than have sex. (The specific question was candlelight dinner and mind blowing sex VS a heads up game where the winner gets an all expense paid trip to the WSOP in Las Vegas)
  • 13% have injured themselves playing poker. (What?! How is this possible? I read further... the injuries are falling off charis, kicking doors, punching walls, spilling coffee)
  • 37% have told little white lies in order to play poker.
  • 71% have wanted to destroy their computers after a ‘bad beat’.
  • 81% believe poker is a game of skill.
  • 38% play poker every day.

Given the choice of playing a game of poker with a historical figure, Elvis narrowly won out over gun slinger and poker legend Wild Bill Hickok. Almost as many people wanted to play with Hitler as Jesus.

Friday, February 10, 2006

Aces against Kings on Ultimate Bet

8 player .05/.10 NL

I post the big blind of $.10. I have: Kd Kc

Pre-flop:
player in middle position raises to $.20. Small blind calls. I re-raise to $.45. Middle Position re-raises to $1.95. Small blind fold. I re-raise to $3.45. Middle position re-raises to $10.55. I go all-in for $5. Middle position is returned $5.55 (uncalled).

(board: 7c 8h 9c As 5d):

Showdown:
Middle position shows Ac Ah.
Middle position has Ac Ah 8h 9c As: three aces.

I show Kd Kc.
I have Kd Kc 8h 9c As: a pair of kings.

Summary:
$.50 is raked from a pot of $10.20.
Middle position wins $9.70 with three aces.

Bad enough to be up against aces... and of course there is an Ace on the board instead of a king!

Thursday, February 09, 2006

Redneck Triathalon

I was watching Rodney the other night, and they made a joke about a Redneck Triathalon:

Bowling, Darts, Poker

I want to know where pool fits in... Doesn't pool go along with darts?

FUNNY QUOTE OF THE DAY:
Disneyland... A people trap ran by a mouse.

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Super Bowl Snacks

I'm not into football, but I did watch the superbowl with DH (I was hoping to see the commercials... but I should have known better... we have Tivo, and DH chose to start watching the superbowl late so he wouldnt have to watch commercials)

I did make 2 new snacks that were yummy...

Bacon Wrapped Smokies

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound sliced bacon, cut into thirds
1 (14 ounce) package beef cocktail wieners
3/4 cup brown sugar

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Refrigerate 2/3 of the bacon until needed. It is easier to wrap the wieners with cold bacon. Wrap each cocktail wiener with a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Place on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle brown sugar generously over all. Bake for 40 minutes in the preheated oven, until the sugar is bubbly. To serve, place the wieners in a slow cooker and keep on the low setting.

Bacon Cheese Dip

16 oz sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup bacon bits

Mix together and serve with Ritz Crisps.