Lives Are Broken

It is time for resolutions as the year ticks over into 2007 - and you know what, I don't care. I live okay - yes there are things I would like to change: Get a drivers licence, save up some money, go permanent full time at work, get promoted, get a car, move out of home, excercise on a more regular basis (twice a week sounds good). I guess they could count as resolutions but these are just future plans - I will not be that fussed if they don't happen in 2007, lets just say these are my resolutions and we'll see how I've done at the end of 2007.

'My World' News:
Wednesday (27/12): Lunch with Saturn. Found out nothing - he's very tight-lipped when he wants to be and I'm not going to try and force anything out of him. Failed to get comics. No poker this week (Returns on the 10th I think).

Thursday (): Worked - 6 Hours. Got Comics (11). No Soccer this week (Returns next week I think).

Friday (): Worked - 6 Hours. Ran. Went and met some of K-Man's friends (a 40K gaming group forms...). Played a game against K-Man. Highlights: Turn 2 - My Daemonettes emerge from the warp and charge alongside my Lieutenant - killing 3 on the charge for 2 losses. Turn 3 - My Lord charging against a Terminator Lord with a 6 man retinue (down to 4 at the time) alongside 3 Noise Marines - and winning combat. Turn 3/4 - My Havok squad doing more damage in combat than they ever did with their shooting (Against Plague Bearers and the Terminator Lord and his remaining retinue). Turn 4 - The Havok champion, after losing the rest of his squad, killing the Terminator Lord and his retinue champion with a powerfist. Turn 5 - Havok champion killing himself against a similarly armed opponent. The game ended at the end of Turn 5 with one man left standing on the board - K-Man's Lieutenant (He was the one hiding in squads and behind buildings until evryone else was dead). It ended up as a draw.

Saturday (): Worked - 6 Hours. The regional Meat Manager was in the store today (I work in the Meat Department - if you didn't know) and - according to the store manager - the department was looking the best he - the Meat Manager - had ever seen.

Sunday (New Years Eve - 31/12/2006): Sheffield United vs Arsenal - I wont get to see the end because of work. Will be working at least 6 hours today - and because I work again at 6am tomorrow I doubt I will do anything for NYE.

Final Thought: The end of a year is generally thought of as a time of reflection - but shouldn't we be reflecting on our past with constancy throughout the year? It would seemingly make us more aware of our deficits and strengths (and don't we do this anyway by what people cal 'experience'?).

I Am Not Your Autumn Moon

Merry Christmas everybody - I hope you enjoyed yourselves. My holiday schedule is prett packed.

Sunday (Christmas Eve): Arsenal 6 - Blackburn 2. Worked 8 hours today. Saturn was acting kinda suspicious at work today - I have no idea why.

Monday (Christmas Day): Nothing happened - My Mum was working and K-Man had gone out the night before and not come home 'til late. I had to entertain myself all day - I did this by going to see a movie, "Night at the Museum".

Tuesday (Boxing Day): Worked (3.5 hours). The boss wanted me to come in again on Wednesday which would have meant that I would have worked every day this week according to the roster (I am contracted to work on Mondays so I am payed as if I worked for Christmas). Bought some Cds at the 'Boxing Day Sales' - Jeff Buckley - Grace, Jamiroquai - High Times (Singles 1992 - 2006), Audioslave - Revelations, The Best of R.E.M. - In Time 1988 - 2003, and The Best of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds.

Wednesday (6:30am): Watford 1 - Arsenal 2 - Full Time. Yeah, I'm not working today. I'm going to have lunch with Saturn (or at least that was the plan), maybe I'll find out what happened on Sunday.......

Reviews:
Night at the Museum: Some of it I enjoyed, most of it I just couldn't - It is clearly for a younger audience. 2/5.

Final Thought: Now I just need to come up with a New Year's resolution....

As you're laughing at this fool

I am so tired - I've had four hours sleep and I've worked far more in the previous two weeks than I ever have for all my life prior. I think I may have mentioned (In one of the first few posts) that the worst part of my job was the cleaning - well I've had to do that 8 times in about a week (whereas I'd only done it once before this). I need some sleep.

Sunday (17/12): Arsenal vs Portsmouth 2-2. Arsenal was down 2-0 at one stage but came back in a two minute period about an hour in and the scores stayed the same for the remainder. I worked for 8 hours again today.

Monday (): Worked (8 hours). Ran. My dad is now officially retired - he had his retirement party tonight - I think he had his last work day on Sunday but I'm not sure (I'm too self-involved).

Tuesday (): Lunched with Saturn (no ladies this week). Surtr (New Character - guy from work, I've known him almost as long as I've worked there but there has been nothing to say) showed up - though we didn't plan it - and though this was a good thing it could have been better (If he hadn't chown up we - Saturn and myself - would have bought a couple young ladies drinks). That would have been interesting. Went and played poker (yes on a Tuesday - it was at a different venue) didn't do well. tried to bluff on the second hand of the night and lost most of my chips. I had 450 left going into the third hand and picked up a A/Q so I went all in was called (twice - but one guy only had 400 and a K/J Spades) by a pair of Q's. Nothing came up (for either of us) - the only positive is that we weren't the first out.

Wednesday (): Went Christmas shopping - well shopping at least, most of the stuff was for me. I got Audioslave - Out of Exile (and have been listening to it ever since - and nothing else), Dogma, Neon Genesis Evangelion (Manga) 7 (I now have 1-9 - I think thats all of them), socks, and gifts for my mum - Highlander and a box set of Warlock 2, and Warlock 3. Played poker. Did worse than the night before - sat out the first two hands and on the third I was big blind with 2/6 diamonds. I checked into the flop and a 2/3/6 of hearts came up. I bet 200 (or something similar) and only two players called (about five saw the flop). The turn came up with another heart, and I bet another 500, only one call this time. The river was a 9 of spades and I went all in. He called with an Ace of hearts. I was out first - I got a free drink for my troubles.

Thursday (Not Quite Christmas): Worked (7 hours). Was meant to play soccer, but due to a miscommunication didn't. I'm told that I'm not happy about this but it was about 38C so really I was fine with it (I watched Dogma instead). Exchanged gifts (or what was left of them). I got Steamboy and Garden State from my Mum (and Dad I guess), got a Foo Fighters DVD from K-Man (as well as a share in the Warhammer 40k and Cityfight Rulebooks).

Friday (): My dad left for his parents place this morning (in Ouyen - a 7 hour drive), where he will stay into the new year (did I tell you I got him 'Dune' for Christmas? - well I gave it to him about a week before (I didn't know when exactly he was leaving) and he's already finished it). I worked (8 hours) - Including some grocery duties. Find out that I get to work New Years Day (which I kinda wanted to do) even though my boss said I wouldn't be on Monday - I also find out I get to work Boxing Day too.

Saturday (23/12): Worked (8 hours) - with more grocey duties. Got comics (7) including Cable & Deadpool for K-Man (he didn't ask for it but I think he'd enjoy it). I been into the comic shop every day since Wednesday and kept getting told 'delayed until tomorrow' - Its all Chritmas' fault. Went to bed when I got home. March's birthday is today - but I didn't see her.

Sunday (3am): Arsenal vs Blackburn - halftime: 3-1.Work starts in 4 hours.

Final Thought: I will probably get paid more for the 29 hours I'm doing next week than the 38 hours I did (I do 8 hours today) this week (and the week before) simply because of the penalty rates on Boxing Day. I'm kind of ambivalent about it (money makes me happy - but I did a lot of work this week and got peanuts compared to next week where I will have very little work to do).

Sometimes a Little Madness Helps

I will explain how the NPL poker tournament works at my outlet - the players start with $1000 in chips and the blinds are 25/50, they increase to 50/100, then 100/200, through 200/400 and 300/600 before the second break (I don't know when the first break is). Before the first break people can put in drinks cards and get another $500, the cards are drawn during the breaks with the player getting $1000 - during the first break this can be anyone (in or out) but during the second break this can only be someone who has been knocked out already. after the second break blinds go to 500/1000 and continue until there's a winner (big blinds being 1000/2000/4000/6000/10,000/etc.).

Wednesday (13/12): Had lunch with Saturn and again we were accompanied by two young ladies - different ones this time. That all ended too early and later I played poker. This being the second last game of the tournament I needed to show some ability. The first hand I went in on was a A/Q of Diamonds, there were four players to see the flop (9/6/3 unsuited) and as I was first to act I went all-in (About $800) and two dropped out and the chip leader at that stage decided to call me. The cards were turned and she had a K/7. The turn came - a 7 - I was not happy. And I was then saved on the river when a Queen came up. I played a K/J of Diamonds (I needed to pay a $100 pre-flop raise) against two other players. The flop came up J/8/6 and I was first to act and bet $300 - and was called by both players. The turn came up with another Jack and so I bet another $1000 (I was a slight chip leader at that stage but had these two covered) and was again seen by both opponents (at at this stage I'm thinking someone else has to have a Jack). The river came up a 3 and I bet another $1000 - which would force both players all-in - and I got called by both. One had pocket 2's and the other had K/8 (and last week I knocked him out on those Queens). That was two gone from the table already and I had a big lead (by about $8000). We got more players to the table and in probably the second hand after they arrived there was a massive pot. I had a 7/9 of Hearts and was the big blind. The flop came up 8 hearts/10 diamonds/Q diamonds. I made a $1000 bet and was raised by one of the newcomers (all-in) and the girl I beat on the river went all-in (with $300) and a girl I'd knocked out three times over the past six weeks also called (with $950). It cost me another $1000 to call the guys all-in. The cards were turned. He had a pair (Q/7), the first girl had a pair as well (8/5) and the last girl had a straight draw (A/K hearts). The turn was a 10 of Hearts and I had a straight flush draw. But the river came up a 2 of Hearts and two of the players were knocked out, one quadrupled up and I was left with (I think) the same amount I started that hand with. At that stage I started really pushing people around and eventually got caught out. The girl that survived that last hand put me all-in after a 9/9/6 flop (I had K/J diamonds again) and She had J/J - I didn't survive. But - in the eleventh hour my luck turned - I got my name called out at the second break and got $1000 to play - of course I sat down in a position where that put me as the big blind ($500/$1000) with a 10/5. The flop came up 9/8/6 - hey I could pull off a straight! - but the two players who matched my bet had a pair a-piece (9's and 8's) -I didn't catch my seven and I was out again. 15th - yay. Next week I need to finish tenth to be equal on points with my Mum.

Thursday (): Wigan 0 - Arsenal 1 (Adebayor 88). I worked. 7 hours. I played soccer with Saturn in his weekly game - I really need some fitness - it ended 6-6.

Friday (): Worked - 8 hours. Got comics (10) and Gen-13 #3 for K-Man.

Saturday (): Worked - another 8 hours. Ran after I got home. Then went straight to bed...

Sunday (2:30): ... so I could get up for Arsenal vs Portsmouth. (And work yet another 8 hours).

Final Thought: My sleep patterns are crazy.

Not Fire, Not Ice

I listen to a lot of music: I think I might start a new segment based on what I'm listening to at the time.... though then again some of itmay be a little bit obscure or tasteless. Maybe.

'My World' News:
Monday (11/12): Chelsea 1 - Arsenal 1. Both goals came in the last 15 minutes - After Arsenal's 77th minute goal you would have expected Chelsea to have collapsed, I kinda hoped that would have been the case, but no, they decided to persevere. Anyway, after the soccer I went to work (7 hours - I'm working full time for the next two weeks). Then I went on to Chadstone to buy some shorts (Mission Successful) then I went and got a copy of "Final Fantasy X-2".

Tuesday (Yesterday): Was planning to have lunch with Saturn but he had to cancel (something about re-enrolling at Uni). So I went and saw 'Casino Royale' instead. Before the film I bought 'Dune', 'Charlie Boorman: Race to Dakar', and 'Priest' no. 7. Mum asked me what I wanted for christmas, so I gave her a list of DVDs to get me (not all - at least I don't think she'll get me all of them): Akira, Armour of God, Brick, Dead Man on Campus, Garden State, Grosse Pointe Blank, Hard Candy, Mirrormask, Steamboy, and Sorority Boys. I should have put 'Dogma' in there somewhere - maybe instead of 'Armour of God'.

Wednesday (11:20am): Again planning to have lunch with Saturn. After that I will be playing poker - 15th last week was pretty good, and there are only two games left to improve on it.

Thursday (14/12): At 6:45am Wigan vs Arsenal starts, this week I have gone full time at work so I get to work on Thursdays now (for the two weeks leading up to christmas) meaning I start 15 minutes after the match and have no possible way of watching it. I am not happy.

Reviews:
Casino Royale: Best. Bond. Ever. I liked the chase at the start, I liked the lack of gadgets, I liked the lack of over-the-top deathtraps. 5/5.

Final Thought: I am now 66-100% through my christmas shopping - I have told my brother (K-Man) that half of the PS2 will be his for christmas and I gave my Dad Dune last night (he won't be here for christmas), and my Mum says she doesn't want anything so whether or not I get her something is still unknown (Maybe 'Die Hard 3' on DVD - thats a christmas movie).

Still Thinking

Well now, I kinda left this abruptly on Thursday and now I hope to rectify that with this full post.

'My World' News:

Tuesday (rerun): Before my lunch I was talking to Saturn's brother (Jupiter) and one of his friends (now known as Ares).

Thursday (7/12): I went for a run before the soccer. FC Porto vs Arsenal ended in a 0-0 draw, this means they both go through. The remainder of the teams to go through: Group E: Lyon, Real Madrid, Group F: Manchester United, Celtic, Group G: Arsenal, FC Porto, Group H: AC Milan, Lille. I didn't actually get to see the end of the match (due to the call up from work) and had to get my mum to call me with the final result before I started my shift. I only worked for five hours and found out that at the start of next year I will be working in another department (in addition to the one I currently work in) and that I will be full time, for a short time at least. After work there was the 'office' christmas party. It was at Strike on chapel. I played pool for the most part with Aristotle (new character) and managed to hold my own. In the two 'games' of bowling i took part in I went a hell of a lot worse - 45 and 76 were my scores, and they were pretty average for the group. I got home at about midnight and for the second night in a row I only got 5 hours sleep.

Friday (): Worked.

Saturday (): Worked. Bought Myself two white T-shirts and my comics (7) that were delayed by christmas deliveries. Saturn invited me to play soccer with him on Thursday - apparently he has a regular game going.

Sunday (): Worked. Ran in 39C heat - I didn't do so well.

Monday (3:20am): Chelsea vs Arsenal (20 minutes in) still scoreless.

Review:
A Scanner Darkly:
The film felt both too short and too long. Too short because I didn't feel like it reached a conclusion. Too long because it took such a long time to get nowhere (another ten minutes and a full finish would have rectified both problems) but thats what happens when adapting a novel. 2/5.

Final thought: I want to ask you a couple of questions (and I want completely anonymous answers - no numbers even) I am a 21 year old and I wanted to know if you think a 17 year old is 'too young' for me? I also would like your opinion on dating co-workers.

Bah Hamburg

This week has been quite eventful. And if I don't get started on it now I might not get finished by the end of the FC Porto/Arsenal match.

'My World' News:

Sunday (3/12): As luck would have it I was proved wrong again. With around 20 minutes left in the Arsenal/Tottenham game Gilberto (Aparecido da Silva) scored from another penalty and made the final score Arsenal 3 - Tottenham 0. After the match I went to work and managed to cut myself with my badge. This is made even more strange due to the fact that my job requires me to have a box-cutter on my person and I have no cut myself with that so far - but as soon as I put my name badge next to it in my pocket, it comes open and drags itself across my thigh leaving a nice neat cut about an inch in length. And to think, I didn't even notice it at the time.

Monday (): Nothing of note happens today. I work, and thats about it.

Tuesday (): From last week you may remember that I had lunch with Saturn - Well that has turned into a weekly thing (we did agree to this last week but things can change). And this week things did change - rather than it being just the two of us Saturn invited some young ladies to join us (after asking me). Having lunch with these two girls was quite enjoyable, but that wasn't all. With it being summer here (and Tuesday was the hottest day of the week at 33C) we all ended up at the beach. It was a very good day. (BTW in future these two girls will be referred to as March and May - March being the girl I work with and May is her Congolese friend).

Wednesday (): I got up early and watched the Barcelona/Werder Bremen match - Barcelona being the Champions League title holders and never in history have the holders dropped out in the group stages (which they would have done here had they lost the match). Final score: Barcelona 2 - Werder Bremen 0. This concluded the group A games (and groups B, C, and D finished around the same time) meaning that 8 teams have so far been decided to go through to the knockout stages: Group A: Chelsea and Barcelona, Group B: Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Group C: Liverpool, PSV Eindhoven, Group D: Valencia and Roma. The rest of the places will be decided by 9am (here) Thursday. Later in the day I went and saw 'A Scanner Darkly' (and will review it later) before checking in to see if this weeks comics had come in. FAILURE. Due to christmas, last minute US shipping (big shopping stores - not individual orders), my comics won't come in until Friday (at earliest). But I know what You've been waiting for - My poker round. It's now week eight of a ten week tournament (I didn't start playing until week four or something) and so this feature may be short lived. Well onto the games then; First couple of rounds were quite slow, I stole a blind or two and was happy to be a slight chip leader. In the eighth hand though (I only know this because I was small blind in the first hand and I was small blind again this hand) I had a 6/8 suited (hearts) and there were about five players already in and the pot looked quite nice so I called. The flop came up 5/7(hearts)/10(diamonds) and I was looking at a possible straight flush. I bet big (600 - blinds were 25/50) and was raised to 1100 (all in) - it was down to two players and I called. I was up against and unsuited A/K - I was losing but I had a lot of outs. The turn came up a 2 of spades - no help to either of us (though better for my opponent). And then came the river - a 2 of hearts. Thats one player down. A few hands later I got a Q/10 and called the big blind - There were three or four players (in the hand) at that stage. The flop came up 10/X/X (I can't remember what those cards were but they didn't matter). I put in a small bet (50 or 100) and I got raised by the little old lady sitting next to me (she went all in), everyone else drops out and I decide to call it. Cards are turned over and she has a 6/6 and gets no help from the turn or river. Thats two down. Less than two hands later I get another playable hand (at least I thought it was playable) A/8. I call the big blind and there are two of us in at the flop. Q/Q/10. Very scary flop. The big blind bets 500 (blinds are now 50/100 and I can well cover 500) so I go for the steal and raise another 1000 - call. This time he checks his hand and I think he is weak - I bet 2000, he calls again. The river card comes up - a 6 or something - and he goes all in (either that or he was all in on the turn) and I call. Its my A vs his K - neither of us had the Q and another one bites the dust. Third down. After that hand our table is replenished with players (You don't actually win tables until theres only one table left - they want full tables of players) and since I am the overwhelming chip leader I decide to push them around. The small blind comes back to me and I call the big blind with a 4/7 off-suit. Flop comes up 10/4/4, I bet first - 1000 (blinds are 100/200) - and they both fold. these kind of antics continue until on one hand they both decide to go all in (and call me). One of them had a low pair (and the lowest chip stack) and the other had a K high to my A high - no-one caught any cards whatsoever and the short stack tripled up and I walked away with about the same amount as I started the hand with. Fourth down. At this stage I have gotten further than I ever had previously, so I was doing okay. The table got replenished again (my Mum's table got broken up). I didn't do much more in the next couple of hands so I decided to play with an A/2 of hearts - I was called by two players and the flop came up A/10/9 unsuited. I went all in with about 5 or 6,000 and was called by the chip leader (sitting next to me) - the other guy decided to sit it out. Cards got turned over and she had an A/6 or something - she was just leading. The turn came up and it was a K - we were both even at that stage, only a 2 or 6 would change things. And the river came up a 5. Split pot. Our table was wittled down to 4 players (a full table has 8) and then broken up - there were two tables left. The next hand I played I got a Q/J and was forced (or at least agreed to) all in before the flop - there was just the two of us playing and I was against 6/6 again. The flop came up 10/5/2. As we were all in the next two cards were dealt quickly. The turn: 9, the river: 8. I dodged a bullet by catching a straight with two runners and knocked another player out of the game. Fifth down. The next two hands saw me as big and small blinds (500/1000), both times I'm forced away from the hand due to weak cards and bets of 2000 (I had around 6000 after the last KO). I got a 2/2 (the second pair I had all night) and decided to go all in - the only person who called me had 500 less than me and so we flipped our cards, I was facing a 5/5. I didn't catch anything and was left with just one chip. The very next hand I got a K/Q so I used that single chip I had. The small blind calls and the big blind goeas all in, a quick call later and the cards are turned over - the small blind has 5/5 and the big blind has A/K. With an A coming up on the turn I had no more chances - I was out. I came in 15th (out of a field close to 60) - and was knocked out by the 6th place finisher - who started at the same table I did.

Thursday (8am): I started writing this post at around 6:30 and that is the current time. FC Porto vs Arsenal is still scoreless with about 20 minutes left... And I just got called in to work so I'll have to finish this post another time.

Short Thoughts

This is only going to be a short update. On a side note - I don't know if I've mentioned this before - I finally got my brother (K-Man) into comics using 'Gen-13'. Thought it had to be said.

Thursday (Then): Fulham 2 - Arsenal 1. Got Comics (8).

Friday (): Worked.

Saturday (): Worked. Finished Reading 'Stardust'. Arsenal vs Tottenham (North London Derby) started at 11:45pm.

Sunday (Now): Arsenal 2 - Tottenham 0 (In Progress). I don't know if I'll update this after the game or not (probably wont need to - the game has only 25 minutes left).

Final Thought: I Need some more sleep.