In the Works (part 2)

Neglectful of the blog, which will soon change! Mark my resolutive words...

Photo challenge in the works with poker pro Schaefer, which has us posting a photo entry at least once a week with a side bet to kick our lazy asses into gear.

Summer Bankroll Challenge II: Rumble in the Southern Hemisphere begins either Jan 1, or Jan 8. So check out the challenge site if interested, we'll be running the challenge until March 1st, with plenty of side bet action if you follow the link above.

In the Works

A month ago, right around Veteran's Day, I realized a few things. First, as a substitute teacher, I didn't have to work on Veteran's Day. Second, I wasn't going to get paid for Veteran's Day. Third, I wasn't going to be able to work or get paid for Thanksgiving Break, the two weeks at Xmas Break, the week of Spring Break, or 2.5 months next summer... oh crap.

I am loving the free time of being a substitute teacher, but I'm also realizing that I need to start spending it more wisely--aka, using at least some of my free time towards finding a full time job next year. In addition to working towards a full-time gig for next year, I realize although I've had fun the last few months, I really don't have much to show for it. I met up for drinks with an old high school friend a couple of weeks back and when she asked what I've been up to, I couldn't come up with much outside of teaching and going to the gym (keeping my secret identity as a lvl 80 Blood Elf Priest a secret). I have a few projects in the works, which should hopefully keep me busy during winter break and on into 2010.

1) Photo a week

I joined up with Betty Underground a year or two ago for her photo project. Each week she would give the group a category and everyone in the group would take photos of what they thought fit into the given category. At the time, it was exactly what I needed. Now, I feel like I don't need a category to focus on, I just need to bring my camera out with me more often and get one shot I am happy about each week. I have been neglecting my camera the past few months, and when I go back through the archives, the posts with pictures really stand out and help me remember the times better.

Today it was cold--no snow, just 15 degrees this morning, which seemingly hasn't happened in Seattle in a decade or two. (I'd suggest clicking through for the real picture)



2) Poker

I'm thinking about starting up round two of the Summer Bankroll Challenge: Southern Hemisphere edition. Stay tuned for details. It looks like Dr. Chako and Waffle's favorite blogger, Blaargh, are both in.

I'll admit to being pretty lame and missing the WPBT this year. I have the money and the time necessary, but it would be tight and I would not feel comfortable losing any money at the poker tables, which leads to playing scared blah blah blah...

Playing more poker has caught my interest for a few reasons. One is to get better, specifically at NLHE ring games. I've always sucked at ring games, and I want to change that. A future goal is to supplement my substitute teaching income, but this goal is a ways in the future--have to be profitable first.

For the first time ever, I'm starting to keep track of my stats and number of hands played. I'm going to start out trying to get in 100 hands a night. This took about 40 minutes last night two-tabling 6-handed games.

3) Writing

The writing project may or may not get off the ground. There was some interest, and I still have some interest in writing the story, but I am more interested in the other projects at the moment.

4) Sports and Working Out

I love me some sports. I blame my athletic mother. I am still chugging along on my Pushup Challenge from last Thanksgiving, with 19779 push ups, 21232 sit ups, and 13981 frog squats completed. I definitely haven't stayed at 100 of each a day, but I do what I can. I've supplemented the push up challenge with visits to the gym as often as possible. My new kick is swimming laps, which is an incredibly difficult workout, doubles as a shower, and is a great change of pace from any other workout routine.

The Most Dangerous Game

The Most Dangerous Game is not hunting humans on an island, it is this fun new game I played last night. The game is a mix of Pictionary and captions. Everyone starts out with a piece of paper and writes out a phrase or a sentence for the person to their left to draw. Papers get passed, drawings get drawn, and then the paper is folded to only reveal the most recent addition (whether it be a drawing or a caption). Paper gets passed and the next person creates a caption from the picture, and folds the paper over to only reveal the newest addition. The game ends when you all get your original papers back (write your name at the bottom or back side).

I snapped a picture of a paper from our first round last night:



Hard to make out if you don't click through for the blown up size, so I'll recap the action:

The paper begins with "You have very little dignity."

Then someone draws what looks to be a baby with a lollipop, then the baby crying, and then the baby crying with no lollipop and a thief running away with the lollipop.

The next person writes the caption: "They capped lollipopman could fly. He could also cry like a little girl on a whim, but mostly he was blind to the world as it flew by him."

The next drawing looks like a happy caped person with a lollipop, with an arrow pointing to a crying caped person with a lollipop.

The next caption: "this popickle tastes like shit"

And finally a drawing of a smiling popsicle on the toilet.

Nice.

Out of all of the papers, I think this one was probably the cleanest, and it still ended up with a popsicle taking a poop. Others got really dirty, really fast, which makes it the most dangerous game to play if you are looking for good, clean fun... not going to happen with this game!

Top 20 Urkel Moments!