Thursday, July 28, 2005

I think I am going to make homemade buns today. What a nice treat.

written by angela at 12:07 PM [+] |

Sunday, July 24, 2005

So the offer we put in last week fell through. We knew we were second in line and wouldn't get the place if the first offering couple were able to sell their house, which they did.

During the past week, we've seen a dozen or so more houses and were really pleased with three of them, creating a tough decision for us to make. So, we made our decision and put another offer on this house. They've informally accepted it -- they just have to make sure that nothing goes wrong with the inspection on the house that they just bought. We'll know for sure on Monday, but we don't expect any problems.

Keep September 1st open. Beer and pizza provided for all movers.

written by Marc at 1:44 PM [+] |

Saturday, July 23, 2005

Marc here. We just got home from an awesome game of poker. It was a tournament of 23 players and it was a blast. I was sitting at a table where I had a couple strong players with me, including a tight-aggressive, a tight-weak, and an aggressive calling station. The very first hand, I held a full house and convinced a three-of-a-kind to call me all-in. So, after the first hand, I went from $500 to $1250. That turned out to be the highest chip count of the night for me...

I made it through a few rounds and half of the people. The original 23 players were down to 9 or 10 on two tables, and I was short-stacked at my table. I had stolen a couple pots recently, and in the SB I was dealt Ac-Kc. With my short stack at ~1200 and blinds at 75-100 and one caller to me, I raised the bet to 300. The BB folded and the calling station called. The flop came 8c-5h-6c. I checked to the calling station who bet 300. I raised him 600 more to go all in. He called. We turned over our cards and I discovered I was against a Qh-5s. I was quite surprised he called both the pre-flop raise and the re-raise, but then again, I kind of expected him to, and I was comfortable with my nut flush draw and my two overcards. The turn came Qd, so now I needed a club that wasn't a 5 or Q. As you can guess, since I'm writing about this hand, I did not hit my draw. So, I shook hands with the remaining 4 at the table and parted ways with them.

I was only dealt two pocket pairs (2s and 3s) and once (see above) was I dealt an AK.

In summary, I feel quite comfortable with the way that I played and I believe that I would play that hand the same way in the future, given the chance. I was able to put the other players at my table in a 'box' and I was able to use that to my advantage several times. Several times (prior to my elimination), I was able to extract a lot of chips from the calling station, and was able to steal pots from the tight-weak, so I was feeling really good about my play tonight.

I can't wait until the next semi-fun tourney! Bring it on!!!

written by Marc at 1:31 AM [+] |

Thursday, July 21, 2005

Someone sent me an email today asking for reasons to tip. Apparently he has a coworker he is trying to convince that tipping is important and since I am quite passionate about the issue he came to me for some reasons. Here are some reasons I came up with, if you can think of more reasons, please leave them in the comments. I am very interested to hear other ideas about this. Unless you don't like tipping, then I don't really want to hear your comment.

Here are some reasons to tip, in my opinion;

Their employer only pays (usually) minimum wage. Serving is a difficult job and worth more than minimum wage, especially if they are good at it.

For no tip, the job should be easier. They should only do the minimum, take order and bring food. The extras they do like anticipating wants, filling drinks, being friendly. That is all above and beyond.

Also, a server ruins cloths. You may not think about it if you have never been a server. But you go thourgh cloths faster then most other jobs. They smell like restaurant all the time and they get wore out as well as burnt. They have to buy cloths to wear to work that they go through very fast. The employer does not compensate this.

It is also expected and is our culture. A server takes the tip personally. Whether the person intends it or not, the tip is an indication of how well they did. No tip indicates bad service (usually, or ingnorant costumer IMHO) and a good tip can really make the servers day. It makes them feel proud or bad depending.

For the person that doesn't tip, I suggest they try being a server for a couple of months. See how they feel when someone doesn't tip.

written by angela at 10:51 AM [+] |

Saturday, July 16, 2005

Marc is out golfing, so I am left at home with my thoughts. I was watching What Not To Wear on TLC and I started thinking about the changes in my life and the people that have influenced those changes. There are a few people that stick out in my mind and I want to mention them.

First of all is my family, including may parents, grandparents and sisters, their influence is obvious as they are the foundation with which I grew up.

Second is an old ex-boyfriend, who taught me how strong I am. I believe hardships strengthen you and change who you are.

Third would be my first roommates in University. They taught me how to party and I always had a great time with them. They also made me feel more confident and suddenly there was no divide between the popular and the unpopular. It is a division that is all in your head.

Fourth is the friends I made at Hao's Garden. From them I gained an Asian influence in my life. Had it not been for them, I probably would never have gone to Vietnam or learnt how to cook Vietnamese food.

Fifth is another ex-boyfriend. A very motivated and moral individual. He taught me a lot about the kind of man I should and shouldn't be with and about the kind of man I deserve.

Sixth would be another roommate, she introduced me to the Broadway Theatre and the more eccentric, but oh so great, side of our culture. She taught me not to go through life placidly, but to be aware of the world, the choices we make and the influence one person can have.

Most recently would have to be my husband. With him I have the pleasure of continually changing and growing. I feel we change together and my wish is that we always change in complimentary ways.

Okay, that's enough introspection for me, for now.

written by angela at 12:23 PM [+] |

This weekend has been very exciting so far. We are about to put an offer on a house this afternoon, hopefully that goes well. Last night I was part of, perhaps one of the best poker games I have ever been in. It was so intense, I loved it. Everyone there knew the game and nobody was dominating with luck. It was all skill I say. As it turned out, the boys left the table first and in the end, it was only the girls left. In all my days of poker (which isn't really that many days) I have never seen that happen. Mind you, usually there aren't a lot of girls playing.

Hopefully the rest of the weekend is just as exciting, I have a feeling it will be as we are going to make a short trip to Regina for supper on Sunday. That will be a nice little excursion and for some strange reason, I don't even mind being stuck in a vehicle for two hours (as long as I am with Marc..... awww, gag, I know, but it's true, now you know why I married him).

The only downer is that I can barely hear out of both of my ears now. I am on three different medications, yet nothing seems to be helping. If this doesn't get better soon, I am going to start thinking it is permanent and Marc and I will have to learn sign language. I wonder how hard it is to learn to read lips. Anyways, enough about the downer, back to the exciting weekend.

written by angela at 11:23 AM [+] |

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Well, I guess there is no hurry to get my thesis done. I didn't get into Pharmacy. That is kind of disappointing, although, I really wasn't looking forward to telling my supervisors that I was leaving with such short notice. Now I can go back to taking my sweet ass time, no need to finish the thesis in the next six weeks. I can finish at a more normal pace. Once I get over the rejected feeling hopefully I will realize this is the better way. Maybe it is time to grow up and get a job. Finish school for good, or maybe I can apply again next year....Or maybe not. I don't know what will change from this year to next so if I didn't get in now, I probably won't get in next year either. I guess our family will be happy that we aren't moving, except my sister, who, I think, was looking forward to seeing us in Edmonton. Anyways, here is to being a graduate student that much longer.

written by angela at 2:24 PM [+] |

Friday, July 08, 2005

Well, Marc is gone for the weekend and I am stuck at home with an ear infection, actually, with two ear infections. Isn't this great. I have been on antibiotics for three days now and there has been no change. I still feel like crap and have the constant pressure on my ear drums. When I went in to see the Doctor, she said that my one ear drum was ready to burst any minute and the other one has a chronic conditions. Chronic, that sounds horrible. I haven't gotten much work done in these past few days. All I can do is sleep and veg. I haven't even been eating much. In fact, the only time I eat is when I take the pills, because if I don't eat with them I will get nauseous.

Okay, sorry for the pitty party. I guess we just all get in those moods once in a while. Or... At least I do, maybe I shouldn't be speaking for everyone else. On the bright side, this is going to be the most beautiful weekend in a while. I hope all of you that are at the lake are lovin' it. On Saturday I made an appointment to cash in a gift certificate Marc bought me for my birthday. It is Chocolate dreams package at a local spa. Now, that is something to look forward to and break up the boringness of being along and sick all weekend.

written by angela at 1:47 PM [+] |

Monday, July 04, 2005

Is it supposed to snow in July? Well, that is what it looks like. Fortunately, it isn't snow. It is, however, hail. On the way home from our weekend, we drove through a one kilometer strech where the hail was so heavy, as you can tell, it looks like snow. Crazy weather we have been having.

written by angela at 8:01 PM [+] |