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Las Vegas Boyz Trip 2011

We had one of our Poker Boyz trips to Las Vegas last week. Mike, as always, provides great photos for us and seemingly doesn't mind the intermittent nagging - "Get a shot of my with the stripper!" He also wanders around early morning and late at night for shots like this one. We did stay at the MGM this trip.

If you don't show up for a Poker Boyz trip, you get your head put on a stick and rude sometimes evil photos are produced. Viewing of those more seedy and salacious snapshots is restricted to bona fide PB members and blackmail.

OK, maybe not completely restricted.

Poker was played. This is me making a final table at Binion's. Two-tiered seven-way chop for the poker players out there.

Matty with Chihuly art at City Center.

Me, also with Chihuly.

Amy at our annual visit to the Cat Condos at the LV-SPCA.

me with kittums at spca

Upon Being Trained by a Cat

I apologize if this story is a repeat. There comes a point, apparently somewhere around five hundred blog posts, where you just can't remember all the tales you've told. I don't think I have written this one up before but if I have - well enjoy again.

This was back in the early 70s, I was sharing my place in Michigan with a couple of roommates, two dogs and three cats. My favorite was Sam, a big black cat who slept with me every night.

On one particular night I was unable to locate the land of dreams. I was awake and apparently I was going to stay awake. Sam, on the other hand, settled down by my left hand got a good dose of ear rubs and was sound asleep in minutes. I laid there for an hour, then two... somewhere in the middle of the night I was drifting a bit, not asleep yet. Sam woke up, stood up, stretched then walked across my chest and laid back down with his head in my right hand and I reflexively started petting him.

At that moment I realized he did this every night, maybe more than once. He had me trained, the paw impressions on my chest made my sleeping conscious aware of him without waking me up and when he put his head in my hand I would subconsciously scratch him until he fell back to sleep.

Trained by a cat while I was asleep. And they say dogs are smart.

Saturation Saturday: Red

a Japanese Red Maple

that would be a redhead

Yes you vegans and vagans - Red Meat!

Mmm, red hair.

Amsterdam's famed Red Light District

Red Candles - Valentin Popov

a very red cardinal

a flock of red cardinals

I know, I know!

I can't help it.

probably has red hair too . . .

Evocative Music or Not

"Music jerks you around to feel stuff
you could better have left alone."

That quote comes from a good friend of mine. She said it sometime last year and like a diligent writer I jotted the words down for later use. Our conversation didn't stop with that line, she went on to say that feeling big emotions was just not worth it because the really bad ones are very painful even when evoked or relived via music. And, she continued, the good emotions that music pulls forth always end when the music ends and you lose them all over again.

Yes, that is a fairly dark view of music and perhaps of the world in general. It contrasts sharply with my own feelings about music and my personal worldview. Remembering even reliving long ago emotions is not only healthy; I believe it is healing and growth oriented. Yes, music can recall old hurts and stir dormant memories but catharsis is good for the soul. Stirring the pot brings all the flavors of wisdom to bear on our place in the present.

I let my friend know I was going to post this blog because I wanted to hear her say it out loud -

"You know I've started listening to music again."

Yes I did notice, which is how I knew it was time to share this nugget with my blog friends.

Walgreen Story

On the way into the pharmacy the other day I overheard a snippet of conversation between (actor #1) the gentleman with the red bucket, collecting for I know not what charity and (actor #2) the somewhat loud talking lady on crutches. As I passed them I observed the lady was missing one leg just below the knee; the conversation went like this:

"My son gets out of prison next week."

"Parole or release."

"Oh definitely parole to a halfway house in Oakland."

"How many years he do?"

"They gave him twenty but let him out in twelve, he should never have done a day."

"What for?"

"He got the man who did this to me." She pointed at her missing leg.

When I came out of the store, the lady was gone but as I passed the man he spoke to me:

"You heard the story bout her son."

"I did."

"Ain't true."

I stopped, knowing this would be worth the time.

"I knew her back when see lost that leg from too many infections."

"Needles?"

"Yup, and she ain't got no son either. Leastwise not one that gettin' out of prison; her only child died from the same crap that took her leg."

"Sad story."

"Well nobody makes you put that poison in your body."

"No I guess not."

I dropped five bucks in his red bucket for the story and headed to my car with my physician prescribed narcotics in the clean, white pharmacy bag with the tax receipt attached.

Art: Decision Time by americanpsycho

Two Years

Two years ago today our book, Check Raising the Devil, was released. It has sold right around 25,000 copies since then and small royalty checks arrive every six months or so. I was talking with my writing partner, Amy Calistri, about this anniversary and what we learned from writing the book.

First we learned a lot about bipolar disorder, ADHD, meth use and conditions in the Clark County jail. I also got some really great poker lessons sweating Mike through numerous tournaments in Las Vegas.

We got ourselves a New York Literary agent and we are thankful to both Sheree and Janet for everything they did getting CRD to a publisher. Plus they have been most helpful on current projects - professional publishing advice is invaluable to new authors. We also learned a lot about how the publishing industry works and unfortunately in these times of economic stress, how it doesn't work as well.

Finally, we learned what a rare treat it is to work collaboratively. In the two years since CRD came out I have tried to work with other writing partners to no avail. Amy and I had a rare working relationship and yes, we are casting about for another project to do together.

For now I am head down focused on finishing my current novel, would that you will have the opportunity to read it in 2012.