Corey Haim is my Role Model
Friday, May 16, 2008
I'm really chomping at the bit this morning. Come 4pm, I'm out of the office and off to AC with Dave Roose, our first such trip in way too many months.
Days like this are simultaneously the hardest and easiest days at work. It reminds me a lot of the anticipation I felt as a kid on half-day school days. Even though the beginning of the day started out normally, as the end of the half-day approached, every hour brought a new wave of excitement and anticipation, moreso than if it were just the end of the regular school day.
This morning wasn't too shabby either. I am in the process of settling a particularly troubling case. This morning, I was to appear at Court with my adversary to either tell the Court that the case was settled or receive a very quick trial date.
Normally, settlement is a regular part of my job and nothing to be treated as anything remarkable or difficult. However, this is the first settlement where I have taken point, and it doesn't help that the client is, how shall we say, marching to his own drummer and the defendant's attorney is dim as a sack of hammers. That and the client owes enough money in workers' compensation liens that any settlement would be difficult.
For those of you who don't know, here is a two-sentence primer on workers' compensation liens: You know how in most states if you are injured on the job, there is a process by which you can recover under workers' compensation in order to provide all employees with a way to bear the brunt of accidental workplace injuries? Yeah, well, if you sue someone else (can't sue your employer; that's what workers' compensation is for) for the accident/injury, you have to pay back workers' compensation for all of the money they spent on your medical bills and lost wages from the proceeds of the lawsuit.
So I enter the Courthouse with the belief that I will be getting an early June trial date based on prior conferences with the Judge. I then proceed to get into a brief argument with the defendant's counsel over her selective memory. Long story short, it all worked out though. When we saw the Judge, he confirmed that the defendant's counsel remembered a few things inaccurately and the trial date is set for September. That's a huge load off of my shoulders, allowing me ample time to prepare for the trial, which will be my first trial as lead attorney. Exciting stuff.
But this is a poker blog, so let's touch on some poker. The Wall Street mixed game in honor of Skidoo was a lot of fun, even if I lost $58. Poker can be frustrating at times, and the most pressing issue of late is my attitude. Plain and simple, 90 minutes into the game, I felt bored, like I had had enough. I still stuck around for three more hours, during which time I gave back my profit and the $58. It seemed like whenever I folded, my outs would hit, but that is just the nature of things.
I'm really hoping AC will revive my ability/desire to play long hours. My last two trips to AC were brief (meeting up with a few bloggers after a Philly court appearance and making a solo day trip) and I felt the same sense of boredom then too. Still, I feel like I am ready to jump back in with the always trusty Roose by my side. We are staying at the official Atlantic City Casino/Hotel of HighOnPoker, the Showboat, which was chosen by way of the patented HighOnPoker Atlantic City casino decision process. In case you need a reminder, it goes like this: find the cheapest casino/hotel with poker on the Boardwalk. After all, they are all the same, so this process works fine and since I have a Harrah's card, Showboat usually wins out anyway.
I am sure we are going to be playing a tournament or three at the Showboat, and hopefully unlike last time, I won't bubble. Also, the poker room supposedly moved from the private, classy room on
the 2nd floor to a pit on the casino floor by the Boardwalk entrance. That bothers me a bit, but it may attract more floor traffic, which means looser action and more incompetence, two things I can use to my advantage.
I shaved my head yesterday at a very short setting. Looking in the mirror today, I realized that the short hair actually works against my usually-desired dumb kid table image. I guess I have to accept that those "kid" days are behind me, but (and I kid you not) I was practicing my best "stupid" face earlier today, so I may, instead, play the role of the semi-retarded oaf. The key is to let your tongue lie slack in your mouth and keep you mouth in an open position. Think Corey Haim.
Or, you know, I can not focus on the little details and instead focus on good decision making.
Expect a write-up early next week. Otherwise, you all have a fine weekend.
Until next time, make mine poker!
posted by Jordan @ 1:36 PM,
3 Comments:
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At 4:16 PM,
said...
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Very nice post.
I coach poker in the Seattle area and, as you're obviously aware, it's so much more than the cards.
The foundation of my coaching approach is Sun Tzu's, The Art of War. In it he declares that War is Deception.
The subtle understanding of Sun Tzu brings out more than battlefield tactics. Strategic Thinking that can apply to virtually any situation where there's competition for the same "Ground", be it in warfare, business, a courtroom, a sports arena, a marriage . . . or a poker tournament.
What you've nicely outlined, short hairdo and all, is that you're playing the player and not the cards.
Sun Tzu teaches to know yourself and your opponenent and you'll have no fear of a hundred battles.
Again, nice piece.
Poker Coach
PockerCoach@WarriorClassCoaching.com
http://www.warriorclasscoaching.com/ -
At 1:52 AM,
toolowbrow said...
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it's not chomping at the bit, its champing at the bit. you need to watch more george carlin stand up.
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At 11:21 PM,
JD Schellnutt said...
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Wish they hadn't moved the showboat cardroom...It was my favorite place to play in ac before as it was quiet (no slots nearby), roomy and comfortable, and smoke free. Sounds like that may no longer be the case. Good Luck.
JD
