Wow, Sandals is amazing!

Okay, Leah and I just got back from a fabulous honeymoon. OMG, all inclusive is the way to go. Bellying up to the bar, ordering a drink and not having to throw down cash is the best ever. We mostly drank this drink called a BBC. Our bartender friend, Althea, said she made it up but, we later found out it is a drink there. Nice try Althea. Anyway, it is a liquid refresher like none other. It is a mixture of bananas (B), Bailey's (B) and Colada mix (C). You mix it with some ice in a blender, add some nutmeg and an optional cherry and you are set. I lost count of how many I had, but I do know they are great at 11am, heehee. We did mix it up having some wine, beer, champagne and banana sip sops (banana, colada mix, grenadine and dark rum, mmmmm.) Oh and Leah had a couple of Miami Vices, pic below:

It is supposed to be blue on top, white in the middle and red on the bottom. The bartender who made this one had a little trouble with the blue, hahaha. That's my BBC on the right and a bottle of rum we won in a beach game we played. That's right, Leah and Brenda, the token lesbian couple, were right out in front with our gayness. And guess what? We didn't threaten anyone's marriage, hahahaha. We even played the newlywed game. I, of course, got to be with the "guys" (that is in quotes because I am not a guy.) Oh, and we won! We actually got a perfect score. That's right, the lesbian couple won the newlywed game. I love it.

We also treated ourselves to a couples massage (thanks Ronnie!) It was awesome. First we got a body scrub and rinsed off in this amazing shower that had several shower heads. Awesome. Next we got our massages. Hmmmmmmmmm, aaaaaaaahhhhhhh, hmmmmmmmmmm. After the massages, we got into a whirlpool tub with lots of bubbles and enjoyed champagne and fruit. Here is a pic:

As we relaxed afterward, we talked about our favorite parts of the massage. Specifically, we said, what if the masseuse had asked us what part we would want more of. We both said our hands and feet. Isn't that great. We are so in tuned to each other (hence why we won the newlywed game.)

My favorite part was when we returned to our room one night and found this:

A note accompanied these two love birds saying, we were being treated to breakfast in our room. There was a menu for us to choose from and a time to pick for our breakfast. The next morning it was delivered to our room and we enjoyed breakfast on our balcony:

Here is a pic I took in the style of our wedding photographer, Ryan. What do you think, Ryan?

All the staff at Sandals were so nice and friendly. Each time a staff person walked by they said hello ladies and smiled. If you ever get a chance to go to a Sandals Resort, Leah and I highly recommend it. And now I have to go shovel our cars out of the foot of snow we have. Such is life in upstate NY. Here is one more pic for you to enjoy. I love the panoramic feature on our camera:

That is my baby there on the beach. Isn't she beautiful? Love you, baby!

Honeymooooooon!!!!!!

Okay, only three days until we leave for our honeymoon (two days and 17 1/2 hours, but who's counting.) I can't wait, sunshine, warm ocean, sandy beaches, a coconut rum concoction and the most beautiful girl on my arm. Oh and did I mention, a spa tub right in our room. I really can't do any work, I am just too excited thinking about it and all the things I have to do before leaving. I have to pick up my new rx sunglasses, email my sister about taking care of the cats, do some last minute laundry, pack and oh yeah, make dinner for my wife. It's very overwhelming, but I think I will manage, heehee.

So, I just got the coolest gadget ever. A bluetooth headset. I know, I know, big deal a bluetooth. But wait, it is so cool. I have it hooked up with my phone, but....I also have it hooked up to my MP3 player. Okay, not such a big deal as most phones are MP3 players as well, but I think it is cool. I don't fill up my phone with stuff and save the battery for more important things like talking to the wife.

Oh, and one thing about poker in this post. Okay two. One, I am hoping that one of the casinos in Antigua has a poker room. Not quite sure yet. I know they have slots and some table games but not sure about poker. If not I will be having withdrawal as I am not bringing the laptop.

Two, I was playing in the Ladypoker Sharks Poker game on Pokerstars last night. There were 5 players and I was one before the button and called the $50 blind with K 5 suited. The button raises to $150 and everyone folds. I call the raise thinking if I hit the flop it could be good and it's only another $100 to call (I am above average but the button has me covered.) The flop comes 5,5 K. I am thinking, woo hoo. I check and the button goes all in. I think, "awesome" and call. Then she shows pocket Kings. Damn, that sucked.

That's all for now. Going to try and get some work done now.

For Leah

I can't believe I have been married for a whole month. I have to say, it is so wonderful to find the one person who can complete your life and make it all the more beautiful. I have found that in Leah. Everyday is amazing being with her. We have been together for almost 3 years, but it feels so brand new. Whenever I am near her I just want to be close to her. I want to be touching her in some way. I love that she likes to hold hands with me, all the time. So, this blog today is for Leah, my beautiful wife.

Leah,

All my life I have dreamed of you. Okay, not "you" but, you. I knew that this is what "it" was supposed to feel like, that this is what love really is. Everyday with you is special and oh, so amazing. When I wake each morning, I (first hit the damn snooze, heehee) smile because I know you are there. I roll next to you, hold you and kiss you good morning. You smile without really waking up. I love that. I love that we hold each other to sleep every night. I love how I feel when I am around you. You make me feel so loved and desired. Thank you, for everything, being you, loving me and for saying yes to marrying me. That day is one of the best days of my life. You looked so beautiful and you looked so happy. I was happy that day, too.

So, I promise to you, to always kiss you good night, kiss you good morning, hold your hand always, cry with you, take care of you when you need it and to love you with all my heart.

Happy one month anniversary, baby! I love you!!!!!

B.

Prop 8 Protests

Let's all join together and fight the Hate. My wife and I will be at the Albany, NY protest. Here is the link to check for a protest near you http://jointheimpact.wetpaint.com/

Please, if you can, go to a protest near you. I believe it is important for us to continue to stand together and let the nation know we are not second class citizens and will not accept anything less than equal!!!!!!!

WTF

Okay, I know that I have not posted anything in forever. My new wife has a blog and she is so much better at it than me. Besides, I would just write about the same thing anyway, heehee. Actually, I am just kind of lazy about these things and sometimes I feel like I don't have too much to say. But.............................

I have to say......WTF...... California, what the hell happened. I know it wasn't all of you, just those that believed all the lies the religious right was spewing. Now my marriage hangs in the balance. What right do these people have to vote on my life, my happiness.

How can the government of California allow this proposition to even come to a vote. Prop 8 was not defining marriage, it was eliminating same sex marriages. It was literally discriminating against another human being. Where in history has that majority been allowed to vote on the minority status. If this had been any other minority written into Prop 8 it would have outraged our nation. Well, I am outraged. This is not a religious issue. This is a civil issue. The courts, the legislature decides on these issues, not the people. If the people voted on these issues then we would still have slavery, women would not vote and be the personal property of their father or husband, the Civil Rights movement would have never happened and we would be stuck in the dark ages. Our forefathers made our government the way they did so we could evolve as a nation. They knew that the way it was was not always the way it was going to be. That as we grew as a nation, so would things change. They allowed for this possibility. Tradition does not mean right. It just means the way we have always done things. We all know that we have grown as a nation, as a people by the ones who do not follow tradition. The inventors, the social reformers, the leaders, the scientist, all chose to not follow tradition and helped shape this wonderful nation. Where would we be without Edison, Bell, Ford, Jane Addams, Susan B. Anthony, Martin Luther King, Lincoln Roosevelt, Alexander Fleming, Salk and Sabin. This is just another reform. A chance for this nation to grow and realize that we all deserve the opportunities of the rest.

I am guaranteed my right to happiness. My happiness is not against the law (Sodomy laws were struck down long ago.)My happiness should not be voted upon by anyone but myself. This is just crazy. How can anyone deny another person true happiness. My marriage hurts no one. I believe when people start looking at me, and my brothers and sisters, as a person, a human being, capable of feeling pain and hurt, and not as a sexual being, then things will be different. But, for now we will have to continue our fight for justice and equality. We now know how powerful the religious right can be. How they will lie to get their opinion heard. We cannot sit back and hope someone else does something. We all need to do what we can. I for one, am going to make sure everyone knows I got married to a woman. I refuse to hide. In the supermarket, on the street, in public everyone who sees me will know that I love Leah!!!!! We need to be visible and heard. No more hiding. Thanks.

I do, I do

Yeah!!!!! The marriages have started. I am proud to a part of all this and so very proud of my "sisters and brothers." It is an exciting time. The barriers are coming down. It is only a matter of time now. Speaking of marrying, our wedding plans are coming along nicely. Kudos and thanks to Leah's 'rents for everything. We got so lucky and found this great photographer. I will link him when I get his site from Leah. The only sucky part, for me, is going to be that we are doing all this in California. It is great and not so great, because most of my family won't be able to make it. We will just have to have another party here then :)

Heading to gay pride in NYC. Meeting up with Raquel (my ex) and Jen. Haven't been to NYC in soooo long and not with Leah at all. Can't wait to spend time there with her. So, here is a pic of the t-shirts we are going to wear.



Chow for now.
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Online Poker

Hi, and, as always, my favorite subject, (next to my girl of course) poker. This time it is online poker. About a month ago, I received an email from Pokerstars saying they have deposited $5 into my real money account. I had been thinking of playing with real money but, up until now only used play money. They said they were giving it to me for free to try my hand at real money, online poker. I was so excited, free money, woo hoo. I immediately signed in and began playing. What is cool about Pokerstars is that they have penny games, like a 1 cent/2 cent no limit hold 'em. So that is where I started. Within 2 hours I had doubled that $5. I even tried my hand at Omaha. Not too bad. I have played a few small buy in tournaments and won a couple for $4.50. This past Friday, I played in a Satellite tournament. It was a $2.20 buy in with a max of 45 players (9 tables.) The top 6 players won the buy in for the Sunday Hundred Grand tournament. In that tournament you can win upwards of $20,000. Woo, hoo, I made it. I actually was the chip leader when I busted #7.
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Now fast forward to Sunday. I am waiting for the big tourney to start and the number of people entered is growing. By the time registration closes, 25,000 players have signed up. I check the payouts and in order to be in the money I will have to place at least 3750, to win $22.50. So the tournament starts. To make a long story short, heehee, I made it to 3510 and won $22.51. I could have done better except that when it came close to the 3750, I chose not to play some hands I could have, so I could last and win some money. It was so cool. I realized that I had outlasted over 20,000 other players. Not too shabby. Next time, I will go all out. So, now I have $36.00 in my account. Not bad for starting out with $5. Of course, Leah was saying, "cash out, cash out." No baby, not until I win that $20,000, heehee.
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High Heels Poker Tournament

I am finally at my very first "real" poker tourney. There are 40 ladies entered and I am one of them, woo, hoo! Seated at my table is the suck out, all-in queen I played last night. No, she did not win her seat. The other woman left last night, sucked out on her. My girl was there cheering me on. I had made myself a few notes before starting; the formula for calculating odds, "have fun, " use position and most of all, play the player, not the cards. Wish I had remembered that one. So, we all got a neat card cover for entering and the tournament began. I remember getting my chips (10,000 starting) and immediately shuffling them. I wanted to feel like a real poker player :) The woman next to me said, "I wish I could do that." I told her that it took a lot of practice and suggested she search You Tube for an instructional video. That's where I learned, heehee.
I don't remember all of my hands, but I did have a lot of fun. I remember raising with nothing and everyone folding (nothing like winning a bluff) and getting dealt the worst poker hand (7 2 offsuit) in the big blind. Got lucky with that one when a 7 2 fell on the flop. I was doing well, holding my own. I made it into the first break (2 hours) with a pretty good chip count. I even went all-in once. Man was I sweating, hahahaha. I was dealt pocket A's so it was a good all in.
Then, back from the break and now the antes in addition to the blinds.
The first hand is dealt and I peek at my cards, pocket A's again, in the big blind. Trying to hide my excitement, poker face, poker face. Everyone folded except for the chip leader, in the small blind. She called, I raised 3x's the big blind ($600), she called. Now, this lady has been in practically every hand and raised and won them. She was bullying. I had pocket A's, no it was my turn. The flop came, J J J. Wow, three jacks, I now have a full house. She checks. I think, she can't have that other J. I raise $1000, she thinks a good long time, staring at me. I just look at the table and keep a straight face. She calls. The turn is a 9. She checks again. I think, think, think. Now, like I said before, it is hard to throw away those A's. I just kept thinking, out of all the cards dealt, the chances are very slim that she has that one last J. I go all in. She calls, quickly. She had the J. She had a Q J offsuit. Now, I am not a sore loser, like Mr. Phil Helmuth, but, really, what is she calling a big raise pre-flop with a Q J offsuit. I really should have read that one, but, I saw a big hand and played the cards not the player. Lesson learned. So, I went out at #30 out of 40. Not too bad for my first real live tournament. A great experience. I found out the next day that it was a such a good turnout that they will be doing another in August. I will redeem myself!
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Poker in my veins

Okay, I am going to talk about poker. On Friday, April 4th, Leah and I made our way to Turning Stone Casino to try my hand at a ladies tournament. The High Heels Poker Tornament was coming to town and I was determined to play, http://highheelspokertour.blogspot.com/. On Friday, they were having small, one table satellites to win your way into the big game. I got into the last one at 11:30pm. There were 10 of us at the table. I did real well. I even bluffed a few hands and won. At one point I was dealt pocket rockets (Aces, for those not up on the lingo.) I was in a hand with a woman sitting next to me. Now, she hadn't played many hands and seemed a bit frustrated. The flop came J, 10, 3. Good flop for my Aces, but she bet into it, a pot size bet. I thought for a good, long time. My head was saying "go for it, you got Aces," but my gut was saying she had a J 10. I said to her I think you have the J 10 and I am going to give up these Aces. I was right, she told me she had the J 10. Whew, saved myself from losing a lot of chips on that one. Ask any poker player, it is not easy giving up Aces!

So, like I said, I was playing well. It was late and now there were three of us. Yup, I made it to the final 3 (only the winner got the seat.) So, I am second in chip count and the woman who is in third goes all in, 4 different times. I don't really remember what she had or what I had but I know that I started out as a favorite to win the pot. This woman was the suck out, all-in, queen. Suddenly I am in third. I finally had to go all in when the blinds were sucking me dry. I, again, was favorite to win, I had A K and an A flopped, but she sucked out and won with a flush. Oh, well that's poker. It was a great time. I left and went up to the room we were staying in. Leah was already there. Tomorrow I would enter in the big tournament. I had the buy-in and was determined to play. Hey do you like my divider? Pretty cool, huh?

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Yeah, I'm blogging

So, it begins. Yes, I have joined the 21st century and have started a blog. Now I am going to go waste time at work and decide what profound things I can say. Chow for now.