I was in bed. I had a bad upset stomach this morning and had to leave work about 10:30 AM. I thought I had food poisoning at first but now I realize what happened. After I left Silly Goose poker last night, I walked up to Huey’s for a Texas Toast Burger to go. That thing is really good but it’s loaded with jalapenos and I hadn’t eaten anything all day except a bag of chips. I guess my body is telling me I need to stop doing that. If I remember reading correctly, it takes about 18 hours to completely digest food, so I think I should be OK now. I tell ya what, today was not a fun day, but I’d take an upset stomach for several hours over the flu for a week.
I really haven’t kept up with email and social media, so I really don’t know what all has been going on today. I’m going to post a few quick “Tuesday update” things from memory. If you emailed me or messaged me about an event, it’ll have to wait until tomorrow if you don’t see it here.
The big news today, and it is NOT good news, is that photo-sharing social network Instagram is changing its privacy policy. Instagram, and its parent company Facebook, have announced that starting January 16 they will claim the right to use any photo you upload to their site in advertising, without your permission. The only way to opt out is to delete your account, which I will absolutely be doing before the 16th if they don’t change their mind. Remember those fun pics you took with friends at Chili’s last month? They could end up in a local Chili’s ad. Even scarier, what if they use photos of your KIDS??? Which they can do as of 1/16.
By the way, how much will you make in royalties every time Instagram uses one of your photos? Zero. They won’t even notify you. There are Instagram alternatives for iOS and Android. I suggest you choose one in the next four weeks. I’ll try a few when I get to feeling better and make recommendations.
The Memphis Flyer has a good article about Thursday’s Clark Griswold Christmas dinner and a movie and costume contest at Majestic Grille. Excited about being a judge again. They are probably sold out but you could try calling 901-522-8555 and seeing if there’s a wait list.
If you like to go to Kevin Cerrito’s trivia nights, he will be doing holiday trivia tonight at Ferraro’s Pizzeria and Thursday at the Green Beetle. Start time for both games is 8 PM.
Last night was the final table of this fall’s poker league at the Silly Goose. Players have been earning points for the past 16 weeks, and the top 10 point-earners were invited to the final table to play for a grand prize. I was on the bubble, number 11 or 12 in points, so if people no-showed, it was possible that I would get a seat. Everyone arrived, though, and I was relegated to the side game with $50 and $25 weekly prizes.
I noticed that none of the people who make crazy all-in moves early on were playing the side game, and there were only 7 of us. I decided to care more than usual and slow down the PBR consumption, because I might win something. Sure enough, I hit a few hands and went a run all the way to heads-up. On the second hand, my opponent went all-in on the big blind. Holding pocket 7s, a call was automatic. She showed K-8 and I was ahead all the way to the river when a King fell. I was out and ended up with this:
My opponent got the first place gift certificate for $50 in Goose bucks. By the way, I like her all-in a lot. K-8 is strong enough to call or make a small raise heads-up, but she’d be out of position the rest of the hand. I’d get to see what she did first on the flop, turn, and river before I would have to act. By going all-in she took my position away and I was the one with a difficult decision, not her. Well played. This is the kind of strategy poker pro Annie Duke advocates to people learning the game.
The final table was down to the last players at this point, and host Muruako asked if I would snap a few pics of the players still in the game.
(I think Clay was still in at this point too but if I took a pic of him I can’t find it.)
Brian got his choice of a $250 Best Buy gift card, $250 toward a buy in toward a WSOP circuit event in Tunica, or Grizzlies-Lakers tickets.
There will be no Silly Goose poker the next two weeks because of Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. A new league will start January 7.
Tonight is poker at Blind Bear at 8. One of the owners, Jeannette, told me a couple of days ago that the Bear will hold Tuesday poker Christmas night. Like last night’s side game, that could be easy pickings with a sparse field.
All right, I’ll be back at work tomorrow. Ironically, the one thing I have to eat in the apartment is the thing I’m supposed to eat when I’m sick: Chicken soup. I don’t want it though. Time to get out and go find something.