It's funny that this last year for so many people has been rated amongst the worst of their lives. I, for one, have been praying for New Year's Day to shut and bolt the door firmly on 2010. Many of my family members and friends feel the same way. I think if we all looked back we would realise it was the last quarter or so of the year that took the proverbial biscuit. I've always felt guilty after I've had a good old moan and put the world to rights, because I know that I am luckier than many. Not just because of the freedom and luxuries that poker brings, but way before then when I was working 14 hours a day, 6 days a week just to make ends meet. No matter how tough life gets, there is always, always someone out there who is worse off than you, and often a hundred times worse off than you.
I think that's what started my aversion to England, and perhaps the whole western culture. Listening to someone go apeshit at a waitress because their coffee is warm, not hot. Hearing how disgusted someone is that their steak is either slightly too rare or slightly too well done - or in posher establishments, how the wine is 'overly feminine' or that the cheeseboard is far too Normandy-orientated when it really could have done with a stronger touch of the Auvergne. On the one hand, it incenses me, on the other, I appreciate that everything is relative.
The world is going bonkers, in my opinion. How does the most powerful nation on Earth allow itself to be universally humiliated by allowing a borderline illiterate man such as George Bush not only survive a single term in office but to then be re-elected for another? They had The Terminator governing California and 'Catch The Pigeon's' Clunk looking over the whole nation. Surely a recipe for disaster? Back in England, we are a nation that refuses to stand up for itself, a nation that allows itself to be slapped about by the government in any way they see fit. A few years ago there were serious talks about introducing a 10 percent 'Plate tax' on restaurant bills and a similar 'Bed tax' on hotels. Is that how stupid the government think people are? I'm not hot on politics but I've noticed a trend. Each party offers the world when they are begging for power, and subsequently shits on you when you give it to them.
Exeunt, stage left. Lights fade.
Don't quite know where that rant came from and it certainly was unpredicted, but I quite like it, so it shall stay. I've actually had a decent 2010, all things considered. On January 1, I was en route to New York for some sales-shopping and to catch Shrek: The Musical on Broadway with my sister. two days later we were soaking up sun at the PCA in the Bahamas. I went to Vegas three times, had a mini road-trip from Italy to the Cannes Film Festival with a hyper-intelligent and aesthetically stunning old flame (where I was greatly amused to observe that Jean-Claude Van-Damme was about as short as I am); spent most of the rest of the year in Thailand, did two stints in Macau, went with friends and family to Laos and Vietnam, and hopped around Europe for the month of September to 'celebrate' my 30th Birthday.
I am now sitting in the apartment in Sydney, having completed the first half of this blog at the beginning of the month before a bout of tonsillitis got the better of me. Up until the morning of the flight I was feeling like death-warmed-up. Getting to the airport was a slog and a struggle; I eventually dragged my way through security and found Neil, Anne and Adam sat in Yo! Sushi, having virtually exterminated the conveyor belt. I certainly wasn't looking forward to the 22 hours of flying we had ahead of us. I've flown to Thailand and back at least a dozen times with equal feelings of aversion, but that 12-hour journey seemed like a bus ride right now. As it happened, the flight was easier than I anticipated, helped through by episodes of Dragon's Den, the full Season 8 of Family Guy and the first series of The Cleveland Show. 22 hours and 4 microwave-meals later and we had touched down in Sydney. Happy Days.
The apartment itself is lovely; part of the Star City hotel/casino overlooking Darling Harbour. I think we were all tired but decided to head out straight away so we could eventually crash out in the evening and try to get into a decent sleeping pattern. We took a ferry over to Manly Bay, had some lunch and enjoyed a stroll along the beach. In the evening, Adam and I went down to check out the cardoom. I was stunned to learn that not only do they rake 10 percent, but they also charge an hourly rate - $5 for the $200NL and $10 for the $500NL. I have to say I was relieved to find that the dealers were not allowed to accept tips; if they were, then backing Kauto Star would have seemed a better prospect in the Long Run (see what I did there?)
I sat in the $1/2 to get a feel for the game and after locating the 'Table Cod' and some good cards, was up $700 in the first 45 minutes. I had put myself on the list for $2/5 and felt slightly guilty when they called my name up 5 minutes after stacking someone for $350. The $2/5 game housed no better quality of play, but I managed to lose $400 after a guy decided $50 was 'too cheap' to see a turn card with J-K of spades on a Q-2-3 two clubs board. Running 9-T gave him a backdoor miracle. We'll say no more. I suddenly felt like I was in a 'Macau away from Macau'. I allowed myself to nod off three times before calling it a night.
Looking on to 2011, I have various goals and resolutions that I am really keen to stick to. I am trying my hardest to stay in the UK until the first week of April. This will be my first 'checkpoint'. I want to stop spending as much money as I do and save as much as I can. My main goal for this year is to be playing big tournaments, and as long as I am making good enough money in the cash games I'm hoping to stake my younger brother (Ebrahim 'HenryDaHaddock' Razavi) into as many UKIPT's, etc. as I can. He's a top-class tournament player and I'm really excited about his future, as long as he sticks to the task at hand (he's a bit lazy!)
A side goal, as it were, would be to make sure he reaches Blue Belt by April at the latest. He's been to Vegas once, but not for the Series. Fingers crossed, I'm really looking forward to sharing his first WSOP experience with him. Probably top of the list for myself as far as poker is concerned is reaching Black Belt, and I'm setting sights on getting there before the WSOP starts. As soon as I'm back from Australia and settled in to xthe routine, I'm going to try and get in at least six to eight hours a day of six-tabling ring on top of my heads-up to get the points moving.
Short-term, I'm setting my sights on a deep run in the Aussie Millions, obviously. I've been going to the gym twice a day since we have been out here, and I'm going to stick to that as much as I can once we get to Melbourne. I want to make sure I go into the tournament 100 percent focused on the task at hand. I'm in good company, everyone is pretty laid back and easy going, which is good because that's exactly how I am. I'm going to try and be as disciplined as possible out here but I'm certainly looking forward to a few nights in Melbourne laced with the sweet scent of Sambuca and the burning rush of Tequila. If I can manage a snap shot of myself perched in a Kangaroo's pouch a la Peter Griffin, it would round the trip off perfectly.
I'll keep you all updated on the shenanigans as they transpire. Stay lucky, stay responsible, and keep on grinding the hours! Next time, it could be you!
See Sam's profile for previous entries.