Will us kids in America continue to have an online poker industry? We just lost our freedom. Get out the chains and open the prisons for those of us that want to challenge Frist in a heads-up match on his big move to save us from ourselves. Fuck off, Frist! A bunch of people doing a bunch of partying and hanging out in paradise for the last nine days – add a lot of poker to the mix – were brought together through online poker. Thank you UltimateBet! We aren’t out raping and beating children, robbing stores, trying to take over a country and destroying thousands in the process…we are simply poker players. Does that mark us as horrible, horrible people that must be treated like we’re criminals? Kee-rist! Perhaps the law isn’t totally clear as to ramifications to poker players but it still puts us in jeopardy.

Back to where I am and what’s going on right now. The Duo is leaving today. Most of the dealers/staff/players are leaving the island today. I will be hanging out in paradise a bit longer. Since I have no distractions now, other than early a.m. beach walks and swimming, a little live poker play, and food needs, I hope to catch up with a zillion or so pictures that I want to post here, with a few words of silliness and wisdom thrown in to boot.

I went to town a few days ago, literally. Hopped a cab, made arrangements for the driver to return for me in a few hours, and proceeded to shop. The first thing on my list was a pair of diamond stud earrings for myself. It’s funny in a bizarre sort of way, I’m not a jewelry freak and haven’t worn earrings for over a year, but for 30 years I’ve toyed with the idea that I would like simple diamond studs to be worn mostly all the time. So be it! Off I went, purposely going to Effe and found a young lady named Vivan to help me in my purchase. I had a coupon for a ‘deal’ on 1/2 carat earrings and a 1/4 carat pendant, I bought them. Left the store, shopped the flea market across the street, had lunch at Iguana Joe’s (the only place I’ve found so far – in eateries – that doesn’t charge the 15% surcharge tacked onto all food bills. That 15% goes to all of the employees…nice! NOT! It makes eating in Aruba hellerly expensive), and decided I needed another pair of diamond studs because I have two holes in each ear. Back I went to Effe, found Vivian and bought the second pair. Good for you Linda! You’re worth it! *smile*

If you’re in Aruba, searching for jewelry, please look for Vivian:

I can’t say enough about the attitude of most of the Aruban people. They smile! Big, happy, genuine smiles! When you enter a restaurant, they remember you, they are very happy to see you, more than gracious in the way they handle you needs and wants, and truly will to give you good service. My waiter at Iguana Joe’s was great – he thought I was funny because I wanted pickels for my burger – and he patiently explained to me that they had never had pickels. Unreal! How can you serve burgers without pickels???? I settled for fresh cucumbers and we were both happy. My waiter:

The day I did the swap-meet/mall thing was on Friday. Did I already give the particulars on the name of my dealing group? We were the Homer Simpsons. We were scheduled to deal live at the Radisson that night at 8 p.m. Between me and the Duo, we were not hip on dealing the live games. Some dealers had great reports on it, others were the same story as last year: Work an hour, you’re out. Or you’re on hold for an hour. Or check back in a few hours. UGH! Not for me. The Duo and I checked with Suzie and we could deal in the tournament area if we wanted…one last $1,000 tournament was kicking off at 7 p.m. We took the tournament room.

Of course we signed the E/O and Suzie had already told us that if we were going to go to Carlos & Charlies and party with her, we were more prone to get out. Yeah BABY! We were out early and off and running. Wayne refused to go with us…in bed early that night…people went in different groups to the bar. It’s kind of a scary scene. Gang looking groups of guys standing on the street, it’s dark and late, another night club right by C&C is supposed to be more elite but the crew was meeting at C&C so that’s where we were headed. And please don’t think we can’t hang with the elite, we are the elite, where ever we are, it is elite.

When we entered the place, the whole dance floor was standing room only, these girls were up on stage with the MC, who was going through introductions and a lot of whoop-la over the one on the far right because she was ‘endowed’ to the max and shaking it up for him. It was funny…or rather he was funny…or maybe she was funny. I had to drink water and the rest of the world was loading up on giant size drinks of some kind, and I still thought it was funny so it must have been funny. The object was for the girls to down a shot of tequila, then suck down the bottle of beer through a straw. Goal? Speed I believe, but after watching them do it, I figured the main goal was to keep from spewing beer and tequila all over every one in the front row. Here they are, little brazen hussies of the Aruban night – and the 2nd one from the left won the applause meter shoot-out:

Some of our crew with the giant drinks. I had a sip of Jim’s and it was wonderful…but H2O with a straw was on my agenda and I stuck to it…*pats self on back*

We made a circle of our own and everybody took tunrs jumping in the middle and doing a solo dance, I think Suzie started it, Jim got right into it:

Man can this girl suck? She is so intent on that drink, perhaps she should have been on stage for the ‘shoot and suck’ contest. Diane…possibly not at her best here but she sure is cute:

Pam was posing…but that can be a good thing. Sometimes she just rips her top up to expose…well…you know…she’s like that:

Heather was in full pose mode too. It’s hard to catch people doing impromptu-shomptu at times:

Jim had to get into the posing act…and he wanted a shot with his brothers. He even asked permission from the MC if he could hop up on stage:

Suzie and a Pal or is it Pallette? They posed too…notice the sheen of perspiration on their faces from dancing the night away in Aruba…nice!

We played pool upstairs, some of the crew played foosball (is that how that’s spelled), we all moved to the rythm of the music, some of them may have drank too much, but it was time for this kid to go…Suzie, Diane, Mac, and I made our way through the crowds, out onto the street. Kee-rist! I’m not one to fear too much when I’m out alone or in a group but if I’d been alone, I’d have been more than a little wary of the groups we passed. They were just hanging out…in clusters…mostly guys and it wasn’t a pleasant feeling. We grabbed a cab at the end of the block and headed for our home away from home.

I found this beauty out by the pool as we were going to lunch one day, about 12 feet up in palm tree…he wasn’t posing.

Right now I’m going out to search for ‘mucho iguana’, the guys that handle the birds tell me the big ones come out around noon. Back in a bit