OK, OK,  that wasn’t what I originally started to write about but it’s too damned funny to let it just go without a mention.  Read it!

I recently heard that Frank Rayia passed.  Makes me sad.  He was one of my favorite poker players and I’d sat across the table from him a million or so times in the last how many years.  When Bellagio was getting ready to open, I overheard Frank talk about how excited he was to see it and how fantastic it would be.  I asked if he wanted to be my date for play days.  That must’ve cemented me in his heart for life – not that I wasn’t already there but it was now double scoops of enthusiasm each time he saw me.  I picked him up at the north valet entrance on the big day – in my truck – and off we went.  We had a fantastic time.  We had lunch together, cruised the shops that were partially filled and getting ready to open and he spoke with a few of the guys in one shop that has another store in California – they knew him.  He was like a kid in a candy store, so excited over the hand laid tile and the design and the fact that it was so ‘European’ and we had to walk out by the pool too.  When I took him back to the Mirage, he tried to give me money for taking him.  That was the only downside to the day.  I didn’t take it and didn’t carry on about it, simply said, “No.  You are my date and that’s all there is to it.”

I got to find out a little bit about his personal life that day, he had quite an interesting history.  He took my phone # a few times over the years to invite me to private parties he had and his wife always answered my calls and knew who I was when I called.  I got meet one of his grandsons too.  Damn I hate that he’s gone.  RIP Frankie.

Donna Harris is no longer at the Mirage from all the news and gossip running across the internet.  I have not chatted with her and do not know any reason other than I had heard her contract might not be renewed.  I wish for the very best for her and hope she does quite well, no matter what she decides to undertake…and I believe she will because she can take a fall and land on her feet.  And maybe it’s not a fall after all…maybe it’s a giant leap up.  Stay in touch Donna, you know Dan and I are in your corner.

I’ve had a few days to recuperate from family and continual busy – Riot for 5 days and then Josh, Jennie, and Baby Rain for four – even though it wasn’t hard to take, and I do miss them already, it’s nice to have quiet time again.  I like my simple solitude.

Claudia came out to visit me on Friday.  That was a great amount of fun.  It was also the day the Steed went in early a.m. for new shoes, and funny but NOT, Claudia had car trouble too.  She rented a car as hers went to the shop.  We went to the Winery for lunch, shared a bottle of Desert Blush (super yummy!!!!) and sat for a long time just gabbing before we headed back to my place.  She deals the WSOP every year and will be slinging tickets soon.  Hopefully we’ll have another shot at gabbing and grazing before she heads back East.

I played a deepstack tourney on PokerStars today and managed to snag a teensy scrap of a win out of the hours of play.  That’s the only downside to the deepstack, the length of time it takes.  I misplayed a couple of hands and managed to still hang on long enough to make it to the 3rd tier or so in the $.  Why do I always have to make a mistake?  Oh well!  I’m in a 70K guaranteed $11 R tourney right now.  I’m sure I can make a whole bunch of them in this one.

Laters all.