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« on a steady diet of . . . | Main | WWdN: the fundraiser — results »
May 05, 2005
proudest monkey
Oh boy. It's a random morning on WWdN . . .
We got a little rain in Los Angeles last night . . . probably .00005", which is just enough to make the freeways a complete and utter disaster. On days like today, I'm so grateful that I can sit here in my office, open my window, and smell the wet grass and dirt while I watch a dozen finches crowd each other off the one feeder that still has seed in it.
I love it that I usually take my blog titles from whatever song is playing on iTunes, and right now it's Dave Matthews doing Proudest Monkey. I've had Crash since it came out, and I didn't know there was even a song called Proudest Monkey until just now.
I normally like the rain, but one thing I hate about it is this downspout that runs down the wall behind my bed. When we've got some real rain going, it doesn't sound like anything, but on mornings like today, when it's just sort of misting heavily, it drips down onto the bottom with this loud and steady tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap that manages to get through pillows and earplugs with ease. When it woke me up at 6 (an hour before my alarm was set to go off) I tried to ignore it and drift back to sleep, but the tapping was so insistent, somewhere in the back of my mind I heard a voice scream, "It's the beating of his hideous heart!"
That made me laugh, and there was no way I could fall back to sleep after that. So I've been up a little bit longer than normal today. This will require extra coffee.
Mmmmm . . . coffee.
Anyone watch WPT last night? What a great final table! It's always good for the game when an amateur outlasts a field filled with pros, and that kid seemed like a nice guy who appreciated his victory. A few poker-related things that interest me, but don't really warrant their own blog entries:
- I'm
freerollingplaying in a tournament tonight called The Poker Smoker at Yamashiro in Hollywood. The winner gets 365 cigars, and a seat at the Poker Smoker finals in Reno later this year. - If you have enjoyed my poker stories, like Lying In Odessa and Viva Las Vegas, odds are very good you'll enjoy Richard Sparks' book Diary of a Mad Poker Player
.
- My friend Chris the Poker Geek is offering some really cool T-shirts that are destined to become collector's items.
- I've been reading Dan Harrington's book, Harrington on Hold'Em
- Iggy, who is the Godfather of pokerbloggers, has this quote about Stu Ungar: "He seemed like the Brian Wilson of poker — a brilliant guy done in by drugs and his own strange, unmanageable form of genius." Iggy got the quote from part one or part two of a Cardplayer magazine story about Stu Ungar called To Live and Die in Las Vegas, which is excerpted from a book that I can't wait to read called Aces and Kings
- Oh, yeah. I did.
Final thought before I get out of here: I've noticed that when I link to things at Amazon, there are always a few people who go batshit that I'm hawking affiliate links, or selling out, or something. I have come to regrettable conclusion that there are just way too many people on The Internets who will bitch and complain about anything, and I'm done taking their shit and trying to explain myself to them. But for anyone else who is reasonable, here's my take on the links: I'm recommending things that I like, and I know that it's easy to buy on Amazon. I also don't see the harm in getting fifteen cents or whatever from an affiliate linking program. I'm not going to let this become an affiliate link farm, so just relax, okay?
Oh shit, it's 9:38. I'm so late for work.
Ignore those people, sweetie. They are only happy when bitching at people. Their lives must be very empty and sad to find joy in annoying others.
Oh, and fill the feeders.
Posted by: Cookie![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.wilwheaton.net/nav-commenters.gif)
at May 5, 2005 09:57 AM
Dave Matthews & company are sublime musicians.
I guess you would have to have some sort of contest to see who was the proudest monkey out of your accumulated fans. ;)
If you keep linking to good poker material like that, you're going to become almost as much of a productivity killer as Iggy. Way to go!
Loved the segued Poe reference - drips like that are as effective as the old Chinese water torture, even if it's not hitting your face.
Posted by: sparky1234 at May 5, 2005 09:58 AM
For what it's worth, I think that linking to Amazon.com is not only reasonable, it tends to be the canonical way to link for a book. Book pages on amazon have all the information for you to buy the book at their store or any other. They list ISBN and publishing information.
And yes, with a site with as high a circulation as WWDN, you can always find somebody to bitch about anything. Oh well.
Posted by: Craig Steffen at May 5, 2005 09:59 AM
Oh, man, that final table was awesome. I'm not a crazy big poker fan, but my step-father-in-law was visiting, and he is. It was fun watching that kid from Sheboygan play - he didn't give anything away. He may have been an ameteur, but he played like a real pro, and carried himself like one, too.
Posted by: Rodan at May 5, 2005 10:03 AM
Late for work...hmmm.
I'd imagine your 'commute' consists of closing Safari and opening your word processor. I hope your boss isn't too rough on you.
No matter what you do, there'll always be some percentage of readers to complain about somthing in the way you did it. It's your site; do it the way you want to.
Posted by: naiah christine earhart at May 5, 2005 10:33 AM
Dont listen to thos idiots about the amazon links. Do what is right for your family and fuck everyone else.. :-)
Take care,
Michael
Posted by: fremenusul at May 5, 2005 10:38 AM
Try fastening a small sponge to the bottom of your downspout. That should get rid of the sound.
Posted by: Carl at May 5, 2005 11:08 AM
Carl, I was going to recommend the very same thing.
Wil, dear... this is YOUR blog. Nobody gets to tell you what you can or can't have on it. I like the links because you always find things that I will like. Keep it up!
Posted by: barbie2be at May 5, 2005 11:39 AM
To stop the dripping, hang a chain inside the downspout. It won't grow funky vegetation like a sponge would.
Knowing is half the battle! (Getting off your butt and doing it is 75% of the battle, and ignoring the math geeks is 1/5th of the battle.)
http://doityourself.com/gutters/gutterfix.htm
Posted by: ToddPM at May 5, 2005 11:43 AM
Great, now with chains in his gutters, he'll hear them rattling and think, "Ebenezer... Ebenezer SCROOGE!!"
Posted by: Thomas at May 5, 2005 12:13 PM
I just read about your cat. I'm so so sorry. I know what it's like to lose a loved one. I'll be thinking of you.
Also, I'm glad to hear that your fundraiser went so well. I'm only sorry I missed it! I wish your furry friends the best of health & recovery!
:)
I think your site is great & I wouldn't change a thing.
Kindest regards,
Mandee
at May 5, 2005 12:13 PM
F* those jokers who bitch about any links or *gasp* god forbid that you might make some monay from your site. Keep up the good work amigo and best of luck winning the lung darts :)
Posted by: silentspiral at May 5, 2005 12:17 PM
I hate to chime in with a supportive 'me too', because that always drove me crazy. Makes people sound like yes men. But this one needs to be said.
I might be biased as the holder of a business degree, but if there's an opportunity to make money out there, I say you take it. Slap an Amazon affiliate link down for everything, more power to you. Isn't it supposed to be the American dream to make money for doing what you would do for free? Live it, man.
"Selling out" is a term for people who make money doing what they love invented by people who can't make money doing what they love. Anyone who accuses you of being a sellout would love to sell out themselves but can't. So sell out and be proud that you're living the dream.
Posted by: CrimsonGhost at May 5, 2005 12:58 PM
hey, not sure if you caught it but Mike Doughty's newest solo album, Haughty Melodic, is out:
http://www.mikedoughty.com/music/
soul coughing is mike doughty's solo work is (which is one better than
mike blogs too and posts pretty pictures.
Posted by: rasa at May 5, 2005 12:59 PM
"I'm so grateful that I can sit here in my office, open my window, and smell the wet grass and dirt while I watch a dozen finches crowd each other off the one feeder that still has seed in it."
Green. With. Jealousy.
If I knew you better, I would throw in a "rat bastard". But I don't. So you've escaped. This time.
Signed,
The bitter bitter bitch who just finished a two hour commute to go fourteen miles on the 5 this morning due to that drizzle, only to look forward to a nine hour day in a windowless cube
at May 5, 2005 01:00 PM
When you get a chance, I'd read the aggressive books too, that way you know your opponents tactics as well as you know your own.
Posted by: Toriko at May 5, 2005 01:14 PM
omg. *everyone* links to amazon when they mention a book, cd, game etc that they are interested in. hell i would hook up the link exchange to mah super fine live journal, but i am way too lazy.
good lord some people need to get a life or else lay bare their lives for everyone else to nit pick.
gah, anal retentives iritate me.
anyhoo, wil, i noticed you use song titles too. especially from some of my favorite bands the smiths, depeche mode and bauhaus. maybe not recent entries but some past ones. rock on.
Posted by: Merrily at May 5, 2005 01:25 PM
Hey Wil,
Crash is great but everyone has Crash. Why not pick up Under The Table and Dreaming or the new album that comes out next week? Or, better yet, a live album.
As for the Amazon links, no problem here. In fact I kind of like knowing what you're into, it may make me give something a chance I wouldn't otherwise. If ya don't like 'em, ya don't have to click 'em. I can just see it now, "Oh, my eyes! My eyes! The American Idiot link has blinded me! Damn you Wesley -- I mean Wil!" I wouldn't worry about those guys.
As for poker, you got me hooked damnit. I'm on pokkerroom all the time now and it's all your fault. So keep the poker stories a comin'.
Hope you and the clan are doing okay post Sketch and The Bear.
CarolP
Posted by: CarolP at May 5, 2005 02:35 PM
That Stoltzmann kid is exciting to watch.
Posted by: shane at May 5, 2005 02:56 PM
Hi! If you run a string down the inside of your downspout, the water should run along it and not drip. Old trick for drippy faucets - it should translate to a downspout readily.
BTW - I was sorry about your kitty! I've lost them as well and know how much it hurts and for how long one grieves.
Posted by: Marsha M at May 5, 2005 03:02 PM
Don't sweat the link stuff dude.
There will always be people who will cry foul and try to make you feel bad for trying to recoup some money that gets bandwithed up every month. There's a word for those people, and it's moron.
If you have to have your blog sponsored by Dominos, I wouldn't give two craps if it meant that you'd keep it going!
"wwDN, brought to you by Mentos...the fresh maker!"
Posted by: drdrew at May 5, 2005 03:05 PM
I watched WPT last night - what an exciting game. The rookie did a fantastic job. I was planning to hit the sack early, but I HAD to stay up to see how it came out. I expect we will be seeing Mr. Stoltzman again on future poker TV tournaments. And I always enjoy watching Daniel Negreanu play; he's a hoot.
I'll have to pick up Dan Harrington's book(s). I have two Vorhaus books, Killer Poker and Poker Night. I'm not a super-aggressive player either, so I'll probably get more out of Harrington's advice. The other books you mentioned sound like winners too. Thanks for the tips!
at May 5, 2005 03:40 PM
Sponges get funky fast, and the chain/string dangling solution sounds like an engineering degree and a respect for heights might be in order. My vote's for a nice piece of ground level steel wool stuffed up the bottom of the downspout.
Posted by: Will Campbell at May 5, 2005 03:51 PM
Thanks for the advice on the downspout.
I tried to put a washcloth in there about a year ago, and it worked great . . . until we had a huge storm that spit it out onto the lawn like a hairball.
And I do mean like a hairball. It was slimy and hairy, and all kinds of gross.
I'm going to try the string or chain trick. If that doesn't work, I'll give steel wool a try.
Posted by: Wil at May 5, 2005 03:56 PM
yes, Wil, you are correct about the internet being full of people who have nothing better to do than bitch & moan...but that's hardly limited to the computer, sadly. i work in a bookstore (have to support my habit somehow, and luckily books aren't a contolled substance yet) and the freaks really make me love and hate my job. if i have to hear one more treatise on how it's a liberal conspiracy that keeps off the shelves, i'm going to snap and wear my "Republicans for Voldemort" shirt to work. oh, and for the stupid twats upset about Amazon links, that shirt can be found at: http://www.goats.com/store/
reading about the loss of your cat made me go hug my managerie of four-legged family really hard. they just looked at me and wagged tails or purred, with nothing but happiness in thier furry heads. love 'em!
Posted by: Ellephant at May 5, 2005 04:01 PM
Just put some kind of padding on the bottom of the downspout, like a dishtowel or something... The pinging will change into a thwapping that you probably won't be able to hear inside.. Of course, make sure it is secure so it doesn't get washed away in REAL rain... :)
Posted by: grahams at May 5, 2005 04:36 PM
I guess I should have read all the comments.... :)
Posted by: grahams at May 5, 2005 04:55 PM
You know, I actually drew AQ the other night in a hand on WCP. I thought of you and your various travails as I played it (I was heads-up at that point in the tournament). I caught another Q on the flop and it held up. I eventually won that tourney, but it took a lot of skull sweat; I left a "Great Session" feedback for my opponent afterwards. (One of these days, I gotta buy one of those books and learn how to kick my game up a notch. Or I should just wait until Stacked comes out this summer.)
People are acually complaining about your Amazon affiliate links??? Boy, there's just no pleasing some people. (I don't care if you have 'em, or indeed even notice, since I don't patronize Amazon anyway.) But, if that constitutes "selling out," then I'll sing it with you:
Sell out with me, oh yeah,
Sell out with me tonight,
The record company's gonna give me lots of money
And everything's gonna be, all right!
at May 5, 2005 07:38 PM
Harrington on Hold'Em is pretty good. I like the post-flop play advice, particularly, and the sample problems from both live and online tournaments.
What's odd is that in cash games, i've found that live players are often much looser than online players. Not sure why that is. They're also willing to rebuy several times when they get busted with a weak hand. I guess some people don't learn.
Posted by: StudioGlyphic at May 5, 2005 08:04 PM
yay! I've become computer literate! hah!
goodness. we in SF here are trying not to rain but it is attempting rain then again it is about to rain - but it hasn't rained yet so its humid as hell. oohhh how I wish weather control can become a technological reality.
and thank the.. neurotic am I.. people are posting about the kitties, I'd feel like an idiot if they didn't, but there is that CA state ballot that just passed about cloning pets becoming a closer reality,
I wanted also to say sorry about the cats, so I'm glad other posters have decided to offer their dare I say it, sympathy - which is good. (coffee and constant peppiness is bad but I come out of this one writing class feeling giddy and drunk on the meaning of literature hence appreciating the joys of blogging/writing)
and I'm seriously considering cloning my dog. coffee is the ultimate evil for me however.
I say again - I was waiting to offer condolences about the cats.
Alcira
Posted by: Alcira at May 5, 2005 09:58 PM
Proudest Monkey is one of the best songs on that Album!!! Its wicked cool. In fact, that whole album is wicked cool! And....its got monkeys in it!! i love monkeys!!!
Just on a side note, i have my Wil Has a Posse T-shirt on today!! tee hee It was the monkeys that reminded me!
take care
Rach
at May 6, 2005 01:59 AM
Thomas: 'Great, now with chains in his gutters, he'll hear them rattling and think, "Ebenezer... Ebenezer SCROOGE!!"'
Well, he should; if he hears them rattling it probably IS ghosts... or an earthquake. It's a downspout--ain't gonna be no wind in there. ;^)
Posted by: ToddPM at May 6, 2005 07:22 AM
What I like about Harrington on Hold 'Em is that, not only is it filled with good ideas, but it's also fun to read unlike a lot of dry poker books. Those hand quizzes are pretty fun. I don't mind rereading it all.
Posted by: Jim at May 6, 2005 12:51 PM
Your reference to the "TellTale Heart" totally cracked me up... Wasn't expecting it, I think. Not many people would refer back to a Poe story when describing their every day life !!!! (Thanks for the early morning chuckle!!) ;-)
Oh, and the internet is full of complaining people (there's no avoiding it!) But I'm not one of them. So THERE !!! :-p
Posted by: Veggie_gurl at May 7, 2005 10:32 AM
What other music do you like? I also have Crash, and a few other DMB albums.
Posted by: Kyle at May 12, 2005 05:42 PM
I avoid Amazon because they give a huge chunk to the Republican party. That said, the fact that you link to Amazon just means I have a title, author, and ISBN which helps me locate the same thing at any independent bookseller (http://www.booksense.com/) such as www.powells.com No big whosywotsit. I am always amazed when people are downright rude. It's one thing to politely point out that a company is contributing to a dangerous and anti-democratic regime, another to be discourteous about it. If you can't be civil to someone who's on your side, you're an idiot :)
Posted by: Kaz at May 14, 2005 03:46 PM
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