One scorching sunny summer's day...

It's been a while since I walked the length of O'Connell Street... With the heat of the hottest day we've had this year burning down on me too, I must have been mad!

O'Connell Street has changed since I was last in town, but it sure is no cleaner! The amount of ciggie butts, litter and chewing gum is the same, strange considering the pavements are new'ish. I recall a long standing quiz joke/trick question: Q: How many monuments does O'Connell St have? A: None, they are all statues... now obsolete since the arrival of the Spire. I love to meet the group who put it there - how they came to their reasoning(!) The steel phallic column never fails to amaze me, its the most boring, unfriendly, stupidest waste of space ever! Another useless priick in a street full of dead men! Underneath it was another of Dublin's archetypical characters - the street sellers - having a fine argument with each other on the subject of flower arranging in-between serving customers! "Ya put de pink wans over 'ere and da whites in t'bucket on dis ooan! Gobshite! A fiver a bunch luv? Wan em wrapped? Alrioigh... Miiiiick! Get yer hand out of me box, I gav yer a load of chaige already!" I could watch and listen all day! LOL! Next time I get asked by someone to meet up in Town during the day - I'm heading there!

There's a new shop in the mist of all the fast-food chains, that offers 'devotion', the zealots were queueing up outside to get in for the service, or a token pilgrimage, as a staff member handed out cards reminding me 'why Jesus died' and offered to pray for my soul. I'm not a religious person - can't remember the last time I was in a church, but I always held the belief anyone saying prayers for me was simply another form of sending positive thoughts. I'm not going to refuse positive thoughts am I? I just accepted the card, smiled politely and said 'thank you'. Despite all the zealots the amount of abuse that man was getting from other passer bys was something else. People were taking his cards, some mocking it, then throwing it back in his face or on the road. Just then, this wee lad of 8 or 9 years old appeared wearing grubby tracksuit bottoms and faded t-shirt, runner and no socks. The kind you instantly avoid, holding on to your bag that bit tighter. He runs over, picked up the cards from the ground, handed them back to the man saying "Here mister... just tell them them f#*% off next time roigh?!" Then ran off again before anyone could thank him! Awww kudos to whoever reared him! He made ME feel so guilty for misjudging him, the incident left me smiling for the rest of the day too! There's hope for the future generation yet...

I used to be a great jay-walker before I moved to the suburbs and brought a car. It's an arrestable offence in some cities I believe, but not Dublin - I was totally lost as to when and where it was safe while waiting for the red man to go green... I showed myself up by being one of the few still standing at the kerb as the rest of the multi-cultural crowd jay-walked away! I nearly got knocked down by a bus too, taking the corner so tight - it literally went up to the kerb. Now there's a timer on some junctions to control the jaywalking mob, but it's not working, they still walk! A tourist ansked me for directions to Ormond Quay, I had to think for a moment where Ormond Quay was... as I was thinking, barely 10 seconds to be honest, an Eastern European girl replied with the correct set of directions and gave not just the direct route (via Abbey St) but the Alternate Route too ('along the Liffey') naming ALL the street with great accuracy. Oh the shame! Now I know how the Dubliner's must feel when culchies (like me!) show their superior knowledge of their home town... now it's not the culchies, it's the non-nationals showing us up!

The smell of the Liffey was something else! I forgot how bad it reeks!!! Don't know how the beggars on the bridge can tolerate it, especially the ones in baseball hats and sunglasses ... maybe they are poker players?! LOL!

Went to see Susie Woosie in hospital - she looked very trendy in her 'no pyjama during day' gear; poker books and laptop! She's definitely on a holiday!!! Get well soon Susie!

Was in the Bell for my favourite Deepstack Game on Sunday night - we had our biggest numbers to date with 3 full tables... To my right was a 'pro'; well he called himself one! He was raising to mental amounts - kept throwing 1k in any position when blinds were 25/50; naturally no one was calling him. He won all the early blinds, folded only twice. Then I got AK off in SB and called his raise (button)... flop came out 443... I checked he bet 2k. I thought for a moment, and called.
Turn was 3, I checked again and he shoved. I had to fold he could have been playing A3 or A4 but it annoyed me somewhat. I made a smart comment about his betting adding that I never see players betting like this elsewhere even bigger games I've dealt in and he replied that he "played with the pro's" and this was the way he played "either call or shut up!" the other players were praoising him "fair play to ya.." crapaments! Meh!

I tightened up my game, got 88 and called the 1.8k bet from 'Pro' ... 8 on flop... I check raised his 3k to 6k leaving me with 2k behind. He folded. Yay! Few hands later I was in SB (blinds 150/300) with A10 off and had 20k; Pro made a raise to 3k on button; I called so did Paul S. Flop came QKx rainbow; play checked back to Pro who threw in 3k. I called, Paul folded. Turn was the mighty J and I checked again. Pro bet 3k, I raised to 6k, he called. River was 4. I bet out for 6... Pro looked at me and said "huh I only have 3k left... your not paying attention to my stack are ya?" I took back 3k "okay put ya all-in then?" he called me showing A4 and his face fell when I showed my hand. Paul started berating him over the play

-"did ya not see the straight there?"
-"Ya... thought she was bluffing... I was pot committed anyway"
-"Bluff?! Julie never bluffs... do ya Julie?"

LOL!

I started the final table as chipleader with 47k, the rest of the minions were on 25k or less and blinds 1k/500. First hand UTG pushed with 21k... action folded around to me, I called with AK off. 9 on the Flop and I was down to 26k and remained totally card dead for the rest of the game! It was the longest final table too, everyone was playing tight. But not one A, K or pair did I see... almost pushed a couple of times with J10 and Q8 but other players shoved first with at least one caller so I folded gracefully. Got blinded out and went all in on 24 off -v- 33 nothing on board to save me and I bubbled in 6th place. Meh! GG! UL Good night...

Off to check out the Jackpot €40+5 FO tonight... been a while since I was in there, hope they have short memories!!! LOL!