I hope that I will give my boys enough opportunities, experiences, encouragement, and guidance to have as good an idea as possible art age 18 to have a decently strong sense of direction - work, uni, year out, whatever.

Do we, as parents,  incest enough in our kids, or do we let them coast through and absolve ourselves of the responsibility in the hope school will care enough to guide them? My parents did next to fuck all to show any genuine interest in what I was doing or where I was headed other than to try and bully me into staying on to do A levels because my Mum wanted the kudos and the same with Uni.  Then blamed me when I moved solely to get away from home and did nowt academically the whole year I was there.

There has to be a genuine investment in ours kids and their futures and unselfish reasons tohelp them get there.

The Food Standards Authority are 5 years into a 10 year plan to reduce campylobacter in chickens and the figure has actually increased, although I think infections are down (or the other way around).

Never thought this would be the post I contribute knowledge to pleno's diary. Although it was unlikely to be something on reverse blockers or 3bet shoving ranges.

in my last job, selling hygiene chemicals,  we were looking at getting some products tested against campylobacter.  It is more to do with flock separation and cleaning up of faeces than hygiene cleaning standards though.  That said,  cooking the chicken thoroughly kills campylobacter,  as well as storing cooked chicken at the right temperature and if reheating,  ensuring you heat it above the required temperature.  As we know it's those temperatures in between that bacteria like.

I play regularly in Blackpool.

Hit me up if you want a chat about what's on and what the games are like.

Thanks man. Will do. Might be end Jan before I can get over for a game. I'll probably just play a tourney one night while I get a wee roll together and then look at finding a cash game.

Unsurprised to see this continued run, which is clearly surprising if measured against mere mortals.  And mere cats would stand no chance.  The talent + hardwork = results comment sums it up for me.  Very best of the cards to go with it all.  Enjoying reading about you tearing it up live as well as online.

I happen to like, say, Antony Keidis & Steven Tyler, & I can't imagine anything they did would stop me enjoying their music. But if they were charged with rape, or under age sex, I'm not sure how I would then perceive their music. I suppose, whether I wanted to or not, I'd be obliged to suddenly stop enjoying their music?  

It's an immenely complicated mix of emotions.

Totally this.  I still love Michael Jackson's music (quite a bit of it anyway).

Nope.

Would you wear an MJ t-Shirt?

I ask as I have a new young starter in our office at work and on dress down Friday he rocked up wearing one, it caused quite stir.

I happen to like, say, Antony Keidis & Steven Tyler, & I can't imagine anything they did would stop me enjoying their music. But if they were charged with rape, or under age sex, I'm not sure how I would then perceive their music. I suppose, whether I wanted to or not, I'd be obliged to suddenly stop enjoying their music?  

It's an immenely complicated mix of emotions.

Totally this.  I still love Michael Jackson's music (quite a bit of it anyway).

Saw Slim Whitman at Kendal Leisure Centre mid-eighties.  My Mum used to drag me to allsorts when I was around eight years old: Boxcar Willie & Showaddywaddy two notables.  "Some girls will - wah-wah-wah-wah, some girls won't, some girls need a lot loving, and some girls..." <now now stop that>

I'm pretty sure most of them make 6 figures plus and the very best or the most well known make 7.

Que?  I was aware of a growing professionalism in gaming, but not this. 

In my experience, such lack of basis courtesy in responding to an application speaks volumes. I have had it recently with a job application that progressed and then when I wrote to tell them I had taken another offer and didn't want to pursue the role with them at this time, and I was very professional and courteous myself, they didn't even acknowledge receipt.  There can rarely be an excuse for that.

Bad for money both their parts. I guess Bankroll Supply may not be monitoring their contact point if no longer operating but could easily get that message out there.

Hope your financial position improves, you start enjoying again and keep up the improvement in your poker, and the bowling crack goes well.

Can't help but think when you read about top tournament players going long stretches bricking everything due to variance, that they are just not trying hard enough.

Sixteen months on and an afternoon spent catching up on what I have written previously.

Life has taken some very big steps forward.  

The Piranah started a midwifery degree at UCLAN in September, selected for one of about twenty-six places from over eight-hundred applicants, and with no medical background.  She also had to put in two-hundred hours study to complete an access course as a condition of her offer.  Despite initial plans for her to commute, we have moved out of our Kendal home and in with her parents, about ten minutes from Blackpool.  She is placed at Blackpool Victoria hospital.  We are having our house valued and put on the market, probably after Xmas.  It costs me £8.5k a year to keep it on, even after our lodger's income, and we might come out with £40k-£50k equity.  A nice deposit to have in three years' time when we plan to buy following The Piranha's completion of her course and subsequent anticipated return to full-time employment.

Jesse is coming up one years old, and Roscoe will be three in a few weeks time.  More on these two little rascals in future posts.

I have finally had success moving my career on and I'm going back to financial services, in sales, with a massive amount of confidence and positivity towards the role, the business, and my own ability to succeed.

I have played poker a sum total of once since about last September.  Brief Blackpool 'Keystone Cops' trip report on that to follow.

I am still writing for 888, but mainly web content for tournament pages.  It isn't fun, I don't enjoy it, but I am rattling off much of the work at a very quick rate and so my hourly has sky-rocketed.

In the last month I have got back on the forums.  Well, here anyway.  BBP has gone. APAT is deadly.  Hendon Mob is a joke.

I've also got back into some wider interest; Jared Tendler's Mental Game podcasts, reading up on poker news, following a few people on Twitter, etc.  Really, really up for a game.

I think the Blackpool cash games are there for the taking and have lots to ask the forum before I make a plan to get them with some regularity.

I really have good focus on on an approach to getting back into poker -  sats, couple of live tournaments of decent size (if I sat), live cash - certainly no time to devote to getting back into an online grind regularly - or even occasionally at the moment.

Good to be back properly and I hope to have more to write about soon, although initially it won't be very regularly.

Nice catch Alex.  Definitely should jack this poker lark in and get into trading though, obv.

In a short response, to stay ahead of the game it is essential to reinvent oneself year on year.  Addition get a new skill,  working on a skill that is under-developed; if you want to relate to poker it is Jared Tendler's inch worm method.

Nobody is so good that they cannot improve.

That said, if we are talking about writing something down as constructive criticism because the appraiser is unimaginative and simply wants to tick a box then not sure that is helpful. I've had it happen and just shrugged at a suggestion or had to come up with something feeble myself.  Not sure I would accept that so easily again, though I am sure it did no harm overall.

I have also worked for years without appraisal and it's largely demotivating.  Going back to a target-orientated, very corporate position next Monday and can't wait to sock it to 'em.

Shame to have missed this, even just for railing opportunity now I am located to Blackpool.  Must plan to get there next year a day get in the game somehow. Would love to sit at a table with you. Sort of.