Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[nirvana]

I had that Stelios in the back of one of my conferences once.

[Claw75]

I had that Stelios in the back of one of my conferences once.

is that a vauxhall?

[tikay]

tony please dont take my question the wrong way as im just curious and you may have answered this question elsewhere and if so i apologise. but here goes.....


did you ever pay michael maccool regards the bet u had ((£100 i think) that you would personally turn luton cardroom around within a month?
or do you see yourself as succeeding and if so has he paid you?
is this still one of your personal crusades or have you given up on the place other than the occasional visit.

Marriott Hotel, Edinburgh, Sunday Morning, May 4th

I'd forgotten all about it, to be honest.

Given up? Me? Give up? I don't do give up Paul, you know that! I change my mind sometimes, but never give up.

Mick has since returned to Luton-G & played there several times, had no complaints as far as I know, but I have never thought to ask him his views on whether he thought things had impoved. Clearly, some things have, others have not, but it's a long road we travel, & Luton-G remain  a work-in-progress for a while yet.

Mick & I went through a difficult period, originally because he had some issues with blonde, & blonde Updates, about which he wrote at some length about me on his, if I may say so, rather splendidly penned-blog, & he followed that with a mocking piece about me as to that rather embarrassing, & I had assumed wholly tongue-in-cheek " tikay - UK Poker Legend" article that appeared on PokerNews without my prior knowledge. I never "bit", or threw any stones back, & have refrained from responding in kind, & shall continue so to do. We share Tables a lot at DTD these days, & we've established a rapport enabling us to share tables & have a little banter.

As such, we never mentioned the Luton thing again, we were non-speakers for a while, so it was hardly relavent in the greater scheme of things.

He can owe me the £100, I'm in no rush - it was not about money really, it was about "doing" something rather than just moaning. In the event that the bet were ever settled - either way - the money would go to Charity.

[tikay]

Friday in Fetham was immensely satisfying, I did a full Pilot Show, with Richard Orford in the afternoon, which, fingers crossed, with start to air in late May. We had time issues, (technical problems before we began recording) it was a 1 hour Pilot (the actual Show will be a 2 hour affair), but we did it "in one", no stopping, no cuts, no fluffs, no retakes, the whole thing from start to finish without a cut or a break. Orford is such a Pro. It's unheard of to do one of these without a single break, & The Suits seemed to like it, too.

Then I had to shoot a solo "Promo", & I was not sure what I was supposed to do, did my best, but it was sheer poo. Orford followed me into the Studio, & was just amazingly good, & so now I knew what was required, & how bad mine was, so I asked if I could re-record mine, & they agreed, & I'm gonna do it on May 17th.

I was starting to feel very tired now, & I fell asleep on the Sofa in the Office, but once we started rehearsals for the evenings Show, I was fine. That adrenelin is some drug.

I did the Show in the Evening, with Michelle Orpe, & she became slightly unwell midway through, & needed to leave the studio for a while during a break, & never returned in time for the re-start, ooh-er. So I moved across to the Presenters position & Camera, & did my first ever Live Presenting session. Thoroughly enjoyed it, though it was a bit "on-the-hoof", as I had nobody to "throw to", but Orpe soon returned. I can now put that on my TV CV - "experienced TV Presenter". Not to boast, either, but I was faultless, for nearly half of the entire 90 seconds.

We wrapped up just after midnight, & I zoomed straight home, in well under 3 hours,  & I was in bed for 3am, ready for a 7am alarm call to catch my flight up to Scotland on Saturday.

Two amazingly fun-filled days, I have to pinch myself sometimes to believe all this happens to me.

[tikay]

I was at EMA by 8am Saturday, but a bit miffed that the first thing I was was that my flight had been delayed by 2 hours - so 2 hours of precious sleep stolen. Bugger!

So I found a quet first-floor corner of the Terminal & promptly fell asleep, lovely.

At 10.30am, I was rudely awakened by a lady with shocking BO running round like a headless chicken, & a loud noise - the Fire Alarm as it transpired, & the Terminal had been evacuated, there was just me left upstairs. Mrs Smelly was shaking me & shouting at me -  "GET OUT - DON'T PANIC". Jeez, can nobody cope wth these things calmly these days?

I ambled downstairs & outside, & there we stood, on the Apron, for about an hour.

We went back inside evntually, & I fell asleep again, luckily Red rung me at about 12.30, or I'd have missed the flight. The adrenelin hangover had well & truly kicked in.

I'd let Des know I was gonna be late, & apologised, there was nothing to be done, so it was what it was.

Eventually, at 1pm, the flight took off, it was a 737-300. The bmi fleet is quite old, & I think they'd "lost" a plane during overnight servicing. The Ryanair Fleet, by the way, has an average age of 2.4 years - surely a record for a large fleet. And every Ryanair 737-800 - that's all they use - was either delivered with, or has had retro-fitted, winglets.

I was asleep before takeoff, & had to be awoken at Edinburgh by the Steward. I looked out of the window & did not think we had taken off, I thought we were still at EMA, but we'd taken off, flown, & landed.

I wonder why so many Airline Stewards are gay, or uber-camp? Italians do Ice-Cream parlours, Greek do chippies & eateries, Italians make bricks in Bedforshire, it's odd how communities flock to a single calling. They do the job well though, no complaints from me. I bet 80% of all male Airline Stewards are gay.

I got across from the Airport to the Marriott, right opposite the Gala Maybury, but I was overwhelmed with fatigue, & had to sit down for  bit, & then I fell asleep again.

Eventually, I roused myself, & wandered across to the APAT thing, arriving 2 hours late, & a little sheepish at my tardyness. Of course, everything was going as smooth as a smooth thing, but I was a little coy, having missed Austria, Walsall, & Day One of Manchester.

TBC.....

[tikay]

Once I sussed the score at the APAT Event, I settled down, & chatted to Des & Tighrty for a bit, then went & said hello to everyone - so many familiar faces, so many friends, & that spotaneous warmth from every single player.

Too many to name, or even remember, but Kinboshi, Jizzem, Technolog, Shogun, Duke, Phil Starrs, MickyP, etc. Seemed odd not to have Dewi there, I gather he's in Ireland.

Kinboshi was struggling, low chip, & I went to Rail him for 5 minutes, & he found Jacks, "push" I'm sending him vibes, "puuuusssshhhh".

He pushed, the Lady who pushed before him had Queens, & that was that, I'd bokked him good & proper. He had rented an Apartment, him, The Good Lady, & Mum-In-Law, across the road - a good call apparently.

Des had his Son with him - an absolute ringer for his Dad. Beautifully mannered & polite, superb social-skills, & amazingly IT-literate, he was whizzing about embedding Videos & up-downing torrents & all sorts, cool as a cucumber.

Tighty told me an asbsolutely stunning story, too, & I hope he does not mind me repeating it.

His 10 year-old Son, bit of a whizz goalie, plays already for "East of England", has been offered a place in a football Academy by Englands finest Premiership football-team. Coaching, schooling, Training with the Bg Boys, the whole works. I think he was nearly welling up with pride when he told me - & so he should. What a wondeful thing, for the Boy, & the Dad. Tighty knows how to keep the lad (who's incredibly well-adjusted) in the real world, & not let him get carried away, & I hope the Boy succeeds. How proud must Dad be, eh?

The APAT Comp rumbled on, in the most amazing good spirit, the APAT ethos is well & truly established now, & I'm immensely proud for the small part I have played in it. Des & Tighty deserve Medals, they reallly do.

We finished at about 1am, & Tighty & I went straight back to the Hotel, Tighty to Upload the "Overnights", & me straight to bed.

24 players return today at 2.30, & we should be done & dusted before midnight, another successful stop on the APAT road.

My 'plane home leaves at 0800 in the (Monday) morning, so I'll be home by late morning, thence to bed.

DTD Monday night, for the £100 part of 3-2-1 & I'm looking forward to actually touching some cards, instead of talking about them, commentating, or just watching, as I have been for 4 days straight now.

The weather up here is just lovely, it's a shame I don't have time to admire the parts of Edinburgh I like so much. Never mind, one day I'll retire & I can do all that then.

I've decided I want to visit Fair Isle.

In the Hotel grounds, there are rabbits grazing, by the hundred. I really must get a camera, I see so many things I'd like to take pics of as I whizz around. I remember them all, just little things, but photos do it better.

[RED-DOG]

I bet 80% of all male Airline Stewards are gay.

They can't be. 80% of all male hairdressers are gay.

[tikay]

DTD Monday night, for the £100 part of 3-2-1 & I'm looking forward to actually touching some cards, instead of talking about them, commentating, or just watching, as I have been for 4 days straight now.

I just called Karabiner, to wish him luck in the DTD Omaha Final, & he told me that Monday's £100-er at DTD is Monday afternoon, not evening, as I thought, & it's a £100 Rebuy. Just thought I'd mention that in case I misled anyone. I'd have missed it for sure, as I had planned to spend the day in bed.

So I'll be there - the hapless bmi-baby permitting......

[tikay]

that is what wind is - air rushing from here to there.

I learn so many new things from your diary Tikay.

Behave. You are not funny Andrew. Well, a bit.

To be honest, I really never knew what actually was the cause of wind - weather-wind, I mean. Now I know, & I'm really pleased I understand it's cause.

I still don't get how a telly picture comes down that little wire though. And I only recently discovered that vacuum-cleaners have bags that have to be emptied - I thought the dust just sort of disappeared. I had a vacuum-clener for 9 years without emptying the bag, & then my Sister arrived from Aussie, & thought I was daft, because it never really worked any more. She juist emptied the bag & it was as good as gold again. I'll empty it again soon, she went back to Aussie in 1993. 

[tikay]

I had that Stelios in the back of one of my conferences once.

From what I gather, not the nicest, or brightest, of men. Typical Millionaire's Son.

[Dingdell]

I bet 80% of all male Airline Stewards are gay.

They can't be. 80% of all male hairdressers are gay.

There are times when I am whooshed and times when I am not. This is one of those times when I am not - Behave all of you. 

[The_nun]

I had that Stelios in the back of one of my conferences once.

You may want to re-word that statement.

[tikay]

I get very down about blonde sometimes, & the last few weeks have had me wringing my hands in despair at some of the things I've read. Not so much what has been said, but how it's been said. Shouty-wouty moany-woany seems in vogue, but I've never liked it. This is supposed to be a fun place, poker with a smile. But there are moments of sheer beauty too, which make up for it.

Maureen just wrote to me, to tell me that a certain blonde has offered her, Darren, Stacey & Reece a little holiday, completely free, in his Villa in Cyprus. Sadly, Reece is, & will not for a while, be fit to travel overseas, but a lovely thought, all the same.

What a terrific gesture, from a proper blonde.

It would be improper to name him though, quite improper.

But, kind Sir,,,,..../////// th8nk///u very/////.....,,,,,,,much, it was gr88888888 of uuu....../////

[RED-DOG]

I had that Stelios in the back of one of my conferences once.

Are you a hairdresser?

[tikay]

OK, duty calls, shower & shave, & then off we go, APAT-ing. I better not be late again.....

I hope everyone has a lovely, relaxing, peaceful, Sunday.