Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[MANTIS01]

Hi Tom, I'm a real history buff and am currently learning all about Elizabethan England. My current book is describing exactly what life was like for different social groups in the 16th century. How to deal with the poor is a major problem for society and the default attitude is to punish them or hound them out of town because they are seen as a burden. There is a small section about Gypsies which I thought I would relay to you. You may already know this stuff but if not it's very interesting....

"Property owners are scared of strangers. They deliberately conflate them with Egyptians or Gypsies who have been travelling in England for decades. Although Gypsies form a small percentage of the itinerant poor they are a potent symbol of why such people are considered undesirable. Gypsies are considered synonymous with thieves: it is said that they travel eighty in a band and break up into groups of 5 or 6 to go searching for food or things to steal. In reality, they travel in small family groups but people are not interested in mitigating circumstances. The Egyptians Act of 1530 declares that as Gypsies have no means of making a living except palmistry, telling fortunes and robbery they must abjure the realm. The law is confirmed by Elizabeth in 1563 in "An Act for further Punishment of Vagabonds calling themselves Egyptians. This states that anyone even found in the company of Gypsies may be hanged."

I do think social attitudes become ingrained into our psyche over time and wonder if enshrining them in law back then and the mentality those laws produced through the generations was the very beginning of the current attitudes we battle today.

Incidentally the author had lower case g's for Gypsy which as we know is very ignorant

[tikay]

Dreenie,

Quick PS to that story of when Regards & I backed you, & you won a bunch of money, to lighten the mood

We were both railing you, & you were literally CRUSHING the Table, 3 & 4 betting for fun, forcing folks off hands left right & centre. Oi oi!

At the same table was a young man by the name of Daniel Phillips, aka "kinboshi".

I recall this as it is the only Final he has made in 93 years.

Anyway......

You do your standard open, UTG or whatever, & Dan then backraises you. 

Standard stuff, yeah. But there is one thing EVERYONE IN THE WORLD knows. Dan has to have Kings MINIMUM here.

Back to you. You go into the tank. Regards & I both KNOW Dan must have K-K or better. Please fold we both think. 

And then it gets worse. For some reason, perhaps just by chance, as you are tanking, you catch my eye. Yikes, what do I do now? I KNOW what Dan must have there, but I can't be sending nods & winks. Even worse, Dan is a mate of mine. And you are looking at me......

No idea why, but I then did the daftest thing. I turned my back to the table, & you. Saves me the problem!

Then I hear you utter the words I did not want to hear.

I am all-in

Ugh ugh ugh. Naturally, Dan calls quicker than a quick thing, he does indeed have K-K, & your J-3 is toast.

Dan went on to win the thing. Last cash he ever had, I think.

Strange how these things stick in the mind.

I met your Bro a few times, too, even interviewed him in Vegas one year. Not prying, don't want an answer, but you were going through a bad time with him back then, so I hope you are both cool now. Life's too short.

[RED-DOG]

"He's such a prat" she says, but the smile gives her away.

[tikay]

"He's such a prat" she says, but the smile gives her away.

Oh, it was Mrs Red?

Sorry, she looks so slim & young from behind.

 

[Redsgirl]

  Hope your enjoying yourselves!

[dreenie]

Well done on laddies Red Dog

Did u watch Big Brother? Thoughts?

Why do people call u Red Dog instead of Tom?

I haven't been on Ladbrokes for ages Dreenie, and I wouldn't watch big brother if you beat me with a stick.

I've told the story about how I became Red Dog on here somewhere, I think it may be on my 'blondite profile' post.

I'll find a link when I'm on my laptop I can't be arsed to do it on my phone.

Do you know, I have a very short list of people who my first impression of turned out to be wrong. You're on it, near the top.

^^ Can u elaborate please? Be honest

The first time I met you you were on my table playing a £300 at DTD and you were absolutely crushing us. Then you got unlucky in a couple of spots and you went ballistic, I mean real tantrum stuff.

Now if there's one thing I can't stand,  it's people who are fine when  things are going well, but turn into brats, bullies or cry babies as soon as something goes wrong, not just at the poker table, but with life in general.

What a shame, I thought. Great player, horrible person, and that was that. I mentally crossed you off.


Then, through your posts on blonde, I began to see another side of you. I came to understand that you, like many of us, carry a fair bit of emotional baggage. I also found out that you were aware of your shortcomings and were trying to address them.

Then I started to see some other aspects of your character. Honesty, loyalty, integrity, humility, and many other traits that I admire.

If you were a man I'd describe you as a 'proper bloke'.

I don't really know you, but I on the other hand, I know you very well, because I understand your values.

I'm glad my first impression of you was wrong. Well, half wrong. (I still think you're a great player.) 

It's very kind of you to say that and I feel very happy that your perception has changed somewhat of me.

You are actually 100% right, although there is no excuse why I seem to get annoyed by the small things that can go wrong, I don't know why I let silly things that I can't control affect me and most importantly why I have so much 'general' anger built up inside of me. I can assure you that I hate myself for being that way, and try most of the time very hard to not be rude/offensive at the table when losing or things aren't going my way.

Maybe gambling has ruined me, maybe the way I have spent money has ruined me, maybe I ruin me, I honestly don't know, all I do know that unless I sort it out for good, I won't be around long enough to tell the tales, I can feel my heart beat so fast when I get angry I can hardly breath, and the thing is whether it's at a poker table or in general life, if someone upsets me/angers me, they don't care anymore, they are not worrying anymore, yet I will carry on dissecting all the stuff in my head and the anger will continue to build and build. It really is my biggest let down.

Hopefully I will finally realize that life's too short to worry so much and maybe If I put myself first and was a little bit more selfish then I wouldn't feel so angry/frustrated all the time.

Thanks again for the kind words, they are lovely and you are a lovely guy for taking the time to write these points.

Take care x

Morning Miss Nutttttttt.

Tom has such a way with words, he has expressed that with such empathy, I'm envious of his ability to put difficult things without giving offence.

I have wanted to say much the same, but was not brave enough, don't have the wordy skills that he has. Easier now he has broken the ice, of course.

You may remember, that in company with Regards, I backed you at DTD once or twice, & won a goodly sum of money by doing so. My memory is so bad, but looking at THM, it appears to have been in January 2010, in ther Monthly £300, & you finished 2nd for £14,000, or it MAY have been in August 2010, when you got £5,000 for 5th, or even both. Anyway, I did very nicely out of it, thank you. 

But here's the thing.......I like to "serial back" people, not just once, I develop long-term relationships with those I help stake. This cuts both ways, we both do better this way, they look after me, & I look after them. And I've never staked you since, except a few times on 'Starts around the same time.

The reason for that? Well......you did throw a tantrum or two (or three....) when winning that money for us, & I found that quite embarrassing. Lots of people came up to me & questioned why I would back someone who behaved so badly. I did not know what to say, really.

My personal rules for staking others mean I don't back players who are untrustworthy, or are rude to others, disrespectful "they are all idiots" sort of stuff. That may seem an unreasonable stance, but thats my business, I'll spend my money on my terms. In case of misunderstanding, you are 100% trustworthy, my only problem was the tantrum thing.

Anyway, I have always wanted you to know that, & Tom gave me the opening. Phew.

I don't do much staking now - prices just got silly, & all Tourneys were described as "soft" (lol), but I've been seriously tempted to stake you now & then of late. Just to say "it's all history now" sorta thing. 

Now, 3 or 4 years on, you seem to have self-examined, & are battling those tilt demons, & maturing as a person. I've been there, we all have, but with age, we mellow & overcome these little issues. And I know you will. Honestly, I wish you well. Though I do worry about your "gambling urges" (see Fred) as you are, with respect, a proper ice cream. But we are going to change that, ain't we? .

x

Hi Tikay, yes you backed me when I came 5th for £5,000. And yes I agree at times throughout that tournament I got very stressed and threw lot's of tantrums that let me down badly, I would put money on the majority of people at DTD that have sat with me would all say similar things, the last year or so I have honestly tried VERY hard to correct these mistakes, like if someone gets it in terribly then I now just try and say nice hand rather than berate as that is what I want them to do so it makes sense not to berate.

However a lot of people probably see me as a very moody person at the table and that is not me as a person at all, I have a very bubbly personality and like to get on with many people, however when playing I think my brain is so wired I have to focus, so when I start having random conversations I always seem to play worse and I lose concentration and get out of my zone, I've never seen it help me when I've sat there chatting constantly to other players, but talk to me in the break or after and I will talk for England, I LOVE talking

Hope your well, and very sorry I embarrassed you before, and I have always been grateful for the help I have received in regards to staking, a lot of people seem to take it for granted, I don't know why, hence me not trying to rip buyers off when I actually have my own money and want to sell pieces. I know you should look out for number 1, but that's just not the way I am.

Take care x

[tikay]

Thanks Dreenie. Win the world, right?

 

[dreenie]

Dreenie,

Quick PS to that story of when Regards & I backed you, & you won a bunch of money, to lighten the mood

We were both railing you, & you were literally CRUSHING the Table, 3 & 4 betting for fun, forcing folks off hands left right & centre. Oi oi!

At the same table was a young man by the name of Daniel Phillips, aka "kinboshi".

I recall this as it is the only Final he has made in 93 years.

Anyway......

You do your standard open, UTG or whatever, & Dan then backraises you. 

Standard stuff, yeah. But there is one thing EVERYONE IN THE WORLD knows. Dan has to have Kings MINIMUM here.

Back to you. You go into the tank. Regards & I both KNOW Dan must have K-K or better. Please fold we both think. 

And then it gets worse. For some reason, perhaps just by chance, as you are tanking, you catch my eye. Yikes, what do I do now? I KNOW what Dan must have there, but I can't be sending nods & winks. Even worse, Dan is a mate of mine. And you are looking at me......

No idea why, but I then did the daftest thing. I turned my back to the table, & you. Saves me the problem!

Then I hear you utter the words I did not want to hear.

I am all-in

Ugh ugh ugh. Naturally, Dan calls quicker than a quick thing, he does indeed have K-K, & your J-3 is toast.

Dan went on to win the thing. Last cash he ever had, I think.

Strange how these things stick in the mind.

I met your Bro a few times, too, even interviewed him in Vegas one year. Not prying, don't want an answer, but you were going through a bad time with him back then, so I hope you are both cool now. Life's too short.

I remember the hand well, yes Dan had the KK, I had the AK (think it was suited), obviously with me being aggro I think it's the nuts at the time 5 handed, even tho I did dwell up with it, I don't think I can fold to one bet and if I call I'm all in most of the time anyway as a King came, so I think the only way I get away from it is by folding to his first 3 bet which for me in that spot would be very hard to do. But Dan was a very worthy winner and he seems a lovely chap.

Yes I've seen some interviews you have done with Daniel, we didn't get on for a long period a few years back, then my dad passed away and it seemed to bring us closer together, or so I thought. The last few weeks tho I have been building up this anger as to why he stopped speaking to me for 2 years for no apparent reason, and the way in general I feel he's treated me over the years. I am very loyal and I've always had my family's backs regardless, but I never seem to get that same treatment and I can't understand it. On countless occasions in the past year I've had no food and he's known this yet wouldn't throw me £30 yet will go and put £300 on a random favorite at steepledown which REALLY grates me, I guess I shouldn't expect the same treatment. I can't be like that, I haven't got it in my nature to be like that, on many occasions in the past I've put others before myself hence me sometimes ruining my own chances of succeeding as a poker player.

Weekend just gone it all came to a massive head, we had the almightitest of rows and he told me I was no longer his sister. The weird thing is if he needed my help or whatever I would still be there for him cos that's what I'm like but what he said to me and other things hurts a lot.

Anyway I just have to get on with it now and try to live my own life the best I can.

x

[RED-DOG]

Hi Tom, I'm a real history buff and am currently learning all about Elizabethan England. My current book is describing exactly what life was like for different social groups in the 16th century. How to deal with the poor is a major problem for society and the default attitude is to punish them or hound them out of town because they are seen as a burden. There is a small section about Gypsies which I thought I would relay to you. You may already know this stuff but if not it's very interesting....

"Property owners are scared of strangers. They deliberately conflate them with Egyptians or Gypsies who have been travelling in England for decades. Although Gypsies form a small percentage of the itinerant poor they are a potent symbol of why such people are considered undesirable. Gypsies are considered synonymous with thieves: it is said that they travel eighty in a band and break up into groups of 5 or 6 to go searching for food or things to steal. In reality, they travel in small family groups but people are not interested in mitigating circumstances. The Egyptians Act of 1530 declares that as Gypsies have no means of making a living except palmistry, telling fortunes and robbery they must abjure the realm. The law is confirmed by Elizabeth in 1563 in "An Act for further Punishment of Vagabonds calling themselves Egyptians. This states that anyone even found in the company of Gypsies may be hanged."

I do think social attitudes become ingrained into our psyche over time and wonder if enshrining them in law back then and the mentality those laws produced through the generations was the very beginning of the current attitudes we battle today.

Incidentally the author had lower case g's for Gypsy which as we know is very ignorant

I am, as you guessed, familiar with the social history of the Gypsy people, but I'm still grateful to you for posting that piece, because then it becomes available to the wider community.

You're an interesting man, Mr Mantis, quite an anomaly in fact.

You make it very difficult for me not to like you.

[dreenie]

Thanks Dreenie. Win the world, right?

Ty I am going to Goliath today so hopefully I can

Have to get ready, I'm running late :/

[tikay]

Dreenie,

Quick PS to that story of when Regards & I backed you, & you won a bunch of money, to lighten the mood

We were both railing you, & you were literally CRUSHING the Table, 3 & 4 betting for fun, forcing folks off hands left right & centre. Oi oi!

At the same table was a young man by the name of Daniel Phillips, aka "kinboshi".

I recall this as it is the only Final he has made in 93 years.

Anyway......

You do your standard open, UTG or whatever, & Dan then backraises you. 

Standard stuff, yeah. But there is one thing EVERYONE IN THE WORLD knows. Dan has to have Kings MINIMUM here.

Back to you. You go into the tank. Regards & I both KNOW Dan must have K-K or better. Please fold we both think. 

And then it gets worse. For some reason, perhaps just by chance, as you are tanking, you catch my eye. Yikes, what do I do now? I KNOW what Dan must have there, but I can't be sending nods & winks. Even worse, Dan is a mate of mine. And you are looking at me......

No idea why, but I then did the daftest thing. I turned my back to the table, & you. Saves me the problem!

Then I hear you utter the words I did not want to hear.

I am all-in

Ugh ugh ugh. Naturally, Dan calls quicker than a quick thing, he does indeed have K-K, & your J-3 is toast.

Dan went on to win the thing. Last cash he ever had, I think.

Strange how these things stick in the mind.

I met your Bro a few times, too, even interviewed him in Vegas one year. Not prying, don't want an answer, but you were going through a bad time with him back then, so I hope you are both cool now. Life's too short.

I remember the hand well, yes Dan had the KK, I had the AK (think it was suited), obviously with me being aggro I think it's the nuts at the time 5 handed, even tho I did dwell up with it, I don't think I can fold to one bet and if I call I'm all in most of the time anyway as a King came, so I think the only way I get away from it is by folding to his first 3 bet which for me in that spot would be very hard to do. But Dan was a very worthy winner and he seems a lovely chap.

Yes I've seen some interviews you have done with Daniel, we didn't get on for a long period a few years back, then my dad passed away and it seemed to bring us closer together, or so I thought. The last few weeks tho I have been building up this anger as to why he stopped speaking to me for 2 years for no apparent reason, and the way in general I feel he's treated me over the years. I am very loyal and I've always had my family's backs regardless, but I never seem to get that same treatment and I can't understand it. On countless occasions in the past year I've had no food and he's known this yet wouldn't throw me £30 yet will go and put £300 on a random favorite at steepledown which REALLY grates me, I guess I shouldn't expect the same treatment. I can't be like that, I haven't got it in my nature to be like that, on many occasions in the past I've put others before myself hence me sometimes ruining my own chances of succeeding as a poker player.

Weekend just gone it all came to a massive head, we had the almightitest of rows and he told me I was no longer his sister. The weird thing is if he needed my help or whatever I would still be there for him cos that's what I'm like but what he said to me and other things hurts a lot.

Anyway I just have to get on with it now and try to live my own life the best I can.

x

Really sad to hear that.

We all have family issues from time to time. One thing is certain - they are NEVER solved by not tallking. Or by shouting at each other. You've seen it on blonde, where lads fall out & start calling each other names. That will NEVER solve anything.

It's good to talk, & it's good to take the initiative, it puts you in a position of strength.

I hope you calm down, & find a way to chat with him.

If that fails, so be it - at least YOU tried. You can do no more, & life will go on.

[RED-DOG]

View from our bedroom window at 6am

Click to see full-size image.

View from the opposite window at 7am.
Victoria pier Colwyn Bay. (worth a Google)

Click to see full-size image.

This is a level.

Click to see full-size image.

[Mohican]

http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/ag66/plainreddog/20130821_095156-1_zpsd9291813.jpg[/img]

Surely a man of your fabrication skills could've knocked up some leveling chocks(or whatever they are called) before leaving???

[tikay]

http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/ag66/plainreddog/20130821_095156-1_zpsd9291813.jpg[/img]

Surely a man of your fabrication skills could've knocked up some leveling chocks(or whatever they are called) before leaving???

Agreed. All amateur stuff that.

[Redsgirl]

Did me Mam hold the van up while you put the stones under? Or vise versa?