Hurray!!!!!!!!!! We have now finally started building works on Dusk Till Dawn, 7 months later that planned, better late than never. We have a site managers office, toilets and tea room outside of the club............okay.........we have 3 portacabins with hot water and a phone line. Nick is working to an 20 week schedule of works, which takes us into March 2007, so we are looking at an April 2007 opening. Materials, dimensions, colours, styles have all been decided, down to the DTD logo carpet and the chrome rails on the poker tables.
This is a bigger job that we have ever tackled before but its still just 4 walls. Steve Wamsley has been a great help to Nick over the last few weeks, as we had a couple of logistical issues with the floorplan. Steve (or "Womble" as most know him) was a quantity surveyer before he turned to the life of a professional poker player, and has experience of project managing the refitting of bars, night clubs and casinos, just the sort of help and advide we need.
I feel most of the planning for DTD is over now, it now about implementing what we have agreed. When I am feeling a bit stressed I try and simplfy things.........basically, whats the big deal, DTD is just a poker club and and a web site, how difficult can that be? The truth is that DTD is not that difficult...........but it's not my full time job, so it seems harder that it really is. Compared to setting up and running sf group, DTD is a walk in the park, but my time is limited nowadays, nor do I want to go back to a full time job. So, DTD needs to remain a hobby for me, and every time I find it starting to take up more of my time than it should, I can either recruit an extra person to take up the extra workload, or reduce things so they are managable again.
When poker people talk to me about DTD, many of them say I'm going to "make a killing". If I was in my early twenties again, I'm sure I would look a DTD as a good business opportunity, maybe to make a lot of money, but the reality is that it is a side interest to me, its a luxury, and there for enjoyment factor for myself and my friends. sf group is and always will be my main business and the one that is closest to my heart. If the DTD club gets close to break even I am over the moon, and if the web site does well, then great. I find this project interesting and challenging, I enjoy messing around with IT, and I like drinking and being around gamblers, that is what DTD should and will always be to me, something "interesting", not a "business".
Some businessmen/women want to go on an on building their business empires, being in high powered meetings and are on the "more wants more" system, thats how they get their kicks, fair dues to them. But, this life is not for me. I like not having to get out of bed when I have a hangover, I like looking after my sister 2 days per week, I like being able to go over the Vegas at one days notice, I like meeting my old mates for a beer or game of snooker, I like playing internet poker while watching day time TV, I also like doing interesting business projects.........but I hate being in the rat race.
Despite wanting this "life af riley", i still do have a few jobs to do next week, this what I have written down on a piece of A4 paper and stuck on my wardrobe, I always write lists in 10's for some sick reason that I'll find out why someday.
1. Legal contracts for all DTD employees and "poker consultants"
2. Get a date for final licence hearing with Gambling Commission
3. Choose photos of "nottingham places" for Broxtowe Pub for Cec
4. Re-arrange medical out for Matrix property insurance
5. Review/aprrove charity applications with Mum
6. sf Board meeting with tony/dean/rebecca
7. Take Tishie (sister) to Grandmas and lunch at my pub
8. Take Bank Manager to lunch
9. Book to go to tenerife for 1 day to sign property forms
10. Sort all admin out with Sarah
Before I go I'll just share one of £118,775 worth of sick outdraw pots I played on the Crypto £40-£80 NL Hold'em this week. (god knows how I still ended up £5,275 in profit for the week!) The reason I can always quote exact amounts and hands is that I use a poker tracker.
I have 3s-3h and make if £320 on the button
The BB calls with Ac-Qh
Flop 3c-Qd-7c
He checks, I bet £700
He re-raises to £3,000
I move in for another £9,000 for him to call
The MUG calls - £26k pot
Turn = Qs
River = 7d
WTF! xxxxxxxxxxxxxx jh cejfhchfecf ef kfec JFHEHCFJCJBFJE
