Tuesday proved to be not nearly as productive as Monday.

I awoke around 1pm local time to the sweet smell of my musty room at the iPalace. There was no coffee in my room...there was no safe for storage...hell, there was barely water dripping from the faucet. (There was a note slid under my door when I got in at 8am stating the water would be shut off until like 2pm or something to do some maintenance). I still can't figure out why the faucet stunk when I turned it on, but it did, without fail, every time. The shower had a bit more pressure, but it would run from the faucet and the shower head at the same time. WFT?

In the shower I contemplated many things: Where I was going to play poker today (Wynn for sure), if I was really hungry (no), why there was a silhouette of a flamingo holding a butcher knife on my shower curtain (!!!)...but I mostly admired the "upgradedness" of my newly renovated room. The peeling wall paper was the deal closer. I'm glad I got to see that every day!

I digress. After spending about an hour on the monorail yesterday and finding out there's no way to get to the Wynn, I decided to just cab it from my hotel (yes, I know, lazy). The driver tries to be friendly and starts talking about how he's a player, but not with women, never with women. I dunno...I could barely understand him. I've found it's best to just say "right" and "that's for sure" and they think I'm following along.

I had to wait about 20 minutes to get a seat in the $1/$3 game. I sit down and immediately recognize a lady who plays at my home casino (Argosy, IN). I couldn't figure out where I recognized her at first, but overhear her talking with another guy about Argosy and such. It was a good table, friendly people, not too aggressive. I never got my feet anchored and I fluctuated between down $75 to up about $25. I started getting hungry so I ordered a reuben sandwich from tableside. It was $15, and since I was up a bunch and on vacation, I gave her $20 and called it even. The sandwich was delicious, and I'm thinking it was laced with some hallucinogens because immediately after eating a new player sits down and raises in MP. I have AQo and call the raise. He bets the flop and I decide to play this one balls to the wall (even though I whiffed horribly). He calls my raise and my $75 turn bet. On the river I bet (now because I don't want to lose control of the hand, hoping a big bets folds him)...he raises me all in. I try to Hollywood a bit (I'm horrible at that) and muck my hand. I was up about $100 at that point and am down to probably $150 left (out of $300 start). Nothing else exciting happens at the table except I give away the rest of my $150.

I get lost on my way out (trying to find the Strip and a cab), but that's becoming tradition for me. My goal is to know the quickest ways to and from places by October so my wife doesn't get frustrated with all the walking she will (already) be doing. So I get a cab and head back to my luxury suite at the iPalace. I don't remember why I did, but I stopped there only briefly to either rest for a minute or something.

I hop the monorail to MGM (went the right direction on my first try!) and get seated in a game in the front of the room on the rail. It was full of tight players and we were always missing a seat or two. One guy was bitching and moaning the entire time demanding to be moved to a full table and refusing to play. We had no less than 8 people at this time, mind you. Nothing exciting happened here except I donated $100 to the table in the brief time there. We finally get moved (away from the whiner, thankfully) and I sit at another table with some tight players, so I ask for a table change. I find yet another boring table, but it is better than the rest so I stay. I had already given up at this point, as I wasn't going to table hop all day there hoping to find a better table. I hunkered down, concentrated, and with a really focused demeanor donked off another $300. The highlight of this experience was that I got to watch the Cavs-Magic game (which slowed the entire poker room up, not just my table) and I finally got a massage while playing poker!

I had been scoping the massage girls out all day waiting for one to come by our table. They never did, except only in passing like they weren't "open for business". Yes, I felt like I was flagging down a hooker trying to get one of them to acknowledge me. Maybe it's because I was holding out for the cute blonde, but I finally got her. Now, don't get me wrong...I love a rough massage, but DAMN!! I think her sole purpose was the put her elbow through my back and out my sternum. The only part that felt good was the neck and shoulders portion. Silly me didn't request just that, though, and thankfully my "frugal" self only ordered 5 minutes. All in all, it was a sub-par massage that I would request again but only if I had the cajounes to ask for it softer and just neck/shoulders.

I left MGM battered and bruised physically and emotionally. Instead of hitting the monorail, I footed it to Paris/Bally's and hopped the 'rail there. Only once I returned to my iPalace of zen did I realize that I was in no condition to play poker all day. I wasn't sharp, I made stupid plays, and I should have called it a day after the Wynn (or at least taken a several hour break). This is the part of my game I need to work on the most...leaving a loser. Usually I compound the problem by staying and "gambling" more.

Finally curled up in my "pillow-top, down" bed, I drift to sleep thankful I had such a good day Monday.

Wednesday...Redemption...