20th February 2007

Well, I have been in Auckland for a week or so and the sunshine makes things seem very nice indeed! What doesn't help is being stuck in a tiny hotel room while I scan around for a place to live. Especially when the hotel room catches the sun during the day, while I am sat inside frantically searching the t'internet for suitable accomodation. Those in the know will not be suprised to know that this means I am frequently looking like I have just emerged from a sauna! As one eloquent person said a while ago..."Danno, you sweat like a pig in a carrier bag". What a nice thought to deliver to you all!

I have been hanging around the old haunts while here and that meant a return to poker night at at O'Carrolls on Vulcan Lane (remember my debut victory? No? Well go back and look). This was also the scene of Scotts dramatic 2nd plce in his first live tournament. I arrived last night knowing that I could only stay a short while as I was meeting up with Penny Ashton for a few drinks and a chat at 9pm. This resulted in my normal tight and well considered play giving way to loose calls and losing a large amount of chips. As it approached 9pm, I still had a few left and threw them all in on a pair of 7's with the intention of losing. Luck was unfortunately on my sode and I doubled up. Then at 8.55pm I threw them in agaon on 10 8 offsuit and hit my straight, much to the chagrin of the other players at the table. I had told them that I needed to go so they shouldn't have been suprised to see me chuck the lot in the pot. There was a little grumbling as I became the chip leader on our table, but not from the guy next to me whom I had knocked out with that hand. He was laughing and took it well. The problem was that there seemed to be a group that are patrolling the pubs of Auckland, all playing the free games but taking it all very, very seriously. I loved this, despite it spoiling the game in a fun sense. But it is great fun battering them, especially in the Scott game when I was playing with 7 2 offsuit, technically the worst hand in poker! So I tried to let the guy I had knocked out sit in my place so he could carry on playing and I could disappear. Mucho Grumblio from the "pro's"! They even called over the fellah that runs it to complain! Miserable sods! One girl actually snatched all of my chips and put them on a different table! Cheeky cow! I plonked them in the middle of the table and said, "make this an exciting hand, my chips are in the pot!". And of I went! I think that I might not be welcome at the next game!

So having upset the poker world, I have been concentrating on finding somewhere to live. I went to look at a place in Mount Eden that was really nice and is looking good. The only problem is that Mount Eden is quieter than I thought but I might give it a go. It isn't a million miles away from town and it is nice place. Watch this space!

I really ought to either revise my stand up act or get my finger out and write a new one. I would like to charge onto the stage again but I have left it so long now that I will have to combat the nerves all over again. Ahhh the perils of being an International Man Of Apathy! I might throw in my "weeing in the bath" gag but it has had a few people a little confused. Some seem to think it is a simple admission! I ought to canvas opinion, but as I always tell myself, "urine charge". Sorry!

So that's the news. It is getting a bit short on the ground since the exersions of Queenstown and Taupo, so I might start to just fire down a few odd thoughts while I am here. That way you can ponder my musings instead of sharing the adrenelin rushes that seem to have become the norm. Scott seems to be doing well in Australia, albeit whistlestop in nature. I get the odd text from him and he seems to be cool. Still missing his nonsense.

Righto.... quite a down beat report this time, so I will have to think about what I can tell you for the next one!

See you!


Dan


Just one last thing. I see that Craig Bellamy has been threatening John Arne Riise with a golf club! Good old Liverpool....It just goes to show that despite having loads os cash, you can't buy class!* And as for Craig Bellamy and golf...hasn't he been done for hitting a birdie once before? I am sure he will iron out any problems with John though.


*At this point I want to say that any comments about Big Duncan Ferguson, Peter Beagrie riding a motorbike through hotel glass doors because he couldn't rouse the night porter, inter team fights in Liverpool curry houses, Wayne Rooney, Danny Cadamarteri, or Big Nev Southall sulking at half time by the goalpost are all far too easy targets and anyone choosing to make reference to them as a counter position to my "high jinx" about Craig Bellamy are too easy. And remember....this is Craig Bellamy we are talking about..... who came second to Robbie Savage as the most annoying footballer in the Premiership. I quite like Savage actually.....don't you Billy 2 Wires?