Clearing Out Some Cobwebs

(BANG BANG BANG)

There. That's better.

The more time passes, the more many things stay the same...and time continues to trudge forward, with good things on the horizon, but seemingly further and further out every day.

The Good Doctor Mondo continues to get better. As of two days ago, when she was fitted with one of these, she can actually speak for a few hours a day. This has probably been the single greatest heartwarming development of our entire ordeal. I have no idea who Passy and Muir are/were, but I thank them.

Still, we're on day 85 in the ICU, with what appears to be another week or two in front of us. Still, we progress. The Good Doctor now undergoes physical therapy twice a day, instead of once, and we can see the results in her movements, and feel the slow return of a certain level of muscle tone. She even wriggled her toes for the first time a couple of days ago. Her arms and hands have come much much further, though she's still extremely fatigued by the least amount of work.

But we move forward.

Poker's actually been pretty good to me lately. I've only played once or twice a week, but usually manage to get one nice outcome per session, whether it's turning $10 into $T109 in a Bodog satellite, or final tabling a $4 FLHE MTT...at least I've been able to stop the bankroll bleed and even get it back up to where it was around 3-4 months ago. Which still isn't much, every so barely into the 4-figures (of which FT is still at a rollicking $20, lol). Mostly, it's been fun to restore some confidence in my game.

I've really enjoyed the nightly $3 triple shootout NLHE at PokerStars. I think I've cashed five of the last eight times I've played this (including one 2nd place finish). And the last three times I didn't cash, I went out heads-up at the first shootout table. Last time, I ran a rivered set into a turned gutshot, oh well. But I seem to be either just running pretty well in the shoothouts, or getting a better handle on how to play them. Oddly enough, I can't seem to turn that into success at true single table SNGs.

One thing I haven't talked about much this year is my beloved Colorado Rockies. Probably mostly because I've been hanging out at Purple Row and getting internet-talkin'-'bout-baseball over there. And partly because of our medical situation, which has limited me to attending only six games this year, all but one prior to June 23rd. But we're having a hell of a year, and are currently 87% to make the playoffs.

Still, how many of you have had AA go down to 66 after an all paint flop multiple times. That's why we play the games.

I've got very mixed feelings about going to any playoff games this year without my Good Doctor. She tells me I should go, but it just doesn't feel right. I'll have to sit and dwell on this one.

Either fortunately, or unfortunately (depending on your perspective), I will likely have to once again miss the Winter Blogger Gathering, of which I have never ever ever made one. Why? Well, it's actually a reason I don't mind in the least...see, based on present developments, the Good Doctor should be home some time early Novemberish, and she's shooting for her first public outing to be my firm's annual holiday party, as it's one of her favorite dress-up events each year. Which just happens to fall on the Saturday of the....yup...Winter Blogger Gathering.

So if I'm not there this year, it's because she's home, she's healthy, and out on the town. That's okay by me. I was truly looking forward to trying to get there this year, though....