Redemption

Let me start this one out by saying that I'm not a gambler. I've been to the casino probably a dozen times since I've been 21 (5 years). Having said that I have definitely have a game of choice when I do go and that is blackjack.

Why blackjack? It's simple really, I feel like I have the most control and the best shot at coming out ahead. Roulette is all chance, so are slots, and I to this day have no idea what the hell is going on in that craps game.

So blackjack it is.

Another thing you need to know about me to fully comprehend this story: I'm extremely competitive. I hate to lose. Doesn't matter if its be in a friendly game of Scattergories or a medium risk game of "21".

So when I go to the casino I don't want to walk out that door a loser, which is a dangerous thing (and the reason I don't go all that often).

So this afternoon I head to Harrah's with my friend Allison. I walk in the door with $40 and promised myself that was all I was willing to lose today. After a nice lunch I head right to my faithful game and sit down at a table.

Things start out well. I turn my $40 into about $60 but then go on to lose about 8 hands in a row which is extremely rare. So I'm out after only 20 minutes. Allison has about $10 she plays in some nickel slot as I sit and watch, contemplating my failure. She spends about 7 minutes and slowly and systematically watches her $1o turn into $0.

But during this time I've already made up my mind. I'm winning my money back, which means another trip to the ATM, and a betrayal of my self-promise to only gamble $40.

I'm determined, however, and remember, I hate to lose.

I pull out $60 this time and head back to blackjack but at a different table this time.

I quickly regret though as my decision as my $60 turns into $40, then $20, then $10.

Heartbroken and desperate I bet my final $10 but instead of walking away at this point disappointed and dejected something else happens. I win. My $10 doubles to $20 and I begin a great roll of blackjack. A sequence of luck and skill combine to save my afternoon and take me from one hand away from misery to cashing in one black chip to the cashier, which for those non-gamblers, is $100.

Now before you say wow, what a day for Kev at the casino let's remember I started with 40 and lost it, then got 60 out from the ATM for a total of $100 and a cashed out with, yep, $100. So I didn't win anything today. But in my opinion, if you don't lose any money at the boat, you are most certainly a winner.

Driving home I found it hard to wipe the smile off my face. I cheated fate and won, which doesn't happen very often. I was so happy I stopped off at DQ for a Peanut Buster Parfait and boy was it delicious.

Under Attack

At approximately 6:40 pm today the Kingdom of Kevin was ambushed by blogspot spammers. My defenses were weak, they smelt a weakness and exploited it.

After catching wind of the siege I fortified the Kingdom by turning on word verification for comments.

Sorry, but it had to be done.

You are now reading in a spam-free environment (hopefully).

Recycled Myspace Blog (1) - Formalities

I was just perusing my MySpace page, which really mostly just exists in case random people would like to know what I'm up to now-a-days, but while on there I remembered that before I started blogging here, I used to write there. These are like the before-he-was-famous blogs, the b-sides if you will. Since most of you guys that read this don't have MySpace I thought I'd post some of the highlights of those blogs here. I'll still be mixing in new stuff when I think of something but until then:

Formalities - originally posted 12/14/2006 on MySpace

Just recently we had our work Christmas party which reminded me of a lot of the little things about life I can't stand.

I brought a friend of mine I don't work with to this gathering and immediately realized the Pandora's box I had opened.

Introductions.

I hate introducing myself to other people, let alone people I know to people they don't. I don't know why I loathe it so but I think the biggest reason is that I know that no matter how I introduce person A to person B they will never remember their name. It really is just one of life's formalities and I hate to do it.

Every person I saw at this party I had to say "Hi! This is my friend Colleen" and she would say something like "Nice to meet you." and this viscous cycle would repeat itself time and time again.

This leads me to my second point I want to make and that is, once the introductions have passed you are now required to engage in some forced conversation with people you know and some you don't and it is the most obligatory and dull conversation there is. And they all end they the same way which is something like, "Ok, have a good night." Or "Have fun."

Small talk isn't for me. To be honest, when forced I'm terrible at it and maybe that's why I can't stand it. But when relaxed in a small group setting I am a great conversationalist but I wouldn't call my talk small. It's usually something observational that I find interesting and hopefully other people do to.

And a side note; at this party there were two sets of silverware, one for the mail course and one for the dessert. I swear that these two forks and knives were IDENTICAL but I know I heard someone remark, "I can't believe 'so and so' is using their dessert fork for their meal.

Who cares? It's kitchenware. Its job is to get food from point A (the plate) to point B (your mouth). However 'so-and-so' wants to get it their is a choice I leave to them and I don't judge people based on how they do it.

Just another worthless formality I had to endure at the company party...

Summer Blues Update

This by no means is, or will become, a hockey blog but anyone who knows me knows that Blues hockey is most certainly my #1 interest in this short time I have on Earth. So you can expect a hockey post from time to time: this being one of them.

Last season the Blues jumped out to a great start and looked to definitely be a playoff time come April. But it was not to be as the Note limped their way to the end with a dismal second half of the season, missing the playoffs for the third straight season.

So here we are, almost August, roughly 2 months from the start of the 08-09 season and the question on everyone's mind, well mine I guess, is: What have the Blues done to improve and make sure they aren't on the outside looking in come next April.

The answer: Unfortunately not much.

They did address one major need by acquiring goaltender Chris Mason from Nashville, ensuring Blues fans won't have to suffer through anymore painful losses due to the netminding of Hannu Toivenen.

Grinders Jamal Mayers and Ryan Johnson have both been traded away leaving one of the Blues strengths from last season, the penalty kill, in question.

There are some positives to report though. Top prospect TJ Oshie is is now a St. Louis Blue, leaving college after his junior year to play in the NHL. David Perron is a year older and hopefully will continue to improve and become a real offensive threat for this team.

Paul Kariya is in the second year of his three year contract and, although the assists were there last year, the goals were not. Hopefully he can regain the scoring touch. Also, Lee Stempniak cannot possibly have an off a year as he did last year, can he?

Also, the Blues drafted 4th overall in this years entry draft and picked up a stud defensemen by the name of Alex Peterangelo who will start the season with a 10 game tryout in the NHL. Combine him with Eric Johnson and the Blues defense is set for years to come.

Unfortunately, a few of the teams in the Central Division, namely Chicago and Detroit have made some serious splashes in the free agent market and look to be serious competition this season.

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In other Blues news:

In September, the Blues are releasing a 3rd jersey rumored to be navy blue, featuring the lace-up front and will incorporate the Gateway Arch.

Sigh of Relief

So I was recently at going through a drive thru (or is is through?) of a local fast food establish- ment and as I approach the window I start to hear a clank-clank-clank-clank sound coming my car.

I turn the radio down, roll down the windows, and the sound is just that much more audible.

Let's give a little back story: My car is less than 8 months old. There's no way it should be making anything other than typical car sounds. Nothing should be wrong at this point in my cars lifespan.

So I'm panicking. All I wanted was my two tacos for 99 cents but now I've got much bigger worries. My new car is f#*ked up and I don't know why.

I get my food, exit the drive-thru lane and suddenly the sound goes away. The engine sounds fine. So what the hell was that noise? Do I have a problem; need to take my car in?

I circle back around the parking lot one more time just to make sure my ears weren't deceiving me and that the sound truly was gone.

That's when I hear it. The clank-clank-clank-clank-clank. But it wasn't coming from my car, it was coming from the car behind mine in the lane that was now receiving their delicious meal.

Phew. I could now enjoy my food and my night was saved.

You gotta love averted disasters.

The Blog is Back in Town

Four months and 15 days later, welcome back to my blog.
I know I've lost all my readers by now but one by one I'm hoping you'll all come back.

Let's play a little catch up together so we can attempt to understand why I've been "out of order" so long...

It all started back in February when a little run in with HR not only caused my blog to come to a screeching halt, but also led to one of my best friends quitting. Apparently some people didn't take to kindly to a few things I had written on here. I think I accidentally humiliated a coworker or two and may have made a comment like, "I'd rather work on my blog at work and get paid for it, than work on it at home." Which is true by the way, I would. But since my bosses at work (and ultimately my human resources department as well) got a hold of my site, printed it out, and read every word, it's safe to say they weren 't too impressed at how I was spending some of my time there, which is totally understandable.

For more on this click here.

After losing a friend to this incident I really wasn't in the mood to post much, especially since I now have to do this at home. There's just lots of other thing to do when your home, you know. You've got the TV, Xbox, exercising (which we all could do more of, especially me); not to mention I've got softball and soccer two nights a week. It just doesn't leave a whole lot of time to sit and write.

That being said, even four months after the fact I still get the occasional plea from a friend, usually Dustin, wondering if the blog will ever be back.

Well it's safe to say it is.

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I'll leave you with this:

If you are in your car and decide you want to intentionally ram your vehicle in to someone else's, would that still be called an accident? I don't think it should.

It should be called an on-purpose.

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PS: The blog has been returned to public status, where anyone can view.

Out of Order

Until Further Notice

Sorry,

Management