Mike's Random Stuff

How to Have Fun at a Party

2006-11-25T00:33:00.000-05:00

Let's face it, having fun at a party is not as easy as it might seem. Here are some examples of these unfulfilled-fun-prone types of people, at least the ones with whom I've been lucky to be acquaited (or am.)

"The Party Planner" - These are the slightly anal peeps who are perpetual party hosts, even if it's not their party! You know they are one if you always find them getting everyone drinks, preparing food, or planning planning planning. These people are cool because they want everyone to have fun, but they often don't end up having fun themselves. If you ask them the next day what they thought of the party, they will usually say, "Oh man, that was cool but tiring.." Yeah, you must be tired from running around being the party planner! The best way to make sure these people have some fun at their party is to make them settle down: subtle comments like..."HEY MAN, stop running around, settle down, and party with us" help.
"The drunken amnesiac" - These people do have fun...lots of it...maybe way too much of it. But the main problem is that they don't remember their fun!! Yes, you were probably memory-deficient on your 21st bday! But for the drunken amnesiac this happens more than just on bdays. The obvious solution here is to drink less!! But if this isn't possible, technology can help you remember--video cameras, cameras, etc.). This might not be the best thing as you will remember things second hand. Another strategy is to immediately talk to somebody (who remembers things) the next morning and recount what exactly was going on. Hey, most of the time it's fun just to recount with friends stuff that happened the night before.
"The dragged along" - These people are dragged along to a party that they would not have wanted to go to if they had a chance to decide. Since this is a case where it's sort of by definition that these people don't really have fun, the best way to have fun is to avoid going to the crappy party altogether. But i guess if you are totally screwed and have to go to that crappy party, you might be able to think outside the box and squeeze out a little fun...For example start playing that cell phone game you've been dying to beat. Or, slip away and start playing cell phone tag with your friends that you haven't talked to in so long. (I hope you brought your cell phone..)
"The super partier" - These people party like crazy and slowly start not having fun because they do it too much that it starts getting old. After a while they end up going out, not having too much fun, and then find themselves pretending to have fun. In the end they just aren't having fun because they don't know what fun is anymore. It's sort of like when you have a favorite food and you keep eating it until you don't like it anymore. The super partier has eaten way too many parties and needs to eat something else before he/she can start enjoying the taste of parties again. It's all about a healthy diet.

NO OFFENSE BUT...

2006-08-29T23:35:00.000-04:00

Ben Bernanke looks like an otter!!

BIG Ways to NOT Impress a First Date

2006-07-25T23:53:00.000-04:00

Guys, let's face it, first impressions are the most important and on the first date, you gotta make sure you don't scare away the women with your college-day antics. It always pays to be more conservative and work a little harder at first and then ease into acting like you do around the guys. Even though many girls will let things that annoy them slide, why flirt with disaster when you don't have to? Here are some major things that you should NEVER EVER do.. EVER..

Negatively comment about the way her and/or any of her friends look, dress, or appear. Even if you are just "kidding", don't do it. Kidding about a girl's appearance is like trying to have a ballet recital on a dance floor full of broken glass...oh, you've never done that?...oh ok, bad analogy.

Call people by the wrong names whom you have just met. I know it's tough since you meet so many people these days, it's just difficult to get people's names straight. You might be drunk and forget easily. Just remember the names, man! Make up an acronym, use a pneumonic device, or write it down on your hand, or something...just remember!
Get so excited that you talk all the time. Most likely they don't care about the ten reasons Zidane is the best soccer player in the world. Well, unless they are a guy-girl (with whom you could probly do anything you wanted and they will be fine with it). Talking too much is even worse if you are cutting them off. Let them do some talking and try to listen to what they are saying. It's all about healthy dialogue.
Eat or drink less than them. You are what you eat, so you should be eating (and drinking) alot.
Wear funky socks. That don't match your shoes. Especially if they are white socks. And you are wearing dark shoes.
Not have an opinion. If she asks you what you want to eat, what music you like, or what movie you want to watch...please don't say, "oh, i'm fine with anything..." Just express your opinion, especially if you really want to do something...in the end you'll be happier, even if she hates it. If you really are "fine with anything"...that's strange...maybe you should start watching mtv or reading some magazines and finding out alittle about yourself. Otherwise, she'll feel like she's dating a walking talking mirror.
Be nice to everyone all night. I don't really understand this too much but it seems that at least once during the date, you should bring out your feisty self. Whether this is arguing with somebody who cut you off in traffic, or a forgetful waiter, or some other outside person who deserves it. Maybe girls like to see that you can rough somebody up once in a while.
Play by the rules. Rules are meant to be broken. You only live once. Alls fair in love and war. So trite...but so true.
Let things fester. Ok so you may have slipped and messed up with one of the above.. At this point, just talk about it and apologize if that's appropriate...The sooner you smooth over the rough spots, the better...otherwise it will just fester and fester and fester.

You know what? I'm just being facetious.

2006-07-09T03:56:00.000-04:00

I think I speak for more than just myself when I say that it seems like people these days just don't know how to take a joke. Especially being a person who likes to entertain friends with jokes, it seems like there is always someone out there who will take offense.

But you know what? I'm just being facetious: I'm just kidding! I don't hate, I'm just trying to entertain...Give the kidders a break!!

Here are some really common examples of funny shit that some people don't take lightly...

Weight. This is especially true around girls...if you even broach the topic your pretty much juggling a bunch of knives. You know what? Chill out, because being fat is genetic like being short and it's just the luck of the draw in the end...you gotta accept what you are dealt. And I'm a skinny dude--one time I was innocently talking about how difficult it was for me to swim since I have a higher body density due to my skinniness and this girl that was there, totally flipped out saying that I was being insensitive to people who might not be so "lucky"........my bad...i was just being facetious!!
Race. I'm not gonna delve into this one but I'll just say that most of the time people are just innocently trying to be funny here...but obviously it's more complicated than that. One thing that I've noticed is that making fun of your own race is the safest way to go...
Politics. Nobody really gets offended about making fun of people politically because it's just part of the beast, you know? Healthy debate...that's why John Stewart is the man...Oh yeah, George Bush is semi-retarded and really funny to watch...
Gender. I think this controversial arena is the most natural of the ones listed, and by natural I mean genetically ingrained into our DNA. (Hope that wasn't redundant.) Whenever you make a gender based joke, you are pretty much poking fun at the other gender, but you know what? I think that's the best way to really try to understand the opposite sex... cause women are weird!!

Ok enough talk...PS. I definitely understand being on the other side of the equation...ie. being part of the group that is being ridiculed, and it really sucks but really i think it's mostly a matter of just trying to figure out if the the joke is really a result of bigotry or just a result of facetittyousness. Most of the time I think it's the latter.

Staind - Everything Changes

2006-06-06T15:45:00.000-04:00

Here's a good one from Aaron Lewis doing what he does best with his pain. Streaming audio here.

Where to Party in Manhattan

2006-05-16T06:20:00.000-04:00

New York is great because it has sooo much diversity, and diversity never hurts...well except for the diverse weather (I'd be fine with un-diverse warm weather). It's especially fun to go out in the city because each place is different and fun. Here are some good places to check out if you're in the mood for some fun. (I didn't include the addresses or info for these places but it's easy to google them.)

Rock Candy - This place is relatively new (2-3 years old?) and full of attractive people. People-wise, it's a bit less diverse than normal. It's really hard to get in. You pretty much have to be a model or model-like, and/or buy a table for a couple hundred bucks. They have a huge disco ball in the middle which tries to be like studio 54, and they mix retro music with pop hip-hop. It's called rock candy because they sell it (all different types, i'm guessing) at the entrance.
Prey - is pretty fun, sleek, very attractive bartender. It's long and skinny in terms of size, but the place is very nice. Sometimes there is no cover, ie. Thursday nights or late night...and those times it's the most fun. I don't completely remember the times we went here but I do remember that they were fun.
Punch Bar & Grill - This place is cool because it has cool red lighting inside. Somewhat asian crowd--but that could just be biased because of who I went with. This place doesn't have a cover...but i could have just been lucky.
Lotus - This place isn't that great but I included it so I could write about it. It's kinda expensive and was totally buzzing like 2 years ago because Britney Spears hung out here. They have a diverse mix of music--similar to Rock Candy. Crowd is similar in terms of diversity too, but vs. Rock Candy, I would say it's easier to get in --just pay the cover.
Park - somewhere around 18th st and 10 Ave on the West side! I included general location of this bar because it is totally hard to find the address online or using 411 because they all tell you to go to Park Bar in Union Square which is way different and way crappy compared to this Park in the meatpacking district. Anyway, location aside this is a great place to start out a night! I think this place is always bumpin (before 1 am), it's free to get in--not too hard--just dress nicely. Don't be scared by the line outside because it doesn't take too long to get in. The place is pretty big inside and they have indoor trees!
Sugarbar- this place is more downtown, somewhat tough to get in. I liked the way they have their furniture set up: They have like individual circular plush couches set up around small tables. This place made it to my list also because I met Captain Morgan there. He had some mean pirate girls with him too!
La Souk - A nicer place in the lower east side. Most of the other places i've been to in this district have been more grungy hipster--but this place is less of that. It's a hooka bar i heard with belly dancers if you go there for dinner, but not sure because we went there later on in the night. This place is open til very late.
Player's - This might not be online but it's like in the middle of Korea town next to Herald Square. It's a korean lounge, no dancing, with awesome awesome flavored soju. Drinking that stuff is like drinking spiked Korean kool-aid. They will give you a bowl of lychees if you (are a girl and) beg (i know because i say it happen). The crowd here is amost all asian (Korean.) The owner recently opened up a place two doors down called Maru, which could be worthwhile to checkout.

Ok, that's a good start...this list probably will be semi-outdated by the end of this year so hit up these places while they are still good.

Pussycat Dolls LIVE

2006-03-26T00:29:00.000-05:00

What more could you ask for? Get tickets before they go!

Here is a preview of their talent..

blah blah blah

2006-03-17T15:45:00.000-05:00

blah blah blah

(i'm trying to be like ...)

What is Random?

2006-03-07T23:24:00.000-05:00

Being random is cool, because it means you are likely to be spontaneous, fun, and funny (plus it don't hurt the poker game neither!!). Statistically speaking to be random means that you are hard to predict, but counter to some intuition, it is possible to be "too random" that this effort results in an overall non-random (uncool) behavior.

From a binary perspective you can test randomness by doing the "runs" test. No, I'm not talking about diarrhea. If you flip a coin 10 times and get all heads that's 1 run. If you get 5 heads and 5 tails then that's 2 runs. If you get alternating head then tails 10 times that's 10 runs. Statistically speaking the average number of runs for 10 random coin flips should be 6. You can tell if something is fishy and non-random if the number of runs is either way less than 6 or way more.. So that means to not be random you can either be a person who does things that are very similar to what they do in the past, OR you can be a person who does things that are always very different from the past.

The latter way of being non-random I guess is a type of "predictable unpredictability". To be purely random you need to be unpredictable at an average level, so the bottom line: don't force it.

Japanese Izakaya In St. Marks Place!!!

2006-02-25T22:49:00.000-05:00

For New Yorkers who are really Japanese hipsters at heart: there's enough kirin, funky appetizers and sake for the whole gang!! Food, fun here.

Poker Makes for Mean People

2006-02-10T16:33:00.000-05:00

Poker is a game of lies, guile, and deception that makes for mean people. I'm not talking about people who play once a weekend with their buddies--that's ok. I'm talking about people who frequent the casinos and back room games looking to make a cool grand here and there. These people train their thoughts and actions just so they can achieve the goal of taking money from others in a structured game of cards.

These people after hours, days, years of being in such an intensely competitive environment, really have a tendency to adopt this "win at the expense of others" attitude in their everyday life.

These people are more likely to:

enjoy it when others fail (in the zero sum game of poker, when everyone else loses, you are winning.)
be deceptive for personal gain (strong poker face, misleading people = $$$)
be stingy (saving money on blinds means winning money in the long run)
manipulative of other people's emotions (after abundant experience getting other poker players on tilt)

Real life isn't a zero-sum game, so if you play lots of poker, try to calm down. Sometimes everyone can win, and throwing some chips at charity doesn't hurt either!

Stupidity

2006-01-27T16:00:00.000-05:00

This morning, while I was waiting for my subway train to work, I saw the most retarded thing.

This man runs into the station while one train's doors are closing. He had obviously missed the train. Instead of waiting 5 min. for the next train, he stupidly tries to get on this one. When the doors close they bounce apart a bit--like 1 inch apart before closing fully. During this time, he slips one hand halfway into the closing door.

So you can visualize: there are two inch wide semi-soft rubber guards on each side of the closing doors which bend, so obviously he was in no pain and could have easily pulled his hand out to let the train go. And yes, sometimes if you get half your body stuck in the door, the conductor, who can see you, will open the doors again.

This time, the guy has half his hand "stuck" in the doors. He sits there waiting, hoping for the conductor to open the door, then the conductor on the loudspeaker in a slightly annoyed tone, "Please remove your hand from the door."

In response to this, this stupid guy gestures that his hand is stuck, and in an obvious fake show, pretends to pull on his hand to show that it is stuck...but obviously he just wants the conductor to open the door.

Stubbornly, the stupid man still stands there just waiting with a stupid look on his face. He has held up the train for about a minute now. Finally, another subway worker, who isn't on the train, comes over, and with a simple tug helps the man pull his hand from the door.

Whhhhewwwwww!! Close one, stupid guy.

My New Year's Resolutions

2006-01-15T22:43:00.000-05:00

Make 1 million dollars on Ebay
Seduce Koda Kumi
Go white water rafting on a level-5
Be the next apprentice and work on Trump Jersey City
Write a hit guitar song and become a one-hit wonder
Lose 143 pounds on Slim Fast
Refinance the national debt
Rip at jazz flute
Eat tacos with Jessica Alba
Do my own taxes (ha!)
Hug a tree
Be able to guess people's last names before I meet them
Steal a penguin from zoo and keep as cute pet
Start a bungee jumping location called "Umbilical"
Be funny
Start an online photo website for keeping track of family trees called thefamilyfacebook.com, poke my grandmother
Stop writing stupid blogspot entries

Avoiding the Awkward Dance

2006-01-09T22:30:00.000-05:00

Has this ever happened to you?

You're happily walking down the street and suddenly somebody starts walking toward you. You think, "Ok, once i get closer i'll pass this person on the right....Yes, I'll pass to the right just like cars pass other cars on the right...after all we are in America..." and once you get closer, you start leaning toward the right, but unfortunately this other person, as well, starts leaning in that direction.

As you get closer and closer, you think, "Oh shit, this guy wants to pass me on my right, I'm gonna bump into this dude if I don't go left." At this point a slight panic hits you and wakes you up from your morning buzz. You both are about 2 feet in front of each other. "O shit, I'm gonna run into this dude if we don't decide which direction to go!!"... At the exact same moment you both give up on going to the right and go left...

Suddenly you are 1 feet apart, you could touch the person if you lifted your arm. You make desperate eye contact with the other guy who returns the dumb glare. "Move out of the way!!" You say to each other with your eyes. At this point you both go left then right again, left again. Both of you look like utter retards.

Oh, the awkward dance!

This has happened to us so many times and yet we don't have a plan to prevent it. Here are some proven ways of prevention:

Once you get two feet away, just stop in your tracks. Let them do a solo awkward dance. When you do this all attention is drawn toward the other dude. He may go left, right, and left like a retard, but let him go nuts, after a while he'll realize you are letting him pass to either side, and he'll stop panicking.
If on the other hand you are in a hurry, you should raise your right hand up point it to your right at a 45 degree angle and use it as a rudder to get pass the other dude. This might look stupid but not as bad as the awkward dance.
If you've had enough of this, when the other guy gets about 1 ft. in front of you and seems to be leaning towards the same direction as you...ball up your fist and throw it at his face. WHAM! No awkwardness.

Rockin the Workout with Ropes

2006-01-03T16:30:00.000-05:00

Mixing in sets of jumprope is the way to a great workout. It's way cheaper than buying a treadmill, easier than going to the gym, and doesn't take up too much space.

Some hints:

You might want to buy a floormat to jump on if you have people living below. It can also save your feet from bleeding.
If it's tough at first, just keep practicing. Try to get up to 3 min. without a miss. Do side swings (hold hands together and swing the rope to one side at a time) to keep the blood flowing without needing to maintain coordination. If you can't do 3 min. after a week of practice, it's probably not meant to be. Accept failure, jump back on that counch and stuff your face with some potato chips, champion.
Do a long rope set (8-10 min.) at first to get warmed up for lifting. Go nuts on weights...if it's getting too easy, instead of waiting between weight sets, do a 3 min. rope set.
To get more intense rope sets, jump higher and swing the rope twice per jump. This is a good way to end sets.
Lift your legs up to hit the abs.

The Meaning of Life

2005-12-29T18:19:00.000-05:00

I learned alot about life recently from a recent deep 2-hour conversation I had with my 3 year old toddler cousin, Little Tommy:

Me: "Hey Little Tommy, do you mind letting your big cousin use the bathroom to get ready for something?"
LT: "Why?"
Me: "Because your big cousin needs to clean up and look sharp for a hot date."
LT: "Why?"
Me: "Because if I look attractive, this girl that I like might like me back."
LT: "Why?"
Me: "Girls won't admit it but physical appearance is important to them."
LT: "Why?"
Me: "It must be linked to something deeper. Girls are probably genetically programmed to like guys that are hot."
LT: "Why?"
Me: "Well I guess being symmetrical and having good skin means that a guy is healthier. Being tall and strong means he would more be physically protective...you know, buff. They are programmed to find healthy, buff guys."
LT: "Why?"
Me: "Because healthy, buff guys would be better able to protect women, not to mention better able to show them some fun in bed!"
LT: "Why?"
...
( The next 20 min. of dialogue omitted )
...
Me: "Uhh, nevermind about the bed part...They want buff healthy guys to protect them and live longer so they can be good providers.
LT: "Why?"
Me: "Well, women want guys who will make good fathers for their families"
LT: "Why?"
Me: "Having a healthy family is an important part of a happy life. You know wouldn't you be sad if didn't have a mom or dad or your cool cousin? Every person wants to be happy."
LT: "Why?"
Me: "Being happy is better than being sad."
LT: "Why?"
Me: "Having good versus bad reactions to events helps us distinguish between things that will ultimately ensure our survival."
LT: "Why?"
Me: "Well think about it, if you have a good family, you would have a tough time learning how to do things, you know like, learning how to swim, or proper manners. You learn things that will help you survive out in the scary world. Stuff like that. Being happy means that you're doing the right things in life, being sad means that you must not be doing the best thing. It's a way for us to be programmed to survive."
LT: "Why?"
Me: "Staying alive is the ultimate goal you know...I don't want to die, you don't want to die.
LT: "Why?"
Me: "I think it's also something programmed in your genes, just like how girls don't want to date ugly short men, everyone just wants to be happy.
LT: "Why?"
Me: "I just said so silly, being happy means that you're doing stuff that will make you live longer. Emotions keep us alive. If we didn't have them we would be robots."
LT: "Why?"
Me: "I guess that's what sets apart living things from robots, we have feelings, we can experience the world."
LT: "Why?"
( Pause while I am brushing my teeth )
...
Me: "It's like we are playing a game, you know. Having feelings is a part of the game. It's like monopoly money. But it's different from a board game, because we are inside the game. We can't get out and we don't want to because the whole point of the game is to succeed, and success means staying in the game."
LT: "Why?"
Me: "Because the game is fun."
LT: "Why?"
Me: "It's the same reason you like playing with your stupid Power Rangers"
LT: "Oh, I see."
Me: "Shooot, I'm late for my date! Gotta Go, bye!"

Aerial Maps Online

2005-12-19T23:30:00.000-05:00

local.live.com

Try it! For example start off at the Virgin Megastore in Union Square NYC.

This website blows maps.google away...it's way clearer and you can right-click on locations to get driving directions.

The next level of detail for these maps would be Street-Level photography. Once we get to that level we wouldn't have to leave our chairs to go sightseeing! There are so many other possible applications for this web technology, people at Google and Microsoft have a lot of work to do!

Modern Apartment Furnishing

2005-12-11T12:33:00.000-05:00

Having a cool apartment is more than just putting together a bunch of furniture and keeping everything clean. It's all about the small (or large) cool things that make it comfortable, stylish, and fun.

Here are some ideas that may help:

Bubble chair - Free hanging stuff is cool. Free hanging furniture is extra cool. Also, supposedly the acoustics of sitting inside is an experience in itself since the plastic shell reflects sound. "ECHOOOO..."

Large indoor tree - Sure everyone has houseplants, but how many people do you know that are rockin' the indoor 15 ft. Ficus Tree? Ok, you might have to settle for the smaller 7 or 8 footer for it to "fit", but it's not only just an awesome addition to your home, but it will provide great oxygen (think photosynthesis.) Just make sure you get the cleanest soil possible so you don't bring in unwanted guests (insects.)

Random flat screens - Flat panel TVs are cool and save so much space. Because of that you could fit them in odd corners and ends--where you could never put a traditional TV. Unexpected entertainment is always a plus.

Warm relaxing wall art - Art on the wall helps set the mood of a place. Try not to put up any disturbing pictures, trippy, or "busy" pieces. Try to hang up something that will be relaxing and make you feel at home. This is an example of something to not put up:

Wireless gadgets - Ideally your entertainment center should have the least amount of wires as possible. Also, it would be great if you could pretty much control everything--lights, temperature, stereo, tv, dvd, etc. from one remote.

Home Recording Studio - Instead of having just a (weak) karyoke system, it's way better to have a home recording studio. This is the best since you can have friends over, instead of making fools of yourselves with karyoke you can permanently record your crap after cutting your own tracks. You might be thinking, "whoa, i don't have another room for that." That's ok, because your home recording studio could just be a couple microphones and a laptop. Moby (where has he been lately?) mixes many of his tracks on just his iBook.

Robotic Dog - Almost as cute as the real thing without the stinkiness

Florida Doesn't Do It For Me

2005-12-07T15:07:00.000-05:00

Florida real estate has been booming in the past couple years. I don't understand why everyone wants to move over there???

Maybe it's just because I'm just not yet at the "grandchild-rearing age".

Here are some obvious and not so obvious reasons why it doesn't appeal to me:

Hurricanes-the hurricane season has been getting worse and worse. Sure it has nice weather most of the time, but during hurricane season you have to evacuate or even risk dying?
Low Poker Stakes-Florida state laws limit Gambling bets to $2 BUCKS. Hold the pursestrings, Grandma, you might just end up losing that last wad of ones that you were saving for the All-You-Can-Eat Buffet! That's right the highest stakes you'll see in legal Poker tables are $1-$2 and $2-$2. Go ahead and play at your own risk: just remember that pretty much everyone at the table is calling you til death.
Slight Stench-The first thing you come accross when you land in Florida is the warmth and humidity. But then after you hang out for a while you notice that the air smells kinda funky...like there is a PortoPotty upwind somewhere. I've heard they had some sewer leakage problem out in the ocean several years ago. Maybe it's residual from that?
Hit-Or-Miss Baywatch- Unlike the monopoly that beautiful people have on West Coast beaches, Florida beaches have a random smattering of Florida residents. Sure, Miami Beach has some gorgeous women to ogle over but be careful because right next to her may be a 40-year returning buffet-champion in all her glory. I guess this is the one instance where being selectively blind is a plus.

Cultivating Confidence (Part 2)

2005-11-29T23:51:00.000-05:00

Continued from here.

Now that we have defined confidence as an absolute level of expecting success, what are some ways to improve one's confidence?

- Practice
Because true confidence is inextricably linked to underlying skill, the most fundamental step toward confidence is developing the underlying skill. In school, this would mean studying to gain knowledge; in sports, this means practicing your form; in your occupation, this means developing profession skills through experience. This step takes time. It is possible to spend many years, even an entire lifetime, practicing a skill.

- Build a track record
In addition to improving your skills by practicing, it is important to bring these skills to the test. For example, in sports, you would practice for the game; in school, you study for the test...etc. Building a solid track record of success is important to base your confidence going forward.

- Incrementally increase challenges
A track record doesn't mean much if the events are the exact same level of difficulty over and over again. If you had a lifetime track record of being able to do your multiplication tables, that's not very impressive, not is it something to base great confidence on. Instead, your track record needs to have an upward trend in success level.
When you are eating a big cookie, do you shove the whole thing in your mouth?? Yes? ok bad example...when you are carrying a truckload of groceries to your home, do you try to carry everything up in one go?? No, it's impossible. You take care of the truckload incrementally.
In the same respect when you are planning on doing something challenging, you should always try to do something attainable but not easy. Ideally you would want to face a challenge that is slightly tougher than your last best success. There is a balance to be achieved here too: You want to optimize your increase in skill/confidence by trying to do the most difficult attainable task, but you need to be careful not to fail--because that could result in an unfortunate step backwards.
An example here is if you ever watch performers on tour whether they are rock stars or comedians. They don't start off with the packed do-or-die superbowl stadium concert. They start off small in an tiny city small bar or something. Then they move up to a midsized place, etc. etc. Finally at the end of the tour, they go nuts at Lollapalooza!!

- Take a break once in a while
Since the last element of confidence takes a truckload of time and focus, there is a risk of going crazy in trying to keep on improving. There are sooooo many people who work their butts off as kids and then once they get to college, they go crazy or "get burned-out" that they just let everything fizzle away.
This is analogous to somebody who works their butt off playing poker over 5 hours grinding away playing the odds, winning $1000 dollars, losing one big hand, getting angry, and then pissing away everything less than an hour later. "Being on tilt" as they call it.
The key to avoiding this super stressful burnout is to not let things get to that level of intensity. When it's maybe 70% of that level, take a step back and chill out. This might mean taking a vacation, partying, going for a hike, visiting family, etc.

- Maintain focus/discipline
On the opposite spectrum, you don't want to end up taking breaks too much. Maintaining discipline means being committed to improving at a consistent pace. This partially means accepting that it's a long hard road to great success. You have your entire lifetime to improve yourself!

- Don't compare yourself with somebody way better than you and get discouraged
One confidence killer is failure. We can avoid that somewhat by incrementally increasing challenge at a reasonable pace. Another confidence killer is comparing yourself to somebody way better than you that competing with them is out of reach.
Unless you're #1 in the world at it, there will always be somebody better you, and realistically, there will usually be people wayyy better than you. So that means if you keep comparing yourself to the ideal, you'll feel somewhat overwhelmed.
Here it's just a matter of the right attitude. If you look at somebody way better than you and think that you need to become their equal tomorrow, you'll just end up going home and crying. Instead you can keep the ideal in the very back of your mind, but in the front of your mind are people that are in your league. When you are walking 10 miles you don't try to look at the finish line, you keep your eyes on the road right in front of you. You put one foot in front of the other and chug along.

- Possibly negative outside performance/confidence enhancers
For example, drinking caffeine to keep you up to study for a test. Driking some alcohol so you can talk to the hottie. These things can help sometimes to reach the next pinnacle, but are possibly negative. Used in moderation should be ok though.

- Don't get cocky
If you overestimate your skill, you'll end up facing a challenge to tough to succeed. Not only would this be a step backward, but also people won't like you for being cocky.

- Don't think about it too much
Sometimes when something or succeeding is so imporant to you...you might psyche yourself out and "choke". This usually happens when you think about your performance too much and get self-concious.
To avoid this, you would want to get into a rhythm of doing something that you would be doing something without really thinking about it. This confidence would be something that you have, but you don't really say to yourself..."yep, i'm doing well, i'll succeed..." It's more of a subconsious thing at that point.

Good luck!!

Cultivating Confidence (Part 1)

2005-11-28T18:36:00.000-05:00

Confidence is one of the most important assets in life. It is one of the key attributes that distinguish successful people. Confidence helps you ace a test, make the buzzer-beating 3-pointer, ace an interview, talk to the hottie you've been eying, etc. Yes, if properly cultivated, confidence can really improve your life. To understand how we can grow our confidence, it is important to understand what exactly we are talking about.

Confidence isn't something that just comes for free. Sure you can suddenly act all cocky but that's not the type of confidence I'm talking about. I'm talking about real confidence that is justified by past successes that make up a proven track record. Real confidence is like health. Everything that you have done prior to today to maintain and improve your health defines your current health. Everything that you have done prior to today to maintain and improve your confidence defines your current confidence level. Whenever you ace a test, you gain that extra plus on your track record that you can use to boost your confidence on the next test. Confidence is knowing that you can succeed backed by successful similar past experiences. It is something that is gained and developed over the course of your entire life up to this moment.

On the other hand, unlike health, confidence is a personality trait that is applied toward challenging/fearsome life events. Confidence is our belief that we will succeed. Because of the different levels of challenge available in life, confidence is somewhat relative. For example, in professional men's tennis, the number 100 ranked professional in the world, Jiri Vanek, probably has high confidence in his tennis skills overall, but when playing against Roger Federer, the number 1 in the world, Jiri's tennis confidence level probably isn't as high.

We can also try to look at confidence at an absolute level. Absolute confidence (ie. confidence with the relativity taken out) is one's expectation of success given a challenging/fearsome life event of random difficulty in a predetermined category. Back to the example category of tennis: Our world #100 tennis player, Jiri, would have very high absolute confidence if you said he would play a opponent chosen at random from the world. Obviously, he would expect to win close to 100% of the time.

Absolute confidence is what I'm talking about. This is something that successful people, leaders, need to cultivate in order to excel in life. Now that we have properly defined what it means to have real confidence, we can talk about ways to improve it...

To Be Continued...

XBOX 360 Stash

2005-11-23T14:58:00.000-05:00

I've been having recurring dreams/nightmares about the XBOX 360.

In the dreams, I see the XBOX 360 on a seat in a passing train. I just see it passing by, over and over again.

Arrrrg, I really really really really want one.

And I don't even like video games.

Well maybe with the exception of FIFA 2002.

O man, it's all just a great ploy/marketing strategy by Microsoft that causes me such heartache.

Just kidding, people paying $3000+ for these on EBAY??? What losers!!!

Better Luck Tomorrow

2005-11-18T17:52:00.000-05:00

There was an interesting magazine article about luck. It said that there is a stirring area of science/psychology that says that people have influence on their luck.

Their argument was that "lucky" people carry on with their lives in a way that increases their chances of good fortune. What the hell does that mean, you ask? Yeah, I had the exact same question. They say:

Lucky people take more risks. For example the more often you play the lottery, gamble, do random things, the more often you would experience a lucky event.
Lucky people trust their intuition. Their reasoning was that sometimes your subconscious mind can provide you with information that you can't really understand.
Lucky people are confident and optimistic. Their line of reasoning was that there is proof that if you believe in yourself you will perform better and your chances of success are better.
Lucky people notice their luck more often. These people rejoice in their lucky happiness and thus declare themselves "lucky" which improves their future luck (see Reason #3).

The article had a looong list of these things that you can do to become a "lucky" person.

WHAT A LOAD OF BULL!!!!

If you have ever taken a course on probability, statistics, or play alot of poker, you would agree with me! A pure & true definition of luck is "probability of success". The only way you can say that you are luckier is if your probability of success is higher than it was before.

The four points listed above don't increase luck, they are merely tips for incorporating risk and optimism into life.

Taking more risks does not improve your probability of winning. Just because I play the lottery more doesn't mean that next time I play I'll have a higher probability of winning! Instead, taking more risks do tend to improve one's life. A good example is in stock investing--if you invest in riskier assets, your potential reward is greater. If you want to say that you're lucky because life is better go ahead. But your chances of winning is the same as non-risk takers.
Intuition doesn't make a coin flip a certain direction, nor make you luckier. Information, even subconsious information, on the other hand can help you make correct decisions. But again, making decisions is more about evaluating certain situations and choosing the one with highest expected value--this has little to do with affecting the underlying likelihoods that these situations will happen.
True, confidence will make you perform better. But in this case it's performance that's helping you win, not luck. Their example was in sports, Michael Jordan making the buzzer beater to win the NBA championsip; Tiger Woods hitting a 60 yard in the cup...All these feats were a mixture of performance and luck, but their confidence boosted only the performance portion of the mix, that's all.
Lucky people notice their luck more. This is more of a psychological point. If you notice the good events more, you'll be happier, more confident, but not luckier. See #3.

Those people who write the article make a stirring point, trying to confuse us into thinking that we can improve our luck. Yes, we can improve our chances of succeeding in life. But, at a pure event by event probability level, it's just hogwash.

Best Things to Say During Awkward Situations

2005-11-09T13:25:00.000-05:00

Situation: Caught Daydreaming During a Business Meeting

"That sounds like a good tactical solution. What are we planning to do strategically?"
"That's exactly what I was thinking. I have no objections."
Furrow your brow, look back and say, "Could you clarify the second bulletpoint again?"
"I'll have to run this request by ____ and get back to you" (putting in the most important person you know in the blank.)

Situation: Caught Daydreaming During Class

"Could you please repeat the question?" Wait for their reply then say, "It depends on what you mean by _____" (putting in the longest word of their response in the blank.)
Remain silent, motionless with a blank stare and hold for 30 seconds. Then jump and say, "Oh, I'm sorry were you asking me?" At this point hopefully somebody will whisper to you the answer.

Situation: Girlfriend Asks if She Looks Fat or Ugly in Something

"No." Give her a look as if it was so obvious it was a dumb question.
"That looks good, but I think this would be hot." Hand her the hot outfit.
Walk over, start making out for a while, then say, "Did you ask something earlier?"

Situation: Girlfriend's Parent Walks in on You and Girlfriend

Invest in locks
"Oops, this isn't the shower is it?"
Hide under the blanket and have Girlfriend groan and say, "Go away! I feel bloated."

How to Become Famous

2005-11-07T21:51:00.000-05:00

Be born into royalty--Prince Charles
Invent many earthshattering things--Albert Einsten, Ben Franklin (see also #4), Google founders
Be born into a business conglomeration--Walmart's daughters, Donald Trump (see also #11)
Politics--George W. (see also #3), Bill Clinton (see also #5)
Sexual Scandal--Paris Hilton (see also #3, #6)
Be hot--Nicole Scherzinger (see also #7)

Have a really long name--

Mr. Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorffvoralternwarengewissenhaftscha
ferswesenchafewarenholgepflegeundsorgfaltigkeitbeschutzenvonangereifenduchihrraub
giriigfeindewelchevorralternzwolftausendjahresvorandieerscheinenbanderersteerdeem
meshedrraumschiffgebrauchlichtalsseinursprungvonkraftgestartseinlangefahrthinz
wischensternartigraumaufdersuchenachdiesternwelshegehabtbewohnbarplanetenkreised
rehensichundwohinderneurassevanverstandigmenshlichkeittkonntevortpflanzenundsicher
freunanlebenslamdlichfreudeundruhemitnichteinfurchtvorangreifenvonandererintlligen
tgeschopfsvonhinzwischensternartigraum

Work your ass off--Madonna (literally, see her video "Hung Up")
Be really big--the Rock, Andre the Giant, CN Tower
Create a new style of music that people like--Kurt Cobain, Fred Durst
Reality TV show--Joe Millionaire

Wing Thing

2005-10-31T18:23:00.000-05:00

I love chicken wings.

There are so many different ways to have them--Straight-up deep-fried, Buffalo style, BBQ, Roasted, Honey-Dipped, In Soup, Refridgerated, with Soy Sauce--that it's dizzying to think about!

The variety of chicken wings is not only hard to keep track of but gives them so much character. I have consumed millions of chicken wings in my lifetime! Here are a few of my recommendations for some great chicken wing places:

Hooters - Hooters wings are probably the best of any major restaurant chain. A mix of the "wing" and "drumstick" portions, their wings are average sized but their thin-skin, crispiness, and one-of-a-kind thin sauce more than make up. Plus the waitresses don't hurt either!
Chef Chu's - This Los Altos, CA Asian-fusion place has amazing "Dragon Wings." These huge straight-up deep-fried chicken wings come served with a mix of thinnly chopped hot peppers, onions, and other vegetables. These wings come only in the "wing" portion and with no messy sauce to deal with! You spoon on the mixed dressing and enjoy like a little chicken wing taco.
Wings N Things - This SE restaurant chain serves up either straight-up deep-fried or buffalo-style chicken wings in a big way. Every aspect of their wings are classical. Big, nice and crispy, sauce is the classic mix of spicy Buffalo. What kills about Wings N Things are their killer serving sizes. I think the last time I went, we ordered a monster serving of 50!!!!!!!
Treehouse - This small Mexican dive is located in the center of Stanford University. Wings here a very unique. They deep-fry their wings in a unique smooth batter that they come out big, dark brown, and thick skinned. Uniquely dry on the outside and extremely juicy on the inside, try these with Sriracha or Mayo dressing.
Number 1 Chinese - This fast Chinese restaurant is located in upstate Oneida, NY. If you are ever driving by (and I don't know why!), drop by and get some fried chicken wing appetizer. This place serves up what we've all come accustomed to as classic fast Chinese Wings. These large wings are deep fried with some special starch batter that make them grow in size! Fresh, crispy, not spicy, served whole (with "wing" connected to "drumstick"), these are close to perfect.
Tokyo Izakaya Wings - If you're ever in Tokyo and have a wing craving go to an Izakaya--they are everywhere. Not only can you get some pretty cool Japanese drinks, but you can get some pretty cool unique fried chicken wings. The places I have tried have a mix of boneless/boned, straight-up fried, deep batter fried. Outside dressing is also unique. One place had an ineffably great spicy spice. Find some local and ask them to show you some good wings!

Top 10 Interview Tips

2005-10-29T12:52:00.000-04:00

10. pray for the best performance the night before
9. keep a list of every single brainteaser you have ever heard in your lifetime
8. keep your resume short (< 3 pages) if you want people to look at it, and make sure that it is well-formatted with italics and bold for emphasis
7. sequence interviews in increasing order of importance, ie. try to schedule interviews with less desirable companies before interviews with your top choices
6. get sober solid rest the night before so you can be at your "best level of consciousness" as I like to put it
5. do your hw on the company! This means knowing major recent corporate events, company structure/organization, competitive advantage, culture, industry news, CEO's name, market valuation, credit history/rating, etc.
4. know yourself well and be able to openly & honestly describe yourself
3. presentaton is key-physical presentation as well as verbal. Dress your best and speak like the person you most look up to
2. structure each interview answer as follows: a. succint direct answer b. elaboration with relevant examples c. how this would bring value or relate to the company d. succinct conclusion parallel to part (a)
1. PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT, try to do as many mock interviews as possible with everyone you know.

Luxurious Life

2005-10-29T01:38:00.000-04:00

By "Luxurious life" I'm talking about Gwen Stefani. See picture above. She's hot, she's married to Gavin Rossdale, and she's rolling in the dough.

Check out her video "Luxurious" if you are a doubter. The message is basically, "Look, I made it. I'm hot."

And you know what, Gwen Stefani deserves it. How much gall does it take to leave No Doubt and change her style, her identity, from Alternative to Hip-Hop-Pop??

I think that's pretty big...Just imagine being a certain style your whole life, all the way up until your mid twenties (!), being a certain style, AND being able to just change everything just because you knew it was the right thing to do for your career. In my opinion that takes some guts. I guess it paid off for Gwen...as they say..."No guts, no glory." What a luxurious life.

Girly Girls are Sexier

2005-10-28T18:22:00.000-04:00

We've always heard about different "types" of people. He's a "dumb jock" or "sensitive nerd" etc. etc. Sometimes when guys talk about girls, this is also the case. For instance, "I'm not saying she's a gold-digger..." etc.

Anyway, I've had many a debate with fellow guys about whether they find "girly-girls" or (for lack of a better term) "guy-girls" more attractive. Also, it should be noted that our assumptions about these categories ONLY pertain to personality and not physical traits (We were not saying whether or not we liked girls who looked like guys or not! That's obvious.)

In case you don't know what the heck I'm talking about here's a more specific description of these two "types":

Girly girls-(AKA prisses, bitches, any more?) These are the girls that pretty much hang out with girls and like to do girly things, like shopping, eat salads, do makeup, wear skirts, have pillow fights, watch Oprah, maybe feminist, look pretty, be sensitive, sing, dance, read girly mags. They hate cold weather, being looked at in the wrong way, and can't stand to have their requests ignored. They don't really care for sports, but will go to an event to be a good gf. And would not be caught playing sports in fear of breaking a nail. To stay in shape, they go jogging in carefully chosen fashionable attire of course. For fun, these girls often go clubbing with other girls, and just dance for good fun and exercise. But don't hit on them, unless they give you the right look.

Guy-girls-(AKA chill girl, tomboy (or used to be), wierd hot girl, i can't think of any more...) These are the girls that hang out pretty much with guys because "they've always been able to relate better." They will say that "hanging out with other girls, I feel like I can't really be myself. I always have to be on guard." etc. They will also say that they don't have that many girl friends. "All my friends are guys." These girls hang out with guys until they become pretty much one of us. They will play sports with us, drink at a bar, burp, talk about other girls' bodies just as if they were a dude. They really want their sports team to WIN and will go to the sporting event by themselves. They try to hide their girliness (if they get cold or scared, they won't admit it, unlike girly girls, who are like walking, talking thermometers: "I'M COLD, I'M HOT, I'M COLDER AGAIN") They will go clubbing and have no problems dancing with guy friends...who pretty much all have a crush on her.

My romantic preference is strongly in favor of "girly-girls." Reasons why:
10. If we wanted to do guy stuff, we'll just call our guy friend. Plus most likely we'll be more challenged playing sports against our guy friend.
9. If the "guy-girl" beats you at a manly thing, that sucks. Plus you'll get made fun of for years (not that I would know.)
8. "Guy-girl" burps are a turnoff.
7. "Girly-girls" are more exotic. Since we see guys ALL THE TIME, we get more excited to see the "girly-girl". Think about it, would you rather go on vacation to an exotic country like Europe or China, or would you rather go to another city in your nation?
6. "Girly-girls" will work hard to be hot. Effort goes a long way.
5. "Girly-girls" on average will have less chance of cheating on you since they have less guy friends.
4. "Girly-girls" spend more time taking care of themselves. This is awesome because you know they're well-kept.
3. You'll be able to get into more clubs because of your "girly-girlfriend"'s many other girl friends, unlike going out with a "guy-girlfriend" because she will have many other guy friends.
2. "Guy-girl" will win your money in poker.
1. "Girly-girls" are more of a tease, which is a good thing.

Nicole is hot

2005-10-24T17:03:00.000-04:00

I have a secret crush on Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls.

For the sake of humankind, please check out her video "Stickwitu" here, please.

TIPPING POINT FOR NE REAL ESTATE

2005-10-23T13:44:00.000-04:00

Real Estate prices in the NE are headed for rocky roads.

It is my belief that Manhattan &Northern NJ prices lag prices of local construction companies. In other words, stock prices of these companies to some extent indicate how real estate prices will go.

Take a look at the stock prices of one such company: Mack-Cali
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=CLI&t=1y

10 reasons to Work

2005-10-18T09:22:00.000-04:00

Things to keep you going: . .

10. You'd be a bum if you didn't
9. Don't need to say you are dressing up because "you felt like it" (that's so lame)
8. Cardboard boxes are cold in the Winter (especially in the NE, brrrr)
7. BONUS
6. Your resume can't be all padding
5. Potential for HOT office romance, not.
4. You would probably be sleeping instead...no scratch that one.
3. Your five kids would hold it against you
2. No homework, maybe.
1. Where else would you get your gambling money?

Why You Should Go Out With Me

2005-10-07T12:51:00.000-04:00

Original Link

Nerds make better lovers

Ready for a real relationship? Ditch the
pretty boys and grab yourself a geek

By TRACEY LOMRANTZ

Sitcom siren Courteney Cox saw a prince charming in fashion freestylist David Arquette.

Golfers aren't notorious studs, but Swedish stunner Elin Nordegren thinks hubby Tiger Woods has got game.

Super-chic Rachel Bilson fell for her slightly geeky co-star Adam Brody, on-screen and off.

Christina Aguilera recently traded in piercings for petticoats, apparently making the usual Marilyn Monroe morph. But there's more than meets the eye: Sure, she's blond, buxom and sweet-voiced now, but she's also emulating the classic bombshell in matters of the heart.
You see, Aguilera's fiance, like Monroe's husband, playwright Arthur Miller, is kind of a geek.

When Aguilera announced her engagement to smarty-pants music executive Jordan Bratman in February, the 24-year-old pop star demonstrated a tried-and-true dating trick. Geeks have got the goods.

Bratman, with his scrawny frame and oversize ears, has mastered the music industry at just 26 and is Romeo enough to have stolen Aguilera's heart (as well as inspired her new demure-coquette look).

"A nerd is an excellent provider and a guy who puts you first," says E. Jean Carroll, Elle magazine's love and sex advice columnist. "He'll turn out to be a great father and a great husband."

And, she insists that a woman who is willing to stick it out with a nerd and get past his quirks will be handsomely rewarded. "Don't give up on him too fast," she said. "If you stick with him, he's going to turn out to be really great."

If Hollywood is any indication, then yes, he will. This month, reality TV celebrates geek love with two shows: Ashton Kutcher's "Beauty and the Geek," which pairs braniacs with bimbos for a "social experiment," and the latest installment of "Average Joe," in which a pretty girl woos not-so-studly dudes (airing on June 22).

On Fox's "The O.C.," the nerdy Seth Cohen (played by Adam Brody) didn't just land the adorable Summer Roberts (Rachel Bilson) on TV - he managed to get the girl in real life, too. Bilson (and her character) managed to look past the slicked-down hair to find the witty guy beneath. Cohen's obsession with comic books? Her character deems it sweet. Brody's nasal drawl? Bilson doesn't seem to mind.

How can a savvy girl land a geek of her own? Spencer Koppel, a self-proclaimed geek who attends crossword-puzzle tournaments on weekends, has made it easy for girls with their eye on the prize with his "Geek to Geek" dating service, www.gk2gk.com.

Members can meet and select a perfect mate (guys with screen names like "thinkspecs" and "ivygrad") based on favorite board game and gadget instead of eye color, height and other categories the nerds might be lacking.

And according to Koppel, the pool is stocked with supreme sci-fi fans and accomplished intellects.

"I think geeks are more successful. They're happier in the work they do," Koppel said. "And they're pretty faithful people, because they're certainly grateful for anything they have."

When it comes to the between-the-sheets aspect of the relationship, Carroll agreed that a girl couldn't do much better than a less-than-perfect male specimen. "We've all been to bed with the guy who is worried about what he looks like, checking the mirror before he gets in bed," she said. "The nerd, gloriously, stunningly, perfectly, is into the woman. That right there is very stirring, sexually."

Tiger's purr-fect

It seems to be enough for the likes of goddess models and Hollywood A-listers. Tiger Woods has a geek-like drive for a stodgy sport, a fat bank account and Swedish model Elin Nordegren on his arm. David Arquette may not have the body of a Greek god, but he managed to land sexy former Friend Courteney Cox with his goofy humor and mismatched wardrobe.

For Scott Dennis, a 34-year-old teacher from Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, "geek" and "good guy" are synonymous - and he is both. Although some aspects of his personality make him what he called a "quintessential babe magnet" (former jock, drummer in a rock band), the real qualities that helped him land his girlfriend are the geeky ones.

"Do I know the difference between a knight and a pawn? Certainly," he says. "Am I familiar with the Four Move Checkmate? Well, maybe I am. ... But the truth is I'm a decent guy with diverse interests who actually offers authenticity in his relationships."

But to get to that authentic nerd, chic women have to be willing to embrace their own inner geek and accept the guy for who he is, chess trophies and all. The caveat to mating with a geek, as some dating experts see it, is coming to terms with his less-than-studly looks and less-than-suave demeanor. All thoughts of embarrassment have to go out the window.

Andrea Lavinthal, who co-authored (with Jessica Rozler) "The Hookup Handbook," a young woman's guide to navigating the waters of singlehood, says that being sure of your choice of guy is first and foremost.

"Girls tend to worry about what their friends are going to think," she said, "and you have to get over it. You can't always be making excuses and apologies. Give him the respect he deserves, and don't always be assuming you're better than him."

She also said that not all girls are ready for a full-on geek relationship right from the start. Her book has a chapter devoted to "The Snufalufagus Hookup," the one that every girl wishes her friends didn't know about, and that she at first tries to deny happened. "In many ways, it's the first foray into the nerdy guy thing," Lavinthal said. "You're attracted to him because he doesn't screw around. Sure, it's fun to make out with the hot bartender, but you're not going to marry him."

Not falling for the fakes

Koppel, however, warns that unserious girls who prowl his site looking for a breadwinner should use caution - his members may be geeky, but they sure aren't stupid. "I think geeks are intelligent enough to be wary of the idea that an attractive woman is interested in them," he said. "They aren't as drawn to beauty as they are to intelligence, and wouldn't just accept a ditz."

It takes the right kind of girl to love a nerd. Kate Hammer, an NYU student, said she's just that kind of girl. "I have been snagged by nerd charms," she said.

"My ex and I bonded over 'Star Trek,' and on our first date at an amusement park, my current boyfriend impressed me with his intricate understanding of the physics of roller coasters. He's a mechanical engineer."

For a modern girl who is far from ditzy, the geek could be the mate who brings security and a load of eclectic interests to the relationship. Even the once-naughty Aguilera managed to find a guy who defines devotion and doesn't compete to be the sexiest one in the relationship. Clearly, it's what a girl wants.

Originally published on June 9, 2005

Random Poker Tip

2005-10-05T09:46:00.000-04:00

Here's a tip you don't find everywhere in Poker books, but much talked about around poker tables: "Pocket Js suck."

Well I wouldn't go that far. This is definitely a good hand but comparatively many people risk losing big with it. There are two reasons I can think of:

People will have a greater tendency to raise more preflop with this hand
and in relation, people will have a greater tendency to call with this hand even if an overcard is on the table.

If you compare it to a seemingly very similar hand--pocket 10s--pocket Js are much riskier since the psychology behind holding Js is so different. People in general have a deep-set tendency to overvalue the hand because they are two face cards instead of number cards, but in reality are just a little better than pocket 10s. Growing up we've played way too many card games where face cards are so much better than other cards that this thinking has become ingrained in our minds. Think Blackjack, Egyptian Rat-Screw, the list goes on...

So my random poker tip--start playing pocket Js as if they are a little bit weaker, like pocket 8s or 9s...just to overcompensate for your primal tendencies.

Frankie J Rips It Up!

2005-10-04T23:02:00.000-04:00

Franke J's sexy rendition of "More Than Words" takes the cheesy out of this classic and sounds awesome. Have a listen here for free!

My only complaint is that this song was not on his recent record "The One."