DADDY TRIP

There are a couple of things that I do that I think really help me be a better parent. One is to not beat my kids in public(if I don't have to) and the other is that once a year I take each of my kids separately on a "daddy trip". I think I talked in an earlier entry about my trip with Caytie. Well, this weekend it was Jacksons turn. We left on Friday for Florida. THe great thing about the daddy trip is that it forces you to talk with your kid. No mother around to act as a buffer and you are the only one there to answer his sometimes stupid questions. My son is 9 and this is our 5th time to go on the trip. I have noticed thats he gets older it becomes more important I make good decisions. When he was 5 I could take him just about anywhere. He didn't understand the bad words and didn't ask about the "drunk" idiots that might be hanging around. Now that he is 9 I am running into a few problems. On Saturday, we went to the Florida Marlins baseball game.After a rain delay, we made it to our seats. These 3 drunk idiots came and sat in front of us and were there to heckle the Florida players in the bullpen. THey had a sign that said "free sheep now". I still dont know what this means but I think it is code for,we live on a pirate ship because these idiots starting calling the players everything in the book. "you f***** piece of Marlin s***" one would yell. Then the other would shout "suck my d*** Cantu !!". The other people in my section with children were visibly unconformable. I sat there for a bit trying to figure out what to do. I could have moved but I was in MY seat and I overheard these guys talking about how the seats were much better than the ones they were suppose to be in. I then asked myself " what would God do". It was about then that one of the guys spilled his beer on his friend and they begin yelling at each other.  So, instead of taking the high road, I stood up and yelled " hey, idiots! yes, I'm talking to you.  I have a 9 year old here and I am sick on answering his questions about your bad words.So here is what we are going to do, you are going to go back to your seat and continue fighting OR you are going to sit down and shut you inbred mouth!!" "this is your only warning!!" I then sat back down and started explaining to my son how it was wrong that I yelled at the strangers and I would try and be a better person. He left, scared and full of questions.

Besides that bump in the road, daddy trip has been good. We learned about pitching coaches and what a hit and run is. Good times.

I am 5-1 this week in the playoffs so things are good.THis month is going to be very busy. Here in Florida on business/vacation until 6-9 then home for 3 days.THen on 6-12 I am in Vegas for the World Series of Poker. I will be back on 6-19 for a wedding and my 20 year high school reunion. I am back in Vegas on 6-22 for more WSOP. I am back in Oklahoma on 6-26 for a few days before returning to Vegas for the main event, then back to Florida on 7-7 for 2 weeks. A busy stretch ahead but should be fun and make for some interesting blog entries. Have a great Memorial Day.

CAYTIES DANCE RECITAL AND MORE

Saturday, my 5 year old daughter Caytie had her end of the year dance recital. I left the poker event and raced to Midwest City to see one of my favorite things of the year.Nevermind the fact that I spend about 2k/year for her to " learn her passion", watching the little girls dance will warm anyones heart and is truly a great time. This years event was tarnished by an unfortunate incident. Each year the dance school asks for fathers of the dancers to dress up in costumes and participate in a dance number during the show. No, I don't ever take part in this, probably because I am more of a solo dancer than a group dancer.. It is a cute part of the show and the kids LOVE to see the dads dance. The problem is this year one of the fathers dressed like Elvis. He was a late '70s Elvis that had on a white leisure pantsuit.  Here is where it gets sketchy, the pants were a very thin white fabric. He decided to go "commando" and forgo the use of underwear or anything else to secure his "junk". This might have been liberating for him but was HORRIFIC for everyone else! He would dance to the left,his " junk " would dance to the left. He would sway to the right, his "little buddy" swayed to the right! Dont even make me describe the routine when he begin to jump up and down! Not sexy and not appropriate for  the scores of parents and grandparents in attendance. The first 2 rows left with more questions than answerS.

The poker tournament was a huge success @ the Lucky Star and my thanks to everyone that came and played.

Golf Monday AND Tuesday! I should be worn out and really hate the game by Wednesday morning. Have a great week.

GOLF IS A REALLY DUMB GAME

As the hoops season is winding down and the weather is heating up I am being asked to play in a lot more golf tournaments.  My golfing history is a pretty interesting one. I didn't play much when I was a kid, mostly concentrating on the major sports,but after high school I got pretty good at the game. I carried a 2 handicap during my best season. The years I was playing a lot of golf , I tried NOT to play in scrambles. I felt and still feel like the only way you are ever going to win a scramble is to cheat. I didn't like cheating and I don't like losing to cheaters so I tried not to play in these events.

 Now I have children and the hard fact is, if I don't play in scrambles, I don't play. With kids stuff and my busy travel schedule, it is just easier not to play.  I have now figured out when I am at my best while playing golf.  I have played 3 times in the last 6 months and all have been scrambles or team events.  After not playing for over 2 months I shot 1 over in the Oklahoma Parks and Resorts promotion the Jim Traber and I host. I made 3 birdies and made a lot of puts on the front nine. Then yesterday I played in my churches fund raiser. My teammates were great guys and we had a lot of fun but none of them get out much to play golf.  I made 5 BIRDIES by myself at a very tough course!!! I haven't made 5 birdies in 1 round on ANY course in probably 6 years!! I had 3 holes that after hitting a great drive, I hit 6 and 7 irons to less than 2 feet. I haven't hit a 7 iron inside 10 feet in 2 years!!

So the moral to this story is, to play my best golf and shoot the best scores, I need to only play 2 or 3 times /year and try and play with great guys that are bad golfers!! Now that is a dumb game. That is like saying the best way to lose weight is to eat cake everyday. Its like saying to really enjoy a Porsche 911 Turbo is to leave it in the garage!

For me that seems to be the answer to my golfing issues. Not the shoes,I don't need new irons, I don't need to slow my swing down or go to a long putter> The secret to my golf game being its best is to NOT PLAY AT ALL!! Well, at least that fits my schedule.

Another scramble next Monday, I will let you know how it goes.

MY 20 YEAR REUNION IS COMING

 I graduated from high school in 1988. This summer is my 20 year reunion. I was pretty popular in school. I played football and baseball, was up for home coming ect. I only tell you this because I want you to know I was friends with different kinds of people.  The "president" on my senior class was automatically put in charge of the reunion. He went out and got all of his "white" and "nerdy" friends to put the weekend together.  The problem with this is that most nerdy and white acting people like the same things. The bigger problem is that most other people I graduated with dont like the funky chicken and sitting around drinking red wine!  The committee of white people have planned an over priced and lame weekend. Now that we are a month away from the event, the other people I went to school with are mad about the plans and threatening to make their own weekend. Leave it to the few to make it tough for the masses. I wouldn't care that much but it only comes around every 10 years and my 10 year reunion was a lot of fun. All they had to do is use the same company we used before and everyone would be happy. More on this later.

The Fat JAck "time for glory" poker series starts Wednesday. This should be a lot of fun for everyone that attends. Call 405-262-0456 for more info. We will be giving away over 40k in cash and will have a lot of other fun stuff.

A busy week coming up but I will check in later in the week.

LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL AND THE KENTUCKY DERBY

We are wrapping up soccer today and heading into the second week of baseball for my 9 year old son. Soccer has been a good experience for him. I wasn't sure how much I was going to enjoy soccer season because they DO have some Natzi parents and ,in nature, it is a slow game but my son has really enjoyed it and that is all that really matters to me.

Baseball is starting a little rough.

 Jackson, has had 2 practices and 2 games. Here are some highlights from the 2 games

*although he has played mostly 3rd base, he has fielded 0 balls

* he has struck out 2 times,been hit by a pitch and has 0 hits

*he has walked 3 times and been picked off 3rd base

OUCH!! not a great start. Oh, and we have had to talk about the fact that there is no crying in baseball!!

This has been rough for him because he is use to being one of the better players on each of his teams and although his stats are about average for his team, he expects to be Mickey Mantle from day one.  Every sports starts this way and he ends up  a vital part of his teams and has a great time but I will be glad when he finally comes home happy after a game.

There are some over the top parents I have seen but I am going to wait and reserve judgment on them until later in the season.

The Kentucky Derby is today!! After about 6 years of not cashing a ticket on this race, I have done very well over the last 4  years highlighted by a 46k return 2 years ago. If you are betting the race today here are my selections.

Go tell the teller you need a $2.00 exacta box 13-14-15-20

then tell them you need a $1.00 trifecta box 13-14-15-20

then tell them you need a $2.00 exacta box 2-6-13

That is $60.00 worth of tickets and will return A LOT more if it hits. Have a great weekend and good luck!!!!