CARDRUNNERS

What's Your Edge

ConvictKeeper's Poker Blog

December 27, 2007

Christmas time is a nice time of the year. I went to my fathers and enjoyed the season with my family, of which included my brother whom I hadn't seen, not spoken with in over 7 years. After my mother passed away, my father met a lady and brought her down to meet the family. It was at that dinner that my brother announced that my then 10 year old daughter was no longer welcomed at his house. Apparently when she was around, he felt he could not act the way he thought he should, and for that matter we could not either. His idea of fun is cussing and getting hammered. Not a nice site for a 10 year old. So, the best solution was to tell his niece she was no longer welcomed. That put a strain on the whole family thing right there.

Fast forward to Christmas 2007. I am begged by my father, after 2 trips to the hospital, that we should come up. He puts it out there that this may be his last Christmas and it would mean allot if we came and had Christmas as a family. He assured me he would keep my brother in check. My brother is an alcoholic, and a bad drunk at that. I agreed, but my wife and daughter were very skeptical. They agreed to go for the love of my father, and for me. I was thankful but worried. I really cherish Christmas and I didn't want my families Christmas ruined by my brother.

Well the day arrives and things are going well, but there is a tenseness in the air. My sister and her family is there. She has 2 boys, 9 and 11. Because we never spend Christmas together, we elect to purchase gifts for the kids and pick names for the adults. Well par for the course, and after 7 years, my brother does not give a gift to my daughter, which sends shock waves through the house. Again he blows it! All he had to do was to acknowledge her being there with a simple card, but nothing. My daughter is in tears, my wife is at the height of her Mexican temper, and there I am trying to do damage control. When I asked my brother what happened, his excuse was, "I didn't know she was coming". Well that went over as well as a fart in church. So long story, short, Christmas was as expected and it is good to be home.

Microsoft screwed me up with their freaking update of Windows Media Player, but I am back at it and I was able to catch a couple of minutes of the Daut44 20 table video. i am still trying to catch my breath. As a guy who four tables, I can not even think I would see myself at 20 tables.

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