Can't leave this journal to rot, I have to write something.

- Been very busy at work in the past two weeks, it's crazy. Work is coming in left, right and centre. It would likely be another week before I can sit for a long time in front of my pc at work. That is, if work stops coming in.

- Went to Copacabana last night with Janine, Ramille and some of their friends. The place was packed as there was a show. We had to stand on the side for a good two hours. A latin band called Peligro was playing. They were good but Shane and I thought the music were all the same. It would at first start different but in the middle would sound the same. Was it just us or the music was really monotonous? Then there ware the Brazilian showgirls who danced to Salsa and Lambada and their men counterparts did some breakdancing. The crowd seemed so enthused with the performers. They were good but not to Janine and mine's taste. :-) This is mainly because we have seen a lot of performances like these in the Philippines and boy, pinoy dancers are good. The Sexbomb girls and the Streetboys would give them a run for their money. But anyway, we went there to dance and enjoy, so we did. With my brand new dancing shoes, I danced till my feet ached.

- I have taken my love for the game of poker one step higher. Well, I'm not playing in the casino for real money but I have joined the Australian Poker League. APL holds poker games everyday in different venues all over Australia . It is free to join and play but there are actually prizes for the top 3 players. I started playing last Wednesday (19/07) at the Cheltenham/Moorabbin RSL club. There were over a hundred players and I was unfortunate to be taken out early in the game. I played again today and out of the 56 players, I finished fifth. Not too bad for a second timer. Currently, I am at the top 42 players of the venue. I will keep on playing and have a shot at the championships. Wish me luck....

But before Joe bacame a household name, poker was already around. The World Poker Tour is aired on Foxtel's Fox8 channel and ESPN carried World Series of Poker. Channel 10 later followed by airing on Saturday nights, Joker Poker held at the Star City Casino in Sydney. At the moment, Fox 8 is showing the Australian Celebrity Poker held at the Crown Casino.

Playing cards is a common interest between Shane and I. I learned to play gin rummy online from him. He also taught me UNO which we played during lunch hour back in our old jobs. I can play 41, pares-pares (these are pinoy card games) but not tong-it, which is popular in Manila.

Anyways, we got interested in poker when we saw WPT and WSoP on tv. We bought a poker chip set which by then was still a bit expensive. After Joe's conquest of the World Series of Poker, the fever soared. Poker chip sets were everywhere and were selling like pancakes.

We played at home with friends while at the same time learning the rules. A few weeks on, Shane's friend Brad bought a more expensive and professionally looking chip set which he complemented later with a poker table. We keep his chips and table at home for us to use anytime.

Later on, I found Party Poker, an online poker gaming website where you can play poker against anyone around the world for free or using real money to bet. I have installed the game and has since been playing online, using play money, of course.

It's my boredome beater.