First off, I’d like to welcome you to my blog! This blog will cover my journey in life. My current focuses in life are nutrition, exercise, poker, reading daily, travel, my youtube channel, learning Spanish, starting to meditate, getting motivated, and surely more along the way!

You can call me Free or Fatb, I don’t really mind the latter because it’s like calling the 6 foot 7, 300 pound jacked up arm wrestling champion Tiny. Although I’ve never been anywhere near overweight, it’s really important to me to eat as healthy as possible. But I did used to be the teenager that stuffed his face with way too much food and mostly not the right ones (breads, pastas, pizzas, etc!). I eat healthy because every single person I’ve ever read about that turned gluten-free, vegetarian, or vegan seem to feel incredibly better and more productive than before. You are what you eat! The best at any trade eat like winners, work out like champions, and walk and talk like they are giving 120% every single time!

Work out transition for me proved to be quite difficult. You can find me slightly hunched over due to years of miniscule exercise and poor breathing habits. So I looked to yoga and have not turned back! Been doing a home yoga program called DDP Yoga since August so I could slowly transition into strengthening my body. You don’t think yoga is manly? Think again and try out DDP Yoga! The head instructor is a pro wrestler turned yoga guru who uses plenty of manly phrases like touchdown and pinfall to make you excited to come back to your personal yoga class every day! My goal is to work up to the advanced tapes and add in 1-6 miles of running per day to improve endurance.

I felt like my WSOP Vegas trip provided a rebirth to my poker career. Every single day during my 29-day trip I ran in the hot Vegas sun; prior to this my exercise was zero. More importantly I found that without much work I crushed the 1/3 games. The tools were already there from playing millions of online hands and hearing various live strategy segments that all beat to death a few concepts. Since then I took a semi-break to work a $100/10hr a week job that I could care less if I saw a penny of the money.

Last year when I returned from Korea my mom suggested working at my little brothers’ elementary school. I decided to do it since it would make my mom and step dad happy that I had a job (prior to my first travelling trip I was told I could never live at home again if I did it.) But the job really grew on me and I found it really fun helping out and talk to young, happy Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd graders every day! I’m a lunch supervisor and watch the kids at lunch and recess. I work with moms and they mostly complain that they should get $20/hr for this “high-stress” job. Haha! The job felt so fulfilling that I decided to work it for half the school year after summer break ended. And it’s been such a joy doing so!

My goals toward 2014 are as follows:

- Travel Central America (or somewhere I haven’t been but this is current plan)
- Volunteer in other countries
- Play Poker to support income unless there is a really good reason to stop.
- Be rolled to play bigger plo games during wsop this year and play the wsop main event
- Transition to Vegan
- Exercise every day
- Learn Spanish and start to learn one unique language at the same time(Japanese, Arabic, or Russian). Start Brazilian Portuguese once Spanish is solid.
- No excuses
- No time wasted
- Start meditating
- Start to wake up every day because of passion!
- Read Books! Take notes on Books! Books truly deserve a capital "B"!
- Average 20 youtube videos per month and get partnered when at 1000 views/day (at 200-300/day at the moment)
- Not being afraid of success!

Recent state of poker:


I played 10 session of poker over three months of working the job above. Been getting crushed in no limit but am crushing plo like crazy. It started in a 1 / 2 game I decided to try since I’d never seen it run at the charity games before. Luckily it was one of the best live poker games I’ve ever played in! Then I won a 32 person $100 PLO/PLO8 tournament for about $1k. Incredible tournament! Now I’m taking a week off of work and staying in Florida through Thanksgiving.

I’d been to Florida for Disney world when I was young but my perspective is much changed. After a smooth flight, my eyes opened up to beautiful green landscape covered in palm trees and giant trees that aren’t palm trees. The initial sense of a poorer area created shades of the first time I rode a taxi in the Philippines. But our destination was a family-friendly neighborhood about ten minutes from the Hard Rock Casino.

Arriving on a Saturday I decided it mandatory to take shots at the 2/5 PLO game. Outside of occasional 5/10 and the 5/10/25+ private game, it’s the only plo game running regularly. The only difference to games I’m accustomed to (1/2/5($5 bring)) is the straddle is to $10 instead of $5 and it can be done from any position. Bit of a buzz killer though as I played 2/5 NL but luckily ran a sick heater in a smaller game and then finished off with small profit in a tight plo game. Feeling like King of the world, variance defier, and 2/5 champion I played more 2/5 NL on Sunday. The table was quite “fun” but I managed to make a few mistakes and lost nearly what I won the prior day. This takes us to yesterday.

I’m not really rolled to play 2/5, let alone big 2/5 plo games that play like 5/10. So my plan was to make a small profit at 1/ 2 NL. The tables were by no means but it just felt way, way too nitty. Plus they take $1 even if there’s no flop. One time I stole just the blinds and only profited $2 from it! So I saw a second PLO game started which I assumed could have only been a great sign! So I carried over my $300 stack and took a seat.

First Hand get dealt random KKds and we see the flop 7 ways for $10/each. Flop comes AK4ss.

Hero bets pot and gets 1 caller.

Turn ($210)

Turn is another 4. We bet big again and get it in with some hand that is dead to a misdeal.

Already we double up and make up for the depressing losses at 1/ 2 NL.

Next Hand KKJQ otb. Pot for 50 and 4 callers.

Flop top set and get one street of value. Nice!

I end up moving over about 4 seats down from the guy who is straddling every single hand. The action stayed great and despite being 1st to move for most of the Patriots/Panthers game, I didn’t have to move until the final 2 minutes of the game. But I ended the near 8 hour grind shortly after.

Won a nice hand like this:

Straddle + limps and I pot button with AcTxKx3c to $55~
4 ways to the flop and the pot ($225)

Flop ($225) Tc4c5h

It checks to me and I bet $200

Two callers.

Turn ($825)

5s

chk,chk, I check behind

River ($825)

Js

Chk,chk, I decide to check.

My AT is good!

Three days in Florida and every day has been a four-figure swing! I feel more comfortable playing PLO currently because I’m simply more interested in everything going on because I haven’t played millions of PLO hands. Thanks to good friends though I feel comfortable with the basics which is plenty for now!

Current Plan: Grind mode on! Grind up because I may not play much during planned central america trip at the turn of 2014.

OP confirmed crushed $2/5 plo shot

Update:

Been back from Florida for almost two weeks now. Yesterday I was driving to visit family and the thermometer read -2 f. But screw the cold so let's talk about Florida!!!

A bit shocked at the difficulty of healthy food options in Tampa. Only saw one store for groceries so assumed it was the only one in a reasonable 10-20 minute radius. So I kind of pigged out and didn't even do much yoga. Surprisingly, my grind ethic didn't feel too threatened, possibly due to indulging after session and just eating a small meal before hand.

Hit a scary day (luckily after being up for a bit) where I thought the game was super good and got crushed. This still left me down less than my 2/5 plo trip stop-loss though. Got to play 3 handed with massive action craver (and ran good too!)! He even announced that he would have to stop soon cause he knew he would keep getting crushed. Things turned for the worse at the main game. Still felt quite composed and playing well despite sliding downward. Then I'm somehow able to cold 4/5bet preflop with AAJx getting 800 in there. Action guy gets it in and takes it down with hand I figured to have 29%~ equity. This gave me a chance to explore the hard rock tampa casino (I loveeee casinos so much. not!)

But this casino rocked! Vintage signed guitars, records, outfits, and pictures of popular rockstars! Whoa! Everyone else on the casino floor is so locked in to spewing away their mortgages, cars, or hopefully spare money that they wouldn't even notice how odd I look. Slowly walking around the casino, not even a drink in hand, just taking in the beauty of it all.

"Hello, I love you, won't you tell me your name" - The Doors.

This is the text that rises above the main hotel lobby desk area. A tribute to my favorite band. Organs and electronic keyboards! Quite the addition to great rock songs!

I suppose what really gets me about The Doors is the story of Jim Morrison. Jim literally had it all but he didn't really seem to want it. Mega rock star but he wanted to be known for his poetry. Girls would do anything for this guy but he'd rather be to himself... well... err... sometimes he did embrace it. Reminds me of the fictional character Hank Moody from Californication. Being able to capture the attention of millions of people seemingly without much effort.

Oh yeah, I did end up playing more poker. Sort of crushed it. Remember one hand where I hit running trip T's in a 5 way checkdown and bet something like 1/4-1/5 pot on the river. I was in the 8 seat and apparently the 1 set called but I swear the dealer was obstructing the view. To me it looked like everyone quickly folded (as somewhat expected unless someone else also caught trips) and I mucked. The dealer leans back and I see the 1 seat's cards. Oops. I told the guy what was going through my mind and told him I had him beat trip T's and an A kicker and he gave me almost half the pot back. I was flattered and didn't really know if I could accept it. Thanked the guy a million times and moved on.

Nit story:

Friend and I ate at Council Oaks, obviously well under dressed but the hell if I care. My eyes were set on the $12 lobster mac and cheese that Chief the brush recommended from his time being chef there. Is that a reasonable job change? Does anyone know what brushes make cause I'd feel terrible never tipping them if they are making pennies! Anyways, a steak goes for about $60~ as do most main courses on this menu. Muahuahaua $12 lobster Mac N Cheese was outstanding! Nit crush win!

We drove to Hollywood after about ten days in Tampa. Did miss the great poker and cheap, friendly, amazing hookah place there. Oh well, move on. After about two hours in the car my legs were screaming and needed to be stretched. Friggin cars!

Arrived in Hollywood and I'd have guessed it was hurricaning! High winds and lots of rain! My high though is 30-40mph~. Got a low high. Found the room, played not that much poker as Tampa, and went to Miami.

Miami was outstanding. The most incredible city I've ever seen from the car. Building were just constructed in a colorful, vibrant, and visual manner. Was sober and finally made it to Miami with a car load of tipsy mates. But... Oh... My... I had to parallel park??!?!!? Hello?!?! Growing up in a suburban town they didn't even give us one tip on how to accomplish such a treacherous task. Luckily got coached by my co-pilot and nailed it in one shot. Should probably quit poker now cause maybe my one time is since vanished!

It poured rain the entire time there so hopes weren't too high on finding a cool place on a weekday night. But Miami is big so searching we went. Found a Latin looking bar. Perfect! Perfect entryway into traveling central/south america. The art of becoming a gringo inside your own country. The place was two levels. The walls covered in vivid rainforest creatures with bright greens and oranges. There was a small stage in the middle with dancers who didn't appear to be apart of the regular crowd. Flamingo Dancers. Whoa, cool! People in the bar moved to a quick, up-tempo beat. Their hips just wailed around their bodies like they learned it along with their ABCs.

That was Miami. I pissed everyone off by getting lost in a city it was my first time in... but they got to get pissed drunk so

And the first time playing poker at hard rock hollywood.... felt like English was a second language, whoa! It sucks to understand stuff but not be able to say anything back haha.

Also went to the Mardis Gras Casino. Boy, what a hood feel. Almost like getting the Small Chuckie Cheese put in your town. Played in the juiciest 2/5 NL (wtf right so high stakes for nl!), get crushed, then game turns into a horrible 9 handed game (horrible compared to juice @6 handed.) Played some 1/2 and managed to get $180 in preflop with AK and catching a K on the turn was good enough.... have a hunch I didn't need it but who knows!

Last session was at hard rock and flat 88 on the bu cause I'm super aggro so I decide to lay down the trap. Flop is 325 and I'm bet into! But I'll keep slow-playing and call. The turn is an 8 and am HU. He checks this time so I'll spew off a half pot bet and get called. River is an 8. Put him all in, he tank folds but I ship $200 for the HH like a pro degen would drool quad draw all day. Ended up with a 5 way all in in session preflop. A few shorties but one "shortie" had $75. Other huge action lady was in for $350 about since she doubled last hand. my AA wins main pot vs her AK weee but dude with $75 had 66 for a set. Still a nice pot and nice end to Florida grind.

Enjoy!

Meditation:

For the past three days I've started to meditate.

The ability to create such a euphoric sense of being is incredible!


Been doing this after poker sessions but want to start doing it before as well.

Feels like a must do for every serious poker player. Meditation helps cope with tilt/possible fears of poker!