Poker Tournament Result-12/30/04

Since I have nothing better to write about, I will summarize an online poker tournament I played last night.

It was a $5+.50 No-Limit Texas Hold 'Em tournanment. There were 803 entrants. I ended up in 16th place for a payout of $40. Not too bad. It was a good tournament for me because while I was always in a short stack situation, I still cashed. We started with 800 chips, and at one point very early on I was down to 160 chips. I was playing survival poker most of the tournament. I must have gone 'all-in' about 10-15 times. If only I were able to catch a few hands towards the end, I might have been able to hold on to win the $850 first prize.

Museum Day

My two children attended a class at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles today. It was a very good time for all. I would highly recommend this museum to anyone. It is a very well run and informative place. We've been there three times recently, and still have not seen everything yet.

HSLDA

For those of you who are home-schooling, or thinking about it. It is very important that you become a member of the Home School Legal Defense Association. You get peace of mind and a lot of great resources.

From their website:
Since 1983, Home School Legal Defense Association’s primary goal has remained the same—to bring together a large number of homeschooling families so that each can have a low-cost method of obtaining quality legal defense. HSLDA gives families the freedom to homeschool without having to face legal threats alone. After a family joins HSLDA, there are no further charges of any kind for defending them in court. HSLDA pays in full all attorney fees, expert witness costs, travel expenses, and all other court costs permissible by state law for us to pay.

For over 20 years, HSLDA has been an advocate for family and homeschool freedom. Through our work in the court systems and in various legislative bodies across the nation, we have been able to preserve and expand the rights of parents to choose the best educational option for their children. Furthermore, we have witnessed through God’s grace the maturing of a generation of young people poised to make an impact on American culture.

For more information, please take a look at their site:
Home School Legal Defense Association

It's a Question of Inclusion

My reaction to the following story is that the Democrats say that they are the party for all people and the nasty Republicans are closed-minded exclusionists. Another example of hypocrisy. Think about how much press this story would receive if the roles were reversed. It would be on the front page of the Los Angeles Times.

from: The Record (Stockton, CA) December 27, 2004:
Statewide political group should include all Asian-American lawmakers

* Caucus: A closed meeting of a group of persons belonging to the same political party or faction, usually to select candidates or to decide on policy. Also, a group of people united to promote an agreed-upon cause.

So, which is it with the California Legislature's Asian-Pacific Islander caucus? Is it a Democrats-only club that assists the party by selecting candidates and deciding on policy? Or is it a group of lawmakers with similar cultural backgrounds united to support California's fastest-growing population group?

The answers to those questions mean a lot to Assemblyman Alan Nakanishi, R-Lodi. Along with two other Republicans in the Legislature, he's on the outside looking in.

If the group is nothing more than an adjunct of the Democratic Party, it might as well stay as it is now -- small, obscure, unimportant and ineffective. If so, it should be renamed the Democratic Asian-Pacific Islander caucus. If the group members want to represent the broad spectrum of Asian-American views in California politics, they should include Nakanishi, and Assembly members Van Tran, R-Garden Grove, and Shirley Horton, R-Chula Vista. Nakanishi and Tran want to join, but they're being excluded because they are Republicans. Nakanishi, 64, is no stranger to exclusion. He spent four years in the Tule Lake relocation camp as a boy during World War II. He was a young Japanese-American trapped on the inside looking out. Maybe that's why the exclusivity of this political group bothers him so much.

When the Legislature reconvenes in January, Nakanishi and Tran plan to petition for entrance into the Asian caucus. Horton, whose mother is Japanese, hasn't said she'll join them yet. The seven Democrats who are its members should welcome their Republican colleagues. California is home to 4.35 million Asian-Americans. That's more than the total population of half the 50 states. Their elected representatives should be able to get together and discuss common issues -- no matter which political party they're in. They deserve the broadest spectrum of viewpoints possible.

There's no room in California for such political profiling by any group. Or caucus.

The Tangled Web of Santa Lies We Tell

Having a precocious and inquisitive six year old boy forces us to tell a few lies. You can see the strain on his face when he is asking the following questions and while listening to the answers. The conflict probably comes from a feeling that if he does not believe in Santa, then the gifts will dry up. It is still fun as we all play this 'game'.

Q: How will Santa get in when we don't have a chimney?
A: He normally can't fit in chimneys either. He has to make himself small to fit, therefore he can make himself small to fit through a key hole or under the door.

Q: How come he used the same wrapping paper that we have?
A: Oh, I guess he must have run out, so he must have found ours in the closet.

Q: How does he have time to go to every home in the world?
A: That's easy. He has to start at the International Date Line and move his way westward. He really has to rush so that he can make it to every home in time.

Q: If he is in such a hurry, then how does he have time to eat the cookies and drink the milk that we leave out for him? Then have enough time to wrap the presents with our wrapping paper?
A: That's a good question. Go and ask Mom.

Merry Christmas

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a joyous and blessed-filled New Year!

Movie Review: The Incredibles

I am afraid that the hype and buzz of this movie raised my expectations too high. The movie did not meet those over-inflated expectations. It was a very good family friendly movie. There was a lot of humor that is over the head of small kids. Along the same lines of the Shrek movies. I do recommend this movie.

What I'd like to talk about here is the outrageous cost of going to a theater to see a movie. We saw a matinee, which supposedly means a savings in the cost of a ticket. I think that we saved a big $2. We ended up spending a little over $40 for two adults and two kids. That included only one medium popcorn and one medium drink that we all shared. We were also asked to keep an eye on a group of about ten kids, dropped off by a parent who went to see another film. She said that she wanted an adult to make sure that they behaved. It would have been a lot better to wait for the DVD in about four months. We could have watched the movie in the privacy of our home, saved over $20, and had a good DVD for my collection.

Donn's rating: 8 of 10 stars
MPAA rating: PG

Phone Phobia

I have this problem where I hate to place phone calls. Receiving calls is okay. The burden of trying to explain who is calling is not on me. I will go out of my way to avoid making calls. Thank God for email, snail mail, voice mail, text messaging, instant messaging, answering machines, and smoke signals. I've looked at this psychological problem, and I think that it goes back to my high school days when I tried to talk to girls on the phone. I was not too successful in these endeavors. A typical conversation might have gone like this:

"Hi, (girl's name)?"
"Yes, who is this?"
"It's Donn."
"Who?"
"You know, Donn from your math class. I sit a couple of rows behind you."
"Oh, Dan. Hi."
"Not Dan. Donn."
"Who?"

You see, it is not my fault.

A couple of weeks ago I saw a flyer in the church bulletin asking for help in our capital campaign. It asked for help in database entry. I can do this. I'm pretty handy with the computer. I really want to contribute to the success of our remodel. I happened to see the person in charge, Robert, outside of church. I told him that I'd like to help out. Only to find out that this job entails making hundreds of phone calls to parishioners to update the church database. Ugh...

I will help.

In order to grow, we all must learn to go outside of our comfort zone. Especially if we are giving of ourselves in the service to others and to our community. I challenge you to go outside of your comfort zone, too.

Sorry, Kansas!

This is what we did today.

Respect Life Message 12/19/04

"It has always been important that Catholics be involved in political life. Our National motto is: One Nation under God. We must as a people, defend the basic moral principles. In the Declaration of Independence we say these rights are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We acknowledge that the right to life is a fundamental right in our society. If we don't have life we don't have anything."

Archbishop John Foley, President of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, Vatican City

[My entry for today's bulletin of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Hermosa Beach, California]

Prayer to End Abortion

Lord God, I thank you today for the gift of my life,

And for the lives of all my brothers and sisters.

I know there is nothing that destroys more life than abortion,

Yet I rejoice that you have conquered death

by the Resurrection of Your Son.

I am ready to do my part in ending abortion.

Today I commit myself

Never to be silent,

Never to be passive,

Never to be forgetful of the unborn.

I commit myself to be active in the pro-life movement,

And never to stop defending life

Until all my brothers and sisters are protected,

And our nation once again becomes

A nation with liberty and justice

Not just for some, but for all.

Through Christ our Lord, Amen!

from: Priests for Life

Movie Review: Spiderman 2

Spiderman 2 was a lot better than the first Spiderman movie. A lot of it has to do with the fact that you do not have the need for as much character development. The film does a good job refreshing us about the important plot points from the first movie. An important theme in this film is about how the choices that we make have consequences. I like to see this theme portrayed on screen (or anywhere for that matter). We really don't see it very often. If this message were taught 'religiously' from infancy, I believe that we would have less societal problems (this is a topic of another blog entry).

The special effects are great. I never was looking at the scenes thinking, "How did they do that?" I took it all in as believable. Especially Spiderman 'flying through the city', and Doc Ock.

The relationship between Peter (Tobey Maguire) and Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst) is well done and well acted. It is not a distraction from the movie. In fact all of Peter's relationships with the women in his life are complicated and deep. As Peter struggles with his decisions of what to do with his life, we see how these choices have an effect on those around him.

This is not your typical superhero movie. If we are open to it, we see ourselves onscreen portrayed by Peter Parker and Spiderman; our everyday ordinary life and our potential.

Donn's rating: 9 out of 10 stars
MPAA rating: PG-13

Laura Ingraham Show

My favorite talk radio show is the Laura Ingraham Show. In the L.A. area you can catch her show from 6-9 am on KRLA 870AM. Check her website for a station near you. She is very feisty and funny. She mostly talks about politics, but she can handle any pop culture topic. I have gotten some good music referrals from her. Laura is a former attorney who clerked for Justice Clarence Thomas at the Supreme Court. She is (like Lisa and me) a recent convert to Catholicism. Sometimes she'll talk about things from that perspective. Give her a listen.

Laura Ingraham's Official Home on the Web

Movie Review: Big Fish

Lisa and I saw the movie Big Fish the other night. It was one of those films that we heard nothing about during its theatrical release. We did not know what to expect. The only reason that I picked it was because I have always liked Director Tim Burton movies. Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands (ahhh Winona), three Batman movies, Ed Wood, Mars Attacks!, and (yes, really) Pee Wee's Big Adventure are among the movies that I have enjoyed.

At the end of this movie we both felt that this was his best movie. I don't want to give away any of the details of the film. I'd like you to see the movie with the fresh eyes and 'no expectations' that I saw the film. There is one scene where the main character Edward (Ewan McGregor) is shoveling elephant 'stuff' and the elephant takes a dump (off-script I have learned). The camera continues to roll and Ewan continues to 'act'. It's a great scene.

You will not be disappointed watching this modern-day fairytale.

Donn's rating: 9 of 10 stars
MPAA rating: PG-13

Bad Beat

I had a really bad beat playing Texas Hold 'Em online yesterday. Luckily, I was only playing a $1/$2 table. I was dealt AQ. The flop came 10-10-A. I think that 4 or 5 players stayed in after this betting round. I had a good hand. Had to be careful of a set of 10s, though. The turn card was a Q. My hand was now stronger because I beat two-pair As and 10s. Still had to be careful of trip' 10s. The river was another Ace! I had the nut full house (AAAQQ)! Now I beat anyone with a 10 (TTTAA) or the last Ace (AAATT). I re-raised and we capped the betting. There was close to $70 in the pot. This one would be sweet...

I lost to four-of-a-kind 10s. Ouch.

Respect Life Message 12/12/04

Right now, there is a bill being drafted in the California Legislature that will allow for physician-assisted suicide in the state. The Catholic Church teaches that we respect life from conception to natural death. We must stay informed and vigilent as this bill moves forward. The sponsors of the bill are Patty Berg and Lloyd Levine. For more information on the issue of assisted suicide/euthanasia, please see: U.S.C.C.B. - Pro Life Activities

[My entry for today's bulletin of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Hermosa Beach. I really wanted to emphasize the fact that the two sponsors of the bill are Democrats, but I restrained myself]

A Good Book: Angel in the Waters

I recently received an email that showed this children's book. It was advertised as a book that, "will make your kids PRO-LIFE." While it could be an effective tool in the teaching that life begins at conception, it is also a very well written (by Regina Doman) and illustrated (by Ben Hatke) book. I invite you to take a look for yourself. Read the book Angel in the Waters online.

My First Entry

How exciting! This is my very first entry of my very first blog. There is a lot of pressure here to determine what subject I should write about. I need to try to write about something that will have a lot of meaning, say, in twenty or thirty years. I could write about politics. We just had the Presidential Election a month ago. Nah, that would be too divisive. I could write about the trials and tribulations of being a home-schooling parent. Or, perhaps I'll write about Christmas. What it means to me as a fairly new Catholic. Or, what about sports? Will next year finally be the year that the Cubbies get to the World Series? I could write about my new hobby: Texas Hold 'Em. That could be interesting. Maybe I'll just write a little introduction of myself. Hmmm...

I can't decide. Oh well, onward to the second entry...