Double Trouble with Prim and Harrier - Poker, Sports, Cooking, Gardening, Mixed Drinks and more

Originally posted by VorpalF2F
Do you really have to drop acid on Day 7?
Sounds like fun, but every week might be tough.
"Rest" and "Easy" sound like my kind of training.
Oh yeah, what is a "mile" 😁

For clarification, "LSD" stands for Long, Slow Distance Run. Many plans on Runner's World include one of those per week, which are about covering a large distance to help build endurance, rather than achieving a good time.

The "Easy" runs are kind of redundant in this plan, since we only have "Easy" and "LSD" sessions, but in other plans, like the 10K schedule I did two years ago, they are combined with different runs on other days where you are supposed to pick up the pace a bit during certain sections. "Easy", in this case, does not refer to the difficulty of the run, but only means that you are supposed to run the distance at a steady, conversational pace (i.e. where you would still be able to hold a basic conversation).

Since this is a beginner's plan, it only aims to build the stamina to run a decent marathon at the end of it, rather than aiming for a competitive time, so there is no need for those paced runs. Last year's half-marathon schedule worked the same way, and I was very pleased with my time, so I am hoping to achieve similarly satisfactory results this year.

And like in my previous training schedules, I decided from the beginning to not even bother converting those miles to a more familiar format, and instead used an online map to directly measure the distances on my jogging track in miles, so I can take the distances from my schedule at face value.

Originally posted by Harrier88
And like in my previous training schedules, I decided from the beginning to not even bother converting those miles to a more familiar format, and instead used an online map to directly measure the distances on my jogging track in miles,

Makes sense
I have a tracker app on my phone, and I can just switch units.
I have several routes plotted out — 2km, 4km and 10km

Living next door to the only non-metric developed country, Canadians need to keep both systems in our brains. Even worse when discussing volumes, since US gallons aren't the same as Imperial gallons.

But I have a really good calculator app on my phone that takes care of that when I need it.

Don't forget the charts of your energy levels, stamina, endurance, breath, pulse, time, avg speed!
I'm in the mood for some pie charts, so no rectangle charts, please! And make them 3d with shadows at 45 degree angle. 50 would be fine too, I GUESS...

I may have a slight problem giving AI orders to do shit for me.

Some heavy trolling here again.

Originally posted by nsavov
Don't forget the charts of your energy levels, stamina, endurance, breath, pulse, time, avg speed!
I'm in the mood for some pie charts, so no rectangle charts, please! And make them 3d with shadows at 45 degree angle. 50 would be fine too, I GUESS...

I did consider noting down my time for each run when I was training for the half-marathon last year, and made a couple of personal notes in the first few weeks, but eventually decided to discontinue them. I figured it would pressure me too much to compete with my own times, which is not really the purpose of the schedule. The time that matters will be the final one at the marathon.

So I'm afraid the only related graphs I can present are the temporal trends from the last three Trollympics.

Originally posted by VorpalF2F
Living next door to the only non-metric developed country, Canadians need to keep both systems in our brains. Even worse when discussing volumes, since US gallons aren't the same as Imperial gallons.

The gallons thing must be confusing, especially because I imagine it is not always clearly specified. I don't think I ran into this yet, I will gladly stick to liters.

One of the "freedom units" I am still struggling with is Fahrenheit, I once thought I should learn it, but decided against it pretty soon. Some people like how every step of 10 in that unit refers to a difference in temperature that can clearly be felt in the weather. I personally much prefer the clear 0°C cut-off where water starts freezing, which is also an easily observable phenomenon.

For units used in cooking, I find teaspoons and tablespoons quite convenient, but I always convert cups when saving US-based recipes. Spoons seem standardized enough, but I feel like a "cup" can be anything.

Originally posted by Harrier88
The gallons thing must be confusing, especially because I imagine it is not always clearly specified. I don't think I ran into this yet, I will gladly stick to liters.

We use litres here, and most of understand them quite well. And note the spelling. Even when USians attempt to use metric measurements, they'll convert -re to -er. A meter is a measuring instrument, whereas a metre is a unit of length.
This has led to the almost universal pronunciation of "kilometre" to rhyme with "thermometer". Even Google Translate's pronunciation gives me that pronunciation. Collins Dictionary gives both.

We grew up learning Fahrenheit but in school beginning at around age 12 everything was done in metric, well before the country itself switched over.

Originally posted by Harrier88
For units used in cooking, I find teaspoons and tablespoons quite convenient, but I always convert cups when saving US-based recipes. Spoons seem standardized enough, but I feel like a "cup" can be anything.

A cup is standardised as 250ml, but there are two distinct 1-cup measuring devices. The "dry cup" has a totally flat top so that you can use a knife or spatula to level it off, and a liquid 1-cup measure is usually glass and has markings on the side. Almost liquid measure has both — but the cups/ounces are all visible if you hold the handle in your right hand. Since I'm left-handed, I use the metric.

We have a kitchen scale now, so for some recipes, we use weight, rather than volume.

Originally posted by VorpalF2F
We use litres here, and most of understand them quite well. And note the spelling. Even when USians attempt to use metric measurements, they'll convert -re to -er. A meter is a measuring instrument, whereas a metre is a unit of length.
This has led to the almost universal pronunciation of "kilometre" to rhyme with "thermometer". Even Google Translate's pronunciation gives me that pronunciation. Collins Dictionary gives both.

I tend to prefer the American over the British spelling in general, but what makes it even more natural to me when it comes to liter and meter is that these words would be spelled the same way in German.

Originally posted by VorpalF2F
A cup is standardised as 250ml, but there are two distinct 1-cup measuring devices. The "dry cup" has a totally flat top so that you can use a knife or spatula to level it off, and a liquid 1-cup measure is usually glass and has markings on the side. Almost liquid measure has both — but the cups/ounces are all visible if you hold the handle in your right hand. Since I'm left-handed, I use the metric.

I feel that if I have to use a measuring device anyway, I might as well convert everything to more accurate milliliters instead of eyeballing fragments of a "cup". And I am aware that an actual tablespoon or teaspoon from the cupboard may not be perfectly accurate either, but it would be close enough for most purposes.

The same thing doesn't seem to apply to cups from the cupboard, and while I once thought that I could prepare a few cups that come close to the measurement unit, their shapes could make it difficult to gauge something like "half a cup".

In any case, I always convert cups to ml or grams, while teaspoons and tablespoons stay as they are.

Well, as you guys know: Running is not my sports! Just NO! Cannot do it anymore due to achillodynia, and I´m not sad at all! But I´m sure Harrier will do a great job! I wouldn´t .....

New kid on da block!

So, we got our little fun formats: Baby Peach plays PLO-tournaments, Bowser jr. plays No Limit Holdem tournaments and sattys, Wendy O´Koopa plays some freerolls on 888 ........

and now let me introduce: LEMMY!!

He will spin with me and be my fabulous spinner winner!! We will mainly play Spin Overdrive on PartyPoker but also some BLASTs on 888! Put a little amount of my BR on 888 (5 $), so we can enjoy spinning and have a BLAST! We play 25 ct. Spin Overdrive on Party and 10ct BLAST on 888, because .....why not? JUST FOR FUN!

Pics: Chat GPT 5, OPEN AI, 2026

Fun hand in one of my Five Card Draw SNGs. I'm on the bubble with a super short stack, picking up a flush draw in the BB. I only manage to improve to a bluff catcher, unaware that my opponent may be in a very similar situation:

PokerStars, $1.76 + $0.24 - 5 Card Draw Pot Limit - 200/400 (40 ante) - 3 players
Hand delivered by CardsChat

BU: 5,882 (15 bb)
SB: 2,364 (6 bb)
BB (Hero): 754 (2 bb)

Deal: (720) Hero is BB with A♠ 8♣ J♠ 5♠ 7♠
BTN raises to 800, 1 fold, Hero calls 314 (all-in)

Draw One: (1,834) A♠ J♠ 5♠ 7♠ 7♦ (2 players, 1 all-in)
BB (Hero) draws 8c, BU draws 1

Total pot: 1,748

Showdown:
BU shows K♥ A♥ 8♥ 5♥ 5♣ (a pair of Fives)
BB (Hero) shows A♠ J♠ 5♠ 7♠ 7♦ (a pair of Sevens)
BB (Hero) wins 1,748

If you are wondering if this was enough to snatch an ITM, there was also a not so fun hand moments later, where I pick up AA with a K kicker instead. I decided to keep the kicker, for some extra insurance in case my opponent has AA too. In this case, we would only have to hope that they won't draw a two pair or trips... or so it seems.

PokerStars, $1.76 + $0.24 - 5 Card Draw Pot Limit - 200/400 (40 ante) - 3 players
Hand delivered by CardsChat

BU: 4,968 (12 bb)
SB: 2,564 (6 bb)
BB (Hero): 1,468 (4 bb)

Deal: (720) Hero is BB with K♠ 6♣ A♦ A♠ 8♣
1 fold, SB raises to 1,200, Hero 3-bets to 1,428 (all-in), SB calls 228

Draw One: (2,976) K♠ A♦ A♠ 4♠ 3♠ (2 players, 1 all-in)
SB draws 3, BB (Hero) draws 6c 8c

Total pot: 2,976

Showdown:
BB (Hero) shows K♠ A♦ A♠ 4♠ 3♠ (a pair of Aces)
SB shows A♣ A♥ Q♥ T♦ K♣ (a pair of Aces - higher kicker)
SB wins 2,976

In general, the Five Card Draw SNGs are going well so far, with $14.28 earned over 14 games, four of which finishing 1st, and another four finishing 2nd, for 57.14% ITM.

Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for Badugi yet. two satties bricked, and so did three out of four MTTs, with the only ITM being a mincash without bounties. My exit hands were mostly coolers and spots where I put the chips in as a favorite to win, but I still think I need to develop a better feel for this game again after months of absence.

Nevertheless, it was a good, productive week, also away from the tables. Let's pick it up a bit next week.

So sick, Prim, you hit the Ten of Elephants, didn't you?

Originally posted by nsavov
So sick, Prim, you hit the Ten of Elephants, didn't you?

Gamblers gonna gamble

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step", according to a Chinese proverb usually attributed to Lao Tzu.

My big journey towards the marathon race may only last around 440 miles, if I have added up the numbers from my schedule correctly, not including the 26 miles from the race itself. Nevertheless, you have to start somewhere, some time, and today was the day - I took the very first steps of my marathon training program right there.

In fact, I decided to record them:

Maybe I will remember them when I eventually - hopefully - cross the finish line over here:

It will be the middle of summer by then, of course. A stark contrast to the chilly weather today, and the muddy track that once almost made me lose a shoe, it seemed. But that just shows how long the road really is.

There will be many more miles to run until I am ready. One step at a time...

Wow that Marathon idea is absolutely amazing. I wish i would have time for something like that but one day i might gonna do it too.

Originally posted by MichaelCheckson
Wow that Marathon idea is absolutely amazing. I wish i would have time for something like that but one day i might gonna do it too.

Finding time for your training can be a genuine challenge when you are preparing for a marathon, especially if you are working full time with inconvenient shifts. With my six hours a day shifts, it shouldn't be much of a problem, but other sports may have to be put on halt.

Unless you are an experienced runner already, I would recommend going for shorter distances first, though.

Strict about Lent but still craving for a burger? We might be able to arrange something...

I will try to make "bean burgers", and to be honest, I was introduced to them through one of the cooking games I like to play with Prim on Steam. I found this recipe, and I will be using it as a very loose reference.

So we need some black beans...

Both cans? I was aiming for two burgers, and I figured that one can may not be enough, while two cans will most likely be too much. I still decided to go with two.

Add onions, garlic, cumin, balsamic vinegar and some leftover soy sauce (from the last time we had takeout sushi).

The next step is to get a potato masher, realize that this bowl is way too small, and transfer it into a bigger one, thereby doubling the cleanup effort.

The mixture is supposed to be more firm than that. I could have mashed it some more, or put it in the fridge for a while...

...but I thought "screw it", and simply slapped the mixture on like pancake batter, hoping that it will come together during the cooking process.

Didn't turn out very well at all. I had trouble flipping these things, they were basically just mush. Also, I made way too much, should have stuck to one can.

Let's make the most of it...

More like a Sloppy Joe than a burger. I added some avocado and onions...

...and then some lettuce and mayonnaise.

Looks like a burger, and the taste wasn't even too bad, but yeah, the patties were mostly just mush.

In fact, I decided to put the rest of the mixture on some store-bought lavash instead.

How do you fold these things anyway? Oh well...

I guess the lesson to be learned is to just keep it real. Eat veggies, or eat meat, but don't just mash some veggies into a mush and pretend it's meat.

Maybe Prim can whip up something better using the provided recipe, she seems to be a better cook than me anyway.

Badugi continues to finish agonizingly close to ITM, but good efforts alone won't help build that bankroll. We are now down $24.03 after seven MTTs.

Couldn't get any SNGs going this time either, but there was some success at the tables: As I was tuning in to the Twitch stream of my fellow mixed games player TonyW4rriorz, I spontaneously decided to open an OFC-P table, despite not having played in a long time. It went well, and it was even partially shown on stream in a rail session of sorts.

Since we had several people in the chat who expressed an interest in OFC, and Tony himself wanted to get into it as well, we thought that we could set up a few casual games next week, probably Wednesday, where the two of us would face off against each other. We plan to stream these games live without delay, and with audio commentary from both of us, so people without any prior knowledge of OFC can follow along too, and learn a bit about the rules and strategy.

If any of you guys are curious about OFC, or if you just want to see me play poker and talk about my game, you are very welcome to join us next week. I will keep you posted whenever I will have more details.

Not a big pot here, right in the beginning of a SNG - but I sure can hit, right?

PokerStars, $1.76 + $0.24 - 5 Card Draw Pot Limit - 10/20 - 6 players
Hand delivered by CardsChat

UTG: 1,500 (75 bb)
MP: 1,500 (75 bb)
CO: 1,500 (75 bb)
BU: 1,500 (75 bb)
SB: 1,500 (75 bb)
BB (Hero): 1,500 (75 bb)

Deal: (30) Hero is BB with K♦ 3♦ T♣ A♦ Q♥
3 players fold, BTN calls 20, SB calls 10, Hero checks

Draw One: (60) K♦ A♦ K♣ A♠ K♥ (3 players)
SB draws 3, BB (Hero) draws 3d Tc Qh, BU draws 3
SB checks, Hero bets 60, BU folds, SB calls 60

Total pot: 180

Showdown:
BB (Hero) shows K♦ A♦ K♣ A♠ K♥ (a full house, Kings full of Aces)
SB mucks J♦ J♣ A♣ A♥ 9♠ (two pair, Aces and Jacks)
BB (Hero) wins 180

Sometimes my opponents can hit just as well, though - and even pick a good spot to do it:

PokerStars, $1.76 + $0.24 - 5 Card Draw Pot Limit - 25/50 (5 ante) - 5 players
Hand delivered by CardsChat

UTG (Hero): 2,395 (48 bb)
CO: 1,305 (26 bb)
BU: 1,310 (26 bb)
SB: 1,530 (31 bb)
BB: 2,460 (49 bb)

Deal: (100) Hero is UTG with 5♠ 9♦ 9♠ 6♦ 5♣
Hero raises to 100, 1 fold, BTN 3-bets to 150, 2 players fold, Hero calls 50

Draw One: (400) 5♠ 9♦ 9♠ 5♣ 9♣ (2 players)
UTG (Hero) draws 6d, BU draws 3
Hero bets 200, BTN raises to 1,000, Hero raises to 1,800, BTN calls 155 (all-in)

Total pot: 2,710

Showdown:
UTG (Hero) shows 5♠ 9♦ 9♠ 5♣ 9♣ (a full house, Nines full of Fives)
BU shows A♠ A♦ 6♣ 6♥ A♥ (a full house, Aces full of Sixes)
BU wins 2,710

In spite of the setback from the hand above, I went on to ship that SNG, and managed to finish 2nd in the one from the first hand (both hands were from different SNGs, the only two from today).

So the 5CD SNGs are still not going too badly, though I have had some cold streaks. Badugi, however, is still looking really bad, my game is still terrible! There was one situation tonight where I even told myself before the draw to go all-in with my mid-to-high pat hand no matter what, because one of my main problems seems to have been that I folded too much. And yet, a confident re-raise by my opponent after drawing one in that multiway pot had me chickening out again. The hand went to showdown with another opponent who was still in, and of course, it turned out that I folded the best hand and I would have tripled up.

This bothers me, because Badugi is supposed to be the big "main game", everything else is mostly a side project. But if I continue to play this badly, I really have no business playing it at all. I need to finally get serious again! Absolute garbage performance.

While I try to get this sorted out, let's at least finish on a more positive note, with this nice hand from a quick OFC/P 2/7 game tonight:

https://i.imgur.com/jDpgtvP.pn g" alt="" loading="lazy" />

A short while later, both me and my opponent had some cool hands to show off, which almost cancelled each other out in value:

Yooo, straight flush! Non of those "gay" flushes that get messed up when Prim flops them!
Reading your misfortune, I am itching to post another Badugi win but I still have freezing problems on Stars. Probably the KB5084109 and KB5077181 updates are the reason. I just gave up trying to fix it.