Harrier's Blog - Mixed Games & Mixed Drinks

Five Card Draw SNGs had a great month. Not quite as good as in February, but that's because I was still unemployed back then and had loads more time on my hands. ROI-wise, November was the best with 68.86%, beating the 50.14% from February.

Profit was also more consistent than in February, which instead relied on a couple of really good weeks.

Overall, it is finally looking good now again after the big slump in spring and summer.

Updated stats:

Stud also picked up nicely. It was the best month so far, actually.

Again, remarkably steady progress this month. Let's hope we won't have another one of those "neckbreaker" weeks.

The general direction is up. Looks like this format may not be hopeless after all, despite my failure in the MTT shots.

Updated stats:

Overall:

A Ship Is Coming - Day 6

Nothing drastic this time, we were just adding some small pieces here and there.

Could those 2x2 pieces be where the masts will end up eventually? Probably a little too close together for that.

You guys still reading? Don't be shy.

I had a strange dream last night, where my workplace added a bar section of sorts to their facility. Someone brought a bottle of Jägermeister, and the workers were gladly helping themselves to it during their break. Knowing about the new section, I brought a bottle of Drambuie from my own supply to add some variety.

Break time came, but I was still a little busy - besides, in reality, I rarely take advantage of the offerings at my place either, if nothing else to save on costs. Other people, who were heavily implied to be poker players and members of the PS-community, were sitting at a table and heard that I brought one of my own drinks, so they asked me if I can bring them something, possibly hoping for an entire cocktail.

Despite not having much time, I still wanted to help them out, so I went over there. I said "Guys, all I can offer you is some Jägermeister and Badugi, sorry". Confused, they asked "Badugi?", and I stood there thinking for a second or two, then facepalmed. "I said Badugi, didn't I? I meant Drambuie, of course!" They chuckled at my slip-up, clearly knowing about what I play since they were implied to know me from this community, and I agreed to bring a shot of Jäger for one, and one of my Drambuie for the other person.

I still had no idea where the shot glasses were at that place, so I went to ask that one colleague who I usually ask whenever I'm looking for some item at work, but she was in a phone call. Not wanting to butt in, but also not wanting to keep the people at the table waiting, I went on to search for it myself. The dream ended with me sifting through various different shot glasses of all kinds of shapes and sizes, and trying to decide which ones would be best to serve each drink in - while spending quite a bit of time on it, because I knew they had some special Jägermeister branded ones which I intended to use.

If dreams have a meaning, I highly doubt that it was that I should take more shots this weekend, because poker is still not going well. I will try to regain some losses in those standard games instead, and try to get some resemblance of a momentum going again before the end of the month, which will likely involve another Christmas break in some way.

A Ship Is Coming - Day 7

Today's step is a big one - good thing it's the weekend.

We start with some sub-steps to create a platform of sorts, starting with this piece:

We add some diagonal ones on top...

...and then add a little hook and some other piece and attach it all the way at the back of the stern. Those two black 1x6 pieces in the front are new today as well.

It's not very stable yet.

Other than that, a load of construction was going on in the hull, with all those white pieces being added.

At this point, I should give credit to the previous owner of this set, who seems to have kept all those blocks in excellent condition. Especially those white ones can easily get discolored if they are left in the sunlight. My own Legos from my childhood tend to be in much worse shape, in any case...

Those four holes between the white pieces on the side imply that those planks with the smooth pieces on top that we assembled earlier this week will indeed be intended for cannons, as I originally thought. Those little flaps could be parts of some room in the hold.

The entire ship so far:

Now that looks more like a ship now.

Originally posted by Harrier88
I had a strange dream last night, where my workplace added a bar section of sorts to their facility. Someone brought a bottle of Jägermeister, and the workers were gladly helping themselves to it during their break. Knowing about the new section, I brought a bottle of Drambuie from my own supply to add some variety.

I worked for a major Canadian brewery for a few years. Before I arrived, there was an on-premise lounge, where each employee could have two beer at the end of their shift. It was abused by some, there were accidents and lawsuits, and by the time I worked there the two-beer thing was gone. The lounge still existed, and beer was provide to visitors — but not employees.

In compensation, the company provided each employee with a voucher that could be used at any liquor store to purchase 5 dozen of their product. Nifty! I didn't technically qualify, but the manager that governed the system added my name to the list. My contribution? I wrote the program that printed the chits.

We need a name for the cocktail made by combining Jägermeister and Drambuie. I propose it be called a "Badugi" or perhaps a "Badugi Hunter"

Originally posted by VorpalF2F
We need a name for the cocktail made by combining Jägermeister and Drambuie. I propose it be called a "Badugi" or perhaps a "Badugi Hunter"

Now there's an idea... that combo could even work.

Though a Badugi inspired cocktail could also be a layered drink involving green, red, blue and black/dark liquors.

And that was a pretty cool compensation by your old company.

...and here's another idea: Drambuie Coffee. I stumbled upon it as I was searching whether the Drambuie and Jäger combo was a thing.

Simply combine 2 oz of Drambuie with 8 oz of coffee and top with whipped cream.

Sipping on it right now. A nice new take on good old Irish coffee.

A Ship Is Coming - Day 8

A more minor step today, I guess.

Those rooms in the hold now get a ceiling, though I expect it will turn out to be just the deck in the end.

And our platform in the stern gains a few extra plates next to it, though they still don't help much with stability yet.

Originally posted by Harrier88
...and here's another idea: Drambuie Coffee. I stumbled upon it as I was searching whether the Drambuie and Jäger combo was a thing.

Simply combine 2 oz of Drambuie with 8 oz of coffee and top with whipped cream.

Sipping on it right now. A nice new take on good old Irish coffee.
I still have not purchased the Drambuie I was intending to buy. On the cruise I had a rusty nail pretty much every night before dinner — at least once I had completed the 60-cocktail challenge. The hard part was to get them to leave the #$%@$ ice out of it.

Pretty much any booze in coffee is drinkable — Fireball Whisky is a possible exception. Certainly any liqueur along with Rye, dark rum or dark tequila makes a nice drink.

Incidentally, how to you categorize something like "Canadian Club"? In the states, they refer to is as "Canadian Whiskey" (with the -ey) ending. Whereas in Canada this and all similar liquor is called "rye whisky", but in the states, they have a specific requirement for rye, which these don't meet.

Originally posted by VorpalF2F
Incidentally, how to you categorize something like "Canadian Club"? In the states, they refer to is as "Canadian Whiskey" (with the -ey) ending. Whereas in Canada this and all similar liquor is called "rye whisky", but in the states, they have a specific requirement for rye, which these don't meet.

I'm personally not too fussy about it... I'll gladly just call it "rye" if it's Canadian.

I hope I can spend more time on "mixology" next year, as well as other stuff, including poker. One important step to allow that would be to find a better job with better hours. Unfortunately, I received a rejection from one of my more hopeful applications on Friday. There are several ones still running, but other than that, it's time to start looking around again...

Poker actually went all right this weekend, but no big wins. We still made progress. Let's see how we will fare in the following week, where I'm back to the dreaded late shifts. Honestly, if I could find another job that would offer me pretty much the same that I have right now, but without late shifts, I would take it without hesitation. The good news is that this will be my final full late shift week this year. The week before Christmas will be shortened, then it's finally time to take my first "real" vacation over the holidays.

A Ship Is Coming - Day 9

Today's step is a good one, because our Advent pirate crew finally gets their starting bankroll!

As you can see, the little coins even have denominations on one side (the other one just says "Lego"). Our crew starts out with 210... in whatever currency, but I'm sure you can play OFC somewhere with it.

We shall be trying to run it up, of course, but for now, the chest with our bankroll will be stored among those platforms in the stern.

We also had some sub-steps to build this little thing up:

Two of them, in fact, and they are inserted onto those spots on the side. Still not sure what they are about, but I suppose we will see in time.

I'm also not sure yet about those little grips in the hold.

There were also some other minor things. Here's our current progress:

When this one is done, you'll need two more to complete the Carol...

Originally posted by VorpalF2F
When this one is done, you'll need two more to complete the Carol...

Nice one, I didn't even think of that carol. But now you're giving me an idea for next year... even though I already had a Lego calendar based on another German Christmas song in mind. But yeah, the three ships are also a good idea, and quite doable.

A Ship is Coming - Day 10

It was December 6th, also known as St. Nicholas Day, commemorating the 4th century saint who eventually served as the inspiration for Santa Claus. And unbeknownst to many, St. Nicholas is among other things the patron saint of sailors, so it's only fitting that we add to our ship on his day.

Today's step is actually not all that massive, but I like that we now add a little chalice to the chest with our bankroll - possibly to sip on some Mojitos, or more fittingly, El Draques after our sessions.

Another noticeable improvement are those planks at the edge, so the deck is now connected, even though it is not yet finished.

Current progress:

Rough translation found here.

Who's the one playing Fantasy Land here?

A Ship is Coming - Day 11

Looks like we now get some proper flaps for the rooms in the hold.

We also add some smaller red flaps over those holes on the side. I think it's now pretty safe to say that this is where the cannons will go.

Our ship:

Late night update:

I did the flaps wrong! This is how they are supposed to be assembled:

They close a lot nicer now.

I guess that's the risk of keeping the ship in another room and doing all the steps by memory after looking at a PDF of the instructions.

A Ship is Coming - Day 12

Almost weekend... but work in our Advent shipyard continues every day until Christmas.

We get a few more sub-steps today, looks like it's about to get real here. We simply start with those flat pieces...

...then we add those bendable pieces and some smooth ones.

We secure those bendable pieces with another couple of flat bars...

...and then top it off. Note that the smooth pieces we inserted before allow us to bend the top part over.

The finished piece is inserted all the way in the back. As you can see, there were also plenty of other pieces added.

Looks like we're starting to build a proper cabin in the stern.

Not much going on in the hull, meanwhile. We only added all those flat round pieces on the sides.

Our current ship:

A Ship is Coming - Day 13

Our work on the ship's cabin continues. We even installed some proper windows now. Perfect for those stormy winter nights at sea. Our ship still needs some time until it will be ready for one of those, though.

We also added some bars on top of those round pieces on the sides of the hull to make some kind of railing, or maybe those are bollards, or whatever those things are called where you attach the ropes when the ship docks at the port? It's looking good, in any case.

Current progress:

A Ship is Coming - Day 14

We're at the halfway point, boys and girls!

And we will be making a fair bit of progress today as well, because we will finally insert one of our mast pieces.

We are also still building on the cabin, which seems to be our main construction point now, after the hull got largely finished.

Also, we're adding these flaps in front of the holes by the cabin. Maybe we will get some additional firepower there?

And to celebrate reaching our halfway point, let's invite the crew to our ship again.

We have our primate friend, whom I decided to call "Tilt Monkey", our parrot, who I thought could be called "Badugi" because of its colorful plumage, and of course our intrepid sailors, led by their captain who should probably have a name too. I thought of "Captain Suckout" - I think I may have even played against him the other day...

Together, they shall be sailing the seven sees with us, while still sticking to their four tables limit.