Tiltpoul
Posted by Tiltpoul
Feb 23, 2014

The very long absence from the forum, explained

Hello everybody who might remember me...

So I'm pretty sure it's been over a year since I've visited the website, but somebody emailed me asking about my absence. As I read through a few of the forum posts, I realize that being out a year a lot has changed, and some things have not...

I feel like I've actually made some good changes to my life. I'm living in Iowa now, in a career that actually has some sort of future. I'm seeing someone which is also wonderful. I've been gambling less, though when I do gamble, I tend to make a bigger trip out of it, though I haven't been to Vegas since my last posted trip in May. I have a new nephew who is adorable, and I'm getting to NYC as part of my job, so I'm seeing a lot of Broadway theatre.

Unfortunately, my luck on the tables and machines have not been as kind. There isn't really any good VP anywhere near where I live, so I pretty much have to stick with PGP and Craps, both of which have been particularly nasty to me lately. I was playing some tournament poker, but now my evenings are more occupied, so I don't really get over there very often.

I hope everyone is doing well. I'll try to post where applicable, but I feel so out of touch with current gaming laws and news that I'm probably going to have to absorb a lot before I'm a relevant poster. Please be patient.

Comments

Buzzard
Buzzard Feb 23, 2014

Did not remember you until I scrolled some of your threads... WELCOME BACK

RaleighCraps
RaleighCraps Feb 23, 2014

Welcome back. I had wondered what happened to you.

midwestgb
midwestgb Feb 23, 2014

Good to hear from you... how's Jumer's these days?

Mission146
Mission146 Feb 23, 2014

It's great to hear that you are doing well, Tiltpoul, I'm sure many of the longtime posters will be glad to read this update. You've been a well-liked and well-respected Member of the Forum for quite some time.



I'm also glad to hear things are going so well for you, except I'm sorry that you have to watch Broadway theatre all the time. (Kidding, kidding)

Doc
Doc Feb 24, 2014

Glad to hear the mostly-favorable status report, and please don't be a stranger around here. Don't worry about being out of touch on gaming issues when you post -- most of the posts here come from pure ignorance. ;-)



Unlike the previous poster I am glad to hear that you are still enjoying theater. My wife and I had a lot of fun the night you joined us at the Plaza for their production of "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas." (Ooops! Am I still allowed to say that title under the new rules here?)

Buzzard
Buzzard Feb 24, 2014

Melvin, played by Dom Delouise, was based on a real life TV reporter. When I lived in Houston in early 80's he was doing the

cockroach report on local restaurant health inspections.

OH, how the mighty had fallen !

Wizard
Wizard Feb 24, 2014

Nice to hear from you. Welcome back.

RonC
RonC Feb 24, 2014

Welcome Back!!!



Buzzard, Marvin Zindler was still reporting on "Sliiiiiime in the ice machine" and other problems with restaurants well into the last decade (he passed in 2007)...

Buzzard
Buzzard Feb 24, 2014

That's why I stopped Googling old friends or anyone from the past. Too many times an obituary pops up.

SOOPOO
SOOPOO Feb 25, 2014

Welcome back. See Kinky Boots if you haven't already.

Nareed
Nareed Mar 05, 2014

Hey, stranger! We missed you at WoVCon]I[, too (two?). Do you realize not one attendee ever ordered Cherrry Coke?

AcesAndEights
AcesAndEights Mar 07, 2014

Don't worry about being relevant :)



Glad to hear things are going well. I also go through spells of not gambling much, and find that during those times I'm not as interested in browsing threads here.

Tiltpoul
Posted by Tiltpoul
Dec 31, 2012

Happy New Year!

Hey everybody-

So it's probably been over a month since I've even visited the website. Part of it is because I know I can get sucked into threads, which makes me spend less time doing other things I should be doing... Part of it is I've been on a nasty streak of luck (though some recent luck has been helping) that makes me not want to think of gambling. Yet another part is that I'm still working like crazy...

So what's happening with me? Well, I took the new position, and I find that being on a computer to type or read is terribly annoying, so I like to play games when I'm on my computer. Right now, I'm addicted to Bejeweled Blitz on GSN.

Living in Iowa isn't bad at all. I've made friends and feel I have more of a social life than I had before. I still gamble, mostly at Jumer's in Rock Island. The place is pretty nice now, the games are pretty decent and it's smoke-free like all Illinois casinos. I'm playing poker again, which I miss. I'm about 3 hours away from Chicago, so I can get a Tiles fix if I need it (and probably will go up tomorrow).

As I mentioned before, if there is a thread I should be on, please let me know. When I found out Pinnacle bought out Ameristar, I realized that I'm pretty out of touch. I want to make a grand return to the forum, but I need a good reason! ;)

Good luck to all in the New Year. Feel free to PM me and say hi!

Comments

Doc
Doc Jan 01, 2013

Welcome back, even if it's for a rare and brief visit.



In the Casino Chip of the Day thread, I made this post in which I attributed a view point to TIMSPEED. Over the next couple of pages, he pointed out that my comment didn't apply to him, and I responded with an apology and some speculation that I was just confused and that maybe you were the one I should have been referring to. There was also a comment from rdw4potus, who said he thought I might have gotten it right on second try. It's a very minor item, but now that you're back (and if you return again), perhaps you can resolve the issue.

Mission146
Mission146 Jan 01, 2013

Happy New Year!



Give me a call anytime you're within a two-hour radius, you know the casinos within 2h of me.

AcesAndEights
AcesAndEights Feb 07, 2013

I feel you on the getting sucked in to threads...I have to make a concerted effort to NOT read threads that I know I'm only tangentially interested in (slots, VP, Pai Gow (tiles/poker) etc.), so as to not spend too much time on this forum.



Hope to see you around here and there.

Tiltpoul
Posted by Tiltpoul
Nov 08, 2012

Absence from the forum

Hey all-

As I noted in earlier blog posts, I accepted a new position with my company that requires WAY more of my time than my old job did. I'm also in an office now, where I was out in the field before, so I'm in front of a computer all day. Our computers are heavily monitored, so there is no web surfing for personal reasons.

I also am traveling more and I have less personal time. The time I do have I'm typically doing more social activities, including gambling, so I tend not to be on my computer quite as much.

Some of the topics that I tried to follow became shouting matches, and I felt the need to follow them less than I used to. I never was involved on the very engaging forums (like HB Challenge of Spanish Word of the Day). I try to stick with gambling related threads as much as I can.

I'd like to say I'll get back on more, but I probably won't be the contributor I used to be. If you read this, and feel there is a forum like I should take a look at (that I would like), please PM me and let me know. This isn't a goodbye at all; more just an explanation as to why I'm not the active contributor I used to be.

When I have more time, I'll post more about the happenings in my life.

Comments

1BB
1BB Nov 08, 2012

Duly noted on the PM request. Check in with us when you can.

teddys
teddys Nov 08, 2012

I'm in the same boat as you. My job monitors our internet activity. I hate the "East German" regime.

Buzzard
Buzzard Nov 10, 2012

Welcome Back. Not much new. Dan still thinks counters are cheaters. EvenBob is sulking because Obama got re-elected.

Finsrule still can't pick a winner.

Tiltpoul
Posted by Tiltpoul
Jul 28, 2012

New York City- non-gaming trip

So last week, I had my first chance to go NYC on a business trip. These trips will become common, for sure twice a year, and possibly up to four times a year. I've lived near Chicago, but never really was in a bigger city than that, until Sunday.

Without boring you with all the details of the trip, most of which are business related and I can't share, I'll bring up the highlights of the trip. First, I left on Sunday in the afternoon, with few delays in getting to LGA. I was kind of surprised to see LGA hasn't been updated like most modern airports, and as I got off the plane, it felt very cramped and dingy. Our luggage took a bit to get to us, but we got a cab (four of us, and all the luggage fit) and headed to Times Square.

Well, technically South Times Square, but we were only a half a block down and two blocks south of the real deal. Times Square is pretty amazing. The lights, the people, the fact that it's Broadway. I don't know what I was expecting, as I've seen it on TV a ton of times, but it was pretty great. For the record, I made it down the street pretty much every night but one. I could stay there all the time and watch all the crazy people.

Most of my days were filled going to various showrooms to look at all the Spring 2013 trends in men's fashion. There is a LOT of work that goes into bringing people the newest, hottest looks and it takes about a year to get there. I have a MUCH greater appreciation for the fashion world, even though I don't think I'll ever fully immerse myself in the "East Coast" trends.

Monday evening, I went to Times Square just to check it out again. I passed by the TKTS booth and saw Evita was playing on a Monday evening. That's pretty awesome, since most shows are dark on Monday night. It was on a short list of shows I wanted to see anyways, so I got my ticket. It starred Elena Roger, Ricky Martin and Michael Cerveris. If you like what a love child of Edith Piaf and Patti Lupone would sound like, you probably would really enjoy the production. It was okay... the book of the musical has some major problems they didn't clean up; for me, the movie actually does a good job, though it does sugar coat a lot of the bad things about Evita's life. The choreography was excellent, but outside of that, it was a forgettable performance. Ricky Martin was okay, FYI.

Tuesday, more meetings, with two notable highlights... The first: I was viewing merchandise in a showroom when I needed to make a phone call to my next appointment. I walked through the main room, where there were two people, one who was trying on merchandise. I politely walked through, but I couldn't leave the area, since I would get locked out. I stood off to the side, made my phone call, and walked back through. As we were leaving, we were told we had to take "a different hallway" since there was celebrity trying on clothes for a premier and he didn't want to be disturbed. Apparently, the guy was Oscar Isaac (idk), and I really upset him by walking through the area to make the call! Second: We went to a really cool restaurant called Buddakkan. I think I saw Susan Lucci there... okay, that's not as cool as I type it out...

Wednesday was a work day, started around 7:30, finished around 7:30. I did see the Ralph Lauren showroom which is incredible.

Thursday was another long day, but we got done earlier, so I was able to catch one show: Sister Act. It starred Raven-Symone, and much of the original cast. The show is pretty good. It changes A LOT from the movie, though you'll recognize all the characters. The songs are original as well, as opposed to using well-known songs. The performances were overall pretty good, and the set was INCREDIBLE. It's a pretty campy musical, some of which was downright ridiculous. Those scenes seemed to be the real crowd pleasers though. I think next trip I'll bite the bullet and pay the 200+ to see Book of Mormon. I love the music to that show, and it's really the only other show on Broadway I want to see right now.

Friday was a travel day, and it was a long one. The flights were delayed because the previous evening's storms kept crews up late. We had to rebook to a later connector back in Chicago, and that plane was late. I was carrying 2 bags, each about 30 pounds, so my back killed me last night. However, for a trip to NYC, it was a lot of fun.

I may have to go to a casino tonight; I didn't spend nearly as much as I thought I would in NYC, and I have a little extra left, though not a ton since I still have to get a move planned. Catch you on the flip side!

Comments

OneAngryDwarf
OneAngryDwarf Jul 28, 2012

Glad you enjoyed NYC for the most part. LGA is indeed a dump...although it's the Taj Mahal compared to the Delta terminal at JFK. I dunno if it will still be running the next time you're there, but if it is, I definitely recommend seeing "Jesus Christ Superstar" on Broadway next time. Some terrific music (the only Lloyd Webber show I really like, actually) and the pit orchestra does an outstanding job.

pacomartin
pacomartin Sep 11, 2012

I've been to La Guardia only once. I understand they want to tear it down completely and start over from scratch. Nothing is salvageable long term. You would think they would just close it and send all the flights out of JFK and EWR, but La Guardia is still bigger than Ft Lauderdale, and about 33% bigger than Chicago Midway, so the region can't afford to lose the airport completely.



Were you staying at Element, or the Comfort Inn or the Hampton Inn. Hotel advice is always appreciated.



Always see Patti Lupone, you can never go wrong.

Tiltpoul
Posted by Tiltpoul
Jul 19, 2012

The Big Transition... to Iowa

So I realize that in the past few weeks, I haven't posted as much and haven't even thought of writing a blog post. Part of that has been a time element, and part of it has been a really bad streak of luck that I've had that's basically made me want to give up on the tables and go to slots!

Anyways, the job is difficult, probably a bit more difficult than what I thought it was going to be. I was ready for the position, and I think once I get the hang of looking at the same numbers 100 different ways, I will be fine. It is really neat to have my own cubicle, my own computer, my own company cell phone, access to company cars for company travel, etc. All of these things will become burdens sooner than later (like being able to access my desk from my laptop at home), but for the time being, it's somewhat exciting and the day flies by.

As for gambling, well let's just say I've taken 2 steps back. The gambling options, while plentiful, are not always the best in Iowa. I retract anything I said about Isle of Capri Bettendorf or Rhythm City Davenport. Both places have gone downhill faster than I could have imagined.

IoC looks better (than it did 5 years ago), but they are really behind the times on nearly everything else. Game selection is minimal... one table of PGP, MS Stud, TCP and Blackjack Switch. One craps table open 24/7, one roulette table, and about a half dozen BJ tables. Another pit offers another craps table and more BJ tables. The poker room is almost non-existent, which is honestly too bad, because this is where I cut my teeth on the game. Oh, another thing; PGP max aggregate limit is 15,000, not including Envys. This is too low, especially when the top payout is 5000:1. They do push on three pair, though.

Rhythm City re-did their floor as well. The table games are kind of in a weird shape off to the side on the top floor. They have one craps table, one roulette table, a PGP table, MS Stud and then BJ (with 21+3) as an option. The crew here is probably more easy going than at IoC, and the colors are brighter, but the floor looks and feels really old. I always felt it was a hidden gem, since most go to IoC, but I can't endorse it anymore.

Jumer's Rock Island, on the other hand, has taken a turn for the better... much better in fact. Okay, well it couldn't have gotten much worse than that awful boat they were on. The poker room is pretty nice, and the table games offer the new Illinois standards (MS Stud, Texas Hold Em Bonus, Craps, Roulette, BJ). The floor is laid out in a circle with a bar in the middle. I really have to give Jumer's some credit. The only bad thing is it's pretty much out in the middle of nowhere. In reality, it's only about 4-5 miles away from the original boat, but it FEELS like a long distance.

I did get a chance to hit Riverside at one point too. It's in Iowa, close to Iowa City, though it doesn't feel too college-y, though it is off-peak time. They have some cool fountains up on the bar in the center that resemble Bellagio (barely). Games include PGP, MS Stud, UTH, Craps, BJ (with 21+3 on one table). It's a really nice place, maybe the nicest in Iowa.

I'm tired, and I have to go to work early tomorrow. Next week I'm making my first trip to NYC, so while there will be no casino scouting, there will be a lot of fun. I'm staying on Times Square which should be an experience.

Comments

Mission146
Mission146 Jul 20, 2012

The slots beckon to you, my friend, do not resist. "Resistance is futile." With a long, "I," at that.



In all seriousness, I'm glad that you are enjoying the new job. Having worked in hotels and having met all kinds of people, it is my opinion that Iowa has friendlier inhabitants than any other state.



None of those casinos have a Let it Ride table!? How are the BJ rules?

midwestgb
midwestgb Jul 20, 2012

Jumers is a nice facility. When en route to Chicago to see my daughters we try to pay a visit. Friendly Craps dealers.

buzzpaff
buzzpaff Jul 20, 2012

While in New York, please bring some rain back to Iowa. Next time at Isle, just for grins, ask to see rules for Blackkjack Switch. Laying 3 to 1 no rack card, Thanks have fun in NYC.

Tiltpoul
Tiltpoul Jul 21, 2012

buzz: Iowa has a very clearly stated regulation that rules for games are available upon request. EVERY state-licensed casino has to have this prominently posted somewhere in the pit. I have not seen rules for the game on the table in a holder, if that's what you mean, but they'll have the rules somewhere.

rdw4potus
rdw4potus Jul 21, 2012

No casino scouting in NY? You don't want to play slots in Queens or Yonkers? Booo! :-P

teddys
teddys Jul 28, 2012

If I were in your market I would make Jumer's my home base, too -- even if the revenue goes to Illinois and not the state you love :) They are just worlds better than the Isle properties.