So I went and picked up new glasses today. I didn’t remember how awkward new glasses feel for the first few hours (or is it days?) that you were them. My right eye has NOT adjusted to the new strength yet. I hope it does soon. In other good news, I received my iPod Nano from PokerStars today, which is my first MP3-player. I’m hopefully behind on all these electronic toys. I’ve only owned a cell phone for a little less than a year, for instance, much to the amusement of all my friends - and 12 not-yet-teenage nieces and nephews - especially because I work with cell phone production. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had lots of cell phones around the house. Just not a number of my own, because I never bothered getting one.

So now I have an MP3-player, and I’ve downloaded about 2GB of music to it or so, including my full collection of Tom Waits albums. God bless Tom Waits. I bought most of his albums that I own when I got my first student loan check. I went straight out and bought 10 or so CDs that very day, which was about 25% of that month’s total budget. If you don’t know who Tom Waits is, you’ve missed out on something. He’s one of three performers I’ve bothered going to see live (and the only one I’d cancel any appointment for, should he ever decide to come to Sweden again) and… Wow. I say no more.

Tonight, I have the first of what I hope to be a fairly regular live poker night. It’s going to be me and four others only, for starters. Hopefully we’ll find a few more that are willing to play. The buy-in is modest, somewhere around $40 or so, but it should be fun nonetheless. Attending are:

1. Me (”the scarred veteran” if you’ll believe the invitation that went out)
2. A PhD in math (specializes in game theory) who’s only played poker once so far, but has no problems picking up the theory.
3. A psychologist.
4. A compulsive bluffer (self-admitted) and base player.
5. A village idiot (according to the base player).

My only worry is that I’ll get a headache from my new glasses. I do look forward to having an excuse to use my iPod, though, during the 15 minute walk over to the apartment where we’ll be. It’s a bit silly to be using it while sitting in front of my computer, and I crave to play with my new toy.

I also got Sid Meier’s “Civilization IV” delivered about three days ago, and I feel my poker playing will take quite a hit because of it.

Last, but not least, yay for weekends! Hope yours will be nice and relaxing, and may all your flush draws hit home.