Messenger = Blokkado; Back in Tampa

Well I'm back in Florida and the 3 weeks I was forced to spend in the UK was beyond depressing. I did manage to have a fun weekend in London watching NFL inbetween, but that aside it was extremely dull. Weather is high 70s here, I'll take that!

I close the condo on Monday and it will be fully furbished by Wednesday. It'll be another week after that until it's kitted out with all my stuff but it should be fun nonetheless. I'll be sure to post some pictures up towards the end of next week.

Onto poker and I have a decision that probably not many people will care about but I will print it here so everyone who knows me, knows. I have decided to pretty much block everyone I know in poker from Messenger (& stop posting on forums as an added extra, I get approx. zero out of it for my time), and nearly full stop from my life. Over the past couple of months I've spoken less and less to people in the same profession and the results have been astounding. I'm not going out and blowing ridiculous amounts of money, not being tempted by gambling and a copius amount of other things including actually WINNING.

Messenger is the big one though. The attitude of some of you people on there is ridiculous. If you're doing your conkers, on tilt, angry etc. TURN MESSENGER THE FUCK OFF. If you are online, people who know you may decide to contact you now and again. It's not exactly pleasant to message people who you think are your friends and be told where to go amongst other things. It's obvious you are not in the talking mood, so why hang around and bite people's heads off? Seriously, go and fuck yourselves you selfish bastards. I get people I know messaging me moaning all the time too, but I don't turn around and tell them to piss off because things aren't going well because they obviously want to get it off their chest and if I can help that's fine, as long as they don't abuse the priviledge.

But now, 95% of you can do one, basically. It's nothing personal, I have just realised I don't have time for the majority of people I know in poker. I used to, but your stinking attitudes have made me think fuck it. I could count the amount of real friends in poker on one hand and that's a stretch. The bottom line is I don't need you, and you don't need me. You are not my real friends and if you are, I will remain in contact with you. Otherwise you can hit me up on Facebook or something.

It's time to get ruthless and I am giving my full focus and energy to the tables and not the social/friends side of it. I have a life away from the game now and I don't have time for anyone who doesn't give a shit about my status and progress, which is safe to say, most of you.

Sorry if that makes me sound like an arse because I'm not. I've just decided that from now on, for the majority anyway, I am business-only for poker and nothing else. The handful of people that I conider my friends should know who you are, and that this doesn't apply to you. I'm not even sure of the status of this blog in terms of poker updates anymore, I'll have a think about whether I want to continue it.

Good Luck,
JPK

PS If you (still) want to contact me for whatever reason, you can do so via Facebook "Jonathan Farrer" in the Manchester network, or jfarrer69 at aol dot com.

Not much to report

I didn't make it 12 wins in a row but I pretty much broke even and then had a couple of small winning days. Not played as much due to my eventful London trip but the next week should see a grind before I head back out to Tampa to close the condo, the finances are all in place but some paperwork needs to be finalised. After that I've got to do the place up.. and I'm not sure if I'm staying for Christmas/New Year.

It's nice to have stuff other than poker going on as it gives my life a bit of purpose, sometimes playing poker all day everyday, even if you're WINNING, can leave you simply drifting. I'm beginning to diversify my time into investigating other investments and opportunities as I feel there's a lot to be made in foreign real estate & currency right now, but without grinding the bread & butter of poker I won't have any money to invest, so I guess that's where my loyalties lie.

Expenditure is going to be very small over the next year once the condo is kitted out (which will cost around $7k) so hopefully I can save up some money and look at other things. Or, I could win the big one and buy a place in 5th Ave. NY, or Kensington, London :D

JPK

PS Lewis - Thanks, appreciate it. Are you the same guy I met at the BF/Caesar's part at Harrah's after WSOP?

PPS Badger - online is okay to get an idea of housing.. but not Google... try Yahoo "Miami Real Estate", but it's all area dependant - I'd advise a condo over a townhouse due to the easier upkeep and the fact condos are far more trendy and easier to sell in affluent places which is where you should be looking. Tampa is 4 1/2 hours away so I can't give you specific advice but realtors out there are in a different league to the arseholly estate agents here and whoever you choose is likely to do a stellar job. It did take me a good month or so scoping out the place and referring to several trusted friends in the area to direct me to the type of property I wanted, both socially and appreciatively speaking. I advise your dad spend a while out there and buy in a well known area as buying out in the sticks may not guarantee a return on investment. The USD is only likely to rise in the near future, so buying within 2-3 months would be a good timeframe.

I did it!

In style, 4 successive 4 figure wins, 11 straight winning days, can't ask for much more after the run from hell. Going to shove another £10k in my USA bank account considering the SICK rate (which you can check here: http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/fds/hi/business/market_data/currency/default.stm), I already stuck $90k+ in last week so my money is really tied up, and purposely so that I can't go donking off on high limit. This run won't last forever but after such a sick couple of months, why not have a complete 180 the next few months?

I also had a nice surprise today when I was offered tickets to the NFL game at Wembley, so I've treated myself to 1st class train and a night at the Wembley Hilton Plaza. Good times.

JPK

PS New article will be up soon at http://poker.betfair.com

Bored, and extremely happy to be so..

The last two days I've played short sessions and cashed for a total of $4000 before coming off totally contented. I've won the last 9 days I have played. Bad news: I'm in England with sod bugger all to do. Could be worse I guess, since I'm back off to Florida in 3 weeks to my plush new condo (you can see pix, albeit a bit flimsy, in the previous post).

Really just amazing how things can look so bad you are destitute, and switches in an instant. I'm not sure I've ever had ten winning days in a row, but you can bet your arse I'm going to try and keep this run going whatever it takes.

Tampa Condo Pix

Back in the UK after purchasing a condo in Tampa, Florida, USA

Title says it all really. I finally nailed something down and it represents a good investment. I'll let you check out the pictures which will appear somewhere in the post, I'm not exactly sure where due to my poor editing skills, but anyway.. it's a one bedroom in what is known to be a very affluent area in Tampa, Florida named SOHO/HYDE PARK. Pool, spa, sauna, 2 parking spots within the complex and a storage unit (together worth $25k alone) for a grand sum of $203,000. It's what I wanted, so appreciation aside I am happy with it. Given there's a Publix (a more upmarket store in the US) opening literally 20 metres from the complex which should see the property immediately rise 10% I'm a happy chappy. Why anyone would buy in the UK right now, is beyond me, when this is what you have on offer for £100,000 (wherever the pix may appear..):

EDIT: I'll have to upload them later as there's a problem with blogger.com currently..

Poker-wise, the last 6 days I've played I've won circa $4000. Due to some other investments it has unfortunately not counted for a whole lot, but things could be worse. I'm really going to hit the grind the next month.

Regards,
JPK

4 winning days in a row!

Albeit small (that's what she said) it all helps. Won around $2000 over 4 days but it, as always, could've been so much more. Today especially I was robbed many times, but a win is a win and I'll take it.

I wouldn't say my confidence has returned, but I'm beginning to feel far more comfortable again. Hopefully things continue to rise, and I don't have a major setback in the near future.

Personally, I've got just over another week left in Florida before I (temporarily) jet back home. Condo still isn't sorted, but hopefully we'll be in the 30-day closing period before I leave, so that I can make a swift return.

Will probably check out UKPT Blackpool, and try and nip all these mates of mine that are cashing for $1 million+, Julian Thew becoming the latest today, winning EPT Baden. Well done mate, as I said, JPK is down with pink and brown! (And that isn't a sexual connotation)

Best
JPK