Frustration.

For the first time in 26 months I am taking a day off simply because I don't like the thought of dealing poker. This has me slightly concerned. Hopefully it is not the beginning of the end.
Allow me to digress for a moment. After working for several years in a job (career?) that I learned to detest I made myself a promise. I can deal with a bad day here or there, but if it became apparent that somewhere near 50% of the days were unpleasant, I would quit. Don't get me wrong, I am not anywhere near that point right now but the fact that I want (need) a 3 day weekend makes me wonder...........

And now for some observations from the poker room:

• I'm told that a few nights ago one of our dealers got off of work several hours early and decided to play some poker before going home. This dealer lost her first rack ($100) in short order. She bought a second rack and struggled to get back to even. When she got back to even, she picked up her chips and cashed out. One of the players, who happens to be a former poker dealer and is currently a pit dealer on the strip, quipped to everyone at the table "this is what they do with the tips we give them, they take more of our money and that's why I'll never tip them again". Well Hells-Bells-on-a-Thunderbird. First of all, the playing-dealer hadn't won anything. Secondly, so what if she had? She put her money on the table and took a shot. If she had lost her second rack before going home would the complaining player toked her MORE for giving her money back to the players? Insanity. True to her word, I have not received a single $ from her since this incident.....and today she asked for a set-up while I was in the box. Perhaps a voodoo doll is next.
• Yesterday as I was pushing into a game, the players were playing musical chairs. I asked the exiting dealer if the button was correct. I received some smart-assed comment about me being Mr. Perfect or something like that. I started to deal my first hand only to have a player question the button placement. How the hell should I know as it's my first hand and I asked the outgoing dealer to verify where the button was. I HAVE to assume that the outgoing dealer did what he/she was supposed to do. Well, the button was wrong and I declared a misdeal. Big Sigh.
• Lately, no matter who I am pushing in the line-up I need a fill as soon as I sit down. My impression is that these dealers are so selfish/greedy that they can't bring it upon themselves to get a fill during their down as doing so may cost them one precious hand/one precious toke. My goal is to always leave the box so that the incoming dealer should be able to deal for 30 minutes without needing a fill. Silly me.
• One helpful gentleman today delivered some wisdom from the mountain top. Son, push the pot and then move the button. Thanks, Guru, I don't know how I ever managed without this sage advice.
• Today I pushed the pot to the wrong person. It was heads up. Guy #1 opened his hand to reveal Jacks &Tens. The other player tabled his hand but muttered something like "I missed". He did miss....the fact that he had Kings-up. So did I. Sigh. I mucked the winning hand for the first time in perhaps a year. Fortunately I knew exactly how much was in the pot--$104. The loser didn't fuss too much. What could he say really? Well he could have cussed me and threw a fit but he didn't and for that I thank him.

I wonder what I will do with my extra day off? I'll likely play poker. I must be on the low end of this chart. (out of context, but you get the idea)

PROFOUND RETARD.---v .13e-8 00 -07 IQ SD-23.7 - Cattell (Verbal)

SEVERE RETARD.-----v .29e-4 -5.00 25 20 SAT Verbal

MODERATE RETARD.---v .0031 -4.00 40 36 GRE Verbal

MILD RETARD.-------v .13 -3.00 55 52 Miller Analogies

BORDERLINE RETARD.-v 2.3 -2.00 70 68 SAT (old) Verbal+Math

DULL-NORMAL--------v 9.1 -1.33 80 79 ACT Composite**

AVERAGE------------v25.0 -0.68 90 89