nka

It's About Time

2008-06-24T13:47:00.002-05:00

Going through airport security, I always tend to get stuck behind the 85 year-old married couple yelling, "WHAT? DID YOU SAY I HAVE TO TAKE MY SHOES OFF? WHY WOULD I HAVE TO TAKE MY SHOES OFF?" or the family of 42 trying to usher all their unruly children through the line.
So, I'm pretty stoked about the airport self-select lanes. This might mean that I can safely leave my house an hour before my flight departure and have no worries about rushing to my gate. Hopefully everyone who belongs in the casual and family lanes sticks in them, because I don't see very much patience for the leisurely bumbling traveler in the expert lane, and rightfully so.

Triathlon #1: Recap

2008-06-18T21:31:00.002-05:00

The water was COLD. The end.

Alright, I was also severely undertrained.

That pretty much sums up my experience, but I will explain a few more things in detail. On the way there (Minneapolis to White Bear Lake, MN) there were torrential downpours. This was coupled with the fact that it was 6 AM, and I don’t do mornings. I swore that if it didn’t stop raining, I would be spectating the race from the car unless I could get my wetsuit on prior to getting out of the vehicle. Even if my vehicle was a 747 without seats, this would be an impossible task. It did stop raining, for the most part, which improved my morale a small amount.

Let me rewind about 2 weeks. I have been attempting to do some open-water swims in Lake Nokomis so that I could try out my wetsuit, as well as get reacquainted with swimming in the lake. Unfortunately, every time I tried, it was way too cold. I could get in up to my neck, but getting my head in the water and actually swimming was not happening. So, I was dreading the water temperature and the early-morning swim in the cold.

The water was cold. REALLY cold. I even purchased this ridiculous-looking neoprene head cover. It didn’t matter. I don’t think I front-crawled more than 25 yards at a time. I doggy-paddled and backstroked, and every time I got my head out of the water I was super dizzy and disoriented. I even gave up at one point, and then changed my mind when the boat started out my way. My swim time was 22:30 for a half mile, which is quite a bit slower than my previous 2 triathlons (even slower than when I did a swim alongside whitecaps without goggles).

The bike was nothing special. My body was in shock for most of the ride. I finished middle-of-the-pack for my age group. I did a lot of cursing triathlons during these 40 odd minutes, and contemplated whether I should pursue a sedentary lifestyle full of good food and television.

The run portion was surprisingly pretty good. I had a personal best time for a 5K during a triathlon. I don’t think I received any style points for puking at the finish line, however. My time still isn’t anywhere near where I want it to be, so I am not going to disclose it, but if you are that curious, I’m sure you can figure it out.

I’ve got 2 more races scheduled this summer and have a few things to work towards, especially now that I finished this race. I need to be stricter with my training program and eating; I also need to focus on my weight loss goals, which was reinforced by this well-timed article. I have also learned that late-season races are probably a better fit for me.

T-minus 39 days until #2.

To The Woman Whose Wallet I Found...

2008-06-03T22:43:00.003-05:00

Yes, the wallet that had $300 cash in it. The one that also contained phone numbers and addresses for all of the important people in your life. Government Health Care cards. Social security numbers. Photo IDs. Layaway receipts.

I spent over an hour the day I found it playing detective in order to try and get a hold of you. I went to the extent of reverse checking phone numbers for addresses and names. After a week of spending some time every day, I finally reached your sister in Duluth who stated that you were hard to get in touch with due to not really having a place to live, and that you and your son have been moving around just about every week, but she would try to relay the message in the case that someone in the family hears from you. When I did hear from you, I offered to meet you at a mall because “you are terrible with directions.”

I too know the feeling of losing things such as that. It is the worst feeling knowing that your private information is who-knows-where and someone could be doing who-knows-what with your identity. It is a huge pain in the ass to cancel credit cards, get new ID cards, and piece together what else may be missing.

Had you offered me some cash for my troubles, I wouldn't have taken it; you clearly need it more than me.

To the woman whose wallet I found: A simple thank you will go a long way.

How To Pack For Snowboarding, Surfing, and 50 Degree Tourism

2008-04-21T10:59:00.006-05:00

I thought I would share my packing job. I am essentially packing for 3 seasons AND triathlon training, in my snowboard bag, which probably won't show up in Puerto Rico following a comment similar to "a snowboard bag to Puerto Rico? Someone must have put the wrong sticker on it" by some baggage handler guy. And that will be the demise of my things for some time, I am sure of it.
I am impressed that I got everything to fit, but I better not buy even a t-shirt!

Whistler and Puerto Rico, Here I Come!

2008-04-21T10:41:00.002-05:00

I've been told that this is quite the odd combination for a vacation considering the distance and climate differences between the two places, but I am pretty excited about it. I've never been to Whistler, and I have heard that April is (surprisingly) a good time to go, as they still have decent snowfall, and the nightlife is amazing. Plans here: snowboarding, hanging out, seeing Seattle and Vancouver, (1 tele-board meeting and 1 tele-staff meeting), and hopefully meeting up with some people that I rarely get to see!
I've been to Puerto Rico when I was a lot younger, but don't really remember much of it. I rarely go on warm, relaxing vacations, so this will be a change. Plans here: surfing, drinking coffee by the ocean, island-going, the beach, shopping, eating good Mexican/Cuban food, and of course, margaritas!

And The Camera Saga Continues...

2008-04-21T10:31:00.003-05:00

A few years ago, I bought a decent Nikon something-or-other digital point and shoot camera. After having it a few weeks, I wasn't happy with the focusing (or lack thereof) even with the flash, so I brought it back to the store. I had bought the extended warranty (you know, the one that covers anything and everything except for camera disappearance) and assumed that they would take care of it. One week later, they hadn't found anything wrong with it and therefore couldn't help me. They next day, I stuck it under my front tire, revved my engine, and put my car in first gear, sending parts flying as far as 30 feet. Luckily, I was able to find the serial number! I scavenged the parts and brought them back into the store in a baggy. Clearly there was now something wrong with it. Well the exchange process isn't exactly quick; they actually had to send my baggy of camera parts to certify that, no, this camera could not be fixed, and yes, she is eligible for a new one.
6 weeks later, I settled for a Casio Exilim. I didn't have too many complaints until one day the flash just stopped working altogether. In the meantime, I had bought an SLR camera and put the point and shoot on the back burner. I recently decided that it would be nice to have a camera that I could put in my pocket, etc, and that I'm missing a lot of picture-taking opportunities by not being able to carry my SLR everywhere.
Thus, I am now back in the market for a new point and shoot camera. I've had the Casio looked at, and it will cost at least $150 just to send it in.
So, if anyone has an camera recommendations, let me know. I'm not too picky but would like decent zoom and picture quality.

Triathlons - Final

2008-04-14T21:21:00.002-05:00

I just registered for 3 triathlons for the summer. I lost out on a few that I would have liked to do due to procrastination, but these should be alright. I may add another 1 or 2 eventually, but finalized for now:

Manitou - June 8th
Chisago Lakes - July 27th
Turtleman - August 9th

Now, must train :/

The Amish: They Get By In The Winter Sports Category

2008-04-09T23:59:00.001-05:00

I was taking a bunch of files off of my HP laptop that crashed back in 1989 (alright, 2005), and totally forgot about this video until now. This was taken along my drive from Minnesota to Iowa for Christmas one year...

AAA: 1-1

2008-03-10T00:35:00.002-05:00

AAA has just redeemed themselves for me. My first experience was rather traumatizing, including no less than 8 phone transfers (apparently life is hard for AAA customer service reps when you need service in one state and live in another), 30 minutes of talk-time, and 90 minutes of waiting; all culminating in a near nervous breakdown when the woman on the other line asked me to once again repeat my address. Not exactly what I call great customer service. This was all for a 1.5 mile tow. I have faith that I could've strong armed my little vehicle that far with the adrenaline that was present at the time in less time than it took for AAA to take care of it.
Anyways, fast-forward to today. I locked my keys in my car (this is a favorite pastime of mine, but something I haven't done in quite a while) due to parking on the street, which I never do, and leaving my keys in my unlocked car, which I always do. I called at 12:10 am and despite not being able to find my membership information for a little while, I was quickly off the phone with a 30 minute time frame for someone to show up. I no sooner sat down at my computer to waste some time, and got a call saying that the tow truck was 2 minutes out. They showed up at 12:16 and everything was taken care of by 12:20.
I'm confident that I will use them for a 3rd time in the near future, which will be the tie-breaker on how I actually feel about AAA. Stay tuned.

Karma

2008-02-13T09:35:00.002-06:00

I hope karma takes its course with Carla Cherisse Pool, the sick woman who fatally beat a 4-year old child in the presence of 3 of her own kids. She deserves life in prison -- not the death penalty; that's too much of an easy way out -- and I hope all of the prison guards turn a blind eye while the burly women down in the Shakopee Prison for Women recognize her face and make her life hell until she concedes to death by repetitive beating and torture.

New Backyard Fixture

2008-02-11T23:29:00.000-06:00

(I wrote this post some time ago and was waiting for a picture at the time. I think it is still post-worthy.)

I may not have come home to a clean house, BUT IT'S OKAY... I now have the world's largest liability IN MY BACKYARD.

Pictured above is the ramp for ....

Boardercross / Pics

2008-02-11T20:35:00.000-06:00

I've decided that I'm too decrepit for any snowboard events that might get me too far off the ground (slopestyle, halfpipe) anymore, and there just isn't quite the rush with alpine events as with boardercross when you're racing against other people. I think it is something that I will continue to do; I'm already traveling to all the events, why not?

Some pics (I've got the white helmet):

Giants Ridge - Feb 1st

Also Giant's Ridge - Feb 1st

Hyland - Feb 8th

A Month in Review

2008-02-11T20:13:00.000-06:00

This post is a cover-all to bring me up to date from January 20th..

My last post was written from Copper, CO. I returned to the cities, unpacked, repacked, and spent the following long weekend at Giants Ridge in Biwabik, MN for a USASA boardercross and alpine snowboard competition with the team that I work with. Since I was going to be there anyways and have been thinking about getting into boardercross for some time now, I entered into that competition in my age group. I ended up with a 2nd place and a broken foot (nothing too serious, just teeny tiny bone fractures in the small cuneiform bones in my foot). The following (painful) weekend was spent at Spirit Mountain in Duluth, MN for more USASA comps. This past weekend was competitions at Hyland in Bloomington. Friday was boardercross, and although I wasn't feeling completely healed, we had established quite a rivalry in the previous boardercross races, fully complete with online polling. So, of course, I had to hold up my end of the deal. I took 1st in the first race and 3rd in the next two, mostly due to physical interference by an unnamed individual. Needless to say, I have regressed back to a pretty painful left foot. Pictures soon.
I also took a position taking over all Jeep Terrain Park Challenge events for MN (because I needed another job, right?).
Anyways, there hasn't been much going on except a bunch of snowboarding. No complaints here.

Week 1: FAIL

2008-01-20T23:44:00.000-06:00

Apparently telling the world about my training plans wasn't enough incentive to actually do it. This post is a little late, but the first day I was totally into it; 2 hours at the gym; followed my plans exactly. On day #2 I was heading to Duluth, MN for a week as co-director of the USSA Revolution Tour Spirit Mountain stop. I honestly thought that even if I worked 18 hours a day that I could still get in my workout. WRONG. My days began at 5 AM and usually ended around 1 AM. There was no room for working out. I am not saying this in a "I was busy and didn't have time" kind of a way, because I HATE THAT EXCUSE, but there really wasn't 60 spare minutes in any of my days. So that week was shot.. and I am now out west at another competition.. and have found enough time to redo my entire plan.

Triathlon Training Plan

2007-12-30T23:48:00.000-06:00

A little bit of background first...

I have had a gym membership for a few years now, but find that I have a hard time working out unless I have something specific that I am working towards. Last year, I decided to register for a triathlon 4 months down the road which would serve as my end goal. I followed a plan (overstatement) in a book that I bought, but wasn't super committed; I changed a lot of the workouts, neglected lifting more than I should have, didn't really change my diet, and basically decided that my goal was to FINISH the race, not to do well. Surprisingly, even with my crazy ass hours, I stuck to working out 5-6 days a week, which also equated to 80-90% of my plan hours. When race day came, I still just wanted to finish. I finished, and I actually did pretty well (even considering flat tires and asthma attacks). And, I hate to admit it, but I had fun. So, for 2008, I have decided to give this triathlon thing a pseudo-serious try. I have picked up a lot of gear since this summer (including a wetsuit, which I was laughing at people for wearing), done a good amount of reading about diet, lifting, etc, and have formulated an annual training plan...

Tomorrow marks day number 1 of my plan. As simple as it sounds, the annual plan is accompanied by very descript weekly plans and daily training/health logs. I went for the middle-of-the-road number of annual hours for a Sprint plan (or the lower end of an Olympic distance plan). I didn't want to set myself up for failure by planning too many hours. This boils down to 400 hours per year, which works out to a maximum of 12 hours per week. This seems a little overwhelming to me, but I know I can do it because I've made the time before. Once I have the plan finished, I will post it. Putting this out for other people to see gives me a certain sense of accountability.

The first week, the "transition period", is actually just a week devoted less to working out and more to mental preparation. But, starting January 7th, it's on.

I have picked a handful of races, all of which are USAT certified, so that this year I can actually take part in the ranking system:

Rochesterfest / June 29
LifeTime Fitness / July 12
Chisago Lakes / July 27 (finished in 2007)
Brewhouse (Duluth) / August 3 (finished in 2007.. not sure what is possessing me to go back there)

Ready, set, GO.

You Know Your Hand Is In Too Many Jars When.....

2007-12-30T23:10:00.000-06:00

Earlier today I was packing up my bag for a flight. Headphones; check. Blanket (our planes tend to lose heat at the expense of maintaining cabin pressure); check. Soda and munchies; check. Book. It was just then when I realized that in my 2 piles of crap on separate tables, I have somehow gotten myself into 10 books. Ten. I am not reading every single one of them cover-to-cover, but have started each and every one of them in some way, shape, or form, and am not done with it yet.

The run-down:

The End of Alice / Homes
HOLY DISTURBING. I could have been done with this book long ago if I didn't put it down out of disgust several times and then pick it back up a few days later out of curiosity. This one will be crossed off the list in a few days.

Mastering Digital SLR Photography / Busch
Gotta learn how to use the new camera.

We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families / Gourevitch
I have started this book 3 or 4 times in the last couple of years, but actually plan to finish it this time. It's about the Rwandan genocide of 1994. It's slow moving but good.

Inventing for Dummies / Bird
Not exactly the book I would have chosen for the purpose, but books in this area were hard to find. Does an alright job of untangling the deliberate unholy mess that is the USPTO and their policies.

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers / Roach
I know, you would have thought that I would have read this years ago. Not so.

Building Web Sites: All-In-One Desk Reference / Sahlin & Snell
The woman I work with wanted to give me the responsibility of handling the company website. Me: I know the very basics of building and editing web sites, but I REALLY don't think I'm the person for the job. Her: Good luck. So, I'm learning. I'm not entirely opposed, as I'm attempting to create something for my site, which is only existent (parked?) in the present for things I have planned for the future.

HTML, XHTML & CSS / Castro
See above.

Financial Planning / Lim
Enough said.

Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith / Krakauer
I saw a really cool documentary about Mormon Fundamentalists, and shortly thereafter had this book recommended to me. Crazy Mormons.

The Triathlete's Training Bible / Friel
I have perused through 3 or 4 triathlon books and have found this one to be THE BEST. Currently, I am using it to design an annual training plan.

After looking at this list, I realize that my pleasure-reading books carry a theme of morbidity, and that my other reads are of all spectrums. Maybe if my interests weren't ALL OVER THE PLACE and I concentrated on just one specific undertaking, I could actually excel in something!

P.S. It was the triathlon and financial planning books that actually ended up in my bag.

"I Ain't Never Seen Anyone Do That To a Wheel!"

2007-12-25T23:19:00.001-06:00

-Ken at Kwiki Tire, Hotchkiss, CO

Rock 3, Mazda 0. Ready, wrestle!

Watch for Falling Rocks

2007-12-20T09:45:00.000-06:00

I’m finally on the shuttle out of middle-of-nowhere, CO and am recounting some of the things I’ve learned while I’ve been here. A good amount of them I was already well aware of, but some of these words of wisdom have been epitomized in the last week.

Watch for falling rocks. I am no clearly no expert on what to do if you encounter a rock or boulder with your car, but I might be more inclined to pay more (any?) attention to these signs from now on. There is a possibility that this could preclude you from needing to know the rest.

Don’t sweat the small things, or moreover, things that are out of your control. I am a strong believer that people are able to choose their overall morale and attitude. Stressing out or getting angry (albeit warranted in some situations) really isn’t going to help any situation. It is more likely to ruin your day/week/weekend/etc. This was reinforced this past week when although my car was pretty screwed up and I was stuck in a strange town, I was thankful that my retirement plan and estate weren’t being allocated in my stead. Make the best of your situation.

Being polite and courteous gets you a long way (bonus: also has a positive effect on your disposition!). To name a few: free lift tickets, employee discounts, rides, free drinks, and people going out of their way to help you get what you need and get you where you need to be.

The concept of tipping well is akin to being polite and courteous. If you are willing to extend incentives in the forms which someone needs most, they are more likely to help you out as well. In a mountain town, tips are the bulk of many peoples’ incomes. This is a modest trade for the things you may need as a tourist.

On Encores

2007-12-20T03:39:00.000-06:00

I hate encores. Alright, they may have their place for bands just getting their name out—a strong indicator about whether or not your audience enjoys your music. However, for any show that cost more than twenty bucks to get into, it’s a waste of time. Of course your audience wants you to play more; they did pay to see your show. So, stop wasting everyone’s time, and just play your whole set list--straight through. Don’t pretend to be surprised when the audience cheers for more, and then pretend like you’re surprising your audience by making a second, more dramatic presence on stage… unless you are content with being a sell-out.

Why I Couldn't Live in the Mountains

2007-12-17T22:34:00.000-06:00

In light of recent events, I have spent some time thinking about the possibility of moving out west someday (or just staying here, as I was offered a job at Elevation Imaging today). I know I have always said that I would love to live in a place like this, but the truth is, I couldn't do it. The list of pros basically consists of 1 thing: being close to big-mountain riding. However, this is offset by my list of cons:

-I think I get more riding days out west by living in Minneapolis. I would be constrained by a job(s) in a ski town which probably wouldn't afford me a whole lot of time actually doing what I came there for. On that note, I would probably be working a strict schedule, and most likely full-time or more to make ends meet, neither of which are really my thing.

-I like the city. I tend to take it for granted when I am there, but realize how I couldn't live without it when I am gone. There are a couple of aspects to this. I tend to like the fast-paced environment of big city living; nothing happens fast in the mountains. There is also a certain convenience of being able to go pick up anything you might want or need at the drop of a hat. You need a card reader in Telluride? Or Mazda wheels and tires in Hotchkiss? Sucks to be you. That'll be at least 5 business days. You want a certain book or organic celery or maybe just some Chipotle in Minneapolis? No problem.

-Moving would suck, especially when you know you are most likely committing to a smaller space.

This list seemed much longer and convincing in my head, but I still don't think I'll be sold on mountain living anytime soon.

I Am Officially A Transient

2007-12-17T21:24:00.000-06:00

There are so many other titles that would have worked for this post, but I think that does a good job encompassing all the details of my present state. Pictures would do it great justice, but since I have unsuccessfully tried all options of obtaining a card reader out here, they will have to wait a few days. Stay tuned.

The pertinent part of the saga began last Wednesday when I was en route to pick up a friend of mine from the Montrose, CO airport. About 40 miles out, my pretty car encountered a boulder that had previously been careening down the mountain to my right. All details aside, my car was left undriveable. AAA dropped the ball and left me and my car sitting in the middle of the highway for 2 hours. Eventually it was towed, and we came up with a plan to get us to Telluride, the initial final destination (also approximately 100 miles from my car). I was pretty calm and collected during all of this (except when I was transferred to the 5th person at AAA, at which point I lost my head for about 10 minutes), and was determined not to let it ruin my weekend.

Fast-forward to Thursday through Sunday. The reason for our visit to Telluride was that my friend was competing in skiercross in the Jeep King of the Mountain event. Although he was just seconds from qualifying on Thursday, we still had a good time; the potential for early nights, early mornings, and lots of competition was substituted with a much more lax schedule of free-riding, live music, and alcohol consumption. Kinetix was a band that we were turned onto by a couple of people at the bar the afternoon before they played. I was really impressed. Michael Franti put on an amazing show (as always). I would suggest seeing both of them if they come to your neck of the woods. We didn't get much snow while we were here, but the riding was decent. There was ample amount of time spent at Tracks Bar (and Cafe). I think that pretty much sums it up.

Meanwhile, my insurance company was taking their sweet time getting the ball rolling for me to get back on the road. I was really hoping they would total it out. I even offered someone a few hundred bucks to set it on fire...

Anyway, Sunday comes (the planned departure day for the both of us) and I am clearly not going anywhere. We brainstormed and discussed my options a few times over the week, and they were not looking good. Usually I am pretty good about coming up with viable solutions to complex problems, but this situation was an exception. I opted for staying in Telluride, as it really isn't the worst place in the world to be stuck for a few days. I may have had a slight, very uncharacteristic-of-me mental collapse within the first 5 minutes that I was alone here, but have since dragged myself out of that rut, albeit still a little despondent. I have moved twice since our check-out yesterday. I think I am finally settled. If I have to haul around my ridiculous amount of luggage again, I might lose it.

There were some more bumps in the road, but for now I am waiting out the car repairs, at which point I need to figure out how to get myself near Hotchkiss (aka, the middle of nowhere, CO). I will be here, snowboarding, shopping, and hanging out until at least Wednesday. For reasons I can't elaborate on publicly, this actually isn't going to end up being a bad deal (knock on wood). Possibly a blessing in disguise.

Can I Borrow Some Tape?

2007-11-30T17:29:00.000-06:00

This year marks the first EVER that I have done any Christmas shopping prior to December. In fact, I have even wrapped 2 presents already, and am awaiting the shipment of most of my other gifts. I'm usually the one that goes shopping en route to family functions, shows up with newly-purchased items and wrapping paper, and am all, "Can I borrow some tape?". Every year since 2004 I have essentially been out of town the first 2-3 weeks of December, as I will be this year, so I am really excited to already have a handle on this. You'd think I would have learned about this early-shopping phenomenon prior to now.

It seems petty, but I'm celebrating my small victories.

Happy Thanksgiving, a Week Late

2007-11-30T14:03:00.001-06:00

I have been meaning to post about Thanksgiving.. better late than never I guess...

My plans were kind of up-in-the-air until the day before, at which point one of my co-workers and his partner mentioned that they really had no plans. So, like any good housewife (ha!), I invited them over for dinner, thus committing to cooking a Thanksgiving meal.. for the first time. I really enjoy cooking, but I feel like I don't have time to do it as much as I would like. I was a little nervous about a whole Thanksgiving dinner...

On the menu:

-Cornish hens (marinated in soy sauce, oyster sauce, and garlic; cooked with butter). They turned out really well, albeit holding up the rest of the food, as they took longer to cook than expected.
-Buttermilk mashed (red) potatoes
-Croissant rolls
-Fresh veggie mix (zucchini, peppers, broccoli.. I forget what else)
and..
-A homemade blueberry pie (!). I even made the crust. This actually turned out really well!!

(Yes, the pie deserved a picture. I was excited)

The food and the company was good, but besides all that, I feel thankful for many things:

-My family and friends and their well-being.
-My job(s) that constantly take me to see new places while doing things that I enjoy, and also giving me the flexibility to have a life on the side.
-My own health and ability to get around on my own, both of which I think I would take for granted if I had never had any setbacks or temporary disabilities.
-My dog, Mesa, who keeps me company at home most days. She was our second try at a puppy after the first one died almost exactly a year ago at 3 months old.

Summit, 3 months old, RIP!

Mesa. Isn't she cute? She's a troublemaker.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Supplementing My Prison Fascination

2007-11-23T16:55:00.000-06:00

This guy blogs from prison, which is reading material that is right up my alley. I haven't read enough to know if he divulges what caused him to end up there, as there are about 3 years of posts. I have, however, read enough to see that he has been in prison for 12 years so far, so I'm sure it's nothing petty. I'll be disappointed if there wasn't any dismemberment involved.

Anyways, this is even more interesting to me because as in most prisons, there is no internet access. None. He's got someone on the outside scanning his and posting his posts.

Relating Stocks to Snowboarding

2007-11-23T16:17:00.000-06:00

I ran across this article today, which is kind of long and boring.. but there was one paragraph that caught my attention:

"At the peak of the poker craze shares in WPT Enterprises, a publicly traded subsidiary of Lakes that operates the World Poker Tour, hit $25. They now trade at about $2.50."

Yes, I own some of that. I probably should have paid a little more attention to what was going on with WPTE day-to-day. I knew that I wasn't necessarily coming out ahead in this one, but was also unaware that I could snowboard down the slippery slope (this is just a picture of 6 months; the past 2 years looks like a bunny-hill slowly transforming into black diamond terrain):

Now, the question is, should I take my $2.50 a share and run, or hang out and watch it bottom out at zero dollars and zero cents, knowing full well that it probably isn't going to turn around?