OK, from a life standpoint (which, when you think about it, is the only important standpoint), this year officially sucks. After dealing with my dad's progressing Alzheimer's, my mother-in-law's death, and various minor mishaps, I just found out that my 90+ year old grandmother has decided that she's lived long enough, and stopped eating. My mother-in-law decided the same thing and passed away less than a week after that epiphany, so I'm not really optimistic about the next week. :::EDIT::: My wife just called. Her niece lost a baby after three months of pregnancy.

SHIT!

This is un-freakin-believable.

Makes all this poker crap seem really insignificant. But in some odd way, it seems like an area where I can take some level of control... unlike life. Played three Party tourneys yesterday, came away with two second place cashes. Did nothing really remarkable in any of them, I'll study the hand histories for more details. I'll try and find a hand that might be info-taining. I feel I need an escape right now. Maybe poker will be that escape...