JenLeoLIVE!

I love my new phone - BlackJack II

Goodbye Palm Treo! And good riddance!

I got the BlackJack II this weekend and I couldn't be happier (unless I could figure out how to blog on Word Press with it). I downloaded the Opera.mini - but just like with my Palm - the WP admin to the LAT Travel Blog is all squished to the left and you have to scroll FOREVER down the screen to get to a text body area. I wonder if I'm doing something wrong...I don't think I can use TypePad on it either. It's got Windows Mobile 6 - so maybe. It would be so great if I could mo-blog. There's got to be a way - there just has to!

However, I bought the BlackJack II because my boss at MobiTV just got it and raved about it. The engineers (and the AT&T customer service guy) recommended it over the AT&T Tilt. Whatever phone I get has to be able to show off MobiTV - and the Blackjack II does for sure. My MobiTV is jamming! There's very little "stop and reload" time like my last phone had. I can't wait to brag to my uncles about it because you can get ESPN and watch live pro and college basketball on it. They will be so jealous.

I can check my email on it much easier too. Texting so far is easy peasy. I just wish I had a cheat sheet for how to work everything else. I took some pics, but then couldn't find them. And I haven't figured out the one click way to turn it to vibrate.
AT&T was not able to transfer over my contacts though and told me to do it through my computer. There's no way I'll be doing that extra step as I would have to install two different cds. So, if you call me, and I act like I don't know who it is - don't worry, I just have to store your number. Start calling me already - I need your number in the new phone!

CURRENT: Las Vegas
NEXT: Chicago (March 13-17)

Merry Christmas everyone!

Big hi and hugs from San Diego. John and I are staying at the Hotel La Jolla. We're on the 8th floor with a gorgeous view of La Jolla and the ocean. This picture just shows the left half of our view, there's actually a lot more ocean to the right. Yesterday the temperature was 74F. Ironically, neither one of us are looking out the window right now. We're at our computers plugging away.  I better tell John to turn around.

Blog redesign finally coming

Oooh I stayed up late last night working on my JenLeoLIVE! redesign. And then I couldn't get to sleep because my head was still spinning. I can't wait. I've been wanting this for ages and finally stopped putting it off. JenLeoLIVE! has been my personal blog but the problem is that I've neglected JenLeo.com. Don't even go look at it - it's 3 years old. So, now I'm going to make this a 1-stop shop. There will be a page for the books, the personal blog will keep going (and I'll probably update more because I'll enjoy looking at the blog again).

I even added a travel calendar so everyone can no what city/country we're in. And yes, that will include John's travel plans too.

This morning I hired John T. Unger (TypePad Hacks) to keep things moving along because I just couldn't get my head around CSS and what not last night. Our friend Bill with the great hair (who will play tournament blackjack but not poker at our home games) is the Photoshop hero working on my new header. I have to think of a really great gift for him as there has already been a lot of back and forth in trying to get it just right.

So. the bloggy blog blog will be up and going early next week at the latest, but I'm also begging for a rush job from John. Maybe I'll launch it first as soon as the header is done and then let him do his touches later.

Please tell me if you have any favorite personal website/blogs from a design standpoint. Especially if they're authors. I've always liked: Church of the Customer.

CURRENT: Las Vegas
NEXT: Seattle

Outsource your cleaning, thanks Craigslist!

I hired a "Girl Friday" to come in and help me in the house. Her name is Shelley and she's terrific. We have a couple problem areas - the office meaning my half of the office, and my closet.  I have this very bad habit of putting things in bags and boxes and then not dealing with them. Books, magazines, travel receipts, old make up, coins, business cards, greeting cards, hand written letters that never got sent - you name it. Sooner or later they end up stashed in the closet. The closet had gotten so bad I couldn't even walk in it. So, I started surfing around on Craigslist (household services) to see if I could get someone in here to take me to task. Two hours later and not only can you walk in it, but Shelley hauled off clothes and bags to Goodwill, the Mission, and a consignment store.

I feel great. It's the best $100 I've spent in ages (4 hours of her time).

She's going to come back after Thanksgiving but first I have to spend some time on my desk, DO the wedding thankyous (yes, I'm going to Hell), and finish up two backpacks that I didn't get to in the closet.

Man, I can't tell you how great it feels. Do it. If you struggle with organization, get someone to help you. If you can't afford to hire someone, ask your most organized friend and make her a nice lunch. Now I need to find a tech assistant to get all my computer, iPod, podcasts, Social Networking and blog headers running efficiently.

CURRENT: Las Vegas
NEXT: San Diego (Thanksgiving Nov. 21 - 24)

To L.A.: Simpsons Monte Carlo night + Queensbury Kings poker home game

I never thought I'd say it—ever in my life—but I can't wait to go to Los Angeles tomorrow. We had plans to go to the Nancy Cartwright's (Bart Simpson's voice) charity Monte Carlo night on Saturday and are now going over a few days early. John's got to take some meetings, but more importantly for ME, I'm going to happy hour with some LATimes.com web folk and our poker home game straight after. YAY!

I will also admit that my normally sunny self has been terribly grey. The psychic predicted the malaise (not depression) and said that I'm not laughing enough. As  I've had time to analyze it, I think it has a lot to do with a lack of motion (exercise), guilt from not having done the wedding thanks yous, and not enough social time.

Seems easy, do the thank yous, take a walk and make some friends without gambling $200/day. (Speaking of gambling as a way of getting out of the house, Susie Isaacs was at the TI ladies tourney this past Monday)

So you can imagine how excited I am to be getting a full day of it tomorrow. and this weekend. Woo hoo! Cured. Two plans + an orange popcicle. I need another...

CURRENT: Las Vegas
NEXT: Los Angeles (Thurs-Sun)

Wanting More (professionally)

I'm in San Francisco for a minute. We're on our way back from Washington. I wasn't going to blog until the renovations were complete but I'm busting at the seams with desire. I think I'm going through another identity phase. Part of it might be because of the new marital status. Even though John and I have been together for a few years, and serious from the beginning, I will admit that it does feel different being married.

Our "where are we going to live?" question consumes us. It'd be great if we could pass an answer to our geographical dilema, but you could say that we're domestically constipated.

We're staying at Harold and Jenny's. A visit with Harold is always good for the creative, if not entrepreneurial-thirsty, soul. He took an un-intentionally malicious crack at me being a professional blogger. Hello, I'm fully aware that blogging is not all that. It's marginally cool even and practically passe with several exceptions. I am really enjoying blogging for the L.A. Times Daily Travel Deal Blog. And I've been recently hired to fully renovate the MobiTV blog. But trust me, I want more than what I'm doing now.

I feel like I've got a bunch of knowledge and experience and kinetic ambition that is just building up inside of me and waiting to be released. A few months ago an interested literary agent was talking to me about a project that was pitched to me. I had asked her if I should tell publishers that she's my agent and she said, "Jen, you've got two agents that want to work with you, you just need to find your project."

This is becoming an overall sign on my marquis. You Just Need to Find Your Project.

I can't think in little projects anymore. Writing a book isn't interesting to me anymore unless it's a side-product of building an online community, a successful blog with video/pod casts, and is also connected to a two book deal and a TV show.

This is what I'm capable of. I'm capable of thinking and delivering LARGE.

Yes, currently I'm a professional blogger. People pay me to blog for them. And I like it. But it is unsatisfying unless I'm touring and speaking, building my own community, contributing inspiration and teaching others how to get their next leg up, and progressing myself and my project at hand to the next level.

Believe me, I'm thinking about what this next project/passion will be. I don't want to think too long as I'd much rather be in the middle of doing it. In a nutshell, the lack of being part of a larger online community is troublesome. But there are none that I'm eager to join, I'd much rather build my own.

 

CURRENT: San Francisco
NEXT: Los Angeles (WED)

blogging absense - on the road

I don't think I've ever taken an absence from blogging for this long. Usually when I need a break I just disappear for a week, but this one was two weeks, I think. Yesterday, I figured out the reason why. I don't like this blog anymore. I still love blogging, and I like that it serves it's purpose (when I write) - people know where we are. My family checks in, friends know where to find me if they really need to know, etc. But I don't like the look of it anymore.

John and I are in Washington on our friends' extremely big and beautiful cattle ranch. This is our sixth day here and I think we feel settled now. I just bought the tool I needed to get our pics from the digital camera into the computer, so there will be a City Slickers post coming soon.

Until then, I just wanted to let you know that we're fine, we're on semi-cation (working from somewhere where we should not be working) and that you can expect some visual and structural changes to this blog. Just a little redecorating. You know, wifely nesting things.

CURRENT: Tenino, Washington
NEXT: Seattle, Washington (Tuesday)

Breakfast poker with Eric Assadourian

Gambling alert RED (and hunky).

It is absolutely OK for me to gamble if 1) I'm winning, and 2) I'm chatting with a hunky Australian.

With no internet access this morning I left the room headed for the cafe. I had about $40 in red leftover from yesterday's Loss of the Mohicans episode at a $4-$8 table in the Amazon room. There were some people at the table games and I eyed the Texas Holdem table game. I figured I could play a hand and be off to breakky.  But I started winning, and then star Aussie tournament player Eric Assadourian sat down on my left.

We started talking about Oz and he made some great suggestions for our honeymoon including a trip to Hamilton Island and a helicopter tour of Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef. I boldly asked if he would take me to a bbq when I came out for the Aussie Millions and he said yes, but that was early on. He might feel more comfortable with that if I say hi to him a few more times during the WSOP.

We was a humble gentleman, said good luck on about every hand, and gave me advice on the math, too. I turned $140 into $390 and left after he did. You might ask what a pro was doing at a measly lame table game, but he was just  killing some time while he waited to have breakfast with his cousin.

He's definitely someone to keep your eye on this tournament. Watch Eric's tournament history on the Hendon Mob database groooooow. And if you see this, good luck, Eric! That was fun.

Great day, next?!

Thanks to everybody who called or came out for Birthday Poker night. It was a great day. Leigh and Brian have the bday photo here, and Pauly wrote about Mean Lucky Gene busting me out minutes after I rebought at the break. And I was so excited to come to Change and Pauly's table! Sorry, Matt, not much to report. We had drinks, some apps, and then I jetted back home to work and work and work. Still, I had a great day. The BBE is so consumed with WSOP work that he owes me a raincheck bday. He's lucky we're already getting married because I've broken up with guys for not giving me a bday present before. Then again, it's not easy to buy just any kitchen table.

I was in a good mood then, and I'm in a good mood now. Last night our friend Steve was in from Seattle. So great to see him! (We miss you Sarah!) There were at the Tilted Kilt with Jonno. I met them after a baby shower for Lady Chops and we proceeded to play a little Chinese Poker. This was the first time our Aussie hero had played, and man, beginners luck was a distant fantasy to Jonno. I ended up with $80+.

Right now I'm working on an article where I have to get stories from taxi drivers. It has not been easy so far but my final final deadline is Monday so I'll probably spend all $80 in cabs trying to get stories this weekend. If anybody wants to come with me, or knows of any Vegas cab drivers that run at the mouth—PLEASE let me know. I'll take limo and party bus drivers, too.

OK, that's all for now. Good luck to everyone who is playing in the 2007 WSOP. Don't forget to donate a percentage of your winnings to Bad Beat on Cancer.

CURRENT: Las Vegas
NEXT: San Diego (June 9-10 for a bridal shower)

Birthday Boot Camp! Birthday poker!

Well, word is getting out about birthday poker tomorrow night. I got a request today that one of my #1 fans wants to read about the party, so somebody make sure I follow through. Or blog about it so I don't have to. We're having drinks and apps at Isla, the shmancy Tequila bar at TI then chasing it with a poker tourney, $60 + $5. I was in over the weekend a couple of times (bubbled dammit!) and let them know I was bringing in about 10 players. Michelle, the boss who won't be there tomorrow night was still excited about it. She gave me a hat. Look out. Between that and some WPT cop-style sunglasses, I'll look like a bad-ass.

But the two best presents I could ask for came today. First, Andrew gave me the day off blogging. Woohoo! Then my trainer called and said that I could choose the work out tomorrow and then have everyone else do them but me. What?! No way. I haven't been to Boot Camp since before the Bay to Breakers so I chose for us to do beach volleyball again. But I'm also going to ask for ab crunches, boxing moves, some planks, and the reach for your ankles from a horizontal position one. Good for the inches.

Even though I still have to work on other freelance assignments, it's going to be a great day. I mean, come on, there's no way I could have as bad of a day as Miss USA had yesterday. Ooops!

Anyway, come on out to Vegas. Surprise me tomorrow. Just show up at the TI poker room at 6:50pm. Come on...what else do you have to do? Bring it!

CURRENT: LAS VEGAS
NEXT: Somewhere....seats around California are only $39 each way on SWA in June and July