Pud at the WSOP – Day 31: Ironing, Writing and Leon

Day 31 was a day off live reporting duties and with it being a Saturday I didn’t have too much work to do. I do write articles on a weekend, but hardly any compared to during the week simply because the traffic is not there so it’s a waste of time unless it is a tournament report or some breaking news of sorts.

Woke up feeling refreshed for once, something that is quite rare these days, yet welcomed nonetheless. Checked my emails, published a couple of pieces on the UK & Ireland PokerNews website and made myself an extremely tasty spam breakfast.

Ran out of socks so it was time to do some laundry at the on-site laundrette. Walked down to reception to buy some washing powder for a dollar and had the bright idea to go down barefoot, not realising that the sun had turned the white concrete slabs into almost molten rock and I started to cook myself from the soles of my feet up. I tried running but ended up looking like I was doing some weird form of the 110m hurdles – I must have looked a right twat.

Headed to the laundrette, stuck my washing in, inserted the eight quarters and waited the 28 minutes it takes for the machine to complete its cycle. Threw everything in the drier, inserted another eight quarters (I’ve been saving them) and headed back to my room while the 43 minute cycle ran its course.

Why the company who makes the machines settled on 28 minutes and 43 minutes I don’t known, much like I’m not sure why I remembered it either.

Decided to keep up my role of house bitch by ironing all my clothes, something that took me over an hour. Watched some World Cup match while I tried to get the wrinkles out of my threads, can’t remember who was playing or who won. Must have been a great game.

Wrote a couple more bits and pieces, made some pasta and then hit a bad case of procrastination. At one point I was watching college baseball instead of completing what I wanted to do! In order to shake the laziness off, I jumped in the shower, got dressed and headed to the Rio for a change of scenery and so I could leech the internet for a movie or two.

Had a good chat with Ryan Spittles (Sky Poker pro) and Tony “Tikay” Kendall (Sky Poker), Lee Davy and got two-and-a-half hours worth of work in while Inception and Leon made their way down the internet superhighway to me.

Said my goodbyes, headed back to the Extended Stay, spoke to the Mrs and brats who’d had a good day, then sat down with some spicy beef jerky, buffalo wing flavour Ruffles crisps and some cheap rose plonk. Fired up Leon The Professional and got watching, munching and slurping.

I’d never seen Leon despite the fact it is from 1994 and ranked 27^th best movie of all time by IMDB. Have to say it’s a great film, but what struck me is how amazing Natalie Portman was in it. When filming started she was only 11 years old, yet her performance is nothing short of astounding. I’ve not seen many films with her in, probably only the Star Wars ones, and didn’t think she was that good in them, but fuck me she’s ridiculously good in Leon, especially when you consider her age.

Once the film had finished, and the last dregs of my vino consumed, I hit the hay in anticipation of having a good night’s sleep in preparation for covering a $1,000 buy-in donkament that could have up to 2,000 players in it.