Card Games: My New Major Interest…(For The Moment)

It’s been quite awhile since I’ve posted, and I know I hit you all with a couple of posts last month stating more upcoming posts. That of course wasn’t a lie, though I didn’t expect to have another large hiatus in between those posts and this. Well… it happened, but worry not, I’m back in this game! I would also like to say that I have a lot of great content coming your way as I came back from a couple of weeks in Guatemala this past week, recently left my job at my call center on a transfer to a different part of the company, and my adventures of being sick (again).

So here is where the whole Guatemala thing ties into this article: while I was out there waiting for some work to do, some people in my group taught me how to play cards. The first game I learned to play was Hearts. Though challenging at first, I caught on quite quickly and eventually we grew a little bored of it and they decided to teach  me a semi similar game, though a lot more at stake as well as some more complex additions (assuming you’re betting). The game is Spades, and I would classify it as my second favorite card game. Between trying to get the right amount of books each round, to avoiding sandbags, while also attempting to choke the other team out of getting their books; it turned out to be rather intense!

The next game I learned takes the crown as my new favorite card game, and really the only card game I’ve played since I’ve come back from my trip. Texas Hold’em. I’m almost a little addicted to it. Seeing as I haven’t had many opportunities to play against other people in person, I downloaded an App for it to learn more in depth the various hands, and to experiment with betting strategies… as well as learning to read other players betting habits. It’s not quite as good as playing with people in person, and there are quite a few dipshits that play the App, to essentially troll others by always by going ‘all in’ with their bet constantly even thought they have garbage in their hand.

Besides those assholes, I’ve gotten very useful experience as I’m trying to get good enough at the game to go gamble in Wendover, NV; with my friend at the low stakes tables for good fun; while at the same time hoping to not lose much money. I did have a chance just last night to play against real people for the first time in a couple weeks, just for fun, which was nice. The next major game I learned how to play is Rummy. I found this to be a challenging game as well, and it had a lot more going on all over the table which made it exciting!

Of course, I couldn’t have just played a bunch of card games, without learned how to shuffle better, and bridge (at least semi good). I was taught how to deal 21 and Texas Hold’em which actually assist me in understanding to those games more in depth. Based on my observations, I’ve determined that I’m a natural at cards due to my abilities to catch onto the rules quickly, strategize, and even beat experienced players whilst not just having a win handed to me. I’m most definitely still a beginner and I’ll remember to not get too cocky. I guess it was just a little bit of that table talk that I was taught (Do remember to be easy with that, I learned!)

Be on the look out for an upcoming article on my last few days at the call center after 1.5 years working there. Also watch for pictures from Guatemala, as well as my photos yet to be shared from my previous trip of the New Mexico, Southern Colorado, Arizona, and Utah deserts. Thanks for reading!

~J. A. Ross

© RossJ781.com 05/11/2016

 

Website Update

Hello everyone! It’s been a couple weeks since I have been active. You’re all probably wondering where I’ve been (all my regular followers mainly) and the easy answer is taking a little break. But I’ll give you the more in depth answer too: I was gone for around 8 days on a solo trip through Colorado, Southern Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. The vacation was both for leisure as well as for photography to post to my site to enhance my content.

I’m proud to say on the trip alone I captured nearly 2,700 amazing images of our southern high region desert, and many of them are usable for the site. Overall, I have nearly 3,000 photos with about 300 added from a political rally I attend in Salt Lake City, UT; and additional event’s including watching a friend’s band play live, and  from a bonfire I went to. I’ll also be writing more soon as well when I can get the time.

I also needed a break just from added stress at work. Being on a computer all night at home, as well as using one all day for my job kind of deterred me for a bit from wanting to post. But I’m now all rested up and ready to get posting again! This is just a little announcement that there is more great content to come and that I’m still out here. Also, there are still plans for a website name change and a also for a website upgrade to have e-commerce soon, with some of my photos out for purchase. More details on that when I get to that point. I may also change the website theme as well.

Stay tuned for more updates here soon, and as always… thanks for reading!

~J. A. Ross

Thought of the Day #11 – Oscars

I see a lot of people on the web bashing Mad Max for winning a lot of the awards; I guess some people don’t recognize an amazing film when they see it. Also, hats off to Leonardo DiCaprio! He’s an amazing actor, and human being for all that humanitarian work he does, as well as all the money he donates to charity. I’m glad to see his hard work finally pay off in the film industry! I feel that he’s different from other people in Hollywood, and truly deserves the award.

On a side note, I’m also hoping to see more movies recognized in next year’s awards that don’t just involve a bunch of white people. I mean, would it kill them? There were a lot of other great movies that got snubbed, and had outstanding performances (and involvement) from African Americans, Hispanics, and actors of other ethnicity. There were a lot of films that shouldn’t have even been nominated, and these other films could’ve taken their place.

 ~J. A. Ross

 

© RossJ781.com 2/29/2016

My Crazy Morning

*Article contains some strong language.*

The only way I can describe today…thus far, is ridiculous, absurd, and insane. So it starts off the usual. It’s Wednesday, so I had to drive to my parent’s house to take my two young siblings to their school. No big deal, I have to get up a bit earlier and go out of my way to do the task, but I enjoy seeing them so it’s well worth it. This is when it started though. I throw on my clothes, put on my shoes, toss on a hat. I grab keys, phone, wallet….shit! The wallet, where the hell is it?

I frantically search all the way to the moon for it. I ran out to the car, checked the kitchen, living room; everywhere in my room. “Son of a bitch!” I exclaim. I’m in a deep panic now, it’s got my driver’s license, debit card, military ID, social security card… where could it be? Then I take notice to a few socks lying on my computer desk (clean of course) and I get suspicious. I walk over there and yank them off the desk; they land on my bed.

It was a moment where trumpets should’ve been playing, while a ray of light shown from the computer desk. In all of it’s glory, there lay my wallet. I wasn’t screwed! Gleefully I grabbed it, put it in my pocket, and I was on my way. Now it was time to drive among the morons of the road. Someone in a minivan next to me really wanted haul ass, and the speed limit was 50 mph. They were creeping up close to me so I did what I do best to these type of drivers.

I unleashed my powers of trolling…oh boy did I! I pulled out the old Utah dick move on this guy. I only save it for those who are in need of it. Now, I was still going a fair speed; 5 mph over the speed limit, so it wasn’t like I was slowing them down much. I kept glancing slightly behind behind me with childish joy as they tried to get around. Sorry, not happening guy. This continued until I got to the light just before my turn. They finally made it, but at least this improved my morning a bit. I got a laugh.

Well, I get the kids, and my monthly Loot Crate (woo!) waiting at the house, and then dropped the kids off at school. Time to head home. I get there and ecstatically look through the Loot Crate to see what I got. Some Deadpool and Walking Dead items… not too shabby! I then went to shower, and prepare for work. After, I my wash hands, and I get breakfast ready: remainder of my Beto’s burrito, and some microwave pretzel stuff (breakfast of champions people). I proceed to get the sauce out of the fridge, after setting the burrito on the table.

The sauce was placed on a lid as to avoid getting it on the wooden table. There’s a few items near it that had been set there prior to picking up the kids; I don’t think too much of it. I go to wash my hands again, because I’m weird like that and come back to the deliciousness bestowed upon my table. Those items were now starting to make me a little irate so I decide to take them to my room. Part of one the items brush the lid the sauce was sitting on. I can see what’s about to happen, but it’s too late!

Sauce goes everywhere! EVERYWHERE! Some ended up on the other side of the room. Even on the hallway wall that wasn’t facing the explosion. “What the fuck!? WHAT THE FUCKKKK!!!” I roared as I proceed to go velociraptor all over the apartment in anger. I had to leave for work in 10 minutes, and I was fresh out of paper towels, and I idiotically don’t have any cleaning towels. Another highly irritated, “Fuccck,” escapes me. I scramble about the apartment looking for something…anything to clean up this insufferable mess.

I fortunately uncover three blue hand towels that were waiting to be washed. Alright, time to get them even more dirty! I fill up a cup and soak the main site of the sauce spill disaster. Water meets carpet and then I scrub into it vigorously to remove this dreadful stain as best I could, with the little time that I had. Speaking of time, I glanced over at my clock. Shit! I’m definitely going to be late to work today. Not a problem, keep calm, I had 30 minutes of left over sick time to cover it. Whew!

All three rags are now soaked and covered in sauce, and there’s a faint red tint to the light brown carpet. It’ll have to do. I finish off the burrito, and then open the microwave to get the pretzels out. Damn! Some of the cheese leaked out; fantastic! I shrug and devour them, throw on some new pants, and rush out the door to my car. I get to my stoplight and there’s large delivery truck in front of me. This means I’ll be even later as it drove very slow, and it was just a one lane road with no passing. More velociraptor screams for my misfortune.

I finally arrive at work and bolt into the door, and head over to my cubicle. I clocked in. As some of you may know, I work as a chat rep in a call center so that doesn’t necessarily help anything if you’re in a bad mood, while getting that one occasional ignorant customer. Anyways, I finally get logged in and get to work. Over the next 30 minutes I start to feel my feet getting a bit warmer progressively, around my toes. What could be causing this? I mean, I know I work in Mordor with how hot they keep the building, but I needed to investigate.

It turns out I still had a small amount of hot sauce on my feet and it was causing it it rash up. Noooo! Not now! I’m at work! I threw some crumpled up paper towels from our break room on them and called it good. They stopped burning for the most part. So… at this point I was pretty irritated up until my break and finally the beast inside was calmed with what I love best; food. But alas, it was over. This bullshit morning had ended and noon welcomed me into it’s grasp. Today is my Friday, and I have pulled through. Or did I??

Thanks for reading about my crazy morning, which was chalk full of first world problems! If you have any responses you’d like to add, just put them in the comments below!

~J. A. Ross

© RossJ781.com 2/23/2016

 

 

 

Website Update: Proposed Name Change

Sometime within the next week or two, my website will be having a new name change. It’ll also be implemented to help the beginning of a small business I’m planning to start up within the same time frame. I’ll still have implements of the current name input throughout the site, but it’ll overall have a new name, and I’ll be drawing up a new logo to accompany it. If you’re regular visitor/reader, keep an eye out for it! Thanks for the continued support!

~J. A. Ross

Sundance Film Festival 2016

Yesterday, Friday the 28th of January, I visited Park City, Utah; for the Sundance Film Festival. This gallery contains my choice photographs, that I took throughout my afternoon/evening adventure around the town. A couple photographs have a slight blur as there was so much movement, in one cramped tourist town (really only in the theater), and the fact, I must rely on using my phone for pictures.

I’ve also captured a group of people filming an episode for a show’s upcoming second season, including one lucky shot I got of the actors in an apparent drama filled scene for their show. I also attended one film titled ‘White Girl’. The film depicted the consequences of drug use and the mindset of invincibility, that many young people think they have. It was a very well made movie!

The director and the film’s producers came on the stage for a Q&A after the film was over, and I also had a chance to meet all of them. Very nice people, especially the director. They were genuine, and were very flattered when complimented on their film. The director is the the woman on stage wearing the black hat, and the producers were the two guys sharing the stage with her.

She is actually married to one of the producers. The other lady that is shown on stage, is one of the director’s managing the film festival. Also, as shown in one of my photos, I was able to have my film ticket signed by the director. I wish them luck in getting their film widely released, as it is her debut. Enjoy the photos!

~J. A. Ross