Calistri's Corner

If you know anything about me, you know I’m frugal.  I like quality, but always at a good price.  And of all the possible prices, ”free” really works for me.  I thought about that this morning, as I reached for my blue and white striped Party Poker polo shirt. 

I realized for the first time today, that I could never buy or receive another ball cap in my life, and still have some to spare when they bury me.  I spent not dime one on my collection of poker-related caps, which now includes caps from; the LAPC, PokerSchoolOnline, South Point Casino, The World Poker Tour Goldstrike, PokerPro, The Poker Players Alliance, Jack Binion World Poker Open Tunica 2005, Bugsy’s Club, Card Player Magazine, PokerPages, and Team Canuck Poker.

I have shirts from Full Tilt, PokerStars, Royal Vegas, PokerNews.com, The Poker Atlas, Paradise Poker, WPT, Bluff Magazine, UltimateBet, and Doyle’s Room.  I have a really nice suede jacket I won at the WPT Media Event at the GoldStrike.  And I have a really sweet hoody that Grubby stole for me from PokerPro.

A little Bluff Magazine T-Shirt Trivia:  I had worked for the, then, fledgling magazine for a few months when I was about to go to the World Poker Open in Tunica.  I asked Bluff if they had some T-shirts I could give away.  They said they hadn’t gotten that far in their promotional department yet.  I got permission to make up some T-shirts on my own - using the white Bluff logo on a black background.  They went like hot cakes.  And Bluff loved the fact that Michael Bernstein wore his to a final table.  Bluff made up thousands after that. 

I have a martini glass and a deck of cards from PokerBlue.  I have a leather organizer, an umbrella, two coffee thermoses, a blanket, a watch, and tupperware from the Gold Strike Casino.  I lost track of mousepads, but my current two are from Full Tilt and PokerPro.  I had a bottle of vodka from the Venetian (long gone).  I have two bottles of Crown Royal from the Gold Strike (well not two full bottles). 

I haven’t gotten books as swag - but I’ve conned some freebies off of their authors.  I think I got four free poker books from Michael Craig - and he’s only authored two.  I’ve gotten freebies from John Vorhaus (no easy task as he is as frugal as I am), Barry Greenstein, Lou Krieger, David Apostolico, Nolan Dalla, Peter Alson, Marvin Karlins (Lyle Berman’s co-author), Mark Blade, Blair Rodman, Aaron Brown, Matthew Hilger, and Dennis Purdy - I’m sure there’s more.  And if I actually have to buy them, I of course write them off as a business expense.

Damn.  If there was no poker, I’d have nothing to wear but my Stetson and nothing to read but Harry Potter. 

BTW- Don’t forget to stop by and wish Wil Wheaton a happy birthday.             

This entry was posted on Monday, July 30th, 2007 at 11:11 am and is filed under Uncategorized.