Memorial Day Weekend

This past Memorial Day Weekend featured some great family events which I thought were worth mentioning.

The weekend started with the 2nd Annual All-In For A Cure on Long Island. A benefit for the NephCure Foundation which is run by my cousins Ross and Michael Levine and Brian Sivin, it is a Texas Hold 'Em Tournament which had over 300 entrants this year. While it's always fun to see The Long Island Levines (as I call them), I actually had some success in the poker tournament.

I never play, but learned a few tricks last year from Fresh. The highlight for me was a big pot when there were about five tables left. I had pocket aces and three other players went all in before it was my turn to bet. I also went all in and we flopped our cards. Cousin Brad had pocket 10's and I don't remember the other two hands. Brad drew a third 10 on the flop. Without a third ace, I would be out of the tournament. There was probably 30,000 in chips in the pot, if not more and there was a nice crowd watching our table. The turn didn't help me, but the player to my left said, "you'll get it on the river". Sure enough, the dealer turned over an ace! What a rush. Lots of clapping and back slapping.

I ended up coming up 16th, losing at the second to last table. It was a great event, and I am working on the 2nd Annual All-In for New Jersey.

Sunday, we celebrated my cousin Scott Rosen's 50th Birthday. The weather was amazing and Scott and Deb have a great house for entertaining. Again, it was great to see all of the guys, and everything was amazing. The Rosen Family adopted me years ago as we really aren't related. Keith married my cousin Nancy, but through Giants games, Yankees games, and concerts, we have become very close and Scott, Keith and Fresh are more like older brothers than friends or cousins.

Bringing my daughter Avery to a party is a lot of fun. She is such a happy baby and loves to smile. Everyone really got a kick out of her and she is very engaging. We really are amazingly lucky to have such a great/happy baby.

Anyone who knows me knows that family is very important. This Memorial Day Weekend was all about family. Aside from the events above, I also got to spend time with my parents, grandparents, siblings, close friends, and most important, my wife and daughter. A truly great weekend.

"It ain't no sin to be glad you're alive..."

JN