Preparing for the best game I can play

I decided late last week that I'd be playing in the 80'ish player tournament today. It looks like I'll be carpooling with two or three other people.

I've been mentally preparing myself since Sunday. My preparation involves:
1) Playing no online poker. While I don't think I'd drag my online habits into a live game (I play them differently), the main reason I abstain from online poker is to get me hungry for the game. I want to miss playing, so when I do play, I play with all of my being.

2) Read good books on poker until I get bored. I all that knowledge to be freshly filed away in my head. While re-reading Harrington on Hold'em Volume 1 this week I found a big hold that had developed in my game recently. It wasn't there when I read the book the first time, but I've progressed to a point where this error comes into play.
Basically, it's a post flop move where I get too much money in and pot commit people when my advantage isn't big enough.
When I do read I make sure to quit when I find myself getting bored or my mind wandering off. If I'm not "chewing" on what I'm reading, I put the book down and re-read that section later.

3) No alcohol. This is part of a self discipline thing that I like to put myself though. I won't drink a drop until I'm knocked out of the tournament. My diet also becomes a bit more modest as well. I don't have any set rules on food, but I do try to eat smaller portions of healthier food. I don't remember having red meat since Sunday. I had ramen for dinner last night, and a turkey sandwich earlier this week as well. I don't remember my other meals though.

4) Follow the rules. Basically, I make an effort to do things properly. I use mouthwash and floss after I brush. I (attempt to) drive (closer to) the speed limit. If make an effort to put things where they belong. I try to get to bed early, or at least at a normal time.

I have no idea what I'm going to wear tonight. My normal poker attire is a long-sleeve, nice shirt. Last time I wore a loud Hawaiian shirt, to project a different image and so that people would remember me. Image is important, and I wanted people to remember to "stay clear of that guy in the loud Hawaiian shirt." I no longer feel compelled to wear an "I'm serious" long sleeve shirt to look like I'm bringing business to the table, so I'm leaning towards the Hawaiian shirt again.

Last night I went through Caro's tells again. I didn't pick up anything new, but it was good to refresh. I missed a lot more questions in the quiz at the end, because I couldn't tell what was going on. The answer would be "Call, because she's faking like she's going to bet" and from the picture I thought her hand was faking that she was going to muck the cards. Some of those pictures are crap.

Tonight I plan on bringing a couple beers to the poker game. I won't drink them unless I get knocked out early. I'm giving every one of these games my all, and you just can't be your best if alcohol is involved.
Hopefully I won't have the chance to give the beers away, as my friends and I will all make it to the final table. But it's nice to know that I'll have something to drink if I get knocked out in the first hour and have to sit around another four hours or so until all of my companions are finished.

I must admit, I don't feel as "in the zone" as I did early this month.
I was hyped to play a great game. Mentally, I was exactly where I needed to be.
Then my poker mindset got derailed when my wife asked me to cancel the game. I played some online poker and stuff that Wednesday to scratch the itch, then that Thursday my wife called me when I got home from work and said that my bud was there to meet me, so I should go play poker. I was completely off track, but I showed up (after taking my kid fishing for a little bit) and played as well as I could with the lousy cards that I got.
I tried to get in the zone this week, but stuff just isn't falling into place. I know I'll play a proper game, but I won't be bringing the confidence I would have had last time.