Feelin’ alright

It's been just over a month since Black Friday which has me in a bit of a reflective mood, as well as some forward looking thoughts as well.

First off, I deeply regret saying that I just had to cancel my appointment to attend the PPA Fly-In as a representative of the State of Oregon in Washington D.C. on May 24. As I said in a previous blog, I had to pull out of the Party Poker V Big Game in London last month because of a sinus/inner ear infection that is causing vertigo-like symptoms. I already had my flight booked and was ecstatic to be chosen. But my Dr. warned me not to fly with these issues and I paid the price last time.

I'm disappointed because for so long I've had the feeling that all of these actions are being taken against we poker players, but other than being sure to write my congressman as often as possible, I have long had a feeling like I could be doing more. When the PPA asked me to represent Oregon, I felt like I was finally going to take some real action. It has stoked a fire inside me, though, and I'm thinking about things I can do while still at home.

I guess I am among the minority that are not taking Black Friday that hard. A lot of course has to do with not having any financial issues like so many others have had. But mostly it has to do with having been so consumed for so long with an activity that isn't very social, and now it simply feels great to be away from the computer, getting outdoors and having fun. I have played more golf in the past 3 weeks than I did in all of 2010. It also feels pretty good to be more liberated in terms of doing things my own way. I got into poker for the money and the freedom. And when poker got to be so much of a job, I sure didn't feel free the way I did in the early days. I think what I have learned is not that I don't want to do any of the other things, but rather to be much more selective with projects I am thinking about taking on and products I want to represent. It's much better for my life EV if I keep it simple. Making a lot of money doesn't do much good if you don't have any time to enjoy things that make you happy. So I guess you could say my happiness level has gone up a bit since Black Friday.

Other than golf, I've been playing on Black Chip Poker. I am mostly poking around on low stakes games. I got a few thousand on there and started by playing some low stakes games and soon became frustrated. It is not easy playing 1/2nl when the money feels close to irrelevant. I liked things much better (obviously) 3 years ago when I was pissed when I had to play 5/10nl! So after a few hours at 1/2nl, I decided to just put my whole (Black Chip) roll on the 5/10nl tables and got snap coolered in 3 pots haha. After that, I pretty much had no choice but to play 1/2nl and so far have beaten up on those games pretty well to get a decent roll on there. It still isn't enough to play 5/10nl, but I may take a few aggressive shots just to see if I can get some momentum. Either way, it isn't a big deal. I am not planning on any poker income right now and any money I make messing around here and there online is like a bonus to me.

I hope everyone is doing well post Black Friday. I have heard some really sad stories, some positive ones and everything in between. I know this is a tough time for everyone, but things seem to be moving in a positive direction and let's hope that things will continue to go in the right direction from a licensing and regulation standpoint. I honestly don't see how we don't get a poker bill here in the next couple of years. Poker is just going to be to hard to ignore and there are too many people with power who have an interest in it becoming regulated that I just don't see it not happening. Some gave me a lot of flack for writing a blog a week before Black Friday predicting poker will be legalized in the next 2 years, but I still stand by that. I really think it will happen. Anyway, here is to hoping that I am right!