Rain Will Fall

As i refocus my life's work on meaningful and fruitful things it has given me a unique perspective on how out of sync people's value systems really are. For example looking at the subtle differences in cultures and value systems around the world shows how far we have really fallen. A look at a culture or set of beliefs in a place like Japan who focuses on family and the good of the people as a whole. In north america we laugh and moch people from asian because they live 15 to a house and take up all the parking for my brand new humvee or the new 5th wheel trailer.

 Have we every really stopped to understand how or why the people chose to live in such an less then ideal situation in the view of an american. Being sold the idea of the burbs with a white picket fence 2.5 kids and a dog named rex makes the idea of 15 people under 1 roof unbearable. Now think back to some of your most fond memories of a family gathering or a party with a group of friends. The smile almost beams off your face because you remember how good it felt to have the people you cared about most in one place.

Fast forward to being in the most crowded densely populated situation or area you have ever been into. It could be a concert of 30000 screaming fans,or new york city as the ball drops on new years eve. Imagine having that everyday no matter if you asked for it or not and you had no where to hide. The 15 of your closest family members under 1 roof doesn't sound so bad. 

The culture that we create for ourselves shouldn't be judged but celebrated daily. Each person's view of an ideal living situation is influenced in where they live. The expression "keeping up with the jones" is basically keeping pace with the people around you. Everyone trying to get just a bit ahead of everyone else to have that satisfaction of making it. Kinda feels like 

Our desire to make a good living and carving out a little bit of time for ourselves to enjoy the interests or hobbies that we keep. Family,travel,recreation are just a few things people work towards in there pursuit of there own tail. 

Why do we work ? Why do we choose the lines of work that we do? Because we are told to if we want to live like we have been accustomed to we have too. Is there any harm in that? Do 99% of the people enjoy getting up daily to run off to a career that they don't really like. Answering to a boss that doesn't really care about anything other then not doing anything.

We live in the world we create. If its 15 people in a house or a bachelor suite above a liquor store its the life we create. Now i am not agreeing with or condoning any of these ways of living but they are all temporary. Creating happiness in our lives is so much more then working or completing tasks. People identify themselves by the work they do, the people they are partnered with and the things they have. Life is so much more then things its about meeting that person who can influence your life for the better. Its the 85 year old man who is next to you on the bus,or the 8 year old little girl with her first bike. Spending 10 minutes talking to the people around you will add so much more meaning to your life and make you realize that there is more to life then things.

I remember hearing about a friend losing his job of 40+ years and he was completely gutted and had no idea where to turn. He was over 55 and left holding the bag with no savings living pay check to pay check having given his best years to a company that found him expendable for a younger more energetic person. We call it heartbreak and a life challenge the company calls it capitalism and a necessary move to protect the shareholders profits. 

Wouldn't you rather be in a place where you know no matter what you will always have somewhere to call home with people you love? How bad does that crowed house sound now?

Our value system is broken for alot of reasons. Greed is the driving force.

Make it a point to talk to someone around you today and ask them about something in there life. A life experience,a passion,a joke, anything of value to them. Do this for a few days in a row and you will start to understand how much happiness and how rich you become from it. 

Its really all in your hands. 

A New Approch

November 15 2011

I am working on a new approach to poker and life over the last few months. I have been on and off with playing cards and really letting my ego get in the way alot of the time. I recently read an article about a poker players look back at his growth in the game of poker. The article was basically talking about how little your really know about poker and how people play for all the wrong reasons. This is something that really struck a cord with me and hit home about how i have just been spinning my wheels for the last few months. I know i am a good poker player when i play my a game but i let alot of things get in the way of actually playing to my abilities. I think back about when i first started learning the game and having some of my best results both live and online. I was completely committed and engaged in the learning of the game. I knew i had leaks in my game but didn't know how to plug them all but i figured with alot of reading,studying my game and not making the same mistakes was a great start. I fast forward to what i do on a nightly basis when i play and grinding my few hundred hands out is the start and end of my poker playing. I tell myself and everyone around me that i am a good winning serious poker player but i have done nothing more then become a slightly winning semi reg recreational player playing for beer money. I watch my cashier screen more then my tables sometimes and spend more time analyzing my downswing via holdem manager then i do looking at my problem hands from the session.

Now that we have finally come to the realization on what the issues or problems are what do we plan on doing to change them? First off my mind set and attitude has changed so much from this summer when i was still grinding with the expectation of going pro at some point. Truly i can say that i don't expect to play for a living but i sure would like to grind a serious secondary income to what i make now. I feel that in my mind is a great spot to start and to grow from. I have accepted the fact that i have been playing for money only and nothing more. My new approach is going to consist of playing the best game i can daily. I will not play any "quick" sessions as i call them where i just jump into a game or 2 with no plan or exit strategy. I will use a methotical approach like i used to which consisted of a warm up-review of things i do great and things i need to work on, review of any key hands from last session that i can learn from, decide and commit to a game and set session time before first break, and set a stop loss or tilt threshold. I know with my new approach that tilting will become less and less as i grow but setting a threshold will help me gauge where i am at in my session.after my session i will review all marked hands and all hands i have noted,i will post one hand from each session for the first 2 weeks and then i will drop the number to a more comfortable number min 5 a week. I will start my sessions as soon as i am done my day job after a small dinner break and grind up to 2 hrs before a break. I will then do a review of marked and noted hands. i will work in a work out in the gym or some family time depending on my work location just to break up the sessions as a marathon session is a leak of mine. upon returning to my game i will play 1-2 more sessions with reviews after each one. I do not plan on a $$$ goal just a 2 week goal not to check the cashier and just focus on the game and playing my best every single session. I would like to start playing 1 live session a week tourney or cash just to get my live legs under me again. i know my live game is a big strength for me and i need to start using it as a confidence and bankroll builder.

Outside of poker life has been going well with me reaching a professional goal which i set over a year ago. My family and personal life couldn't be better which i am very grateful for but it took alot of work and alot of commitment from me to make it work. I have been working on some remodeling projects which has given me a new outlet for some of my frustrations which is nice. I built myself a man cave to chill,play xbox,just get away. i am still in the process of putting my office together but by months end it will be 100% set up.

till next time

be good to yourself and everyone