Poker, Beer and Life

I'm off for a couple days. Slept late, did some chores around the house, even some landscaping work in the backyard. Tonight I treated myself to a six pack of beer after dinner. I don't usually drink that much, but since I'm not working tomorrow, I thought I might just chill a little. Listen to some music, play some poker.

I finished the beer a couple hours ago, tried to get to bed, but couldn't sleep.

So I'm back up at my desk. I'm a little annoyed with myself because I have a long list of projects to take care of, and I know I will be tired in the morning.

I'm all for having fun and enjoying life, but as much as I love drinking beer, playing poker and listening to music, I can think of some things I might have enjoyed more.

At my age I don't like wasting time anymore, and that's what I felt I did tonight.

Maybe if I had played better I would have felt differently. I know I would have because I played rather poorly.

I didn't get very good cards and over time I became impatient which is a sin in poker. The cards don't go your way, you start thinking the dealer owes you, and then instead of putting your money in when you are ahead, you gamble and the cards still don't hit you.

I am not a big gambler. In fact, I am not a gambler. (At least not when I play smart). I play poker mostly as an exercise in discipline, but I did not have the discipline tonight. Blame the beer I guess. I actually like playing sometimes while drinking because it is test to see how you can handle yourself under adversity. Can you stay focused, even when distracted?

Not tonight.

It seems to me in life, you can be anything you want to be. You just have to put your mind to it and commit. You can't get lazy, you can't be undisciplined and you can never feel that life owes you.

I play poker to remind me of those things.

You have to work hard, be patient, stay focused, and when opportunity appears, put your chips in. Give it your best shot. That's not gambling. That's the way to live.

So maybe if it took an evening of drinking beer and playing poker and losing a few bucks to remind me of that, well, then maybe my evening wasn't wasted.

Tomorrow is a new day.