We’re now nine days into the New Year, so I figure I had better get some poker resolutions documented because if I don’t, I’ll wake up in April still wandering aimlessly. I am not normally the type of person who does the resolution thing, as most of the time it seems like an exercise in futility. If I really want to do something I will do it. To declare a resolution does not make it any more likely to happen, at least in my case.
Poker is a different animal, though. After some live play, I find myself re-energized for the online game, but the fact that I have no specific goal means that the excitement quickly tapers off. I need to find a way to bring back the motivation that filled me when I first began playing this insidious, frustrating, but altogether wonderful game. Wandering aimlessly slows improvement in the most brutal fashion, and since (at least in my mind) poker is like life in so many ways, I equate the lack of continuous effort and improvement with failure as a person. Anyone reading this should know that I’m speaking only of myself here. If you’re wandering or simply coasting along in your game, that is more than fine. I don’t view those that don’t share my philosophy as failures, because every person has their own reasoning and goals for poker.
Just like technology, if you stand still and don’t constantly endeavor to learn and improve, you will die (figuratively speaking, of course). It won’t happen right away, of course, and many times you won’t even notice, but eventually you will wither away into nothingness. It pains me to actually admit it, but I’m withering a bit in poker. I continue to read and try to learn, but it doesn’t accomplish very much if I’m not actually playing. Knowledge without experience tends to mean a lot less than actually getting down to business and doing the thing. Sticking feathers up my butt does not make me a chicken.
So, I’m setting some short term goals:
- Do a Limit Challenge with my free money on Party (currently $81). It’s aggressive, but when I hit $200 at this level, I plan on giving Party $1/2 a shot, dropping back down to $.50/1 should I get nailed back to $140. Is this counterproductive? Should I wait until I hit $300 before taking a shot? This is the first actual challenge I have given myself, so any input is appreciated.
- Start hitting the Stars tourneys harder. I want to try doing my own step challenge as outlined by DoubleAs in his Dec. 21 posting. Start out at the $5 and start parlaying wins to take shots at bigger levels. I’m not going to make the bankroll headway or get the experience I want screwing around with one or two $5 SnG’s per week.
I don’t think these goals are too lofty. Hell, some might say I’m being an underachiever. However, I feel that these are realistic goals given my current schedule, which is still pretty unstable. Once again, any input on tweaking these goals to better effect is always appreciated.
And now, in a continuing effort to have something for everyone, a rant:
I’m concerned/annoyed lately with the proliferation of various forms of reserved parking, particularly spaces reserved for Expectant Mothers. What I wonder is this: Is this a local phenomenon, or is it taking place everywhere? Handicapped (HandiCapable for you P.C. types) spaces have always annoyed me, and while I see their purpose, I am still annoyed by them, simply because of their sheer numbers. I can remember when, at most, a parking lot only had two or three handicapped spots. Fine. Nowadays, it seems the entire first level of parking near any store is solely handicapped parking. Two or three has now blossomed into eight or ten. Why does being morbidly obese count as handicapped? I’m really starting to think maybe Homer had the right idea.
(If you haven’t seen it, go find and watch the Simpsons where Homer becomes morbidly obese in order to get disability. ‘The fingers you are using to dial are too fat. To obtain a special dialing wand, please mash the keypad….’)
Even though I try to avoid the place at all costs, there are times when I necessarily find myself at Wal-Mart. Most of the folks aren’t really handicapped, just unbelievably huge and slothy. It’s like it has become parking for the Sea World performers. Now they have added Expectant Mother spaces into the mix at a lot of stores. My issues with continuous breeding aside, since when did pregnant women lose the ability to walk? I guess I shouldn’t complain too much, as I have taken to parking in these spaces, thereby increasing my own covenience. The Horror! I am not pregnant and neither is my wife. However, there is no actual law that says I cannot park in these spaces, so I don’t have to worry about any tickets or fines. Occasionally I get the dirty questioning look from a pious onlooker, but a quick ‘You wanna say something?’ look takes care of that situation. Pregnant women have been functioning like normal folks (because they ARE normal folks, believe it or not) for thousands of years. If they really couldn’t afford to walk anything more than the shortest of distances, we’d be extinct.
Oh, won’t someone please Think of the Children….
What is next? Who knows. If this trend continues, we’re going to have minority parking, foreign visitors parking, ‘I’m not felling like myself today’ parking, the idiotic list goes on and on. Keep the handicapped spaces, lose the rest of this crap. Stop handing out handicapped placards to those who aren’t really disabled. Once again, as with all of my rants, I realize there are exceptions. There are truly some who were disabled first and are very overweight due to their inability to be physically active on a regular basis. But come on, there aren’t that many. I realize that one day, I’ll be old and most likely disabled in some way. Let me tell ya, if there is some pseudo-handicapped person in my space when that time comes, there’s gonna be some furniture movin’.
The above rant may generate some hate mail. So be it. Keep in mind it is simply my opinion, which is what a blog is for. If your one of those folks who become mortally offended at something non-P.C., then perhaps you shouldn’t be reading here anyway.
This is me, Thinking Big. My head is Much Bigger (which in the future, may necessitate a reserved parking space).
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