"WINNING"

Maybe Charlie Sheen had it right, winning is more fun than losing.  I play poker and there are precious few times that you actually make the final table and win a tournament.  When you do it makes all the pain, grief, frustration, etc. worth it.  After "losing", usually because of a bad beat or suckout, you promise yourself that you are "giving up the game"... "it's stupid... and there is too much luck involved".  I have personally given up the game at least 50 times.  It lasts until someone calls to invite me to play.

There is no poker player alive that will tell you that winning a poker tournament is all about skill.  You have to have big moments of luck to win a tournament.  The bigger the tournament - the more luck involved.  You also need for your best hands to hold up and not get beaten by stupid/worse hands.  This is usually where I get wronged.  Almost every tournament I've been knocked out of came when I was beaten holding the best hand.

I will also admit that you probably learn more from the times you lose than the times you win.  Same in life, we learn more from our mistakes than our achievements.

My family will tell you that I have gone through many "hobbies" in my life like crafting, jewelry making, antiquing, but they soon died out leaving us with a garage full of craft stuff, furniture and what nots.  Poker has kept my interest for over seven years, which is an all time record.  As most of you know I have played poker/cards since I was a child some 50+ years.  My mom and dad were good players, my dad may have even been great player if Texas Hold 'em had been around when he was.  My mother, however, has the luck factor.  She is totally unbeatable when she has her mojo working. 

I recently spent two months with her in Sacramento while she recuperated from the new hip she received.  While it was tough going in the beginning she was looking forward to our annual gambling trip to Reno at the six week mark.  At the beginning of week five she was still using her walker.  We talked about the fact that she may not be ready for Reno the following week.  Lo and behold the walker was put away.  She was ready to go the day we left for Reno almost running to her favorite video poker machine when we got there.

Anyway I digress, the inspiration for winning comes in many forms.  The love I share with my husband, children, family, friends and home can in no way be displaced by anything else... but WINNING a poker tournament comes close (temporarily).

True WINNING and WINNERS are my husband, children, family, and friends and they are everlasting.  This is the winning I truly cherish.  Who needs to win poker tournaments?  I Do :)