Medicinal Poker

Last night was mucho better. It wasn't watch-your-wife-get-down-with-Sienna-Miller-while-you-get-to-watch-then-particpate great, but it was better. More along the lines of watching-girl-on-girl-porn-with-your-wife-and-then-heading-upstairs-for-a-little-wrasslin'-while-dirty-talking good.

Four more SnGs:

2nd
1st
3rd
1st

___________________

I noticed my concetration slipping quite a bit last night. The thing is, we're trying to get the Casa del Bloody up for sale in the next couple of weeks and after 10 years of accumulating tons of shit, the clean-out process is quite daunting. It's been on my mind a lot. How does a feller react to the stress of cleaning and having a realtor come over and judge what you've done with your property for the past 10 years?

Why, ignore everything and play more poker, of course. Duh.

My time on the digital felt may be on the decrease because of such exciting projects as: brush clearing! brush burning! window sanding! window painting! installing a new storm door! replacing windows!

Yes folks, all of this can be yours for the low, low price of around $2000.00!!! Act now!

The point to all of this is that I've been using poker as a sort of escape, instead of just dealing with all of the shit we have to do head-on. And eez not goot. My wife has had to kick my ass off the couch (and the poker machine) more than once to take care of a menial project that needed tending to.

I have an addictive personality. I know this. I have a tendency to escape into things to push out real world troubles. Alcohol? Yep. Smokes? Absolutely. Now add poker to the list of vices I can pull out of the hat to escape reality. I don't think it's an unhealthy escape. I'm playing very low limits and building my bankroll slowly. My wife is afraid that at some point, I'm going to take a mortgage payment and bet it all on one hand just for the rush of the action. Her fears are well-founded, but I don't think that she quite gets that I play poker more for the mental stimulation and 'strategery' than the rush that an action junkie craves.

I find myself constantly wanting to learn more about the game, how to play it, how to be better at it rather than just randomly shoving all of my chips in the middle with AA and having that little gland in my brain shoot endorphins into my bathing suit area.

I guess the point of this ramble is to see if I'm using poker to self-medicate.

I think on some level, I may be. It is a nice escape. It is an extremely fun and interesting way to waste a couple hours in the evening. I do enjoy the contact I've had with other bloggers, and elbowing my way into the club. But I don't think poker is a vice for me. Not in the traditional sense. I'm still getting things done around the house, I'm still a good dad, a decent husband, a productive worker, and all around A-#1 American Joe.

I would be interested to hear from people if they've ever evaluated why they play the game so much, and if they've ever confronted themselves that it may be a vice or addiction.

Seacrest out.