Living Two Lives

I'm not sure where to start in this installment of my blog. Since Summer 2008, so much has happened: I played in a few events at the 2008 WSOP & did cash; Began the task of running a free poker-league in Colorado/Nationwide Poker Tour; plans for revitializing & launching a new Poker Website (PokerAcrossAmerica.com); transition from my full-time IT job @ Volleyball of The Rockies; Play in more tournaments & everything that I dreamed of doing, I did. Then Halloween 2008: everything changed. All of my past experiences in tournament poker & life would not prepare me for the phone call that I received: "My dad was unconscious & in the hospital". Okay, We didn't always see eye to eye but we would agree to disagree & would talk about the state of our businesses.

I packed my bags & began my cross-country drive from Colorado to Tennessee; not sure of what to expect when I arrived. Four days later (November 4,2008), my father passed & so did my uncle in completely seperate incidents but at the same hospital. The past 6 years in Colorado seemed like a lifetime away. I was beside myself & wondering what is going on? For the next 5 months, I would split my time driving to & from Colorado/Tennessee running my businesses & that of my dad's (Wholesale/Food Service Distributor)Oriental Mkt in Memphis, TN. My routine stay in TN for 3 weeks; drive to Colorado & stay for 2 Weeks & repeat. I spent more time on the road then a semi-truck driver. Playing long hours on the circuit didn't come close to the wear & tear that my body was experiencing from living/maintaining two seperate lives.

During this stretch of time, I barely had time to play poker. With each passing day, my urge for poker grew stronger & by Spring 2009, I resumed playing online on a regular basis in addition to my heavy workload. Who needs sleep, we can sleep later, right? Well, that's what my mind was telling me but my body was saying otherwise. I did go to Vegas for a few days this summer for work (buddy Jay M. took 2nd in the 2008 NPT Colorado Yearly & won a seat to a 09 WSOP Event) & a little r&r but I really didn't enjoy the trip. Had too much on my mind & the constant barrage of phone calls from the TN business. I also lost a poker/bowling buddy(Don) in July 2009. That is pretty much the last 9 months in a nutshell.

I've learned & aged so much in the last 9 months, that I feel so old. Not to say that I wasn't old or young before. Adversity reveals your true friends & foes. Life has a funny way of throwing you curves when you least expect it. Just as in poker, everyone over time gets dealt the same cards; It is up to you to play them. I have many projects/plans in the works for the next few months, stay tuned for exciting news & developments. In the next blog, I will chronicle my experiences/successes at The 2009 World Poker Tour in Tunica, MS & how Twitter has helped my poker game. Thanks Dad, for the hard work ethic & beliefs that you have instilled in me. Gone but not forgotten.

Chewey