A lot of things have changed in the past couple of months. Poker is still a part of my life, but now I must decide where it fits into the priorities that I have in life.

I have many ideas to write about for my blog. A couple of stories to share, a poker trip, and some analysis. Before I share any of that I thought I would get a little personal and share what has been going on with me. Why I haven’t posted anything since March. What is important to me right now.

I have a newborn baby boy. This child has brought great joy to my family. There are some things that I am figuring out how to navigate. A scenario that I have never faced before. Doing my best to let my other son, who is still very young, know that he is still loved and an important part of our lives. There isn’t a solver that I can open and study to figure out what the best strategy is to raising children are. For now, all I can do is make sure that their needs are met, and bellies are filled. When the opportunity comes up to teach them by experience, I can share the wisdom I have and guide them as best I as I can.

I look forward to blowing their minds with card tricks.  When both are old enough to handle a deck of cards I might share my secrets with them. I will show them how to play poker. Start with five-card draw, teach them basics first and then we can move on to Hold’ Em and Omaha. Hopefully by the time they are old enough to understand the game, coins will still be around so that we can play for nickels on the kitchen table.

I quit my old job. With summer starting I needed the time freed up not only to play poker but to spend time with my family during the down time. The hours were OK, but the job just wasn’t paying the bills anymore. Hopefully some of the things I have done while I was there will have a lasting impact. It didn’t feel good to quit, it felt like there was more work to do. I need to do what is best for myself and my family.

I have a new job. I will still hold the title of poker room supervisor, and I will be in a much busier room. From the beginning I had a plan to look for work elsewhere while I had the opportunity to continue working. That plan evolved many times over, especially when I found out that my wife was pregnant with our newborn. Raising children is not cheap. The responsible thing to do is to make sure I have some sort of steady income. Playing poker has not been bringing in huge amounts of cash, but I am starting to make more money. Until I get to a certain amount where I can depend on the income that poker brings in, I will continue to work while I have the chance. The positive thing is that my bankroll is not as stressed as it has been in past years. I have some breathing room and can comfortably take shots at bigger games when the opportunity presents itself.

I am looking forward to this summer. Originally, I had planned on playing the employee event, but I decided to skip it to relax. I guess I could still run down to the Horseshoe to register late for the event, but I would much rather play cash games. The experience I have so far as poker room supervisor will hopefully set me up for success. I had multiple offers on the table, but I settled on one because I felt it had the biggest upside that could lead to better opportunities.

My knowledge of poker has expanded so much in this past year. Learning little nuances of the game and what it takes to run a poker room has given me a fresh perspective on the game. I am extremely appreciative of all the hard work that goes into the game. As I continue to still be a student of the game, I look forward to this next chapter in both my life and poker.