E-Ticket Ride to Work

Remember your youth? I remember when I was a kid, there were certain things that brought more exhilaration than others. You know, the things that brought you tingles or goose bumps; the things that made you toss and turn before you fell asleep because you were thinking about just how great the next day was going to be. Then, there were those life-changing things, like your first day of school, your first new bike, your first date or prom, and your first kiss. Summer vacation was always a favorite of mine, and, yes, so was going back to school after summer vacation to a new grade, and maybe to a new school with new teachers and a new set of friends. I wasn't lucky enough to go overseas, but I did go away for the summers to the Catskills in upstate New York, and every year the excitement and anticipation were the same. I remember going to Los Angeles one winter for my godmother's anniversary when I was 13. I asked my parents why we lived in snowy, cold New York, wearing layers of clothes and shoveling piles of snow, while a winter wonderland of warmth existed in Los Angeles. I told them right then and there that L.A. was where I was going to live when I grew up. Some of you who know me might say that I've never grown up, but I do live in beautiful Southern California. That trip as a youngster was a life-changing experience.

I also remember my first funeral, and the finality of it; at the time it happened, I was young enough to still feel invulnerable, but in the back of my mind, I knew it was a life-changing experience.

There are certain feelings that are unmistakable when reflecting on our pasts or the present. I remember going to Disneyland for the first time and experiencing the excitement of seeing Mickey and all of the attractions. Well, that excitement was there in its exact form the next time I went to Disneyland – except maybe for the lines. The wonderment of watching my child being born gave me goose bumps, and now I get tingles seeing the changes in her every day. What I'm getting at is that the things we remember with either the most joy or the most sorrow are these everyday occurrences that form our lives and make us happy or sad.

As adults, these feelings partially result from what we do for a living. After all, our work takes up a good part of our week, and depending upon daily occurrences, it can change our lives. Enjoying your job is of paramount importance. People I know who are in a mundane, everyday rut are not very happy and don't always look forward to the next day. On the other hand, those who are happy in the jobs they do are just the opposite; their exuberance enhances every day, and they look forward to going back for more.

I am very happy working in the world of poker. I've been in the working world for more than 25 years and have worked in about 10 different industries (talk about someone who was trying to find himself). During that time I've worked for others as well as owned my own businesses, and have done it on my own and had partners. I've been a salesman and a sales manager, so I've been below some and above others. Now, I not only write for Card Player, I'm a floorman at Hustler Casino. More importantly, for the last year and half, I've been a professional poker player.

In all of my professional years, I don't know of any job I had that provided more highs and lows, or higher highs and lower lows, than poker. Nor do I know of any job I had that had the potential to bring about an overnight life-changing experience. As a touring poker professional traveling the tournament circuit, I'm often asked if I get lonely. Of course, not being able to see my wife and child for a few weeks, the answer is yes. But as a touring pro, I'm also part of a growing family of folks who see each other everywhere we go. There is always someone to talk to, always someone to eat with, and, of course, always someone to play poker with.

In my job as a floorman at Hustler Casino, I get to meet and interact with many people. Most importantly, I get a chance to help new players with information and instruction, and am able to assist them in overcoming the intimidation they experience when walking into a casino for the first time. That opportunity is the reason I started writing for Card Player.

I am lucky enough to be able to get up every day with the same exhilaration I had as a kid going to Disneyland, because I know that I'll be going on every E-ticket ride. Regardless of how high the highs were last night or how low the lows were, today is a new day. I might have won a tournament last night or had a great live-play session. Or, I might have been one out of the money in a tournament or lost in a live game. In any case, the anticipation for today is always the same. I never play over my head, so I'm not going to go broke, but I am in a position to have a life-changing experience. Today might be the day that I win a major tournament in which first-place prize money is a half million dollars. It's a life-changing job indeed!

So, in my opinion, I have the best job in the world. I have made many friends and now am part of a traveling family. I get to meet and help many new players and many new players get to know me. I get to work with some of the greatest professionals in the world, and I'm always in a position that at any moment, I could have a life-changing experience. Most importantly, I get a chance to ask you to come and join us.