Mean Gene

New Year's Resolutions

No poker tonight, just drinking and eating and, maybe, some poker talk with my buddies. I'm the only one in my gang who plays poker "seriously", and by seriously I mean I've actually studied the game a wee bit. Yet most of my friends are really interested in my budding poker career and like hearing my stories from the wars.

So one New Year's Resolution, so far as poker goes, is to get a monthly game started with all my friends. I could easily get 8-12 guys who would be interested, and with all our busy schedules I'm sure we'd have a few can't-make-its to keep the population under 10. Play a little Hold-Em, some stud, even a little Omaha hi-low split. Games where I wouldn't be a huge and obvious favorite because of my research and experience into Hold-Em. Drink a little beer, eat a little nacho, drink some more beer, talk about women in a most base and prurient manner. Boys night, in other words. Good for the soul.

My brother is the only other person I know who wants to get online and play, so that's another resolution, do the PartyPoker referral thing and get some free cash for us both. Then school him as a big brother should, breaking his spirit with check-raises, cracking his pocket aces with flush draws on the river. Yeah, revenge, baby. Revenge.

I also resolve to try one of the super-satellites on PokerStars or PartyPoker for a WPT seat. I know, the odds of me making it are something like zilch divided by two, but I'd like to be watching a WPT event and remark casually, "Oh, I played in that tournament. Just missed the final table". Which, in a manner of speaking, would be the truth. In another manner it would be a great big lie, but let's not dwell on the negative, shall we?

For the last five years or so I've resolved to write a novel. I actually have written several novel-length works, but nothing really publishable, for one reason or another. This year I resolve to write a poker novel. What better way for a would-be writer and would-be poker player to combine his two hobbies into a profitable enterprise? And has there ever been a better time to write a really good poker novel than now, with the game cresting a mighty wave? And I know I could write something better than Rounders, for crying out loud. Rule one--never cast Gretchen Mol in a movie and/or TV show where she has to speak. Standing quietly, providing scenery, she's fine. Pretty girl. Just don't have her speak or move. Ever.

So those are my resolutions. I have other, non-poker ones as well. After reading Chris Halverson's brag about losing 35 pounds I'm more resolute than ever to drop some serious tonnage this year. I exercise, I like playing sports, but unfortunately most of my main leisure activities (poker, writing, reading, drinking, eating) aren't conducive to the svelte figure. Aerobic poker, that's the next exercise craze that'll sweep the nation.

So, Happy New Year to all in the pokerblog community, and may 2004 be the Year of the Nuts.

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