I’m back from the Big Game! Here’s a blog with my thoughts about the experience:
Courtney Gee Back from the PokerStars Big Game!
I signed a strict non-disclosure agreement and was told that I’m being watched closely, so that’s all I intend on saying until the shows air. I had to get that bit of writing “approved” before I could go ahead and post it, so you can see how strict they are. It’s all really understandable, of course.
Yesterday was my first day home after Vegas and I had an amazing day. I couldn’t help but think how amazing my life is. I always hear people complaining about their jobs, wishing the weekend would come, looking forward to the next holiday so that they can have a day off. I never feel that way anymore. I look forward to Mondays because it’s my day to relax. I look forward to Thursdays because I get to play poker again. Weekends are great because they’re always long days filled with tournaments. And then I’m back to being happy about Monday because I always sleep in that day.
If I wake up in the morning feeling like crap, I can take the day off. If something comes up and I need to be somewhere unexpectedly during the day, I can rearrange my schedule. When I made the Big Game and needed to clear a week to fly to Vegas, I didn’t have to beg my boss. This is freedom. This is what I want from life.
I admit that there is an appeal to becoming a nurse/pharmacist/teacher, having benefits, and being guaranteed a pension when I retire. I would save a bunch of money for sure. I’d have plenty of money for retirement and I’d be able to see the world once I was done working. A secure and reliable income is really appealing – I can’t deny this.
And who knows. Maybe in a couple years I will realize that I want that security back. Maybe I will realize that I don’t want to play poker for my entire life, that it’s too much of a grind, that the downswings are just too emotionally difficult. Maybe I’ll want benefits or maybe I’ll realize that I don’t have enough put away for retirement.
Or maybe online poker will die and I won’t have a choice. Maybe I’ll have to stop playing poker because I’m not making enough per year to support my kids or to buy a house or whatever I’ll want to do in 2 or 5 or 7 years. It’s not like I’m living in luxury and it’s definitely not a secure income. There are downswings. It can be scary when you don’t make money for consecutive months and when the bank account gets lower. Maybe it will eventually take a toll on me.
But right now, I love my life. I play a card game for a living. I’m doing what I love. Is there anything better than that?
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