The weather has been horrible so my projects have been put on hold so am writing this having got internet access from a friend. I have calmed down massively since last week, I was seriously gunning for some people and knee jerked somewhat. I dont mind questions or flak, the word “off a ducks back” springs to mind but it gets to a stage where doing certain things just isnt worth it, like writing articles that I dont even get paid for for instance.
Its amazing how addictive forums can be, I never realised this until I left THM. But you will be able to tell my mood has changed since my last post 
I really want to go back and confront everybody but that may be fine for some people but it sure is counter productive to me. Got a nice e-mail from Neil Channing on monday which sort of put everything into perspective, really hope that he gets over the swine flu.
In fact I am so chilled today that I now realise that these dudes have done more work for me than I could have done in a month of Sundays, I may just buy them a bottle of champagne each. Also got a nice e-mail from the people in charge at 2+2 asking me not to stop writing for them (another knee jerker). I agreed although it wasnt just because I was pissed that I left 2+2, there were other reasons.
My articles on THM were getting shorter and shorter towards the end as my time restrictions were getting severe. Would also like to thank the people who have sent me PMs and e-mailed me, all of it was appreciated. But there is more to life than poker and everything has a shelf life, I was coming to a stage where playing full-time wasnt an option.
I knew this as long ago as 2004 and last year, my hours spent playing got less and less. For me the future is with sports betting and the exchanges and not with multi-tabling NL100. Playing poker is so time restrictive and unless you are earning big bucks then the effort isnt worth it or at least it isnt for me.
Last year really knocked my confidence, well not so much my confidence but my ability to carry on in the same capacity. I recall a good kid from THM, Alex B once asking me for tips about writing. Hes a good kid and very intelligent and probably the most technically alert player on the forum, but I kind of got the feeling that he also knew that online poker for most people has a limited upside.
I recall him making $143,000 last year, the problem with that is that playing full-time online is mind numbing and you can easily hand back what you have won if you spend too long playing. So you need other things to fill in the times when you are not playing. If you spend that time table selecting and watching players and data mining then you are still a full-time player.
What happens when the dollar rate goes back to 2-1 again to the pound? That makes your earnings less. It all depends on your own situation, mine has altered considerably and I wasnt making anywhere near $143k from playing recently. I didnt start using tracking software until last year when I started using Poker Office.
I have also just started ghosting the games on PokerLoco after getting a tip off from someone. I cannot really speak for the rest of the games but the NL50 and NL100 calibre of players are certainly nothing to write home about. This is my first experience of Ongame for awhile so I wasnt sure what to expect but these games look as easy as what the games on Pacific did a few years ago. Old habits die hard and I just cant stop watching online poker games. I dont even have any money in PokerLoco yet and I am still watching the bloody things.
Anyway, need to get off now as I have work to do so catch you soon.
Carl
