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I finally gave in.

I’m actually surprised at how long I’ve lasted. I have been in Oklahoma for three solid weeks now, and I had resisted the temptation to go to an Indian casino to play poker until tonight.

For those of you who don’t know, I’m a poker enthusiast. I’m a ‘better-than-average’ player most of the time (if I were ‘good,’ I’d be rich) with flashes of greatness where sometimes, as my brother John puts it, I “see the matrix.”

It actually hasn’t been that difficult to abstain. I’ve been keeping myself busy. But the other day, my LA friend Rachel asked what I did for fun in Oklahoma. And then again today, Manuel at work asked what I did during my free time. I had nothing to say. I literally hadn’t done anything besides work since I got here. So I decided to pass on the relatively meaningless game I was going to go to tonight (120 miles worth of driving for a tourney consolation game), and give myself a night to relax.

I had planned on just watching some TV and calling it an early night, but I soon began itching for some action. It didn’t help that Megan, my ex-ish girlfriend and best friend, was going to Vegas for the weekend. So I decided to make my first 45-minute drive to the casino in nearby Pocola.

It was nice, clean, professional, and felt about 20 times safer than Hollywood Park in the Inglewood section of Los Angeles. The only downside was that the poker room was smaller than what I was used to (only 9 tables) and the only game they were playing was $1-$2 no-limit, smaller stakes than I’ve grown accustomed to. All the same, I enjoyed myself.

No offense to the Okies, but the competition was easy. Granted, it was only one table and I only sat for two hours at the most, but I made a fairly easy $170 in profit. It sort of reminded me of the cash games in Melbourne.

For those of you who don’t know, I was once flown halfway around the world to play in a professional poker tournament. I was briefly the chip leader of this tournament that paid $1.5 million to the winner until I suffered a very bad beat (my aces lost to kings, all money in pre-flop, she caught a flush).

People, both in Australia and in Pocola, were there to have a good time; the money didn’t matter that much. At least half of the players at a typical Hollywood Park casino know what they’re doing. I would argue only one, maybe two fit that category at my table tonight.

Anyway, if I find time to go the casinos every once in a while, that should provide a nice side income. I certainly won’t play often though. I strongly believe that if I really wanted to, I could pay the bills by just playing poker (I didn’t say make millions) but that’s simply not what I want to do right now. There’s not much of a thrill in grinding it out every day. I’d rather continue writing and seeing what else life throws at me.