Degenerate Diaries: The Chronicles Pt. 2

[Sulphur man]

Streaks

All of my good streaks and all of my bad streaks of every length and depth have had one thing in common. They did not exist in your mind. They only existed in my mind. And this is true for everyone's winning and losing streaks. None of them actually exist. They are all mental fabrication, like past and future. Everything that ever happens happens in the present tense. But how can you have a "streak" in the present tense? You can't. And therefore, if you are in the present tense, which, in fact, at this time, you are, then at this moment there is no streak in your life. There is no inherent existence to streaks. The streak is there when you think about it, and when you stop thinking about it, it goes away. It blossoms and withers, all in your mind. And when your mind invents a streak, you believe it exists, because you believe what your mind tells you. But the truth is there is only the hand you are playing.

Tommy Angelo.

[stato_1]

Sean, hopefully you will appreciate me posting this rather than be pissed off (I'm only posting it cause I like you and I think you need to hear it) but I really think the key to your success is to spend far less time moaning about how bad you are running, and far more time working on your game.

I feel like I know you decently well. Enough to know that you are a very intelligent man who clearly has the mental capacity to succeed at a numerical game such as poker. What you seem to struggle with still is results oriented thinking. A lot of the time you will post something in a TR of a cash game like: "I know x is bad but I did it anyway because I wasn't feeling it/have been running so bad/never hit a flop" With this sort of thinking you will never succeed. Your long term success in poker is governed entirely by the decisions you make. There is not some curse on you meaning that you run worse than everyone else, that's in your head.

I often get the impression that you think the only reason Alex has had more success than you in your similarly fledgling careers is because he has been luckier. Perhaps there is an element of this, but the fact is, Alex is far more ready to accept responsibility when things go wrong, rather than blame it on bad luck. It's a pretty easy way out if you have a losing session to blame it on how unlucky you are. It's a total freeroll to just assume its your fault, examine your game thoroughly, not just the theoretical side, but mental as well,  and whether or not it was your fault your game will have improved for next time.

Next time you feel like you've been pretty hard done to by the deck, and you stop playing, spend an hour thinking about an element of your game. Mathematically analyse some of the hands you played, read the Mental Game of Poker for a bit, look through one of your tournament hand histories with a friend. It can only help! Not that I'm an expert by any means but if you asked me I'd be more than happy to look at some hand histories with you. We can all learn from each other and if you asked Alex I'd say he probably tell you talking about hands with friends/posting on blonde is the most important reason he's become the player he is today. Yes he's been pretty lucky in some comps recently but the thing I personally have noticed more than that is that he's 100x tougher to play against than he was a year ago. He's also improved so many things outside his actual poker ability (not popular music knowledge).

Im sure you're aware how much I dislike saying nice things about Alex since were so competitive with each other but I really think you could learn so much from his approach to the game. Basically what I'm saying is if you wanna talk hands sometime soon then hit me up, If you wanna talk bad beat stories, then hit me up and we'll talk hands.

[placewise]

I'll print off the DTD application form.......

Don't worry Belton, I tip generously

[pleno1]

This is not be jumping on bandwagon etc but what study do you do outside of playing?

I know I've seen you recently posting more on PHA (and impressively too)

[muckthenuts]

Moaning on your diary is ok. We all need to vent sometimes and it's better here than taking it out on potentially more destructive areas of your life. Stato still makes some really good points though. You seem naturally pessimistic by nature (lots of people are) but pretty gifted too. If you can find some way of removing or even better channelling your negative energy into doing more constructive things - reviewing hands, discussions with friends, posting on forums, reading theory etc i think you a) will seriously CRUSH this game with your brain b) will feel a lot more in control over things. Maybe set yourself goals so you have something specific to concentrate on til you feel better e.g. 50 replies to hands on forums, go through x hands in my database etc. Vbol.

[zerofive]

Moaning on your diary is ok. We all need to vent sometimes and it's better here than taking it out on potentially more destructive areas of your life.

Basically, this. I just quit smoking and I live on my computer. It's very embarrassing for me when I wake up the next day and realise what a child I am, but not having nicotine in my bloodstream makes me very itchy, and it's good to use words instead of my bedroom door like I used to!

The fact that I get feedback from sickos like Alex, Keith, Andy, Pat, Amir and Will is my definition of an added perk. You guys are obviously the best.

Sorry for being an idiot sometimes. Guess it doesn't make people laugh anymore

[cambridgealex]

I'll print off the DTD application form.......

Don't worry Belton, I tip generously

You've successfully come across as more of a twat than you previously did. Well done.

[SuuPRlim]

good advice ITT, Alex good idea imo, whilst you're quitting smoking why not go away for a week somewhere (with beth!) feel like fighting nicotine cravings might be easier in a nice sunny place by a pool!! When you get back you'll likely be way less cranky (!) and be itching to play, whenever I take a break I am always abso buzzing to play when i get back and often play pretty well!

Try not to reflect to much on past things that have gone wrong (over productive self analysis ofc, gd points stato) it's bad for morale and actually is pretty unnecessary

[smashedagain]

Moaning on your diary is ok. We all need to vent sometimes and it's better here than taking it out on potentially more destructive areas of your life.

Basically, this. I just quit smoking and I live on my computer. It's very embarrassing for me when I wake up the next day and realise what a child I am, but not having nicotine in my bloodstream makes me very itchy, and it's good to use words instead of my bedroom door like I used to!

The fact that I get feedback from sickos like Alex, Keith, Andy, Pat, Amir and Will is my definition of an added perk. You guys are obviously the best.

Sorry for being an idiot sometimes. Guess it doesn't make people laugh anymore

lol. You make me laugh Sean. We are all made up differently and some have a more positive nature which is all fine but its refreshing to read your stuff and so honest. Even I got annoyed at losing a flip yesterday. But I also enjoyed making a full house with a king and an 8 when my jam was snapped off by two jacks. Swings and roundabouts as they say.

I just been looking at some pics of Beth and I would not have a miserable moment in my life if I was you

[Boba Fett]

Moaning on your diary is ok. We all need to vent sometimes and it's better here than taking it out on potentially more destructive areas of your life.

Basically, this. I just quit smoking and I live on my computer. It's very embarrassing for me when I wake up the next day and realise what a child I am, but not having nicotine in my bloodstream makes me very itchy, and it's good to use words instead of my bedroom door like I used to!

The fact that I get feedback from sickos like Alex, Keith, Andy, Pat, Amir and Will is my definition of an added perk. You guys are obviously the best.

Sorry for being an idiot sometimes. Guess it doesn't make people laugh anymore

lol. You make me laugh Sean. We are all made up differently and some have a more positive nature which is all fine but its refreshing to read your stuff and so honest. Even I got annoyed at losing a flip yesterday. But I also enjoyed making a full house with a king and an 8 when my jam was snapped off by two jacks. Swings and roundabouts as they say.

I just been looking at some pics of Beth and I would not have a miserable moment in my life if I was you

[smashedagain]

Moaning on your diary is ok. We all need to vent sometimes and it's better here than taking it out on potentially more destructive areas of your life.

Basically, this. I just quit smoking and I live on my computer. It's very embarrassing for me when I wake up the next day and realise what a child I am, but not having nicotine in my bloodstream makes me very itchy, and it's good to use words instead of my bedroom door like I used to!

The fact that I get feedback from sickos like Alex, Keith, Andy, Pat, Amir and Will is my definition of an added perk. You guys are obviously the best.

Sorry for being an idiot sometimes. Guess it doesn't make people laugh anymore

lol. You make me laugh Sean. We are all made up differently and some have a more positive nature which is all fine but its refreshing to read your stuff and so honest. Even I got annoyed at losing a flip yesterday. But I also enjoyed making a full house with a king and an 8 when my jam was snapped off by two jacks. Swings and roundabouts as they say.

I just been looking at some pics of Beth and I would not have a miserable moment in my life if I was you

just been out hunting dinosaurs with the kids and now they want an Ice Age day so they got control of DVD / TV , blonde and Facebook are my friends

[polaroid83]

Take a break have a kitkat. Seriously though even though I don't know many blondes that well, I would defo have a break of some sort and get away from poker for abit. And take Andy up on his offer it can only help you and improve your game in the long run. I talk a lot with friends about hand to the point where I drive them crazy, and you have Andy offering to help you. Take him up on this very nice offer.

[placewise]

I'll print off the DTD application form.......

Don't worry Belton, I tip generously

You've successfully come across as more of a twat than you previously did. Well done.

Calm down Ulrika, dont get your Poker Bay Knickers in a twist . I was simply reminding Belton of his humble beginnings as motivation to kick on. And whats wrong with working at DTD??!!

[PeeJay]

I'll print off the DTD application form.......

Don't worry Belton, I tip generously

You've successfully come across as more of a twat than you previously did. Well done.

Calm down Ulrika, dont get your Poker Bay Knickers in a twist . I was simply reminding Belton of his humble beginnings as motivation to kick on. And whats wrong with working at DTD??!!

And the biggest bell end on blonde award goes to....

[SuuPRlim]

dont get your Poker Bay Knickers in a twist .

Not cool mate, not cool.

Some banter just isn't banter.