I Can See Clearly Now

Have you ever been in a situation, or just had an incredible feeling, that everything seemed so very simple and clear? I've had this strange sensation since I went on the recent trip to the Dominican. Maybe you've read about, maybe not, but the bump on the head may have knocked something loose.

It was all right there. I was supposed to take the header down the short flight of stairs in our hotel room and then never wake up. At least, it could have just as easily turned out that way.

I feel like I have just survived a coin flip in poker. Except this poker game is for all of the marbles. I took my pocket 6's and shoved all-in. The Grim Reaper called with his Ace-king suited. The dealer ran out the cards and I won. I won the coin flip.

Now, please understand that this is different than having cancer and beating it. I don't want to try and compare such things. It is only pure chance, or something else, that allowed me to land partially on my shoulder and not completely on my head.

Of course, I was hoping I'd get dealt a pocket pair. The alcohol I consumed made that evident. Sure enough, just to top it off I ate almost nothing the entire DAY. How could one be so ignorant? (insert your own punch line as to the less than average intelligence I reveal on a regular basis)(I won't argue).

So, I got the pocket sixes, Life made it's STANDARD pre-flop raise, and I pushed in. I won. What did I win, let's see if I can properly explain how things have been as of late.

I'm going to start professionally speaking because I just tried to write about my relationships with my family members and it wasn't making any sense at all. So, let's talk poker.

My win rate has gone up sharply. February, March, and now April have been solid months. It feels like I can see how the hand is going to play out very early in the hand. This allows me to get away from marginal situations and really pump up the betting when I know I'm well ahead.

In Biloxi while I was on a poker/family trip I noticed what I am 99% sure was a well designed group of players who had common interest as the basis of their actions. That is a stupid way of saying they were colluding, spying on others hands, using signals, and employing many other forms of cheating I could never catch.

I saw it unfolding before it happened. I saw the big raise by the asian kid, I saw the young black man begin to move around the back of the white guy in the hand. I said to myself "this guy is going to look at his hand and signal the asian kid". (I hope you know I use these terms only for descriptive purposes, you can change em up and make whoever you want be the asian, black, and white guy. I'm just describing what I saw).

While everyone watched the asian kid count out his chips for the massive raise he'd just made I watched the black kid and the white guy. The white guy contemplated his next move and then, here he goes, he begins to peak at his cards. It was like slow motion, and then yes, he is, the black guy looks over the white guys shoulder.

The black guy's expression changes to a look of surprise and fear as his eyebrows go upward, he takes a long step back and away from the table, and puts both hands into the front pockets of his jeans.

Signal complete, even I knew the white guy had a monster hand, and now the asian kid knew it too. So, what does an honest poker player do? What does a player, who takes pride in being able to play well enough to win without cheating, do when he witnesses such a crime?

He asks the dealer to "call the floor". He then asks, in front of everyone and once the floor person has arrived, why the black guy is looking at the white guy's cards. He causes a big scene and implicates the whole city.

What was my point of telling this again? Talk about rambling on and on about things.. oh yes, I could see it happening BEFORE it happened.

In retrospect, I probably should have thought of the safety of my family, who were staying in the hotel with me, and just kept my mouth shut. The white guy was an idiot for not protecting his own hand, so maybe he deserved to have his money taken. I don't know. White guy went all in, and asian kid folded, by the way, if you were interested. White guy showed the nut straight. Asian kid never showed his hand.

Yes, professionally speaking, the knock on the skull seems to have helped. Of course, it may be just that I am improving all of the time, at a faster rate than those around me, and therefore just playing better poker. If that were all that was different than I may say yes, but there is more.

Socially speaking I feel like I am having an easier time relating to others. It's almost an increased ability to feel empathy. This also relates professionally because the realization of one's moods can help explain one's actions. You can see how that knowledge would help. It also helps in relationships as well.

It's quite possible that I am just paying closer attention. I don't know.

I've always loved my wife and kids. As the kids have grown I have come to like and care deeply for their personalities. We have our clashes but I have tried to be understanding and have asked for their understanding many times as well.

M, the wife, has never looked better. She even has seemed to improve her story telling so that I actually remain engaged in her conversations. This has clearly helped our relationship. She still has a way of leading me where she'd like me to go, but she has improved on her ability to mask her motives. Again, this aides the relationship.

All in all, these past few months have been quite bizarre, to say the least. It could very well be that I am running good, both in poker and in life. It all started by winning that coin flip in the Dominican Republic. It may all come crashing down soon enough.

No, that coin flip was a turning point. I can almost see it. Just wait and see.

Codsey out.