The worst thing about having a poker hobby habit, instead of professional habit, is that my job (and family) often prevent me playing very much. I logged maybe 3k hands since June 1, a fact I hope to rectify soon! I run a leadership summer camp for academically gifted teenagers for two weeks each June, which translates into a month of full time work. Of course, the rock climbing, hiking, tubing, and high ropes course make it very worthwhile.

But every time I take more than a week off from poker, I slump badly when I come back. I've been thinking about that lately. Why do I slump? What are the things that I have to correct EVERY FREAKIN' time?

1. Too aggressive
2. Too impatient
3. Too loose (sometimes)

It's silly. As often as I've read that when "out of your depth, tighten up," I never really thought about it applying to layoffs. After 3 weeks with only a few hundred hands, your reads are off, your instincts haven't woken up and your brain needs some time to refocus on poker skills.

I tend to cbet mechanically (and too often), and two- and three-barrel relentlessly after a layoff. I forget that these things work only with picked spots and patience. And I always try playing my loosest game, opening K9o from the cutoff and any Ace from the button, forgetting that there's not a ton of value in those hands, and they have NEGATIVE value if I'm wasting time in tough spots rather than hitting the groove quickly with ABC poker.

Oh, well, just another poker dumbass who has learned just enough to not have to face the dreaded "reload" in 10 months. Woo-hoo!! Winning at poker is the best way to have fun indoors. Well...okay, second best. Hmm...third be---oh, heck at least in the top five!!