Jackpot!

I got a job!

I'm moving from Atlanta to Hawaii to take a news reporting job in Honolulu. I will start Jan. 5, which means I only have a couple more weeks of unemployment to enjoy before I go back to the real world.

I've enjoyed my time as a semi-pro, living off a relatively small bankroll since April. I'm always grateful that poker enabled me to travel so much and have a lot of fun in between jobs.

But now I find it's a huge relief to be able to go back to working. Poker is fun and profitable, but it's not very fulfilling work. I get great pleasure out of busting fish, but it's more the pleasure of skydiving than of accomplishing anything significant.

I'm really excited about giving up the life of a poker-playing bum who lives with his parents. I'll get health benefits. I'll have my own apartment. I'll have a chance (a small chance) of picking up girls. I'll be able to rebuild my bankroll and play the games I want. I can finally buy a laptop (I'm thinking of hitting up the after-Christmas sales).

And, of course, I get to live and work in Hawaii. Flights to Cali and Vegas are cheap, and the weather will be warm all the time.

Woo! My days living off of poker money are over! Now poker will be more like a freeroll again -- playing with money I've already won and saving for the future.