Since returning from New York have attempted to tackle the mound of papers on my desk. Making some progress there. For a recession, sure are a lot of new deals floating around, lots of talk, lots of discussions. Always interesting to see where it shakes out. Really wanted to play on Friday so headed to the Bellagio .. in retrospect heading back into anyplace which has an iota of cigarette smoke may not have been very well thought out. Spent the night time coughing .. this too shall pass.

Get to go read “my favorite book” to Sierra’s class on Monday. My favorite book, besides the Bible, is The Little Engine that Could. That is what the first graders will hear ..

Been in New York since Saturday and its been great. Had some meetings on Sunday to get ready for Mondays events. Monday went smoothly and I got a nice tour of the new Seneca Niagra Casino. Beautiful place. Wish the WPT would hold their event there vs the Canadian side. Last time I tried to cross the Canadian border – to play at Fallsview – I decided I didn’t need to go thru that hassle again.

Headed home and glad to get there. Been around a lot of cig smoke so, of course, I’ve lost my voice.

Haven’t written in a while but have just been doing business things. I love to travel and do it easily, but I so love to be home and, especially, to take the gators to school. I travel tomorrow for business for Don and be back on Tuesday. Tonight, going over the week, Sierra says “Mom … I was SO sad to leave kindergarten” (they’re now in first) and Lincoln says “Yeah, but at least we graduated.” Hope this isn’t a trend. Ha.

Took the gators to Sunday School. When they got out I say (as I do every day they are learning somewhere) “what did you learn today?” Lincoln says “well first off I don’t know why they call it Sunday School?” then he says “and second we learned God made every single thing on this whole earth except plastic spoons and Lego persons.” I laugh, hard, out loud and he says “I don’t know why you’re laughing Mom cause he did it all in six days.” More laughter from me. We have fun …

Sierra was in math and Lincoln and I were headed to pick her up. I say “Lincoln you’re now 7 and a half years old, do you think you could go in the grocery story and get some orange juice and some eggs by yourself?” He thinks and says “no, I don’t think that will work.” Why I ask. “Because I will look lost and they have cameras and then the police will come to ask me questions.” I diffuse all this. A moment later he says .. “I still don’t think it will work Mom.” Why I say again. He says “because I probably wouldn’t be able to find my way back to the car .. but if you were to put marks on the tires I could find it then.” I laugh and say “Why don’t you just drop bread crumbs like Hansel and Gretel?” He says “Handsome and who? ….” Peals of laughter on my side and I tell him I’m sorry he’s missed such a great story. We will read it over the weekend.

One of the things I enjoy about being on the road, i.e. being in L.A. is I have a chance to think. My life is clearly in a transition, a good one. I did a lengthy on-camera interview where I was asked things no one in my life has ever has asked me. On point: “It’s clear why you started to play poker, (theraputic after loss of Hayden) but why did you stay with it?” No one has ever asked me that and it’s insightful as hell. The answer is because poker teaches me more about me than anything else I’ve ever done in my life. For me to do what it is I want to do, and to do it well, and at the best and at the top levels of the world, I have to get to my very core. And I haven’t seen my core in a long long time. This poker gig is making me a better person as the more I get to know about myself the more I like, and that is good. Good all the way around.

One thing I learned a long, long time ago about myself … no knowledge is ever wasted on me. Might have a wait a while to implement it or incorporate it into my gig .. but it isn’t lost. It’s in there and gets used in ways no one, including me, can even imagine. Interesting stuff.