A Musical Interlude

I was lucky enough to work with the young man in this video. We did a headline UK tour, a tour with Scouting for Girls, and numerous one-offs & festivals including V-Fest. He's a good looking boy, no mistake. But he's also talented performer and writer who is influenced by music that even old dogs like me rate. His former record company tried to fit him in a Pop Star box. Fortunately, he was having none of it and is now exploring new ways to get his music out there via the Sam Beeton Record Club . He's a really nice lad. Do him a favour for me, please. Have a listen and if you like what you hear, click 'like'. Thank you.

Poker Blogging

I just registered for the pokerstars event for bloggers. Big prizes :o)

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker! The WBCOOP is a free online Poker tournament open to all Bloggers, so register on WBCOOP to play.

Registration code: XXXXXX 951447

Poker Pleasure and Pain

I won £120 playing poker online on Friday evening. The fact that I bought in for £0, having won my entry in a little sky poker promotion, only served to increase the pleasure I took from the win. I didn't play particularly well but the cards were kind to me and many of the players were making very hopeful bets. I was in a very good mood for the weekend.

I returned to the tables on Sky on Saturday night playing in a £5.75 tourney with a top price of about £100. I was ripping them up. Once the field had been reduced to about 10, I was in first place. I was dealt AJ on the button. Flop came xJx. I had it all in against one opponent by the turn. He turns over J6. He has 3 outs. In other words I'm the 94% favourite to win. But his 6 comes on the river making a sizeable dent in my stack.

A few hands later I'm up against the same guy. This time I have KQs, He has J5. After seeing a flop of KQ5, he moves all in. I, of course, call - and this time I'm all-in. The turn doesn't help him. So on the river he needs one of two 5's remaining -  just two outs this time, about a 4% chance against my hand. He's hits his 5, giving him trips against my two pair. I'm out.

I seem to do better at Poker when I approach it as a sport and get really absorbed into the game. But I can't have the pleasure of winning without risking the pain of losing. And it does hurt to lose.

The win on Friday night really helped me shrug off my bad beat, though.

So here's my pearl of wisdom for this weekend's poker: winning immunises against the negative psychological impacts of losing. A stunning insight, I'm sure you'll agree.

miscellaneous too

My blogging efforts were somewhat lacking in 2010. I'm perhaps understating that. Anyway, at the very least to remove a post which mentions 'summer' in the title, I'm typing away again.

So, what news? Well, I'm really up for a change of job. I think earning a wage by hanging around with musicians around has run its course for me. The music industry is very backward as regards the internet, and my blog has a tiny audience, so I feel pretty secure that my retirement will go unnoticed; thereby, giving me the chance to accept a job with a smile should one come along. But I'm not going looking. The last 8 years or so has been spent with some wonderful people for whom I'd willingly chop off small appendages. However, I've also spent time with some less-than-wonderful people for whom I would be disinclined to offer a micturational solution in the event of them suffering an immolation situation. Less said the better.

So that leaves poker and money.

My fascination with poker has not been welcomed by all who know me. I understand from other players that this is not uncommon. Nevertheless, my journey into poker continues. I've recently discovered some great blogs about poker. Its reassuring that others see the same potential I do - not only in playing the game - but in the game as a proxy for economic relationships. Sorry to tease - and I don't want to overplay my hand (as poker players say) - but maybe, if I can tear myself away from the tables this year, I might explore some of my thoughts on this and let you know what others are saying. Here's a prediction you can judge me on - the number of academic papers written on poker (particularly online poker) will rise dramatically in the next 5 years.

Now, lest ye forget, for me, poker is a subset of money. I did my burning this year on the 23rd October. But I had to burn a promise, rather than notes (£100) - not that there's too much difference technically. I wrote the following on a piece of paper and burnt it at 23:23 on 23/10/10:

'THE BANK OF MONEY

PLANET EARTH

I, JONATHAN HARRIS, do solemnly declare that I will destroy the state's claim to £100 (English Pounds Sterling) by burning two £50 notes. If I die before I do so, I ask that my surviving family carry out my wishes on my behalf '

There's a lot waiting on my elusive big poker win.

What I'd love to do in 2011 is write a few more short - easy to read - pieces on the nature of money. I've become less concerned with justifying what I say about money. I enjoy writing the more academic pieces and they do force me (to try) to make a coherent argument, but for the reader the shorter pieces are so much better. And for me they are the most satisfying thing to create. Its just they tend to come along at with their own timing. 'Price is to Money, as Weight is to Gravity' had been swimming around my head as an idea for years before I managed form it into a phrase.

Anyway, so that's what I'm about for now. I should imagine the difficulties Life throws up, which include the not inconsiderable problem of earning a living, may hinder my ambitions. But I shall try none the less. That big poker win would really help. Positive vibes if you please.