My 2009 WSOP Unedited Vent

For those of you who are asking… here’s an uninteresting, unedited, with typos WSOP update on my M.I.A. WSOP. 

IMHO, the short version:

Despite recent accusations, no, I’m not a compulsive gambler (I will be using Angie Tempura’s infamous line as my reaction.  See video below.).  It is sad there are people whose rage and fear make half-truths more appealing in the attempt to win or validate feelings rather than sharing the whole unpleasant truth to live in total honesty and freedom. 

Moving on…  Since last summer, I’ve helped my husband get his business open after theft, vandalism and a hurricane + managing, paying interest and property taxes on 5 -6 pieces of property without much income + two business moves within 6 months + book keeping + mom stuff + wife stuff + neglect all my friends stuff + school stuff.  That’s a lot of stuff but I never made any stovetop stuffing.  Now, I’m busy with my children and avoiding thoughts of a family member’s recent return of cancer (no, not my son).  FYI, cancer still sucks.

Poker is a passion.  Poker is a pastime.  Poker is… just plain ol’ fun.  Poker provided a great time for me and my husband at night while our son was undergoing chemotherapy.  Poker has given me wonderful friends whom I would trust to babysit my children.  Poker media has provided wonderful offers like… being a woman of the future and a presenter at the Women’s Poker Hall of Fame in honor of Jan Fisher, June Field and Cyndy Violette.  Writing a speech for friend Jeffrey Pollack, WSOP Commissioner, which was an honor not only to support women but also because Pollack has a Northwestern journalism degree.

The bottom line… I may show up to the WSOP, I may not show up to the WSOP.  Either way, I’m taking Joe Dirt’s advice and right now…. And I’m  just keepin’ on keepin’ on.

The ranting long version: 

Did anyone learn anything in the 1990’s self-help decade?  You know… check your motives, ego vs. doing what’s right, avoid manipulating to get what you want and… be part of the solution not part of the problem?   Because when I hear someone thought I was so cool then turns around and accuses me of being a compulsive gambler… it seems like  Two-Faced didn’t leave the box office with the Dark Knight. 

Last year, I met someone for 2 minutes who spent the entire conversation telling me they already knew all about me.  They had googled me, researched me, just thought I was so cool, so awesome, they were so impressed with my poker record, my career and they couldn’t wait to see how I did at the WSOP that summer etc.  It’s like I had my own Rob Schneider saying “You Can Do It!”

Ah, but now they say I’m a compulsive gambler… that has a serious gambling problem or something like that.  Of course, that opinion comes conveniently after the stock market, oil and loans sank and tanked.   Well, I guess time consuming drama is far more distracting  than the boring truth of Michele Lewis… She don’t drink, don’t do drugs, rarely if at all gambles outside of poker, a writer in the poker industry known for interviews and smart-arse wit, last year she played 4 or 5 poker tournaments including the Queen of Hearts Charity Team for the Ladies WSOP Event benefiting the Nevada Cancer Institute, she has a hot temper when it comes to her family, she works 10 – 16 hour days at the WSOP and finally… her total career WSOP winnings probably exceeds her WSOP buy-ins. 

However, the truth is… it is well known that Michele Lewis has a massive gambling debt and is a cheater*, as she  owes pounds of chocolate to her kids for cheating in dreidel after she allowed them to beat her.

I mean, obviously, my site doesn’t reveal that last summer I sat there and wrote about how I was sitting there writing about writing all the time because what would be the point in that sort of writing?  What?  Exactly.  That’s almost as hard to understand as the meaning of Lying By Omission.

Next, update…this past year the doctor told me I had lupus.  Remember that? Ugh.  So I had a few positive ANA tests… the diagnosis… it’s just my genes, symptoms are probably stress.  No lupus.  That’s good.  

The good and bad is just that.   Just good and just bad.  They come and go… I’ve have had my share of some really amazing years and really bad years. I only regret getting sucked into the stress of the bad years…  The stress at home has been hard for my children and it is not their fault.  So, I’ve been trying to make up my absence and stressed out attitude to them this summer by getting back to basics and working less.  Interestingly, I feel better about myself being at home more because I don’t have so much mommy guilt on my shoulders.  My 7 year-old understands that banks have done away with former loan programs and we won’t be building our new home any time soon; yet, it seems he’s at a loss when he says I don’t take him to the toy store like I used to.  Now, I have to explain to them someone they love has cancer which isn’t easy to explain to a child who has already had cancer. And this July marks the five-year post cancer for my son!  Woo-Hoo.

Somewhere in all the economic meltdown, stock crashing, oil dropping, finger pointing, hurricane thrashed city… I truly forgot there is nothing more important to me than being a good mom, a great wife, a good friend and to help those who have worse problems than my own.  Yes Dan… I know this is what you were talking about.

* Manipulation disclosure.  I ended that sentence there on purpose due to previous experiences.