Announcing my retirement. Not from blackjack play. From the message boards. (yet again....:laugh
But not because of frustration over personal attacks or any incident on the site. I have encountered several recent events which were a direct result of reckless postings. One was a pit guy commenting on something I said in a post. I was playing unrated at the time. It didn't result in a backoff or barring, as I left rather quickly. Perhaps that was the intent or perhaps just some sort of warning. At any event, I intend to learn from it.
The second event while not career threatening, was even more disturbing. I was approached as I walked home about the possibility of writing a book. Something I have no interest in, as I feel that would accelerate the end of my playing days, with little benefit. Beside, who other than maybe a few players here would have interest in such a story and those few people have already read my story in bits and pieces as I have already shared nearly all aspects of my career and life. I just haven't gotten paid for it. :sad: I also have been approached in the casino two separate times about the possibility of team play. These events follow on the heals of an incident outside of the casino environment, where I was told I would no longer be able to play at a certain casino. While this disturbing incident probably was not related to the message board sites, one can't be sure.
What I am sure of is that I have somehow lost my way, my purpose for visiting these sites. It has gone from a learning tool to somehow filling a social void in my life that allowed me to talk blackjack with like minded, fine and smart people. In a way it has become sort of an addiction that I spend entirely too much time on. Serves no positive benefit to my career. And now is threatening to shorten that career. While there are many players that have been barred at every casino and are so recognized they are unable to ply their trade, I could be the first person that does so to himself. So I need to back off.
I am grateful to the many members who have contributed to my blackjack education and a handful of very knowledgeable, successful members in particular who have shared their knowledge. I am not going to name names. Anyone who visits regularly knows who these folks are. We should all consider ourselves extremely lucky to have some of these guys participate. Most do sparingly, and that is yet another lesson I am taking from them. And a huge thank you to Ken and the mods, for their efforts on this fine site. Efforts that are soo under appreciated. I can't imagine that I would have had anywhere close to the limited success that I have enjoyed in my career, had I not stumbled upon this site.
I will still read the boards regularly and participate in some chat sessions that I feel I can benefit from, in a continuing effort to learn and improve my knowledge and skills, but my posts will be far and few between and generic in nature offering little details of experiences. I also hope to continue the private dialogs that I have with some members and the very few members that I have met in person and have a handful that I hope to meet in the future.
I offer this post not as some of grand and glorious exit, but more in the hopes that some of you, especially the successful younger guys that I have become so fond of, won't make the same mistakes of over exposing yourself. My best to all.
But not because of frustration over personal attacks or any incident on the site. I have encountered several recent events which were a direct result of reckless postings. One was a pit guy commenting on something I said in a post. I was playing unrated at the time. It didn't result in a backoff or barring, as I left rather quickly. Perhaps that was the intent or perhaps just some sort of warning. At any event, I intend to learn from it.The second event while not career threatening, was even more disturbing. I was approached as I walked home about the possibility of writing a book. Something I have no interest in, as I feel that would accelerate the end of my playing days, with little benefit. Beside, who other than maybe a few players here would have interest in such a story and those few people have already read my story in bits and pieces as I have already shared nearly all aspects of my career and life. I just haven't gotten paid for it. :sad: I also have been approached in the casino two separate times about the possibility of team play. These events follow on the heals of an incident outside of the casino environment, where I was told I would no longer be able to play at a certain casino. While this disturbing incident probably was not related to the message board sites, one can't be sure.
What I am sure of is that I have somehow lost my way, my purpose for visiting these sites. It has gone from a learning tool to somehow filling a social void in my life that allowed me to talk blackjack with like minded, fine and smart people. In a way it has become sort of an addiction that I spend entirely too much time on. Serves no positive benefit to my career. And now is threatening to shorten that career. While there are many players that have been barred at every casino and are so recognized they are unable to ply their trade, I could be the first person that does so to himself. So I need to back off.
I am grateful to the many members who have contributed to my blackjack education and a handful of very knowledgeable, successful members in particular who have shared their knowledge. I am not going to name names. Anyone who visits regularly knows who these folks are. We should all consider ourselves extremely lucky to have some of these guys participate. Most do sparingly, and that is yet another lesson I am taking from them.
And a huge thank you to Ken and the mods, for their efforts on this fine site. Efforts that are soo under appreciated. I can't imagine that I would have had anywhere close to the limited success that I have enjoyed in my career, had I not stumbled upon this site. I will still read the boards regularly and participate in some chat sessions that I feel I can benefit from, in a continuing effort to learn and improve my knowledge and skills, but my posts will be far and few between and generic in nature offering little details of experiences. I also hope to continue the private dialogs that I have with some members and the very few members that I have met in person and have a handful that I hope to meet in the future.
I offer this post not as some of grand and glorious exit, but more in the hopes that some of you, especially the successful younger guys that I have become so fond of, won't make the same mistakes of over exposing yourself. My best to all.
