The Prodigal Poker Player

If there's anyone out there who still checks in on this blog, my apologies for the hiatus. Figured I would update this thing. I've been meaning to do so for awhile.

Where do I start? I guess I'll pick up where I left off. My last post was in March of 09. At that time, my senior year of college was winding down. It was a pretty hectic time. I search endlessly for job opportunities throughout the course of the year. I had no luck. Historically speaking, last year was one of the most economically trying times that our nation (and the world) has ever experienced. It was not a good time to find a job. I kept hearing from everyone that it was arguably the most worst job market, ever.

It’s funny how things happen, though. To combat the lack of jobs that year, Duke started a graduate program in conjunction with Fuqua, our business school. Time-out for a second… Let’s not kid ourselves, Duke created the program because it was a $$$ making opportunity. Can’t blame them, though. But I digress, back to the story… so I decided that I would apply for the program. It was titled, “Masters in Management Studies: the Foundations of Business.” They promised jobs, more attractive resume, etc etc. A good portion of my friends decided to go for it, as well. My thought process was, “Can I really put up with the stale city of Durham for another year?” The answer was no, but I justified it because being with my friends would make it easier. Super senior? I guess I’d have to be “that guy.”

It was May of 09. I graduated on a Sunday and was filling out my Fuqua application on Monday. On that fateful Monday, I was procrastinating on the internet. I came across a website for resume writing tips. Part of the application process was to submit a resume. After reading up on resume writing, I realized that my resume was pretty rookie. I decided that I would remodel it. After putting the finishing touches on the resume, I figured that it would be good idea to apply for some jobs (just in case I didn’t get accepted to Fuqua.) I posted my resume on all of the major job search websites and applied for some jobs here and there. A few hours after posting it, I got a phone call.

It was a headhunter. He was recruiting to fill a position at a small hedge fund in New York City. He said that they wanted an athlete from a top tier university. At first I was skeptical about pursuing job. My mind was set on attending Fuqua in the fall. My close friend, Tony, had just graduated with his MBA from Fuqua, and he was helping me through the application process. In my previous blog post (circa March 2009), him and I went to Mardi Gras together. I told Tony about the job prospects. Tony took a job with a major investment bank in NYC and was planning a move to the city, himself. He said to go for the job, because if I got it, we could find an apartment together. I thought about it for a full day. Fuqua or real world? I wanted the job. Five rounds of interviews later, I got it.

Work started in July. We moved into our apartment in August. A lot has happened since last August. There are so many stories that I don’t even know where to start. Being that one obnoxious Phillies fan in NY during this past year’s World Series. Stumbling into P Diddy’s 40^th birthday party on a random Wednesday. Rooftop daytime parties at my apartment. Catching a glimpse of Obama and his entourage when I bumped into him while taking a run. Riding the roller coaster of the finance world. The journey for success. The fear of failure. These thoughts pretty much sum up my first year as an “adult.” That doesn’t quite cover all of my talking points over the past year, but I am writing over a public forum. It’s nothing incriminating, but let’s just say I wouldn’t want my mother to read it. I would love to share some of the stories but I’ll save them for conversation material over a beer or two, or three.

On the poker front, I have retired. I didn’t have the time, energy or focus that it takes to be a winning player. I only have a few hours of free time on weekdays and I’m usually all over the place on weekends. Poker just didn’t fit into my schedule. I could be making a comeback in the near future, though, so beware of any new, unknown LAGtards you might see sitting at your table.

I did not edit this so please excuse any grammatical errors. I don’t know when I will post again. Until then, may your health be good and chip stacks continue to grow.