"Why, God?! Why? Why are you doing this to me?!!"

Alright, maybe it's not all that dramatic but I was always one of those kids who figured that when I was 30 there would be flying cars and people would live on the Moon. Guess I was wrong, eh?

I don't know what it was, really. 30 always just sounded so far-off and distant to me. I assumed I would have a wife and kids, and all that jazz. Of course, it hasn't turned out that way (whew...), and truth be told, things have gone pretty damn well and I am pretty happy with my life.

I got to go to Berkeley during a very interesting time in the Bay Area's history. I just can't say enough about that school and the energy that exists on the campus. It was the only place where the same kid you would do beer bongs with at a Cal football game, was the same kid that you would fight tooth-and-nail with in your O-Chem class for that B+, was the same kid that you would see on something a little more than alcohol at a rave in Oakland, was the same kid that would be on your intramural basketball team, was the...you get it...it's an amazing place.

I surfed all around the dotcom boom...and bust, which was a like a miniature "rise and fall" of an industry. It was an amazing thing to live through and I'm ecstatic I was given the opportunity. While it's true that it's not fun to lose your job five times, it was certainly an experience. We would work 15 hours, party for 4, sleep for 5, and then be up the next day to do it all again.

I have been lucky enough to travel the world, both through poker and without it, and it is nothing short of breathtaking. For all the young poker players out there, I have some advice: get out and do some living before you take your seat at the table. It's tough to get back up once you are into it and there is just so damn much out there to experience before that. You will be short-changing yourself if you don't take advantage of what the world has to offer...

I feel like I have seen so many amazing things and spent time with so many amazing people so far that, in a sense, it's just not fair. I guess I just wanted to write this to thank everyone I have come into contact with, good and bad, over the (almost) last 30 years...

Thank you.

It has been one hell of a ride and I mostly owe it all to other people that I have had the chance to spend time with...

Still, though...30. I mean, what the hell is THAT all about?!

I'm off to Vegas today to catch the DMB shows there this weekend before hitting Reno and attempting to not blow it again before the final table comes calling...

Talk to you, kids...

peace,
J
joepoker@joesebok.com

PS-I just finished up with my new site design... www.joesebok.com ...check it out, as it turned out pretty sick!