"Champions in any field have made a habit of doing what others find boring or uncomfortable" ~ unknown

I can’t believe we’re in May!  How did this happen?  As crazy busy as I am, May brings on a LOT of pool.  A LOT of it.  And I’m stoked!

My pool calendar in May has me booked 22 days out of 31.  That leaves me 9 days to get all non-related pool things done ~ ppsssh, as if!  On top of my full-time job and my other full-time job I’m sitting here wondering how best to organize my life, if that’s even possible.  Let’s just say that my goal for tonight (after league of course) is to get my damn house in order since that’s been neglected for awhile now (oh right – due to pool).

The consumption of pool is sometimes greater than what one would call normal.  But isn’t it?  It comes with the territory, right?  I mean don’t we all who indulge, indulge whole heartedly?  I know I do.  My last post was “somewhat” J geared around how I’m starting to view other players…..and the everyday learning process is a bit brutal at times.  I’ve also realized that some of the players who I know and play with really don’t see the pool world as I do.  I’m so engaged, I used to think everyone who played was. 

Think again captain….. 

I found myself having a conversation with a fellow pool acquaintance about pool.  This is a bright individual.  Who plays a lot of pool.  Who has been playing a LONG time.  As the conversation grew and we began to talk about miscellaneous tournaments around the country and some of the pro players, I realized this person had no clue what I was talking about.  This person went along for a bit and slowly would change verbiage to slide into something more general in the pool world.  I was a bit lost and confused as to what was really going on…..and it got me thinking.

Am I so involved into something that I love, that it could be called an addiction?  Or obsession?  That I could possibly be a bit insane to be so infatuated with this world?  See, that fact that I’m nowhere near and expert in this field, but that I love it so, seems so natural to me.  I don’t think twice about it.  Its become a lifestyle.  I twiddle my thumbs, bored out of my mind when league is on break.  Or when there isn’t some tournament somewhere.  I’ve been playing in the same measly Saturday night tournament at a home bar for years now – since before I really knew how to play.  I never questioned myself about what I was really doing. 

After this conversation, I began to look at myself (and I’m still contemplating) and see what it really is that I love about this world that only a few know.  This world, where outsiders look in and think we’re all nuts.

“It’s just a game, you’re so intense”.
“Well why not?  You’re so intense about your _____ (fill in your hobby here).”
“Yeah, but I don’t let it consume me”
"OH. I do".