Preamble

Two years ago after the first every gathering of the tribes in Las Vegas, I wrote:

There's never a perfect place to start a Vegas trip report. You just have to close your eyes and pluck moments out of the air. Ah, and notes are a godsend.

That's how I feel about this past weekend. There's simply too much for me to construct the events into a running narrative. Hopefully I'll do my best to piece together the past weekend with friends.

I must admit that I've been taking less notes and less pictures these days. For me, I have more time to live life and experience it in the moment while it's happening than worrying about getting down all the juicy details. That sucks for readers and friends who couldn't make it. However, that means the experiences have reached a higher level of enrichment. And I cherish everyone one of those moments.

I have mentioned to more than one blogger that I consider myself one of the luckiest persons on the planet. I have been living the good life and the last two years have been some of the most fulfilling in my three plus decades in this universe. I also live with a morbid fear that the powers to be (pick your higher being: God, Buddha, Allah, Raelians, or Thetans) will take everything away from me at any given moment. It's a matter of time before all this is over. It's inevitable of course. Birth. Life. Death. Because I know there's an expiration date on all this goodness, I'm enjoying every second of it while I can.

If all this ends tomorrow, I'll have zero regrets because I've become friends with some of the coolest people that have roamed Earth (e.g. AlCantHang) and poker has brought me closer to my brother. For some reason whether it's fate, destiny, or pure coincidence... we have all crossed paths at this time and place in the cosmos. Our collective shared experience is what make life worth living. And despite whatever badness and negativity hovers over our daily lives, for a couple of days a year everyone leaves their protective bubbles and heads to Sin City to participate in the gathering of the tribes.

I've been to all five gatheings and aside from the first one, this one was by far my favorite because of you guys and girls who attended. Without all of you in my life, my world is dark without passion and any semblance of meaning. With all of you in it, I'm energized, motivated, and feel secure. My world is brighter because we have crossed paths. For that, I'll be eternally grateful.

I also wrote the following passage two years ago and the words still resonate with me today:

It was a freak accident that all this happened.... from me still being alive and not drinking myself to the gutter, to starting this blog, to discovering other bloggers, to developing friendships, becoming a part of a cool community, and then celebrating it all in Las Vegas... it's absurd to think that my life as I know it today... might never had come to fruition if certain tragic events had not happened.

I lost touch with me for a while. And when I least expected it, I rediscovered myself and found a dozen new friends along the way.

Vegas with the bloggers was one of my five favorite trips all time and I've been overflowing with inspiration since then. And I'm someone who's lived life and cricled the globe. I've traveled to a lot of places, seen a lot of different faces, and certainly done my share of wallowing in the hedonistic rock star lifestyle.

You have to believe me when I tell you the trip was extraordinary...

not because of the poker...
not because of the partying...
not because of the poker pros...
not because of Vegas...

the trip was amazing but because of the people involved.

I'm forged some new friendships, strengthened old ones, and bonded with a group of people whom I am proud to call my friends. I'm not exaggerarting when I say that the poker blogging community (not just those who were in Las Vegas)... saved my life in more ways than you'll ever know. Thanks again.

Well said. Stay tuned for more updates.