Gentlemen,
About six to eight weeks ago, I played my last session of blackjack which I foresee to be my last for quite some time. With a wife and child to consider, my long held desire to venture into moderate to high stakes has come to a halt, and I can no longer justify the two hour plus round trip travel time for the three or four trips a month I had made to play a $5 to $80 play most or a $10 to $80 wonging game. The time involved, vehicle wear and tear, not to mention the volatility of the game have forced me to reconsider my options.
For many years, I have considered myself to be underemployed, though I have done very little to rectify the situation. I had returned to school a few years ago and I was able to bring GPA up from a putrid mid two range to a respectable 3.26 though I fell short of getting my degree (Financial Management). At the very least, returning to school was a resume enhancer but until now I've done nothing to capitalize on it.
Currently, I have a tremendous opportunity for employment as an Investment Representative with a top five or six brokerage firm. I anticipate that I will need to dedicate myself to 60 to 70 hours per week over the next three to five years before I really make a strong go of it. I'm fortunate that I have the strong support of my wife and parents. Being a broker is something I've wanted to do for the last decade or so and I've finally overcome the fear of making such a career change. Needless to say, I don't anticipate that I'll be playing any more blackjack over this time frame unless I strongly overachieve and surpass the median income for a third or fourth year broker.
I've only been an intermittent poster here over the last two years or so but have been an almost daily lurker. Over the last few weeks my lurking has dwindled and I anticpate that I may only lurk about once a month or so in the future just as a form of diversionary entertainment.
I'd like to thank all of the tremendous posters on this site, most without even knowing it, for all of their great wisdom and knowledge they have shared. I feel my game is a strong one and I do anticipate a day when I will return to the fold of advantage play. As one poster once replied to me, "the game will always be their in the future". I'm sure that, say, five or six years from now, it won't take me all that long to "ramp up" up game and take it back out of mothballs.
I can't even begin to give a list of of acknowledgements but I'll try: Don Schlesinger, Stanford Wong, DD, Math Prof, Cacarulo, Parker, BJAddict (Orange County), Bad Cutter, The Mayor, Moose (the visual provided by the story of Moose's almost back off followed by a loud F--- an A still cracks me up), El Burro, Bootlegger, Joe (though I wouldn't try many of his methods) are just a few who come to mind. I really appreciate EVERYONE, including Clarke Cant and TG (I'm a pretty forgiving guy even when personally attacked, especially on a message board).
I've tried on occassion to give back to the newcomber what was so freely given to me although it seems like every time I'd be ready to give an answer, Parker had beaten me to the punch. :->
I just felt a need to let everyone know that I'll be moving on for now lest anyone happened to be thinking "I wondered what happened to that Telescopic guy; he never posts anymore" (not that I'd really be that missed here or anything).
So there it is. I certainly hope the best for everyone here. I'm feeling almost emotional that I won't be regularly following the trials and tribulations of many of you here. Though I've met none of you, I do feel a certain connection to many of you.
Enough blathering,
Sincerely,
Telescopic
