I was updating my monthly tracking sheets last night and I'm still trying to get a handle on my game: am I getting better or worse? Part of the fun for me is tracking my sessions. I log the time, place, wins, losses, winning rate per hour, etc. on a spreadsheet.

I'm beginning to wonder if there is a legitimate way to track my progress as a player in this game. The amount of money I win and add to my bankroll is not a very accurate judge of my skill. One lucky tournament, one big cash payoff, and my numbers are all skewed. If I track my cash game wins only, this too can be deceiving in the short term. I suppose if I can look back over a five year period and show that I've made money each of those years, that would be an indication I am playing well. But even the best of professionals have off years. Does having an "off year" mean I am less skillful, less of a player?

If earnings are not an accurate guage, then what is? The best I can come up with is an hourly win rate. At least if I track my win rate per hour over time it will be analogous to having a regular paying job. For example, if I can check my win rate per hour during a month and see how it compares to a regular job's salary, then maybe I can judge how I'm doing as a player. If I'm losing money each hour, then what I have is a hobby. I'm being entertained, but it's costing me money. If I begin to make money each hour consistently over time, however, then my hobby is beginning to pay off and it may become a source of regular income.

Is earning a regular income from playing poker a sign of my skill? I suppose it is, especially if I can show I've earned money consistently over a long period of time. And the key phrase here is "over a long period of time." It's not particularly relevant to track my win rate per hour for a month and convince myself I am making money. More than likely, the next month I will lose money. It seems to me a year's time is the minimum requirement. I need to track my hourly win rate for a solid year, then see where I am.

Another idea: log 1,000 hours of playing time, then check my win rate per hour. I heard a professional say that a cash game player needs to put in at least 3,000 hours of play before they can judge their skill level. That seems reasonable. Poker is a game, a gamble, with edges and variances that play themselves out over time. Thousands of hours need to be tracked before these variances begin to reveal themselves. This is one reason online players develop their skill far quicker than live game players. An online player will play many more hands per hour, and will also play more hours per day, than live game players. Online poker is live poker on steroids.

So, I guess what I'm suggesting is that:

1. I consider the long term, not the short term, when I'm tracking my progress as a player,
2. I track my win rate per hour, over time, and look for signs of improvement
3. I set a goal to play 1,000 hours at the felt before I assess my skill level and try to determine how well I'm doing.

So far this year, with two months remaining, I've played 510 hours. I suppose this is why I'm a little frustrated in defining my skill level as a player: I've just not played enough to determine where I am as a player.

By the Time I Get to Tucson

For the winter I think I'll live in Tucson. Why not? My only goal for the Winter of 2007 is to skip it. I want to stay warm. Tucson almost never gets cold, so I'm here to stay for a while.


I left Texas in a funk back in August and have not looked back. I spent 74 wonderful days in the Albuquerque and Santa Fe area of north central New Mexico, but when the night time temps began to fall into the sub-comfortable range I decided to head south.


My blog "1100 Miles to Vegas" has daily (or almost daily) updates of my trip across the Southwest.


While in Santa Fe I attended the Filmmakers Intensive open house at the College of Santa Fe. It's a new program for anyone interested in the film business, offering three tracks of study in screenwriting, directing, and producing. I'm looking at 2009 as a possible time frame to apply for the screenwriting track. Students spend nine months to a year learning from professional filmmakers on the College of Santa Fe campus.


The College of Santa Fe is evidently the only college in America that has a professional film studio attached to its campus, providing film students the opportunity to observe films being produced and shot in the Santa Fe area. Internships on various productions are possible as well.


The film industry in New Mexico has exploded, with numerous films and TV shows being filmed all around the state. New Mexico began in 2001 providing financial incentives to lure Hollywood film producers, and it's working.


Among the films being shot in New Mexico recently is Kevin Costner's Swing Vote. A new professional studio in Albuquerque, plus one being planned for Santa Fe, will see plenty of Hollywood business in the future. Russell Crowe's 3:10 to Yuma was filmed in New Mexico last year and the new Indiana Jones movie is coming to the state next year. In October, there were 19 movies being filmed around the state, and numerous commitments being made for 2008 and beyond.

I'm sitting in a Border's Bookstore coffee shop, looking out the window at some beautiful mountains, and not getting much work done. My plan is to spend the weekend here, writing. It's a great store, located near a very nice mall east of downtown.

This is a picture of what I see out the window looking north. Tucson is surrounded by five mountain ranges. What a beautiful city this is. If I can't become inspired to write here, then I'm in real trouble.















This is me looking real serious for some reason. I've got my "Harry Potter" glasses on. I saw "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" last night, Halloween night. I am in Arizona, after all, so I figured it makes sense, in a metaphysical and mystical sort of way. I wonder if there is a real Order of the Phoenix in Phoenix, with perhaps a satellite office here in Tucson.






This view of the Border's coffee shop is opposite the window. The guy in the white shirt on the left is an architect and has some drawings spread out on the table. I hope that's his wife sitting near him.







This is my first week in Tucson, so I'm still learning my way around the city. One warning for you, however, if you plan on a visit any time soon. The Tucson traffic is a nightmare because of the road construction all over town. Interstate 10 going through town is being rebuilt, with most of the ramps closed inside the city. Other streets around town are being repaved, too, providing a newcomer like me a huge headache.

I've had to use a map to draw up a plan on getting around the city while avoiding all the construction. So, if you come, bring a good map and a GPS system.

Over the weekend I'll be writing more about the city, my visit to the Visitors Center in downtown, the Casino del Sol, and A Mountain. I'm going to do my best to post something each day, here. There is plenty to write about and see. I've also got to discuss my trip here, along the scenic route from Albuquerque.

I made it to Tucson today, Monday, after two long days of driving and taking hundreds of photos along the way. I'm a little tired, so I'll update my blog over the next few days. There are some things I still need to say about Santa Fe and ABQ before I turn my attention to Tucson as well.

So the next few days I'm going to be working on my blog updates, editing my photos, and touring the Tucson area. Stay with me...it should be fun.

I took the photo at the right in Texas Canyon, about 30 miles east of Tucson. It will give you an idea of the beautiful scenery I've encountered over the last two days.

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More later.

By the Time I Get to Phoenix...uh, Make That Tucson

Well. It is time. I'm leaving ABQ for the desert. In search of warmer weather and a milder winter climate, I'm driving southwest to Tucson. I'm leaving this morning, Sunday, October 28.

I arrived in ABQ on Thursday, August 16. The 74 days I've been here have been great. I have very few complaints. The weather was perfect, the Sandia Resort was terrific, and the people in ABQ are generally very friendly. I've worked a little, played a lot, and seen the sights. The International Balloon Fiesta is a must-attend for any traveler, and the overnight trip to Santa Fe was the best way to wrap up my visit to north central New Mexico.

But now it's time to move on. The road is calling me to join her once again.

I'm first driving south to Socorro on I-25. From there I'll take state Hwy. 60 west to Hwy. 12. Hwy. 12 heads southerly to Reserve, New Mexico. Then I'll take Hwy. 180 south to Silver City. From Silver City, it's an easy drive west on I-10 to Tucson. This route will take me through various mountain ranges and beautiful scenery as I head my way south. I'm in no real hurry, so why not take the time to see the sights of southwestern New Mexico? To track my journey, visit the links to GoogleMaps (located in the left margin). So far, I've created three maps for the three "legs" of my trip.

I'll be writing a bit more about Santa Fe and posting some more photos over the next few days. Plus, I'll be posting my favorite photos on my photography blog at Photographium. I took some wonderful pictures in Santa Fe and want to share them. So check back here and Photographium. Notice I've added a new section to my blog for slideshows under the heading "Photo Albums."

Two Days in Santa Fe

Before leaving New Mexico it was a no-brainer to spend a couple of days in Santa Fe. Here are a few photos that reflect the time I spent there this week.

I drove north on I-25 from the Sandia Resort to Santa Fe, about 50 miles away. Once in town, I took Hwy. 285 north through the heart of downtown and continued on north until I reached the small rural community of Tesuque. I visited the Shidoni Foundry and Sculpture Gardens located there, and it's a must-see if you like large bronze sculptures. I spent an hour or so walking the gardens and visiting the indoor gallery.

After leaving Tesuque, I drove to the plaza area of downtown Santa Fe. I parked near the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. I walked up a few blocks and turned the corner and saw the Burrito Company, a small café just of the plaza. I had lunch there.

After lunch I continued to take a walking tour of the downtown area. I took photos and visited some of the retail outlets. The sidewalk vendors were out, and I was reminded of them from previous visits. They sell their handmade jewelry, blankets, and leather goods. I took a number of photos of the plaza, and the Civil War memorial at its center. It was a beautiful day, and just warm enough for a nice walk. I strolled on past the Cathedral Basilica and took a lot of photos on my way back to the car.

I left downtown around 3 p.m. and set out to find a motel for the night. I knew that Cerrillos Ave. was "motel alley", so I drove in that direction. When I passed the El Rey Motel, I had to stop. I decided to stay away from the franchise motels and find a local place, and the El Rey looked promising. I’m glad I found the place. Built in the 1930s, and expanded since then, the place has a real charm to it. Very clean, very nice, very Santa Fe. (A picture of my room is on the right. Each room has it's own patio, a great feature.)

I cleaned up at the motel and departed for the Filmmakers Intensive Open House and Screenwriter’s Program at the College of Santa Fe. I really enjoyed the evening. I took a tour of their facilities (sound stages, editing rooms, classrooms, etc.) and then stayed for the program. There were 30-40 people in attendance, plus the staff and actors. The presentation included readings from a dozen screenplays, and then actors presented a short scene from each play after a brief introduction from the writer.

I woke up early on day two, Wednesday, and had a free breakfast courtesy of the El Rey: granola, peaches, toasts, a small muffin, orange juice and coffee. I then checked out and drove to downtown once again. I spent the morning walking the plaza area and taking photos. Then about noon I drove to the Canyon Road area, the premier location for the Santa Fe art scene. Galleries galore are located along the narrow street, about a half mile from downtown. I spent a couple of hours visiting various art galleries. I then went to the Photo-Eye Gallery and the Garcia Street Bookstore.

For a late lunch I went to Posa’s Restaurant. I found it on Rodeo street, a few miles east of the mall. It was a small, local, informal place so I knew the food was going to be great.

After lunch I found scenic Hwy. 14 on the map, wanting to take the “Turquoise Trail” back to ABQ. What a beautiful drive! Hwy. 14 is the only way to travel between ABQ and Santa Fe, especially if you want to see some beautiful scenery. Along the way there are numerous tourist stops, little shops that sell jewelry and all kinds of local art. Madrid is the place to stop and visit, located about halfway between ABQ and SF. Unfortunately, they were paving the street in Madrid at the time, making it a pain in the ass to get through. But I stopped and spent some time there amid the smell of a new blacktop road surface and piles of road dirt.

The wonderful views of the mountains south of Santa Fe along Hwy. 14 are worth the extra time it takes to maneuver along the two-lane highway. You will want to stop in Cerrillos and Madrid before making your way south to catch I-40 west that takes you into ABQ.

Sandia National Lab to Close the Book on Books

The Sandia National Laboratories Technical Library is having a minor crisis, and it’s not alone. All across the world, research and technical libraries are closing the books on real books.

With the Internet and technological innovation leading the way, libraries are turning their backs on books, tossing them aside for digital versions that are accessible online. The Sandia National Laboratories Technical Library announced this month that they are placing the content of their library entirely online, and closing the door on the thousands of volumes of real books housed in their library.

Researchers at the Lab are understandably upset. While they are using their desktops to supplement their research, many of the technicians like browsing the library shelves for resources and enjoy studying an actual text. Some of them hate the idea of not having access to a traditional “brick and mortar” library with hardcover books.

Much of the ballyhoo is a response to the Library Without Walls Project, which is an international movement to place research and technical materials online for easy access from researchers around the world. The basic idea seems to be, “Let’s put all of the content of our books and journals online so we can easily access them at home, or at our labs and offices, from anywhere in the world.”

This all sounds great and is inevitable. But here’s the rub: what happens to books and traditional libraries? Will the local library, college library, all libraries everywhere eventually close their doors? Is there any value in holding a real book in your hands? Do we need to spend millions of dollars storing hardcover books when we can digitize content and make it available to anyone anywhere?

I’m reminded of two television shows, both from the area of science fiction, that deal with this issue. Interestingly, both of these television shows occurred in the 1960s, when the Internet and desktop computers were infants in imagination and practice.

The first episode I recall first aired in late 1959, was from the series Twilight Zone and titled “Time Enough at Last”, and starred Burgess Meredith as a bank teller with poor eyesight. Mr. Henry Bemis wore these incredibly thick glasses. He loved books. He cared for them like children. And when an atomic bomb blast destroyed his city, he wept over the destruction of his beloved library. But the books survived. He carefully stacked them on the front steps of the library, which was a heap of crushed stone. He’s was thrilled to still have his books, with all the time in the world to read them. Then, tragically, at the end of the episode, he breaks his glasses. He’s now faced with a future surrounded by his beloved books, but he can’t read them. The last scene of him holding his books abreast in one hand, and his broken spectacles in the other, will always stay with me.

But I a love books.

The second episode comes from Star Trek. Titled “Court Martial” and first broadcast in 1967, the episode deals directly with the issue: the value of real books and human interaction versus the technological and digitization of content on computers. Captain Kirk is accused of a crime that ends in the death of a colleague, with evidence primarily being digital content on a computer. His attorney (played by Elisha Cook, Jr.), an old salt who loves books and hates technology, fights to save Kirk in court. His speech before the judge speaks directly to us: computers can lie. He passionately argues before the judge that computers and technology are destroying the reality of a world that was once real, a world with physical and emotional bonds that connect us as human beings. Computers are nothing more than circuit boards, chips, mechanical devices, bits and bytes of information that are not real, they are imitations of reality. The episode ends, naturally, with Captain Kirk acquitted after his pal Spock discovers the computer was intentionally reformatted and unreliable, and the person who supposedly died was in fact still alive and was behind the whole frame job. I’ll always remember the passionate speech of Kirk’s attorney (badly overacted I’ll admit), and the picture of him holding a stack of books in his hand as he delivered it.

So, the issue comes down to this: is there any value in a real book, a book with pages that you touch, smell, turn, spill coffee on, crease, bookmark. When I sit out by the pool, or snuggle up near a fireplace, or slumber in bed at night, or sit at Starbucks drinking a latte, and want to read a good book, I don’t want to, read a computer screen.

But I’m a lover of books.

I will always prefer holding print and ink in my hands. I will never give up the hope that books will remain, real books. And God help us the day that libraries around the world become a thing of the past, heaps of ruble destroyed not by an atomic bomb, but by man’s foolishness.