Sometimes a man just has to ... PLAY!

For the past several years I have left my home every Monday night to head to a weekly poker game. I would admit that this did not always fit neatly into my life, but for the most part -- it worked for me and gave me a little spending money for the week (thanks to the frequent, generous donations of my poker buddies!!).

The new year brought some sadness as my Monday night poker night was cancelled. I'm not sure if this night is a victim of the economy for the guys, the busyness in life that most of us that play experience, or I was just uninvited me after 4 years because they were tired of giving me their money. Seems odd to just cancel male bonding experiences after so long so I might believe the latter is really at work. (Guys - if you see a vehicle slowly pass by the stomping grounds with the lights off this Monday you will know you've been found out.)

Anyway - it's over, and I must say that I miss it. I'm not sure if it was just the time to unwind or the fact that I love playing cards. It might even be (notice MIGHT) that I miss seeing the gang, laughing, and catching up weekly. It seems to me that I am becoming more disconnected socially without this opportunity to start the week off surrounded by men who have come to really appreciate me as a person throughout the past several years. It's funny - I have always thought that relationships were about quality not quantity, but there is something to be said for quantity too.

These guys have become my friends in the little contaned part of my life that is about play. I am probably like most men -- I just don't play that much. Sure I like to think about toys and maybe play a little here or there, but I really don't play that much. I am more likely to pass on a $10 toy for myself so that my kids can get one or try and convince myself that dinner out with friends is playing. I'm not saying I should play all the time, but I dangerously fill my schedule with things that look like play to those around me, but are often somehow related to work (i.e. spending time on the computer that generally has some work link to it).

It's a late New Year's resolution, and I am not always a fan, but I think I might just resolve to play more this year -- or at least play as much as I did last year. The key is going to be finding something than my Monday night poker game, and hopefully finding some others to get involved.