Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful (Buddha)

Somehow the world is either a split second ahead of me or a split second behind me - or more plausible: I missed a turn somewhere and ended up in 'Lalaland' where nothing ever fits perfectly. One thing is certain: I am surrounded by bad timing at the time of writing. Let me give you a few examples so You know what I am talking about.

I was invited to play the Nordic championship in Iceland in marts. My girlfriend was also going and we have been trying to go on vacation forever (more about that later). She plays chess for Sweden (we met at a chess tournament - very romantic...) so it seemed like a perfect idea. But then just a few weeks ago one of my best friends announced that he was having his 40th birthday party at the same time... Doh! I already received the tickets for Iceland and now? Wtf - I missed out on so many parties and social gatherings because of chess and it seems that here goes another one.

The highlight of last year was winning The Thailand Open (chess) - I had a tremendous time in Thailand, so when I was invited again I - of course - said yes. Now it turns out that it overlaps with the danish championship, sigh - Yes, it is fucking ridiculous. So I am not playing the national championship this year and also dissapointing a lot of people (the federation, my few fans and of course the organizers ) - annoying when I really wanted to play. But ok Odense can't really compete with this.

And because of the overlap of dates a friend of mine won't play in Thailand (he will play in DK - probably winning the title in my absence haha) - and the plan was to go with him another friend to Hong Kong and Shanghai after the tournament - now that great plan seems to be falling apart.

A bank just went bankrupt in Denmark. The banks name was Amagerbanken and it is still rather weird that they didn't survive and even more surprising that they managed to go under so long after the financial crisis of 2008. I had shares in that bank.. And when they asked me to buy more, I did. I 'only' lost something like 4.5K but still it is annoying and not my finest moment as an investor (other shares are doing better!).

Three years ago I promised myself never to spend a whole January in Denmark again. Since then I have - You guessed it - spent three whole Januaries in Denmark. This country is cold, dark and unfriendly in January - so what went wrong? I really don't know! Me and my girlfriend always look for vacations in warm places but then something goes wrong and the vacation never materialize. The last two years the reason has been another of my bad timing issues (now it becomes a bit private - feel free to skip if you don't care about my exciting sex life haha):

Before my current girlfriend (current girlfriend - ouch hope she doesn't read this haha) I had a long relationship with another girl. She didn't want to have children - ever.  I did (and still do!). Eventually it sent us in different directions (she took the dog and I got the cat). Now me and my new true love is trying to have a child - without any success. My …. quality isn't that good - kinda  ironic... anyway we are in treatment and can't go anywhere: There is a billion blood tests, scannings etc.  So no vacation, sir, you are grounded in horrible north Europe every January, until..

Physically I really feel a need to become very fit, but every time the workouts really get going (been working out for like 17 years) I get an injury, usually in one of the shoulders, the back, an elbow or my back thighs. I am really careful and I do all the exercises by the book - seriously. But alas my body is made of glass. It is just not meant to be.  

Now this is a poker blog and recently my timing has also been rather bad at the tables: always having a straight when they have flush or a flush when they have a boat... Ha! You thought I was through whining, right? You were wrong, ahhh, or maybe not. Even though it seems like I have annoyingly many problems. They all have one thing in common: They are luxury problems! I can almost hear Homers sarcasm: So you can't play the danish Championship because you are going to play in a luxury resort in Thailand - uuuh big proooblem. And this is what is needed sometimes : a reality check - is it really that bad? And bad compared to what? People in Sudan? In Haiti? A single mom on benefits? A drug addict? - right! So let's be thankful... - I love that Buddha quote. - and remember that life is good and a few losing sessions in poker is only meaningless, not the end of the world.