Are you stressed out? Do you feel uptight and want to bite off the heads of people who dare to wish you a cheerful 'Good morning'? Has life somehow become an ordeal rather than an adventurous journey with interesting turns along the way?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, I have a remedy for you. It's one that is being used by an increasing number of people. Best of all, it works.
Try marijuana and a glass of wine.
The mellowing effects of this combination must be experienced to be truly appreciated. When I visited Las Vegas recently, I stopped by one of the retail outlets where legal ganja is sold for recreational use by adults over the age of 21.
The place was a whirlwind of activity with people from all walks of life lined up to purchase the euphoric plant. I recognized several poker players from The Orleans. They greeted me with smiles, handshakes, and high fives.
'Voting to legalize this herb was the most intelligent thing the voters of Nevada ever did,' said Joey, an Omaha High=Low player who is in his 40s. 'In the past, I got ready to play by drinking a six-pack and chain-smoking half a pack of cigarettes.
'Now I just smoke a joint and have a glass of wine. It relaxes me and puts me in a winning frame of mind.'
The outlet I stopped at was on West Tropicana Avenue just about a mile from The Orleans. The employees at the place were in a good mood and obviously enjoyed what they were doing.
They asked where I was from and what my plans were in Las Vegas. I told them I wanted to get myself in a creative high so I could win a poker tournament.
'That's a cool idea,' said one of the clerks. 'Good luck. Let us know how the tournament turns out.'
Now admittedly you don't want to get too relaxed before playing poker. But the effects of marijuana and a glass of wine will just make you mellow enough to appreciate life and your chances against the other players.
You will find yourself enjoying the game immensely. You'll also want to talk with the other players and the dealer. The effects of the herb and the vine do that to you.
Alcohol can make a person unruly, agitated and even violent. I have never seen marijuana cause an individual to react that way.
Willie Nelson used to consume up to two-fifths of liquor before doing a concert. The alcohol was killing him and his daughter urged her father to stop drinking.
'I need it to get my creative juices flowing,' he told her. 'Drinking helps me get in the proper frame of mind to perform.'
His daughter talked him into joining her and some friends in a reefer party. Willie did. He was amazed at how uplifting the marijuana was. Almost overnight he stopped drinking and started smoking cannabis. Today the country western singer is in his 80s and he is at the top of his game when it comes to performing in concerts all over the world.
I didn't make the final table in my tournament, but that was because I had a bad run of cards. There will be better luck next time.
Willie Nelson is talented when it comes to making up titles. He picked the title 'Honeysuckle Rose' for a movie he made co-starring Dyan Cannon. He even suggested a book title for my autobiography when I write it: 'Celestial Cowboy For The Lord.'
I liked the title, but I am thinking of changing it. How do you think 'Marijuana, A Glass of Wine, and Sad Songs' will go over with the public? I t tested it with a few dealers at Talking Stick Casino. They loved the title and promised to buy the book if and when it comes out.
There are a number of winning poker players who were known for their drinking while playing poker. Bill Smith won a World Series of Poker and never stopped drinking beer during his play. Scotty Nguyen is famous for the amount of Michelob he consumes while playing in a cash game or tournament. The beer causes Scotty to get rowdy and he sometimes goes overboard with the way he treats cocktail waitresses and other players.
It's still too early to tell what effect the legalization of marijuana will have on players in Nevada, Colorado, Jamaica and other places where the voters have approved ganja. So far things seem to be fine. I'll drink to that.
Author: Geno Lawrenzi Jr.
(Geno Lawrenzi Jr. is an international journalist, magazine author and ghostwriter and poker player who lives in Phoenx, AZ. He has published 2,000 articles in 50 magazines and 125 newspapers. If you want to share a gambling story or book idea with him, send an email to glawrenzi@gmail.com ).