Some of us are aware of the weird tastes of NV, Xas, so it's probably a compliment. FWIW, I have never seen dog's bollocks looking so good/tasty. NH, WP, etc.

Saying that something is 'the dogs bollocks' is actually a compliment.

I sort found a reason as to why here:

Have you considered playing 1/2NL for a bit and building up some scrizzle?

There is no shame in jumping down for a bit to keep your self in a reasonable roll instead of going into debt to play. Why not go down a few levels and get together 10k and your confidence before stepping back up.

You are a talented player for sure, but no shame in the idea of either riding out the bad wave or build up confidence and roll at lower stakes. Ego is about the only reason to play outside of your means and ego is usually not the reason to take most actions.

Xas, please take this in the kindest way possible. This is not an assault on you or your skills. You are clearly one of the best players on the site, but I'm afraid that you may have lost touch with what made you great in the first place.

In the big picture, over the last 1/2 year and a bit, I have watched you go through a consistent downswing with occassional runups. On the last major swing, you were saved deux ex machina by an excellent placing in the Sunday Million, but it's happening all over again.

As great as you are, you would be greater still to realize that in some ways you are just like everyone else. Again, this is not about you as a person. You still have $30,000 which is very very substantial, and more than enough to rebuild a sick BR ... if you play like the pro that you are!!! Get off these donkaments immediately ... get down to some serious grinding ... and check your expectations against the current reality.

I'm afraid that if you don't do this, you will self-fulfill your own demise here sometime within the next 6 months. You took a $40,000 downswing in the last part of the year and YOU CANNOT AFFORD ANOTHER ONE. You certainly can't afford to go into debt for poker with no career to fall back on.

I would love to be more encouraging here ... but in order for you to regain your rightful status as a top pro, you need either another lotto win, or a serious reality check. Move all of your money off of site except for $5K ... hit the $1/2 tables, and build it back man. You have to get back to basics or you're sunk. Please be wise and take this advice. You're a better player than I'll likely ever be, and you were the inspiration for me to really want to go for it. Because of those things, I owe it to you not to kiss your ass here. Reality is hitting you over the head, pay attention. I totally believe in what you can do. If you eat the humble pie here, you'll come back better than ever. It'll be hard to swallow, but that's part of being a real man. If you don't, you're totally fucked, and you'll have to start right over from $200. Or worse. Do you really want to be worse off than when you started after all this time? "Xaston ... I remember him ... the guy that made all that money and then threw it away. He's on that big pile of coulda'beens." Be a pro about your situation man and you'll be fine. Or be reckless. Your call, but it's your future.

Respectfully,
PZ

PS ~ Have you considered that poker is not fulfilling you in the way it once was? Why not be a gourmet chef who makes shitloads of money on the side? You are a gourmet chef after all.

Everyone else ~ I think this much pretty says it all ... so let's avoid beating a dead horse ... the last thing the man needs is to feel ganged up on and like there's something to prove. He's still one of the best players on the site.

go play in the Borgata open Main event tournaments Jan 15-31-lots of money to be made there (AC) with good poker players for not outrageous buy ins for their tournaments....allow one person to stake you for only the main event

call up the local restaurant of your dreams and tell then you will work for them for nothing for 3-6 months in the kitchen and learn something you do not already know..lelt's face it you have time on your hands, you should use it wisely

Use your FPP points to buy into large tournaments online and forget about saving those points for something silly (as I recall)

stop having sex...it is killing your game
start having sex if you are not -it will improve your game

make believe you only have $10K remaining and convince yourself you must use it to increase your bankroll-put the remaining money is the highest interest savings account you can find.

get car insurance and health insurance asap (just thought I would throw that in..hehe)