Life Master At Last

Happy New Year blog followers!  Husband/partner and I made LM together, at the Reno Regional, with those awesome gold miners, Paula and Jay.  It was an emotional week, with more ups and downs than a road over the devil's backbone.  However, as our son opined, "It's nice to hear someone returned from Reno with a good result".  I think he was worried that we were headed for the quickie divorce capital of the western world.

"So, how does it feel?" I always hate those stupid reporters who ask people how "it" feels - winning the superbowl, escaping from a burning building, getting the Pulitzer... come on - can't you guys think of anything else to ask? So, how does it feel to attain life master status after about three years of non stop bridge playing? For me, the operative feeling is relief! I have scaled the mountain and laid my heavy backpack at the top. Unfortunately, it's only the first peak. A whole range of mountains lay before me.

Director/friend/partner Jay says, "Now you can really start to learn the game." Paula Warren says, "You get your life master and you wake up the next morning the same shitty player you were the day before." Club owner/friend Marilyn says, "It's your entry card into the world of real bridge players". I'm sure they are all correct.

To me, it's the high school diploma of bridge; a certification of basic competency. That may be an overstatement in my case since I can still screw up a laydown 3 NT hand and often do. However, now I can take some days off from playing and not feel as if I am losing ground in the hunt for masterpoints.

I am still committed to the game; love it; and as friend/partner Rebecca often says, "I would rather be playing bridge than doing most other things". I couldn't agree more. I will continue taking classes and directed play with real bridge masters and do anything else I can do to help my game improve. What is the next peak to scale? Not bronze life master or any number of points; no; I just want to be a decent club player whom other people enjoy having as a partner. If other designations come with time, so be it, but I am no longer in the hunt for piles of MPs. Done with that - over an out.

How many bridge players does it take to birth a new life master? Here is a list:

Mentors:

Biig Al Lochli
Chief Dementor Robert Barber
Marilyn Arnold

Teachers:

John Beard
Laurie Levin
Diane Olson
Everette Lewis
Wayne Rauschuber
Director Tom Marsh
Mike Lawrence
Lisa and David Berkowitz
Ira Hessel
Greg Hinze
Terry and Carolyn Reily
Bill Walker

Partners:

Partner/Husband Stephen Hoffman
Rebecca Brown
Carol Campbell
Leslie Tramer
Fran Vanecko
Paula Wissman
Jay Thorne
Phil Brown
Phyllis Giffen
Andy Villastrigo
Lee Ann Tsai
Steve Simpson
Becky Lu Tanner
Delores Reilly
Maddie and Bob Kleinman
Barbara Morgan
Bill Moody
Chuck Abbott
Susan Hernandez
Kenyon Daniel
Ken and Sharon MacMorran

AND - everyone who ever gave me any advice about anything at a bridge table - yes - even including you Tom Trudeau!

I am beyond grateful to all of you.  Thank You!!