I've been playing this game for a LONG time. Sometimes I think I've been playing for way too long. In that time I have quit Magic. Multiple times. And each time it was a big relief for me. It freed my time, my focus, and my resources. But then I realized what the game means to me and how I feel every time I play it and every time plan for a big tournament.

I love this game!

Even now I'm nervous about my up coming week in L.A. I'm headed to the West Coast for a Grand Prix and I'm nervously trying to pick the right deck to win with. I've played this game for over 14 years and I still get nervous! I love the pressure of playing and attempting to play perfectly, if that's even possible.

I've won with decks that I've created and I've won with decks that I copied card for card off of the internet back before the internet made netdecking an every day occurrence. I loved the game as much then as I do the copy-cats today. I loved being one of the first people in the world to run Abeyance-Ophidian for a win in a PTQ at the annual Origins Convention that also ran several major Magic tourneys. All almost as much as I loved justifying my claim that Faeries is the best deck in Magic by achieving my first top 8 in a major tourney at G.P. Denver just last year.

Sometimes, I recall all of the women or loved ones that I've dragged along with me to some of the most boring times in their lives. I have been so lucky to have met women who care that much and so blessed to have such wonderful kids also. That's right, I said LUCKY. Mr. I don't believe in luck is LUCKY. Louise, Debbie, Pat, Karin, Kari, Little Lee, and Cynthia, I want to say "Thank You" so very much for everything. (If I forgot anyone, I probably didn't love you that much!)

As you read this, maybe you have a special someone who doesn't mind or might even enjoy coming with you to these tourneys. You should know that you ARE very lucky to have that support. I learned a lot about relationships because of Magic. The fact that the ULTIMATE partner is one who embraces you for who you are and WHAT you love. So, kiss or hug that loved one and thank them. Hopefully, you are equally as understanding and supportive in their hobbies. That truly is something to cherish.

Maybe I love this game for the friends I have or had. You may meet a lot of people throughout your lifetime, and I find that people do tend to come and go. Magic has that unique quality of dragging people back into it.

It is fun to meet fans of the show/website, I truly cherish your time and your praise. I've met some of the best of friends through Magic. Old friends like Daniel Mondragon and Jose Cintra are guys who I started with. To guys like Antonino De Rosa, Billy Postelthwait, Tim Brenner, Bill and Bob Stead, and Ben Stark who are guys I watched grow up and now the "Jimmy"s, my ManaNation host Patrick, Julian, Zack, and the Oliveros brothers who are hitting the "new school" scene. Even Ari Cores gets mentioned (for what I dont' know). I don't have enough space to mention everyone, but you know what I mean. Magic tourneys often times provide reason to reminisce and to look forward or possibly dread (if they tend to beat you) seeing a friend.

The Pro Tour allowed me to meet, mingle and play against some of the BEST players in the world. People who you normally just read about or watch online. I love playing the best players. I think that they make me better. In fact, I KNOW they make me better. When I see that I'm paired against some of today's hottest players such as Guillaume Wafo-Tapa or Paulo Vitor Doma De Rosa it pushes me to play as well as I can. I enjoy putting myself through these tests and I believe a person can NEVER truly know themselves unless they test themselves. It's my competitive nature that drives me and I love that about myself.

I know that many of you may be wondering, "when is he going to talk about Magic?" and hopefully you'll see that I already have. I've tried to give some insight into why I love this game, why I'll always love this game and why I bother trying to do well at this game.

Spend a few minutes thinking about how great this game has been for you personally. Whether it's the 10 man FNM you play in every Friday or running into the person you see ONLY at the Pro Tour events. There are lots of memories you can create at any ONE of these events and many more you'll have winning or losing at this game

Keep playing! Thanks for reading.

-- Lee