Yay! Happy Birthday to myself.

Another year has passed and I'm hopefully closer to achieving my dreams.

Yet, no interview from Yale either.

I think on the overall, I'm looking at getting admitted without an interview positively. But realistically I would understand if I get dinged. After a while, if you put things into perspective, getting dinged isn't such a bad thing. Yes, it's time and money gone to waste, but the application experience can only prepare you for bigger things. Dinged by Yale? Apply to Wharton in the next round. There is ample time to strengthen my profile (hopefully).

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Let me play some online poker first! :)

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*6 hours later*

WHOA! ONLINE POKER IS ADDICTIVE!!!
Just like most forms of gambling.

5 years ago, I was hooked on gambling. Actually, my pre-occupation with gambling start much earlier, maybe my interest first begun when I was 12? 13? Can't really remember. Although as a kid I never had much money, nor did my family condone any form of gambling - I still managed to get involved in various forms of gambling, from betting on the World Cup to electronic slots. I wasted time and money just getting the high from gambling.

If anything, gambling is truly what I regret the most. It ruined my life (I was too hooked on it to care about anything else), it ruined relationships, and I was constantly broke as a result.

For the past 3 years I've had it under control. I simply avoid gambling dens and ensure that I have a tight control on myself. In the last World Cup I made some bets. In fact, I bet on every game. But no matter what, my bet never exceeded my limit. I simply told myself, I will bet $10 a game, no more, no less. And I'm proud to say that I stuck with it.

So, yes, gambling is a problem. Maybe one day I'll talk more about it.

But gambling can be beaten. You just have to force yourself (in my case after losing nearly everything I had), or seek help. And you will feel good once you kick the habit.

Anyway, back to the online poker. It's great fun. But I'm only going to play in competitions and for play money. My schedule isn't going to allow me to sit down 24/7 hitting the virtual tables. So, I'm looking at it as a hobby.

And it will stay that way. I am never going back to being addicted to gambling again. Ever.