How I started playing online poker - part 1

I've had a couple (well, just 1) that asked me how I got into playing poker, more along the lines of how I got to where I am today (which isn't very far), so here is a short summary.

I was mainly playing for nickels and dimes until I turned 18 and made my first deposit on PokerStars for $100. I wasn't the brightest back then in terms of bankroll management, table selection, or anything really. I looked at some of the hands I played back then, and they were simply awful. In any case, with $100, I started playing $0.25/$0.50 6max NL. For those bankroll nits, you know that means I only had 2 buyins. I also played some 1/2 Limit 6max - I only had 50BB in this level. Saying that I played above my bankroll was probably an understatement. Somehow I got lucky, went on a heater and quicky ran that $100 up to about $1K within 2 weeks, and I thought I was just THAT good. Being a stupid 18 y/o with no sense of bankroll management, I withdrew $500 of it, and redeposited into Party Poker. Again, with no idea of what bankroll management is, I sat down at a 1/2 NL 6 max table with $500 in my account. I went on another heater, and my PartyPoker account had just over $2K by the end of the week. I felt like I was top of the world - less than a month ago I put $100 into poker, and now I'm sitting with $2500 or so. I withdrew a bunch of money from PartyPoker, and treated myself to a few new things. I continued playing the $1/$2 NL 6max, but reality (aka variance) finally struck. I lost most of what was left on PartyPoker after my withdrawal - and I was looking for answers. I came across Canada's Poker Forum (CPF www.pokerforum.ca), and I became a member. Some of the members on that site were instrumental in the early stages of my development as a poker player - learning how to properly manage my bankroll, and learning the game.

Part 2 coming up soon