Trouble with the missus poll

[salty]

I am just asking this because it appears my obsession with poker is causing trouble at home am I alone?

[scotnt73]

i play almost every day and have no problems. heres a few tips:
1)get off your butt when she walks in from work and talk to her about her day for a few
2)get off your butt and talk to her while you eat dinner AWAY from the computer
3)get off the computer at a reasonable hour during the work week(i play 5pm-9pm with breaks for dinner and wife get hom e at 6 time) and spend the last few hours reading a book next to her(for some reason reading is ok but pc time is not..i guess you are physically close while reading)
4)FOR GOD SAKE GO TO BED AT THE SAME TIME AS HER MOST NIGHTS!
5)friday nights are wife night out not puter time
6)during the weekends get your ass out of bead at around 6-7 am and play for 4-5 hours before waking her up to go do something
7)during the weekends dont get back on the pc until after you at least watch prime time tv or get back from the movie with her(hint:you should never walk in the door with her and IMMEIATELY get on the pc this pisses women off for some reason)
8)buy her nice things with all the money you are making and make sure she knows the gift is from poker money funds

[Lost Wages]

it appears my obsession with poker is causing trouble at home am I alone?

No. I just got a laptop with wireless internet which has helped a lot. Now I can play in bed while she goes to sleep instead of her going to bed by herself while I play upstairs. Plus, now if we're watching TV and it's her program I can get away with playing while we watch.

Lost Wages

[Lost Wages]

Nice post.

Another option is to try and get her interested in poker. I tried it but it didn't work for me. Fortunately she at least likes watching the WPT.

So far I've just been bankroll building but I'm hoping to get to the point that I can withdraw a big chuck and take her on a "free" vacation (to Vegas of course /images/graemlins/wink.gif). If she sees the money coming in I think she'll be a lot more tolerant.

Lost Wages

[salty]

Have the lap top and still no joy she hates the sound of the small fan!

Have bought her stuff from any money taken off, this has had slight success.

Tried to get her into poker, no joy there.Gave her a go at my account once she blew a wad.The woman is hyper aggressive.

[salty]

Great ideas scott will be formulating plan to get back in the fold while still having obsession woohoo (hopefully)

[ElSapo]

I've had this happen with both chess and poker, actually.

A few years ago I was living with my girlfriend at the time, and could get quite lost in intense games of chess. I would play for hours, she felt ignored, and some problems ensued.

Poker, same thing, different woman. She would even resent it when I got up early to play...

A lot of it stems from a lack of understanding on their part, which likely came from my inability to explain/communicate effectively. I've never met any woman who really understood how I could be so obsessed with a game...

It's a tough issue, frankly. Sitting in front of a computer for hours doing anything tends to cause animosity between some people. Personally, anything I've ever done, from poker to chess to fencing to baking to art to playing the trumpet has verged towards obsession at one time or another. Women tend to like their guys obsessed with them, and not these other things.

You need to find a middle ground, a schedule perhaps, and to make sure she understands you're not ignoring her but that you do love to play. There is no simple answer to this one, be it poker or any other hobby or sport or group of friends or what have you...

[BigBaitsim (milo)]

I play after she goes to bed at night and only catch hell when I can't get up early enough to help with the kids. She complains very little as poker is costing us nothing (she gave me a $50 buy-in for Father's Day and have never paid any $$ since).

[BigBaitsim (milo)]

Playing on my tablet PC wirelessly in bed has also helped the wife in being understanding about this latest obsession.

[BigBaitsim (milo)]

Tablet PC, ultra-quiet.

When at my desktop, in what used to be called my home office and now is my poker cave, I keep an ear out for screaming kids, so I can fold and offer help (which she always appreciates, but rarely needs). I also will fold the laundry while playing. I'm limited to two tables while folding, but she never objects, even in prime time to my playing while also doing "housework." The earlier suggestions to get away and be sure to give 1:1 time to the wife are also great ideas.

[Lost Wages]

I also will fold the laundry while playing.

I tried that but I got confused and folded a nut flush instead.

Lost Wages

[lil']

You know what helps? Start winning. That makes things better.

"Are you listening to me?!?"
"Honey, I just won $500."
"Oh, well, never mind then."

[BigEndian]

Tablet PC, ultra-quiet.

I haven't been able to find what I consider to be a good value in a Tablet PC. Any suggestions?

- Jim

[Mike Gallo]

[scotnt73]

/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[LetsRock]

I don't get much grief. I was pretty much a couch potato (when I wasn't off golfing somewhere) before I discovered on-line poker. Now she has complete control of whether the TV (in the main room) is off (so she can read without the noise) or tuned to her HGTV shows. Most of the time, I have no problem sitting out to help deal with whatever need dealing with and she knows that.

We kind of chuckle about my semi-serious goal to be the next Moneymaker. When I told her that he turned $40 into 2.5 million, she asked me what I was doing standing there yakking! /images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Last week, I took a day off (from poker) and she assumed our connection was down (we were having some connection problem with our local provider). I told her I was just taking the night off and it think it kind of confused her. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

She does keep wondering when all I'm going to buy her all those "shiny" things with my winnings, and I said "All in good time." /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[scotnt73]

my wife always laughs about how i sprint to the bathroom or kitchen between hands sometimes /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[LetsRock]

LOL - I get that too. On slow tables I used to do sprints back and forth between the kitchen (after folding) to scare up some grub. She would ask if it was really worth the trouble.

rags, fold...run to kitchen get bread out of cupboard...back to puter...no turn yet...back to kitchen get the mayo and meat and cheese out...back to puter, new hand...rags, fold...back to kitchen...spread the mayo...back to puter... just in time, no flop hand and new deal....rags, fold...back to kitchen slam a sandwhich together...puter, BB better see this one for a bit...raise (YES), fold...kitchen, put the food away... new hand SB, call, bad flop, fold...BTN...rags, fold...kitchen get some milk grab sabdwhich and back to puter......... /images/graemlins/grin.gif

(I just sit out for a couple of hands now, no it wasn't worth it.)

[scotnt73]

LMAO....EXACTLY! /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[BigBaitsim (milo)]

There are no good values in tablets, unless you wander into a Sam's Club and they are trying to get rid of the last demo unit with a scratched case and you get it for $800. It even came with 2 batteries (although you can't "hot swap" the batteries mid hand). Gotta say, nothing beats playing poker in the bathroom wirelessly, although playing three tables you've gotta wash hands fast when you're done. Made $50 yesterday while taking care of business. First time I ever got paid to do that.

[Tilt-a-Whirl]

LOL Letsrock! thats exactly how I used to be as well.

[anatta]

I used to run to the bathroom, but that got to be too much. Jeez, a grown man sprinting to the bathroom so he won't miss a hand! That's just sick.

So then I started pissing in a Diet Coke can. I had problems, however, accurately estimating how much I had to go and had some minor "accidents". I solved this by using a Mountain Dew 2 liter bottle. This works well, not only because of the similar coloration, but also since it has a cap , it keeps the smell to a minimum. I empty it once a week or so.

Regarding women, my wife might have said something about not liking poker too much, but I can't remember.

[Elizabeth]

Obviously I can understand something of the obsession you guys can have with playing. I get this positive feedback thing, where learning something about the game only increases my interest in learning more.

Anyway, I don't think women necessarily want you to be obsessed over them (though at first this is nice <g>). I don't think poker necessarily competes with your Relationship if you don't let it. It's less about the amount of time than it is about the attitude about your play. If my bf seemed to care more about poker than about me, that'd be a problem.

Not unreasonable, huh? If your obsession keeps you from showing affection, then it's "out of control" in the sense that your priorities are bad.

Just my perspective ...

[Mackenzie]

LMAO for real. Thank you for making my (rapidly escalating) obsession seem slightly more trivial!

[salty]

Thanks to all who took part.Final word for any still in trouble I printed Scots advice and gave it to the little lady herself and she thinks hes a genius.We have agreed a compromise so Im back in, look out and see ya'll at the tables.

ps: Scot she reckons you should patent that and write a book.Cheers I owe you a beer(or ten).It's all common sense I know but sometimes obsession clouds your judgement.